However, an unexpected scene unfolded.
The already half-crippled Elder Xuan suddenly leaped into the air at this moment. With his remaining right hand, he pressed down on Ma Xiaotao's head and slammed her forcefully onto the ground.
"Shut up, Xiaotao!"
Though not injured, Ma Xiaotao struggled furiously and exclaimed, "Elder Xuan, what are you doing!?"
Although both were at the peak Divine Official level, Elder Xuan's earth attribute naturally countered Ma Xiaotao's extreme fire. Thus, Ma Xiaotao was completely subdued under Elder Xuan's restraint.
While holding Ma Xiaotao down, Elder Xuan looked up at Huo Yu'er. "Goddess of Space, as this girl's elder, I accept your earlier terms and will ensure that she swears absolute loyalty to you in the future. Please do not hold her stubbornness against her."
Huo Yu'er observed the old man. Their interactions had been minimal in the past, and her impression of Elder Xuan was mostly that of a crude and domineering individual. But now, it seemed time truly changed people.
"Very well. I hope you can convince her. However, time is running out for you. Act quickly."
With that, Huo Yu'er turned her gaze toward the black sphere floating high in the sky—the outer shell of Tang Ya's closed domain.
Seeing that Huo Yu'er hadn't outright rejected the proposal, Elder Xuan let out a sigh of relief and released his hold on Ma Xiaotao.
Finally freed, Ma Xiaotao frowned unhappily at Elder Xuan. "Elder Xuan, what was that about? You've shamed the honor of Shrek Academy! Death isn't something to fear—it's just death!"
Elder Xuan, who should have appeared radiant after ascending to godhood, now looked a decade older than his mortal self.
With sorrowful yet earnest eyes, Elder Xuan gazed at Ma Xiaotao. "Xiaotao, death indeed isn't frightening.
But if all three of us die here, then Shrek Academy will truly be finished."
Ma Xiaotao, whose thoughts often ran slower, was left stunned. Unlike Elder Xuan, who had ascended to godhood under semi-coercion, she had received her divine position directly from her beloved ancestor. Later, driven by the desire to restore the former glory of the Seven Monsters of Shrek, she joined the Sea God Alliance.
She didn't understand the intricacies behind these events.
Even during Shrek's difficult times in the past, she had simply thought that becoming a powerful Limit Douluo like Mu En would be enough to revive the academy.
Though Elder Xuan's mind wasn't particularly sharp either, as someone who had joined this divine war due to allegiance, he knew that their current defeat marked the end of Shrek.
But just as despair consumed him, Huo Yu'er's offer to spare Ma Xiaotao came as a lifeline.
For Elder Xuan, this was like a ray of light piercing through the darkness of despair, offering redemption.
No matter what happened in the future, as long as Ma Xiaotao remained a god on the Douluo Continent, Shrek Academy wouldn't face complete annihilation and could continue to exist.
Slowly, he explained these reasons to Ma Xiaotao, leaving her deeply shaken.
Surviving in disgrace might tarnish the honor of Shrek, but if Shrek itself ceased to exist, what meaning would that honor hold? Ma Xiaotao fell into deep thought.
At this moment, the outer shell of Tang Ya's domain shattered with a loud boom.
Though Tang Ya bore some injuries, Tang Wulin plummeted straight from the sky.
His divine armor was shattered, his body covered in wounds, and not a trace of divine energy remained. Like a broken doll, he crashed onto the muddy ground.
In the God Realm, Ma Hongjun quietly exhaled in relief as he watched Ma Xiaotao sink into contemplation. Though she hadn't made a final decision, it was clear that her previous martyr-like resolve had wavered.
Caught between carrying the burden forward or ending it all, Ma Hongjun believed his descendant would make the wise choice.
However, someone else was far from pleased—Tang San's expression shifted rapidly. When he saw Tang Wulin, reduced to a broken state, reappear, he erupted in fury.
"How dare you mere new gods act so brazenly? He is my son, the son of Tang San, the God King!"
Especially upon recalling Huo Yu'er's explicit declaration to exterminate Tang Wulin's group, Tang San could no longer contain himself and confronted Ye Wen.
"God of Wisdom, what did your disciple mean by those words? Are they planning to commit deicide!?"
Leaning on the strongest support, Ye Wen—who was pretending to be only a Tier-3 god—remained calm. He merely glanced at Tang San indifferently and replied:
"There are rules in the God Realm prohibiting gods from killing one another, but there are no such restrictions in the mortal realm.
And if I remember correctly, in the tales of Douluo Continent about you, the Sea God Tang San, it's clearly recorded that you killed both the Angel God and the Asura Goddess.
So, committing deicide in the mortal realm? Why are you, the God King, so agitated?"
Though Ye Wen didn't explicitly mention the saying "Only officials are allowed to burn houses, but commoners aren't allowed to light lamps," the other gods couldn't help but smirk knowingly, deeply understanding Tang San's hypocrisy.
At this moment, Tang San's anger surged, but he knew Ye Wen's words held truth. Clenching his teeth, he suppressed his rage and said gravely to Ye Wen:
"Spare my son and the other gods. I, Tang San, the Asura God King, owe you a favor."
Though he spoke these words, Tang San had already devised an alternative plan in his heart. Having lost Douluo Continent as a source of faith and being unable to cultivate faith on other planets under the Douluo God Realm, Tang San decided that once Tang Wulin, Da Ming, Er Ming, and the others ascended, he would take his family to the vast universe and rebuild on a new planet.
After all, as the mighty God King Tang San, with the power of a God King, where in the boundless cosmos couldn't he go? Why remain trapped in this tiny God Realm!
But to Tang San's surprise, Ye Wen flatly refused.
"You dare reject me!?" Tang San exclaimed in disbelief.
Ye Wen nodded firmly. "To be honest, Asura God King, I don't see how your favor would benefit me. I'm a law-abiding person—I haven't committed any offenses that would require your intervention, nor will I ever find a use for such a favor.
So? Why would I abandon the benefits brought by these eight divine positions for a worthless favor?"
This rebuttal was impeccable, leaving Tang San, who had hoped to freeload, utterly enraged. The Asura divine power representing slaughter erupted from his body!
But at the same time, the Destroyer God's destructive divine power also surged!
The two forces clashed fiercely, neither yielding to the other!
The God of Destruction glared coldly at Tang San. "Tang San, show some respect."
But Tang San, pushed to the brink, couldn't possibly back down so easily.
The two stood silently, locked in a tense standoff, until the other God Kings could no longer tolerate it. One by one, they unleashed their divine power, exerting immense pressure on Tang San.
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