Su Fu watched in utter confusion:
“What’s going on here? Jumping around like this…”
However, she thought to herself, it would be best if her patron deity was selected.
According to the Eternal Pivot’s records, the chief examiner deity might not only be unfair but sometimes would deliberately make things difficult for examinees.
As a divine chosen one, her corresponding deity was already determined.
If she ended up with her patron deity’s sworn enemy, that would be disastrous.
The more Su Fu thought about it, the more her head ached.
The grudges between these deities could fill volumes of mythological epics.
Take Poseidon and Athena, for instance they fought tooth and nail over the ownership of Athens.
Had Zeus not intervened, those two might have turned the entire Mediterranean upside down.
And that’s not even mentioning the Medusa incident later.
Then there’s the Indian pantheon-Shiva and Indra are old rivals.
The god of destruction versus the king of gods-when these two clash, it’s literally world-shaking.
Beyond inherent divine rivalries, conflicts over divine authority would also come into play.
Take the authority over death, for example.
Zhong Kui , as part of the Chinese underworld system, would definitely clash with Hades of the Greek underworld.
Given Hades’ temperament, if he sensed her underworld authority, he’d probably give her some “special test” with nine deaths out of ten chances.
Su Fu sighed, “What a mess!”
Just then, the golden light suddenly stopped jumping.
Coming back to her senses, Su Fu knew the moment had arrived.
[Chief Examiner Deity for Current Examination Selected]
[Greek Pantheon – Sea God Poseidon]
Su Fu’s face instantly paled.
This was extremely bad news.
As everyone knew, this sea god had an extremely volatile temper and was prone to emotional outbursts.
Just look at his “accomplishments”:
turning the priestess Medusa into a gorgon, punishing Troy for a king’s broken promise, capsizing countless ships in rage…
Temperamental, cruel, emotionally unstable!
And extremely vindictive!
Su Fu’s vision darkened-this was truly “a calamity!”
Divine Realm, Coral Throne.
The Sea God sensed a strand of his consciousness being pulled into the trial space, instantly flashing with shock.
What’s going on?
He had never intended to respond to the pleas of these lowly humans!
So what if these insignificant ants had offered countless treasures of gold and jewels?
Aren’t there so many other gods to choose from?
He had clearly refused, so why was it Him who ended up establishing the connection?
“Foolish humans…”
Poseidon’s consciousness surged with overwhelming fury.
He recalled those mortals who dared to steal divine power, those idiots who deluded themselves into sharing the authority of the gods.
Authority!
That was His authority!
His!
His!
His!
His rage was so intense it could set the entire ocean ablaze.
The Sea God clenched his trident, wishing he could pierce through the divine realm right then and there to impale every foolish human!
But no-Zeus would skewer Him first with that damned spear.
However, He soon thought of a brilliant idea.
Since this “Divine Revelation Ceremony” demanded His response, fine!
Let these insignificant ants witness what a true divine trial really was!
As for whether the other gods would bestow their power?
Hah, let them do as they pleased!
He would never give His!
In an instant, He devised the trial in His mind.
Let them struggle in the abyssal storms!
Let these ants drown in despair beneath towering waves!
Let them learn the price of coveting a god’s authority!
“Dare to gaze upon the authority of the gods…” Poseidon’s divine will brimmed with killing intent.
“Then perish, every last one of you!”
***
In the invigilation room, the teachers’ hearts sank the moment they saw the presiding deity.
This was bad!
Why did it have to be Poseidon, the most temperamental of them all?!
This year’s [Divine Revelation Ceremony] had consumed an entire year’s worth of effort from the Polaris Education Department.
Countless precious offerings, untold treasures all to create an opportunity for the examinees to gain the attention of the gods and prepare for the crucial college entrance exams ahead.
According to last year’s admission data from Tianqi High, only those who obtained divine abilities stood a chance of entering the prestigious universities within the Three Cosmic Rings.
It was like a key to the upper echelons.
For this single opportunity, the Polaris Education Department had nearly emptied its coffers.
And yet… they had drawn Poseidon!
Helian Yue rubbed her temples.
This Sea God was infamous among the deities for his… extremism.
Sharing authority?
What a joke!
He wouldn’t even share it with other gods, let alone humans.
Wars had been waged over less.
Everyone knew how He had once plunged an entire city into calamity over a single king’s broken promise, or how He had fought tooth and nail for dominion over a mere city.
Helian Yue looked at the students in the examination hall, her heart turning cold.
This was a disaster.
The worst part was that the [Divine Revelation Ceremony] was a two-way process.
For the examinees to obtain divine abilities, they had to endure the trial set by the presiding deity.
And Poseidon…
She could almost imagine the thoughts running through that wrathful Sea God’s mind right now.
He was definitely determined to withhold his power and push the trial’s difficulty to the absolute limit.
This was…
A catastrophe.
After a moment of silence, Zhao Wujie suddenly spoke up.
“Aren’t there other gods paying attention? Even if Poseidon refuses, surely the others “
“That’s even harder,” Bai Li sighed.
“Aside from the presiding deity, other gods aren’t obligated to observe the ceremony. Who knows how many will show up this time?”
At worst, none might come at all.
“And more importantly, the presiding deity sets the tone and difficulty for the entire examination.”
She looked at the students in the examination hall.
“If Poseidon sets an extremely difficult trial and the candidates perform poorly, do you think the other gods would grant them divine powers?”
The group fell silent.
How could that be possible?
“No god…” Mo Sanchou murmured, “would share their authority with a worthless fool.”
Helian Yue rubbed her temples.
“This is a huge problem. Not only do the candidates have to face hellish trials, but they might not even receive a single divine power in the end.”
“What about the college entrance exams?” Zhang Yuanhua frowned for the first time.
“Without divine powers, how can they compete with other candidates who have them?”
Bai Li sighed.
“Exactly. And nowadays, which university doesn’t prioritize divine recognition? Divine powers are the most direct proof.”
“Top-tier universities in the Third Ring clearly state in their admission requirements: ‘At least one divine power required.’ “
“If this year’s candidates fail to obtain any…”
She didn’t finish, but everyone understood.
Zhao Wujie’s expression darkened further.
“This isn’t just about individual candidates.”
“If the exams go poorly, it will affect the entire North Star Cluster’s resource allocation.”
And resources were everything.
One less resource meant one less defense against anomalies.
“Now…” Mo Sanchou turned to Poseidon’s divine projection, “it all depends on this Sea God’s mood.”
But everyone present knew this was likely a disaster in the making.
***
Divine Realm, East Sea.
Beneath endless azure waves stood a magnificent golden dragon palace.
Inside, the four Dragon Kings sat together, reviewing the results of the Divine Selection Ceremony.
“It worked!” Ao Shun, the North Sea Dragon King, slammed the table, his whiskers twitching with excitement.
“That hot-tempered Greek Sea God was indeed chosen!”
“Now we can fleece him.”
Little White Dragon Ao Shun turned to the Azure Dragon, praising, “Big Brother always has the best plans!”
“We’ll seize the chance to transfer his authority directly to Su Fu, along with ours-double the power! Perfect.”
Ao Guang, the East Sea Dragon King, was equally pleased.
“Hahaha, at least we didn’t fail the Great Sage’s request.”
He stroked his chin with a claw.
“Let’s watch and lend that girl a hand when the time comes.”
“Speaking of which, Poseidon is way too stingy,” Ao Qin, the South Sea Dragon King, snorted.
“After all those offerings, he won’t even share a sliver of authority.”
“Pathetic!”
Ao Run, the West Sea Dragon King, shook his head.
“Not just Poseidon-look at the entire Western pantheon. Aren’t they all the same?”
He counted on his claws: “Zeus demands bloodline recognition, Hermes tests wisdom, Apollo requires artistic talent…”
“The Norse are worse. Odin insists humans undergo death trials.”
“And the Indian pantheon-Shiva demands three years of asceticism, Indra wants victories over a thousand warriors…”
Little White Dragon chimed in, “They’re all stingy. I remember the Amaterasu line requires pure lineage, the Egyptian gods test soul purity, and Heaven’s faction demands absolute faith…”
“Honestly, it’s exhausting.”
He waved a claw dismissively.
“Why bother with all that? There’s plenty of divine authority to go around—just hand it out!”
He proudly twitched his whiskers:
“Besides, with human limitations, how much divine authority could they possibly obtain?”
“Brothers, if you ask me, we should give my authority to Su Fu. My powers over snowfall, hail, and frost are perfect!”
Counting on his claws, he continued: “Look, ice-based authority has strong defensive capabilities, suitable for both offense and defense…”
“Pfft!” The West Sea Black Dragon objected, “My authority suits her best!”
Puffing up his draconic form proudly, he declared: “Controlling climate, weather changes, freely manipulating wind direction and speed…”
“Wait, wait!” The South Sea Red Dragon interjected, “Me! Choose my Samadhi True Fire!”
“It’s got both power and grandeur!”
“Alright!” The East Sea Azure Dragon chuckled, interrupting them.
“I think my authority is most suitable—rain, thunder, floods, tides… you name it!”
The three younger brothers: “???”
“Big brother, that’s not fair!”
“How about this: let her choose one herself when the time comes?”
“That’s actually a great idea…”
The dragons all nodded in agreement.
However, the East Sea Azure Dragon’s expression softened.
“I just wonder if Su Fu can handle it.”
“True,” the White Dragon suddenly grew concerned.
“We shouldn’t give her authority that’s too strong. It’d be bad if she got hurt trying to control it.”
“When she grows stronger…” He rubbed his claws together.
“We can always give her more later, right?”
The four Dragon Kings exchanged knowing smiles that made perfect sense!
***
North Star Cluster Education Department, North Star Tower.
In the conference room, a massive projection screen displayed the divine image of Poseidon, while the circular seating arrangement was occupied by the department’s core figures.
But the atmosphere was clearly tense, with everyone’s expressions grim.
Education Minister Kong Ying sat at the head, with reformist Vice Minister Zhou Lihan to her right.
To her left were representatives of the three great families: ZhongZheng Mingde, Solvig, and Chen Zeyuan.
“Heh,” ZhongZheng Mingde spread his hands.
“This is a disaster.”
Looking at Kong Ying with a hint of sarcasm, he said, “Minister, is this the result of the reforms you pushed so hard for? Spending a year’s budget and countless rare offerings, just for these commoners who don’t even understand basic divine etiquette?”
“How generous of you. Now that we’ve encountered Poseidon, we’ll probably end up empty-handed.”
Solvig sneered, “I told you it was too radical. Even if you want to select so-called talents, there should be limits.”
“After all, even when fishing in the ocean, you need something to catch.”
“Now it seems like a complete waste of resources.”
After they spoke, Chen Zeyuan added, “If all these resources had been given to our families’ prodigies, we could at least guarantee this year’s exam results would match previous years’ safety net.”
“At least our aristocratic youths know the rules, understand how to please the gods.”
“But now? A bunch of commoners daring to covet divine powers? With Poseidon enraged, all examinees will suffer the consequences.”
“Rules?” Zhou Lihan suddenly scoffed.
“The rules you speak of are just hoarding all the resources for yourselves?”
He stood up abruptly.
“And what’s the result? Our star system always ranks at the bottom in the galactic exams! Barely any students make it into third-tier universities, let alone compared to other star systems.”
“And you still have the nerve to talk about a safety net?!”
“If you ask me, it’s because you hoarded resources without producing results that the North Star Cluster has been declining so much.”
“Look at the South Star Cluster-their reforms are in full swing, and geniuses keep emerging one after another!”
ZhongZheng Mingde’s expression darkened.
“What did you say?”
“You make it sound so easy. If you’re so capable, why don’t you step up?”
He stood up defiantly, “There’s no denying that certain deities favor bloodlines from noble families-it’s a tradition built over centuries.”
“And the connections and influence our families have within divine circles were accumulated over generations.”
“Even if our achievements aren’t outstanding, at least we have a safety net. In other words…”
He leaned forward slightly, enunciating each word: “We are guaranteed to obtain divine gifts!”
His point was simple-never mind the quality of the gifts, the fact is, we get them.
Instead of distributing resources among so many candidates just for a slim chance of divine favor, why not concentrate them on a select few to ensure they receive divine gifts?
That’s the safety net!
“Hmph.”
Zhou Lihan laughed coldly.
“A safety net? A safety net that ranks dead last among the four star clusters?”
His gaze sharpened like a blade.
“Monopolizing resources without making progress, flattering the gods-what’s the use? If you keep clinging to the old ways, the North Star Cluster will only fall further behind!”
The two factions were on the verge of another heated argument when Kong Ying suddenly slammed the table.
“Enough!”
Everyone jolted in surprise and turned to look at her.
Kong Ying’s gaze was calm as she addressed ZhongZheng Mingde.
“So what you’re saying is, commoners deserve to die?”
The noble families: “…”
They hadn’t said that!
They merely believed resources shouldn’t be wasted on commoners!
But Kong Ying’s imposing aura silenced them, and after a pause, no one dared to argue.
Who didn’t know that Kong Ying herself had risen from nothing?
From the very bottom, she had climbed to the position of Minister of Education.
Even if they truly thought that way, they couldn’t say it outright.
Fuming in silence, they cursed her inwardly.
Kong Ying remained expressionless.
“No destruction, no creation.”
“What the North Star Cluster needs are geniuses who break the old rules, not mediocrities who follow them!”
“If any of you believe this commoner minister is too radical, feel free to propose my impeachment at any time.”
“I will bear all consequences.”
As she finished speaking, the representatives of the three great families subtly exchanged glances of success.
Lowering their heads to hide their disdain, they were certain she was doomed.
Once Poseidon flew into a rage and this prayer ceremony yielded nothing, they would seize the chance to oust her!
Next year, all resources would return to the noble families’ control.
They refused to believe that after such a colossal blunder, the Ministry of Education would let her keep her position.
Why had the divine interview for Group C been smoothly replaced with a Revelation Ceremony this year?
Did anyone really think Kong Ying alone could pull that off?
It was all their silent approval and behind-the-scenes maneuvering.
Even ZhongZheng Ye and Elai had been carefully chosen pawns.
The Allfather Odin would never respond to prayers of this level, and Poseidon had the worst temper-he despised mortals coveting his authority.
Their schemes were meticulous, but even they hadn’t expected fate to favor them so greatly-they had hit the jackpot with Poseidon.
Now things had taken a turn for the worse.
Without a doubt, the North Star Cluster’s year of hard work would go down the drain.
When the time came, they wouldn’t even need to take action themselves-others would surely hold Kong Ying accountable.
ZhongZheng Mingde feigned concern:
“You’ve worked hard, Minister.”
Solveig: “Reform is always difficult, but I personally admire the Minister for taking such risks for the future of the North Star Cluster.”
Chen Zeyuan: “Since the Minister has made the decision, there’s nothing more for us to say. Let’s wait and see.”
After speaking, the three of them fell silent in tacit understanding.
Too much is as bad as too little.
In the examination hall, the voice of Shen Yan AI rang out:
[Exam paper loading……………….]
[Exam paper loading complete]
[Your C-stage exam paper is: The Ants’ Covetous Gaze]
Su Fu: “???”
This didn’t bode well.
Just from the title alone, she could already feel the overwhelming malice radiating from Poseidon.
Ants?
And covetous?
The most temperamental of the sea gods had clearly decided to make all the “ants” who coveted His authority pay the price.
The exam scenario began to unfold, and in an instant, a deep sea-blue hue filled her vision.
Dark clouds gathered overhead, lightning flickering through them as thunder roared deafeningly.
BOOM-
A bolt of lightning split the sky, etching the stern visage of a god within the storm clouds, gazing down at the examinees below.
The salty tang of sea wind hung thick in the air, and Su Fu could already hear the distant crash of waves.
A sudden realization struck her.
He was doing this on purpose.