Chapter 58: Lord of the Ocean, Full Display (2/3)

Constantly threatening apocalyptic destruction or unleashing calamities? 

In China, hah! 

They’d have been branded demonic cultivators and hunted down long ago!

And the other gods would’ve competed to eliminate them for virtue points!

At these words, Elai’s hands trembled around the Eternal Spear.

For the first time, a hint of blasphemous doubt crept into his thoughts about his own deity.

Su Fu’s words were so irreverent! 

So audacious!

Yet…

Somehow, they made a twisted kind of sense?

No, no! 

He shook his head violently. 

He must’ve been led astray by her heresy!

How could deities be so casual? 

How could divine favor be so easily obtained?

The followers of other pantheons present were collectively petrified.

To them, this was outright sacrilege!

Deities were supreme beings with absolute authority-how could they ever treat humans as equals?

But Su Fu…

But the Chinese pantheon…

They really seemed different!

Everyone felt utterly devastated.

Heavens!

There was no reasoning with Su Fu! 

No reasoning with someone so favored by the gods!

Their deities demanded daily worship, absolute devotion-the slightest disrespect would bring divine retribution.

But the Chinese pantheon?

Is it really enough to just sincerely ask for help when trouble comes?

…Wait, can you even switch faiths like that?

I don’t want to stay in this crappy pantheon for even one more day!

What was the point of all these years of hard work? 

What did all my devotion amount to?

I should’ve joined the Chinese pantheon from the start!

But soon, someone snapped back to reality and looked at Su Fu with a complicated expression: 

“But… you’re really in for it now.”

“You’ve angered not just your Chinese deities, but Poseidon himself.”

And Poseidon is notoriously petty.

After being humiliated like this by a mere human, how could he possibly let it go?

“It’s over, it’s over, it’s over…” 

Some were already imagining the worst, “Now not just her, but we’ll all suffer too.”

ZongZheng Ye, who knew his god’s temperament best, simply gave up struggling and sat on the water’s surface, resigned to his fate.

Looking at Su Luan floating in the distance, his eyes actually showed envy. 

“How nice… once you’re dead, you don’t have to die again…”

Su Luan: “….”

I can hear you, thanks.

But right now, she might be the biggest winner here!

Having died once, she’d gained Death’s favor-this was a divine blessing set in stone.

As for the others? 

All that awaited them was Poseidon’s wrath.

Thinking this, Su Luan’s mood grew even brighter: “Let the storm rage even fiercer!”

The others: “……..”

Are you mad?

Get lost!

Both you and Su Fu can just get lost!

“Heaven and earth are ruthless, treating all things as straw dogs…” Su Fu suddenly spoke, then paused mid-sentence.

Never mind, they wouldn’t understand anyway.

She rephrased: “I’m taking an exam here. This isn’t about angering anyone, so stop talking nonsense.”

Su Fu thought to herself if this were China and Poseidon dared act so shamelessly, the Heavenly Court would’ve punished him long ago.

Would she even need to lift a finger?

The moment he showed a bit of power he starts making waves? 

If this were one of the eighty-one trials, he’d have been struck down with a single blow.

***

Meanwhile, on the cruise ship in the distance.

“Was that… a divine manifestation just now?” 

A tourist clutched the railing, voice trembling.

“Shh!” Someone nearby quickly hushed them, “Keep your voice down!”

All the tourists instinctively lowered their voices, afraid of disturbing something they shouldn’t.

That earth-shaking spectacle had been too overwhelming.

The sky-obscuring waves, the storm that seemed ready to devour everything all displaying a god’s might.

But what was even more shocking was that someone had dared oppose such divine power!

“Madness…” someone murmured, “Isn’t this challenging the gods?” 

“Could it…” An elderly man looked grave, “Could it bring greater disaster?”

At these words, the atmosphere on the cruise grew even more oppressive.

The seascape before them was beautiful, the sky still clear, the ocean calm.

But to them, it felt like the calm before the storm.

“Captain…” The first mate whispered nervously to the captain, wiping sweat from his brow, “Should we retreat?”

The captain stared fixedly at the examinees in the distance, cold sweat pouring down.

In all his decades at sea, he’d never witnessed such a bizarre scene.

By all rights, they should leave immediately.

But…

“Even if we wanted to…” He gave a bitter smile, “Would there still be time now?”

If one truly angered the gods, even fleeing to the ends of the earth wouldn’t save them from divine retribution, would it?

“Boom-“

A dull thunderclap exploded across the sky.

Everyone’s hearts clenched, and they shivered involuntarily.

***

Divine Realm, Coral Throne.

Poseidon reclined lazily on his throne, eyes closed in satisfaction as he felt the ocean’s turmoil. 

This was absolute dominion over the seas- the supreme authority of a deity!

The pitiful pleas and prayers of humans reached his ears, and a cruel smile curled at the corners of his lips.

Daring to covet a god’s authority? 

The only outcome is death!

Though according to divine ritual protocols, he could only wield a sliver of divine power. 

But what did that matter?

He was the supreme deity who ruled the oceans. 

Even a mere sliver of his power was enough to send these ants to a watery grave.

This was the final destination for insignificant humans-forever groveling at the feet of gods, begging for mercy…

Suddenly, his smile froze.

Wait.

The ocean… why was it slipping from his control?

It felt as though something was completely suppressing it!

Poseidon’s eyes snapped open, and in the next instant, his pupils contracted violently.

The storm he’d summoned… had vanished?

Impossible! 

Absolutely impossible!

He was the God of the Seas! 

This vast ocean was under his command. 

How could this be happening…?

But then he sensed it-something was forcibly suppressing the ocean’s fury!

Poseidon’s furious gaze turned toward that direction, and when he saw that figure, his divine form trembled.

That human!

Su Fu!

“Boom-“

Terrifying divine might erupted instantly, shaking the entire undersea palace.

His hands clenched the throne’s armrests so tightly the surrounding temperature plummeted, countless water droplets freezing midair.

A chilling mist spread, threatening to freeze even the air itself.

“How……”

His voice was icy and piercing, filled with disbelief and rage.

“How dare you!”

A mere human, daring to block his divine power?

This was the ultimate blasphemy against a god! 

A direct challenge to his dignity!

Wrath burned within him like a volcano on the verge of eruption.

“Very well!”

He would make this insolent creature pay the most agonizing price!

“Since you seek death…”

“I shall grant your wish!”

With a mere gesture from Poseidon, the authority of the ocean activated instantly. 

Tsunamis, storms, lightning, dark clouds…

This was the true power of the Sea God!

“Perish……”

“All of you!”

He was confident Zeus wouldn’t interfere with such a minor divine ritual.

In that case…

A hint of madness flashed in Poseidon’s eyes as he channeled even more divine power into his authority.

If punishment was to be dealt, he might as well destroy the entire ritual along with it!

Let these ants learn the cost of offending a god!

Feeling the ocean’s authority respond with overwhelming force, he smiled in satisfaction.

“Annihilate everything!”

***

Meanwhile, in the Divine Realm’s Deep Sea Dragon Palace.

The Four Dragon Kings opened their eyes simultaneously, expressions grave.

“Something’s happening,” the Azure Dragon of the East said solemnly. 

“Poseidon is making his move.”

“Tch, knew he couldn’t resist,” the Crimson Dragon of the South scoffed. 

“Those inborn gods who inherit everything through bloodlines, when have they ever considered the consequences?”

“That little domain of theirs has been destroyed by their own hands countless times,” the Crimson Dragon sighed, shaking his head. 

“For their own selfish desires, they’d even…”

“Rules be damned, his own rage outweighs everything else.”

The Western Sea Black Dragon smiled faintly: “No matter. A good beating will make him behave.”

“Exactly!” The Little White Dragon of the North Sea clapped his dragon claw, “He broke the agreement, so can we take action now?”

The four Dragon Kings exchanged glances-

“That’s right!”

“Let’s do it!”

***

In the examination room, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was suffocating.

“It’s over,” Bai Li muttered, “This time it’s really over…”

“How dare she? To directly defy Poseidon’s wrath…”

“Isn’t this seeking death?” Zhao Wujie frowned, “Poseidon is the most vindictive, he’s definitely going to be enraged now.”

They couldn’t help but be shocked by the scene before their eyes.

Dazzling golden sunlight spilled onto the calm sea surface, sparkling and peaceful.

Where was the terrifying turbulence from before?

And all of this was because of that golden cudgel.

“This divine artifact…” Mo Sanchou’s eyes flashed with a strange light, “Isn’t it too astonishing?”

Calming the sea with one strike, this had already exceeded their understanding of divine artifacts.

Helian Yue had a complex expression, “If it wasn’t Poseidon this time, but a deity with a better temper, could it have allowed all the examinees to successfully obtain divine…”

With the strength Su Fu has displayed, if she were to add the divine powers bestowed by a deity, she would definitely achieve excellent results in the college entrance exam, right?

But now, saying these things no longer has any meaning.

Because Poseidon would not let her go.

Bai Li lamented: “Is there really… no way out?”

No one answered.

Everyone had complex expressions, with both regret for Su Fu and awe towards the deities in their eyes.

The mercy of the gods…

How difficult it is!

Suddenly, someone said: “Could there be Chinese deities watching all of this?”

“Could there be deities coming to help her?”

This speculation startled everyone.

Chinese deities… perhaps that Great Sage Equal to Heaven would?

But would the Great Sage be watching here right now?

And what about other Chinese deities, what kind of personalities do they have? 

Would they help Su Fu?

Look at the name of this exam paper,  “The Covetousness of Ants”.

Everyone fell silent. 

In the eyes of deities, humans are nothing but ants.

In the view of deities, humans are weak, and can only seek survival by clinging to the gods.

What about human efforts themselves?

In the vast sea of stars, how many heroes have come and gone, yet none could return in the end.

That obelisk inscribed with the names of all the pioneers, what does it amount to in the eyes of the gods?

No one dared to think further.

The mercy of the gods… yes, for humans, just being able to survive is already a great fortune, right?

“Huh?” Bai Li suddenly frowned, “Something’s not right…”

“Why is there no movement?”

Everyone finally came to their senses.

Yes, logically Poseidon should have taken action by now, right?

But why was there still no movement after so long?

On the sea surface, Su Fu keenly noticed that the sky had changed.

Very subtle, but it had begun.

In the distant sky, a streak of dark clouds was slowly gathering.

More importantly, the seawater had begun to ripple slightly, not in a natural way, but like some kind of omen.

Su Fu’s heart stirred, is this… Poseidon preparing to make his move?

The pressure from the deity was slowly permeating this world.

Logically, she should be afraid, after all this was the legendary sea god who could raise towering waves, a lofty Olympian deity.

But she wasn’t very afraid, because she believed Chinese deities must be watching this place.

Whether watching her, or watching this temperamental sea god.

From the moment she realized the C exam wasn’t just overseen by one main examiner deity, she had realized this point.

As is well known, the Chinese pantheon and other pantheons are complete opposites.

The Chinese pantheon’s relationship with humans can be said to be quite close, the most typical example being that humans can even cultivate to become deities.

Rather than like some pantheons, relying on bloodlines or innate divine status, completely in the position of lofty rulers.

When displeased, they directly destroy the world.

Humans are like ants to them, destroying them is no big deal, why care about the thoughts of ants?

So the question arises.

How could humans have achieved a stable cooperative relationship lasting hundreds or even thousands of years with such deities?

How is this possible?

Just like Poseidon now, who would punish humans at the slightest provocation, how could such deities coexist peacefully with humans?