An old enemy appears on the narrow path to the altar; divine trials shake the heart that rebels against God.

The lingering might of the Petrification Altar had not yet dissipated, and the interwoven black-and-white origin of petrification mixed with the black-gold God-Defying Power hung in the air.

Shortly after the God-Defying Squad turned to leave, several disheveled figures appeared on the distant horizon—Xiao Ling, leading the Shrek Seven Devils, had tracked them down by following the aura of the petrification origin.

"It's right here!" A flash of greed crossed Xiao Ling's eyes as the embryonic form of his Sea God Blue Silver Grass spread around him.

"The origin power of the Petrification Altar can nullify divine light. If I can absorb it, my Sea God Inheritance will certainly advance even further!"

Dai Mubai, Oscar, and the others behind him also looked impatient; after their ancient spirit ring in the Star Dou Secret Realm was snatched away, they were in desperate need of powerful strength to bridge the gap.

But as they arrived at the foot of the stone mountain, they happened to run into the oncoming God-Defying Squad.

Seeing the advanced auras surrounding Su Chen and the Sisters, especially the black-and-white scales and snake tail on Medusa, Xiao Ling's pupils contracted sharply: "You... absorbed the petrification origin?"

"Xiao Ling, you really are like a persistent ghost." Su Chen's mouth curled into a mocking smile as his black-gold gaze swept over the Shrek Seven Devils.

"You didn't manage to snatch the ancient spirit ring in the Star Dou Secret Realm, and now you want to snatch the petrification origin? You truly are a born predator, but unfortunately, what you want has never belonged to you."

Medusa flicked her snake tail, black-and-white petrification rays condensing at her fingertips, her red snake eyes filled with disdain: "With that trash ability of yours that is countered by divine light, you think you're worthy of coveting the petrification origin? If Su Chen hadn't stopped me just now, I would have already petrified you and turned you into an eternal statue."

Xiao Ling's expression darkened, and his Sea God Blue Silver Grass surged instantly, golden vines winding toward Medusa: "Stop being arrogant! Today, I'll let you see the progress I've made during this time!"

"Sisters, go play with them." Su Chen spoke indifferently, and the 15 Heroines instantly spread out into formation—having undergone exclusive bond breakthroughs, their coordination had become increasingly tacit, and their strength was far from what it used to be.

Zi Yan was the first to transform into her Dragon Phoenix Form, Dragon Phoenix Fire burning outward, directly forcing Dai Mubai back; Xiao Xun Er's Colored Phoenix Fire wove into a net, incinerating Oscar's supportive Sausage completely; Yun Yun's Wind Wings flapped, and Wind Blades cut through Xiao Ling's Blue Silver Grass like sharp knives; Zhu Zhuqing was shrouded in shadows, her figure ghosting behind Ma Hongjun, her Shadow Blade wounding his wings; Hinata activated her God-Defying Byakugan, locking onto Xiao Ling's flaws in real-time and relaying them to the Sisters.

"Nine Treasures turn out with Glazed Tile!" Ning Rongrong's Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda hovered above her head, and golden glazed light instantly enveloped Su Chen and the Sisters.

"Power boost, speed boost, defense boost..." With the nine major boost attributes stacked, the God-Defying Squad's aura skyrocketed instantly, and the Shrek Seven Devils' attacks were like mud cows entering the sea, unable to cause any damage at all.

Watching his partners being easily suppressed, Xiao Ling felt a surge of intense unwillingness in his heart.

He channeled his Sea God Blue Silver Grass to erupt with full force, the golden vines carrying a sacred aura as he launched a fierce attack toward Su Chen: "Su Chen, I'll fight you to the death!"

"You think you can?" Su Chen's figure flashed, and he tapped lightly with his God-Defying Scepter.

Black-gold nishen markings spread like a virus, and Xiao Ling's Sea God Blue Silver Grass dimmed instantly, the golden vines shattering inch by inch.

"Your Sea God power is nothing but a low-quality gift from the God Realm; in the face of God-Defying Power, it is vulnerable."

In the close-up shot, fragments of Sea God Blue Silver Grass scattered in the air, and the veins on Xiao Ling's hands bulged, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

In the medium shot, the 15 powers of the God-Defying Squad wove into a net, trapping the Shrek Seven Devils tightly, with pink rabbit ears, black-and-white scales, Colored Phoenix Fire, and golden glazed light effects interweaving to form a strong visual impact.

In the panoramic shot, the battlefield at the foot of the stone mountain was shrouded in God-Defying Power and the advanced abilities of the Heroines, with the Shrek Seven Devils dodging in disarray, completely unable to fight back.

"Impossible! This is impossible!" Xiao Ling roared, the Clear Sky Hammer suddenly appearing in his hand, trying to break through the defense by force, but he was tightly bound by the Ancient Snake King controlled by Qing Lin.

The black aura of the snake swarm merged with the God-Defying Power, and the power of the Clear Sky Hammer was instantly suppressed, dragging Xiao Ling down to smash into the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

Just then, a golden beam of light suddenly descended from the sky.

Within the beam, Qian Renxue unfurled her angel wings, her azure eyes watching the battlefield with a complex expression.

The voice of the Angel God Trial roared in her mind: "Qian Renxue! Kill Su Chen and the God-Defying Squad; this is your final test to become the Angel God!"

Qian Renxue's Angel God power stirred, golden light blades condensing at her fingertips.

But when she saw the tacit understanding with which Su Chen and the Sisters fought side-by-side, saw the dominance of Medusa's black-and-white petrification power nullifying divine light, saw the perfect boost of Ning Rongrong's Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, and especially when she saw Su Chen standing in the forefront without hesitation to protect the Sisters beside him, the voice of the trial in her mind suddenly became blurry.

"Kill them..." The voice of the trial carried a threat, "Otherwise, you will never be able to become the Angel God, and your soul will scatter!"

"To become the Angel God, must I sacrifice the innocent and become a puppet of the God Realm?" A flicker of struggle flashed in Qian Renxue's azure eyes.

She recalled Su Chen's mockery of divine authority in the Star Dou Secret Realm, recalled Su Chen's protection of Ning Rongrong outside Shrek Academy, and recalled how, at this moment, although the God-Defying Squad was called "outcasts," they cherished each other more than the so-called "God's Chosen."

Her angel light blades gradually dimmed.

The resistance she had felt before when forced by the trial to kill Su Chen resurfaced, even more intensely—she vaguely felt that what Su Chen said about the "God Realm farming all worlds" was not an empty lie, and the Angel God Position she had always pursued might truly just be a shackle Binding her freedom.

"Qian Renxue! Do it!" Seeing Qian Renxue in the sky, Xiao Ling roared as if grabbing a life-saving straw, "Help us kill these Nishen outcasts; the God Realm will not treat you poorly!"

Qian Renxue's gaze fell upon Xiao Ling, watching him bound by the snake swarm and in such a sorry state, then looked back at Su Chen, who was composed and surrounded by the Sisters, and the scale in her heart tipped completely.

She slowly retracted her angel wings, the golden beam of light gradually dissipating, leaving behind a cold sentence: "Solve your own enemies yourself."

Having said that, Qian Renxue turned and left.

The roar of the Angel God Trial echoed in her mind, but it could no longer shake her determination—she was going to verify for herself what the truth Su Chen spoke of really was; she wanted to live for herself, not become a pawn of the God Realm.

Seeing Qian Renxue's retreating figure, Xiao Ling was completely desperate.

He looked at the God-Defying Squad, who were like war gods before him, and looked at the firmness and tacit understanding in the eyes of the 15 Heroines, finally realizing that the gap between him and Su Chen was no longer just a chasm in strength, but an insurmountable difference in their bonds with one another.

"Su Chen, you wait!" Xiao Ling gritted his teeth, channeling his last bit of spirit power to break free from the snake swarm, and fled in disarray with the Shrek Seven Devils.

"See you at Shrek Academy! I will definitely make you pay the price!"

"I'll accompany you anytime." Su Chen's voice was bone-chilling.

"Next time we meet, I'll let you know what true loss of dignity is."

Watching the backs of Xiao Ling and the others fleeing in a panic, the Sisters all revealed expressions of disdain.

Xiao Wu skipped over to Su Chen's side: "Brother Su Chen, Xiao Ling is too weak, he wasn't even worth fighting!"

"He is nothing but a pawn of the God Realm; he can't stir up any trouble." A flicker of sharpness flashed in Su Chen's black-gold eyes.

"However, since he wants to make his last stand at Shrek Academy, we will oblige him. Next time we meet, I will completely crush his Sea God Inheritance and make him the laughingstock of the continent."

Meanwhile, in the clouds in the distance, Qian Renxue stood quietly, her azure eyes watching the direction in which the God-Defying Squad left.

The voice of the Angel God Trial was still roaring in her mind, but for the first time, a thought of rebellion sprouted in her heart: "God Defier Su Chen... perhaps you are the key to breaking the shackles."

She turned and flew toward the Angel God Temple, having already made up her mind—she would temporarily shelve the trial, head to Shrek Academy, witness the final showdown between Su Chen and Xiao Ling with her own eyes, and find the answer that belonged to her.