Under the silver tree, Zhao Xing sat cross-legged, watching the destruction of Minor Small World No. 2436.
The collapse began from the earth veins, which was also the reason why Xilin's Life Formation had vanished instantly.
Originally, Zhao Xing and Xilin were separated by tens of millions of miles, but after the first day, a massive portion of the land between them had disappeared.
Soon, only the territories protected by special plants remained. Within two days, the land between them had completely connected, leaving them shoulder to shoulder.
"Mushroom King!" Xilin still glared at Zhao Xing, her face still swollen like a pig's head.
"What?" Zhao Xing looked at Xilin in confusion.
Xilin became even angrier—this guy actually looked like he didn't understand why she was mad!
Zhao Xing truly thought so. Xilin had cultivated a Mind Divine Ability, yet she was furious over her appearance? That was truly strange.
"You hit me, and now you're asking me why I'm angry?" Xilin gritted her teeth.
"How did you train your Mind Divine Ability?" Zhao Xing asked, genuinely curious.
Someone who loses their temper this easily could still master a Mind Divine Ability?
"You bastard." Xilin grew even more furious. "What do you know about mind cultivation? I follow the Emotion Path!"
"Oh! Now I understand!" Zhao Xing suddenly realized.
There were many branches within the Mind Path. Some trained themselves to be as unyielding as iron, remaining unshaken by anything. Some cultivated a boundless heart, always smiling in the face of everything. Others were like icebergs, indifferent to all.
Then, there were those like Xilin, who followed the Emotion Flow Path. These cultivators fully experienced all emotions, actively embracing the effects of emotions on the mind.
During certain stages, they would anchor their emotions to specific things to stimulate their mental vitality.
For Xilin, it was likely that her beauty was her anchor.
Of course, this could change at different stages. In the next phase, Xilin might become gentle and kind, as her anchor and needs evolve.
Since she had emotion, she had to express it.
Thus, Xilin ranted at Zhao Xing for a full month and a half before stopping.
Her verbal onslaught was so extreme that Zhao Xing even learned a few new insults.
"Are you done?" Zhao Xing had been observing the land and sky the entire time. Now that Xilin suddenly stopped, he felt a little unaccustomed to the silence.
"I… I sincerely apologize, Mushroom Daoist. I cursed you for so long." Xilin had finally regained her beauty. It seemed that after venting her frustration, her temperament had shifted once again.
"How refreshing." Zhao Xing chuckled. It seemed Xilin had entered her next stage of cultivation. "It's fine. Hurry up and continue cultivating."
Xilin: "Alright!"
Boom!
After the earth veins collapsed, earth energy surged into the sky like glowing threads, manifesting like an electromagnetic field, bare and exposed to the 1,000 cultivators present. At the same time, all things withered and decayed at an incredible speed.
"In the Self School's theory, whether it's a Shennong's internal world, a small world, a large world, or even the universe itself, everything undergoes four stages."
"Primordial, Source, Myriad Manifestations, and Annihilation."
"Among them, the Primordial and Annihilation stages are extremely rare to witness." Zhao Xing greedily scanned every inch of the collapsing scenery, wishing he could imprint it all in his mind and understand it thoroughly.
"The Primordial Stage is the birth of a world, the most mysterious phase of all."
Just then, Xilin's voice sounded again, her tone soft. "Mushroom Daoist…"
"What is it?" Zhao Xing turned back.
"Can I know your name?"
"Zhao Xing."
"That…"
"What else?" Zhao Xing asked.
Xilin hesitated for a moment before saying, "I think I've forgotten some things. I wanted to ask… If you don't want to answer, that's fine."
"Go ahead." The collapse had just begun, so it wasn't necessary to stay completely focused.
Hearing his response, Xilin's face visibly brightened. "I once heard that in the Four Stages of the World, the Primordial Stage holds infinite possibilities. In that stage, all lifeforms are free from growth limitations—Legendary and Divine plants grow everywhere, powerful bloodline creatures roam freely, and heavenly treasures are scattered throughout the land."
"But the duration of the Primordial Stage is said to be incredibly short. Just how short is it?"
Without hesitation, Zhao Xing replied, "In the Self School's theory, the world is born in one sixty-eight-quintillionth of a second."
"Oh! That's right!" Xilin suddenly remembered!
Sixty-eight quintillion—that is, 10^68.
"One sixty-eight-quintillionth of a second—such an unbelievably short time. Even the Grand Derivation Divine Soldiers can't capture such infinitesimal changes."
"That's why the Primordial Stage phenomena are also called 'Instant Primordial'."
"The Red Star Empire's Primordial Realm is not actually a true Primordial Realm. It was named that way because the Self School is in pursuit of that theoretical, infinitely perfect world stage."
"Theory guides cultivation. In the Self School, when a Shennong reaches the Reincarnation Realm and opens their internal world, it is theoretically possible to capture 'Instant Primordial', thus giving birth to 'Primordial Seeds'."
"The higher the quality of the world stone used to open an internal world, the stronger the Primordial Seeds produced."
Right now, what Zhao Xing had cultivated was called 'Source Space', not an internal world.
Because his Dao foundation was incomplete, it wasn't yet a full-fledged world—just the first phase of world nurturing.
A Self School Shennong below the Reincarnation Realm had to transport plants, lifeforms, and materials from the outside world into their Source Space.
Only by opening a true internal world could they produce Primordial Seeds.
"I wonder if Lao Qing has fully digested the divine power. He still needs to find me a Boundary-Breaking Divine Stone."
In Zhao Xing's understanding, the Boundary-Breaking Divine Stone was second only to the Primordial Divine Stone. In his past life, he had never used such a high-grade material—only mid-tier substitutes.
"Right now, we are in the Annihilation Stage, where all life and matter rapidly head toward extinction."
"A world's natural destruction usually takes countless eras, revealing various Dao manifestations, a sight rarely seen in one's lifetime."
"Of course, the destruction of Minor Small World No. 2436 is not natural—it is clearly man-made," Zhao Xing explained.
"Twenty-eight top-tier realm stars initiated the second round—I wonder how many small worlds were sacrificed for this."
"Still, this closely resembles natural destruction, displaying the profound mysteries of the Annihilation Stage."
Xilin praised, "Daoist friend, you are truly knowledgeable."
Zhao Xing's eyebrow twitched slightly.
Xilin, ever perceptive, immediately picked up on his reaction. "Daoist friend, you seemed to have an unusual emotional fluctuation just now."
"Isn't 'knowledgeable' a compliment?" Xilin was puzzled.
"It's nothing, you got it right," Zhao Xing waved his hand, looking slightly nostalgic. "It's just that I have some… history with that word. I'd rather not talk about it."
"Alright." Xilin quickly moved on. "Daoist friend, have you ever ventured into a Source Realm? I've heard that Origin Heaven Palace possesses a true Source Realm."
"I haven't been there," Zhao Xing replied. "Source Realms are just as rare, but they are more common than Annihilation Realms."
"The Source Realm is the world's state after the Primordial Stage."
"Once the Instant Primordial passes, the divine anomalies of the Primordial Stage begin to condense, and the Dao starts to take shape."
"At this point, treasures cover the land, and lifeforms are primitive yet immensely powerful."
"The theories about the Primordial Stage were actually derived from studying the Source Realm."
"According to legend, the Ancient Gods were born from the universe's Source Stage, nurtured as innate divine beings."
"I'm merely in the third realm—where would I get the qualifications to hunt treasures in a Source Realm?"
Xilin, however, pouted slightly. "Daoist friend, when you said that, your mind wavered. Are you lying to me?"
Zhao Xing: "…"
This conversation needed to end. This woman's mental techniques were too abnormal. She might seem naive, but her mind perception had grown even stronger.
"Alright, Daoist Xilin, enough idle chatter. Let's each focus on our own enlightenment."
Zhao Xing waved his hand, activating a spell barrier to block out any further interaction with Xilin, fully concentrating on comprehending the collapse of the world.
"The Myriad Manifestation Stage of the world—powerful individuals gradually become fewer, while species diversity and material abundance increase."
"The Self School believes that the Ancient River Domain is currently at the transition between the Myriad Manifestation Stage and the Annihilation Stage."
"Similarly, Minor Small World No. 2436 is also shifting from the peak of abundance toward total extinction."
"In cosmic terms, this transition takes an unimaginably long time, but here, it has been compressed into just two and a half years."
In the first three months, apart from the 1,000 Shennongs and the special plants, all other life in Minor Small World No. 2436 had completely disappeared.
"The collapse of the earth veins—once the earth veins are shattered, the world loses its foundation for nurturing life, making it impossible for new life to emerge."
"Yin alone cannot give birth, and Yang alone cannot grow—this also aligns with the principles of Yin-Yang Dao."
At this stage, Minor Small World No. 2436 became utterly chaotic. The land itself was crumbling, dissolving into void energy.
The starry sky was fully exposed, an abyss of darkness that soon fluctuated with countless colors.
Even the sun was distorted, making the entire world look like an abstract painting—"Starry Night".
In the final two months, even the Yin-Yang Dao became imperceptible, leaving behind nothing but silence and cold darkness.
A profound sense of isolation settled in. All the remaining cultivators were submerged in complete darkness, feeling utterly alone and abandoned.
"Daoist friend… I'm scared…"
Xilin's voice came through again, carrying a faint quiver—as if she was on the verge of tears.
"If you're scared, just go to sleep. You won't be afraid once you sleep."
"I can't sleep…"
"Then count sheep in your mind."
"Will you watch over me?"
"I… fine, I'll watch over you."
Soon, soft breathing could be heard beside him.
Zhao Xing glanced over and saw that Xilin had really curled up beneath the bamboo and fallen asleep.
"Her cultivation method is quite interesting. Two years ago, she was cursing like a street thug, and now she's acting like a little girl."
In the pitch-black void, the silver tree and blue-purple bamboo floated side by side.
A man sat beneath the silver tree, gazing calmly at the sleeping woman beneath the bamboo.
The final two months passed.
Whoosh!
All 1,000 Shennongs vanished from Minor Small World No. 2436.
—
The next moment, Zhao Xing reappeared in the Green Waiting Hall.
This time, he was alone.
"Looks like Liu Tianning was eliminated," Zhao Xing thought. "Well, that proves he wasn't some reincarnated powerhouse."
Although Liu Tianning had entered from this hall, the teleportation was random—he might have been sent to a different small world.
However, upon exiting, he would have returned here.
Since Liu Tianning wasn't here, that meant he had been eliminated.
"This trial was quite the harvest."
"Not only did I break through my Mountain Law, but after observing the collapse for two and a half years, my Lunar Dao Field has steadily climbed to Lunar Sixth Tier!"
Zhao Xing checked his body.
Everything he had gained in Minor Small World No. 2436—including special plants and clones—had all disappeared.
It was as if nothing had changed.
If not for the improvements in his cultivation, Zhao Xing might have mistaken the whole thing for an illusion.
After waiting for a while, another figure appeared in the Green Hall.
It was Zuo Qiyu.
"Greetings, Primordial Envoy."
Zuo Qiyu seemed slightly surprised. "So the Northern River Star System actually had a Shennong who passed the trial? Step forward and stand beside me."
"Yes."
Zhao Xing followed behind Zuo Qiyu.
"Buzz—"
The next moment, space twisted, and the entire Green Waiting Hall detached from the boundary wall.
With Zuo Qiyu leading the way, Zhao Xing returned to the Northern River Realm Vessel.
"Swish! Swish!"
The instant Zhao Xing and Zuo Qiyu appeared, a wave of whispers and murmurs erupted from the crowd.
"It's Zhao Xing!"
"The Mushroom King made it out too!"
"Impressive! Among all the combat-oriented Shennongs from the Northern River Star System, only Zhao Xing passed!"
"The entire Northern River Star System had only twelve Shennongs make it through!"
"Standing next to the Primordial Envoy… that's something to be jealous of!"
—
After escorting the remaining participants back, Zuo Qiyu disappeared, leaving only the artifact spirit of the Grand Derivation Divine Weapon, which spoke in a deep voice.
"A total of 105 individuals from the Northern River Star System have cleared the second trial."
"The rest will be transported back to the Northern River Star System via a realm vessel. Of course, you can also choose to stay on Manaya Realm Star, but your personal safety will no longer be protected by the Primordial Realm."
Out of 14,821 participants, only 105 managed to pass the second trial!
Among them, the Shennongs, across all six divisions, accounted for only 12 individuals. From the combat division of the Self School, Zhao Xing was the only one to pass.
"The competition is fierce." Zhao Xing couldn't help but sigh.
14,821 cultivators—all of them had been filtered from over seven trillion geniuses. After the first round, only a little over 10,000 remained. After the second round, that number had shrunk to just a little over 100.
"Only 12 Shennongs passed, which means the competition for Shennongs was even more brutal," Zhao Xing thought to himself.
The Primordial Realm, though the Imperial training ground for all professions, was still the sacred land for Shennongs.
It only opened once every 3,000 years, attracting the greatest number of geniuses—most of whom were Shennongs.
"Out of the 12 successful Shennongs, the Heavenly Timing Combat Division and Support Division had two each, the Earthly Advantage Combat Division and Support Division also had two each, the Self School Support Division had three, and the Self School Combat Division had… just me."
"Huh? That's not what I expected." Zhao Xing was surprised.
He had originally thought that the Support Division would be the most competitive, yet they had produced more survivors than the Combat Division.
Instead, he was the only one from the Self School Combat Division.
—
Meanwhile, at Red Star Empire, Xishen Star System, Meng Wu's training grounds on the Solar Star…
"This year's Primordial Realm trials are truly intense."
Meng Wu sat inside the Erliang Slope Prison, sipping tea with Wu Tian.
"How intense?" Wu Tian asked.
"The top-tier star systems have produced over 5,000 more 'peerless geniuses' than in previous years!" Meng Wu chuckled.
Wu Tian sighed. "Looks like the Empire handed out quite a large piece of the pie."
Meng Wu smirked. "Of course. If there were no benefits, why would my teacher travel all the way there? He wouldn't have gone just to clean up the Reincarnation Temple's mess, would he?"
Wu Tian remained silent, but he understood the implications.
During the Spiritual Domain Assembly held by Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom, a massive incident had occurred. Out of 50,000 Reincarnation Realm cultivators, nearly half had been forced into reincarnation, losing all memories of their past lives.
When five Godhood Realm experts descended upon Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom, the true souls of the escaped Reincarnation Realm cultivators were swiftly divided among the powers involved.
Roughly 10,000 of them were taken to the Red Star Empire.
By the time the Primordial Assembly was held 625 years later, those Reincarnation Realm cultivators would have had enough time to cultivate back up to the Source Realm.
Now that they had become citizens of the Empire, they were bound by Imperial karma—which, of course, also came with its benefits.
"Aren't they worried about disrupting the balance?" Wu Tian asked.
Even if only 5,000 of the reincarnated cultivators participated in the Primordial Assembly, it would still make the competition fiercer than ever.
"The Empire has its countermeasures," Meng Wu replied. "During the third and fourth rounds, there will be trials of the heart. If someone doesn't truly accept their identity as an Imperial citizen, the Empire won't waste resources on them."
"These individuals will be placed into a 'Reincarnation Group', where they will be forced to fight each other until only a few remain."
"If they reject their new identity, that means they don't wish to accept Imperial karma—so they'll be sent back to where they came from."
Meng Wu's voice was indifferent.
"However, if they do accept their identity, that means they're willing to bear the Imperial karma. In that case, the Primordial Realm will adjust its final admission quota, ensuring that no genius is wasted."
"Besides, the third realm has a limit. Even if they reincarnated and cultivated again, their combat strength won't be overwhelmingly superior within the same constraints."
Wu Tian nodded. "It seems the Empire has thought this through."
"By the way, that kid also entered the Primordial Assembly. Want to guess how he did in the second round?" Meng Wu asked.
"Do I even need to guess?" Wu Tian put down his teacup. "Not just the second round—I doubt the next two rounds will be an issue for him either."
"You really have that much confidence in him?" Meng Wu raised an eyebrow. "With so many peerless geniuses this year, he might not make it through."
There was no doubt that, even with the Empire's countermeasures, this year's Primordial Assembly was still the most difficult in history.
"How about a bet?" Wu Tian suggested. "If he passes, the Empire lets me go."
"And if he doesn't?"
"You can do whatever you want with me."
Meng Wu narrowed his eyes, intrigued. "Alright, I'll take that bet. But I can't just let you go outright. At most, I can transfer you to another prison—one with better conditions."
"Deal."
—
After passing the second round, Zhao Xing and the other 104 successful candidates were personally summoned by the Lord of the Northern River.
Of course, he had to show appreciation—and before the second round ended, the Lord of the Northern River had already sent a clone to Manaya Realm Star.
When Zhao Xing arrived at a luxurious palace, he saw Lord Yang Lin seated upon a throne.
His body was enormous—even after shrinking, he still stood over 1,000 meters tall.
In the public areas and important venues of Manaya Realm Star, Imperial etiquette required everyone to maintain a height of no more than 100 meters.
"All of you," Yang Lin's voice boomed, "the 105 of you are the most exceptional young talents of the Northern River Star System."
"For the talents of my homeland, the Northern River Star System has never held back its rewards. We will ensure you grow quickly and have no worries as you continue through the Primordial Assembly."
"Each of you will be granted:
One high-tier realm star
Ten mid-tier continent stars
One hundred mineral-rich planets
"Additionally, if you have any personal feuds or vendettas—as long as they do not violate the Empire's Thirty Unforgivable Crimes—they will be pardoned."
"During the competition, if you require any assistance, you may seek out Qiao Song of the Lord's Mansion to request aid."
The 105 individuals who heard this announcement immediately showed expressions of joy.
"Thank you, Lord of the Northern River, for your great generosity!"
Zhao Xing then noticed that the 104 other participants each had a causal link appearing above their heads, connecting them to Lord Yang Lin of the Northern River.
Although Zhao Xing had cultivated the Three Divinities Destiny Palace, he could still actively accept karma, forming his own connection with Lord Yang Lin as well.
After all, he was living in the Northern River Star System. If one of the great figures of his second homeland wanted to invest in him, why wouldn't he accept?
"One high-tier realm star, ten mid-tier continent stars, and one hundred mineral-rich planets."
"From now on, I guess I've officially settled down in the Red Star Empire." Zhao Xing thought to himself.
Living in Fengdu Realm Star felt a bit too cramped. Besides, how could a Shennong not have their own land?
Owning private territory had always been the most fundamental dream of every Shennong.
Now, not only did he have his own personal domain, but it was located in one of the more prosperous regions of the Northern River Star System.
At Northern River Realm Star, the officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty erupted into cheers.
They had all gathered around a particular room, waiting expectantly.
At that moment, a straw puppet clone stepped out—it was Zhao Xing.
"Grand Shennong is incredible!"
"The Grand Shennong has returned!"
"Congratulations, Grand Shennong!"
"Hahaha! Sweeping through everything with invincibility, that was amazing!"
—
Zhao Xing's Juyang clone cupped his hands toward everyone. "The joy is shared by all of us."
"Grand Shennong, don't just talk about sharing joy! Shouldn't we have a big feast to celebrate?" Ye Yukong shouted.
"You only ever think about eating. You're a sword cultivator, not a Fortune cultivator!" Long Xiao scoffed.
"Hey, hey! Say what you want, but don't go insulting the Fortune path!" Xia Jing interjected. "Be careful, or I'll make you stand guard at the gates again."
"You—!" Long Xiao's face turned bright red.
"Hahaha!" The crowd burst into laughter.
With Zhao Xing, such a talented figure, emerging from the Great Zhou Dynasty, their future development in the Northern River Star System would undoubtedly accelerate.
A man personally received and invested in by the Lord of the Northern River would no longer have to worry about hidden rules or restrictions.
"Alright, alright, I hear you all." Zhao Xing smiled. "Lord Meng, let's arrange three years of feasting, entertainment, and sightseeing here in Northern River Realm Star for everyone to enjoy the experience properly."
"All expenses will be covered by me."
"Whoa! Thank you, Grand Shennong!"
The officials of Great Zhou became even more lively and excited.
After dismissing the crowd, Zhao Xing's Juyang clone returned to his private quarters to rest.
Soon, his Star Mirror began ringing nonstop, projecting the images of Liu Tianning, King Luohou, and Ji Mengjun.
"Zhao Xing, congratulations." The three of them, aboard the returning realm vessel, offered their congratulations.
"We all got eliminated. Now, Great Zhou only has you left standing," King Luohou said.
"Lord Marshal, Master, Lord Ji, how do you all feel?" Zhao Xing asked.
"The world is full of heroes, as numerous as the fish in the river." King Luohou sighed. "I wasn't even inside for long before a ferocious beast trampled me to death."
"I used to think that being in the third realm for 4,000 years made me a genius, but I never expected the Empire to have so many talents. This has truly been an eye-opening experience."
"Zhao Xing made the right decision back then." Ji Mengjun also sighed. "After we left the Phantom God Star System, if we had chosen to go to an ancient kingdom, things might have been easier. But by coming to the Red Star Empire, we've gained a much broader perspective."
"And Master?" Zhao Xing turned to Liu Tianning. Among the three, Liu Tianning had lasted the longest before being eliminated—he had almost made it to the very end.
"It was about the same for me," Liu Tianning sighed. "I was placed in Manaya 85447 Minor World and managed to secure a special combat unit early on. I guarded it for over half a year without trouble."
"I thought victory was in my grasp, but I failed to withstand the final wave of attacks and got eliminated on the last thirty days."
That was already impressive… Zhao Xing thought.
Liu Tianning had performed well in the first trial, but his cultivation time in the cosmic version of the world had been too short.
Reaching the third realm in 3,000 years already made him a genius. But they had only been in the Red Star Empire for a little over 700 years, so their foundation was still shallow.
At the very least, Zhao Xing had 500 extra years of training under Wu Tian.
His fellow cultivators hadn't had that advantage, and they had reached the third realm much later. Given these circumstances, their performance was already outstanding.
In Zhao Xing's opinion, the group from Xuanhuang Realm had enough innate talent to pass the second round, and possibly even the third round.
They had only fallen short due to lack of time to develop their abilities.
"However, the three of us did receive invitations from Seven Star Music Pavilion, Myriad Sword Alliance, and Shenhua Dao Academy," Liu Tianning smiled. "They seem very sincere about recruiting us, so I'd say that's a good outcome."
"Oh? That fast?"
"Lord Ji and I were only accepted as disciples of an Yin-Yang Dao Domain cultivator, but Master Liu was noticed by a Reincarnation Realm expert," King Luohou said with envy.
"A Reincarnation Realm expert from Shenhua Dao Academy?" Zhao Xing's interest was piqued. "Which one?"
Shenhua Dao Academy was highly prestigious, not just within the Red Star Empire, but throughout the entire star domain. It was no local faction—it was a true Imperial powerhouse.
"Lord Qianhua," Liu Tianning replied. "They say he's reincarnated twelve times."
Reincarnating twelve times meant that Lord Qianhua had already transcended the level of an ordinary Reincarnation Realm cultivator and had reached a level of veteran mastery.
"Congratulations, Master." Zhao Xing sincerely felt happy for Liu Tianning.
It was proof that he wasn't the only one who had recognized Liu Tianning's talent.
After hearing that Liu Tianning had ascended as a native cultivator and had never had a formal master—yet still managed to reach such a level—Lord Qianhua had naturally been willing to take him as a disciple.
In the second trial, Liu Tianning's performance was only slightly hindered by luck. If the density of strong opponents in his small world had been a bit lower, he would have advanced to the third round.
"We'll be heading back soon to formally establish connections. You're the only one left on Manaya Realm Star," Liu Tianning said. "Take care of yourself."
"Understood."
After finishing his conversation with Liu Tianning and the others, Zhao Xing soon received messages from Jing Yan and Yu Tianqing.
"Brother! Incredible! I heard you reached the Grand Divine Ability Realm?!" Jing Yan, appearing on the Star Mirror projection, immediately asked impatiently.
"More or less." Zhao Xing nodded.
"Damn it, you're showing off again." Jing Yan grumbled in frustration. "Both you and Yu Tianqing have broken through that bottleneck, yet I'm still stuck here. The Dao doesn't seem to favor me!"
Yu Tianqing and Jing Yan had both passed the second round.
After all, it wasn't impossible to pass without reaching the Grand Divine Ability Realm. But among the three cultivators from the Phantom God Star System, Yu Tianqing and Zhao Xing had already shattered that barrier.
Jing Yan, despite being a prince, had yet to break through. That left him feeling depressed.
"Tell me, what does it feel like?" Jing Yan asked.
"Didn't Yu Tianqing explain it to you?" Zhao Xing asked. After all, Yu Tianqing had reached the Grand Divine Ability Realm a few hundred years earlier than he had.
"He said nothing useful!" Jing Yan fumed. "All he said was that it happened naturally, purely because of his talent."
Yu Tianqing, on the other hand, looked slightly embarrassed. It was true—his breakthrough had purely been due to talent.
Zhao Xing couldn't help but chuckle.
For Yu Tianqing, there had never been a bottleneck when it came to the Grand Divine Ability Realm. Once he awakened, he simply accumulated his source power for a few years and naturally reached it. He wasn't wrong to say that it was just a matter of talent.
"Don't ask me." Zhao Xing waved his hand. "If I could teach you how to do it, I would have switched careers and become a scholar by now."
"This kind of thing is just too mysterious to explain. Talking about it won't help."
"Sigh…"
After chatting with Jing Yan and Yu Tianqing for a while, Zhao Xing soon received messages from Bai Yang, Chen Xuan, and others offering their congratulations. Then, Du Yun contacted him.
But Du Yun's way of congratulating him was much more direct—he transferred 3 billion Red Star Coins to Zhao Xing with a simple two-word note:
[Congratulations. A little token.]
"Du Yun's congratulations are certainly practical." Zhao Xing chuckled.
Du Yun still remembered him, but his memory had been altered—he no longer remembered the 50 trillion incident.
That money had long been taken away. In fact, not even the high-ranking figure who handled the transaction still had it.
According to Qing Yuzi, that individual had been directly punished by the Reincarnation Temple—his entire fortune had been wiped out.
He had even been forced to reincarnate as a consequence of interfering with the affairs of the Reincarnation Temple.
"If they hadn't investigated, it wouldn't have been a big deal. But once they did, the price he paid was unimaginable."
"The guy only took 50 trillion, yet he ended up being forced to reincarnate. There's no arguing against that."
Once reincarnated, all karma was wiped clean. The punishment imposed by the Reincarnation Temple was final.
But the Reincarnation Realm cultivator who made the deal had suffered an immense loss.
"Technically, Du Yun should have been punished too."
"But Du Yun is part of the Purple Divine Mansion, and he's under Qing Yuzi's protection."
"Plus, he was only at the Origin Realm and had merely acted as a messenger. So, in the end, he faced no consequences."
Zhao Xing couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for the unlucky Reincarnation Realm cultivator. But to this day, he still didn't know the guy's name.
———
"Zhao Xing, congratulations on reaching the third round."
On the other side, his main body, after paying his respects to Lord Yang Lin of the Northern River, was arranged to meet with Qiao Song to discuss his specific rewards.
"Thank you, sir. I was just lucky." Zhao Xing humbly replied.
"Come, choose a high-tier realm star you like and name it." Qiao Song waved his hand, and a Star Mirror projection displayed several realm stars.
"Each high-tier realm star has a population of about 10 billion registered native inhabitants and 1 billion Northern River citizens. Once you choose, you will become the lord of that planet."
"However, take note—while you may freely govern the 10 billion native inhabitants, including matters of life and death, you cannot arbitrarily harm the 1 billion Northern River citizens."
"Understood." Zhao Xing nodded.
This was an Empire, after all, and empires naturally had slaves. The official term was "registered native inhabitants."
Native inhabitants could only perform menial labor, such as mining on resource planets. Under some cruel rulers, they weren't even treated as people.
It was something new players often encountered when they entered the cosmic version of the Empire.
Being a non-citizen meant that the planetary lord had absolute authority over them.
Many players joked that they had walked into a galactic slave plantation or a universal scam zone.
But this was simply the law of the Xuanling Star Domain.
Controlling citizenship was essentially controlling the right to cultivate.
Without restrictions, any faction in the Xuanling Star Domain would drain their spiritual energy reserves dry in just a few epochs.
Citizens had the right to cultivate and couldn't be killed arbitrarily.
"I'll choose this one." Zhao Xing pointed to a blue-colored planet. "Sky Blue Star 48."
"Alright." Qiao Song inputted the information into the Star Mirror. "From now on, you are the Lord of Sky Blue Star 48. The surrounding continent stars and mineral planets have also been assigned to your name."
"Thank you, sir." Zhao Xing cupped his hands in gratitude.
"Do you have any other requests?" Qiao Song asked.
"Yes." Zhao Xing nodded. "Sir Qiao, since the third round of the trial is also held on Manaya Realm Star, I want to find a good training ground to improve my Dao Field and World Laws over the next hundred years."
"Sharpening your Dao Field and World Laws." Qiao Song mused. "Improving these cannot be done through the teachings of Dao scholars alone."
"You have already stepped through the gateway of the Grand Divine Ability Realm. At this level, there are very few shortcuts left—no simple 'enlightenment' that can instantly elevate your level."
The Grand Divine Ability Realm was rare precisely because external forces could hardly provide assistance in reaching it. Zhao Xing understood this well, which was why he only requested a better training ground.
His Dao Field and World Law had already started to fall behind in competitions like the Primordial Assembly. If he wanted to continue advancing, he needed to undergo a complete transformation.
"If you want to enhance your Dao Field and refine your World Projection, the best way is to have multiple powerful opponents apply constant pressure on you through real combat," Qiao Song mused. "If you're willing, I can arrange suitable opponents for you."
"I naturally trust you, sir," Zhao Xing expressed his gratitude. "When can we start?"
Seeing Zhao Xing's eagerness, Qiao Song chuckled. "Hahaha, you're too impatient. You've only just come out of the trial. At least check in with your friends and family back home first."
"I have a clone for that. I already reported back," Zhao Xing replied.
At that moment, his clone was still on Beihe Realm Star, celebrating with the officials of Great Zhou.
"Alright, since you're so dedicated, come with me."
"Yes, sir."
On Manaya Realm Star, inside a small-world-type training ground.
Zhao Xing stood at the center of the world. Surrounding him, at the edges of the world's barrier, were 158 glowing gates.
Of them, 157 gates were shut, leaving only one open.
In front of this open gate stood a towering, muscular man with a golden body entwined by an Azure Dragon.
"Boom! Boom!"
The muscular man lightly knocked on the doorframe, yet the force rippled through the void, instantly shaking Zhao Xing out of his concealment at the world's core.
"Twelve seconds." The muscular man commented indifferently. "One second longer than last time. Some improvement."
"But still pathetic."
"With this level of skill, you think you can make it to the third round of the Primordial Assembly?"
"I've seen plenty of geniuses, but I've never met one with a Dao Field and World Law as weak as yours."
The muscular man mocked mercilessly. His mission, given by Qiao Song, was to apply both mental and combat pressure on Zhao Xing.
"Hurry up! Get back in position and try again!" The man slammed the doorframe again.
Zhao Xing had just hidden himself using his Dao Field and World Law, yet not even twelve seconds had passed before he was forcibly shaken out again.
The entire training world trembled as the void distorted to its extreme. Zhao Xing's task was to use his Dao Field and World Law to conceal himself under this immense pressure.
"Too slow! Even though I'm a Martial Qi Sect cultivator, your spell-based Dao Field and Source Projection are way too sluggish!"
"What the hell are you doing?!" The muscular man roared. "This time, you got shaken out one second earlier than last time. Are you made of wood?!"
A year later, the muscular man shut the gate and left.
Before leaving, he finally gave a more neutral evaluation. "Not bad."
"Boom!" The gate slammed shut.
Immediately after, another gate opened.
A silver mechanical puppet with flags embedded in its back stepped out.
"My name is 'Gong'. I will train your combat awareness using my 'Heavenly Soldier Dao Field'."
"Now—begin!"
One gate after another opened, and one after another closed.
Each of the 158 gates represented a different teacher. Each of them stayed for only a few months, with the longest staying no more than a year.
Some were Qi Sect martial artists, some were Sword Sect experts. There were mechanists, three-path Shennongs, healers, musicians, and even dancers.
Their sole purpose was to oppress Zhao Xing, forcing him to unleash his full potential.
Qiao Song believed that, as a native ascendant, Zhao Xing had never undergone systematic high-intensity training.
Thus, the 158 individuals Qiao Song selected were all Dao Domain Realm cultivators, each an Imperial officer who had survived countless battles.
In his previous life, Zhao Xing had endured this kind of intense military Shennong training under the Red Star Empire. But in this life, he had missed that step.
Qiao Song was now making up for that gap.
Of course, this training was far from complete—it was only meant to harden his Dao Field and World Law.
Still, for Zhao Xing, it was an invaluable opportunity.
Time passed, and more than half of the hundred-year training plan was over.
The gates no longer opened one at a time. Sometimes, two or even multiple trainers appeared together, increasing the pressure and attacks on Zhao Xing.
Under this relentless training, Zhao Xing continuously sharpened himself.
"Boom!"
A Yin-Yang Dao Domain Realm cultivator, a Self School Shennong, activated his Source Projection and swept across the entire world without restraint.
"Hmm?" Yang Zhuo scoured the entire world once yet failed to force Zhao Xing out.
He immediately increased the intensity, sweeping through a second time.
On the third sweep, at the edge of the world, beneath a massive boulder, Zhao Xing's form slowly appeared.
"Not bad." Yang Zhuo nodded. "Your World Law divine ability, 'Three Realms Void,' has officially reached the entry-level threshold."
"Thank you, Lord Yang." Zhao Xing cupped his hands.
At that moment, Qiao Song appeared beside Yang Zhuo. The latter glanced at Qiao Song. "There's nothing more I can teach him."
Qiao Song raised an eyebrow in surprise. Yang Zhuo was one of the strongest Self School military Shennongs under Lord Yang Lin, yet even he was giving such high praise?
"Zhao Xing, step out." Qiao Song called. "Only six months remain before the third round begins. It's time to adjust your state of mind and relieve the pressure."
"Understood." Zhao Xing ended his training and flew out.
After being ruthlessly battered by 158 Dao Domain Realm cultivators for a century, both his body and mind needed recovery.
For the next six months, under Qiao Song's arrangements, Zhao Xing soaked in spiritual energy hot springs, listened to calming music, and engaged in deep meditation and sleep.
Ten days before the competition, Qiao Song gently called out to him.
"Zhao Xing~~"
"Zhao Xing~~"
Splash! The warm spring water rippled as Zhao Xing's eyes slowly opened.
"Sir Qiao."
"It's time." Qiao Song smiled with anticipation. "Go, Zhao Xing."
"Crush the geniuses of the Red Star Empire."
"Let the powerhouses of the entire Xuanling Star Domain witness you. Let them remember your name!"