Within the Virtual Universe, on Black Dragon Mountain Island, Han Jue had purchased an expansive manor covering over one hundred kilometers. The property stretched across pristine virtual landscapes, its architecture blending elegance with functionality.
At this moment, Earth's four strongest warriors had gathered here.
"Brother Hong, you're now the only one without intelligent life," Thunder God said with a laugh, his tone teasing but friendly.
Indeed, the scene before them illustrated this perfectly. Han Jue held Rimuru comfortably in his arms, the slime's form pulsing with gentle luminescence. Babata sat perched on Luo Feng's shoulder, while Lord Wu occupied a similar position on Thunder God's shoulder. Only Hong stood alone, though his expression remained serene.
Hong shook his head slightly, a faint smile playing at his lips. "I want one too, but unfortunately, no inheritance has proven worthy of me."
"Haha, with Brother Hong's talent in mental state cultivation, he's already stronger than all of us here," Han Jue said warmly. "Your comprehension far exceeds ours."
Everyone nodded in agreement. Hong had already reached the third level of mental state, his heart achieving the realm of infinity. In terms of mental cultivation, none present could compare to his achievements.
"Come, try this Blood Snow Wine," Han Jue said, producing a bottle crafted from clear crystal. Inside, blood-red liquid filled the container, its color vivid and mesmerizing. When he gently shook the bottle, the contents moved with surprising clarity, not viscous like blood, but flowing smoothly like crystalline water.
"Even in the Virtual Universe, this costs 100 million Universe Coins per bottle," Thunder God exclaimed after checking the price. His eyes widened at the figure displayed on his screen. "In reality, it's worth nearly one Hunyuan Unit!"
"This Blood Snow Wine, in reality, can actually enhance one's understanding of the Laws," Babata said with his characteristic sharp tone, sounding impressed despite himself. "The energy contained in a single bottle could transform an ordinary person into a Universe-level being, assuming, of course, that the energy didn't burst through their body first."
Everyone laughed at Babata's dry humor.
Han Jue shook his head, and wine glasses floated gracefully through the air, positioning themselves before each person. The bottle tilted, pouring blood-red streams into each crystal glass with perfect precision.
Taking his first sip, Han Jue savored the complex flavors. The Blood Snow Wine began with a faint, metallic aroma reminiscent of blood, then transformed into cherry-like sweetness, accompanied by refreshing mint-like coolness. The aftertaste carried a light, heady fragrance that lingered pleasantly on the palate.
It was a rare occasion for all of them to gather, and they chatted leisurely while drinking, enjoying the camaraderie that had developed between Earth's strongest warriors.
"The Genius Battle is about to begin," Hong said, his gaze settling on Han Jue with intensity.
Through Rimuru, they had long known about the upcoming competition and had been training diligently in preparation.
"Yes," Han Jue nodded, downing his drink in one smooth motion before setting the glass down.
"Several of us, even Thunder God, reached the fifth realm six months ago and are about to break through to the sixth," Han Jue continued. "Brother Hong and Luo Feng have already crossed the threshold of comprehending the Origin Laws."
"What do you mean, 'even me'?" Thunder God glared at him indignantly.
Han Jue ignored the protest, giving Thunder God a look that clearly said you know exactly what I mean. His expression perfectly conveyed: What's wrong with acknowledging you're slightly weaker?
"In the preliminary round, as long as we're not incredibly unlucky, the four of us should make it through without much trouble," Han Jue said confidently.
"However, if you want to enter the top 1,000 stellar-level geniuses of the entire Qianwu Universe Nation, it'll be challenging at your current level." Han Jue's gaze swept across the three of them, his expression growing serious.
Though their strength had improved dramatically compared to the original timeline thanks to his assistance, the improvement wasn't so exaggerated that they could coast through the competition. Even Luo Feng, at his current level, couldn't guarantee stable entry into the Primordial Secret Realm.
The Demon Killer Clan clone had only recently been conceived and hadn't even begun mastering the fundamental laws of space. There was still considerable work to be done.
Fortunately, plenty of time remained before the Genius Battle concluded, allowing them opportunities to grow stronger throughout the competition.
"The Genius Battle will take several years from start to finish," Han Jue emphasized. "You must seize every opportunity to improve your strength during this period."
"Yes!" The others responded in unison, their expressions solemn with determination.
This Genius Battle represented more than personal glory, it was an opportunity for Earthlings to completely escape external threats.
Hong and Thunder God had both learned about the space adventurers who'd arrived on Earth, and the knowledge terrified them. If not for Han Jue's intervention and Luo Feng's capabilities, Earth might well have become a slave planet by now. The weight of that near-disaster hung heavy in their minds.
"Let's go register," Han Jue said, standing up.
The four of them simultaneously opened screens before their eyes, accessing the registration page on the Virtual Universe Company's official website.
A prominent number flashed across the top of the webpage, rising steadily with each passing second.
Next to it, text in the universal language read, "Number of Registered Participants from Qianwu Universe Nation."
"That's an enormous number of people," Thunder God said, his voice carrying awe.
Even after hearing Han Jue mention the scale before, witnessing the actual figures still surprised him.
"Indeed, it's quite substantial," Luo Feng agreed, leaning closer to examine the display. "Over two billion people have already registered."
"The entire Qianwu Universe Nation contains hundreds of millions of galaxies," Han Jue explained with a smile. "This represents just a tiny fraction of all stellar-level individuals. Those who register generally have at least some confidence in their abilities."
Before long, all four of them completed their registration process.
One month remained until the Genius Battle officially commenced.
"I'm going to push myself to cross the threshold of the Origin Law of Space within this month," Luo Feng declared, his voice filled with determination.
"Boy, I have only one requirement for you," Lord Wu said from Thunder God's shoulder, his small form radiating unexpected authority. "Enter the top 1,000 of the Universe Nation!"
Hong narrowed his eyes, clearly contemplating something significant. His expression grew distant, thoughtful.
Should he accept Time Realm Lord Luo's request to become his disciple? The offer represented an incredible opportunity, yet also carried implications he needed to consider carefully.
Taking a deep breath, he exhaled slowly, releasing some of the tension.
Hong decided to reconsider the matter after the Genius Battle concluded. The competition itself might provide clarity on the best path forward.
One month passed in what felt like an instant.
Within the Virtual Universe, Han Jue's father and uncle had heard about the upcoming Genius Battle and joined to offer their support and encouragement.
"Xiao Jue, do your best," Han Hesheng said, his voice warm with paternal pride.
"Xiao Jue, I believe you can succeed!" Han Hechang added enthusiastically.
The physical limitations of Earthlings ultimately restricted their cultivation potential. Even with Han Jue's generous provision of resources to help improve their strength, both men remained stuck at Planetary Level Nine, making them ineligible for participation in this Genius Battle.
The only way to overcome this limitation was to wait for Han Jue's rise in prominence, at which point he could obtain Bloodline Evolution Agents to enhance their fundamental genetics.
"We'll watch your matches," Han Hesheng said to his son, eyes shining with anticipation.
"Then watch me dominate the competition," Han Jue replied confidently, his tone carrying absolute certainty.
The Genius Battle consisted of two major phases: the Universe Nation Selection Round and the Grand Finals. Han Jue, confident of eventually claiming first place overall, naturally intended to demonstrate overwhelming superiority during the Universe Nation Selection Round.
"Master, you've received an email," Rimuru announced from beside him.
"Open it," Han Jue instructed.
The email originated from the Virtual Universe Company, detailing the specific rules and requirements for the Genius Battle.
After reading through everything, Han Jue summarized the key points for the others.
First, all participants must maintain identical physical fitness and mental strength, everyone locked at Stellar Level Nine. They could choose Force weapons and Spirit Reader weapons of any grade, though limited to no more than ten items total. Force suits were restricted to second-level or below. Each participant would receive a spatial ring for storing food and supplies.
The Genius Selection tested one's willpower, domain mastery, combat experience, and comprehension of the Laws. External factors were equalized as much as possible.
Within the Qianwu Universe Nation, over 822.5 billion participants would compete, divided into "preliminary elimination" and "arena battles."
After preliminary eliminations concluded, those 822.5 billion participants would be reduced to only 100,010 survivors.
The Qianwu Universe Nation's preliminary eliminations would divide the Virtual Universe into 100 separate world zones, with each receiving over 8.2 billion participants. Within each world zone, participants would battle in a massive free-for-all, killing others to earn points. The more kills accumulated, the higher one's point total. Everyone possessed only one life, death meant immediate elimination.
Meanwhile, the top scorer in each world zone would automatically secure one of 100 guaranteed spots in the top 1,000, bypassing the arena battles entirely.
The remaining 900 spots would be contested by 100,000 participants in brutal arena matches.
"This competition is incredibly fierce," Hong, Luo Feng, and Thunder God murmured after Han Jue finished explaining the format.
The scale of the challenge ahead was staggering, billions competing for mere thousands of spots.
"The Qianwu Universe Nation preliminary round is divided into 100 world zones," Hong said, checking his assignment. "I'm in Zone 72. Han Jue, Thunder God, Luo Feng, what about you three?"
"Haha, Zone 88," Thunder God said happily. "I like that number, it's auspicious."
"Zone 1," Luo Feng said, glancing at them.
"Zone 99," Han Jue replied calmly.
"Looks like we won't encounter each other during preliminaries," Hong said with a laugh. "That's probably for the best."
"Indeed, this way we don't risk eliminating our own people prematurely," Han Jue agreed with a smile. "Let's all strive to win first place in our respective world zones and secure those guaranteed spots."
"Agreed!" The others responded in unison.
They raised their fists, bumping them together in a gesture of solidarity and mutual encouragement.
The Genius Battle was about to begin, and Earth's warriors were ready to prove themselves against the universe's finest talent.
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