Above the floating island that hovered majestically over the Ganwu Continent, Han Jue, Luo Feng, and Hong materialized in the designated assembly area, a magnificent square surrounded by meticulously maintained gardens filled with exotic alien flora.
Hundreds of geniuses from across the Ganwu Universe Nation had already gathered, their diverse appearances reflecting the countless civilizations that comprised humanity's vast territorial holdings. Some resembled baseline humans, while others bore distinctive features, unusual skin tones, additional sensory organs, or altered physiologies adapted to their homeworlds.
"Luo Feng has arrived!" someone called out, drawing immediate attention.
"That's Hong beside him," another competitor observed with barely concealed respect.
"And Han Jue too. All three represent the Black Dragon Mountain Empire, and they seem to be on remarkably good terms!" a third genius noted, studying the trio with analytical intensity.
Dozens of conversations rippled through the crowd as competitors assessed these noteworthy arrivals. Many approached Luo Feng to exchange greetings, having witnessed his impressive spatial law techniques during the preliminaries. Hong's breakthrough to the ninth realm during the Arena Finals had also earned him considerable recognition, attracting several would-be allies seeking conversation.
Han Jue, by contrast, received cautious sidelong glances rather than direct approaches.
His performances during the preliminaries had been devastating, instant kills that left opponents no opportunity to showcase his full capabilities. While everyone recognized his immense power, nobody possessed concrete information about his actual combat style or technical limits. This uncertainty bred hesitation among competitors who might otherwise have attempted to establish connections.
Better to avoid potentially offending someone whose true strength remained unmeasured.
"Luo Feng!" A familiar voice cut through the ambient conversation as the wildling Rong Jun approached with his characteristic directness, a fierce grin splitting his weathered features.
"Rong Jun!" Luo Feng returned the smile warmly, genuinely pleased to see his rival again.
The two had forged a mutual respect through their intense battle during the Arena Finals. Three years had passed since that confrontation, and Luo Feng's strength had grown exponentially during his time nurturing the Golden-Horned Beast clone and training with Babata's guidance.
Rong Jun's eyes blazed with barely restrained fighting spirit as he studied his friend-turned-rival.
He'd pushed himself relentlessly over the past three years, determined to close the gap that had opened between them. The Savage refused to be left behind, when they faced each other again in the upcoming trials, he intended to prove exactly how much he'd improved.
Let's see who has made the greatest progress, Rong Jun thought with anticipation.
The assembled geniuses continued their conversations, forming temporary alliances and sizing up potential threats, when suddenly,
BOOM!
An invisible pressure descended upon the entire square like a physical weight, crushing down on every genius present. Faces paled instantly as bodies trembled involuntarily. The overwhelming aura pressed against their consciousness with suffocating intensity, making it difficult to breathe despite the Virtual Universe's perfect environmental simulation.
This was power beyond anything most had ever experienced, the natural presence of an Immortal being.
Footsteps echoed across the suddenly silent square, each one resonating with authority that transcended mere physical sound. A towering figure emerged from the spatial distortion at the square's center, a giant clad in scaled purple armor that seemed forged from dragon hide, his face obscured by an imposing helmet. His mere presence radiated death and dominion, as if the universe itself acknowledged his supremacy.
Even with deliberate restraint, the Immortal's aura overwhelmed these talented but inexperienced Stellar-level warriors. Most struggled to remain standing, their knees threatening to buckle under the psychological weight.
"The one thousand geniuses of the Ganwu Universe Nation," the giant's voice boomed, each word carrying undeniable command, "have been assembled under the orders of the Ganwu Country Master. I will serve as your guide during these trials." His eyes, barely visible through the helmet's narrow visor, swept across the crowd with penetrating intensity. "You may address me as 'Overseer Thirteen.' Understood?"
"Understood!" one thousand voices responded in perfect unison, the words torn from throats tight with instinctive fear.
Among the assembled geniuses, only Han Jue and Hong managed to maintain relative composure under the Immortal pressure.
Hong possessed extraordinary mental fortitude honed through decades of life-or-death struggles and his comprehension of the Light Origin Law. He felt the crushing weight acutely but had learned to function despite overwhelming adversity. To avoid revealing the full extent of his resistance, which might mark him as unusual and draw unwanted scrutiny, he deliberately allowed a tremor to show in his posture, mimicking the reactions of those around him.
Han Jue's resilience stemmed from different sources entirely.
His willpower had been forged through the trials of a Domain Lord in his previous existence, granting him mental fortitude far exceeding what any normal Stellar-level warrior should possess. Additionally, his Six Eyes ability provided analytical distance from the pressure's psychological components, letting him observe and dissect the Immortal's aura rather than simply endure it.
He stood noticeably straighter than most, though he took care not to appear completely unaffected.
Overseer Thirteen's hidden gaze swept across the assembled talents, settling briefly on two particular individuals.
"Rong Jun. Luo Feng." His voice carried clear recognition as he addressed them directly.
Both warriors straightened slightly, meeting the Immortal's attention as best they could despite the overwhelming pressure.
"Overseer Thirteen," they responded simultaneously, inclining their heads in respectful acknowledgment.
"You two represent our Ganwu Universe Nation's greatest hopes for this competition," the Immortal stated bluntly, his words carrying absolute conviction. "The Country Master has placed significant expectations on your shoulders. Do not disappoint me, or him. Understood?"
"Yes, Overseer!" Both young men answered with fierce determination, their voices steady despite the crushing aura.
Overseer Thirteen's concealed eyes briefly scanned the remaining geniuses, and when he spoke again, his tone carried cold dismissal.
"As for the rest of you..." He paused deliberately, letting the silence stretch. "Your chances of making the top one hundred are minimal at best."
The harsh assessment struck like a physical blow. Dozens of talented warriors, individuals who'd dominated their home regions and proven themselves against thousands of competitors, clenched their fists in frustrated anger. Many had fought through brutal preliminaries and survived the three-year Arena Finals gauntlet, only to be casually dismissed by this Immortal overseer.
Han Jue remained impassive, unbothered by the slight.
He understood the practical reason for being overlooked. His combat performances had been too brief, too absolute, instant eliminations that revealed neither technique nor tactical depth. Without extensive battle footage to analyze, even experienced Immortals couldn't accurately gauge his true capabilities.
The oversight would correct itself soon enough.
Once the elimination trials demonstrated his strength more thoroughly, recognition would follow naturally. Patience cost nothing, and premature attention often brought complications.
"Follow me," Overseer Thirteen commanded curtly, turning toward the enormous crystalline structure that dominated the square's far end.
The one thousand geniuses moved as a cohesive group, following their Immortal guide into the building's cavernous interior.
The gathering hall proved massive enough to comfortably accommodate all one thousand competitors plus their respective universe nation overseers. Towering columns supported a vaulted ceiling that disappeared into simulated distance, while the polished floor reflected light with mirror-like perfection.
This would serve as their staging area while awaiting the official commencement of the elimination trials.
Nine Swords Venerable, a Universe Venerable whose power transcended mere Immortality, presided over the entire competition. His authority commanded respect even from the Immortal overseers who'd gathered their respective nations' talents.
"All participants from the one thousand and eight Universe Nations," a voice invaded their consciousness directly, bypassing normal auditory channels, "assemble immediately in the central square."
Before anyone could react, an irresistible force seized every genius present. Their bodies moved involuntarily, teleporting en masse to the designated location.
One million, eight thousand geniuses materialized in the vast central square, a space large enough to accommodate armies, yet somehow making even this enormous gathering seem manageable through careful spatial manipulation.
The competitors automatically arranged themselves into neat formations organized by universe nation, standing at attention with military precision despite having never practiced such coordination. The Virtual Universe's underlying systems had positioned each individual perfectly, creating order from potential chaos.
Before these million-plus formations stood one thousand and eight Immortal beings.
These Immortal overseers radiated their overwhelming power naturally, without conscious effort. The collective pressure of over a thousand such entities pressed down simultaneously on the assembled Stellar-level warriors. The psychological weight proved crushing, instantly silencing the enormous crowd. Not a single genius dared speak or even shift position unnecessarily under that suffocating presence.
A figure appeared above the assembly without warning or spatial distortion, simply manifesting as if he'd always been there, only now choosing to become visible.
The man wore a cyan battle robe adorned with intricate silver embroidery that seemed to shift and flow like liquid metal. Purple scales covered portions of his head in geometric patterns, marking him as distinctly inhuman despite his otherwise humanoid form. His presence carried effortless authority that made even the assembled Immortals seem diminished by comparison.
This was Nine Swords Venerable, the Universe Venerable overseeing the entire competition.
"Welcome," the Venerable's gentle voice reached every ear simultaneously, as if he stood beside each individual listener, "to the Peak Genius Battle hosted by our Virtual Universe Company."
Despite the warm tone, absolute power resonated beneath those words. This being possessed strength beyond mortal comprehension, a level of existence where individuals could shatter planets, manipulate spacetime, and enforce their will across entire star systems.
"The rules of the elimination trials are straightforward," Nine Swords Venerable continued, his explanation reaching all one million participants with perfect clarity.
"Tomorrow, each of you will enter a separate Trial Space. Our Virtual Universe Company has prepared over one million identical training environments, one for each competitor. You will face these challenges alone."
He paused, allowing the magnitude to sink in. One million individualized trial spaces, each requiring massive computational resources to maintain, demonstrated the Virtual Universe Company's overwhelming technological superiority.
"Within each Trial Space stand seven Trial Towers," the Venerable explained. "Each tower contains seven floors of escalating difficulty. Your performance across these trials will determine your point accumulation."
The air itself seemed to sharpen with attention as millions of eyes focused on the floating figure above.
"Competitors ranked first through one hundredth will be directly recruited as core members of our Virtual Universe Company," Nine Swords Venerable announced, his words carrying the weight of absolute authority. "These one hundred positions bypass all further screening. Your placement alone guarantees admission to the Company's inner circle."
A ripple of excitement swept through the assembled geniuses despite the oppressive Immortal presence. One hundred guaranteed spots, an opportunity that could transform entire bloodlines and elevate civilizations.
"Competitors ranked one hundred first through seven thousand three hundredth," the Venerable continued, "will advance to the final arena tournament. Nine hundred additional positions remain available, to be determined through direct combat in those final matches."
His expression remained pleasant, almost friendly, but his next words struck like execution orders.
"All competitors ranked below seven thousand three hundredth..." He let the pause stretch deliberately. "Will be eliminated entirely."
Stunned silence followed this proclamation.
Over nine hundred ninety-nine thousand competitors would be culled by the elimination trials alone, rejected without even reaching the final tournament. The sheer brutality of those numbers shocked even warriors who'd survived years of deadly preliminary competitions.
Only the top 0.7% would advance. Everything else ended in failure.
"That is all," Nine Swords Venerable concluded simply. "Prepare yourselves. The trials begin tomorrow morning. I suggest you rest well tonight, it may be the last comfortable sleep many of you experience for quite some time."
With those ominous final words, the Universe Venerable vanished as suddenly as he'd appeared, his presence withdrawing like receding tide.
The one thousand and eight Immortal overseers remained, their collective aura still pressing down on the assembled warriors. But compared to the suffocating presence of a Universe Venerable, even a thousand Immortals seemed manageable, merely overwhelming rather than absolutely crushing.
Slowly, hesitantly, conversations began to resume among the million-plus competitors. Confusion mixed with determination in equal measure. Many had entered the competition hoping merely to gain experience and exposure. Now, faced with the harsh reality of a 99.3% elimination rate in the first stage alone, doubts crept into previously confident minds.
Han Jue felt no such uncertainty.
He'd come to test his limits against the universe's greatest young talents. The elimination trials would provide exactly what he sought, a clear measurement of his current capabilities measured against objective standards.
The seven Trial Towers awaited.
Tomorrow, the real competition would finally begin.
Morning arrived swiftly in the Virtual Universe, though "morning" remained a purely conceptual distinction in a realm where time flowed according to programmed parameters rather than celestial mechanics.
"Good luck!" Luo Feng offered to both Han Jue and Hong, his expression mixing confidence with genuine concern for his companions.
"Likewise," Han Jue replied with a slight nod, his pale blue eyes already focused inward on the challenges ahead.
Hong simply clasped hands with both younger warriors, his grip firm and steady. "We'll meet again when this is finished. Stay alive, stay focused, and trust your training."
Before further conversation could develop, that same irresistible force from the previous day seized all one million participants simultaneously. Reality blurred as the Virtual Universe's underlying systems executed a mass teleportation of unprecedented scale.
When vision cleared, Han Jue found himself standing alone.
The Trial Space materialized around him with crystalline clarity, a vast plain of packed earth stretching toward distant horizons beneath a featureless gray sky. No sun illuminated this realm, yet somehow perfect visibility extended in all directions without shadows or glare.
Seven towers rose from the barren landscape ahead, arranged in a precise line that seemed to stretch toward infinity despite remaining clearly visible. Each tower appeared identical at first glance, massive cylindrical structures constructed from some dark gray material that absorbed light rather than reflecting it.
Yet Han Jue's Six Eyes immediately detected the differences.
Each successive tower radiated incrementally greater danger, a subtle pressure that increased geometrically from first to seventh. The leftmost tower felt merely threatening, like facing a strong opponent. The rightmost tower emanated menace that made even Han Jue's enhanced senses recoil instinctively, a promise of lethal challenges that would test limits he hadn't yet discovered.
No point delaying.
Han Jue's hand moved to the Cloud Sea Dragon Hunter sheathed at his side. The fifth-tier Force weapon had served him well throughout the preliminary competitions. Now it would face its greatest test as he pushed toward the seventh tower, a goal that seemed impossible for Stellar-level warriors but which he intended to achieve regardless.
Stalling accomplished nothing. Speed and efficiency would serve him better than caution.
The first tower's entrance stood open before him, darkness beyond the threshold promising violence and challenge in equal measure.
Han Jue strode forward without hesitation, his sword already clearing its sheath as he crossed into the Trial Tower's interior.
First Tower, First Floor
Ten thousand Blood-Haired Mammoths materialized the instant Han Jue entered the chamber, each one standing three meters tall at the shoulder, their bodies covered in coarse crimson fur that seemed to pulse with barely contained aggression. Massive tusks curved from their faces, capable of impaling or trampling any unprepared opponent.
These creatures represented the standard baseline challenge: Stellar Level Seven beasts possessing incredible durability, overwhelming strength, and pack coordination that transformed ten thousand individuals into a unified assault force.
Most competitors would need hours to clear this floor, carefully whittling down numbers while avoiding encirclement and exhaustion. Conservative tactics, defensive positioning, and resource management would determine success or failure for ordinary geniuses.
Han Jue was not ordinary.
"Myriad Avatars."
His voice emerged flat and emotionless as spatial laws rippled outward from his position. The technique he'd refined to the third stage activated instantly, reality fragmenting into overlapping possibilities.
Hundreds of identical Han Jues suddenly filled the chamber, each one wielding the Cloud Sea Dragon Hunter, each one moving with perfect synchronization despite operating as independent entities. The spatial duplicates weren't illusions or afterimages, they were genuine manifestations occupying slightly different dimensional coordinates, existing simultaneously in overlapping spaces.
The Blood-Haired Mammoths charged immediately, their massive forms thundering across the chamber floor with earth-shaking impact. Coordination that should have been their greatest advantage meant nothing when every possible avenue of attack encountered equal resistance.
Han Jue walked calmly through the chaos, appearing to stroll leisurely across the battlefield while carnage erupted around him.
Wherever his avatars passed, mammoths died. The Cloud Sea Dragon Hunter cut through crimson fur and thick hide with contemptuous ease, each strike precisely calculated to sever vital arteries or destroy crucial organs. Blood sprayed in arterial fountains as three-meter beasts collapsed like felled trees, their death roars echoing through the chamber before cutting off abruptly.
The technique appeared effortless. Dozens of mammoths fell per second, their attempts to overwhelm through numbers rendered meaningless by Han Jue's complete spatial control.
Within five minutes, ten thousand corpses littered the chamber floor, blood pooling in lakes across the packed earth. Not a single mammoth survived. Not one had managed to even scratch Han Jue's Force armor.
The entrance to the second floor materialized, golden light spilling through a doorway that hadn't existed moments before.
Han Jue didn't pause to admire his work or catch his breath. He simply walked through the portal, already preparing for whatever challenge awaited beyond.
Meanwhile, in the observer platforms accessible only to the assembled Immortal overseers, one thousand and eight beings watched their respective competitors' performances through countless display screens.
The elimination trials weren't broadcast publicly to the entire universe, those viewing privileges would come later, during the final arena tournament. But the Immortal overseers possessed complete access to every Trial Space, able to monitor any competitor at will.
"This Bolan is truly ruthless," one Immortal remarked, studying a display showing a pale youth wielding a blade with terrifying precision. "Charged straight to first place from the moment trials began."
Bolan's performance was nothing short of extraordinary. His comprehension of spatial laws approached the fourth stage of the domain level, an achievement that should have been impossible for anyone below World Master rank. Over one hundred spatial mirror images moved with his true body, creating an impenetrable offense that slaughtered everything in his path.
"Indeed, his talent is remarkable," another Immortal agreed. "He's maintained first place for, "
"Wait!" A third Immortal suddenly interrupted, his eyes widening as he stared at the ranking display. "What's this?"
All attention shifted to the overall leaderboard, which updated in real-time as competitors earned points.
Two names occupied the top positions now, their point totals perfectly identical:
[Rank 1: Bolan (Noah Universe), Points: 3,210,000]
[Rank 2: Han Jue (Ganwu Universe), Points: 3,210,000]
"Thirteen!" One of the Immortal overseers turned sharply toward the scaled-armored giant representing Ganwu Universe. "Your nation has another genius capable of matching Bolan? When were you planning to mention this?"
Overseer Thirteen stared at the ranking display with barely concealed shock.
"Han Jue?" He'd never paid particular attention to this name before. During his review of Ganwu's participants, Thirteen had focused entirely on Rong Jun and Luo Feng, the two competitors whose extensive battle footage demonstrated clear talent and potential.
This Han Jue had appeared in reports, certainly. Ranked first in his world zone during preliminaries. But his combat footage consisted entirely of instant eliminations that revealed nothing about his actual techniques or comprehension depth.
How could someone with such sparse data perform on par with the competition's acknowledged supreme talent?
"Thirteen, that's rather disingenuous," another Immortal chuckled with amusement. "Still trying to hide your secret weapons at this stage?"
"That's right! Your Ganwu Universe is planning to dominate this tournament, isn't it?" Several other overseers joined in the teasing, their ancient faces showing rare expressions of surprise and excitement.
Complex competitions like the Peak Genius Battle drew intense interest even among Immortal beings. Witnessing the emergence of once-in-an-epoch talents provided entertainment and potential networking opportunities, these young geniuses would eventually grow into Universe Lords and Universe Venerables themselves, making early positive impressions valuable.
"Display Han Jue's trial feed," Overseer Thirteen commanded, his voice carrying barely suppressed anticipation.
He needed to see exactly how this overlooked competitor was achieving such remarkable results.
The massive display shifted, showing Han Jue's perspective inside the Trial Towers.
The Immortal overseers fell silent, their ancient eyes widening in collective astonishment.
On screen, Han Jue appeared to be simply walking through a nightmare landscape of carnage. Clad in his deep blue Force combat suit and holding the Cloud Sea Dragon Hunter in a deceptively casual grip, he moved with the unhurried grace of someone taking a leisurely stroll through pleasant gardens.
But everywhere he passed, death followed.
Blood-Haired Mammoths collapsed with throats opened. Demon Beasts fell with skulls split. Giant flying beasts plummeted from the sky with wings severed. The slaughter proceeded with mechanical efficiency, yet Han Jue himself seemed barely engaged with the combat occurring around him.
Hundreds of spatial avatars flickered in and out of visibility, each one an independent combatant wielding lethal force, each one moving with perfect coordination despite operating autonomously.
Even the Immortal observers struggled to track the true body's movements. The avatars didn't simply confuse opponents, they genuinely existed across overlapping dimensional spaces, making it nearly impossible to distinguish which was real without specialized detection techniques.
And when Han Jue did strike personally, the results proved devastating.
A single sword cut would bisect creatures that should have required dozens of blows to bring down. Spatial laws wrapped around the blade's edge, creating cutting surfaces that existed partially outside normal three-dimensional space. Defenses meant nothing when the attacking edge occupied coordinates the defender couldn't physically block.
"This..." Overseer Thirteen trailed off, genuinely at a loss for words.
Everyone had heard of Bolan's remarkable spatial law talent. The pale youth's comprehension had become legendary even before the elimination trials began, stories of his mirror image techniques and devastating swordsmanship had spread throughout the competition.
Now, watching Han Jue's performance, it became clear that Ganwu Universe possessed a comparable talent. Perhaps even a superior one.
Bolan's technique emphasized overwhelming offense through numbers. Han Jue's approach demonstrated something more subtle, complete spatial control that made combat itself seem trivial.
"Besides Rong Jun and Luo Feng," one Immortal observed with evident amusement, "you've been hiding a true monster. Are you seriously planning to take the top three positions this year, Thirteen?"
"Definitely hiding things!" Another overseer laughed heartily. "The rest of us don't stand a chance with that lineup!"
Overseer Thirteen's expression transformed from shock to barely restrained satisfaction.
While he genuinely hadn't known about Han Jue's full capabilities, that ignorance no longer mattered. This warrior represented Ganwu Universe Nation, his success reflected well on the entire civilization, and by extension, on Thirteen himself as the overseer responsible for nurturing such talent.
He loved surprises like this.
"Haha, not bad!" Thirteen allowed himself a broad grin, his scaled armor gleaming as he straightened with pride. "Not bad at all!"
Let the other overseers think he'd deliberately concealed Han Jue's abilities. The mistaken assumption only made Ganwu's position stronger, if they believed he'd been strategically hiding information, they'd wonder what other secret weapons might exist among his nation's competitors.
The psychological advantage pleased him immensely.
Throughout the thousand and eight Universe Nations that comprised humanity's territorial holdings, billions of citizens watched the elimination trials with rapt attention.
The Peak Genius Battle occurred once every five thousand years, a spectacle that captured imagination across entire civilizations. Though the elimination round trials themselves weren't broadcast to general audiences, the ranking displays updated publicly in real-time.
Everyone could see who currently held top positions, even if they couldn't watch the actual combat occurring within the Trial Spaces.
Naturally, this led to intense speculation and fevered discussion across communication networks.
Within Ganwu Universe Nation specifically, one question dominated public consciousness:
"Who is Han Jue?"
Most citizens had never heard the name before. The preliminary competitions had been too vast, too dispersed across millions of world zones, for any single competitor to gain universal recognition unless they did something truly spectacular.
Being ranked first in your world zone was impressive. Being ranked first in the elimination trials of the entire Peak Genius Battle was extraordinary.
As news of Han Jue's performance spread, information brokers and dedicated fans began digging through available records.
"Nicknamed 'Demon Sea' during the preliminaries," one popular analysis post explained. "Initially classified as an illusionist specialist, but later records indicate he's actually a sword-wielding warrior. Multiple reports describe him instantly killing over a dozen top-twenty competitors simultaneously during the preliminary finals."
"An illusionist who fights with a sword?" Another commentator expressed confusion. "How does that combination even work?"
"Maybe he uses illusions to confuse opponents while his real body strikes?" A third person speculated. "That would explain the instant kills, they never saw the real attack coming."
"Hiss! Imagine facing that in actual combat. You'd be dead before realizing which image was real!"
The discussions spread rapidly across Ganwu Universe's communication networks, transforming an unknown name into a topic of fascinated speculation.
Within the Black Dragon Mountain Empire specifically, the mid-tier civilization from which Han Jue originated, the excitement reached fever pitch.
The Emperor himself watched the trial rankings from his throne room, surrounded by Domain Lords and World Masters who served as the Empire's military and administrative elite.
"This is my Black Dragon Mountain Empire's genius!" The Emperor's voice boomed with satisfaction as he gestured dramatically toward the display showing Han Jue's name. "Demon Sea! Truly formidable!"
Previously, Luo Feng had been the Empire's primary source of pride in this competition. Now, with Han Jue matching or exceeding even Luo Feng's performance, the Empire's prestige had effectively doubled.
Citizens throughout the Black Dragon Mountain Empire's territories celebrated enthusiastically. Street festivals erupted spontaneously in major cities. Communication networks overflowed with congratulatory messages. Even those who'd never shown interest in the competition found themselves caught up in the collective euphoria.
One of their own stood among the universe's absolute elite.
For a mid-tier Empire often dismissed by larger civilizations, this represented validation of their potential.
Hong's face tightened as he watched the roaring Star Beast Cang materialize before him. The creature stood three stories tall, its crystalline carapace gleaming with inner light, massive claws capable of tearing through starship hulls extended menacingly.
This was only the third Trial Tower, yet already the challenges had escalated beyond anything Hong had faced in the preliminaries.
Could he finally give up now? Accept his limits and settle for whatever ranking these three towers provided?
No, Hong thought fiercely, his expression hardening with determination. I refuse to quit!
"Die!" he roared, channeling every technique World Master Luo had taught him over the past three years.
Light Origin Laws wrapped around his spear as he engaged the final two Star Beast Cangs simultaneously. His comprehension had deepened significantly through intensive training, where before he'd struggled with basic application, now the laws responded to his will with increasing fluidity.
The battle proved brutal. The Star Beasts possessed overwhelming physical advantages and could manipulate gravitational fields to devastating effect. But Hong's refined technique and absolute determination created openings where none should have existed.
After what felt like hours of sustained combat, though the Virtual Universe's time compression made actual duration impossible to determine, Hong finally defeated both creatures. Their massive bodies collapsed, crystalline armor shattering as they fell.
He'd cleared the third Trial Tower's seventh floor.
Exhausted but triumphant, Hong accessed the portal leading to the fourth tower. But the moment he crossed that threshold and saw what awaited beyond, his expression turned grim.
A Zerg Mother Nest dominated the entire chamber, a writhing mass of organic architecture that spawned warriors at terrifying speed. Thousands of Zerg battle-forms already filled the space, with more emerging from incubation pods every second.
Hong assessed the situation with brutal honesty. His current energy reserves couldn't sustain the prolonged combat this would require. The Zerg Mother Nest possessed regenerative capabilities and functioned as a unified consciousness, defeating it would demand either overwhelming force or tactical brilliance he simply didn't possess at his current level.
He'd reached his limit.
"Not bad," Hong murmured to himself, a slight smile crossing his weathered features despite the disappointment. "Further than I expected, honestly."
The Virtual Universe registered his surrender, immediately ejecting him from the Trial Space as battle data compiled for ranking purposes.
Third tower completion placed him well within the top ten thousand. Depending on other competitors' performances, he might crack the top five thousand. Respectable results, certainly, though falling short of the top one hundred direct admission spots he'd privately hoped to achieve.
Still, Hong felt no shame in his performance. He'd pushed beyond previous limits and demonstrated solid growth. The arena tournament stage would provide opportunities to climb higher through direct combat, a format that suited his straightforward fighting style better than these endurance trials anyway.
Sixth Trial Tower, Seventh Floor
Watching the endless stream of Zerg Warriors attacking from the Mother Nest, Han Jue's expression remained completely neutral.
This challenge had stumped countless competitors already. The Zerg's overwhelming numbers, rapid regeneration, and coordinated assault patterns made conventional combat approaches nearly impossible. Most geniuses exhausted themselves fighting waves of subordinate units, never reaching the Mother Nest itself before their energy reserves depleted completely.
Han Jue had no intention of repeating their mistakes.
"Myriad Avatars."
Hundreds of spatial duplicates materialized instantly, their existence spanning overlapping dimensional coordinates. The Zerg Warriors, driven by collective hive intelligence, immediately divided their attention, attempting to overwhelm through sheer numerical superiority.
They failed to understand that numbers meant nothing against someone who'd mastered spatial manipulation to this degree.
While his avatars drew the Zerg's attention and systematically eliminated the warrior-forms with mechanical efficiency, Han Jue's true body moved with purpose. The Cloud Sea Dragon Hunter hummed with accumulated Force as he channeled his full comprehension of spatial laws into the blade.
"Split the Sea!"
The technique erupted from his sword in a wave of distorted spacetime. Where the attack passed, reality itself seemed to fold and tear, creating a cutting edge that existed across multiple dimensional planes simultaneously.
The Zerg Mother Nest possessed formidable defenses: organic armor layered meters thick, regenerative tissues that sealed wounds almost instantly, and distributed nervous systems that prevented single-point failures. Against conventional attacks, it could withstand sustained assault from multiple World Masters.
Against Han Jue's spatial swordsmanship, those defenses meant nothing.
The Split the Sea technique bypassed surface armor entirely, manifesting its cutting force directly within the Mother Nest's core structure. The blade's edge existed partially outside normal three-dimensional space, attacking from angles that couldn't be defended against with physical barriers.
The massive organic structure shuddered violently as catastrophic damage propagated through its internal systems. Critical biological processes collapsed simultaneously. The Zerg Queen, the intelligence coordinating the entire hive, died before her distributed consciousness could even process what had occurred.
The Mother Nest collapsed in on itself, deflating like a punctured bladder as supporting structures failed. Thousands of Zerg Warriors fell simultaneously, their connection to the hive consciousness severed by the Queen's death.
Silence descended on the chamber.
Han Jue surveyed the carnage with clinical detachment, already analyzing his performance for potential improvements. The technique had been effective, certainly, but he'd used more Force than strictly necessary. Refinement remained possible.
The rankings display materialized in his peripheral vision, updating in real-time:
[Rank 1: Bolan (Noah Universe), Points: 77,777,000]
[Rank 2: Han Jue (Ganwu Universe), Points: 77,777,000]
Interesting.
Bolan had reached the sixth tower's completion at exactly the same moment, resulting in identical point totals. The pale youth's performance matched Han Jue's with eerie precision, as if the Noah Universe's supreme talent had been deliberately pacing himself to maintain exact parity.
"Are you waiting for me?" Han Jue murmured, a slight smile crossing his typically impassive features.
The challenge was obvious: Bolan wanted to see who would conquer the seventh tower first. This wasn't mere competition anymore, it had become a direct confrontation between the two strongest participants in the entire elimination trials.
Come on, then
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