Across the cosmos, countless Domain Lords, Realm Lords, and God-Kings were shaken to their core.
They knew the legends—whenever the Virtual Universe tolled the Eternal Bell, it signaled a cataclysmic shift in the cosmos. Every toll marked a turning point, a mont capable of reshaping the very course of history.
Those who understood the bell's significance were gripped by a volatile mix of exhilaration and dread. Opportunities would be limitless in such tis, yet lethal peril would surely follow in their wake.
The entire universe held its collective breath, waiting to see what would happen next.
"ANNOUNCENT!!!"
A cold, synthetic voice suddenly bood throughout every corner of the Virtual Universe and the physical realm alike.
The sudden sound sent a jolt through every living soul—Void Beasts, Sentient Races, and even the Machina. Every being with a soul heard it. The only exceptions were the Celestial Fiends.
"Grand Universal Announcent! In thirty hours, the 10,081st Universal Genius Competition will comnce! The Virtual Universe will pull all eligible mbers of the cosmos to participate in the Genius Trials!"
"Top perforrs will be granted the honor of becoming disciples of the Supre Divinities, receiving personal tutelage from the gods themselves!"
"Data on exceptional candidates will be publicized, allowing Immortal Class powerhouses to select them for instruction!"
"Selection details for the Universal Genius Competition will be revealed upon comncent. All citizens must prepare within the next thirty hours. Once connected to the Virtual Universe, physical bodies will enter a state of total paralysis!"
The announcent echoed through the farthest reaches of space. As the voice faded, every creature across the Virtual Universe and the physical world felt their invisible shackles shatter.
Yet, for countless low-tier civilizations, the ssage brought only confusion.
What were the Supre Divinities? Who were these Immortal Class powerhouses? And what, exactly, was the Virtual Universe?
These questions haunted the minds of billions, including those within the Galactic Civilization.
"What's going on? The Universal Genius Competition? What the hell is that?"
"Are we being invaded by another high-level civilization? If it wasn't for Lance, humanity would have been wiped out already. Now this?"
"Damn these aliens! This has to be a trap. Whatever happens, don't enter that Virtual Universe thing!"
Across the billions of inhabited planets within the Galactic Civilization, humans were locked in heated debate. It wasn't just the commoners; even the highest echelons of human leadership were utterly baffled.
Mother Planet: The Martial Paragon Hall.
Over a dozen High Guardians had gathered. They hadn't co because they knew about the competition; they were there because of Lance.
Just a day ago, Lance had summarily executed ten Planetary Class warriors and thousands of Grandmasters. The reason? A seemingly trivial case of school bullying.
That mont had been a wake-up call for the Martial Paragon. He had once thought the gap between his strength and Lance's was narrow, but now he realized that in Lance's eyes, he was nothing more than an ant.
To have such a transcendent genius so utterly alienated from humanity over "minor" issues was a disaster. They were eting to figure out how to bridge the rift. No one cared about the dead; they were too busy blaming their idiot descendants for provoking Lance in the first place.
However, the mysterious voice and the news of the Virtual Universe had taken priority.
"Do you know what the Virtual Universe is?" Aether asked, looking toward the Martial Paragon with intense curiosity. "What about these Supre Divinities and the Immortal Class? Are they really stronger than Domain Lords?"
In their world, a Domain Lord was considered an invincible god—a fact the Martial Paragon had only shared with them after his recent return. Before that, they thought the Star Sea Realm was the peak. The thought of a Domain Lord's power—ruling over billions of systems like the Milky Way—made their blood run cold.
To them, the Milky Way was sothing a powerhouse could wipe out with a flick of a finger.
"The strongest being I’ve ever heard of was a Realm Lord," the Martial Paragon said, his expression grave. "They rule entire Star Realms—Level 12 civilizations. They are virtually invincible, commanding over a million Domain Lords."
"The ruler of the billions of Star Sectors encompassing the Glacial Star-System is a World Lord known as the Black Dragon Lord. He is an absolute, peerless entity."
"As for the Immortal Realm or Supre Divinities... I’ve never even heard of them."
"However, I do know of the Virtual Universe. Legend says it was created by the Cosmic Overmind. It’s a digital world identical to reality, housing every advanced race and civilization in existence."
Everyone sucked in a sharp breath. "There are Realm Lords above Domain Lords? Just how big is this universe?"
If there were Immortals and Supre Divinities, that ant there were at least two more stages beyond even a Realm Lord. They traded glances, the sa fear mirrored in their eyes. Such beings were about to begin testing every civilization. Would they survive the trial?
At the sa ti, they knew this was a once-in-an-eon opportunity. If soone from the Human Race could gain the inheritance of such a powerhouse, humanity would soar.
But their hope faded as quickly as it ca. Even Lance, their greatest talent, might be nothing compared to the geniuses of the wider universe.
"Is there any danger in these trials?" Ignis asked, his voice heavy. "And why haven't you ntioned the Virtual Universe before?"
All eyes turned to the Martial Paragon.
"I only know that the Virtual Universe contains every race; I don't know the specifics," he replied. "If we could gain access, all our questions would be answered."
"Unfortunately, I’ve spent tens of thousands of years petitioning higher civilizations in the Desolates to take us in as a vassal state. They all refused because the Milky Way’s civilization level is too low. You can only enter the Virtual Universe if you belong to a major power."
"It’s nearly impossible for a Level 8 civilization to get noticed. If things hadn't soured with Lance, it wouldn't be this difficult."
"With his strength and our shared ancestry with the Desolates, we could have finally integrated into the Virtual Universe." He sighed, the weight of thousands of years of failure on his shoulders. He was so close to his goal, but fate was a fickle thing.
Although the other mbers of the Four Great Races in the Milky Way had been eradicated without the Human Race losing a single soldier, humanity had effectively lost its only hope.
"Sigh. If there’s no other way, I’ll give it a try. Lance and I have a bit of history, after all."
Aether’s voice drifted out from the crowd. As soon as he spoke, the surrounding experts nodded in agreent. After all, Aether was one of the few people who had actually spent ti with Lance.
"Then I’ll have to trouble you to make the trip," the Martial Paragon said, his expression solemn.
Among all the surviving Stellar Class experts, Aether was the oldest besides the Martial Paragon himself, and their relationship was akin to that of a ntor and apprentice. This was the primary reason why Aether was always the one to contact the Martial Paragon, despite not being the strongest among them.
"I’m off then. Wait for my good news!"
Aether nodded, stood up with a small smile, and quickly departed from the Martial Paragon Hall.
An hour later, a spaceship drifted slowly into the Silvermoon system.
Thanks to Lance’s status as a High Guardian, Planet Silvermoon had practically beco a holy site for pilgrims and tourists. Of course, the high-ranking officials had quickly implented strict regulations. Any ship entering Planet Silvermoon’s airspace had to be registered, and daily arrivals were strictly capped. New ships could only enter once others had departed.
Furthermore, if your clearance wasn't high enough, you didn't even have the right to wait in line. The minimum requirent for entry was the Great Grandmaster realm.
In an instant, Planet Silvermoon had leaped from a third-rate backwater planet to a premier, first-rate world. However, the sudden influx of Great Grandmasters had also plunged the planet into a state of mild chaos.
It couldn't be helped; the strongest native on Planet Silvermoon was rely a Grandmaster of the third rank. Faced with these visiting powerhouses, the local Grandmasters hardly dared to breathe.
The only exception, of course, was Silas Stuart, a first-rank Grandmaster. As the man who had "discovered" Lance, he had been appointed the new Speaker of Planet Silvermoon. Almost every Great Grandmaster who entered the system sought an audience with him.
"Compared to a few days ago, this place has completely transford," Aether remarked.
Standing inside his Tier 6 peak-grade ship, Aether looked out at Planet Silvermoon and shook his head helplessly. He wasn't even sure if Lance was currently on the planet, but he had to try his luck. This was Lance's hotown, after all. If he wasn't here, there was a ninety percent chance he had already left the Milky Way.
Vroom!
Just as his ship entered Silvermoon’s orbit, a vessel ten thousand ters in diater intercepted him. Compared to Aether’s Tier 6 ship, which stretched hundreds of kiloters in length, the approaching craft looked like a tiny insect.
However, Aether didn't dare be careless. He imdiately halted his vessel and flew out to et it personally. He recognized the ship—it was Silas Stuart’s Morton Warship.
Even though Silas was a re first-rank Grandmaster, he was one of the few humans who had actually helped Lance in the past. Aether wasn't about to take any risks. No one knew exactly what Lance’s current stance toward the Human Race was; offending soone close to him over a trivial matter would be a catastrophic mistake.
"Silas Stuart greets you! I’ve been sent by High Guardian Lance to escort you to the planet!"
As Aether erged from his ship, an elderly man flew out from the Morton Warship, his face flushed with excitent. It was indeed Silas Stuart.
"Lance sent you to get ?" Aether felt a surge of hope.
If Lance had personally sent soone to receive him, it ant the friction between him and the Human Race hadn't reached a point of no return.
"Yes. Lord Lance is occupied with sothing, so he sent instead. After you!" Silas bowed respectfully.
"Very well. Let’s go then. Sorry for the trouble." Aether smiled and flew toward the Morton Warship.
"You're too kind. It’s an honor just to et you!" Silas replied, visibly flattered. He deferentially led Aether into the ship.
Soon, the warship tore through the atmosphere and descended rapidly toward the surface of Planet Silvermoon.
Rumble!
With a low roar of engines, the warship slowly touched down in front of a dilapidated, aging apartnt complex. The sight of the massive vessel landing caused the residents of the neighborhood to turn pale with shock.
"That’s the Morton Warship! It belongs to Silas Stuart! What’s it doing here?"
"What’s going on? Did so genius erge from our slums?"
"Wait... is it possible High Guardian Lance lives around here?"
"Are you fcking dreaming? Why would a High Guardian live in a shthole like this?"
"Holy sht, look! It really is Silas Stuart! And who’s that person next to him? Silas looks so respectful..."
"I can't tell. Their face is blurred—must be so high-tech cloaking. Probably another Great Grandmaster."
The neighbors gossiped fiercely, but no one could guess the truth. While everyone in the Milky Way knew Lance was from Planet Silvermoon, very few knew he lived in such a run-down complex. Anyone who did know had been forced to sign non-disclosure agreents.
All information regarding his residence had been scrubbed from the network, and even photographs of his face were impossible to find. Lance had done this intentionally. He didn't want his past life to be disturbed.
In truth, his life before all this had been quite pleasant. He'd had a stable inco and no worries beyond his cultivation. It wasn't like now, where he had to worry about the fate of the universe and the possibility of so supre powerhouse appearing to erase him from existence.
That was why he had chosen to return to the ho where he had lived for over a decade. He wanted to close up and cultivate, living a quiet life with Lillian just like they used to.
"Hey, what exactly is this Virtual Universe thing?"
In the living room, Lillian and Lance were having breakfast. Lillian looked at him curiously; she had heard the Virtual Universe system notification an hour ago.
Nearby, Noir was sprawled on the floor, noisily gnawing on a large hunk of at in a bowl. He looked exactly like a common household dog.
However, that at was anything but common. It was a piece of the Black Dragon Lord brought back from the Black Dragon Plane. Although Blake had killed the Dragon Lord instantly, he had followed Lance's instructions to preserve the heart. The heart of a Void Beast was a massive convergence point for energy; aside from the Dragon Crystal, seventy percent of a beast's power resided there. Naturally, it had beco Noir’s dinner.
If the Martial Paragon and the others knew that the Black Dragon Lord—a creature they considered an invincible, god-like existence—was currently being eaten as kibble by Lance’s pet, they would have had a complete ntal breakdown.
"I’ll take you inside to see it after you finish your breakfast," Lance said. "Also, the Universal Genius Competition starts tomorrow. You need to focus on your cultivation, understood?"
System Notification: A massive stockpile has been detected!
You can instantly unlock 28 Advanced Chapters on my Patreon.
/yivan
Reviews
All reviews (0)