Chapter 1232
Three Thousand Years
All the top-tier powerhouses in the vast Universe Ocean were keenly aware of the immense importance of the powerful legacy from that ancient civilization! They silently yearned... yearning for their own powerhouses within the Tomb Mausoleum's Life-and-Death Corridor to more quickly meet the 'Rhinoceros Emperor Game solution requirements'. Inside the Universe Boat, within the Flame Ice Region's Tomb Mausoleum, specifically in the Life-and-Death Corridor, this place was now the most crucial silent battlefield in the entire Universe Ocean! The Duan Dong River legacy... would likely determine which power could transcend reincarnation, and which side would become the next Holy Land Universe.
“Luo Feng merely holds a temporary advantage! We still have a chance!”
“Right, as long as the Rhinoceros Emperor Game solution reaches the minimum requirement within a certain timeframe, there will be a chance for the legacy.”
“We must seize this opportunity.”
“Whether our race can transcend reincarnation depends on this one chance.”
“Even if it means death, we must obtain this opportunity.”
...
All parties were already going mad. For now, they dared not hope to directly obtain the legacy, but rather yearned to first meet the 'minimum Rhinoceros Emperor Game solution requirements' to secure a chance at the legacy! As long as the opportunity existed... anything was possible.
“Ding! Dong!”
Within the silent Life-and-Death Corridor, that familiar sound echoed once more.
“Hmm?”
All the Undying Gods, Universe Venerables, Universe Masters, and Universe Overlords, including Luo Feng, who was enveloped by the misty palace of light, all looked up. A figure coalesced from light in mid-air.
“Duan Dong River!”
“Duan Dong River has appeared again.”
“The last time Duan Dong River appeared, it was to announce that the human Yinhe had met the solution requirements. Now it's the same sound, the same scene...”
“Could it be me? I'm the fastest in my race at comprehending the Rhinoceros Emperor Game, having solved 820 puzzles.”
All parties were excited and expectant.
Luo Feng, however, frowned as he watched. He had already met the requirements; surely, this wasn't for him again.
“Candidate Bi Xue from the East Emperor Holy Land has met the solution requirements.” Duan Dong River looked down, his gaze falling upon a figure in the distance. It was a seemingly handsome man from the East Emperor Holy Land faction, his body wreathed in vines and leaves, his face now unable to hide his excitement.
All the powerhouses present looked over.
Luo Feng also observed this relatively unknown powerhouse from the East Emperor Holy Land named 'Bi Xue'. Upon seeing him, he couldn't help but frown slightly: “Hmm, he... a Universe Venerable? I'm a Universe Venerable, and this second one to meet the solution requirements is also a Universe Venerable...” From a distance, one could roughly judge the opponent's strength by their position.
The Universe Masters of the East Emperor Holy Land were at the very front, Universe Venerables slightly behind, and Undying Gods were at the very back, protected.
Moreover, judging by his divine power, 'Bi Xue''s divine power wasn't strong, only at the thousand-fold life gene level of a Universe Venerable. Such divine power... definitively marked him as a Universe Venerable.
“A Universe Venerable?”
“The second one to meet the requirements after the human Yinhe, is actually a Universe Venerable?”
“There are seven Universe Overlords and nearly 200 Universe Masters present... It's one thing for Lord Yinhe to succeed, as he's an unparalleled genius Universe Master. But a mere Universe Venerable actually succeeded.”
“How could this be...”
A wave of uproar and shock.
“Whoosh~~~” Duan Dong River pointed from afar, and immediately, the crystal pillar next to Bi Xue Venerable emitted a misty light and shadow, like a hazy palace enveloping Bi Xue Venerable. The entire misty palace was golden, identical to Luo Feng's, protecting Bi Xue Venerable.
“Continue your comprehension.”
Duan Dong River smiled faintly, “The more solutions you comprehend, the greater the benefit to you. Comprehend in peace... with the protection of my secret technique, no one can harm you.”
“The rules have long been set.” Duan Dong River's gaze swept over all the powerhouses present. “Those who meet the solution requirements will receive my protection. Anyone who dares to attack will be eliminated and killed without exception.”
“Bi Xue, keep up the good work.” Duan Dong River encouraged.
“Yes, Lord Duan Dong River.” Bi Xue Venerable respectfully replied.
Whoosh~~~
Duan Dong River directly dissipated.
“A Universe Venerable actually took the lead!” The God-Eye Clan's Second True Master was furious, “Could he solve the puzzles faster than me?”
“A Universe Venerable is in the lead!”
Various angry voices.
Meanwhile, the powerhouses of the East Emperor Holy Land were very excited, each offering encouragement. Bi Xue Venerable also nodded repeatedly in excitement, even glancing at Luo Feng from afar, clearly intending to compete with him.
Luo Feng glanced at him, thinking to himself: “I was the first to meet the requirements, which only gives me an advantage. To choose a successor... it must involve many aspects. It seems Duan Dong River intends to select several candidates. I must solve more puzzles... The more solutions I achieve, according to Duan Dong River's implication, the greater my hope of obtaining the legacy.”
Heavy pressure...
The hopes of the human race rested on him. Having already secured such a significant advantage, he naturally couldn't relax even a little.
...
Universe Ocean, East Emperor Holy Land Universe.
“Bi Xue?”
“Bi Xue actually met the requirements?”
“Our East Emperor Holy Land dispatched a large number of Universe Masters, Universe Venerables, and Undying Gods this time... In terms of fastest comprehension and solutions, it should be Youzan! Lord Youzan has already solved 1200 puzzles, yet still hasn't met Duan Dong River's requirements. But Bi Xue, who just finished solving his 1000th puzzle, was deemed qualified?”
Hundreds of Universe Masters and several Universe Overlords were gathered in a grand hall.
Buzz~~~
A hazy, glowing green figure appeared in mid-air within the grand hall.
“Ancestor.”
“Ancestor.”
All the powerhouses in the grand hall respectfully bowed.
The hazy, glowing green figure looked down and slowly said, “From this, it seems that Duan Dong River's legacy has different requirements for different levels of strength. Let our Undying and Universe Venerables strive harder. The more who meet the requirements, the greater the chance our East Emperor Holy Land has of obtaining the Duan Dong River legacy.”
“Yes.”
“Yes.” Each one responded.
The green glowing figure directly dissipated.
The group of powerhouses in the grand hall, who had lived for an unknown duration, exchanged glances, secretly astonished. The East Emperor Ancestor had only appeared once in a very long time in the past. It was one thing for him to openly appear and dispatch a large number of powerhouses to seize the legacy... but now he had appeared directly in their grand hall. From this, it was clear... how much the East Emperor Ancestor valued this legacy.
“Although Bi Xue Venerable is merely a Venerable, he belongs to the 'Quasi-Universe Master' category! His will is even at the Universe Overlord level... his comprehension and solution speed are extremely fast. If we had known this earlier, we should have dispatched more Quasi-Universe Masters.”
“Indeed.”
“If we had known this, we really should have sent more Quasi-Universe Masters.”
Quasi-Universe Masters refer to certain special Universe Venerables.
For a Holy Land Universe like the East Emperor Holy Land Universe, which has existed for an incredibly long time, even if ten Universe Masters were born in one reincarnation era, there would likely be over ten thousand Universe Masters! But the reality is there are only a few hundred Universe Masters... Why is this?
It's because of the Holy Land Universe's capacity!
Just like a piece of land, there's a limit to how many plants it can grow. If there are too many plants, the land cannot bear the burden.
And a mini-universe cannot nurture Universe Overlords; at most, it can give birth to Universe Masters! Moreover, the number of 'Universe Masters' a mini-universe can sustain is limited... Each Universe Master is a huge burden on the mini-universe. Once a certain quota is reached, no more can be added, otherwise, it will harm the Holy Land Universe itself.
Therefore...
Some, whose comprehension of laws is already perfect and who could enter the 'ranks of Universe Masters' at any time, are unable to advance because they cannot obtain any divine power supply from the Holy Land Universe's origin! They are forced to remain in the 'ranks of Universe Venerables'.
These 'Quasi-Universe Masters', once other Universe Masters in their race fall, easing the pressure on the Holy Land Universe and freeing up a few slots, some of them will be chosen and quickly become Universe Masters! They too have lived for a very long time, some for hundreds of reincarnation eras or even longer, so their will is naturally tempered to be very strong.
...
Luo Feng's 800th year of studying the Rhinoceros Emperor Game.
“Ding! Dong!”
Like a drop of water falling into a deep pool, Duan Dong River reappeared, immediately making all parties eagerly anticipate.
“Xue You from the Second Reincarnation Era's Bug Clan has met the solution requirements.” Duan Dong River looked down, his gaze falling upon a Bug Clan candidate.
“What!”
“An Undying God?”
“Just an Undying!”
“Even an Undying God has met the requirements?”
All parties were shocked.
The third one, after the human Yinhe from the Original Universe and Bi Xue from the East Emperor Holy Land, was actually an Undying from the Bug Clan of the Second Reincarnation Era.
“Rise.” Duan Dong River pointed at Xue You from afar, and immediately, the crystal pillar next to her emitted a misty light and shadow palace, enveloping Xue You. That misty palace also appeared golden.
...
As time passed, one candidate after another met the requirements, and all parties soon understood... the requirements differed for different levels of strength. For instance, none of the seven Universe Overlords, who were clearly comprehending extremely fast, had met the requirements, revealing a certain mystery.
The first was Luo Feng!
The second was a Universe Venerable!
The third was an Undying God!
The fourth was an Undying God!
The fifth was a Universe Master! Youzan from the East Emperor Holy Land. From then on, the East Emperor Holy Land had two qualified individuals. This was already Luo Feng's 1100th year of receiving the legacy.
The sixth was a Universe Venerable!
The seventh was a Universe Master! It was Luo Feng's acquaintance—Lord Luchong. This Sixth-tier Universe Master finally met the requirements. This was approximately Luo Feng's 1200th year of receiving the legacy.
...
Time flowed by, and in the blink of an eye, nearly three thousand years had passed.
Throughout the Life-and-Death Corridor, golden light-and-shadow palaces enveloped candidate after candidate. At this point, a full 62 candidates had met the requirements. In fact, since the 2000-year mark, the number of qualified candidates had entered an explosive growth period, with even Lord Peng Gong having met the requirements.
In contrast, not a single one of the pitiful seven Universe Overlords had succeeded.
“Ding! Dong!”
Duan Dong River reappeared.
By now, Duan Dong River's appearances were quite common. Everyone simply looked up to see who had met the requirements.
“Tie Bu Demon Master from the First Reincarnation Era has met the requirements,” Duan Dong River announced.
All seven Universe Overlords in the Life-and-Death Corridor trembled at this moment.
“Heavens!”
“Finally, a Universe Overlord has met the solution requirements.”
Nearly a hundred thousand powerhouses all looked over in unison.
How bitter.
How pathetic!
Finally, one succeeded!
Each of the seven Universe Overlords felt both excitement and sorrow. Nearly 3000 years! Individuals weaker than them had all met the requirements, yet all seven of them, despite their desperate efforts, had failed. It made them wonder if there was no hope for Universe Overlords.
Finally, Tie Bu Demon Master, one of the seven, succeeded.
Ranked 63rd!
“The threshold for a Universe Overlord is actually solving 2000 puzzles!” Tie Bu Demon Master's heart was filled with complex emotions at that moment.