Rivalry

A moment later.

“Hmm?” Overseer Bafen’s face showed surprise. “He passed? He actually passed? How long has he been in Chaos City, and he’s already cleared the third level?”

While initial progress was often easier, with deeper insights becoming increasingly difficult, Bolan was simply monstrous. Among the large group of other geniuses, Rongjun had cleared the first level, and everyone else had failed, yet Bolan had already conquered the third!

...

Among the universe cultivators in Chaos City, there were primarily 52 schools of thought. The most numerous and influential was the ‘Giant Axe’ school, largely because many with some background knew that the ‘Giant Axe Chaos Tablet’ was created by the founder of the Giant Axe Martial Arena, and among the Sky-Reaching Bridges corresponding to the 52 Chaos Tablets, the Giant Axe Sky-Reaching Bridge had the most levels.

The ‘Giant Axe’ school had the most members.

The ‘Cosmos’ school had the fewest.

Cosmos, what was the cosmos? ‘Yu’ represented space, ‘Zhou’ represented time. This school was called the Cosmos school because its practitioners cultivated both the ‘space’ and ‘time’ origin laws. This made it incredibly difficult; comprehending even one of these two most challenging origin laws was already extremely hard, let alone both. However, once both were truly comprehended, their power was terrifying.

“Cleared the third level?”

“Doesn’t clearing the third level mean he can attend lectures from masters?”

“I heard he was the top talent from the most recent genius battle, but he’s been in Chaos City for less than a year and has already cleared the third level. It’s unbelievable. Usually, out of 1,000 geniuses from each battle, only a handful manage to clear the third level after 30 years of arduous training in Chaos City. This Bolan… he’s far ahead of everyone else.”

The third level of the Sky-Reaching Bridge was a threshold!

Once one cleared the third level, it meant they had truly entered the gateway of comprehending the Chaos Tablet. Only then were they qualified to attend lectures from various sect masters, such as Zhenyan King or Black Mist King, who were super-beings that established their own teachings.

Clearing the eighteenth level meant one could become a permanent resident of Chaos City, establish a sect, and lecture future generations.

...

In the Virtual Universe, within the Yuxiang Mountain Primal Region training grounds.

Longyun, a burly iron-clad man wearing a horned battle helmet and wielding a terrifying giant axe, looked at his arm-mounted screen, shocked. “The third level? Bolan actually passed the third level of the Sky-Reaching Bridge?”

“Why is his progress so fast?”

“Why?” Longyun’s right hand, gripping the axe handle, tightened involuntarily, making cracking sounds. He gritted his teeth, his face contorted in a snarl. “But why can’t I even pass the first level? Why is the gap between me and Bolan so vast?”

Longyun was a genius who entered the Primal Secret Region at the same time as Bolan in this genius battle.

Soon after arriving in Chaos City, Bolan and Rongjun successively displayed their brilliance. Longyun was already deeply troubled then… because he was a Primal Secret Region member! He was the second-place finisher in the genius battle! But now, Rongjun, who was in the Taichu District, could pass the first level, while he couldn’t. So, Longyun had been working tirelessly.

Just a few days ago, he had attempted it again.

But, he still failed!

Who would have thought… now Bolan had actually cleared the third level.

“Is the gap between us really that immense?” Longyun painfully squatted down, clutching the ground.

...

“What, Bolan cleared the third level?”

This news reached Rongjun, Luo Feng, Jiangmo, Wuka, and a group of others almost simultaneously. Being in Chaos City for a long time and often meeting in the wilderness outside the city, they naturally knew each other. When one person received the news, they immediately sent an email to inform the others.

“Bolan has already cleared the third level, I refuse to believe I can’t even pass the first.” Wuka clenched his fists, then connected his consciousness to the Virtual Universe Network.

“The third level?” Illusory Demon Jialaixi also connected his consciousness to the universe network.

“The gap can’t be that big.” Jiangmo and Qianshui, the brother and sister, also decided to attempt the Sky-Reaching Bridge.

“I was planning to wait until I could achieve the four-sword fusion and had absolute confidence before attempting it, but I didn’t expect Bolan’s progress to be so fast. I’ll try it now then.” Luo Feng was also stimulated by Bolan, gritting his teeth and heading to attempt the Sky-Reaching Bridge.

...

A group of geniuses cultivated in Chaos City, naturally competing in secret.

When they first arrived, Bolan had already cleared the second level, and everyone tolerated it, as Bolan was inherently strong.

But now, eight months later, Bolan had actually cleared the third level. It was important to remember that eight months ago… Bolan couldn’t clear the third level, indicating his progress in these eight months was significant.

Know this!

Each level of the Sky-Reaching Bridge was harder than the last. Bolan’s progress stimulated the proud hearts of the geniuses. Immediately after receiving the news, over a hundred of the 913 surviving geniuses chose to attempt the Sky-Reaching Bridge.

...

In the Virtual Universe, on the Sky-Reaching Bridge plane.

On the beautiful island shrouded in mist, Overseer Bafen still wore his black starry robe. One after another, young people appeared on the island.

“So many people.” When Luo Feng appeared on the island, he immediately saw the Manka Star Prince and over a dozen others from the Tiandi District and Apocalypse Region.

“Jiuyu Sky-Reaching Bridge, Luo Feng.” Overseer Bafen smiled. “Go ahead, the Jiuyu Sky-Reaching Bridge is empty now.”

Luo Feng couldn’t help but show a slight smile.

“Go, Luo Feng!” Wuka shouted, pumping his fist.

“You too,” Luo Feng grinned.

“I have news for you all: Jialaixi, a genius from your batch, just passed the first level,” Overseer Bafen announced. “After Bolan and Rongjun, he’s the third to successfully clear the first level.”

Luo Feng, who was about to fly towards the Sky-Reaching Bridge, froze.

The young people around him all froze.

Jialaixi?

Illusory Demon Jialaixi?

During the genius battle, Illusory Demon Jialaixi had a very high reputation, and many even believed he could reach second place. However… in the end, Illusory Demon Jialaixi lost to the madman Luo Feng, failing to enter the top ten, and thus ended up in the Tiandi District. Although he was in the Tiandi District, his strength was universally recognized!

This time, he directly cleared the first level.

“Jialaixi actually passed?” A group of young people felt deeply unwilling.

“Jialaixi?” Luo Feng snorted softly, transforming into a streak of light and flying directly into the distant Jiuyu Sky-Reaching Bridge.

...

In Chaos City, vast and boundless, on the rooftop of a cultivation residence.

Longyun stood like a wild bull on the rooftop, looking indifferently at the distant sky, muttering, “Jialaixi passed the first level. He’s only a Tiandi District member, and I’m Primal Region! But he cleared the first level, and I didn’t…” His mind was in chaos, an unprecedented turmoil.

This made it impossible for Longyun to cultivate.

Pain! Anger! Unwillingness! Various emotions gnawed at his heart.

“Calm down.”

“I need to calm down.”

Longyun’s gaze gradually sharpened, and he said in a low voice, “I shouldn’t let the ‘Primal Secret Region member’ status become my shackles! I should forget my status and diligently cultivate step by step, yes, just like before…” Longyun was originally a very low-key and steady person, but his status had rapidly risen, becoming a high-ranking Primal Secret Region member, with even the leader of the guard squad being an immortal who called him ‘Your Highness.’ This had changed his mindset.

“No matter what, only three people have passed the first level so far. I haven’t fallen too far behind!”

“Bolan, Rongjun, Jialaixi!” Longyun’s eyes were filled with fighting spirit.

“Hmm?” Longyun frowned.

He immediately connected his consciousness to the Virtual Universe Network to receive the latest email.

“Luo Feng just successfully passed the first level!” The email body contained only one line of text, sent by Lansiluo.

“Luo Feng?” Longyun’s eyes widened. The image of that crazy black-haired youth from the past flashed in his mind. He knew very well that in the battle to select the top five, his fight with that madman… to be precise, the madman didn’t lose to him, but to the constantly shrinking battle space.

“I must pass the first level, I must!” Longyun had no other thoughts in his head, only one — effort!

...

“Jialaixi and Luo Feng both passed the first level?” In a villa in the Yuxiang Mountain Tiandi District, Gusiluo, holding a wine glass, suddenly crushed it in his hand. Crimson fruit wine flowed over his fingers and dripped onto the ground.

Gusiluo, a genius who could be described as perfect.

He ranked second overall in the genius battle trial space. Later, during the selection for the top ten, he fought fiercely with Rongjun, their arena battle being the longest of the ten. In the end, he lost to Rongjun and could only reluctantly enter the Tiandi District. However, even in the Tiandi District, his strength was publicly acknowledged.

Gusiluo and Jialaixi were then considered equally tragic super-geniuses, one losing to Rongjun, the other to Luo Feng.

Both ended up in the Tiandi District.

“Jialaixi, Luo Feng, both passed. Why did I fail?” Gusiluo clutched the glass shards, holding them tightly until they turned to powder and flowed away.

...

Geniuses were all proud. A single genius battle couldn’t convince everyone, and even initial failure didn’t mean perpetual weakness.

The 30 years in Chaos City were the true foundational years.

They would all strive during these 30 years, all wanting to surpass other geniuses.

...

In the Virtual Universe, within the three-story building of Taichu District Manor No. 1136.

In the study.

“The first level, I passed it directly this time.” Luo Feng quickly opened his notebook, feeling extremely pleased. The battle on the first level of the Sky-Reaching Bridge hadn’t been as bad as he’d imagined. His opponent, who also rode a Dark Cloud Shuttle and used the Yanshen Blade, couldn’t perform the Heavenly Sword Style.

He had only fought with three exquisitely skilled golden swords.

To be honest,

Although he could also achieve a three-sword fusion, it wasn’t as masterful or flexible as his opponent’s. Fortunately, his ‘Sword Domain’ assisted him… greatly increasing his power and allowing him to directly kill his opponent.

As for the ‘second level of the Sky-Reaching Bridge,’ he had tried it, but was killed in one move.

“Treasure Vault.” Luo Feng clicked on the Treasure Vault folder, then selected ‘Secret Techniques.’

“Too troublesome.” Luo Feng couldn’t wait to search slowly, so he directly typed in the name “Drifting Blood.”

Beep!

The notebook screen displayed the introduction to the ‘Drifting Blood’ secret technique.

‘Drifting Blood’ Secret Technique, redeemable for 800 points (70% discount for Primal Secret Region, 80% for Taichu Secret Region, 90% for Tiandi Secret Region, full price for Apocalypse Secret Region).

“Excellent.” Luo Feng smiled. “I’ll buy it!”