The Competition Ends, the Name Register

There was no sound, no light—only the silent, dark universe.

No one passed through it, no one searched it...

The cold universe drifted with every soul of the dead.

Their wails could not spread across the universe, for their voices had all been swallowed by a colossal beast.

The Universe Competition began, and competitions were being broadcast throughout every world.

Yakelis and Helles had no choice but to disguise themselves and conceal their tracks.

Because of the competition's restrictions, the two of them could not continue their search at all.

They then decided to take advantage of the dense crowds, slip into the Seventh Universe, and watch the competition together.

"This Universe Competition seems a little stronger than the one from our time," Helles said.

They communicated through spiritual transmissions rather than speaking aloud. This would both prevent their exposure and allow them to keep watch for Chen Tian's whereabouts.

Yakelis looked on. "Overall, it is much stronger, but it's hard to say what their final strength will be."

"After all, there are plenty of gifted geniuses, but not many can fully display their talent."

Indeed, the universe was vast. Geniuses were its most precious treasure, yet also the one thing it never lacked.

The passing of each generation of geniuses would spur the birth of an even stronger generation.

As though they were entirely predetermined—once one died, another would begin anew...

The Spirit Lords possessed a Name Register, used to record every genius who had appeared throughout history.

It recorded everything in exact detail: what they did at any given point in time, and when they broke through.

Even their times of death were recorded within it.

Once news of this miraculous book spread, every universe was shaken to its core!

Yet everyone knew they could not possibly fight the Spirit Lords for it.

That would be no different from seeking death! Still, every race discussed asking the God Kings to request a look at the Name Register from the Spirit Lords.

They wanted to know who had truly murdered the geniuses of their own clans! They all wanted to find their enemies and demand an explanation and compensation.

At once, a group of God Kings gathered to discuss the matter.

But many God Kings were unwilling to go in person. After all, those were the Spirit Lords—not just anyone could meet them.

Since the birth of the universe, countless God Kings had appeared, and no one knew how many had died.

They were constantly changing, but one thing never changed: the Spirit Lords had never been replaced.

They seemed ordained by heaven itself, impossible for anyone to supplant.

Soon, several God Kings who feared no death took the lead and went to ask the Spirit Lords for a look at the Name Register.

Once this matter came to light, many believed it was certain to succeed.

After all, a group of God Kings had personally made the request. The Spirit Lords could not possibly refuse to give them face.

Not even as Spirit Lords could they do that.

Later, some God Kings chose to return and wait for news, while the rest went together to seek out the Spirit Lords.

Time passed just like that.

Before long, everyone saw the God Kings return and eagerly awaited their answer.

But the result slapped them viciously across the face.

Their faces were red beyond recognition.

The God Kings who had gone to seek the Spirit Lords wore expressions as ugly as if they had eaten shit.

Things clearly had not gone as they had hoped.

Several God Kings had even been injured! Though the injuries were minor enough to be ignored, they had truly been wounded.

No one knew what had happened. Everyone waited for the God Kings' explanation.

After a long while.

They finally received the answer.

It turned out someone had spoken rudely and shown dissatisfaction toward the Spirit Lords, provoking their punishment.

However, the Spirit Lords considered how difficult it was for their clans to produce a God King, so they had not dealt a killing blow.

Still, they had given them a warning.

Even as God Kings, the absolute overlords of the universe, they could not show the slightest disrespect toward the Spirit Lords! They were the universe's enforcers and the guardians of order, and they tolerated not even the smallest provocation.

God Kings, on the other hand, were merely figures of overlord status within the universe.

They were still far from qualified to challenge the Spirit Lords! There was an absolute gulf between God Kings and Spirit Lords, and it was no longer merely a gap in strength.

The Spirit Lords could merge as one with the laws of the universe. In their hands, the laws were like clingy little sprites.

But in the hands of God Kings, they could only be controlled—they could merely use the laws.

And in their comprehension of laws, the Spirit Lords far surpassed the God Kings! After that incident, everyone gave up on the idea of the Name Register.

The Spirit Lords had once explained why they refused to reveal the Name Register.

It was because God Kings simply could not withstand the karmic retribution brought by the Name Register.

The danger of time's erosion alone was enough to take their lives!

Not to mention the chain of consequences it would later trigger.

Perhaps because they heard the Spirit Lords answer this way, some God Kings believed the Spirit Lords simply looked down on them.

Their fleeting killing intent had angered the Spirit Lords, who had lightly punished them as a warning to others.

They had also asked why the Spirit Lords themselves could use it while they, as God Kings, could not.

The Spirit Lords did not hide anything and stated it directly.

The reason they could withstand such karma was, first, because they were strong enough to resist it by force, and second, because they were the administrators of their respective universes.

They possessed advantages that others did not, allowing them to borrow the laws of the entire universe to contend against it.

That was why they could control the Name Register for long periods.

The Name Register did not merely record the life and death of every race and clan. It also recorded the revival, growth, withering, and decay of all things in the world.

Every blade of grass and every object in the universe lay within its records. Neither living things nor dead things could escape it.

It was somewhat like the Book of Life and Death held by the King of Hell in the legends of Chen Tian's hometown.

Whenever something died, no one knew where its soul would fly.

It was said that when a living creature died, the Name Register would emit a golden light and take its soul away.

As for where it went, no one knew. Time flew like a shuttle, and the years flowed on.

The Universe Competition came to an end. This edition did not lose to any Universe Competition from any era.

Yakelis and Helles watched from beginning to end, their hearts filled with countless emotions.

The final battle of this competition set their blood boiling, and subtle movements kept appearing in their bodies.

Their trembling little fingers, their pupils expanding and contracting—every strange movement in their bodies explained the battle intent in their hearts.

They were the Seventy-Two Demon Gods, warriors born for battle! They were hunters who lived amidst blood and bone; their corpses would only be buried in the cold void.

"Let's go. It is time to set out. We have delayed for far too long," Yakelis said.

The two of them once more embarked on their journey to find Chen Tian.

No one knew what they would encounter next, or what would happen.

Yakelis could only lower her head and continue searching. The time delayed by the competition had weakened their connection with Chen Tian considerably.

The link had already been faint to begin with, and now it had grown even thinner.

Helles and Yakelis had no solution. They could only grit their teeth and continue searching.

For Chen Tian's sake, and for the sake of their own lives.