Ling Xuan emerged from the Trial Tower. The many geniuses from human races across the various Universe Countries all turned to look at him.
Ling Xuan swept his gaze over the crowd, quickly spotted the Ganwu Universe Kingdom's delegation, and walked over.
"So that's Yanmo?"
"He looks so plain. There's nothing special about him!" a young member of the Black Ape race remarked.
"Damn it, what's wrong with your taste? He's handsome!"
"He's too skinny. He needs more muscle." The young Black Ape flexed his powerful biceps, each bigger than his companion's head. "See? Now that's handsome. That's what a real man should look like."
"Ling Xuan, congratulations." Leng Yanqiu stepped forward to congratulate him, with Ren Yaoli and Feng Lishuang beside her. Both women had already greeted him with a nod.
"Thanks." Ling Xuan politely nodded in reply. He remembered the three women well. They were said to be the three most beautiful flowers of this year's Genius Tournament, and all of them were exceptionally talented and powerful. Their names were Leng Yanqiu, Ren Yaoli, and Feng Lishuang.
The others also smiled and congratulated Ling Xuan.
He had ranked first in the entire universe and fought his way through the Trial Tower. They could only admire him; not one of them felt even the slightest urge to compete with him.
Since a few people had yet to come out, Ling Xuan didn't leave right away. Instead, he joined the others in watching the ongoing battles.
He had just wanted to see how Cao Benqi was doing when he noticed that Cao Benqi's points had already caught up with his own.
Cao Benqi walked over from a distance, his face gloomy and his mood clearly foul.
The surrounding geniuses hurriedly made way, not daring to provoke him.
Of course, some people were too oblivious to read the room. They went up to congratulate him and strike up a conversation, only to be shoved aside with a single palm. He didn't even spare them a glance.
"I don't know how you managed to pass, but in the real world, you wouldn't last a single move against me. And I won't hold back in the matches later."
Ling Xuan copied Cao Benqi's earlier way of ignoring the other contestants. He turned away and started chatting with Leng Yanqiu.
Leng Yanqiu already admired Ling Xuan. She had watched every moment of his battle.
Now that Ling Xuan had claimed first place in the Trial Tower, she was even more interested in him.
The two of them chatted animatedly.
"You dare ignore me?" Cao Benqi roared in fury. No one had ever treated him like this, not in his entire life.
But Ling Xuan dared. He kept chatting with Leng Yanqiu.
"Fine! Fine!" Cao Benqi said, his face darkening as he stalked off after getting nowhere. "Just you wait."
Only then did Ren Yaoli chime in. "Ling Xuan, you're really not going to pay Cao Benqi any attention?"
Ling Xuan shook his head. "I just can't stand that attitude of his. What's there to be so arrogant about? There's always a higher mountain, and there's always someone better."
"I wouldn't have guessed. When you first arrived, you and Cao Benqi were at each other's throats. I thought you were just as conceited as he is," Leng Yanqiu said with a laugh.
"Turns out I'm not," Ling Xuan replied with a smile.
The group turned to watch the remaining three contestants' battles.
Those three sneaky guys had been cultivating in secret for a long time, but by now they had exhausted their potential. Their battles had reached their limits, and within a few days, they were eliminated one after another.
They didn't keep everyone waiting like Luo Feng had.
Just then, the Immortals from the various Universe Countries sent word for their teams to assemble.
"See you later, Ling Xuan." Leng Yanqiu and the other two bid him farewell together.
Feng Lishuang gave him a slight nod, while Ren Yaoli blinked her big eyes at him.
After spending time with him, they had found Ling Xuan increasingly easy to get along with. He was a super-genius who appeared once every ten million eras, someone capable of clearing the Trial Tower, yet he was so approachable.
"See you," Ling Xuan said with a smile.
When he returned to the Ganwu Universe Kingdom's delegation, Blood Sword Marquis first dismissed the others, then kept the five who had made it into the top 7,300 and stood a chance of competing for the final spots.
Among them were Ling Xuan, ranked first overall in the Trial Tower; a member of the Ganwu royal family who had made it into the top hundred; and three other geniuses who had ranked in the several-thousands.
"Tomorrow's Qualification Battle will depend on how you perform."
"Understood!"
"I'm not worried about Ling Xuan or Tuoba Hun. Tuoba, do your best to climb higher and hold on to a top-hundred ranking.
"You're a Spiritualist, so you had an advantage in the Trial Tower. Real combat is different. Be sure to stay steady."
"Yes, my lord," Tuoba Hun replied respectfully.
"Ling Xuan, be careful. The secret technique you used in the Trial Tower could fool the Zerg Mother Empress, but it might not fool Cao Benqi. As spectators, we may not be able to directly observe the spatial fluctuations when you merge with the Void. But as your opponent, facing you head-on, he'll probably sense them more clearly. Be careful," Blood Sword Marquis warned him again.
They couldn't see the intricacies of the Great Void Art, so they could only rely on their experience to guess the level of the secret technique Ling Xuan had acquired.
A technique that let a Star Level genius merge with the Void through a shortcut couldn't be too profound, or Ling Xuan wouldn't have been able to master it.
Cao Benqi's understanding of the laws far surpassed Ling Xuan's. He might really be able to find a way to counter it.
"Don't worry, my lord. I won't let my guard down." Ling Xuan didn't argue. It was better to keep a low profile and quietly reap the rewards.
"Good." Blood Sword Marquis nodded in approval. He admired Ling Xuan immensely: calm and unassuming. Just look at that Cao Benqi next door—his nose was so high in the air he practically walked around looking down at everyone.
The next morning.
The 7,300 geniuses, including Ling Xuan, gathered at Giant Axe Plaza. Suddenly, an invisible aura enveloped the entire plaza, filling all 7,300 human elites with an irresistible urge to submit. Everyone looked up in unison and saw that familiar figure appear in midair.
Venerable Beiyan still looked as cold and stony as ever. His gaze was deep and weighty, and he held the entire area around him firmly under his control.
"Venerable!"
The 1,000 powerful Immortals bowed respectfully as one.
The sight made the 7,300 human genius elites' hearts skip a beat.
"The trials are over. First, congratulations to the contestants ranked first through one hundred. You've earned the right to enter the Core Layer of the Giant Axe Martial Arena! If anyone is unwilling, speak up now. The Giant Axe Martial Arena will never force anyone to join." Venerable Beiyan's voice remained cold and stiff. It boomed like a muffled drum, echoing in everyone's ears and minds.
Silence!
No one spoke.
"Good. It seems you've finally learned to respect the Giant Axe Martial Arena." Venerable Beiyan nodded in satisfaction. "The 7,200 contestants ranked from 101st to 7,300th will be assigned arena matches by the Virtual Universe System based on your performances in the Trial Space. Win three matches in a row, and you'll earn a spot. Lose, and you'll be eliminated."
Of the 7,200 contestants, half would be eliminated after the first match. After three consecutive rounds, only 900 would remain.
The announcement left many of the geniuses below confused.
"Win three matches in a row to earn a spot? If two strong contestants run into each other, doesn't that mean one of them is bound to be eliminated?"
"The Virtual Universe System's arrangements are always optimal. There's no need to doubt them," Venerable Beiyan said slowly. "Now, all 7,200 contestants, go compete in the arena!"
Boom!
Giant Axe Plaza trembled slightly. In an instant, 7,200 of the assembled geniuses were teleported away, leaving only 100 human elite geniuses behind.
The remaining hundred human elite geniuses sized up those beside them, seemingly trying to learn about their potential opponents.
"Ling Xuan, I won't lose to you later," Ren Yaoli said playfully.
"You almost dropped out of the top hundred, and now you're already challenging the number one. You've got quite the nerve," Leng Yanqiu said.
"Yanqiu, already taking his side?" Ren Yaoli put her hands on her hips and raised her brows, unhappy that her best friend was favoring a man over her.
"What do you mean, taking his side? I'm just stating the truth." Leng Yanqiu's pretty face flushed, and she hurried to explain.
Feng Lishuang, standing nearby, looked at Ling Xuan with the same fierce fighting spirit.
"Hope we get matched up," Ling Xuan said with a shrug.
All of them were among the top ten, so the Virtual Universe System probably wouldn't put them together.
Cao Benqi, meanwhile, watched it all with a cold gaze. After Ling Xuan had humiliated him yesterday, he wasn't about to approach him today.
"I hope the Virtual Universe System matches you against me soon, so I can eliminate you right away," Cao Benqi said coldly.
"You think the Virtual Universe System is as stupid as you?" Ling Xuan shot back without holding back.
"You're asking for death?"
"You're the one asking for death."
Before you continue