The Black-robed Envoy led everyone into the City Lord's Mansion, where they came to a dreamlike corridor filled with a mysterious aura.
The walls on both sides of the corridor were hung with fifty-two enormous, mysterious paintings.
Each painting was exactly ten meters by ten meters, with its name displayed beside it.
The paintings were not only colossal, nearly covering the full height of the walls; their mysterious brushstrokes and vibrant colors intertwined, creating a fantastical, otherworldly atmosphere that seemed to transcend reality.
Every painting held a unique aura and mood. Some depicted the mysteries of the stars in motion, others showed the terrifying sight of a giant axe cleaving through space, while still others artfully blended natural scenery, such as raindrops, with mysterious creatures. As one gazed at them, it felt almost as if one could hear the call of ancient times.
"Each of you may choose only one Chaos Tablet to observe and study."
The Black-Robed Reception Envoy turned around and addressed them.
"There are fifty-two rubbing paintings hanging along the corridor walls. Each one corresponds to a Chaos Tablet."
"Take a look at these paintings first. They can't convey the full aura of the Chaos Tablets, but they can give you a faint impression. Use these fifty-two paintings to decide which Chaos Tablet you want to choose."
"Make the most of your time!"
"You have half an hour to look at the paintings, then decide which Chaos Tablet you want to study!"
"Remember, each of these fifty-two Chaos Tablets contains a path to the pinnacle. Don't agonize over it too much. Just choose the one that suits you."
Feng Hui knew that the fifty-two Chaos Tablets varied in profundity, each corresponding to one of the fifty-two Heavenly Bridges.
The Giant Axe Heavenly Bridge had thirty-two levels, the most of any. The Cosmic Heavenly Bridge had thirty, ranking second. As for the Nine Universes Heavenly Bridge, the one Luo Feng chose in the original story, it had twenty-seven levels, making it one of the highest-ranked as well—easily among the top five.
The least of the fifty-two Heavenly Bridges had twenty-one levels.
The number of levels on a Heavenly Bridge reflected, to some extent, the profundity of its corresponding Chaos Tablet.
In truth, the number of levels didn't mean much. After all, anyone who could pass the twenty-first level could become a Universe Venerable!
Before reaching Universe Venerable, there was no point debating which Chaos Tablet was more profound.
If someone couldn't even become a Universe Venerable, it made no difference which Chaos Tablet they chose.
Once his instructions were finished, the Black-robed Envoy walked away and stood at the far end of the corridor.
The thousand geniuses scattered, hurrying to examine the rubbings on the walls and sense the auras they gave off.
Though the paintings conveyed only a tiny trace of the aura of their corresponding Chaos Tablets, that was already enough to entrance these young geniuses.
Feng Hui chose a painting and began to study it.
The painting depicted a mysterious mountain peak. At its foot, the soil was rich, the vegetation lush, and life flourished. This greenery was not only proof of the Earth Origin Law nourishing all things, but also a reflection of the balance and harmony governed by the Law of Space.
As his gaze moved upward, the mountain's outline grew steeper and stranger. Along its slopes, winding cracks stretched from peak to foot like the veins of the earth—or manifestations of spatial rifts. Now and then, strange lights flickered within them, as if the Earth Origin Law and the Law of Space were interwoven and colliding.
Only when his intelligent assistant's warning brought him back to his senses did Feng Hui glance at the painting's name: the Yanshan Chaos Tablet.
Then he continued to look at the other paintings.
The corridor was silent. Their choice of Chaos Tablet would determine the path ahead, so every genius took the decision seriously.
"All right, your half hour is up. Tell me which Chaos Tablet you've chosen, and I'll record it," the Black-robed Envoy called.
"I choose the Dragon Walk Chaos Tablet."
"I choose the Giant Axe Chaos Tablet."
The Black-robed Envoy walked in from the far end of the corridor, asking each genius for his choice as he went. Feng Hui, among the crowd behind them, furrowed his brow and swept his gaze across the fifty-two paintings.
To be honest, he felt a strong connection with thirty-one of them and could easily lose himself in their imagery. The Matriarch Chaos Tablet, which contained the Law of Wood and the Law of Space, especially appealed to him.
"Which one suits me best?"
Many of these Chaos Tablets began with different Primordial Laws.
Some started with the Lower Origin Laws of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Thunder and Lightning, Light, or Wind. Others began directly with the Space Origin Law or the Time Origin Law.
For example, the Yanshan Chaos Tablet began with the Earth Origin Law, while the Nine Universe Chaos Tablet began with the Space Origin Law.
Before entering the Primordial Universe, Feng Hui would certainly have chosen the Matriarch Chaos Tablet, which explained the Law of Wood and the Law of Space.
After all, he had previously studied the Wood Primordial Law and the Space Origin Law, making that Chaos Tablet an excellent fit for him.
Furthermore, both Feng Hui's original body in the Prime Universe and his Dongdi Clan clone in the Eastern Emperor Holy Land Universe had a natural affinity for the Law of Wood and the Law of Space.
Under the circumstances, it seemed highly advantageous for him to choose either the Matriarch Chaos Tablet, which led from the Law of Wood into the Law of Space, or the Nine Universe Chaos Tablet, which focused directly on the Law of Space.
But inside the Cosmic Passage from the Prime Universe to the Primordial Universe, his Jade Pendant had reacted to the distorted flow of time. His affinity for the Time Law had soared, and his comprehension of it had even surpassed his previous understanding of the Law of Space.
Feng Hui also knew that the most common path to becoming a lofty Universe Master was to cultivate both time and space, mastering them together.
As for cultivating Fusion Laws and breaking through along the Beast God Path, that was far too difficult. At present, no one in the entire Human Race had become a Universe Master by breaking through along the Beast God Path.
Since his earlier fortune had already given him outstanding talent in both the Time Law and the Law of Space, he might as well embark directly on the supreme path of cultivating time and space together—a path leading straight to becoming a Universe Master!
Under the circumstances, he had only one choice—
To cultivate time and space together, aim straight for Universe Master, and study both the Time Origin Law and the Space Origin Law: the Cosmic Chaos Stele!
The Black-robed Envoy had already recorded the choices of more than four hundred people and had reached Feng Hui's side. He looked up at him.
"Which one did you choose?" the Black-robed Envoy asked.
"I choose the Cosmic Chaos Stele," Feng Hui replied seriously.
"Oh?" The Black-Robed Reception Envoy looked at Feng Hui in surprise.
The Cosmic Chaos Stele explained both the Time and Space Universe Origin Laws. Of the fifty-two Chaos Tablets, it was second only to the Giant Axe Chaos Tablet in profundity!
But it was also the most complex and difficult to study of all fifty-two Chaos Tablets!
How could it be easy to cultivate time and space together? Even Universe Venerables struggled to master both at once.
As a result, almost no one among the geniuses recruited from past Genius Wars had chosen this Chaos Tablet.
But everyone chose his own path, and he had no place telling Feng Hui otherwise. He nodded, and the screen on his arm instantly recorded the choice. Then he continued on, recording the choices of those behind him.
Before long, the Black-robed Envoy had finished recording.
As expected, Feng Hui was the only one among their thousand geniuses who had chosen the most difficult Cosmic Chaos Stele.
Even Guge, the Ape Man who had placed first in the Genius War, had chosen the Nine Universe Chaos Tablet, which explained the Space Origin Law.
Quite a few geniuses with influential backgrounds, who had learned in advance how difficult the Cosmic Chaos Stele was, secretly sneered at Feng Hui.
A nobody from the Doomsday Secret Realm dared to choose the most complex and difficult Cosmic Chaos Stele?
He really didn't know his place. They'd leave him far behind before long.
He had ambitions sky-high, yet didn't know his own limitations. Just a fool with no sense of his own capabilities.
Some of the young geniuses looked down on him in secret.
Feng Hui didn't care about it at all.
Cultivation was a personal matter. Why should he care so much about what others thought?
How could sparrows understand the ambitions of a swan?
Before you continue