Heavenly Bridge

After spending some time cultivating in Chaos City, Qin Ming felt it was time to test himself on the Heavenly Bridge.

He had looked into it and, perhaps because of fate, found that the overall talent of their cohort seemed rather ordinary compared with Luo Feng's future "Golden Generation."

The difference was clear just from how long it took them to pass the first level of the Heavenly Bridge.

In Luo Feng's cohort, Bolan, Rong Jun, Luo Feng, and others had passed the first level one after another not long after entering Chaos City. Bolan had even cleared several levels in quick succession, causing a sensation.

As for Qin Ming's cohort, as far as he knew, no one had passed the Heavenly Bridge's first level in the past year.

Even Ailuos, who was hailed as the "Light God" and had entered the Primal Secret Realm alongside him, was still exploring the Chaos Stele and consolidating his comprehension.

It was only after a year in Chaos City that people from Qin Ming's cohort began passing the first level one by one.

It wasn't that they hadn't worked hard; the difference lay in the overall gap in talent and foundations.

Luo Feng's cohort was stronger across the board. Those who had ranked in the top ten, and even some who had been eliminated by the top ten contestants, would have had the strength to contend for first place in Qin Ming's cohort.

This is the perfect chance to test what I've learned over the past few years and, while I'm at it... earn the points I deserve. Qin Ming's heart was calm.

For the past few years, Qin Ming had seemed to lead a quiet life in Chaos City. In truth, through his avatar in Jin World, his progress in Law Comprehension—especially Fusion Law—had far surpassed what anyone could imagine.

After logging into the Virtual Universe, Qin Ming appeared at the estate in Rain Phase Mountain assigned to members of the Primal Secret Realm.

"Your Highness!"

A crowd of servants and guards hurriedly bowed.

Although Qin Ming had yet to visit the estate in the Primal Universe that belonged to him, the servants stationed at his Rain Phase Mountain estate in the Virtual Universe had long since gotten to know him.

Qin Ming gave a slight nod and instructed, "Xiaoye, help me apply to enter the Heavenly Bridge."

"Yes, Master!" The Intelligent Life Xiaoye immediately replied.

This was the more advanced Intelligent Life Qin Ming had acquired after joining the Virtual Universe Company. Its name came from the Heye Tribe in Jin World, as a kind of tribute.

Soon, a majestic voice rang directly in Qin Ming's mind. "Identity confirmed: Qin Ming. You have permanent access to the Heavenly Bridge. I hope you strive to reach its end. Beginning transmission now!"

Whoosh!

Qin Ming vanished from the estate in an instant.

The Virtual Universe, a special plane.

Before him stretched a boundless ocean, its waves surging. At its center lay a beautiful island.

Fifty-two harbors lined the island's edge. From each harbor extended a seemingly endless bridge, winding into the sky as if to connect to the edge of the universe, hanging over the entire ocean.

Qin Ming appeared directly in the square at the island's center.

"Qin Ming?"

Several geniuses in the square were preparing to challenge the Heavenly Bridge. Seeing Qin Ming suddenly appear, they froze, then stared at him in shock.

Ever since the Genius Tournament's Trial Tower, Qin Ming seemed to have vanished, never showing himself in public again.

They hadn't expected to see him here!

They immediately realized what was happening. Qin Ming had come to challenge the Heavenly Bridge!

Almost instinctively, they used their virtual assistants to pass the news along to other geniuses they knew.

"Qin Ming's here! At the Heavenly Bridge Plane!"

"He's going to challenge the Heavenly Bridge!"

Like a stone thrown into a still lake, the news quickly spread among this generation of geniuses from the Virtual Universe Company.

The Heaven and Earth District, End Times District, Primordial Beginning District, and even the Primal District were all thrown into an uproar.

"What? Qin Ming's going to challenge the Heavenly Bridge?"

"Hurry, let's go see! How many levels can this monster clear?"

"Come on, let's meet at the Heavenly Bridge Plane!"

Geniuses who had been cultivating or resting put aside what they were doing, logged into the Virtual Universe, and hurried to the Heavenly Bridge Plane.

Ruoxi naturally received a message from a friend.

"Qin Ming's going to challenge the Heavenly Bridge?" Her heart stirred. She stopped cultivating without hesitation and connected her consciousness to the Virtual Universe.

She wanted to see with her own eyes just how far this fellow from her generation, who had left her and everyone else far behind, had come.

Qin Ming walked to the edge of the square and stopped before a strange life-form with four ears and no nose.

He had just been about to speak when the other party spoke first.

"Hello, Qin Ming. I'm the guardian of the Heavenly Bridge Plane. You can call me Guardian Bafen."

"Greetings, Guardian Bafen." Qin Ming bowed respectfully. He knew very well that anyone entrusted with guarding such an important place must be unfathomably powerful, no matter how ordinary he looked.

"This is your first visit, so let me explain," Guardian Bafen said with a nod.

"This Heavenly Bridge Plane was created in relation to the fifty-two Chaos Tablets. Over countless years, our human race has studied the fifty-two Chaos Tablets, and as a result, fifty-two schools of thought have taken shape in Chaos City." Guardian Bafen's voice held a note of emotion.

"For instance, since you chose the Heavenly Ruins Chaos Stele, you belong to the Heavenly Ruins school. Those who study the same Chaos Stele can still differ in their level of comprehension. Only the strongest in Chaos City are given another chance to study the Chaos Stele."

"Of course..." Guardian Bafen changed tack, looking at Qin Ming with an understanding smile.

"You're different."

The other geniuses, who had gradually arrived and were listening closely, all froze.

Qin Ming was different? What did he mean?

Qin Ming smiled faintly. He naturally understood what the guardian meant.

He was referring to the fifty chances to study the Chaos Stele, granted to him directly by his master, Chaos City Lord.

Each study session lasted seven days. Fifty sessions meant a full three hundred and fifty days!

Other geniuses had only one free session to start. To get more, they had to either struggle to clear the Heavenly Bridge or complete other demanding tasks, and even then, they would only earn a handful of sessions.

That was the enormous advantage that came with having a top-tier master.

Resources and opportunities created a vast gulf from the very beginning.

But for Qin Ming, studying the Chaos Stele was mostly just "going through the motions"—a way to verify and reference what he already knew.

His true, core insights had always come from Jin World.

He said nothing more, simply telling Guardian Bafen, "Guardian Bafen, I'd like to challenge the Heavenly Ruins Bridge."

"Very well." Guardian Bafen said no more.

"That's the entrance to the Heavenly Ruins Bridge. Good luck."

At that, Qin Ming turned into a blur and flew straight toward a bridge stretching into the distant horizon. From far away, he could already see a stone stele before it, with the words "Heavenly Ruins" inscribed upon it.

"So this is the Heavenly Bridge?" Without hesitation, Qin Ming chose to enter the Heavenly Ruins Bridge.