The Top Fifty

At the same time, in a secret realm somewhere in the Ganwu Universe Kingdom.

Inside a cultivation chamber formed from crystal and mental energy, a silver-haired woman with mismatched eyes jolted awake.

Her face first went pale, then flushed crimson with embarrassment and anger. Purple and blue light surged wildly in her eyes.

"Damn it... How dare he say my illusion was like a seduction technique..."

She bit down on her lower lip, her slender fingers clutching the front of her robe.

"Windfall Empire, Qin Ming, huh... I'll remember you."

Eighth World Sector.

Standing beside the woman's corpse, Qin Ming took a moment to steady himself before looking down at the screen on his wrist.

The data had refreshed.

Participant: Qin Ming (Windfall Empire)

Points: 9,527,103

Rank: 87

"Good grief... That woman really was the strongest in this city." Qin Ming was slightly shaken.

"An illusionist can rack up points at a terrifying rate. I only got half her points, and my total still shot up by over nine million."

His gaze swept over the streets, which were gradually falling silent.

"As expected, if I want to climb the rankings quickly, I need to hunt down prey like a 'top-ranked' competitor. There's no point staying in this city any longer."

In the next moment, he blurred into a streak of light and sped toward another city with a high-scoring target.

By now, the commotion in the Virtual Universe had spread far beyond the Windfall Empire.

Throughout the Ganwu Universe Kingdom, everyone watching the Genius Tournament rankings had noticed the name Qin Ming, which was rocketing up at an astonishing pace.

He had leaped from several thousandth place straight into the top hundred!

His points had soared by nearly ten million in practically an instant.

That could only mean one thing: in an extremely short time, he had killed a top expert with nearly twenty million points!

"Ranked eighty-seventh... Qin Ming? What faction is he from? How have I never heard of him before?"

"His points just jumped by over nine million... My god, which monster did he take down?"

"Investigate! Find out right now where this Qin Ming came from!"

Exclamations and speculation swept through the virtual communities and intelligence networks of the Ganwu Universe Kingdom like wildfire. Even aboard the spaceships hovering above the World Zones, a wave of uncontrollable commotion erupted.

After all, the higher the rank, the more impressive the strength it represented!

Those who consistently held the top three spots in each World Zone were almost all monstrous geniuses who had crossed the threshold of the Origin Law.

Of course, the top three weren't the only ones with such strength. Many powerful competitors might have chosen to conceal it early on.

"This Qin Ming has reached eighty-seventh place. His strength must be at least at the eighth or ninth level of Domain, or perhaps... he's a super genius who has touched the edge of the Origin Law!" an experienced spectator analyzed.

"Windfall Empire? A genius capable of making the top hundred came from a remote star region like that?"

"I checked the records of past tournaments. The Windfall Empire hasn't just missed the top hundred—it's failed to place in the top ten thousand several times. And now a dark horse has appeared..."

"Gather intelligence on Qin Ming immediately! Pay attention to the curve of his points. For the first twenty-odd days, he barely made a ripple, and his rank was in the tens of millions. He only started surging over the past few days.

"What does that tell us? He had a clear goal from the very beginning: to hunt only the top experts who survived into the late stages!"

"What incredible confidence... Though he certainly has reason to be confident."

In no time, Qin Ming's name—along with all manner of speculation and astonishment—spread among countless spectators across the Ganwu Universe Kingdom.

Qin Ming entered the next city and made a few inquiries. He soon learned the name of its strongest competitor: Reaper, a terrifying expert who wielded the Yan Shen Armament, one of the Nine Great Divine Weapons used by spirit readers.

The Yan Shen Armament was said to make anyone at Star Level invincible among their peers if they could master its first stage. Its power was plain to see.

"Are you Reaper?" Qin Ming's gaze settled on the dark golden staff strapped to his back, his eyes narrowing slightly.

He was familiar with this weapon. It was what Luo Feng would later become famous for wielding.

Anyone who could wield the Yan Shen Armament at Star Level and survive until the end of the preliminary round was a peerless genius who had truly touched the threshold of the Origin of Gold.

"You're the hunter who came from another city? Too bad..." Reaper's voice was calm, but filled with absolute confidence.

"Your journey ends here."

Before he had even finished speaking—

"Vmmmm!!!!!"

The dark golden staff on his back suddenly trembled, sending out nine dazzling beams of golden light. They transformed into nine golden blades, thin as cicada wings and etched with flowing secret patterns.

The blades scattered through the air. Their secret patterns lit up as if alive, and golden threads wove together in an instant, forming a sword array that was both real and illusory, brimming with murderous intent.

Hazy, shifting, its sharpness concealed.

The first stage of the Yan Shen Armament—the Phantom Sword Style!

"Go!"

Reaper gave a low shout.

A golden phantom sword became a golden streak that tore through the sky. The air boomed in its wake, and even space seemed to tremble and warp!

The sharpness, sheer force, and unstoppable might of the Origin of Gold were displayed to the fullest in this strike!

Fast! Fierce! Deadly!

This attack had undoubtedly touched the threshold of the Law of Gold. At Star Level, almost no one could face it head-on!

Faced with the golden arc that seemed capable of destroying the heavens and earth, Qin Ming didn't retreat an inch.

He raised his right hand, and an ordinary-looking long sword appeared in it.

The blade had no shine, yet the moment he lifted it, the air around him seemed to freeze.

Just as the golden arc was about to engulf him—

Qin Ming struck.

A razor-straight blade of light, honed to the utmost and seemingly capable of cutting through time, thrust directly into the destructive golden arc!

Clang!!!

The tip of his sword met the sharpest point of the golden arc with perfect precision!

Time seemed to freeze for an instant.

Then—

Crack!

A crisp snapping sound rang out.

The phantom sword, which contained a trace of the Law, shattered piece by piece from the point of impact!

Golden Flowing Light burst apart like a brilliant shower of stars, scattering in every direction.

Reaper's pupils contracted sharply, disbelief written across his face. "Im...possible..."

Before he could finish speaking—

Qin Ming's figure had already pierced through the cloud of golden fragments. His sword silently reached forward and lightly touched Reaper's forehead.

"The first stage of the Phantom Sword Style lets you control nine phantom swords. You can barely control one. You're too weak!"

Reaper opened his mouth, then collapsed to the ground with a crash.

The plaza fell silent once more.

Qin Ming sheathed his sword and lowered his eyes to the screen on his wrist.

Participant: Qin Ming (Windfall Empire)

Points: 20,260,217

Rank: 49

His points had surged again, and he had decisively broken into the top fifty.

Then he raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the hidden onlookers scattered throughout the city.

"...Run! Even Reaper was defeated! There's no way we can fight him!"

"You've got to be kidding me. He actually killed a genius who wielded the Yan Shen Armament."

"Monster! He's a true monster!!!"

Suppressed cries of alarm came from the shadows. One figure after another fled in panic, and no one dared linger there any longer.