Man Luo

Virtual Universe, Black Dragon Mountain Island, Slaughter Arena Hall.

At that moment, crowds streamed down the corridors toward the depths of the building. Universe Realm powerhouses were everywhere, and every now and then, someone even caught sight of a World Lord Level figure.

Just then, a green-skinned old man appeared in the hall without a sound.

Wrinkles covered his forehead, and his slightly stooped frame naturally radiated a strange feeling of serenity.

His appearance immediately stirred a commotion.

Many Universe Realm and Domain Lord powerhouses nearby grew solemn and clasped their fists in greeting.

"Greetings, Lord Man Luo."

Man Luo was the head of the Slaughter Arena branch on Black Dragon Mountain Island. He had long since reached the World Lord Level, and behind him stood a behemoth like the Virtual Universe Company.

Man Luo casually waved his hand, signaling for everyone to disperse.

Soon, a uniformed manager hurried over and stood respectfully beside him.

"Did any talents worth recruiting appear while I was away?" Man Luo asked casually.

"My lord, over the past two days, two people have risen from unranked to seven stars. They've been designated as high-priority prospects. A few others with some talent haven't yet met the requirements to join the Virtual Universe Company."

Though he was being extremely cautious and scarcely dared to breathe, he himself was a Universe Realm powerhouse.

In his eyes, an ordinary seven- or eight-star rating was nothing noteworthy.

"Oh?" A trace of interest flashed in Man Luo's eyes.

"Seven stars in just two days... Interesting. Show me their battles."

Without hesitation, the manager brought up footage of Bai Yuan fighting Lion Sha.

Videos that outsiders had to pay to watch were, naturally, accessible to internal personnel at any time.

That is, as long as the fighters' levels fell within their jurisdiction.

If the battle involved two Immortal Gods, underlings like them would have no access to it.

Man Luo fixed his gaze on the screen, his expression gradually growing intent.

"Lion Sha has good talent. He's already grasped a domain at Planet Realm, third rank. He can be classified as a Second Grade Elite."

"As for the other one, Yuan, though he hasn't comprehended a domain, his understanding of three different metal concepts has already reached its limits. It's surely only a matter of time before he grasps a domain. His combat skills are also well-honed, his blade technique quite refined, and his foundation is solid."

"Most importantly, he's from the Blade Clan and was born with a strong will. If he demonstrates sufficient strength in the willpower test, he could even be classified as a First Grade Elite."

What made someone a true genius?

Setting aside unpredictable variables like "fortuitous opportunities," there were three main criteria for judging one: comprehension, talent, and willpower.

Lion Sha's comprehension was indeed exceptional. Reaching the domain level at Planet Realm was a rare achievement.

But his talent... He was a member of the Lion-man Race, with a ninth-grade bloodline. Without a special opportunity to improve it, even breaking through to Universe Realm would be a question.

The limits of his physical genes had all but locked in his potential for growth.

Bai Yuan's comprehension was clearly strong, while his physical talent was relatively ordinary.

A sixth-grade bloodline was utterly unremarkable in the universe.

His willpower still needed further observation, but given his Blade Clan heritage and the composure he'd displayed in battle, it shouldn't be lacking.

"My lord, Yuan is currently fighting another member of the Blade Clan. Would you like to watch?" the manager asked.

"Two members of the Blade Clan? That's interesting. Let's take a look," Man Luo said with a chuckle.

"Yes, my lord."

At the manager's swift touch, a clear screen appeared before them.

On it, two figures collided at incredible speed across a metal arena, their blades shrieking as they tore through the air.

Bai Kaluo's assault was like a raging storm, each strike faster than the last.

"Ninety strikes!"

"Ninety-one strikes!"

"Ninety-two strikes!"

"..."

Each shout accompanied another powerful blow.

His momentum kept building, seemingly without end.

Yet Bai Yuan, standing at the heart of the storm, remained perfectly calm.

His footwork shifted constantly, and the War Blade in his hand met each attack at an angle precise to the last fraction.

As their blades clashed, Bai Kaluo's berserk force, powerful enough to split mountains and crack rocks, was deftly redirected.

But Bai Yuan knew that however refined his technique for redirecting force, it had its limits.

Once Bai Kaluo's Hundred Slashes took shape, the moment its power erupted would mark a qualitative change.

When that happened, Bai Yuan's technique would be no match for it.

The blue gale swirling around Bai Kaluo had nearly formed a raging tornado, blurring his rapidly moving figure beyond recognition.

His twin blades moved faster than the eye could follow, becoming overlapping silver phantoms.

The blade energy surged without pause, forming a roiling sea of blades!

"Hundred Blades!"

At last, the ultimate eruption came, as the Hundred Slashes blade intent reached its peak!

Countless snowy-white streaks of blade light converged, carrying a terrifying force that seemed capable of crushing all things as they crashed down toward Bai Yuan!

Only now did the calm-eyed Bai Yuan, who had been deftly redirecting each attack, change his expression.

A sharpness unlike anything before replaced his deep serenity, like a sleeping sword finally drawn from its sheath.

"Sharp Metal Sixteen-Fold Slash!"

Bai Yuan roared and surged forward instead of retreating.

His entire body suddenly transformed into a golden blade ray, concentrated to the utmost, its edge gleaming with an unstoppable sharpness! He charged straight toward the enormous white tide of blades, seeking to tear through the destructive torrent by force.

But Bai Kaluo had been gathering his strength for a long time, and the power of his strongest strike, unleashed at its peak, was beyond imagination.

Bang!

The golden blade ray and the white tide of blades slammed together!

After holding for about three seconds, the golden blade ray that Bai Yuan had become began to shake violently.

The crushing force of the blade tide, heavy as a mountain and leaving no opening untouched, surged in from every direction. The golden edge dimmed and shrank before their eyes.

The tremendous impact abruptly halted Bai Yuan's charge, then drove him backward with irresistible force!

Just as he was about to be pushed off the edge of the arena, Bai Yuan finally activated his special ability.

"Diamond Body!"

Hum!

Genetic Origin Energy surged through his entire body, flooding his limbs, muscles, and bones!

His body underwent a startling transformation in an instant. A metallic sheen glimmered across his skin, his muscles swelled slightly, and his lines grew harder and sharper.

His strength, speed, and defense all rose at once!

Golden light blazed in Bai Yuan's eyes. Drawing on the power granted by Diamond Body, he braced himself against the blade tide's fiercest assault and stopped his retreat.

Then he gripped the hilt with both hands, channeled the strength of his entire body into the blade, and brought it crashing down on the white tide before him!

"Break!"

Boom!!!

Amid the deafening crash, Bai Kaluo's seemingly unshakable tide of blades was cleaved apart by the blow!

In the gale, Bai Yuan stood firm with his blade in hand, his golden body towering like a war god.

Bai Kaluo stared at the dissipating blade light and Bai Yuan, whose aura had surged dramatically. A chill shot up his spine.

"You broke my strongest strike so easily!"

What did that mean?

If Bai Yuan had wanted to, he could have ended the battle with a single strike. He hadn't needed to give Bai Kaluo the chance to build up his strength.

He had simply chosen not to.

"You're looking down on me!" Bai Kaluo said, his voice low.

Bai Yuan hurriedly explained, "Of course not. I actually started out intending to finish things quickly, but I didn't expect your progress to exceed my expectations by so much. I guess I misjudged you."

"The reason I held back afterward was that I wanted to properly test your blade technique. It really opened my eyes."

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