"Congratulations!"
Venerable Nanke's ethereal voice reached the minds of a thousand Universe-Level geniuses. At that moment, all the survivors appeared in a plaza.
They saw the great, scale-armored Venerable Nanke standing before the crowd.
"You are the thousand best among the 1,008 Universe Countries of the Cosmic Human race to compete in this year's Universe-Level Warrior Tournament. The Virtual Universe Company will do everything in its power to cultivate you. If anyone doesn't wish to join the Virtual Universe Company, you may withdraw now."
He paused deliberately. When he saw that no one intended to withdraw, a faint smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.
"However, you should understand that competition is eternal in the universe. Competition exists everywhere. The thousand of you...
"cannot all receive the same treatment and the same cultivation resources. Even the Virtual Universe Company would never waste precious resources so recklessly."
The Azure-Robed Purple-Scaled Man smiled.
"Next, you'll receive rewards according to your rankings, which will be determined by your points in this trial.
"That means this year's Universe-Level Warrior Tournament is over. I say it is.
"Some of you may think this is unfair, but that doesn't matter, because I think it's fair.
"You're fortunate. Those who didn't make the top thousand won't even have the chance to regret it. Perhaps they had more to show. Perhaps some weren't suited to this kind of trial and couldn't bring out their full strength.
"But! In my eyes, they're failures, and failures have no say here.
"Each of you has ventured through the universe. You should understand that this is a world full of competition, where the strong possess everything.
"The world is vast, but all its soil is meant for the strong. The weak were never meant to have a place to survive.
"As the weak, you must adapt to the rules, not expect the rules to adapt to you."
Venerable Nanke's almost bewitching voice rang in the geniuses' ears, shaking them to their core. It quelled the anger rising in some of those dissatisfied with their rankings.
"Next, I'll announce the rewards. Those ranked one thousandth to one hundred and first may enter the Virtual Universe Company's Doomsday Secret Realm.
"Those ranked eleventh to one hundredth may enter the Virtual Universe Company's Heaven and Earth Secret Realm.
"Those ranked second to tenth may enter the Virtual Universe Company's Primordial Secret Realm.
"The first-place contestant may enter the Virtual Universe Company's Primal Secret Realm.
"As for the other monetary rewards, they'll be distributed to the accounts you registered, as stated in the rules."
Venerable Nanke slowly explained the reward system while observing the young people below.
These Universe-Level geniuses had excellent composure. None of them made a scene. Unlike the Star-Level youngsters, they knew how to behave.
After the geniuses had taken in the information, he continued:
"Next, each of you should leave the location where you'd like to be picked up. The Virtual Universe Company will arrange for personnel to take you to Chaos City in the Initial Universe.
"You'll each have a chance to visit the Initial Universe and comprehend its mysteries. Treasure this opportunity. It could be your chance to leap over the dragon's gate."
When Venerable Nanke finished speaking, his image vanished, leaving a group of bewildered geniuses staring at one another.
Before long, after Venerable Nanke had left, the remaining geniuses began chatting among themselves.
The circle of ten stood out in particular. They were the top ten contestants in this trial.
They were Wu Tu and Wu Yu from Manka Planet, Gasotu, Yu Lan, Blade Thirteen, Emma, Huang Hu, Huang Xue, Ye Wuhen, and Huang Wuye.
After a brief conversation, they gradually warmed to one another.
They had confirmed that each of them was exceptionally strong and deserved a place in the top ten. It was only natural to build good relations.
They belonged to the same generation and would face plenty of competition within the Virtual Universe Company. They could support one another.
The ten sat together, drinking fine wine. Wu Yu, Emma, and Huang Xue, the three women, quickly bonded and got along wonderfully.
The men were no less sociable. Ye Wuhen played the perfect role of peacemaker, instantly livening up the atmosphere. The others had good temperaments, too, so they got along well.
If they had to rank themselves, their order would be much like the points rankings. Huang Wuye held the top spot by a clear margin, followed by Blade Thirteen, Jiasuo, and Tu Yulan. Wu Tu, Wu Yu, and Emma came next, with Ye Wuhen, Huang Hu, and Huang Xue at the bottom.
They had briefly fought in the Slaughter Space, and that ranking was more or less accurate. Whether anyone had held back was another matter.
Of course, that was based on using bodies with identical physical attributes. The rankings might shift considerably if they used their actual bodies.
After all, these people all had extraordinary physical talents, and their combat strength could vary greatly. They also possessed different treasures.
After chatting for a while, they agreed to meet again in the Initial Universe, then said their goodbyes.
On Meteor Star in the Meteor Universe Kingdom, a grand celebration began. At the command of the great Meteor Kingdom Lord, the entire kingdom joined in a yearlong celebration.
The imperial family of the Meteor Universe Kingdom covered the expenses to celebrate the victory of Huang Wuye and the others in the Universe-Level Warrior Tournament.
It was worth noting that, besides Huang Wuye and the other three, six more contestants from the Meteor Sacred Land had made it into the top thousand of the Universe-Level Warrior Tournament's final battle.
The Meteor Universe Kingdom truly lived up to its reputation as a powerful Universe Country. Its strength was clear for all to see.
The ten of them became known as the Ten Sons of Meteor, and for a time, the people of the Meteor Universe Kingdom eagerly celebrated their achievements.
Time passed amid the festivities. Then one day, a spacecraft from the Virtual Universe Company arrived and broke the peaceful mood.
Unbeknownst to anyone, the celebration's main figures quietly departed, heading for distant horizons.
Aboard the Universe-Level spacecraft arranged by the Virtual Universe Company, Huang Wuye asked one of the staff members a question.
"How much longer until we reach the Initial Universe?"
"Greetings, Your Highness. We expect it'll take a little over two years to reach the Initial Universe. If you find the journey dull, you can visit Yuxiang Mountain in the Virtual Universe."
A white-robed attendant replied.
Huang Wuye's eyes lit up. He'd nearly forgotten that he now had preliminary access to the Virtual Universe Company and could visit its headquarters in the Virtual Universe ahead of time.
He immediately sent a sliver of his consciousness into the Virtual Universe, then dismissed the attendant.
Virtual Headquarters Plane.
It was a towering mountain shrouded in clouds and mist, so enormous that it was even larger than an ordinary planet in the real world. A red figure appeared abruptly on a stone-paved path on the mountain. It was Huang Wuye.
Huang Wuye looked around. Distinctive buildings were spread across the area in neat rows.
"Your Highness."
A figure appeared out of thin air. He was a middle-aged man who looked like a butler. His name was Shaluo, and he was responsible for receiving Huang Wuye.
"Mr. Shaluo."
Huang Wuye bowed gracefully. He was well versed in etiquette and naturally wouldn't neglect his manners.
"Your Highness,"
Shaluo said with a smile,
"this entire plane is the Virtual Universe Company's Virtual Headquarters. In fact, the Virtual Headquarters is livelier than the company's real headquarters. Many important figures can't stay at the real headquarters all the time."
Huang Wuye nodded.
"Please follow me, Your Highness."
Shaluo then led Huang Wuye on a tour of Yuxiang Mountain.
"This mountain, suspended amid clouds and mist, is called Yuxiang Mountain. Its diameter is about 89,000 kilometers.
"This mountain, suspended amid clouds and mist, is called Yuxiang Mountain. Its diameter is about 89,000 kilometers.
"Yuxiang Mountain is divided into five regions: the Primal Region, Primordial Region, Heaven and Earth Region, End of World Region, and Public Region.
"The five regions are roughly the same size, but their populations grow increasingly large.
"The Primal Region has no more than 120 people, while the End of World Region has around ten million."
Shaluo explained.
"The Public Region is for commerce and entertainment, with no restrictions on where you can go. The other regions can only be entered by their own residents."
As they spoke, they arrived at a vast estate, covering a thousand square kilometers. Shaluo looked at it with undisguised envy.
"In the Primal Region, there are no more than 120 people in total. The Virtual Universe Company has built each member a luxurious estate over a thousand kilometers in diameter. Inside are all kinds of cultivation facilities, and Immortal Experts live there long-term as instructors. There are also countless servants, and you can call on plenty of sparring partners whenever you like."
Standing on a steep crag, Shaluo pointed toward a vast island in the distance, looming through the clouds and surrounded by arcs of lightning.
"Look, that's Thunder Island, also known as Immortal Island. It's a hundred or even a thousand times larger than Yuxiang Mountain. Almost all the Virtual Universe Company's Immortal Experts live there."
Huang Wuye looked over. He knew of Thunder Island. It was the true core of the Virtual Universe Company, a symbol of power and authority.
After the tour, Shaluo brought Huang Wuye back to the Primal Region, then took his leave.
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