"Mountain Sitting Guest... just who is he?"
Founder Giant Axe murmured to himself, bewilderment and shock filling his eyes. He also found the Sky Screen's rewards strange.
As the second-ranked contender, he had received a palace-type Supreme Treasure, an offensive Supreme Treasure, and the Divine Power Burning Technique.
Yet Mountain Sitting Guest, who had ranked first, had received only a single fruit?
Giant Axe was baffled.
But after watching the Sky Screen's rankings, he knew it was fair.
Perhaps this had something to do with Mountain Sitting Guest's unfathomably deep strength.
Besides, the fruit's value had surely exceeded their expectations.
City Lord of Chaos, Darkness Master, and the others were shaken as well.
Mountain Sitting Guest's strength had once again upended their understanding.
Still, they were only shocked.
No matter how strong Mountain Sitting Guest was, he had no conflict with them.
Instead, it was the line that appeared at the end of the Sky Screen that sent the entire Primal Universe into a frenzy once again!
[The rankings of the ten strongest are now complete. Next ranking: "The Primal Universe's Top Ten Geniuses."]
[Criteria: Those below the undying level, assessed on talent, comprehension, character, willpower, and future potential.]
[Time: One million years from now.]
[The higher the ranking, the richer the reward!]
Boom!
Those words were like a ladle of cold water flung into boiling oil. The entire Primal Universe erupted!
"The Top Ten Geniuses!"
"Below the undying level! One million years from now!"
Countless young beings below the undying level throughout the Primal Universe were now burning with excitement!
They had already seen the Sky Screen's rewards with their own eyes.
Supreme Treasures! The Divine Power Burning Technique! And that mysterious Hunyuan Void Fire Spirit Fruit!
And they, too, had a chance to win rewards like those.
All they had to do was make the top ten of the Genius Ranking a million years from now!
"One million years. That's enough!"
The Milky Way Galaxy, Earth.
Luo Feng gazed at the words on the Sky Screen, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit.
"I've only been cultivating for a few hundred years. One million years will be more than enough!"
"This time, I'll make the ranking for sure!"
The same scene played out across countless corners of the Primal Universe.
Young geniuses of the Monster Race, World Lord-level Mother Emperors of the Insect Race, and prodigies from the Machine Race, Prison Race, Crystal Race, and countless other groups...
The countless geniuses all saw the Sky Screen's next ranking as their chance to rise!
Meanwhile, the peak races and powerful factions began adjusting their strategies.
"Pass down the order. All our race's resources are to be directed toward geniuses below the undying level!"
At the Demon Ancestor Secret Realm, Tremor Demon Ancestor issued the command in a grave voice.
"A million years from now, our Monster Race must have someone on that list!"
The Zerg Territory.
The Zerg Queen's beautiful eyes flickered. "The individual talent of our Zerg is the strongest! This time, we must claim at least two places!"
The Virtual Universe.
City Lord of Chaos immediately summoned all the Human Race's leaders.
"The Sky Screen's next ranking is the best opportunity for our Human Race to secure its position once and for all."
His gaze swept across everyone present. "Starting today, our race will increase its investment in nurturing geniuses. Resources for all secret-realm members will be doubled! Anyone below the undying level who demonstrates sufficient talent will be placed on our priority watch list!"
"Yes!"
The Universe Masters answered in unison.
Founder Giant Axe spoke up at once. "Chaos, I'll leave this entirely in your hands. Ask for whatever resources you need."
"Understood."
City Lord of Chaos nodded, a glint flashing in his eyes.
A long list had already taken shape in his mind.
The Human Race had never lacked geniuses!
All it lacked was resources.
Now that they had decided to direct more resources toward them, the number of geniuses sure to emerge would be far greater than before!
On an unnamed planet.
Yang Yu had naturally seen the Sky Screen's final line as well.
"A million years from now?"
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
"Interesting."
As a transmigrator, he knew all too well how terrifying Luo Feng's talent was.
A million years from now, Luo Feng would surely make the list, and his ranking would be high!
"But the Human Race's cultivation efforts alone won't be enough."
Yang Yu murmured to himself. "I've already put the Nine Tribulations Manual out there. The rest is up to Luo Feng's own fate."
He looked toward the depths of the starry sky, his gaze seeming to pierce endless stretches of time and space and fall upon that blue planet.
"Luo Feng, Luo Feng... this is all your master can do to help you."
"From here on, it's up to you to see how far you can go."
As the Sky Screen slowly faded, the Primal Universe seemed to return to peace.
But everyone knew that beneath this calm, powerful undercurrents were churning.
The peak races were sharpening their weapons, lesser alliances were struggling to survive in the cracks, and scattered factions were searching for powerful allies.
As for the young peerless geniuses, they began cultivating like mad. Even places like the Outer Domain Battlefield and the Cosmic Secret Realms saw a surge of World Lords arriving to temper themselves.
The Genius Ranking a million years from now would be a pivotal battle that decided the future of all the great factions!
But before that—
A territory war that would sweep across the entire Primal Universe was about to begin!
Several days later, after comprehending all the secret patterns on the newly acquired Supreme Treasure, the Beast Ancestor made his move!
At the edge of the Ethereal Alliance's territory.
The Beast Ancestor led more than thirty Universe Masters through the void in a vast, imposing force.
Blood-red divine power blazed around him. He gripped the Starfall Blade, while the frigid light of the Domain Supreme Treasure, Ice Wind Domain, filled the space for several light-years around him.
"Miao Yun! Come out and die!"
The Beast Ancestor's furious roar rang across the starry sky.
Within the Ethereal Alliance's territory, its nineteen Universe Masters stood ready for battle. But facing the menacing Beast Ancestor, deep fear showed in all their eyes.
Though they had nineteen of them, most were not particularly strong. Even the strongest among them, Miao Yun Master, had only just reached the threshold of the fifth tier.
After obtaining the Starfall Blade, the Beast Ancestor had enough combat strength to reach the upper levels of the ninth tier!
The difference between them was like heaven and earth!
If they weren't limited to unleashing only top-tier sixth-level strength within the Primal Universe,
Miao Yun Master wouldn't even have dared to get close!
But within the Primal Universe, with the Origin Will suppressing him and his own strength as well, Miao Yun Master wasn't quite so afraid.
"Alliance Leader... no, Beast Ancestor!" Miao Yun Master gritted his teeth. "We've already joined the Human Race. If you dare attack us, the Human Race won't let you get away with it!"
"The Human Race?"
The Beast Ancestor sneered. "By the time they get here, I'll have already suppressed and sealed you! Now—"
Before he could finish, a deep voice suddenly came from the void.
"Oh? Is that so?"
As the voice rang out, a towering figure appeared out of nowhere between the two forces.
With his rugged, savage features and long, loose hair, he held a giant axe radiating an aura that could destroy heaven and earth.
It was none other than Founder Giant Axe!
"Giant Axe!"
The Beast Ancestor's pupils contracted sharply, and he instinctively took a step back.
Founder Giant Axe regarded him calmly. His voice was level, yet it carried an utterly overwhelming pressure.
"Beast Ancestor, you have two choices."
"First, take your people and get out. Now."
"Second..." He slowly raised the God-Slaying Axe in his hand.
"I leave all of you here."
Silence fell over the void.
The hand gripping the Starfall Blade trembled slightly. His blood-red eyes were filled with conflict and unwillingness.
After a long while,
"Retreat!"
He gritted out the word and turned to leave.
The more than thirty Universe Masters of the Demon Beast Alliance felt as if a great weight had been lifted from their shoulders and hurried after him.
A battle had ended before it even began.
Miao Yun Master and the others collapsed to the ground, their eyes full of relief at having survived.
This scene spread throughout the Primal Universe in next to no time.
Everyone knew—
From this day on, the Human Race ruled the Primal Universe!
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