The Sky Screen Opens, Who is the Tenth Place?

Without a sound.

A massive Sky Screen unfurled from the edge of the void.

Like a scroll spanning the entire Primal Universe, it was even more vast and profound than the last time.

The light flowing across the surface of the Sky Screen was not blinding, yet every living being who looked up felt as if the depths of their soul had been gently touched by some indescribable existence.

It was not pressure, but the scrutiny of a pure Great Will, devoid of any emotion.

All the supreme powerhouses and all the Universe Masters within the Primal Universe, regardless of what they were doing, stopped their tasks.

Above Chaos City, the City Lord of Chaos slowly raised his head.

Inside the Virtual Universe headquarters, Founder Giant Axe gently set down the battle report in his hand.

Deep within the Demon Ancestor Secret Realm, the Tremor Demon Ancestor and the Dream Demon Ancestor opened their scarlet eyes in unison.

Inside the Zerg Queen's palace, the slender phantom reclining on the throne slowly sat upright.

The Machine Race Divine Kingdom, the ancestral grounds of the Starry Sky Behemoth Alliance, the Demon Beast Alliance Main Hall, the Prison Race Ancestral Mountain, the Crystal Race Holy Palace... and those lone powerhouses scattered throughout the Primal Universe.

Inside Shihua Island Master's Black Abyss Palace, at the edge of the True Void Demon God's Flame World, at E Zhou's Meteor Fortress.

All cast their gazes toward the Sky Screen that had descended once more.

On a nameless planet at the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy, Yang Yu sat cross-legged on the peak of a mountain manifested by the Jin King Palace, the Fire Dao at his fingertips quietly fading away.

He picked up a wine pot, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"A million years have passed," he whispered to himself. "Let me see how much weight these little ones on the list carry this time."

Above the Sky Screen, mysterious and unfathomable characters slowly emerged.

[Sky Screen Ranking: The Top Ten Geniuses Below the Immortal Level in the Third Reincarnation Era of the Primal Universe!]

[Note: The Sky Screen is a manifestation of the Great Will of the Hunyuan Void; the critique is absolutely fair and impartial!]

[All those who make the list will receive rewards; the higher the ranking, the more generous the reward!]

[Evaluation criteria: A comprehensive assessment of talent, comprehension, temperament, willpower, and future potential.]

[Note: Evaluation grades from high to low are: SSS, SS, S, A, B, and C.]

When the final line of text appeared, the entire Primal Universe was in an uproar.

The previous Sky Screen ranking had been for the top ten powerhouses, and everyone on that list stood at the very pinnacle of the Primal Universe as supreme powerhouses.

Those supreme treasures, the Divine Power Burning Technique, the Hunyuan Void Fire Spirit Fruit—every single reward was enough to change the fate of an entire race.

And when the final outcome settled, the human Founder Giant Axe ranked second, while Mountain Sitting Guest stood at the top with his God King realm.

The power structure of the entire Primal Universe had been completely reshuffled.

But now, the theme of this second ranking was actually geniuses "below the Immortal level."

Countless gazes intersected in the starry sky, and countless thoughts collided within souls.

What did this mean? It meant that those young prodigies trapped before the threshold of immortality, those World Lords struggling in the secret realms of every peak race, would all have a chance to stand on this stage.

And the results of each race's cultivation over the past million years would receive the most impartial verification on the Sky Screen.

"Top ten geniuses... below the Immortal level..." Founder Giant Axe stood in the Virtual Universe hall, a confident smile appearing on his rugged face. "Humanity's potential is not lacking."

The City Lord of Chaos's reaction was as steady as ever. He stood in the inner hall of the City Lord's Mansion before the stone wall engraved with names, hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the bottom line of the Sky Screen.

"Evaluation criteria: A comprehensive assessment of talent, comprehension, temperament, willpower, and future potential." He repeated it slowly, a flicker of imperceptible anticipation flashing in his eyes. "In terms of temperament and willpower, Hong's performance in the Illusion Sea was earth-shattering. As for comprehension, Luo Feng is even more... I have personally overseen his progress for these million years, and I know his pace best. Among the top ten, humanity will surely occupy two spots, at the very least!"

At this moment, the City Lord of Chaos was very confident!

Demon Ancestor Secret Realm.

The Dream Demon Ancestor and the Tremor Demon Ancestor immediately drove all the Universe Masters of the vassal races out of the hall, leaving only the core powerhouses of the Monster Race.

The atmosphere in the hall was as oppressive as the silence before a storm.

"A million years..." the Dream Demon Ancestor murmured, her silver snake body twisting restlessly. "We poured all the rare resources in the Ancestor Treasury into Demon Wing and Frost Parasite. If they can't even make the top ten..."

"They will make it." The Tremor Demon Ancestor's voice was low and firm, but the slightly trembling eyes beneath his serrated shell betrayed the turmoil in his heart. "Frost Parasite endured the thirty-thousand-year freezing trial alone in the Extreme Cold Secret Realm; both his willpower and his comprehension of laws have broken through. Although Demon Wing is slightly inferior, his speed and the progress of his law fusion are the peak of the royal bloodline in a century. Even if it's tenth place, as long as they make the list, our Monster Race has hope for a comeback."

Zerg Queen's Palace.

The Queen had long since risen from her throne, the Eternal Pearl in her palm emitting a hazy starlight that made her face look dreamlike and ethereal.

Behind her, three Zerg warriors, meticulously cultivated for a million years, hovered silently.

Ren, Shadow, and Erosion.

These three had undergone countless trials over the million years, and each could be called a rare genius in Zerg history.

"This Queen would like to see how many of these ten genius spots my Zerg Race can claim."

The Queen's voice was melodious and pleasant, yet carried a trace of deeply suppressed tension.

She knew all too well that if the Zerg Race had too few names on this list, or none at all, her situation in the next reshuffling of the Primal Universe would be extremely passive.

Demon Beast Alliance Main Hall.

The Beast Ancestor sat on the Alliance Leader's throne, his dark golden scales gleaming coldly in the dim light.

Standing behind him were Lie Tianzun, Star Devourer, and Blood Fang.

These three top-tier World Lord-level Monster Race beasts all possessed ancestral bloodlines, and in terms of raw physical strength alone, they were nearly invincible among their peers.

Lie Tianzun could expand his body to cover a small portion of the starry sky, while Blood Fang excelled in speed and assassination.

"The top three are likely already in the pocket of that monster, Luo Feng, from the human race. His progress in Law Fusion has long since left all his peers in the dust," the Beast Ancestor said, tapping his armrest as he analyzed the situation. "But there can only be one first place. As long as you three can secure a spot in the top ten, you won't have brought shame to the Alliance. Especially you, Blood Fang; your talent might not be the strongest among the three, but your temperament and willpower have always been the best among the millions of years of training in our Monster Race Alliance."

Inside the Machine Race Divine Kingdom, the Father God's computing core was frantically running simulations.

Zero.

That World Lord-level Machine Race warrior who had emerged from thirty million parallel training programs.

Standing on the platform in front of his main body, the cold, mechanical frame showed no emotional fluctuations.

"The simulation progress for the Law Fusion Strike Module has reached a mid-stage bottleneck, but I have simulated sixty-four thousand branches of reaction protocols for the Genius Ranking reveal. The estimated probability of making the list..." The Father God's voice traced a steep curve on the holographic screen, "...exceeds 98%! A top-ten finish is expected."

At the same time, in the Prison Race territories, the Crystal Race Holy Palace, the Snow Border Alliance, and the mountain-sized halls of the Starry Sky Behemoth Alliance.

Every faction, every overlord entrenched in their own domain, looked up and held their breath under the same Sky Screen.

Countless Universe Masters had interrupted their disciples' training—an unprecedented move—and many King-level Immortals had even personally intervened to stabilize the energy flows in their secret realms, which had been disturbed by the arrival of the Sky Screen, all to ensure the young geniuses could witness this unprecedented event in the best possible state.

Just as countless eyes across the Primal Universe were fixed on the Sky Screen, those profound and mysterious characters finally began to slowly refresh the tenth position.

[TOP 10: Machine Race 'Zero'!]

The moment these words appeared.

Every powerhouse in the entire Primal Universe watching the Sky Screen was shaken almost simultaneously.

"It's actually him?"

It wasn't because of how high the ranking was, but because no one had expected the tenth place to be someone from the Machine Race.

The Machine Race, a race born without souls.

Their warriors were intelligent lifeforms that were immune to soul-based illusions, possessing an incredibly cold and ruthless combat style.

However, correspondingly, they lacked a true "soul," and thus could not, like flesh-and-blood lifeforms, align with the laws of the universe through the transformation of their temperament.

For a long time, all races generally believed that the Machine Race could not score high in the "temperament and willpower" dimension judged by the Sky Screen.

And now, the Sky Screen had clearly stated: Zero of the Machine Race was ranked tenth among the top ten geniuses of the Third Reincarnation Era of the Primal Universe!

Inside the Machine Race Divine Kingdom, the Father God's computing core jolted violently.

Billions of data streams stalled for 0.03 milliseconds at that exact moment.

For a Machine Race Father God whose computing magnitude was measured in trillions of times the speed of light, this brief pause was enough to prove the shock within him.

"He made the list." The Father God's voice echoed in the holographic projection, carrying a trace of almost imperceptible fluctuation. "Zero made the list."

Standing on the platform, Zero remained expressionless, but inside his mechanical core, the temperature was rising at the highest rate within a controllable range.

That was his unique signal for excitement.

But what followed was even more complex deduction.

The Father God's computing core operated at high speed, cross-referencing this reward with the intelligence they held on the geniuses of all other races.

He was well aware of the Machine Race's disadvantages; Zero was a miracle created by thirty million parallel training programs and countless resources, but the level of the reward given by the Sky Screen would directly determine the Machine Race's standing in this battle of geniuses.

Demon Ancestor Secret Realm.

A flash of undisguised shock and jealousy crossed the Dream Demon Ancestor's massive snake eyes: "The Machine Race? Even those soulless piles of scrap metal can make the list?"

The Tremor Demon Ancestor said in a deep voice from the side: "Zero... I have heard this name. Among the elite of the Seed Project personally groomed by the Machine Race Father God, Zero is ranked first. Over the past million years, the Machine Race has poured their entire fortune into this batch of geniuses. They built fifty War Factories specifically for him. I heard his Law Fusion Strike Module has already been pushed to the top of the entire race, but even so, being able to enter the top ten shows that the Sky Screen's judging criteria are not exactly what we expected."

"Whatever the criteria," the Dream Demon Ancestor gritted her teeth, "if the Machine Race can make it, why can't my Monster Race's Demon Wing and Frost Parasite?" The urgency in her voice overshadowed her usual gloom.

Zerg Queen Palace.

The Queen frowned slightly. She had originally thought the tenth place would be some lone genius rising from a scattered race, or a tough nut nurtured by the Monster Race Alliance, but she hadn't expected it to be the Machine Race's Zero. What did this mean? It meant that the Machine Race's investment in genius cultivation over the past million years had already been recognized by the Sky Screen.

"The Machine Race has no soul; the temperament and willpower dimension should have been their fatal flaw. For Zero to make the list, his talent and comprehension must be high to a terrifying degree." The Queen's voice remained calm, but her knuckles, gripping the Eternal Pearl, turned slightly white. Behind her, Ren's eyes flickered with cold light.

"However, it is only tenth place; there are still nine spots above. My Zerg Race geniuses cannot possibly be worse than a pile of scrap metal."

Ren did not speak, only silently watching the Sky Screen. Its Zerg warrior genes dictated that it would not produce complex emotional fluctuations like humans, but at this moment, deep within its body, its combat instincts were awakening with unprecedented intensity.

Monster Beast Alliance Main Hall.

The Beast Ancestor looked at the name on the Sky Screen, his expression shifting for a moment before returning to normal.

"Zero... I have heard the Father God mention this name." He said to those around him in a low voice, "The Machine Race hid him very deeply. A secret trump card from thirty million parallel training programs, only producing one such individual; it's not surprising he made the list. The problem is, he is ranked tenth. If the nine spots above are all divided among the humans, the Zerg, and our own disciples, it's hard to say who will come out ahead between us and the Machine Race."

Blood Fang stood behind the Beast Ancestor, his scarlet eyes fixed on the Sky Screen. His reason told him: tenth place is just the beginning, but his pride wanted that name to be his own.

Edge of the Milky Way Galaxy.

Yang Yu nodded slowly.

"Zero... a little guy from the Machine Race." He retrieved the name from his memory.

Over these years, Yang Yu had traveled the Primal Universe and had indeed seen many impressive geniuses; this 'Zero' was one of them.

Lifting his wine pot for a sip, a playful smile appeared at the corner of Yang Yu's mouth: "Even you only ranked tenth; the little ones of this reincarnation cycle are indeed of high quality."

Just as the entire Primal Universe was still buzzing with speculation over who would claim the tenth spot.

Above the Sky Screen, the combat projection of Zero began to slowly unfold.

In a starfield permeated by chaotic currents, Zero's mechanical body was entirely silver-white, its streamlined shell covered in dense, intricate energy circuits that resembled a precise star map.

The opponent it faced was a peak World Lord-level special lifeform beast with a genetic level nearly a thousand times that of a normal being; its body was as massive as a mountain, wreathed in ghostly blue demonic flames, and its aura was strong enough to strike terror into the hearts of ordinary Marquis-level Immortals.

As soon as the battle began, the special lifeform beast lunged at Zero with overwhelming force.

The ghostly blue demonic flames poured down like a deluge, burning large spatial rifts into the starfield, with tongues of fire closing in from all directions like living creatures.

Zero, however, did not make a single move to dodge.

Its streamlined shell suddenly expanded the instant the demonic flames were about to make contact.

Tens of thousands of cicada-wing-thin Energy Deflection Blades activated simultaneously, forming a high-speed rotating transparent shield around its body. The moment the demonic flames struck the shield, they were decomposed layer by layer, turning into harmless specks of light that dissipated into the sea of stars.

"It is the Machine Race's Energy Deflection Array."

This conclusion flashed through the processing core of the Machine Father God.

It was the third-generation Energy Deflection Array he had specifically optimized for Zero, capable of weakening the direct impact of energy-based attacks to one-thousandth of their original strength.

Among all beings below the Immortal level in the entire Primal Universe, there was not another who could rival such top-tier battlefield defensive technology.