Li Qingyi added, "But you said you were a [Path Guardian]. Do you have any proof? How can we trust you?"
"You can ask other creatures about me. Most of them have never heard of me opening a trial for a candidate. That's because, over nearly a hundred years, I've only opened four trials in total, all under unavoidable circumstances, when they triggered the conditions for starting a trial."
"If I weren't a Path Guardian, how could I have held only four trials in a hundred years?"
Tuo Heyan said, "Are you saying you've been doing everything you can to avoid holding trials, to preserve the first-clear effect? But that effect isn't all that important. It doesn't prove anything!"
The Mechanical-Bone Ape looked at Tuo Heyan, his gaze deep. "You think the first-clear effect isn't important?"
The Mechanical-Bone Ape's question left Tuo Heyan a little confused. "Is it... not?"
"How powerful do you think the Star Lord who wins the [Succession Star Competition] should be? Have you never considered that?"
"Uh..." For a moment, Tuo Heyan had nothing to say.
"Among those who have appeared from the First Domain, there are already beings at domain sequence level five. Even if the Eighth Domain's Domain Master can fight above his level-and, to take it even further, even if he can do so under the First Domain's suppression-he would still need to reach at least domain sequence level five to win, wouldn't he?"
"On a planet undergoing the [Succession Star Competition], restrictions are placed on how every creature can advance. All advancement must be tied to our trials."
"Before domain sequence level three, it's manageable. Learn how others passed the trials, and you'll eventually get there. But beyond that, it isn't so easy."
"There are only three hundred types of Large Gods