Less than a year after Li Che defeated Iron Sword Marquis, deep within human territory, in a vast universe secret realm.
"Master, the race has issued the list of experts to be resurrected this time."
Inside an ancient palace more imposing than a star, a woman wearing a blue-green battle dress, with five sharp horns on her head, bowed and spoke calmly.
Had an Undying Deity from the Giant Axe Battle Arena been present, they would certainly have recognized this woman, whose expression was indifferent yet whose presence was exceptionally fierce. She was one of the Giant Axe Battle Arena's core intelligences, a Universe Venerable who had evolved from an Intelligent Lifeform. Her computational power was terrifying enough to put ordinary Universe Venerables to shame.
Yet at this moment, this Intelligent Lifeform Venerable was exceptionally respectful as she presented a sheet of paper shimmering with extraordinary radiance to the throne at the highest point of the palace, a seat loftier than a mountain.
The being on the throne looked like a towering, powerfully built giant. His hair and beard were golden, his long golden eyebrows shone like starlight, and his eyes were deeper than the starry sky.
His status was supremely exalted. He was the second-ranking figure in the Giant Axe Battle Arena, one of humanity's five great powers, and one of the foremost pillars of the human race.
Void Gold Master!
"Hmm, that was quick. I've only been back from the Universe Ocean for a few tens of thousands of years, and the race has already sent me a resurrection assignment."
Void Gold Master did not hurry to accept the list the woman offered. He merely glanced at it and chuckled.
"His Excellency Chaos City Lord said that, since the list for this round of resurrection through reversing spacetime includes a Universe Venerable, you are the most suitable choice among the Universe Masters currently available within the race."
The Universe Venerable who had evolved from an Intelligent Lifeform answered softly.
Void Gold Master was indeed the second-ranking figure in the Giant Axe Battle Arena. In the Giant Axe Founder's absence, this great being was its undisputed leader.
But precisely because of that, a powerful being like him had to take on more assignments from the race.
Resurrecting powerful beings who had died within the human race, and even within the Hong Alliance, was a duty every human Universe Master had to perform regularly.
"Very well."
At her words, Void Gold Master closed his eyes briefly, then sighed and motioned for the female Universe Venerable to read the resurrection list aloud.
"Hong Zha, World Master Level core member of the Universe Mercenary Alliance's Glory Secret Realm, fell on the Flame Sacrifice Continent of the Seventh Extraterrestrial Battlefield 101 eras ago."
"Gulan Tair, World Master Level core member of the Giant Axe Battle Arena's Giant Axe Secret Realm, fell on the Blood Luo Continent in the Virtual Universe Company's Primal Secret Realm 316 eras ago."
"Heavenly Crossbow Marquis, undying member of the Universe First Bank, fell on Spiral Tower Planet in the Second Extraterrestrial Battlefield 86 eras ago. Note: Heavenly Crossbow Marquis was a grand-disciple of the First Bank's Green East Lord."
"Bone-Scale King, undying member of the Giant Axe Battle Arena, a peak King-level expert, fell in the Ancestral God Religion 2,624 eras ago."
"Star-Ranked King, Hong Alliance member, an ultimate King-level expert of humanity's vassal race, the Golden-Horned Race, fell in the Kuokolanda Universe Secret Realm 44,522 eras ago."
"Venerable Fu Chong, a low-level Universe Venerable of the Universe First Bank, fell in the Craftsman God Secret Realm 2,211 eras ago. Note: this Venerable specialized in treasure crafting. Please resurrect him as soon as possible."
The Universe Venerable who had evolved from an Intelligent Lifeform spoke quickly, taking little time to read through everyone on the resurrection list.
There were more than forty people to resurrect, and their backgrounds were remarkably varied.
Some were experts from the Human Race's five great powers, some were beings of other races who had made major contributions to the Hong Alliance, and others were promising experts from humanity's subordinate races, whose races had paid a tremendous price to secure their resurrection...
The human race was simply too vast. All manner of complicated interests and personal connections intertwined, making every resurrection list represent an enormous, intricate web of interests.
In theory, apart from those youngsters whose limited lifespans required them to be resurrected promptly, everyone else had to wait their turn.
In practice, however, vested interests or personal connections always led to some people jumping the queue. Even the great Universe Masters could not eliminate this.
"Resurrect a low-level Venerable? That's manageable. The backlash will injure me, but I should recover in a hundred eras or so..."
With his computational power, Void Gold Master instantly memorized the dead experts' information. At the same time, he even assessed the backlash he would have to bear to resurrect them.
Reversing spacetime to resurrect an expert violated the laws governing the universe's operation. Each time someone was resurrected, the Primitive Universe inflicted backlash.
The youngsters being resurrected had virtually no way to resist backlash of that magnitude. The expert resurrecting them had to bear it on their behalf.
Although Void Gold Master lacked the combat strength of Chaos City Lord or Darkness Master, he still ranked among the Human Race's top ten Universe Masters and could withstand the vast majority of backlash from the Primitive Universe.
For instance, he could easily withstand the backlash from resurrecting youngsters at the World Lord or Marquis level.
He could endure the backlash from resurrecting ordinary peak King-level Undying Deities head-on.
For ultimate King-level or invincible King-level beings with higher genetic multipliers and greater combat strength, Void Gold Master had to proceed cautiously.
And if he resurrected a Universe Venerable, even a low-level one, the Primitive Universe's backlash would severely injure him.
If the target was a high-level Universe Venerable like Ganwu Nation Lord, then even Chaos City Lord, let alone Void Gold Master, would need to make exceptionally elaborate preparations. They might even have to pay a hefty price to enlist a supreme universe expert like Void-Truth Demon God.
"Chaos City Lord said Venerable Fu Chong's circumstances were rather special. He died for the race. After you resurrect him, Master, the race will cover the restoration of your divine body and award you supreme treasure points," the Universe Venerable who had evolved from an Intelligent Lifeform said, bowing her head deeply.
"I probably won't be able to venture into the Universe Ocean for the next two or three hundred eras." Void Gold Master smiled wryly, but did not refuse.
As a senior Universe Master of a pinnacle race, Void Gold Master understood full well that enjoying the benefits provided by such a race naturally meant fulfilling corresponding obligations.
"I could use this opportunity to take one or two disciples. Since I'll be in the Primitive Universe anyway, guiding a few youngsters would be worthwhile."
He pondered briefly, then his long golden eyebrows, which nearly reached his chest, suddenly twitched as he looked at the Intelligent Lifeform Venerable below his throne.
"Night Phosphor, have any remarkable youngsters appeared lately in the Giant Axe Secret Realm or outside it?"
At his question, Venerable Night Phosphor's crystalline eyes immediately connected to the virtual universe. With the terrifying computational ability of a Universe Venerable-level Intelligent Lifeform, she quickly processed a vast amount of information:
"Master, the current generation of Universe Level, Domain Lord-level, and World Master Level core members in the Giant Axe Secret Realm merely meets the average standard of the past hundred thousand eras. However, our members stationed throughout the various universe countries have discovered an excellent prospect."
As she spoke, Venerable Night Phosphor immediately released droplets of divine power from her hand. They gathered into a virtual screen, on which footage of a battle gradually took shape.
It was footage of Li Che's battle against Iron Sword Marquis, who served under Hu Yanbo.
"A youngster has emerged in a medium-sized nation within the Ganwu Universe Country. At the peak World Lord level, he can hold his own against an ordinary low-level Marquis undying. He is seeking to join one of the five great powers."
At this, a sharp gleam of law light immediately flashed through Void Gold Master's golden eyes. A moment later, he nodded and said:
"Gravity, black holes... His approach to understanding the earth origin law is indeed distinctive. His comprehension of laws is already close to the seventeenth floor of the Heavenly Bridge."
Venerable Night Phosphor immediately said, "Quite a few Venerables within the race believe he has the potential to fully master the Black Light Divine General's inheritance. Venerable Jiufeng, who is stationed in the Ancestral God Religion, is interested in taking him as a disciple."
Void Gold Master nodded. After a brief moment of thought, he spoke evenly:
"But ultimately, it is merely a Divine General Inheritance. His potential for comprehending laws is excellent. It would be a shame if his life's ambition amounted to nothing more than becoming a minor candidate divine general."
Venerable Night Phosphor fell silent.
In her view, a universe overlord-level being such as a candidate divine general already qualified as a formidable senior figure within the race. But in Void Gold Master's eyes, that was nothing particularly remarkable.
This great being hoped instead that the race could produce new Universe Masters.
"Since he has talent in black holes, give him the portion of Black Hole Evolution that precedes the Venerable level, and let us test his potential for growth."
"Also, being able to derive such a secret technique from the simple earth origin law suggests he may have the potential to pursue the path of fused laws."
"Summon him to the Initial Universe. If he can pass the eighteenth floor of the Heavenly Bridge within five hundred years, I will take him as a direct disciple. Do you think that requirement is too harsh?"
Venerable Night Phosphor noted Void Gold Master's instructions and nodded. "That young man is already quite outstanding. To become your disciple, he must naturally surpass himself. I will make the arrangements at once."
"Yes, give him Black Hole Evolution. There is no need to rush matters concerning fused laws. We can discuss that once I have actually taken him as a disciple."
Void Gold Master shook the list in his hand and said with a smile:
"I have to resurrect these youngsters. That will take many years, no matter what."
After a brief moment of consideration, Venerable Night Phosphor said:
"In fifty-two years, our Giant Axe Battle Arena will host a Peak Genius Battle. How about having him come to the Initial Universe to meet you then?"
Black Hole Evolution was one of the very finest secret manuals available within the inner circles of the five great powers. A cultivator who mastered its deeper teachings could become a Universe Venerable through it alone.
Void Gold Master had casually proposed giving Li Che the first half of such a top-tier secret manual. This clearly went against the rules.
But Venerable Night Phosphor said nothing more.
Not only within the Giant Axe Battle Arena, but even throughout the human race, Void Gold Master himself was a rule that no one could defy.
Besides, if Li Che failed to become Void Gold Master's disciple, the points needed to purchase the secret manual and to cultivate in the Initial Universe for five hundred years would become a debt charged back to him.
"Agreed," Void Gold Master replied succinctly.
P.S. 1: The inspiration for the race's resurrection list came from Part 13, Chapter 35 of the original work. Given a Universe Master's abilities, as long as they aren't trying to resurrect a King-level special life-form with an absurd genetic multiplier like Barking Mirror King, as Qilan Master did, I feel resurrecting a dozen people shouldn't be too taxing.
P.S. 2: Flame Crystal Nation Lord being the author of Black Hole Evolution was never explicitly confirmed in the original work. However, I looked into it, and Black Hole Evolution contains a secret technique called "Flame Crystal Ninefold Tempering Body," so he was probably its creator. Also, Black Hole Evolution was described as a top-tier secret manual on the same level as Spacetime Essays. I feel Flame Crystal Nation Lord must at least be a high-level Venerable, with his basic strength at least on par with Ganwu Nation Lord. The average standard of the Human Race's universe nation lords really was quite high.
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