Time always passed especially quickly during cultivation and contemplation.
Several more decades had passed since Dongguan had taken on the Time Banner and Space Banner under his own identity and that of "Bai Yu Master," respectively.
The eighty years of the third stage were nearly over.
And in these final moments, the lower ranks kept shifting and changing, especially those below seventy-fifth place,
where many more had been replaced.
By now, over a thousand had comprehended more than ten levels, including those Universe Venerables who had yet to secure a position.
In truth, if comprehension alone had been tested, even more would have been able to enter this hall.
The main issue was that the Universe Venerables lacked strength. When comprehending other worlds, they easily ran into "brick walls." After all sorts of negotiations, the other party might relent, only to stall afterward. The situations varied endlessly.
Even with backing, such problems were difficult to resolve.
Their backers could not keep helping indefinitely.
When a backer projected their consciousness into a world, the "holdout" would withdraw their consciousness,
only to launch even fiercer attacks once the backer left.
Universe Masters and even Universe Strongest Ones could offer limited help to the Universe Venerables of their factions, but they could not keep it up indefinitely and delay their own affairs.
At such times, they had to "weigh their options."
And Universe Venerables without backing were even more pitiful.
Those with backing, even if that help could not last, could at least request assistance once they reached a certain point and gain a chance to verify their comprehension.
Those without backing faced not only "holdouts," but also people who would "come knocking."
Never mind having their progress blocked-even if they temporarily abandoned the level occupied by a "holdout," their comprehension of other