A Primal Secret Region-Level Genius?

In the Decisive Battle Space, Demon Blade had been easily eliminated by Li Jing in a single move. Withdrawing his consciousness from the Virtual Universe, he sought an audience with his ancestor, Marquis Qingming, one of the Three Hundred Kings and Marquises of Ganwu Universe Country.

He was the greatest genius to appear among Marquis Qingming's descendants to date. He had mastered the seventh level of the Wind Domain at the Planetary Level, and had hope of fully comprehending the Wind Origin Law and becoming the family's second Immortal.

Demon Blade held a lofty position in the family, no lower than that of some World Lord elders, and Marquis Qingming granted him an audience soon afterward.

"Ancestor, I just lost to a genius at the same cultivation level in the Killing Field's Decisive Battle Space.

"He... he broke through my finest blade strike with just one move.

"Tell me, does someone like me still have any hope of becoming an Immortal?"

Demon Blade spoke with lingering fear on his face.

Ever since he was born, he had been the family's greatest genius, and even among his peers outside the family, he had found few rivals.

Everyone said he was the family's divine son, a future Immortal God, and he had believed the same.

That was until he met Li Jing in the Decisive Battle Space just now, who had defeated him with effortless ease in a single move.

The invincible heart he had forged through countless victories had quietly shattered, leaving him helplessly seeking comfort from his ancestor.

"Child, as soon as I heard you had lost, I asked an old acquaintance to obtain a video of your battle.

"That Luck Emperor is a monster. At the Planetary Level, he has already reached the ninth level of a domain and crossed the threshold of the Fire Origin Law. There was no shame in your defeat."

"If you are a super genius among your peers in the entire Ganwu Universe Country, then Luck Emperor is a super genius among his peers across all 1,008 Universe Countries of Cosmic Humans."

"With your talent, given enough time to cultivate after breaking through to the Star Level, you will surely cross the threshold of the Wind Origin Law and make further progress.

"In the Peak Genius Tournament held once every five thousand years across the universe, you would have hope of making it into the top one thousand and joining the Virtual Universe Company's Core Layer."

"Under the same cultivation conditions, however, Luck Emperor would have an excellent chance of taking first place in previous Genius Battles and joining the Primal Secret Region, the most prestigious region of the Core Layer.

"When that time comes, even the commander of his Guard Army will be as powerful as your ancestor."

"The teacher assigned to instruct him would even be strong enough to attain King Rank in our Ganwu Universe Country!"

Marquis Qingming spoke to Demon Blade in a somewhat comforting tone.

An Immortal God like him was one of Ganwu Universe Country's Three Hundred Kings and Marquises and had even been granted the title of Marquis Qingming.

Yet his true strength was only at the Immortal Army Lord Peak, and he was still far from forming an Undying Body.

The commanders of Primal Secret Region Members' Guard Armies were generally at this level.

Meanwhile, the Immortal Gods who could serve as instructors to Primal Secret Region Members were, at a minimum, true Marquis Immortals.

They were Marquis Immortals recognized by the Virtual Universe Company, one of humanity's five great powers. In Ganwu Universe Country, they could even attain King Rank, and were far beyond his reach.

After listening to his explanation and words of comfort, Demon Blade's eyes gradually grew vacant.

Was Luck Emperor, who had taken him out in a single move, really such a monstrous genius?

Even a great being like his ancestor could only be the commander of his guards?

"A-Ancestor, does Luck Emperor really have a chance of joining the Virtual Universe Company's Primal Secret Region through the Genius Battle?"

Demon Blade stammered, the trace of resentment and unwillingness he had felt at being defeated in an instant having long since vanished like smoke.

Luck Emperor was a super genius with a chance of taking first place in the Genius Battle held once every five thousand years among Cosmic Humans.

Ordinary people, let alone being defeated by him in an instant, were not even qualified to stand opposite him.

How fortunate he, Demon Blade, was to have competed on the same stage as a genius of that caliber!

Seeing the yearning and anticipation in his descendant Demon Blade's eyes, Marquis Qingming shook his head. "If it's the next Genius Battle, Luck Emperor will at most squeeze into the top one thousand in the universe and secure a place in the Last Phase Secret Region."

"H-How could the difference be so great?" Demon Blade's face was full of disbelief.

According to his ancestor, even he, who had been taken out by Luck Emperor in one move, was the sort of genius who had a chance of squeezing into the top one thousand and joining the Last Phase Secret Region.

How could Luck Emperor only be able to join the Last Phase Secret Region as well?

"Silly child, haven't you considered how long it is until the next Genius Battle?"

"Like you, Luck Emperor is at a disadvantage because he's too young. He's still only at the Planetary Level."

"With only a few years, no matter how great his talent is, how far can he possibly improve his Law Comprehension?"

"If he takes part in the next Genius Battle, he'll be doing well just to join the Last Phase Secret Region."

"As for you, there's no telling whether you'll even break through to the eighth level of your domain by then."

"If you both wait another five thousand years and enter the tournament after next, hosted by the Giant Axe Arena, you will surely reap good rewards."

"Besides, monstrous geniuses are running rampant in this tournament. Some experts predict it will be the strongest Genius Battle in nearly a hundred eras. Even if Luck Emperor had the same amount of cultivation time as the other contestants, he might not make the top ten."

Marquis Qingming patiently explained it all to Demon Blade, the only talented member among his descendants with hope of breaking through to the Immortal Level and becoming another pillar of the family.

Demon Blade nodded in understanding.

Beyond every person stood another, beyond every heaven lay another heaven, and above every genius stood a greater genius.

He had encountered no shortage of so-called geniuses growing up, but they had all fallen to him.

Yet before Luck Emperor, a greater genius than himself, he was merely background to be taken out in one move.

Even Luck Emperor, who seemed like an insurmountable mountain, was merely another version of himself before still greater geniuses.

Having thought this through, Demon Blade felt much more at peace, and even the pride he had felt as the family's only divine son diminished somewhat.

There was no need to compare himself to others. As long as he sought to surpass himself and did his best, his conscience would be clear!

Watching Demon Blade's reaction, Marquis Qingming nodded imperceptibly.

The trial had greatly improved the child's state of mind, increasing his chances of becoming an Immortal. The effort he had spent guiding him had not been in vain.

That genius called Luck Emperor is truly a lucky star for my family, and his talent far surpasses Demon Blade's. Perhaps I should step forward and take him as my disciple.

If I can train a disciple who reaches the true Marquis Level, with two Immortal Gods, Demon Blade and me, within the family and my disciple Luck Emperor outside it, the family's legacy will have nothing to fear.

With that thought, Marquis Qingming sent a thread of consciousness into the Virtual Universe. Using his own channels to find Li Jing's Virtual Universe ID, he sent him a message expressing his intention to take him as a disciple.

The other important figures of Ganwu Universe Country who learned of the battle between Li Jing and Demon Blade reacted much like Marquis Qingming.

Some tried to recruit him, some wanted to take him as a disciple, and some even proposed marriage alliances with their younger relatives.

It was hard for anyone to remain calm before a wild genius like Li Jing, who had crossed the threshold of a Lower Origin Law at the Planetary Level and had hope of attaining the true Marquis Level if he did not fall.

It was not only the Three Hundred Kings and Marquises, such as Marquis Qingming, who took action. The Virtual Universe Company's Ganwu branch did as well.

After all, the Killing Field's Decisive Battle Space, where the battle had taken place, was a property of the Virtual Universe Company. Whenever a genius appeared there, the company was the first to know.

"Lord Thirteen!"

"I want to see the country ruler!" In the Ganwu Secret Region, which spanned more than a light-year in diameter, an eight-meter-tall giant in scaled armor and battle robes stood at the entrance to a great hall with his hands behind his back.