However, the star core was fast, and Yi Tianxing's reflexes were even faster. The moment he saw the star core, the Pagoda instantly emitted a divine light that immediately enveloped the star core and absorbed it inside.
Though it was exposed on the Battlefield of Gods and Demons for less than a breath, Yi Tianxing could clearly feel the immense energy contained within the star core—energy that was unprecedented. This was the core of a star, the very essence of a celestial body. The sheer magnitude was beyond imagination. Even if this wasn't the star core at its prime, its value remained incalculable.
Forget the star core—any other materials from the star gate were top-tier treasures. At the very instant these star gate fragments were absorbed into the Pagoda and appeared in the chaotic space, countless chaotic energies launched a swift invasion on the fragments. Some even gave birth to chaotic true fire, rapidly refining the star gate shards into wisps of chaotic energy, which then merged into the chaotic space. The chaotic space began to expand rapidly.
Previously, after opening several new spaces within the towers, many of these tower spaces had fallen and expanded quickly, once again breaking through to an area of ten thousand miles in diameter—and the expansion showed no signs of stopping.
Especially because of that star core.
Every ray of starlight it emitted contained pure energy. Once refined, it naturally caused the chaotic energy to surge. This was a return to origin. Earlier, Yi Tianxing had absorbed a piece of a star core, but that was merely a meteor fragment—not a complete star core—so the energy it held was incomparable.
Now, this star core caused the tower space to swell continuously and relentlessly.
The twenty-three tower spaces' primordial energies were tempering the Heavenly Emperor Pagoda. On the tower's body, countless divine lights intersected, and the runic patterns were being incessantly inscribed.
"Good. Shattering one star gate not only yields tremendous benefits but also grants massive merit points. If I can shatter one, then I can shatter a second, a third," Yi Tianxing thought, feeling a surge of excitement from the violent changes occurring within the Heavenly Emperor Pagoda.
If this were truly the case, it would be an unparalleled stroke of fortune.
"Damn it! How dare you destroy the star gate! If I could descend, I would tear you limb from limb!"An enraged roar came from a black tentacle. It wanted to strike again, but some powerful rule in this realm prevented its descent. It could only emit a resentful roar.
Whoosh!
At the moment the star gate was utterly destroyed, sudden strange phenomena appeared above the Battlefield of Gods and Demons with no warning. The sky was ablaze with dazzling celestial blossoms, booming horns, and divine melodies. Radiant divine light burst forth in all directions, and in the void, a gigantic scroll glowing with purple divine brilliance appeared.
Beneath the scroll stood a platform, upon which stood two eggs.
"The Hongmeng Ten-Thousand Spirits Ranking!!"
The moment the ranking appeared, an aura naturally spread across the entire battlefield. No matter where one was, in any corner of the battlefield, the ranking was visible and the immense, unfathomable aura could be felt.
At this moment, the previously unclear ranking board began to emit divine light waves. It seemed as if something was about to be revealed—something ready to emerge fully.
"To all cultivators of the various races who have entered the Battlefield of Gods and Demons, good morning! Isn't it a pleasant surprise to see your favorite brother Xiaosa here at this moment? I want to say to all of you who love me... I... miss you," Xiaosa Brother said passionately. "Of course, except for one dog."
"And one monkey too!!"Heida Shuai chimed in.
"Today, it's naturally a big deal that we meet again," Xiaosa Brother said.
"Just now," Heida Shuai added.
"The Hongmeng Ten-Thousand Spirits Ranking has officially opened," Xiaosa Brother continued.
"What does this mean? It means the Hongmeng Ranking will reveal the true eternal continent races' rankings among the myriad heavens and tribes," Heida Shuai said excitedly, his voice filled with emotion.
"However, to open the Hongmeng Ranking for the first time, some race must first achieve a massive amount of merit points on the Battlefield of Gods and Demons. The merit points required are calculated in hundreds of millions. Only when a race reaches one hundred million merit points will the ranking officially open. We thought it would take some time, but within just a few days, one race has already done it. It's truly exciting," Xiaosa Brother said eagerly.
"The race that opens the Hongmeng Ranking will receive a reward, granted to the one who has earned the most merit points within that race. As for what the prize is, we'll keep it a secret for now—to protect privacy," Hei dashuai said coolly.
"Now, let's see which race is the first to appear on the list. Is it the top-tier races like the Immortal Spirit Clan, the Titan Clan, or will there be a surprise?" Xiaosa Ge said, looking expectantly at the Hongmeng Ranking.
At that moment, not only they but all cultivators and powerful beings from various races in the Battlefield of Gods and Demons raised their eyes to the void, staring fixedly at the purple-golden ranking board. Clearly, everyone cared deeply about which race could claim the top spot. Although the current ranking leader did not guarantee the final outcome, this moment was one of endless glory—true fame across the myriad heavens and tribes.
Brilliant light shone forth!!
To put it plainly: this was a moment to show off.
No race was without expectations.
One by one, their eyes nearly popped out.
The Hongmeng Ranking's radiance gradually dimmed, and suddenly two characters appeared on the blank board:
Human Race!!
Top Spot: Human Race
Merit Points: 1,030,000,000
The two characters "Human Race" shimmered with purple-golden light, hanging high at the top of the ranking, as if countless human beings striving to build a glorious civilization could be seen within those words.
At that moment, the entire battlefield fell silent.
Cultivators of all races couldn't help but gape, their faces showing surprise—shock even. No one had expected this outcome.
After the silence came an uproar.
"Impossible! How could it be the Human Race? That weak race can't possibly have over a billion merit points. Cheating! This must be cheating."
"No way! The Human Race is the weakest race without top-tier immortal sects. They're nothing but prey to fierce beasts. How could they top the ranking? I don't believe it. This can't be real."
"Shame! Shame on us! To let the Human Race take the top spot? Such a weak race riding above us—what disgrace! If this gets out, we'll lose all face."
The Battlefield of Gods and Demons erupted into chaos.
Many strong warriors of various races showed expressions of shocked anger.
If any other race took the top spot, they wouldn't react so strongly. But because it was the Human Race, the contrast with their preconceptions was too great—too unbearable to accept.
It was like in a noble family:
They were the masters, the young lords. The Human Race was the household servants. Seeing their former servants suddenly sitting above them was humiliating—an overwhelming sense of shame and anger.
Unacceptable. Absolutely unacceptable.
How could the Human Race have so many merit points?
"The Human Race... for us to top the ranking, who is it that has gained such merit? If there's a chance, I, Xiang Yu, must drink with them and celebrate," said a heavily armored, naturally imposing figure in a not-so-large battle city. He opened his heavy eyes to the void with astonishment and anticipation.
"Father Ya, who among the Human Race do you think could possess such ability?"Beside Xiang Yu stood a middle-aged man in scholar's robes, standing silently, chest deep with contemplation.
"Among the Human Race, heroes emerge one after another. This is the convergence of the myriad worlds—heroes from all eras gathered together. It's possible for an unparalleled prodigy to appear. However, the current situation is unclear, so it's premature to guess," Fan Zeng shook his head and said. "Now that the Human Race tops the ranking, they will become the target of every tribe in the heavens and earth—thorn in the flesh, eyesores. Those alien races have despised humans from the start. Now that humans surpass them, they won't let it go easily. Many difficulties will follow. We must prepare early."
"Hmph, no matter how many alien races, what fear do I, Xiang Yu, have?" Xiang Yu's face showed pride as he said firmly.
He was the Overlord, fearless before all enemies!
...
"Good! The Human Race topping the ranking calls for a grand celebration! I don't know which human prodigy achieved this, but if I may meet them, I, Liu Bang, am willing to share the world with them," said Liu Bang, gripping the sword at his waist, looking up at the Hongmeng Ranking in the void with an unusual expression.
...
On the battlefield, a young man wearing a white robe and holding a white feather fan looked up at the void. Seeing the Human Race at the top of the ranking, his eyes flashed with surprise before revealing deep interest.
"The Human Race appearing at the top is indeed unexpected. For their strength, there are pros and cons: it vindicates humans but also makes them a target for all other races. At this moment, I suspect many races plan to drag the Human Race down from the top. Storms are coming. Who will be the wise leader?" said Jin Lun Yu Shi meaningfully.
Glancing around, he chose a direction and continued walking, moving with the grace of an immortal, exuding extraordinary demeanor.
The top spot is not easy to sit on.
It's glorious to ascend, but to hold steady and remain there is no simple matter. Fall from the top, and the more glorious you were, the more humiliating the fall.