Chapter 159: Ancestral Land! Ancestral Land!
Although the matches between the five Universe-level candidates could be completed in a single day, the event drew immense attention. Most of the spectators were geniuses from the core layers of various secret realms, along with a number of kings and venerables. All eyes were focused on one name—Jiang Zhe.
The qualification battles had officially begun.
Round 1: Jiang Zhe vs. Feito!
This was considered the most intense and high-stakes match of the entire ten rounds.
Taichu District, Royal Estate of Prince Wuka of Planet Manka
The "Three Bears of Taichu" — Luo Feng, Rong Jun, and Wuka — were gathered in the living room of the estate. They drank while preparing to watch the live stream of the Original Secret Realm battles.
"My estate… ugh…"
"It won't be long before I'm kicked out of the Taichu District and forced to move to the Heaven District," Wuka wailed, casting a glance at his two friends. "We agreed we'd rise together as the 'Three Bears of Taichu'... but one of you made it into the top three to compete for the Original Secret Realm; the other held steady in the Taichu Realm... and me? I'm getting kicked to the Heaven District. Boohoo…"
Luo Feng and Rong Jun just chuckled, not knowing how to console him.
But Prince Wuka had a cheerful disposition and recovered quickly from setbacks.
"Hmph!"
"Every generation is like this. It's normal for me to be eliminated. But just you wait—within the next century, I'll claw my way back into the Taichu Realm. And in another hundred years, I'll enter the Original Secret Realm too!"
He raised his cup and declared his ambition loudly.
"We'll be waiting," Rong Jun said with a laugh.
"Do your best, Prince Wuka. I'll be waiting for you in the Original Secret Realm," Luo Feng teased.
That jab made both friends glance at him with interest.
Wuka and Rong Jun exchanged looks, then asked pointedly, "Original Secret Realm? You think you can beat Werewolf Krove?"
Luo Feng froze for a second before muttering, "The gap between us isn't that wide. If we fought again... who knows what the outcome would be."
Despite his words, Luo Feng wasn't confident.
Krove had a deeper comprehension of the Laws of Gold—he was slightly ahead.
Luo Feng thought to himself: The only real advantages I have are my mental pressure and amplified thought power. If I had ten more years... no, with the six Beast God statues helping me, I might not even need ten years. I'd surpass Krove and make it into the Original Secret Realm.
But time wasn't on his side. If he missed this opportunity, it'd be another hundred years before the next one. It was frustrating beyond words.
"I have to make it into the Original Secret Realm. Senior Brother already prepared a gift for me—I can't let him down."
Though he was speaking aloud, it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself.
Ever since he received the treasure from the World of Blood Luo, he believed that anything coming from his senior brother must be extraordinary. Entering the Original Secret Realm meant a free opportunity—one he couldn't afford to miss.
Wuka and Rong Jun exchanged glances again, envy flashing in their eyes.
In the universe, talent and resources go hand-in-hand.
Luo Feng wasn't just talented—he had a powerful senior brother watching over him. That was far more than what they, the so-called "Three Bears of Taichu," could boast.
They'd even heard from mentors and elders that Jiang Zhe had already been accepted as a personal disciple by a high-ranking member of the company—though it hadn't been publicly announced yet.
(This was referring to the Lord of Chaos City.)
From bits and pieces they'd gathered, Jiang Zhe and Luo Feng were likely direct descendants of the Virtual Universe Company's core—true insiders.
As long as these two didn't die prematurely, they were destined for greatness.
"Forget Krove—your senior brother's battle is starting," Rong Jun reminded Luo Feng.
Luo Feng turned to the screen.
Lightning cracked across the screen—
A torrential storm poured down on a tropical rainforest as two figures suddenly appeared midair.
The battle began.
Jiang Zhe lifted his hand, index finger extended. A spark of lightning surged from his fingertip, piercing the dark, rain-soaked sky like a mythical spear—Gungnir, the Spear of Destiny—and struck Feito directly in the head.
It was over.
One finger kill!
The crowd fell silent.
Feito had seen the attack coming—his panicked expression made that clear—but he couldn't dodge. He could only stand frozen and await death.
The gap between them was immense—this was an overwhelming suppression.
The battles continued:
Sima Yan – one finger kill.
Molo – one finger kill.
Bolan – one finger kill.
Jiang Zhe won four battles in a row and claimed his spot in the Original Secret Realm.
The remaining six battles wrapped up quickly. A gloomy Feito took the second spot.
Sima Yan, Molo, Bolan, Luo Feng, Krove, and Yufeng would now compete for the final remaining spot.
Back at Wuka's estate
After the livestream ended, the screen shut off automatically. The "Three Bears of Taichu" sat in silence.
Jiang Zhe's overwhelming dominance had stunned them. They barely remembered watching the other six matches.
To have such a terrifying rival in their generation—it was almost tragic.
Even the normally carefree Rong Jun forced a bitter smile. "Luo Feng, how long is your senior brother staying in the Original Secret Realm? If he keeps dominating like this, we've got no chance."
Wuka looked to Luo Feng as well.
If Jiang Zhe moved on, one more spot in the Taichu Realm would open up, increasing Wuka's chances of returning next century.
Luo Feng didn't hide anything. "My senior brother is doing the 'Purgatory Abyss' mission. He told me it's his last training task. Once completed, he'll break through to Domain Lord and move on. He won't be around for the next round of qualification battles."
Both Rong Jun and Wuka breathed a sigh of relief.
Luo Feng, however, leaned forward on the couch, swirling the wine in his glass so neither friend could see his expression.
Unlike his friends, Luo Feng's mentality was different.
To become strong, how can you fear competition?
Senior Brother, I'm not afraid of competing with you. You've always been my goal—and I want to surpass you!
Wuka suddenly asked, "Luo Feng, you and your senior brother... are you from some hidden race? A place with immortals everywhere, where Venerables roam the streets? You guys seem way beyond our Manka, Wild God, Augus, or Ancestral Mother races."
Luo Feng's grip on his cup tightened, but he composed himself, face calm.
He smiled and replied, "Why do you say that? We're just ordinary human race members. Nothing special—just lucky to have good opportunities."
Wuka scoffed, "Not special? The Taichu and Original Secret Realms have 43 members—41 different races. You and your brother are from the same one. So are Chenshui and Jiang Mo, the brother-sister duo from Augus Star."
"But even they shocked everyone by both making it into Taichu. Now they've dropped to the Heaven Realm with me—so much for the Augus name."
"Yet you and your brother, two freakish geniuses from the same race, both made it into the Original Secret Realm? Your background can't be ordinary!"
Rong Jun looked at Luo Feng too, starting to suspect something.
Luo Feng's expression shifted. "Sorry, something's come up in real life. We'll talk later." He suddenly vanished—gone offline.
Chaotic currents surged within the temple, vaguely revealing an immense, shadowy figure — the avatar of the Chaos Lord.
The Dark Lord paused, raising an eyebrow. "Of course I've kept an eye on them. Those two youngsters, Jiang Zhe and Luo Feng… same race, same era, both entering the Primal Secret Realm at once — that's exceedingly rare. Surely, you don't think that's normal, do you?"
The Chaos Lord let out a deep laugh, the swirling chaos around him exuding an overwhelming might.
"Normal? Far from it."
"Out of the countless trillions of humans in our territory, for two such monsters to emerge simultaneously in a single generation… there's definitely something unusual at play."
The Dark Lord narrowed his eyes, a faint smile on his lips. "So what are you planning? Launch a full investigation?"
"An investigation?" The Chaos Lord's voice was calm. "If our race were weak, driven to the brink by the insectoids, machines, or demons, we'd naturally spare no mercy — seize them for experiments, uproot them if needed."
"But our human race is stable and strong. We're not so desperate for resources. Instead of stifling potential prematurely, it's wiser to nurture truly extraordinary talents."
"Besides, the planet they come from isn't simple… I've tried to divine its cause and effect, but everything turns vague and chaotic, as if it's shrouded by a force beyond my level. Even I can't see through it."
A glint of surprise flashed in the Dark Lord's eyes. He spoke softly, "That only proves that planet is even more unusual. If there's a hidden threat—"
"It might also hold unimaginable opportunity."
The Chaos Lord said lightly, "You know as well as I do, our race has long sought a breakthrough — for someone to truly transcend, to break free from the shackles of the universe's source."
"I have a feeling that planet might just be the key."
The Dark Lord fell silent. Of course he understood what transcendence meant.
It was ultimate freedom beyond even the laws of the universe sea — true dominion, where not even the universe's source will could bind them.
After a long pause, the Dark Lord gave a small laugh. "So you intend to simply let them grow?"
"Heh… I plan more than just letting them grow," the Chaos Lord's deep laughter echoed, "That 'Abyssal Trial' for Jiang Zhe? I arranged that personally. Once he completes the final steps, I'll guide him myself. As for Luo Feng, I've already placed him on the candidate list for inheritors — we'll test him a few more years."
The Dark Lord raised an eyebrow. "You really do play favorites."
"So what if I do? Our race needs monsters like them."
"And if that planet of theirs hides some monumental secret… once they grow into Universe Lords or beyond, its secrets will become our race's secrets."
The chaotic currents slowly began to recede.
The Chaos Lord's voice echoed, deep and boundless:
"I'll keep watch over their homeworld from the shadows. Unless a real threat emerges, that ancestral planet… I'll leave for them to protect."
The Dark Lord nodded slightly, then turned and left the temple.
Meanwhile, deep in the starry void aboard a Machine Clan ship, Jiang Zhe opened his eyes, his gaze profound.
"So… the Chaos Lord truly has been watching all along."
He exhaled softly.
Yet a chilling determination soon flickered in his eyes.
"No matter what, Earth must be protected by us. Even if, one day, it means standing against the entire universe — it will be our hands that do it."
Slowly, he clenched his fist. Waves of stellar force rippled out from his body, hinting at an imminent breakthrough.
"Next step… domain master external projection."
"Luo Feng, don't fall behind. We'll meet again at the universe's peak to see who stands higher!"
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