"Then tell me," Babata continued, "how many geniuses do you think exist across more than a thousand star systems? At the very least, there are tens of thousands. Some star systems are even more extreme, producing tens of thousands of geniuses on their own. And the Black Dragon Mountain Star Field is considered one of the weaker regions among the several thousand star systems governed by the Ganwu Universe Nation."
She spoke steadily, laying out the scale with chilling clarity.
"When you add together several thousand star systems, the total easily exceeds hundreds of millions. And that is not even counting the additional stellar-rank participants. Many powerful stellar-rank cultivators enter the competition not to win, but to support their own clans' prodigies. Their purpose is simple. Clear the path. Exhaust rival geniuses. Probe enemy techniques and hidden cards. Feed all that information back to their own side."
"Because of that, the total number of participants multiplies explosively."
She paused briefly, letting the implication sink in.
"And the Ganwu Universe Nation is just one of the universe's one thousand and eight cosmic nations. So the total number of participants across the entire event absolutely exceeds one hundred billion. Conservatively speaking, it likely starts at six hundred billion."
The more Babata explained, the more stunned Luo Feng became. His expression was one of disbelief, as though his understanding of scale was being shattered and rebuilt from the ground up.
"To stand out among hundreds of billions of geniuses…" he murmured. "That difficulty is worse than winning the lottery."
Thunder God felt something strange stir inside him.
Logically, numbers like this should inspire fear.
Yet instead of dread, his blood began to boil.
His lips spoke caution, but his body trembled with excitement, as though every cell was urging him toward battle.
Rowan noticed it immediately.
But Thunder God was not the only one.
Even Hong, who appeared as steady as a mountain on the surface, betrayed himself if one looked closely. Within his calm gaze flickered a faint red glow, the unmistakable light of suppressed exhilaration.
To rise above hundreds of billions of geniuses meant enduring slaughter beyond imagination. But the more brutal the trial, the more it ignited Hong's hunger for challenge.
Seeing their rising morale, Rowan smiled.
He had invested enormous effort into strengthening Hong, Thunder God, and Luo Feng. Compared to the original course of events, their combined strength had increased by an overwhelming margin.
There was no chance they would fail to break into the Ganwu Universe Nation's final rankings this time.
At that moment, Babata spoke again, her tone solemn.
"The top one thousand participants in the universal ranking receive three major rewards."
"First, prize money ranging from ten Chaos Units to ten thousand Chaos Units, depending on rank."
"Second, a qualification to enter the Primordial Universe for comprehension."
"Third, eligibility to become an internal Core Member of the Virtual Universe Company."
She looked at them carefully before continuing.
"The first reward is the least attractive to you. Money is plentiful, but it cannot compare to the value of comprehending the Primordial Universe, nor the status of becoming a Core Member."
"The Primordial Universe cannot be accessed with wealth alone. One day of comprehension there is equivalent to hundreds or even thousands of years of cultivation."
"And as for Core Members, the resources and mentors provided are the very best. Once you reach that level, your minimum future achievement is an invincible World Lord. The upper limit is limitless."
"You must seize this opportunity."
These words carried tremendous weight.
Babata had followed Hu Yanbo for over sixty million years and had witnessed countless genius battles hosted by both the Virtual Universe Company and the Giant Axe Arena. No one understood the true value of these rewards better than she did.
Back then, one of Hu Yanbo's World Lord disciples had been eliminated during a genius battle held by the Giant Axe Arena. Hu Yanbo recognized his potential anyway and recruited him. That disciple willingly joined the Meteorite Star lineage.
Unfortunately, fate had not been kind to him in the end.
In truth, the Virtual Universe Genius Battle was jointly organized by the Giant Axe Arena and the Virtual Universe Company. They alternated hosting every ten thousand years. This era belonged to the Virtual Universe Company. The next would belong to the Giant Axe Arena.
Talent distribution between the two was strictly balanced.
After hearing Babata's explanation, Luo Feng and the others felt an overwhelming sense of yearning.
Each of them clenched their fists silently.
No matter what, they would carve out a name for themselves in this genius battle.
At the same time, forces across the cosmos began to stir.
Many organizations far weaker than the Virtual Universe Company and the Giant Axe Arena watched the event closely, hoping to seize overlooked talent.
Some geniuses would shine brilliantly yet be eliminated due to unfavorable circumstances. Those were the ones these factions sought.
Such individuals held immense future potential. If nurtured properly, each could eventually become an Immortal.
Thus, every force hoped to discover their chosen gem within this grand contest.
Soon, the date arrived.
May 16.
The day the Virtual Universe Genius Battle officially began.
Rowan and the others had returned to Earth and gathered at the Hongning Base. Together, they donned their virtual helmets and entered the Virtual Universe.
Under the guidance of the Virtual Universe Company, they arrived at a colossal virtual plaza.
The moment they looked around, they were stunned.
An endless sea of figures stretched in every direction.
"So many people…" Thunder God shouted. "Even if you let me kill nonstop, I still would not finish in a lifetime."
After arriving, they completed identity registration as arranged.
The first round of the selection was a preliminary elimination based on points.
A total of 820 billion participants from the Ganwu Universe Nation were divided into one hundred world zones.
Each zone contained approximately 8.2 billion contestants.
The rules were simple and brutal.
Participants earned points through combat. Killing an opponent granted one point plus half of the opponent's accumulated points.
Everyone had only one life.
Death meant elimination.
The top 1001 in each world zone advanced. If points were tied, ranking was determined by who reached that score first. Once someone reached the cutoff rank, their coordinates would be revealed, making them targets for others.
"This is insanity," Hong muttered. "Eight point two billion geniuses in a single zone. Is this the foundation of the universe?"
Thunder God, however, was already itching for battle. His mind was filled with visions of cutting down enemies and claiming first place.
Luo Feng and Rowan both clenched their fists, fully prepared.
Zone assignment began.
System notifications were delivered directly to their mailboxes.
"Which zone are you in?" Rowan asked.
"Zone One," Rowan said after checking, surprised. By logic, that placement should have gone to Luo Feng.
"I'm Zone Thirty One," Thunder God laughed.
"Zone Thirty Nine," Hong said.
"Zone Seventy One," Luo Feng added.
Aside from Rowan taking Luo Feng's original position, their placements differed entirely from the original timeline.
At least this time, Thunder God would not encounter Rong Jun. Even if he did, the outcome would not resemble the past. Thunder God was far stronger now.
They waited calmly in the staging area.
Then suddenly, a formation of warriors approached.
One by one, they knelt.
"We pay our respects to Lord Rowan!"
Rowan froze.
A thousand-man squad stood before him, led by a handsome youth clad in silver armor. Only the leader refrained from kneeling, bowing slightly instead.
"What is this?" Rowan asked.
He recognized the leader immediately. Nabini, the peak genius of the younger generation of the Black Dragon Empire. Nabini had stepped into the threshold of the Water Law and possessed formidable talent.
Pride radiated from him.
A genius carried his own arrogance.
"Lord Rowan," Nabini said coolly, "by order of the Black Dragon Emperor, we are to protect you during the preliminary selection and ensure you enter the top one thousand and one."
"Anyone assigned to Lord Rowan's zone is to prioritize his safety."
Rowan clicked his tongue.
"I do not need protection. Focus on yourselves."
He could tell Nabini looked down on him, likely viewing him as someone who rose through status rather than strength.
Nabini offered no reply. He was merely following orders.
As the countdown echoed through the plaza, silence fell.
"Nineteen… eighteen… seventeen… one!"
In an instant, everyone vanished.
Three seconds later, Rowan appeared in World Zone One.
The city before him was breathtaking. Towering structures of advanced technology pierced the clouds.
A simple interface appeared.
Participant: Rowan
Affiliation: Black Dragon Empire
Points: 0
Rank: Unlisted
World Zone: One
Duration: Thirty days
This world was a perfect replica of a planet within the Ganwu Universe Nation. Ninety-one cities spanned over thirteen million square kilometers, larger than Earth itself.
Soon, contestants flooded in.
Combat erupted instantly.
Weapons flashed. Psychic blades tore through the air. Explosions thundered.
Limbs scattered. Blood sprayed.
Three groups targeted Rowan at once.
Without hesitation, Rowan activated his psychic power. The Sky Shuttle transformed into the Swordfish Formation.
In a single flash, four attackers were pierced clean through.
Seven points appeared on his interface.
Seeing this, others retreated, choosing weaker prey.
Rowan calmly entered a nearby building, selected a comfortable room, lay down on the bed, and closed his eyes.
To any observer, he appeared relaxed.
But beneath his closed lids, a faint crimson light burned quietly.