Chapter 302: The Universal Genius Battle Begins, Group Members Gather
After Lin Dong and Xiao Yan had, in their own ways, almost dominated their respective continents and settled their immediate affairs, it was finally time.
Luo Feng's long-awaited Universal Genius Battle was about to commence.
Within the vast, boundless Universe, there were countless Universal Nations, myriad hidden Divine Kingdoms, and numerous super-geniuses and bitter cultivators renowned across different regions.
[Inorin's Note: A "Universal Nation" (Yǔzhòu Guó) in Swallowed Star is a massive cosmic empire, often containing billions of galaxies. The "Ganwu Universal Nation" is the one humanity on Earth belongs to.]
Countless individuals, the pride of their planets and galaxies, would participate in this grand competition, a stage that spanned all Universal Nations.
As the old saying goes: in literature, there is no first; in martial arts, there is no second.
The more of a genius a person was, the less they would submit to others.
And this Universal Genius Battle was precisely the stage to determine, under the watch of all humanity, who was the true victor!
However, the geniuses of the Swallowed Star world probably wouldn't expect...
This Universal Genius Battle...
Someone was here to fish in very, very troubled waters.
…
[Luo Feng: "Brothers, the Universal Genius Battle is about to begin. Come over! It's time to get our qualifications for the Primal Universe!"]
[Inorin's Note: The "Primal Universe" (Yuán Shǐ Yǔzhòu) is a special dimension in Swallowed Star where the universe's fundamental laws are exposed, allowing for rapid comprehension. This is the main prize for the geniuses.]
[Xiao Yan: "So, I can finally comprehend the Primal Universe? Excellent. I've accumulated a lot of Heavenly Dao power during this time, just waiting to comprehend the Dao of Fire in the Primal Universe!"]
[Lin Dong: "I've also accumulated a lot of Heavenly Dao power, just waiting to comprehend the Dao of Five Elements!"]
[Lin Feng: "Universal Genius Battle? I'm a bit excited. I haven't been to a sci-fi-style world like this before. It makes me miss Earth a bit!"]
Although Lin Feng joined the group later, the other members had already told him about the Universal Genius Battle and its rewards.
He was quite looking forward to it.
Having been in the group for so long, he hadn't even had the chance to use the chat group's world teleportation function yet.
[Fang Han: "Coming now…"]
[Yang Qi: "Initiating teleportation…"]
…
In the Perfect World, within the Original Imperial City.
Shi Jian was cultivating, his body surrounded by the phantoms of the Hell Suppressing Furnace. Upon seeing the group message, his eyes flickered slightly.
Just as he was about to make a move, a person appeared before him in a flash.
It was Shi Hao.
"Brother! Luo Feng called us to comprehend the Primal Universe!"
Shi Hao's face also showed a hint of raw excitement and anticipation.
After joining the group, he hadn't used the chat group's world teleportation function either.
Although he had been to other people's worlds before, that was by hitching a ride with Shi Jian. He was a passenger.
This time...
He was driving himself!
The feeling was completely different.
"Let's go!"
Shi Jian smiled at his younger brother, then activated the chat group's teleportation function.
…
A few minutes later, on Earth, within Luo Feng's personal estate.
A group of people, each exuding an aura that could shatter a world, gathered in Luo Feng's living room.
In front of them, a huge, holographic screen displayed the registration webpage for the Virtual Universe Company's official website.
[Inorin's Note: The "Virtual Universe Network" (VUN) is a 100% realistic, galaxy-spanning simulation that connects all of humanity, where most training, business, and this competition take place.]
At the top of the webpage, a very conspicuous number was displayed, ticking up in real-time.
2,446,687,565…
A few seconds later...
This number jumped up by a large margin.
It directly became…
33,214,566,664…
Next to this staggering number was a line of universal text:
"Number of registrants from the Ganwu Universal Nation"
…
"So many people have registered!" Shi Hao exclaimed upon seeing the number, his eyes wide.
The Three Thousand Provinces had also held a Genius Battle before, competing for spots to enter the Immortal Ancient.
[Inorin's Note: The "Three Thousand Provinces" (Sānqiān Dào Zhōu) are the regions of the Upper Realm in Perfect World. The "Immortal Ancient" (Xiān Gǔ) was a special pocket dimension for training.]
But the number of participants in the Three Thousand Provinces Genius Battle couldn't even compare to a single fraction of the registrants in Swallowed Star.
"The entire Ganwu Universal Nation alone has over a billion galaxies," Luo Feng explained, a hint of pride in his voice.
"The Universal Genius Battle involves countless Universal Nations, and Ganwu is just one of them."
Luo Feng smiled, then continued: "I've already registered identities for you, giving you the guise of Earthlings. When you register, you'll participate under the name of Earth, Milky Way Galaxy, Ganwu Universal Nation!"
Xiao Yan was immediately displeased when he heard this:
"What are you talking about, 'giving us the guise of Earthlings'? I am an Earthling, alright!"
"Me too," Meng Qi added, adjusting his robes.
"Same here!" Li Changshou and Lin Feng also spoke up. They were all transmigrators or reincarnators who hailed from Earth.
"Alright, alright!" Luo Feng rolled his eyes. "My mistake."
He then instructed again: "There's still some time until registration closes. I called you here early because I want you to cultivate here for a while."
"Registering on this Virtual Universe Network requires a strength verification to determine your strength. You should cultivate to the Stellar level first; that way, it'll be easier to conceal your true strength!"
[Inorin's Note: "Planetary level" and "Stellar level" (Xīng Jí) are the first two major ranks in Swallowed Star's genetic evolution system. Stellar level is the baseline for participating in the Genius Battle.]
Xiao Yan and the others nodded, having no objections. This was something they had already agreed upon.
There were many unfathomable experts in the Virtual Universe Company, beings who could oversee the entire universe.
If they just barged in with their original power, it would be a bit disrespectful... and would ruin all the fun.
"Although it's a new cultivation system, we don't lack resources, and with our Heavenly Dao power assisting us, we should be able to break through to the Stellar level in a few days."
"After all, most of us have already cultivated to the Planetary level before." Shi Jian spoke.
Aside from the newcomers Li Changshou and Lin Feng, the other members in the group had all cultivated the Law of the Swallowed Star world before. It was a requirement in order to awaken the "Five Emperors' True Body" talent.
And they had even broken through to the Planetary level.
It was considered having laid a foundation. Picking it up again to cultivate now was not difficult.
It also didn't matter that Li Changshou and Lin Feng hadn't encountered it before.
After all, they had foundations from other worlds that were billions of times more profound.
Their understanding and horizons of cultivation were on a completely different level.
Cultivating it would not be difficult.
Lin Feng nodded: "Then let's start cultivating. We'll register after breaking through to the Stellar level... Then we'll participate in the Universal Genius Battle to gain the qualification to comprehend the Primal Universe!"
…
Luo Feng could have registered directly, but he didn't. Instead, he patiently waited for everyone for a while.
Everyone began to cultivate the Law of the Swallowed Star world.
Planetary level...
Stellar level…
After some time, which felt laughably short to Luo Feng, the group members successively experienced breakthroughs.
All of them, with casual ease, broke through to the Stellar level.
Subsequently, a large group of them registered with great fanfare.
Shortly after they finished registering...
The Universal Genius Battle registration officially closed.
An email was sent to all of their new virtual accounts.
"Welcome to the Universal Human Peak Genius Selection!"
"This selection has seen over 8,800 billion Stellar level experts register within the Ganwu Universal Nation alone, which is 100 billion more than the previous session!"
"Our Virtual Universe Company guarantees that the genius selection will be conducted under absolutely fair conditions."
"Registrants' cultivation levels vary. In order to fairly select true geniuses, all participants' physical attributes will be maintained at the Stellar level 9-star standard…"
"Everyone's psychic power will also be maintained at the Stellar level 9-star standard. The genius selection tests will focus on willpower, Domain, experience, and Law comprehension, among other conditions, where everyone is equal!"
"This selection is divided into two major stages. The first stage will select the top 1,000 experts from each major Universal Nation. In the second stage, the 1,000 experts from each Universal Nation will gather for the final grand finals…"
The few people in the group laughed as they read the email from the Virtual Universe Company.
"It seems this Universal Genius Battle isn't so boring after all!" Lin Dong was eager to try.
With his current Ancestral Realm combat power, participating in a Stellar level Universal Genius Battle...
[Inorin's Note: "Ancestral Realm" (Zǔ Jìng) is the peak of cultivation in Wu Dong Qian Kun, a realm of creation and mastery over a world.]
It would normally be like playing a game on easy mode.
However, this Universal Genius Battle was conducted in the Virtual Universe.
Everyone used standardized, virtual "blank" bodies. This meant it would all come down to skill. Martial skill, willpower, and combat experience.
In that case...
There was still some fun to be had.
"A single pre-selection requires choosing the top 100,000 from over 8,800 billion, with everyone else eliminated... Just thinking about it feels crazy!"
A trace of bloodlust flashed in Fang Han's eyes.
Over 8,800 billion people thrown into a single world for a crazy, massive slaughter.
He was a bit excited.
"I can already imagine the scene of mountains of corpses and seas of blood!" Yang Qi was also somewhat excited, his gaze far-off.
If it wasn't a pure crushing victory based on power levels...
Participating in this Universal Genius Battle was still very interesting.
Killing ten people in one step, blood splattering across the world.
It was very satisfying!
Apart from Li Changshou, the others in the group were all battle-hungry individuals.
After learning the scale of the Universal Genius Battle, they were already eager to try.
"Let's compare our battle records then. See who eliminates more people!" Lin Dong spoke excitedly, a competitive fire in his eyes.
"Okay!" Yang Qi, Fang Han, and Shi Hao immediately responded.
"What's the bet?" Xiao Yan chimed in, rubbing his hands.
Meng Qi stroked his chin and suggested, "How about a round of 'You're amazing'?"
[Inorin's Note: "You're amazing" (nǐ hěn yǒng ó) is a popular internet meme/joke, fitting for Meng Qi's personality.]
"Okay," Shi Jian said with a faint smile, "But let's add 1,000 points of Heavenly Dao power. A bonus."
This was considered a decent bonus. The Heavenly Dao power obtained by several people from the Heavens' Instances could be transferred by sending red packets.
"I'm in!"
"Me too!"
A group of people eagerly made the bet. They all wanted to compete to see who eliminated more people.
If their true bodies were participating, Xiao Yan and Lin Dong certainly couldn't compare to Yang Qi and Shi Jian. After all, their strength was a notch weaker.
But if they were all using identical virtual "blank" bodies?
Then... my sword might not be without its sharpness.
...
After registering and making the bet, the registration period officially closed. The Virtual Universe Company began its preparations for the elimination round.
Shi Jian and the others, having nothing to do while waiting, didn't return to their own worlds. Instead, they decided to explore the Swallowed Star world.
Coming to such a high-technology world...
The most important thing was to enjoy oneself.
Xiao Yan, Li Changshou, and Meng Qi immediately began to fulfill their previous agreement. They opened a virtual game company.
Specializing in making... games.
What kind of games, you ask?
Of course, it was the "boy whose grades were not ideal, so his mother hired a 'tutor'..."
Of course, it was the "wife facing her husband's impending layoff, who has to 'negotiate' with his boss..."
Of course, it was the "female student caught stealing bread at the convenience store, who has to 'work off' her debt..."
Cough, cough.
This was the good thing about advanced technology.
A virtual space with 100% simulation of reality. Xiao Yan argued it was a "waste" to only use it for fighting. They were simply "sharing culture" and exploring "profound human emotions."
...
Lin Dong, on the other hand, mysteriously entered a film and television company, then came out a day later, cursing.
"Damn, what a garbage company! What a garbage director! How dare they say my 'Martial Ancestor's Biography' was too trashy? They wouldn't film it even if I paid them…"
Lin Dong was furious. He had good intentions! He wanted to let the people of this Different World appreciate his grand, epic work. He wanted to let them experience the impact of culture from another world!
And incidentally, film it as a TV series for wider dissemination.
As a result, the people of this world had no appreciation whatsoever!
How dare they say his 'Martial Ancestor's Biography' was trashy? The director had called it a "vain, self-insert harem fantasy with a one-dimensional, angsty protagonist."
Truly unappreciative.
"Geniuses are indeed lonely…"
Lin Dong sighed with such emotion.
...
Luo Feng felt his younger brother's gaze towards him had been a bit strange these past two days.
Luo Hua was a business genius. When he was on Earth, he was very good at playing with economics. Upon arriving in the Ganwu Nation, he was still very good at investing.
He even specifically established a company, which had already earned a lot of money.
These past few days, the group members weren't cultivating; they were just wandering around, "experiencing" the world.
Luo Feng alone couldn't take care of everyone.
So, he had Luo Hua's company try its best to meet the needs of his "brothers."
As a result...
Luo Feng felt Luo Hua's gaze towards him had been extremely strange these past few days. It was a look of pity, embarrassment, and deep, deep confusion.
Could it be that the group members caused trouble?
Luo Feng was very confused.
The group members were relaxed, but he couldn't relax.
He was cultivating every single day, trying to catch up.
So he had no idea what the group members were really doing.
His pressure was too great.
Among the group members, he was the weakest.
He was at the bottom before.
And he was still at the bottom now.
This made him very helpless.
Initially, when his strength was weak, he thought it was because he joined the group late.
After all, when he joined the group, the members had already been developing for a year.
At that time, he thought it was normal for those who joined later to be weaker.
But then... after Li Changshou and Lin Feng also joined the group.
Luo Feng was confused.
Didn't they say that those who joined later would be weaker?
How come each one was stronger than the last?
He used to have Shi Hao accompanying him at the bottom...
But Shi Hao just tapped his finger, activated his cheat, and his cultivation soared.
With the title of "weakest in the group" hanging over his head every day, Luo Feng dared not rest for a moment!
...
Amidst Luo Feng's confusion and diligent efforts...
And the unbridled joy of the other group members...
The Universal Human Peak Genius Selection officially began!
Countless people who had registered for the genius selection began to gather in the virtual space.
Out of over 8,800 billion people, those who dared to register all had some confidence.
Some had fortuitous encounters, finding the legacies of ancient powerhouses.
Some had very strong talents, born to comprehend the laws.
Some met good teachers.
Some had the heart of a strong individual, unyielding and sharp.
…
In short, all kinds of geniuses gathered together, a sea of ambitious faces.
And among these geniuses...
A batch of ridiculously, unfairly, monstrously strong people had snuck in.
Fortuitous encounters? They had them, and more than anyone here could imagine.
Talent? They were ridiculously strong, the protagonists of their own worlds.
Met good teachers? There were too many.
Heart of a strong individual? Forget the heart of a strong individual, they could even conjure up an invincible heart.
They had everything others had.
They also had things others didn't.
The fishing game...
Had begun!
…
In the endless starry sky, immortal-level strong individuals stood, their gazes penetrating worlds. A deep voice that made space tremble echoed:
"Children, go forth and display the might of my Ganwu Nation!"
This was the Nation Leader of the Ganwu Nation. He had been in the position of Nation Leader for billions of years.
Before him were the Stellar level geniuses he had meticulously cultivated, the future of the nation.
At this moment, these geniuses were all full of fighting spirit, their hearts filled with excitement as they prepared to rush to the battlefield…
They were completely unaware of what they were about to face.
…
Countless people were paying attention to this genius selection.
The group members and many Stellar level experts were all gathered together in a massive virtual plaza.
"The pre-selection will be divided into 100 world zones. I'm in Zone 1. What about you guys?" Luo Feng asked the other group members.
"Zone 66! What an auspicious number…" Xiao Yan was happy when he saw the zone he was assigned to.
"Zone 4…" Shi Jian also responded.
"This number... it's a bit unlucky!" he sighed.
"Then what about my 44?" Meng Qi was also speechless when he saw the zone he was assigned to. "Doubled... this is even more unlucky! It must be my karma."
Yang Qi and the others weren't bothered by these numbers.
However, as native Earthlings, Meng Qi, Xiao Yan, and Shi Jian were quite superstitious about numbers.
Even though they were ridiculously strong now...
But this was something etched into their genes.
"Haha, I'm 8! Looks like I'm going to get rich…" Li Changshou was happily chuckling nearby.
"It seems none of us were assigned to the same zone!" Fang Han, who was beside them, looked at Yang Qi's zone and spoke.
Yang Qi's was 78.
His was 52.
"Indeed not. I'm 93…" Shi Hao also stated his zone.
Lin Feng was 61.
No one was assigned to the same zone.
…
After learning each other's zones, the few people no longer dwelled on the matter of numbers.
"4 is 4," Shi Jian's gaze swept across his surroundings, where figures were everywhere, a sea of geniuses. "But it's not my 4... it's theirs."
The others followed his gaze, looking at the pumped-up, ambitious, and hopeful people around them.
Then, they all smiled.
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