Yuan’s Ascension

Years passed.

Perhaps motivated by Wu Yuan, or perhaps because sufficient time for adequate accumulation had gone by, more and more top-tier geniuses broke through to the 3000th step.

Sixteen…Eighteen…Twenty-one.

However, each peerless genius who comprehended the Three Thousand Foundation Diagrams would unconsciously look up at that solitary figure above.

Wu Yuan! He stood alone, towering above all other geniuses.

Upon reaching the 3000th step and beginning to contemplate the Primal Force Diagrams, these geniuses truly understood how terrifying Wu Yuan's achievement was.

"On the path of matter, Wu Yuan is undoubtedly first!"

"None can contend with him."

"If Zhu Shan is invincible in combat prowess, then Wu Yuan is unrivaled in aptitude for the Primordial Doctrine." This was the consensus among thousands of geniuses.

Gradually, some speculative voices arose, wondering about the true level of Wu Yuan's current power after cultivating the Primordial Technique to such profound depths. Could he defeat Zhu Shan?

However, these were merely minority opinions, with ninety-nine percent of geniuses believing that Wu Yuan was no match for Zhu Shan. Not because Wu Yuan wasn't strong enough, but because Zhu Shan was too powerful!

As the thousand-year deadline set by the Heavenly Domain Emissary approached, the competition grew fiercest among those from the 300th to 400th positions, reaching a fever pitch.

Only the top 320 participants would advance directly to the second trial of the Heavenly Domain, avoiding the chaotic and brutal free-for-all. Even Supreme Geniuses could not be certain of surviving until the very end.

This silent competition was even more intense than the Divine Domain stage, truly a clash of equals.

On this day, on the 3000th step where nearly thirty geniuses stood, a figure in golden robes leaped forward, ascending to a higher step.

"Lie Jin!"

"He has finally taken this step, decoding the first Primal Force Diagram?"

"Him?" The other geniuses were momentarily stunned, though not entirely surprised. After all, Lie Jin had once been Wu Yuan's equal, but now he had fallen far behind.

"Lie Jin!"

"Excellent." The hundreds of geniuses from the Eldritch Court grew increasingly excited, filled with anticipation.

Yet High Immortal Lie Jin remained remarkably calm, as if his achievement was insignificant.

Just three years later.

Whoosh! Another figure ascended from the 3000th step, reaching the 3001st step to stand alongside Lie Jin.

"It's Ming Jian!"

"He's broken through again?"

"He took hundreds of years more to comprehend the Three Thousand Foundation Diagrams compared to Lie Jin, yet when it came to the Primal Force Diagrams, he caught up after just a few years?" A wave of astonishment swept through the participants. Everyone stared in amazement at the ethereal figure in white robes, drifting like flowing clouds.

Ming Jian was the most unassuming among the Supreme Geniuses, having only broken through near the end of the Divine Domain stage. At that time, most Supreme Geniuses had paid him little attention.

However, during the first trial of the Heavenly Domain stage, Ming Jian revealed his terrifying potential. He took fourth place at the start, breaking through repeatedly and surpassing others. Now he was nearly catching up to Lie Jin. It wasn't that Lie Jin's progress was too slow, but rather that Ming Jian's speed was too swift.

Ming Jian? A flash of surprise crossed Lie Jin's eyes before he dismissed it.

The megaverse is boundless. If our Eldritch Court could produce Wu Yuan, the megaverse could certainly produce other monstrous prodigies. Lie Jin thought to himself. Though this Ming Jian, like Wu Yuan, both seem to be from the Greenridge Macrocosm.

For one macrocosm to produce two monstrous prodigies in the same era? And of similar age?

It's rather strange. Lie Jin's brow furrowed slightly as an unbidden thought crossed his mind, though he instinctively dismissed it as impossible. The probability was too low.

I must be overthinking. One is part of the Eldritch Court, the other is part of the Taiyuan Divine Court. Lie Jin's gaze fell on the miniature Primordial Star at the edge of the void, continuing to contemplate it.

…

Two years later, under the shocked gazes of countless geniuses, Ming Jian climbed to the next step, truly surpassing Lie Jin.

"Wu Yuan has already reached nearly the 3100th step, far ahead of everyone else."

"Ming Jian from the Taiyuan Divine Court ranks second." The many geniuses sighed in amazement.

"Lie Jin has broken through the Primal Force Diagram bottleneck."

…

Both true selves have made some achievements on the path of matter, increasing their hopes of claiming a Saintcrest. Wu Yuan's normally calm heart was filled with joy.

The deeper Wu Yuan delved into the Primal Force Diagrams, the clearer his understanding of the matter in heaven and earth became.

Within the special environment of the Primordial Steps stairway, he couldn't sense the essences of various Great Daos. Yet Wu Yuan had a feeling that once he left this place, his progress in the Great Dao of Creation and Great Dao of Spacetime would surely accelerate.

The hundredth Primal Force Diagram. Wu Yuan's body refiner self silently analyzed this diagram, fully focused on comprehending.

The insights of his two true selves collided, generating countless thoughts, and speeding up his progress greatly.

At that moment, a voice as vast as the heavens echoed in every genius's ears, "One thousand years have passed. Your time is up! Those who rank within the top 320 on the Primordial Steps will directly advance to the second trial."

Hum~ Hum~ Hum~ Three hundred and twenty figures vanished into thin air, transported away.

The hundredth Primal Force Diagram. As Wu Yuan stood on this step, a smile appeared on his face.

Before his eyes, the previously incomplete Primal Force Diagram was rapidly filled in, reaching a perfect and flawless state.

Among the five thousand Primal Force Diagrams, every hundred formed a minor threshold, every thousand a major bottleneck.

Only Wu Yuan's two true selves and Lie Jin had successfully comprehended the first Primal Force Diagram. Clearly, Wu Yuan's body refiner self's achievements and aptitude for the path of matter were indisputable.

Whoosh! Wu Yuan's two true selves and Lie Jin silently vanished from the steps.

…

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Exactly 320 figures appeared simultaneously on the same plaza they previously arrived at.

Hmm? Wu Yuan's body refiner self looked across, noting that over ten of the Eldritch Court's Supreme Geniuses, including Qi Jue, Wan Bao, Xuan Rong and others, were present. Zhu Shan was absent.

Haiyue. Wu Yuan's qi refiner self also surveyed the crowd, only spotting Zhuo Haiyue.

High Immortal Dong Yang? Bai Yi? They had fallen just short, unable to reach the top three hundred and twenty.

It's a pity about Master Dong Yang. Wu Yuan sighed inwardly.

Near the end, he had glimpsed Master Dong Yang's rank on the Primordial Steps - around 330. He had just barely missed the mark. But this was the nature of the Megaverse Crossroads. It didn’t matter how close one was, missing it meant having to participate in the battle royale for the remaining 320 spots.

Nearly forty people from the Eldritch Court have directly entered the second trial. Wu Yuan quickly analyzed. The Immortal Court seems to have taken forty-two slots, slightly more.

Of the 320 slots, the Immortal Court and Eldritch Court - the two greatest factions - occupied more than one-quarter.

However, among the hundred Supreme Geniuses, most have advanced directly. Wu Yuan thought to himself. Only about ten will join the battle royale.

This was expected. Those who could become Supreme Geniuses usually possessed exceptional comprehension aptitude. Even if they started behind the others, most could reach the front ranks after a thousand years of cultivation.

Whoosh! The white-robed middle-aged man who had been standing silently in the void flew above the plaza, looking down at the 320 participants below: "Congratulations on entering the second trial.

“It's unfortunate that your progress is so slow. Despite being given so much time and such excellent conditions, only thirty-two of you fully comprehended the Three Thousand Foundation Diagrams, and a mere three crossed the threshold into Primal Force Diagram cultivation... truly slow indeed." The white-robed middle-aged man sighed: "Not one qualified to claim a Saintcrest directly."

Silence fell.

Wu Yuan, Lie Jin, and the hundreds of other geniuses couldn't help but stare at the white-robed middle-aged man.

Slow? Compared to the white-robed middle-aged man's standards, they were indeed slow, but they were already the top geniuses of the endless megaverse.

“As for you remaining participants,” the white-robed middle-aged man looked toward the Primordial Steps, where over two thousand figures remained.

“Fight each other. The last thirty-two survivors in each battlefield may enter the second trial.” The white-robed middle-aged man waved his hand.

Boom! Boom! In the distant void, space split open to reveal vast grotto-heavens, and over two thousand figures simultaneously vanished.

In each grotto-heaven, over two hundred figures appeared out of thin air. At this moment, they all surveyed the others in their grotto-heaven, the atmosphere extremely tense.

Hmm? Wu Yuan shook his head slightly, sighing inwardly. It seems Zhu Shan's plans are all for naught.

The nearly ten Supreme Geniuses who hadn't advanced directly were distributed to different grotto-heavens. In Zhu Shan's grotto-heaven, there wasn't a single Supreme Genius. Moreover, only two Immortal Court geniuses were allocated to it.

Clearly, this distribution wasn't entirely random. The Heavenly Domain Emissary likely intentionally decided on these rules to select the actual strongest 320 people, rather than allowing Zhu Shan and other Supreme Geniuses to select their targets.

"Begin! Remember, you only have twenty breaths. After twenty breaths, if more than thirty-two remain alive, the thirty-two who killed the most participants will advance." The white-robed middle-aged man looked down, his indifferent voice reaching every genius in all ten grotto-heavens.

Twenty breaths? Wu Yuan, Lie Jin, Zhuo Haiyue and the other geniuses who already advanced exchanged glances. Such rules were meant to restrict those skilled in movement skills, forcing them to fight desperately.

As the Heavenly Domain Emissary's words fell, an incredibly brutal melee erupted throughout the ten grotto-heavens.

"Kill!"

"Kill!" Terrifying arcane arts flew and figures grew to towering heights.

However, amidst the chaotic battles among the ten grotto-heavens, the seventh grotto-heaven undoubtedly drew the most attention. It was the one Zhu Shan was assigned to!

"All who stand in my way shall perish!" Zhu Shan's eyes gleamed with an icy coldness as three identical silhouettes suddenly flickered into existence around him. They were his three ether bodies.

Together with his true self, they formed a quartet of powerhouses, simultaneously unleashing their power and igniting a storm of blood and carnage.

None could withstand a single strike from him!