In the mystical realm of the trial grounds, be it the young prodigies or ancient beings centuries and millennia old, all eyes invariably fixed on the petite girl in wine-red.
She… was under thirty?
No way, how could that be possible!
"Miss Ilosi does indeed appear young, possessing the naivety and purity of youth, but… is she truly a venerable legend?"
Someone whispered.
For those who knew Ilosi, it was hard to imagine her being only in her twenties. As for those who didn't know her, they’d instantly identify her as truly young… young, they’d believe her to be under twenty, even eighteen, because her face was so tender, and the purity radiating from her words… rivaled that of their ten-year-old granddaughters.
They believed Ilosi was young! But to say Ilosi was a legend… could it be, the trial official made a mistake?
The trial official disdained to answer such a trivial question.
However, several legends spoke up, their expressions complex.
"Miss Ilosi is, without a doubt, a legend, and possesses formidable combat prowess."
They were legends who had accompanied the Ancient Moon Dynasty on a disaster-extermination mission and had witnessed Ilosi's power firsthand. She wasn't just a legend, but far from a newly-ascended one!
Yet, they too couldn't fathom such genius existing in this world. Just how far had her talent and aptitude reached!
As a young legend himself, Chen Tianxuan felt he could shed the prefix of 'young'.
He had ascended to legend before the age of forty, hailed as a super genius, a star of demigods. He had assumed Ilosi, despite her youthful appearance, must be around his age. To his surprise, she was not yet thirty. Furthermore, estimating from her displayed combat power, she must have become a legend at least several years ago, meaning she might have entered the realm of legend as early as twenty-four or twenty-five.
Let alone the old legends, even Chen Tianxuan felt unworthy of the title of genius.
"However, being a legend is only the true beginning of the mysterious path. I, Chen Tianxuan, will not be surpassed by anyone!"
He looked at Ilosi, his fighting spirit soaring.
…
The focal point of everyone's gaze, the exceptionally young legend Empress Ilosi, was currently not in a good mood.
She kicked the detection and teleportation platform beneath her feet, a look of dejection on her face.
She saw various powerhouses astonished by her genius, and proudly puffed out her chest, but she was not satisfied.
She was already a super genius, not needing the affirmation of commoners. What she wanted was to sweep through the thirteen trials, forging her immortal name as Empress Ilosi, not merely standing on a stage.
But what kind of trial ground was this!
Gazing at the white light barrier separating the trial area in the distance, Ilosi was tempted to blast an opening and enter herself. However, she had a gut feeling she couldn't break it. Of course, the real reason she didn't try wasn't instinct, but fear of being ejected and losing future opportunities to show off.
Thinking of this, she glared furiously at the trial official Ruo, demanding a negative review, a very negative review!
…
The trial official Ruo was indeed troubled.
She genuinely believed Ilosi to be a top-tier genius; her entry into legend at this age spoke volumes. After all, for one to break through to legend, it inevitably demonstrated immense willpower, deep accumulation, robust foundation, and profound skill.
Legendary status was by no means solely achievable through resources.
Even during the age of the Kandela Empire, which had a direct path to legend and numerous high-level awakening sites, the path was not easy. Individuals with talent and those without, putting in the same effort, might see a tenfold difference in outcome. The greater gap between them lay in their potential ceiling; those lacking talent, no matter how hard they tried, found it difficult to improve, leading to greater danger and a higher chance of failure during the awakening process.
Even if one used the Water of Origin to elevate a mediocre person to the status of 'genius', they would still be mediocre! Rotten mud could not be plastered onto a wall.
And today, in this era of dimming brilliance, she had encountered a genius who would have been considered top-tier even during the Kandela Empire's reign. For such a genius, if the empire still stood, it would have been imperative to pour more resources into her cultivation. The trial grounds' progression system and abundant reward mechanisms were among the benefits and treatment the empire bestowed upon geniuses.
Just like Miss Ilosi before her, if she could clear the trials, she might pass the ninth, even the tenth stage, and obtain some rare treasures… These treasures, even if she couldn't use them herself, could be sold for mythical cultivation resources.
However,
"I also wish to see how many stages you can clear, but the rules do not permit it, and I lack the authority to alter the fundamental rules of the trial grounds."
"But given your age, undertaking the legendary-level trial will earn you the highest tier of rewards."
…
As expected, this trial ground deserved a negative review!
Ilosi muttered, but still descended from the platform and returned to the encampment of the Burning Flame Chamber of Commerce.
Yes, various factions had begun to set up camp. The trial period would last for three months, and since the surrounding mountains with structures could not be accessed, each faction could only build their own camps.
The legends were not in a hurry to act.
However, they urged the geniuses of each faction to hurry up and get started, not to dawdle.
With 'peerless genius' Ilosi leading the way, the geniuses of various factions felt somewhat demoralized. However, most geniuses had stable temperaments and gradually calmed their surging emotions after minor adjustments.
Miss Ilosi was too dazzling; their chance to shine might be gone, but the rewards were still enticing.
Young prodigies cultivated by various super factions stepped forward one after another.
The trial grounds below the legendary level were not limited to a single arena; they could accommodate up to ten trials simultaneously.
These geniuses then proceeded.
Most fell before the third stage, with a very small number managing to reach the sixth or seventh stage. There were also geniuses whose performance was slightly better than Zhan Xing Jian Ai Chen, but they couldn't pass the eighth stage either.
The enemy in the eighth stage was a seven-star level malevolent entity. Although some geniuses discovered after probing that this entity was slightly weaker than a conventional seven-star, only due to its recent ascendance, it was still a terrifying leap from the seventh stage.
To contend with legends while possessing a mortal body was already an almost impossible feat. Moreover, the geniuses who reached the eighth stage had consumed a significant amount of life energy and stamina, and were also injured, their combat power far from its peak. How could they possibly fight!
To pass the eighth stage required not only talent and combat power but also a certain tactical arrangement.
The method of progression could not be too reckless!
The young geniuses pondered. At this point, they had selectively ignored Legend Ilosi, and the 'peerless genius who swept through thirteen stages' mentioned by the trial official Ruo. The later Chi Tianzhu was an ethereal figure, and no one dared to compare themselves to him.
What the geniuses were competing for now was to see who could pass the eighth stage, the first to pass the eighth stage!
Opportunities to challenge the trials were far from limited to a single attempt. Perhaps by understanding the mechanisms of the malevolent entities, or perhaps due to the pressure of numerous powerhouses, the potential of the geniuses was stimulated, and for a time, they showed considerable progress.
…
"After all, oases are far apart and travel is inconvenient. Geniuses have few opportunities for interaction and sparring with peers, and without sufficient interaction, it is easy for geniuses to become 'frogs in a well'."
When a genius becomes the best in their city, far surpassing others of their age, how could they feel a sense of urgency?
The top powerhouses of Xin Huo progressed at an astonishing rate, not just due to cheats, but because mutual competition and encouragement were crucial factors.
Xing Jinglei wanted to defeat Hei Dao; Ilosi wanted to surpass An Jianyou; Qian Qiu, seeing others with higher talent and greater diligence than himself, dared not be complacent.
The senior students feared being overtaken by new students, and geniuses, upon arriving here, discovered there were always greater heights to scale. This was the atmosphere of Xin Huo.
And within their own organization, there were naturally no shortage of six-sense 'geniuses'.
However, when compared to the trial grounds, the geniuses of the Xin Huo organization were not genius enough, and he himself was somewhat like a 'frog in a well'. After all, not to mention the second and third-tier six-sense geniuses currently, even top-tier figures like Hei Dao and An Jianyou would not have been able to clear the 13th stage during their six-sense period.
They might not even clear the 12th or 11th stage.
Just who was the peerless genius who swept through 13 stages, the later Ninth Sky Pillar 'Chi', and how powerful was the Kandela Empire?
Of course, there was no need for self-deprecation. An Jianyou and others had only embarked on the path of awakening for a short time. With more time dedicated to honing their skills and comprehensive self-improvement, they might yet have a chance to clear all stages.
And now, the top six-sense personnel of Xin Huo could, to some extent, attempt to challenge the 8th stage.
There was a chance, but not a large one.
They were stronger than the likes of Zhan Xing Jian, but not significantly so.
However,
Xin Huo had more than one or two six-sense powerhouses of this caliber. Even though most core powerhouses had duties at their respective posts, many had come to the trial grounds.
Master Ming Deng, Xu Tian, Gou Ping An, Luo Jian Xing, and others.
Only,
Fang You's gaze fell upon Ming Deng. Master Ming Deng was widely recognized as one of the top ten, even top three, powerhouses among Xin Huo's six-sense cultivators. Unfortunately, he had long exceeded the age of thirty, thus not meeting the requirements of the trial grounds.
Similarly not meeting the requirements were Luo Lan, Fan Anyuan, Shi Yunxi, and others, which Fang You found regrettable.
…
"The young generation this time is not bad."
Outside the trial platform, Xi Guang, a demigod, stood with his hands behind his back at a high vantage point. Seeing the young prodigies fighting below, he nodded slightly, a look of gratification on his face.
Perhaps the younger generation felt discouraged, thinking that they, the top geniuses of the Broken Sea, were merely 'average' in the Kandela era. However, Demigod Xi Guang understood that 'average' in Kandela was quite remarkable.
Sunfall Sovereign · Hui Gang, another demigod, agreed with a nod.
"Indeed, much more capable than we were in our youth."
"However, it is also good to let these young ones understand the vastness of the world."
Demigods Hui Gang and Xi Guang had been friends in their youth and had, by chance, entered a Kandela trial ground during an expedition.
The trial rules were similar to the current ones, and they, with all their might, could barely clear the 7th stage, comparable to the younger Zhan Xing Jian Ai Chen.
Their ascension to demigod status was also due to the opportunities presented by those trials in their youth.
Unfortunately, that trial ground had disappeared after they left, vanishing into the spatial turbulence.
"This is also progress of the era. Two to three thousand years ago, our Red Lotus Empire and your Ancient Moon Dynasty were not as strong as they are now. In time, humanity may well regain the brilliance of the former Kandela Empire."
"Let us hope so."
The two demigods sighed. At their level, further advancement was nearly impossible. Their greatest hope was to see the oases prosper and an increasing number of talents emerge among the younger generation.
And this generation of young prodigies had greatly satisfied them.
Thirteen top geniuses had already cleared the 7th stage. These geniuses had a high probability of ascending to legend in the future, and even a possibility of impacting demigod status.
And this was merely a glimpse of those under thirty.
"We didn't pay much attention normally and didn't realize it. This generation of geniuses far surpasses previous ones, as if fate has favored us."
"Yes, there have been many calamities recently, and many legends have fallen in our Broken Sea. But in my opinion, within a hundred years, no, within thirty years, our Broken Sea will not only recover its previous losses but exceed them. This is perhaps the coexistence of misfortune and fortune."
As they spoke, a clamor erupted in the distance.
The two demigods focused their gaze and discovered that a super genius had cleared the 8th stage.
At this moment, the trial ground was covered in vines, almost filling the entire area.
And in the center of the arena was a seven-star level malevolent entity, the Eight-Winged Evil Dragon, which had devastated the vine forest but was still continuously entangled by tenacious vines. Not only was it restrained, but the evil dragon was also constantly bombarded by some kind of highly explosive fruit. After thousands of 'bang bang explosions', the evil dragon finally began to falter, eventually collapsing to the ground.
Passed!
At the edge of the trial grounds, hidden behind a sturdy ancient tree, a girl wearing a dark green combat skirt and two special bracelets knelt, breathing heavily.
She was the super genius who had passed the 8th stage. She…
"Who is she?"
Demigod Hui Gang was stunned. This genius didn't seem to be from their four major overlord factions?
Demigod Xi Guang was also watching. Upon seeing the insignia on the genius's combat suit, he exclaimed, "It's actually a genius from the Burning Flame Chamber of Commerce."
…
"Burning Flame Chamber of Commerce, what kind of force is that? I've never heard of it."
"I heard it's a new super force, and its representative figure is the Empress Ilosi we just saw. Yes, it's a chamber of commerce active in the Starfall Domain."
Some familiar legends looked at Bai Lai Ze Meng, their eyes conveying: You are the overlords of the Starfall Domain, surely you have inside information about the Burning Flame Chamber of Commerce? Do tell.
Bai Lai Ze Meng gave a dry chuckle.
What could he say? He was just as astonished! He knew the Burning Flame Chamber of Commerce was not weak, but who would have thought that a small chamber of commerce could be so full of hidden talents, producing two super geniuses, one great and one small!
You ask who this girl is? He wanted to know too!
…
"Jiang Ye'er, you're amazing!"
An Jianyou applauded. Unfortunately, she was now a 'Xin Huo' powerhouse, while Jiang Ye'er was an employee of the Burning Flame Chamber of Commerce. On the surface, they were worlds apart. Of course, as a 'legendary senior', applauding an outstanding genius who had overcome a difficult challenge was perfectly reasonable.
Many people in the audience were also clapping and cheering.
They were surprised that the super genius who had passed the eighth stage did not emerge from the four major overlord factions, but they did not withhold their praise and congratulations for the strong.
Fang You also nodded slightly, showing his approval.
Jiang Ye'er was a participant in the 15th batch of the training camp. From the 11th to the 19th batches, this group of trainees did not enjoy the benefits of the earliest batches, nor were they surpassed and overtaken by later geniuses, appearing quite awkward. In reality, many strong individuals had emerged from among them, but their strength was slightly inferior to figures like Master Ming Deng, their brilliance overshadowed.
Jiang Ye'er was such a genius.
She possessed plant growth-related talents and abilities, but she did not join the cultivation department; instead, she remained in the combat department, fighting on the front lines. She had even developed a fruit with extremely explosive power – the 'Bang Bang Berry'.
Of course, her strength was not top-tier; she had achieved victory by utilizing tactics.
…
"By utilizing special plant seeds and the time from the previous stages, she continuously laid out her plan, waiting for the appearance of the eighth-stage Eight-Winged Evil Dragon. The entire trial ground had long become her domain, which was the fundamental reason she was able to pass the stage."
"This is not taking a shortcut, but a reflection of tactical thinking."
"She has talent, strength, and understands tactics. She is worthy of the title of super genius."
A demigod of the Seven Star Alliance commented.
Turning, he then glared at his own failed junior, roaring, "Why didn't you learn from her and use more tactics!"
The junior felt wronged.
You just praised my performance! And it's not like I didn't use tactics, but my abilities aren't like hers, allowing for advance planning.
The junior felt wronged but dared not retort, looking pitiful.
…
The juniors who were 'motivated' were not just one or two. Demigod Xi Guang withdrew his gaze, thinking this was not bad.
In the eyes of outsiders, their four major overlords had been upstaged by an 'ordinary force', which was a bit of a loss of face. However, the four major overlords did not have such narrow perspectives. They naturally congratulated geniuses from other factions; at most, they would put pressure on their own juniors.
These juniors, who usually carried themselves with such arrogance, indeed needed to be challenged by more outstanding geniuses to improve faster.
"If you feel embarrassed, then earn it back."
"Yes, I see these youngsters progressing rapidly… It seems they've been too idle, and too much of their potential has been left untapped."
"Several youngsters can still aim for the 8th stage; it depends on which of our factions can break through the bottleneck first."
Demigods Xi Guang and Hui Gang smiled.
Compared to the fact that the 'Burning Flame Chamber of Commerce was producing geniuses', they were more concerned about how many of their own geniuses could break through their bottlenecks and advance further.
Besides, the top geniuses who had cleared the 7th stage were overwhelmingly from their four major overlord factions.
"Oh? Another genius has cleared the 7th stage, let me see…"
Demigod Hui Gang said, then paused for a moment, "It seems to be another genius from the Burning Flame Chamber of Commerce. This chamber of commerce is quite remarkable."
Of course, with his perspective, he would not be jealous, nor even envious, merely sighing.
And at most… his own young juniors had a million times more pressure.
…
While the two revered demigods chatted, a significant portion of their attention remained focused on the trial area in the distance.
After a while, another top genius who had cleared the 7th stage appeared.
"Let me see, it wouldn't be another young prodigy from the Burning Flame Chamber of Commerce, would it?"
"No, this one is not, but it's not from our four major overlords either."
Demigod Xi Guang stroked his chin. However, the black robes with red flames worn by the genius in the distance, he couldn't recognize the style of any faction.
It wasn't until his gaze shifted to a certain corner that a memory surfaced.
"It's the faction that arrived earlier on the White Shark-class airship, but I don't recognize any faction that matches."
"I don't recognize them either, but that faction brought at least several legends, and they don't look weak. Could it be… a faction from another realm?"
If the Ghost Realm was divided into: East, West, South, North, and Central regions, then they were in the Eastern region, and the Broken Sea was the most prosperous area in the entire realm.
The Central region was what they referred to as the 'depths of the Ghost Realm,' the base of the evil god faction, an unobservable place of utter darkness.
For a faction that appeared strong yet was entirely unfamiliar, the two demigods were naturally curious and turned their attention to it, only to discover…
"Another genius has passed the 7th stage."
"Another…"
"Another…"
Trial Official Ruo's expression warmed considerably.
The juniors from the four major overlords looked considerably more disheartened, but they were also astonished. Where had these individuals in black robes with flame patterns emerged from! They were… so powerful!
Half a day later,
The number of geniuses from the mysterious faction who had passed the 7th stage surpassed that of any of their four major overlord factions.
One and a half days later,
The number of top geniuses from the mysterious faction who had cleared the 7th stage exceeded the combined total of their four major overlord factions.
The current ratio was:
16:14!
What made their hearts ache less was that this mysterious faction had not yet produced a genius who could clear the 8th stage. Of course, neither had their four major overlords.
…
In the Xin Huo Organization's area, as they faced the astonished gazes from afar, Gou Ping An became even more determined to postpone his challenge.
Now was not the right time.
The trial would last for three months. After this initial surge, he would challenge when he would attract less attention.
Moreover,
Staring at the Eight-Winged Evil Dragon in the distance, Gou Ping An frowned, "My confidence in clearing the 8th stage now is only 88%, still far from enough. Therefore, I'll 'lie low' for a while longer before returning."
…
Three days later, the number of geniuses who had reached the 7th stage had stabilized, with no new top geniuses emerging.
However, looking at the mysterious faction whose numbers surpassed the combined total of their four factions by more than ten, Demigods Xi Guang and Hui Gang had complex expressions.
They could see that the formidable nature of this mysterious faction far exceeded their initial estimations.
It was by no means merely a few legends!
"They don't seem to be from the Central Divine Court. This suggests that there are still very large and deeply hidden forces in the Ghost Realm? Indeed, we pay too little attention to the situations outside the Broken Sea."
"Take this Burning Flame Chamber of Commerce, for instance. They far exceed expectations. Their top geniuses who have cleared the 7th stage far outnumber any of our individual factions, and they even have a super genius who cleared the 8th stage."
If the mysterious faction came from other realms, then the Burning Flame Chamber of Commerce was, in a sense, defending the glory of their Eastern Ghost Realm.
Demigod Xi Guang said, "I have some understanding of the Burning Flame Chamber of Commerce. They are indeed a rising force, but the ancient beings behind them are quite extraordinary."
"And this mysterious faction might also be related to the schemes of ancient beings."
The mysterious faction had the most geniuses clearing the 7th stage, but the Burning Flame Chamber of Commerce had a higher ceiling with Legend Ilosi.
This made the two factions seem evenly matched.
Wait, why had the trial grounds, which gathered many forces from the Eastern Ghost Realm, suddenly devolved into… a battleground between the Burning Flame and the mysterious faction?
Thinking this, the demigods fell silent, the legends berated, and the juniors from the four factions felt extremely wronged.