“Unity Realm? Don’t spout nonsense. I’ve witnessed the Star Conference countless times in Blade Emperor City. Every time, the mentors were all Chaos Realm giants. Since when can a Unity Realm practitioner become a mentor? Don’t forget, the participants themselves are all Unity Realm geniuses. How can a Unity Realm mentor guide them?”
“Exactly, I’ve never heard of such a thing either.”
“There’s a regular at my tavern who’s a disciple of Blade Emperor City. He told me that one of the mentors this time is a Unity Realm practitioner named Dongbo Xueying from the Tai Void Heavenly Palace.”
“Dongbo Xueying of the Tai Void Heavenly Palace?”
…
Discussions erupted everywhere.
After all, these were ordinary cultivators, their information rather limited. Only those with long-standing reputations would be widely known. Dongbo Xueying’s rise had been too swift, so few among the lower-tier cultivators had heard of him. Only those with connections to Blade Emperor City disciples had any inkling of the news.
As the gossip spread from one to ten, and ten to a hundred, gradually, more and more came to understand.
“I heard that among the Six Great Holy Lands, in this era, Elder Dongbo is considered the most formidable Unity Realm practitioner. He does have the qualifications to be a mentor.”
“The strongest Unity Realm in the Six Great Holy Lands? So what? Mentors are usually Chaos Realm giants, and even then, only the most powerful among them are deemed worthy. How can a mere Unity Realm compare? Can his insight possibly match the other four mentors?”
“It does seem lacking.”
“What’s the point of us arguing here?”
The ordinary cultivators buzzed with debate. While they instinctively revered Chaos Realm giants, they held no such awe for Unity Realm practitioners, who were far more common. The idea of a Unity Realm mentor left many feeling unconvinced.
…
The “Preliminary Selection” of the Star Conference soon commenced.
Dongbo Xueying and the other mentors sat high above, enjoying fine food and wine, while below, over sixteen thousand genius cultivators took turns entering the Star Tower adjacent to the venue to test their mettle.
The Star Tower manipulated time flow to hasten the battles. Even accelerated a hundredfold, only a few thousand cultivators could complete the trial each day, as each strove to slay as many Destruction Demons as possible to secure a higher ranking.
“First place: Firehorn Deadwood.
Second place: Kason.
…”
Names flickered into existence in the void beside the towering Star Tower, the rankings shifting constantly as the tower’s artifact spirit updated them in real time. The rankings were utterly transparent—ensuring fairness, spurring the geniuses, and forcing those lagging behind to confront their inadequacies. Many of these talents had rarely encountered true peers, and this conference would serve as a harsh wake-up call.
Five days later.
The Preliminary Selection concluded, the Star Tower’s screening complete. A detailed ranking list was finalized.
“Hmm?” Dongbo Xueying gazed at the dense list hovering beside the towering Star Tower. “The three youngsters I noticed earlier… Hah, the son of Divine Emperor Xinghuo ranks rather poorly.”
The one named ‘Fujun’ placed respectably at 126th—though with a touch more luck, he might have broken into the top 100, securing automatic advancement without needing a mentor’s selection.
Ni Yan ranked 1,932nd.
Xinghuo Xunyi ranked 3,663rd.
“Three thousand six hundred and sixty-third?” Dongbo Xueying shook his head inwardly. Of the three Unity Realm youths he’d encountered, the Xinghuo scion had intrigued him the most, but this ranking was disappointingly mediocre. “With only two hundred spots available in the Preliminary Selection, his chances are negligible.”
The Star Tower selected a hundred, and the five mentors chose another hundred—just two hundred in total.
“Three thousand six hundred and sixty-third?” On the high platform, Divine Emperor Xinghuo, who had come to observe, frowned slightly and sighed. Such a low rank! Most participants weren’t even from holy lands, but wandering rogue cultivators. With his son’s superior resources and training, this result was underwhelming.
And during the mentor selection phase, being the son of a Divine Emperor might actually count against him.
With the Preliminary Selection over, the masses of ordinary spectators began to disperse. The mentor selection would take a thousand years, and the final battles wouldn’t commence until eleven thousand years later.
…
One by one, the figures on the high platform rose to leave.
“Honored mentors.”
Heartimage Sect Master addressed the five mentors as they stood. “The Star Tower’s Preliminary Selection is complete, and the rankings are set. Soon, you’ll receive recordings of their battles. Choose wisely—your decisions will shape these geniuses’ destinies.”
“Brother Heartimage, rest assured. We will be meticulous in selecting those with the greatest potential,” General Tianguang said.
“Elder Dongbo, don’t disgrace your Tai Void Heavenly Palace,” the Five Marsh Serpent Ancestor added coldly. Cloaked in black, his aura was icy, his voice sharp.
Nearby, Axemaster Palace Lord blinked in surprise, while the stunningly beautiful Violet Slaughter Island Master arched an eyebrow. The remark was unduly harsh.
Dongbo Xueying’s expression darkened. Truthfully, he’d initially held some goodwill toward the Five Marsh Serpent Ancestor, as the latter belonged to the Void Temple—and Void Primordial was his own grandmaster! But while General Tianguang’s hostility was expected, the Serpent Ancestor’s open disdain, especially in front of other Chaos Realm giants, was uncalled for.
If he revealed his identity as a Voidwalker, the Serpent Ancestor’s attitude might shift.
But given that Sacred Master still hunted his master, Gu Qi, Dongbo Xueying had no intention of flaunting that identity.
“No need for your concern, Five Marsh Serpent Ancestor,” Dongbo Xueying replied evenly. “The Cosmic Gods chose me for a reason.”
“Hmph.” The Serpent Ancestor snorted and strode away.
In truth, the Five Marsh Serpent Ancestor had a decent reputation—known for his hatred of evil, though his demeanor was frigid. As a voidborn being, he had always adhered to a strict hierarchy of strength. To him, a Unity Realm like Dongbo Xueying was simply beneath his regard, unworthy of courtesy.
“The Cosmic Gods chose you. Don’t disappoint them,” General Tianguang added with a mocking smile before departing.
Dongbo Xueying remained silent.
Suddenly, a hand settled on his shoulder. Startled, he turned to see Axemaster Palace Lord—pale and slender, with two faint fangs, yet exuding an almost fragile air. The man smiled. “Cultivators come in all temperaments. Pay those two no mind.”
“Axemaster Palace Lord.” Dongbo Xueying bowed slightly. This wasn’t their first meeting; the man stood on par with Black Emperor and Chaos Hall Master.
“Little Dongbo, I’m on your side too,” the breathtakingly beautiful Violet Slaughter Island Master chimed in, her voice melodious. “I’ve never liked that Tianguang fellow either. If you ever surpass him, give him a good thrashing—for my sake.”
Heartimage Sect Master, still present, coughed awkwardly—General Tianguang was, after all, from Blade Emperor City.
“Let us depart, honored guests,” Heartimage said with a smile, offering Dongbo Xueying a friendly nod before leading the way.
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