Flying into the crimson waves, Luo Feng felt a distortion of space-time, as if he were soaring through a cosmic passage.
Whoosh!
The scene brightened.
Ahead was a vast hall shrouded in a faint mist. The hall’s material was the same as that of the passageways and chambers aboard the tomb-ship, exuding a deep gray hue. Inside the hall were eight Cosmic Sovereigns: Lord Luchong, Lord Ying’ai, Lord Li Hai, Lord Liujiu, and others. They turned their heads simultaneously to look at him.
Swoosh! Luo Feng flew directly over.
“Lord Milky Way, you’ve only been cultivating for a dozen eras, a very short time indeed. Yet you’ve come here already!” Lord Luchong smiled.
“We were just discussing whether you would come or not. If I were you, being from the Primordial Universe, with more than two cycles left before my time limit, I would still have a very long life ahead. Achieving such high cultivation in such a short time, there’s absolutely no need to risk your life with us. You could easily retreat now,” Lord Ying’ai said kindly.
“Since I’ve come, I won’t retreat.”
Luo Feng replied calmly.
“Hmph.”
“Coming here is just asking for death,” Lord Li Hai glared coldly at Luo Feng.
“If the junior insists on dying, then we needn’t bother with him,” Lord Chi Jiu said indifferently. The Hain race was inherently a fanatical and sinister race, only showing unity among their own kind, and harboring hostility toward outsiders. Especially toward Luo Feng, who had achieved such high cultivation in merely a dozen eras, they felt a trace of jealousy.
In fact, among those present, Lords Ying’ai, Wuliang, and Chi Jiu had chosen to come here, attempting to risk their lives for the inheritance, and were especially hostile toward Luo Feng.
They clearly understood…
When choosing a successor, the speed of progress and innate talent were typically prioritized. If one individual had cultivated for only a dozen epochs, while another had trained for nearly three cycles, yet their accomplishments were nearly on par—who would the ‘Dandonghe’ select? The answer was self-evident. They could only hope that the methods left behind by Dandonghe were incapable of precisely determining the exact lifespan each current powerhouse had lived.
But regarding Dandonghe, they only felt his profundity was unfathomable, so they were uncertain and wished Luo Feng would leave early.
…
As Luo Feng and the other eight were in the misty hall exchanging words and sarcasm, suddenly nearby intangible energy began to condense, forming into a figure—the young man with blue hair, Dandonghe.
“The nine of you have all arrived.”
Dandonghe swept his gaze across the nine powerhouses and nodded. “Then we shall begin the first screening.”
“Screening?”
Lord Luchong, Lord Ying’ai, Luo Feng, and others felt their hearts tighten. None dared to claim they could pass the screening.
“Begin!” Dandonghe pointed toward the hall floor. Whoosh~~~
The ground abruptly cracked open, and soon a peculiar machine began to emerge from the fissure. It resembled a Rubik’s Cube, entirely dark red in color, its surface engraved with countless arcane runes. The runes were so profound that all the powerful individuals present felt dizzy and utterly incapable of deciphering them.
Click! A door suddenly cracked open on the cube.
“One enters at a time for screening,” Dandonghe stated directly. “Begin.”
The nine powerhouses exchanged glances. Who would go first?
This bizarre cube appeared perilous. None of the powerful individuals present dared to be the first to enter.
“You, go in,” Dandonghe pointed at Lord Luchong.
“This is merely the first screening. Lord Luchong surely will pass.”
“Of course, how could there be any difficulty for Lord Luchong?”
The other Cosmic Sovereigns from the first cycle relaxed immediately, even exchanging jokes. Lord Luchong smiled faintly, saying nothing, and directly walked toward the cube, stepping through the door into it. Then, click~~~ the door of the cube closed.
The runes on the cube’s surface began to glow, rumbling~~~
Powerful energy waves surged within the cube, causing it to shift from its original dark red to a blinding white.
“What’s happening inside?” Luo Feng felt tense.
Screening?
What exactly was being tested? Everything was unknown.
Inside the cube, Lord Luchong made no sound. Perhaps he was screaming in pain, but the sound couldn’t escape. Unable to enter the cube, everyone felt anxious.
Moments later—
“Click!” The door opened.
A figure emerged from the cube—it was Lord Luchong, his expression puzzled. The other eight powerhouses looked on in confusion… It seemed something had happened to him inside, hence his expression.
“The first screening, qualified,” Dandonghe glanced at Lord Luchong.
Lord Luchong immediately showed delight.
“Lord Luchong, what exactly happened inside?” Lord Liujiu asked.
“Congratulations, Lord Luchong. I wonder what occurred inside?” Lord Wuliang also asked. Among them, these two were the only females, and both spoke up now.
“You’ll know once you enter,” Lord Luchong replied, then stood aside. Since he had passed this strange screening, he appeared quite relaxed.
“The next!” Dandonghe’s gaze swept toward the remaining eight.
“I’ll go!” Lord Li Hai’s eyes flashed with ferocity as he strode forward.
Seeing someone volunteering, Dandonghe stood silently, watching.
Lord Li Hai approached the cube’s door, hesitated slightly, then stepped inside. Click~~~ The door closed. Immediately, the runes on the cube’s surface lit up again…
Luo Feng and the others waited in silence.
What was happening inside?
Moments later—
The door opened, and Lord Li Hai also walked out, his face puzzled.
Dandonghe looked at Lord Li Hai, his eyes flashing with severity, coldly stating, “You, unqualified!”
Instantly, the other strong warriors felt a chill.
Unqualified?
“Unqualified? I’m unqualified? Why? Why am I unqualified?” Lord Li Hai became agitated, blurting out, “I’ve only lived for nearly three cycles. Lord Luchong has lived much longer than me. He’s only slightly stronger because he possesses supreme treasures. Why am I deemed unqualified?”
This was a rare opportunity for their Hain race, and Lord Li Hai truly didn’t want to give it up.
“Silence!” Dandonghe barked.
“The next!” Dandonghe turned his gaze to the remaining seven. The fact that Lord Li Hai, the only one who volunteered, was unqualified made the other seven cautious, unwilling to step forward.
“You.” Dandonghe pointed at Lord Liujiu.
…
Lord Liujiu, qualified!
Lord Yangu, unqualified!
Lord Ying’ai, qualified!
Lord Wuliang, qualified!
Lord Jinfang, qualified!
Lord Li Hai, unqualified!
Lord Chi Jiu, unqualified!
“You.” Finally, Dandonghe pointed at Luo Feng. Whether intentional or not, since Lord Li Hai had volunteered and failed, the others had all been pointed at by Dandonghe to enter.
Luo Feng also held his breath, directly walking toward the cube, stepping through the door into it.
…
Inside the cube, it was an independent void.
Luo Feng floated in the void, looking around. There was no exit.
Boom~~~ Boom~~~ Boom~~~ Suddenly, twisted runes began to appear in the void. Blinding white runes instantly spread throughout the void. Mysterious, unpredictable forces were born instantly, directly penetrating Luo Feng. Even with the Star Tower guarding his soul, and the Mad God Annihilation Armor protecting his body, it was useless.
These strange forces directly entered his divine body. At this moment, it felt as if all his secrets were exposed.
The formless, bizarre forces continuously drilled into his divine body, permeating every ounce of his divine energy and merging completely with Luo Feng. Moments later, as the twisted runes in the void began to dissipate, the strange forces finally vanished.
“Click!”
A door suddenly appeared in the void ahead.
Luo Feng took a step through the door, returning to the hall outside. Yet the events inside the cube still left him filled with confusion.
“You, qualified,” Dandonghe nodded, showing a slight smile.
“Huh?”
“A smile?”
“That’s not right.”
“There’s something wrong.”
Previously, those who had passed the first screening—Lords Luchong, Ying’ai, Wuliang, and others—exchanged glances, their expressions subtly changing. This was the first time since the beginning that Dandonghe Wu had shown a smile. Based on the judgment of the powerful individuals present, Dandonghe was originally a very cold and aloof person.
The ‘projection’ left behind must be consistent with his original personality.
“You, you, you,” Dandonghe pointed at Lords Li Hai, Chi Jiu, and Yangu. “The three of you, leave immediately. If you refuse to leave… you will only meet your end.”
Lords Li Hai and Chi Jiu exchanged glances, reluctant but resigned. Was the Hain race doomed to complete annihilation?
Lord Yangu, the rocky special lifeform, looked at Lord Liujiu and said solemnly, “Liujiu, Yangu can no longer protect you. Be careful.”
“Lord Dandonghe, may I ask why the two of us failed to pass?” Lord Li Hai couldn’t help but ask.
“Thinking you’re not of my kind yet wish to inherit my Dandonghe lineage’s legacy? A delusion! Leave!” Dandonghe replied coldly.
“My kind?”
Luo Feng, Lord Luchong, and the others were greatly shocked.
Strictly speaking, the six powerhouses who passed weren’t even of the same race. Not all were flesh-and-blood beings. For instance, Lord Liujiu was a plant-based lifeform, yet still passed.
“My kind…”
Lords Li Hai and Chi Jiu trembled.
So this was the reason. Then it was a serious problem. It meant their failure, and even if other Hain powerhouses came, they would also fail.
“Still not leaving!” Cold light radiated from Dandonghe’s eyes.
“Let’s go.”
Lords Li Hai and Chi Jiu gritted their teeth, immediately transforming into streaks of light rushing outward. Lord Yangu also reluctantly bid farewell to Lord Liujiu before rushing out, flying into the crimson light.
Following the crimson light, space-time shifted, and soon the three arrived at the previous control chamber hall.
“Hmph,” Lord Li Hai looked down at the deep crimson passage, clenching his teeth. “If it’s for this reason, then it means not a single one of our Hain race can succeed?”
“If that’s the case, then our Hain race cannot succeed, so let’s spread the news, letting all the major powers know! Let countless powerhouses rush here! If our Hain race cannot succeed… neither shall the Divine Eye race easily succeed,” Lord Chi Jiu said hatefully. After all, three of the six inside were from the Divine Eye race. How could the Hain race just stand by and watch the Divine Eye race succeed?
…
Inside the misty hall.
Dandonghe glanced at the remaining six powerhouses and declared, “Those who are not of my kind naturally have no right to inherit the legacy. However, this was merely the simplest screening… and the only safe one. The trials that follow will involve life-and-death peril. If you’re afraid now, you may still choose to withdraw.”
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