The star-lit skies above Earth shimmered as four colossal silhouettes began to manifest on the elemental leyline nodes surrounding the planet. They were not illusions, nor artificial projections—but the condensed spirit bodies of the four Primordial Guardian Beasts: the Azure Dragon, the Vermilion Phoenix, the White Tiger, and the Black Tortoise. Each beast had been cultivated and nurtured by Earth's evolving core, their presence now intrinsically tied to the global defensive formation crafted by Hong and blessed by the Civilization Evolution System.
The beasts weren't simply decoration or defense. They carried a deeper spiritual resonance. Hong had spent years developing a planetary formation that didn't merely shield Earth but blessed it—with fortune, spiritual clarity, and internal evolution. These divine beasts channeled universal energies through ancient, interstellar feng shui nodes, turning Earth into a luck-rich sanctuary.
In the central command palace of Earth's New Capital, Luo Feng stood atop the Psi Tower, eyes closed, bathing in the synergy between mental power and sword intent. His aura rippled like a blade submerged in water—sharp, yet calm. The energy within him danced between elements—fire, wind, lightning—resonating with the Vermilion Phoenix perching in flames across the horizon.
Just beneath the tower, Hong watched the celestial map of the Genius Battle Trials unfold in a holographic array.
"Status update," he said quietly.
AI Assistant ZION responded, "All candidates are at final-stage tempering. Trial of Mirrors complete. Abyssal Frontier collapsed. Only the Soul-Forged Labyrinth remains. Luo Feng has already reached Core Layer 7."
"Perfect," Hong replied. "Delay Universe Battle deployment another 3 months. Let Earth finish her rebirth."
Within the Black Tortoise formation node—located in the Pacific Ocean depths—Lie Shen stood on a rotating hexagonal platform. His blade hovered in front of him, radiating arcs of blue lightning. But behind him floated an Elemental Spear, newly forged from Void Silver and Soulsteel under Hong's direction.
Lie Shen smiled slightly.
"Two hands. Two styles. Two kills."
Though known in the galaxy as The Lightning God, Lie Shen's full mastery included not only elemental strikes but the Law of Multiplicity—the ability to fracture time-split attacks within nanoseconds of each other. A perfect complement to Earth's new battle philosophy: adaptability, precision, and overwhelming force.
Across the galaxy, invitations to the Universe Genius Battle began distributing. In the holographic corridors of the Virtual Universe Company, Hong's name appeared:
Genius Candidate: Hong
Nickname: The King
Affiliation: Earth Council of DominionStatus: Special Rank – Transcendent Tier Potential
Right beneath it:
Luo Feng – The Mad BladeLie Shen – The Lightning God
The cosmic stage had taken notice.
Back on Earth, the four Guardian Beasts took synchronized positions:
Azure Dragon in the east, whispering winds of evolution.
Vermilion Phoenix in the south, blessing every breakthrough.
White Tiger in the west, enforcing judgment and strength.
Black Tortoise in the north, sealing spiritual corruption.
The final Formation of Heavenly Dominion was activated. Earth was now more than just a home—it was a sanctified realm, a fortress of power, destiny, and fate.
And the Universe would soon learn:This was no longer the same primitive Earth.This was the birthplace of transcendence.