A middle-aged teacher held a roster in his hand and called out a name.
"Yun Shen, is it? Place your hand on the crystal—this will awaken your Domain Heart."
"Alright."
Yun Shen extended his palm, pressing it against the transparent crystal sphere. His expression betrayed a hint of nervousness. Sixteen years had passed since he crossed into this world, and today marked the beginning of his high school journey.
This world was unlike the one he had come from. Here, every student awakened a *Domain Core* upon entering high school. Each had the chance to ascend into divinity.
Not to mention the whole of Blue Star—even within the Dragon Kingdom alone, history had birthed countless figures who opened new divine domains, leaving indelible marks upon the annals of the cosmos.
Shiyu, Zuxia, Huang Shang, Tianzhou, Qin Xian, Ruhan, Luan Jin, Zhan Sui, Sheng Tang, Dao Song, Mo Yuan, Wuming, Yao Qing, Ke Hua… Through middle school history classes, Yun Shen had memorized the legendary deeds of these eminent figures.
In this parallel world, Ying Zheng—revered as the *Ancestor Dragon of the Qin Divine Domain*—had constructed the miraculous *Starry Sky Great Wall*. It shielded Blue Star against the endless invasions of foreign races, securing eternal peace for humankind.
Lord Liu Bang of the Han Domain, along with his successor Liu Che, upheld the principle of "Rejecting the Hundred Schools, Honoring Confucianism Alone," elevating Confucian sages to unmatched heights. They even forged the miracle of the *Silk Road*, opening trade between Blue Star and alien civilizations across the universe.
Lord Li Shimin of the Sacred Hall Domain swept through enemy tribes, compelling every chieftain he met into submission. Revered by countless smaller clans as the "Heavenly Khan," he drew all races to pay homage.
Lord Zhu Yuanzhang of the Wu Ming Domain had risen from beggar to deity. Through sheer grit—building walls, stockpiling grain, and waging relentless battles—he overthrew the Mo Yuan Divine Domain and established Wu Ming's rule.
…Yet on Yun Shen's crystal sphere, a dull gray glow flickered into being. His heart plummeted.
"Low-grade quality. My advice? Forget about becoming a Domain Lord. Perhaps it's better for you to live as an ordinary man."
The middle-aged teacher's tone was tactful, almost gentle.
Among humanity, Domain Cores were ranked in seven tiers: Gray Inferior, White Common, Green Superior, Blue Rare, Purple Excellent, Orange Epic, and Gold Legendary.
Ordinary quality was the most common. Inferior quality was rare, but when it appeared, teachers always urged students to abandon thoughts of leadership.
The reason was simple: poor-quality cores carried heavy drawbacks.
"Thank you, teacher. I'll think about it," Yun Shen replied with a calm nod.
The teacher, long experienced, instantly recognized that Yun Shen was the type who would never surrender until all roads were closed. He sighed inwardly but offered comfort:
"Don't lose hope. Even the founder of the Wuming Domain—the Emperor known as Hongwu—once carried the flaw of *Destitution*. And yet, he defied the heavens and ascended as one of the Dragon Kingdom's gods!"
Yun Shen said nothing. His eyes instead lingered on a framed calligraphy scroll hung upon the wall:
*'Until the universe decides, everyone remains a dark horse.'*
A faint smile touched his lips. He swallowed that bit of encouragement, steadied his heart, and whispered, "I will do my best."
"Good. Next."
Leaving the chamber for the next student, Yun Shen walked out toward the athletic field. Rows of stalls had been set up there by corporations and investors.
Students could allocate shares of their future domains to apply for angel investment from these capitalist groups.
A man in a sleek suit noticed Yun Shen hesitating and hurried over with a polished smile.
"Student, hello! Interested in investment? I'm an angel investor with Tencent!"
Yun Shen hesitated. He knew well that funding could shape a Domain Lord's rise. Finally, he nodded with difficulty. "Is it possible?"
"Of course! What quality is your Domain Core? Let me see..."
"…Gray. Inferior."
The man's smile froze. His tone hardened. "I'm sorry. My investment fund isn't… quite enough. Perhaps try Alibaba's booth instead?"
His expression shifted faster than a flipped page—from warm courtesy to cold dismissal.
Nearby investors overheard and, upon learning Yun Shen's result, promptly lost interest.
Yun Shen walked away silently. He didn't bother with the other stalls.
Inferior cores carried too much risk. Unless one had powerful connections, no investor would take such a gamble.
Not far away, a young man in the middle of securing his application spat in Yun Shen's direction.
"Someone like you still thinks you're fit to compete for investment?"
The suited investor rushed to fawn over the youth, ignoring Yun Shen completely. "Ha! Young Master Xu's Domain Core is *Purple Excellent*. Naturally, it's not comparable to these inferior ones. Who do they think they are—some kind of Wuming reborn?"
Hearing the ridicule, Yun Shen clenched his fists but said nothing. Powerless, he moved toward the stadium seating and sat alone.
The athletic field was already overflowing with students, buzzing with noise and confusion. Classes had not yet been assigned, and those who failed the upcoming trial would be transferred to ordinary high schools.
Here and there, some students left with darkened expressions—likely others who had awakened inferior cores.
In a world where anyone might become a dragon, how many could truly leap through the Dragon Gate?
Family background often decided everything. Bloodlines passed down through parents and ancestors shaped the quality of a child's awakening.
A prodigy like Zhu Yuanzhang was a rarity across ages.
Yet Yun Shen, who had crossed into this god-forging world, could never accept the fate of living as a mere ordinary man.
Quietly, he sat waiting for the trial to begin.
Just then, a crisp and resonant female voice resounded from the heavens.
"Silence. I am your Overseer, Dongfang Yue. I will now send you to the Battlefield of Myriad Races."
"I do not enjoy wasting words. The trial will last thirty days. Should you be unable to endure, you may quit early. You have three minutes to decide. Those who remain standing after that will be deemed to have withdrawn."
Her voice carried without her figure appearing.
The stadium erupted in noise as students scrambled for seats.
"Time's up!"
"In this grand and turbulent age, let a thousand lights blaze together! May you all share in glory!"
"Return victorious!"
A vast radiance cascaded from the boundless sky, enveloping every seated student.
At the same time, similar scenes unfolded across the globe, and upon countless worlds where the myriad races gathered.