Thousands of avatars instantly filled the entire dimensional space of the Tongtian Bridge's sixth level.
Han Jue and the white-armored guardian both practiced the same secret technique, Myriad Avatars.
Thanks to Han Jue's superior understanding of the fundamental laws of space, he could generate nearly twice as many avatars as his opponent, creating an overwhelming tide of identical figures that filled the air like falling snow.
"Whoosh!"
The avatars collided in a chaotic dance of motion and misdirection!
These illusory duplicates possessed temporary, mist-like forms that lacked the ability to attack independently. The moment they were struck, they vanished into thin air, dissolving like morning fog under intense sunlight. Yet their very presence created confusion, obscuring the location of each combatant's true body.
As their avatars dissipated in rapid succession, Han Jue's figure vanished as well.
The next instant, he materialized behind the white-armored guardian.
"Clang!"
The guardian attempted to block, but his reaction came a split-second too slow.
However, just as Han Jue's blade pierced toward the man's throat, the white-armored figure suddenly vanished into thin air!
An avatar?
Han Jue froze for the briefest moment, his combat instincts immediately screaming danger.
Not good!
He sensed subtle spatial distortion behind him. Whirling around, Han Jue discovered the guardian's true form had somehow appeared at his back during the exchange!
"Bang!"
Han Jue barely managed to interpose his sword defensively, but the devastating force still sent his body flying backward through the dimensional space.
"It seems you haven't mastered the true essence of Myriad Avatars yet," the white-armored guardian observed calmly as they faced each other once more across the battlefield. A faint smile played across his features.
Myriad Avatars combined the body movement principles of both the Origin Laws of Water and Space. Most importantly, the avatars could persist for a short duration beyond the initial moment of creation. At extremely advanced levels of mastery, these duplicates could even attack enemies independently, transforming from mere distractions into genuine threats.
The white-armored guardian's level of spatial law comprehension was obviously inferior to Han Jue's.
However, he had completely mastered the first two diagrams of the Ice Peak Chaos Monument, reaching a level of true proficiency that transcended mere understanding.
The first thirty-six fundamental essences of both the Origin Laws of Water and Space, through careful arrangement, combination, and mutual interaction, touching upon even a trace of law fusion, could already burst forth with power far exceeding what a single origin law could achieve. This allowed him to fully exploit the potential of Myriad Avatars in ways Han Jue hadn't yet achieved!
Han Jue's expression grew solemn.
He'd thought that with his own superior law comprehension, he could pass this sixth level as effortlessly as the previous ones. He hadn't expected the white-armored guardian to have already grasped the core principles of Myriad Avatars, principles Han Jue himself had yet to fully master despite his theoretical understanding.
"So? Have you given up already?" the white-armored guardian asked when Han Jue remained motionless for several seconds. His smile widened with confident amusement.
Give up?
Han Jue shook his head slightly, a determined glint entering his eyes.
"This move is called Mirage Sea," Han Jue said quietly, looking directly at the white-armored opponent. His pale blue eyes, those distinctive Six Eyes, locked onto the guardian with sudden intensity. The corners of his mouth curved upward in a slight, knowing smile. "Do you recognize it?"
"Not good, " The white-armored guardian's expression changed drastically, recognition flashing across his features.
The next moment, he found himself trapped in an overwhelming illusion.
Perhaps because this technique hadn't been used for such an extended period, many observers had forgotten that Han Jue possessed such a devastating illusory attack capability. During the Genius Battle, he'd relied primarily on overwhelming spatial techniques and raw power, rarely needing to resort to mental assaults.
Within the Tongtian Bridge space, Han Jue walked calmly toward the immobilized white-armored guardian and lightly swung his sword, ending the match with clinical efficiency.
The secret technique Mirage Sea, Fourth Level!
This illusory technique advanced gradually as Han Jue's understanding of the fundamental laws of water deepened. Even without dedicated practice focusing specifically on illusions, he had already reached the fourth level of this technique, which claimed invincibility against most Universe-level opponents.
Of course, escaping such an illusion was only a matter of time for someone at the guardian's level of consciousness.
But in battles between warriors of similar caliber, even the slightest distraction could mean the difference between life and death. What good was eventual escape if it only trapped the white-armored man for a few critical seconds?
Han Jue's sword had already struck him down before he could recover.
Mastering the core principles of Myriad Avatars was meaningless if one voluntarily revealed their true form through overconfidence. Such carelessness was simply courting death.
Sixth level, passed!
"Flame Phoenix, remember your Fire Feather Sand," Silver Moon King said with evident satisfaction as he turned toward his fellow King-level Immortal in the Tongtian Bridge plane's observation area.
The Flame Phoenix King rolled his eyes with good-natured exasperation. "I won't go back on my word."
After a contemplative pause, the Flame Phoenix King continued, "Do you think he can pass the seventh level as well?"
"It would be difficult, unless he has another hidden technique," Silver Moon King admitted, shaking his head thoughtfully. "He surprised us with that illusion attack, but the seventh level represents a substantial leap in difficulty."
The seventh level of the Ice Peak Tongtian Bridge corresponded to the third diagram of the Ice Peak Chaos Monument. Some veteran members of the Primal Secret Realm who had spent extensive time at Universe level only managed to reach approximately that standard after decades of cultivation.
Furthermore, enemies on the seventh level had already mastered the second level of the Cloud Sea Hunting Dragon blade technique secret patterns, while Han Jue had only completed the first level. The power differential this created would be dozens of times greater than what he'd faced on the sixth level.
Additionally, the seventh-level opponent's consciousness and mental state were developed to the point where they wouldn't be easily affected by Han Jue's Mirage Sea illusion technique. The same trick wouldn't work twice against more formidable opposition.
"However, he's undoubtedly a genius of the million-epoch level," Flame Phoenix King sighed with genuine admiration. "He has an excellent chance of breaking through to the Venerable level in the future, perhaps even faster than either of us managed."
"Indeed," Silver Moon King nodded in agreement, his expression carrying unusual warmth.
Han Jue had already become a personal disciple of the Lord of Ice Peak. Given his exceptional talent, as long as he survived the dangerous years ahead, he would almost certainly reach the Venerable level or beyond. The only question was how quickly he would ascend those lofty heights.
Elsewhere in the Virtual Universe.
King Zhenyan, along with three other prominent members of the Virtual Universe Company who specialized in the Nine Universe Chaos Monument lineage, King Yanlong, King Qianhuan, and King Jianhuang, were also watching Han Jue's Tongtian Bridge challenge with considerable interest.
Seeing Han Jue finally defeated on the seventh level, they collectively breathed subtle sighs of relief.
"Speaking of which, I have to thank Han Jue," laughed a man clad in purple armor with a golden sword strapped across his back. This was King Jianhuang. "If his appearance hadn't stimulated Bolan to push beyond his limits, I might have missed out on recruiting such a gifted disciple."
"Bolan is a genius who appears only once in tens of thousands of epochs," King Zhenyan chuckled. "Jianhuang, can you handle nurturing someone of that caliber?"
"Those Venerables are all eyeing Han Jue now," King Jianhuang replied with an amused smile. "Bolan also wields a sword. Among the Nine Universe Chaos Monument Kings, who else would he choose if not me? Zhenyan, don't even think about trying to compete with me for this disciple."
"Don't worry," King Zhenyan laughed easily. "I won't."
"I value Luo Feng more highly anyway," King Zhenyan continued thoughtfully. "I heard he and Han Jue are close friends from the same homeworld. That connection might prove valuable in the future."
"Hmph, there are only two truly outstanding candidates for the Nine Universe Chaos Monument this cycle, and you two snatched them both up before anyone else could act," complained King Yanlong, who sported two impressive dragon horns, a face covered in crimson scales, and eyes that resembled miniature compressed stars.
"Jianhuang, don't get too comfortable just yet," interjected King Qianhuan, a black-robed figure whose appearance seemed ethereal and dreamlike, impossible to focus on clearly. "When Bolan becomes Venerable Nine Swords' direct disciple instead of just your student, you'll have plenty to cry about."
"I heard that Venerable Nine Swords has expressed some interest in Bolan as a potential personal disciple," King Qianhuan added meaningfully.
"Qianhuan, where did you hear that?" King Jianhuang asked, suddenly alert with obvious concern.
"A secret," King Qianhuan replied with a mysterious laugh that echoed strangely in the virtual space.
"Tsk, if you don't want to tell me, then just don't tell me," King Jianhuang retorted with mock annoyance. "What's the point of being so dramatic about 'secrets'?"
His exasperation drew genuine laughter from the assembled Kings, the tension breaking into camaraderie despite their competitive interest in recruiting talented disciples.
Han Jue departed from the Tongtian Bridge plane, his consciousness returning to his manor in Primal Chaos City.
Despite his defeat on the seventh level, he felt immensely satisfied with the experience.
After battling opponents from both the sixth and seventh levels, he'd gained profound new understanding of Myriad Avatars! The practical combat experience had revealed subtleties in the technique that simple meditation and observation of the Chaos Monument couldn't fully convey.
He was confident that after a dedicated period of practice incorporating these insights, he would master the true essence of Myriad Avatars and unlock its full potential. The technique's ability to create semi-independent attacking avatars would dramatically enhance his combat versatility.
More importantly, having successfully passed the sixth level of the Tongtian Bridge meant he now qualified to receive direct guidance from the Lord of Ice Peak, an opportunity most cultivators could only dream of across their entire lifetimes.
However, before visiting the Iceberg Palace to meet with his teacher, Han Jue still had some pressing matters to address.
Matters concerning Earth.
The planet would soon transform into a sacred birthplace belonging to humanity's only peak bloodline. It would possess status surpassing even places like Manka Star, with importance exceeding that of many ordinary universe nations and potentially rivaling actual treasures in strategic value.
The implications were staggering. Earth's administration, its population's treatment, the potential for his bloodline's propagation, all these factors would fundamentally reshape his homeworld's future and the destiny of everyone he cared about there.
"Rimuru, contact Luo Feng," Han Jue said quietly, taking a deep breath to center himself.
His closest friend deserved to know what was coming. The changes to Earth would affect Luo Feng's family as much as his own, and transparency between them had always been the foundation of their friendship.
They still needed to be properly informed about Earth's imminent transformation and what it would mean for everyone they loved.