Within his manor in Primal Chaos City, Han Jue practiced his blade techniques with focused intensity, his hand moving like a sword as he executed each movement with precision honed over thirty years of cultivation.
"Come see me now!"
A voice suddenly echoed directly into Han Jue's ears and consciousness, reverberating through his mind with unmistakable authority.
"Come see me now!""Come see me now!""Come see me now!"
The command repeated again and again, reaching not just Han Jue but all one thousand geniuses still alive throughout Primal Chaos City. Every cultivator ceased their training immediately, recognizing the summons that signaled the end of their thirty-year training period.
"Is it finally here?" Han Jue murmured, setting aside his practice as anticipation flickered through him.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
From every corner of the vast, mist-shrouded city, figures launched themselves into the sky, all heading toward the same destination. The air filled with streaking forms as cultivators at various levels converged above the city's center.
High above Primal Chaos City, a nearly kilometer-long spacecraft shaped like a massive dark blue fish emerged from the fractured chaotic space. The vessel's sleek form undulated gracefully as it maneuvered through the dimensional barriers, its very presence radiating an aura of supreme authority that demanded submission from all who witnessed it.
Crack!
The hatch on the enormous fish-shaped spacecraft's underside opened smoothly, and over a dozen figures emerged in perfect formation. Leading them was a striking man clad in a cyan battle robe, his head covered with distinctive purple scales that marked him as a being of considerable power. The moment all passengers had disembarked, the massive spacecraft vanished from its position as though it had never existed.
Venerable Nine Swords!
"Greetings, Your Excellency!" A contingent of Immortals saluted respectfully in mid-air, their voices synchronized in deference.
Han Jue and the other assembled geniuses followed suit, bowing respectfully despite floating in the sky. The weight of Venerable Nine Swords' presence made even breathing feel slightly more difficult.
"Hmph!"
Venerable Nine Swords' cold snort cut through the air like a blade. His penetrating gaze swept across the gathered youths below, each one feeling the immense pressure emanating from this powerful Universe Venerable. The atmosphere grew heavy with tension as his displeasure became palpable.
Silence descended across the assembly like a physical weight.
"In ten days, it will be time for you to leave Primal Chaos City," Venerable Nine Swords said, his tone carrying both disappointment and stern warning. "Even in a place as safe as Primal Chaos City, the safest location we arranged specifically for your development, twenty percent of you have died. Once you return to the Original Universe, who knows how many more will fall."
His words hung in the air like a death sentence, causing many of the younger geniuses to pale visibly. The reminder of their mortality struck home with brutal efficiency.
"For the next ten days, cross the Tongtian Bridge if you need to test yourselves, and comprehend the Chaos Monuments while you still have access to them. Once you leave Primal Chaos City..." Venerable Nine Swords paused meaningfully, letting the implication sink in. "It will be a very long time before any of you return here."
With a casual wave of his hand, his attention shifted to a specific individual. "Han Jue, come with me."
Before Han Jue could respond, Venerable Nine Swords took a single step and vanished from the sky above Primal Chaos City. Han Jue felt space warp around him as he was pulled along through the dimensional shift, leaving the other geniuses staring at his rapidly disappearing form.
The remaining cultivators exchanged confused and speculative glances before quickly dispersing to make the most of their final ten days in this legendary training ground.
In a remote area of Primal Chaos City stood a massive yet simple mansion, its understated architecture belying the importance of its occupant.
"Haha, it's rare to receive a friend's visit!"
Accompanied by warm laughter, the dark entrance door swung open automatically, revealing a three-eyed elder dressed in what appeared to be rough linen robes. Despite his humble appearance, his presence radiated immense power.
Han Jue recognized him immediately, this three-eyed elder was none other than Kandeli, the Guardian who had created fifty-two clones to simultaneously guard each Chaos Monument's observation chamber. His reputation as an ancient and formidable being preceded him.
"It's been a long time, so I came to see you," Venerable Nine Swords said with uncharacteristic warmth, his stern demeanor softening slightly in the presence of this old friend.
The two walked side by side into the mansion's living room, their easy camaraderie suggesting countless years of acquaintance. Venerable Nine Swords gestured for Han Jue to follow them inside, and the young genius complied quietly, curious about why he'd been brought to this meeting.
Once they were seated comfortably, Kandeli poured wine for his guests with practiced grace, studying Venerable Nine Swords with knowing eyes. "Nine Swords, you wouldn't visit me without good reason. Tell me, what's the matter? And why did you need to bring this young one along?"
His three eyes fixed on Han Jue briefly with penetrating interest before returning to Venerable Nine Swords.
"Haha, then I won't hide it anymore," Venerable Nine Swords said with a slight smile, glancing at Han Jue to acknowledge his presence in this conversation.
"We've recently discovered a cosmic secret realm. Based on our preliminary investigations, it's estimated to be an extremely high-level domain. Anyone below Universe Venerable level will almost certainly die if they enter, and even Immortal Kings have very low chances of survival." Venerable Nine Swords paused to let this sink in before continuing. "The potential rewards, however, are correspondingly extraordinary."
"Oh? Interesting." Kandeli's three eyes gleamed with genuine curiosity, his interest clearly piqued.
Han Jue listened intently, his analytical mind immediately working through the implications.
Cosmic secret realms were unique dimensional spaces that naturally formed during the evolution of the vast Original Universe. Normal cosmic evolution might result in the formation of planets or stars, but due to special circumstances, convergences of powerful laws, catastrophic events, or the death throes of supreme beings, bizarre cosmic secret realms could also appear. Some of these realms rivaled entire star regions in scale, while others existed as pocket dimensions accessible only through specific methods.
The Original Universe was the largest, oldest, and most powerful universe known to exist, and the cosmic secret realms within it varied tremendously in danger level and contained treasures ranging from useful resources to artifacts that could transform civilizations.
Generally speaking, even the weakest newly formed cosmic secret realms were only accessible to World Masters, with Domain Lords and Universe-level cultivators having virtually no chance of survival. The power requirements were simply too demanding for anyone below that threshold.
For example, in the earliest days of the Dry Sea Secret Realm, it had been home to numerous World Master-level sea beasts and had even given birth to two Immortal-level beings, the Dry Sea Divine Lord and the Mirage Sea Divine Lord. Entire armies had perished attempting to map its depths during that era.
It was only later, with the passing of those two Divine Lords and the gradual weakening of the realm's ambient energy over countless epochs, that the Dry Sea Secret Realm had become accessible to lower-level cultivators.
Hearing Venerable Nine Swords speak of cosmic secret realms, Han Jue developed a vague suspicion about why he'd been brought to this meeting. The connection to his senior brothers became obvious almost immediately.
Sure enough, his intuition proved correct.
"Han Jue, I understand that two of your senior brothers are currently exploring that secret realm," Venerable Nine Swords said, turning to address him directly with courteous formality. "I wonder if you could contact them? I'd very much like to acquire some intelligence about the conditions within."
Kandeli also looked at Han Jue with obvious interest, his three eyes studying the young genius with renewed attention.
"I apologize, Your Excellency," Han Jue shook his head slightly, genuine regret coloring his voice. "I haven't had the opportunity to meet those two senior brothers yet. According to what Senior Brother Lingji told me, they're deep within the secret realm exploring dangerous territories and can't easily access the Virtual Universe for communication. The conditions there apparently make maintaining virtual connections extremely difficult."
"I see. That's unfortunate," Venerable Nine Swords said, though his tone suggested he'd expected this response. The disappointment was minimal, he hadn't held high hopes to begin with.
His primary purpose in bringing Han Jue here had been to establish a positive relationship with the Lord of Ice Peak's newest, and potentially most talented, disciple. Building goodwill now could prove invaluable in the future, especially given Han Jue's remarkable potential.
"Han Jue, although you've become a personal disciple of the Lord of Ice Peak and will no longer fall under my direct authority, I still want to express my gratitude," Venerable Nine Swords continued, his expression becoming more genuine. "Your guidance helped Bolan find the right path and allowed me to acquire such an outstanding disciple. For that, I'm in your debt."
With Bolan's exceptional talent and corrected temperament, Venerable Nine Swords felt confident the young genius could eventually become a peak-level Immortal King comparable to King Longyu, perhaps even possessing a genuine chance of reaching Universe Venerable status one day. Having such a disciple was an extraordinarily rare blessing that few could claim.
But that was merely rare, not unprecedented. What made it truly valuable was having personally guided that talent from its earliest stages.
"Your Excellency, this has nothing to do with me," Han Jue said seriously, maintaining proper humility. "Bolan's growth is the result of his own dedication and your excellent instruction. I simply offered a few casual observations."
"Haha," Venerable Nine Swords chuckled, clearly not believing Han Jue's modest deflection but appreciating it nonetheless.
His expression grew more thoughtful as he considered what gift to offer this promising young cultivator. After a moment's contemplation, he spoke again. "After leaving Primal Chaos City, you'll become eligible for dangerous missions that offer substantial rewards. There's one called the Seven Flame Palace that contains opportunities specifically suited to your cultivation path. Whether you can seize those opportunities will depend entirely on your own abilities and fortune."
Han Jue's eyes lit up with genuine excitement. "Thank you, Your Excellency! I'll remember this guidance."
Any mission recommendation from a Universe Venerable carried immense value, these were beings who understood the intricate workings of the universe far better than any lower-level cultivator could imagine. Such advice could mean the difference between wasted effort and transformative breakthroughs.
"Go now," Venerable Nine Swords said with a dismissive wave of his hand, though his tone remained friendly rather than cold.
Space warped around Han Jue as the Universe Venerable's power effortlessly transported him back to his residence in Primal Chaos City, the journey instantaneous and disorienting despite his enhanced perceptions.
During his final ten days in Primal Chaos City, no major unexpected events occurred, though the atmosphere remained charged with competitive energy as everyone made their final attempts to advance.
Luo Feng attempted to reach the sixth level of the Tongtian Bridge for the second time, but failed again despite his best efforts. The frustration was evident in his eyes as he returned from the attempt, though his determination remained unshaken.
At this point, his understanding of the fundamental laws of space had barely caught up to Han Jue's level during the Genius Battle three years ago, a sobering reminder of how far ahead some talents could reach. The gap between them hadn't closed as much as Luo Feng had hoped, despite his intense dedication.
Han Jue still possessed three unused opportunities to comprehend the Ice Peak Chaos Monument, but he hadn't utilized them during these final ten days. His reasoning was practical, his understanding of the fundamental laws couldn't increase dramatically in such a short period without some external catalyst or profound insight, and the challenges he currently faced hadn't yet reached a level requiring monument observation.
Furthermore, as a member of the Primal Secret Realm and a personal disciple of the Lord of Ice Peak, he enjoyed access to numerous teachers and mentors whenever questions arose.
Teacher Norton, Guard Leader Ian, Silver Moon King, Venerable Lianyi... even the Lord of Ice Peak himself.
Han Jue could consult any of them about cultivation problems, making hoarding his monument observation chances less critical than it might have been for others. The advantages of his position were becoming increasingly apparent.
"Senior Sister, you're here."
On his last day in Primal Chaos City, Han Jue looked up in genuine surprise as a stunning woman appeared before him without warning, her arrival so subtle he'd barely sensed it despite his enhanced perception.
Venerable Lianyi!
Her silver-white armor gleamed in the perpetual twilight of Primal Chaos City, and her short aqua-blue hair framed a face that managed to be both beautiful and commanding. Her eyes held millennia of experience, yet they regarded him with unmistakable warmth and pride.
The sight of one of his senior martial siblings arriving personally filled Han Jue with both excitement and curiosity about what came next. The journey home was about to begin, and with it, whatever surprise Venerable Lianyi had hinted at waiting for him on Earth.
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