Translator: CinderTL
Outside, on the massive circular platform:
"Two against five, and they actually won!"
"Jiang Ye's strength is truly astonishing!"
"Did you feel that spear strike just now? It reached at least the quasi-seventh breakthrough realm!"
"Forcing Yan Ya and the others to beg for mercy... Jiang Ye is ruthless."
"This trip was worth it." The million spectators in the stands stared at the projection screen showing Jiang Ye, all in awe.
Most of the spectators present were no ordinary people.
Among them were even experts at the sixth and seventh breakthrough realms.
Qiu Cang, for example, sat in the audience with several teachers.
The Great Stellar War was of paramount importance to Blue Star.
Therefore, despite the Shadow Calamity erupting across the planet, many experts had made time to witness the event.
Jiang Ye's performance left them utterly captivated.
In the live broadcast, over ten billion viewers were in a frenzy.
"Is this Jiang Ye's true power? It's insane!"
"No wonder he dared to challenge Zhou Xingkong. If I had this kind of strength, I'd challenge him too!"
"Where are all the people who were mocking Jiang Ye earlier? Come out now!"
"Hey, you haters! Speak up!"
"Let's be clear: I admit Jiang Ye is strong, but he's still a step behind Zhou Xingkong."
"666! I can't wait to see you eat your words."
"Honestly, I still think Jiang Ye has a long way to go to catch up to Zhou Xingkong."
"..."
With over ten billion viewers buzzing with excitement, the livestream's popularity continued to skyrocket.
Twelve billion!
Thirteen billion!
Fifteen billion!
Amidst the frenzied discussion among the audience, the demigods hovering above the circular platform remained remarkably calm.
"Jiang Ye really won."
"Yan Ya and the others were just ordinary dao bone geniuses, relying solely on their initial high realms. Otherwise, Jiang Ye would have crushed them long ago."
"True. Yan Ya is almost sixty years old—not exactly a standout compared to the other geniuses," several demigods remarked with a hint of nostalgia.
The Great Stellar War typically has no age restrictions.
Any powerhouse between the fourth and seventh breakthrough realms can participate.
However, as a competition among geniuses, there's an unspoken rule: those over sixty rarely compete in the Great Stellar War.
If one failed to reach the seventh breakthrough by the age of sixty, they would be removed from the ranks of geniuses.
Yan Ya was rapidly approaching this critical threshold.
"However, Jiang Ye's performance hasn't been particularly impressive either."
"Judging by Jiang Ye's combat prowess, he still lags behind the transcendent realm." Several demigods turned their attention to another projection screen.
The screen displayed the core region of the civilization ruins, the very location where the Transcendent Aptitudes were concentrated during this year's Great Stellar War.
Rumble! Rumble!
Within the projection, a figure as radiant as the Proud Sun clashed with a colossal, indescribably massive beast.
Their battle erupted with earth-shattering force. Each shockwave tore through the ground for hundreds of miles, causing the void to tremble incessantly.
"Is that Zhou Xingkong?"
"He's encountered a Civilization Guardian Beast."
"His combat power is astonishing. The destructive force he's unleashing is at least at the late-stage seventh breakthrough realm."
The demigods watched intently.
Since the start of the Great Stellar War, all Transcendent Aptitudes had been transported to the core region of the civilization ruins.
But don't mistake this central area for safety.
In truth, it was a hundred times more perilous than the outer regions.
Zhou Xingkong, for instance, had encountered a terrifying behemoth comparable to a late-stage seventh breakthrough cultivator—a Civilization Guardian Beast.
"This guardian beast is a treasure trove," the Zhou Family Demigod remarked. "Especially its beast core, which can directly strengthen one's life core. If Xingkong can slay it, the benefits to his own cultivation will be immense."
The other demigods nodded in agreement.
Tens of thousands of participants in the outer regions could enhance their strength through mutual elimination and plundering civilization fire.
Similarly, the Heavenly Pride with Transcendent Aptitude in the core region of the civilization ruins could bolster their power by hunting Civilization Guardian Beasts.
Suddenly, one of the demigods pointed at the projection. "Look! Zhou Xingkong has already defeated the guardian beast."
Core Region of the Civilization Ruins.
Whoosh!
A dazzling figure stood suspended in mid-air, his eyes crackling with electric energy and his aura radiating overwhelming power.
"Civilization Guardian Beast? Nothing more than this," Zhou Xingkong declared, his feet planted firmly in the void as he stood before the mountain-sized corpse of the beast.
If the outer region participants were present, they would have been utterly astonished.
For Zhou Xingkong's body now shone with an incandescent brilliance, as if he had already devoured hundreds of civilization fire, blazing like the Proud Sun itself.
Yet in truth, he had only fused with a single flame.
After fusing with the civilization fire, Zhou Xingkong thought to himself, my realm has already reached the standard for the seventh breakthrough.
Even this guardian beast, comparable to a mid-stage seventh breakthrough cultivator, is no match for me.
Geniuses excel at challenging opponents beyond their own realm.
But after the seventh breakthrough? Each minor realm becomes an insurmountable chasm.
Zhou Xingkong's ability to achieve this feat demonstrates his terrifying strength.
"Retrieve." Zhou Xingkong reached out and grasped, and a beam of light shot forth from the guardian beast's corpse.
It coalesced into a golden pill, landing in his palm.
"A beast core?" Zhou Xingkong examined the glowing golden pill, its surface radiating a potent life aura.
"Consume it."
"This should further enhance my strength," Zhou Xingkong said calmly. "I wonder how Jiang Ye is faring? I hope he isn't eliminated in the first stage. That would be far too dull."
Unbeknownst to Jiang Ye, the demigods of Blue Star and Zhou Xingkong were all thinking about him.
At that moment, he had arrived at a secluded mountain cave.
"Jiang Ye, why are we here?" Song Xuan asked, bewildered as she stared at the deserted cave.
"I plan to enter secluded cultivation for a while," Jiang Ye replied. "If you have other plans, you're free to leave."
"No need," Song Xuan quickly replied. "I'll stay here and act as your guardian."
Leave? What a joke!
Jiang Ye was such a valuable asset—she couldn't cling to him tightly enough. There was no way she'd leave him alone.
"Alright, then I'll trouble you, Senior Sister," Jiang Ye said with a faint smile.
Without another word, he strode into the cave.
"Phew~" Song Xuan secretly exhaled in relief. She had almost worried Jiang Ye would drive her away.
Seeing Jiang Ye enter the cave, Song Xuan swiftly moved to the entrance and began her guardian duties.
"Brother Song Gang, I'm sorry," she murmured to herself. "I'll stay with Junior Brother Jiang Ye for now. If the opportunity arises, I'll come find you later."
Song Gang was her elder brother.
Song Xuan's original plan had been to find Song Gang, Li Chao, and the others, but now? She found herself reluctant to leave.
Suddenly, a telepathic message echoed in her mind:
"Senior Sister, within these civilization ruins, one can comprehend the mysteries of heaven and earth. You should try it yourself."
"Comprehend the mysteries of heaven and earth?" Song Xuan was taken aback.
Then, as if realizing something, she closed her eyes and began to sense her surroundings.
Inside the cave, Jiang Ye walked to its deepest recesses and swiftly sat down cross-legged.
(End of the Chapter)
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