Chapter 1642: Importance of the Last Trial!

"As all of you already know, the cultivation of every participant in the Cosmic Ascension Conference will be suppressed to the peak of the Law Refinement Realm," Elder Cael’s voice rang out clearly, carrying across the entire square without the slightest obstruction. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

A quiet murmur spread through the crowd, though most of the disciples had already heard of this rule before. Even so, hearing it again in such a setting made the reality of it feel heavier.

"This trial will replicate that exact condition," Elder Cael continued, his tone steady and controlled. "It will allow each of you to personally experience what it means to fight under those limitations and prepare yourselves for what lies ahead."

As his words settled, he raised his hand slightly, and the space above the square began to tremble as if something was being pulled into existence.

Moments later, a massive painting appeared in the sky.

It stretched wide, far larger than any ordinary canvas, almost as if a piece of another world had been unfolded and hung in the air for all to see. Within the painting was a dense forest, ancient and vast, its towering trees casting long shadows that seemed to shift even without wind. The deeper one looked, the more unsettling it felt, as though the forest itself was watching.

It did not feel like a lifeless image.

It felt real.

"This," Elder Cael said as his gaze fell upon the painting, "is a treasure that the Celestial Forge Pavilion recently obtained from an ancient site."

His voice paused briefly before he continued.

"It is called the Soul Sealing Painting."

The moment its name was spoken, a visible change passed through the elders present. Some narrowed their eyes, while others straightened slightly, clearly recognizing that this was no ordinary artifact.

"With this treasure, one’s soul can be sealed within the painting," Elder Cael explained, his tone growing more serious. "Once inside, everything operates according to the rules that have been set beforehand. Whether you live or die, whether you succeed or fail, all of it depends on those rules."

He let his words linger before continuing.

"In essence, it is a self-contained world."

Max’s gaze remained fixed on the forest within the painting as he listened. He could sense something unusual from it, a fluctuation that did not come from energy or aura, but from something deeper. It resonated faintly with his soul, as though the painting was not merely an object but a gateway.

"The rules within this Soul Sealing Painting have already been configured," Elder Cael continued, "to match those of the Cosmic Ascension Conference."

A ripple of surprise spread through the crowd once more.

"For those of you who are unaware, the Cosmic Ascension Conference consists of two rounds," he said, raising his hand slightly as if to emphasize the structure.

"The first round exists to determine the top one hundred participants."

"The second round exists to determine the final victor among those one hundred."

His gaze swept across the disciples, and even those who had been whispering fell silent under the weight of his words.

"Because of this structure, the first round takes the form of a battle royale," he continued, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable pressure. "This battle does not end until the number of participants is reduced to a mere one hundred."

A heavy silence fell over the square.

"You must understand," Elder Cael added, his expression growing more solemn, "that the Cosmic Ascension Conference gathers geniuses from across the entire Divine Realm. The number of participants is not in the thousands or millions. It often reaches into the trillions."

Even those who had heard of this before felt their expressions change. The sheer scale of it was enough to shake anyone who truly thought about it.

"Imagine a battlefield of that size," he said slowly. "A battle royale where trillions enter, and only one hundred remain."

Max stood quietly, but his mind had already begun to picture it. Endless combat. Countless enemies. No safe ground. No time to rest. Survival alone would be a challenge, let alone rising above all others.

"That kind of trial," Elder Cael said, "is beyond anything most of you have ever experienced."

He then turned his attention back to the massive painting.

"However, such numbers are not necessary for this trial," he added, his tone returning to its usual calm.

A faint, almost knowing smile appeared on his face.

"This Soul Sealing Painting is more than capable of hosting a battle royale for a limited number of participants. For this trial, it will accommodate around a hundred of you."

His words settled into the minds of everyone present.

A smaller battlefield.

Fewer participants.

But the same rules.

The same objective.

The same ruthless elimination.

Max’s lips curved into a faint smile as he looked at the forest within the painting.

Now that he understood what awaited him, the excitement within him grew stronger.

"The last round of the Smelting Trial... is called the Survival Trial," Elder Cael continued, his voice steady yet carrying a weight that pressed upon every disciple present.

The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere in the square changed completely. The earlier excitement and curiosity were still there, but they were now mixed with something heavier. Tension. Anticipation. A faint sense of danger that no one could ignore.

Elder Cael’s gaze swept across the crowd before he spoke again.

"There are a total of seven hundred and forty two disciples participating in this round," he said, each word clear and deliberate. "And this trial will only come to an end... once that number is reduced to fifty."

He added. "Dying in the painting means you are eliminated and your soul will return to the body."

A wave of silence spread instantly.

Even those who had been whispering earlier fell quiet as the meaning behind his words sank in.

"In other words," Elder Cael continued without pause, "you are not competing for victory in the traditional sense. You are competing to survive."

His voice did not rise, yet it echoed deeply within everyone’s mind.

"You must remain alive within the Soul Sealing Painting until the number of participants is reduced to fifty."

The simplicity of the rule made it even more brutal.

There were no complicated conditions. No hidden scoring system. No external judgment.

Survive... or be eliminated.

That was all.

Some disciples unconsciously clenched their fists. Others exchanged uneasy glances. A few, however, had already begun to smile, their eyes filled with excitement as if they had been waiting for something like this.

Max stood among them, his expression calm as ever, but his eyes had sharpened noticeably.

Seven hundred and forty two participants.

Fifty survivors.

That meant more than six hundred would fall.

"This is closer to the real Conference than I expected," he thought, a faint glint appearing in his eyes.

High above, Elder Cael raised his hand and pointed toward the massive painting that hovered in the sky like a gateway to another world.

"Now," he said, his tone carrying a finality that left no room for hesitation, "all participants, step forward."

His finger remained directed at the Soul Sealing Painting, the forest within it seeming darker than before, as if it was already waiting to swallow them whole.

"Stand before the painting," he commanded, "and prepare yourselves for the last and final trial of the Smelting Trial."

For a brief moment, no one moved.

Then—

One disciple stepped forward.

Then another.

Soon, the entire crowd began to shift as hundreds of figures advanced toward the painting, their expressions varying from excitement to fear, from determination to cold indifference.

Lucia moved closer to Max, her earlier excitement now mixed with seriousness.

"All the best, Max." She said smiling.

"I don’t need it but thanks." Max said calmly.

"I will do my best to enter top 50 this time." Isabella also came to his and said to herself.

Max nodded. "You two will be fine. Just be careful and don’t take fights when there are more people around."

Both Lucia and Isabella nodded.