"You heard them correctly, didn’t you?" Ray said as an arrogant smile slowly spread across his face while the crimson spear within his hand radiated increasingly terrifying pressure.

The sharpness surrounding his body continuously tore through the air like countless invisible blades while the oppressive aura emanating from him became heavier with every passing second. Nearby participants instinctively retreated farther away from the battlefield as the pressure sweeping from Ray’s body grew increasingly difficult to endure.

"This..." Ray continued proudly while slightly lifting the crimson spear upward, "is a Pseudo Cosmic Path."

His eyes gleamed with absolute confidence and superiority as though he already stood far above everyone present.

"I am already only a few steps away from comprehending a true Cosmic Path."

The surrounding participants immediately felt their hearts tremble once again after hearing those words directly from Ray himself.

Even Jonathan Myres and Julie remained completely silent afterward.

After all, the significance behind a Pseudo Cosmic Path was simply too terrifying.

Ray slowly pointed the crimson spear toward Max while sneering coldly.

"So tell me..."

His voice carried obvious ridicule.

"Do you truly believe you stand a chance against someone like me?"

The pressure radiating from his body intensified once more.

The surrounding space distorted faintly while the concept of sharpness fused together with traces of the incomplete Cosmic Path, causing everyone nearby to feel overwhelming suffocating pressure descending upon them like a mountain.

Then suddenly, Ray laughed.

The reason was simple.

He had noticed the solemn expression appearing upon Max’s face.

Clearly, in Ray’s eyes, Max had finally realized the terrifying gap separating the two of them.

"How about this?" Ray said mockingly while casually spinning the crimson spear within his hand. "Follow me quietly toward some isolated corner of this tower..."

A dangerous smile gradually surfaced on his face afterward.

"And I might choose to spare you there."

His tone suddenly became colder.

"Otherwise..."

The killing intent hidden within his eyes intensified sharply.

"You’ll be eliminated here in front of everyone."

The surrounding participants remained silent while staring toward Max.

Many of them subconsciously believed Ray’s words were not merely empty arrogance.

After all, the pressure of a Pseudo Cosmic Path was genuinely overwhelming.

However, at that exact moment, Max suddenly spoke softly.

"Pseudo Cosmic Path..."

His eyes remained fixed steadily upon Ray while he appeared to sink briefly into deep thought.

Then slowly, a smile appeared on Max’s face.

"I truly didn’t expect you to walk this far along the road toward a Cosmic Path."

Ray’s sneer deepened slightly after hearing those words.

However, before he could respond, the smile upon Max’s face suddenly widened further.

Then, a trace of genuine excitement gradually surfaced within his eyes.

"I never thought I would actually get an opportunity like this," Max said honestly while tightening his grip around his sword.

The seven-colored lightning surrounding his body crackled far more intensely afterward as violent divine energy fluctuations spread faintly throughout the battlefield.

"To fight someone who has already reached the Pseudo Cosmic Path stage..."

His voice now carried unmistakable excitement.

"So stop wasting time and come fight me already."

The moment those words fell, several nearby participants became completely stunned.

Even Jonathan blinked slightly in surprise.

Julie’s beautiful eyes widened faintly while staring toward Max.

None of them had expected such a reaction from him.

Faced against someone who had already stepped halfway into the realm of Cosmic Paths, Max should have felt pressure, caution, or perhaps even fear.

Instead, he looked excited.

Genuinely excited.

And the more terrifying Ray’s comprehension appeared to be, the brighter the excitement within Max’s eyes became.

This was because Max clearly understood the true value hidden behind this battle.

Perhaps he still remained inexperienced regarding many matters within the Divine Realm.

Perhaps there were still countless hidden powers, ancient inheritances, and terrifying secrets that he did not fully understand yet.

But when it came to laws, concepts, and Cosmic Paths, Max’s understanding was absolutely not lacking.

He fully understood just how terrifying someone like Ray truly was.

A Pseudo Cosmic Path was not simply a stronger concept.

It represented someone who had already begun transforming their understanding into an entirely higher existence.

Someone who had already stepped onto the road leading toward the absolute peak of cultivation.

And precisely because Max understood this, he became even more excited.

Deep within him, Max’s own Severing Sword Concept faintly stirred.

Unlike Ray, Max had not yet reached the Pseudo Cosmic Path stage himself.

However, his mastery over the Severing Sword Concept had already advanced to an extremely high level. Although still incomplete, faint traces of the future Cosmic Path hidden within it had already begun forming silently.

Because of this, Max immediately realized the enormous opportunity standing directly before him.

If he exchanged blows against someone like Ray, if he personally experienced the pressure, structure, and transformation process of a Pseudo Cosmic Path during battle, then perhaps he could gain insight into how to push his own Severing Sword Concept even further.

Perhaps this battle itself would become the stepping stone allowing him to approach the Pseudo Cosmic Path stage in the future.

The more Max thought about it, the more excited he became.

Battles against ordinary geniuses no longer interested him much anymore.

But a battle against someone standing halfway toward a true Cosmic Path was completely different.

That was not merely a fight.

That was an opportunity.

A rare and precious opportunity capable of directly benefiting his future cultivation path.

The seven-colored lightning surrounding Max gradually intensified while the fighting spirit within his eyes rose sharply.

Meanwhile, Ray slowly frowned.

For the very first time since meeting Max, Ray genuinely felt that something was wrong with him.

No.

Not wrong.

Insane.

Any normal genius standing before a Pseudo Cosmic Path would feel pressure weighing down upon them like a mountain. They would hesitate after realizing the terrifying gap separating themselves from someone who had already stepped halfway onto the road of Cosmic Paths.

Yet Max was completely different.

Instead of fear, excitement had appeared within his eyes.

The more Ray revealed his strength, the brighter the fighting spirit radiating from Max became.

That reaction alone gradually caused the sneer on Ray’s face to disappear.

Then slowly, a cold smile returned.

"Fine," Ray said while his eyes sharpened dangerously. "Since you’re so eager to die..."

The crimson spear in his hand suddenly trembled violently.

"I’ll show you the true power of my Pseudo Cosmic Path."

Boom!!!

The moment those words fell, an overwhelming pressure erupted violently from Ray’s body once more.

The entire eighth layer shook violently.

Cracks spread rapidly across the platform beneath his feet while sharp scarlet energy exploded outward in every direction like a raging storm. Nearby participants instinctively retreated farther away as the terrifying aura surrounding Ray continued climbing higher and higher.

The crimson spear within his hand began radiating blinding red light.

At the same time, the concept of sharpness surrounding him transformed completely.

Before, it had merely felt sharp.

Now, it felt as though the very space around him could be sliced apart at any moment.

Thin distortions appeared throughout the surrounding air while countless invisible cuts spread continuously across the stone platform beneath him. Even without attacking, the pressure released from Ray alone was already tearing the battlefield apart.