Chapter 1025: Chapter 54: Entering the Finals! A Brand-New World, Fourth Meta-Heaven!

"I really don’t know what kind of opportunities Jiang Shu has encountered. It’s simply impossible to reach this realm in such a short time with talent alone. After all, among all these ancient prodigies, which one isn’t supremely gifted?"

Someone whispered.

However, his companion was full of worry.

"Being able to see this person up close is certainly a good thing, but with his arrival, our chances for advancing have decreased by one."

The preliminary selection of the Deep Space Sea is quite simple; a hundred thousand eligible young people simultaneously step onto the arena to fight each other, and it doesn’t stop until only a thousand are left.

Each of them has a token engraved with formation in their hands.

As long as they crush it, they can leave the arena.

However, this does not mean they can preserve their lives even if they lose. If the gap in strength is too large, their opponent can completely kill them before they can take out their token.

It’s only the first round, yet so many people are eliminated, showing the intense competition.

As long as Jiang Shu stands there, no one dares to touch him.

Not to mention his powerful combat strength; his cultivation at the Tenth Realm Middle Stage is enough to make these contestants, whose realms are generally only the Ninth Realm, despair.

"Just one spot, it’s nothing to you and me."

...

"Back in our era, there was no such fierce competition."

In the distant starry sky, dozens of venerable figures stood together. One venerable approached Luo Venerable and said this.

Although Luo Venerable wasn’t familiar with this venerable, they responded with a nod remembering the courtesy.

"Indeed, the previous selections aimed at filtering out those who lacked realm, not seeing such intense competition."

After exchanging a few more words, the venerable suddenly asked, "You appear unfamiliar, we haven’t interacted much before."

The Venerable Realm is the highest realm for those who walk outside, the mid to high level figures of every great power, almost all of whom have some sort of intersection. Luo Venerable and a few others from the Outer Circle were indeed somewhat noteworthy.

"I come from the Outer Circle, so it’s normal for Dao Brother not to have seen me."

Luo Venerable smiled outwardly, but grew cautious inside.

"Dao Brother’s aura is thick; I fear you might have reached the Middle Stage Venerable. You must be a leading figure on the Outer Circle."

"Are you from the Jiuyu Business Association?"

Seeing Luo Venerable nod, this venerable sighed again,

"Ah, the Jiuyu Business Association has produced an extraordinary character, if grown to peak, even among the Manifestation Realm they will be second to none."

Here it comes!

Luo Venerable knew this fellow wasn’t well-intentioned, revealing their true intentions after saying just a few words.

"Dao Friend might be referring to Jiang Shu."

"This young man is indeed surprising; my countless guidance on him has not been in vain, very promising."

This group just wants to get some information about Jiang Shu from him, hoping to entice him into joining their own forces.

A bunch of old folks, trying to recruit from me?

"Dao Brother, I mean no harm; only that with Jiang Shu, the Jiuyu Business Alliance will surely earn a place within the Inner Circle in the future. I’m just here to offer congratulations."

Regardless of their scheming, Jiang Shu glanced at the defense array above and looked around; no one dared meet his gaze.

The strife began.

No one made the first move immediately. They measured each other’s strength, waiting for the right moment to make their move.

Entering Deep Space Sea means countless opportunities await. Even among fellow disciples, trust is absent; the sole reliance is oneself.

Only Jiang Shu sat serenely at the center of the arena, surrounded by invisible barriers, seemingly a realm of his own, meditating with his eyes closed.

Seeing his approach, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Thankfully, this one didn’t appear ready to make a move.

Otherwise, none of them would be his match, they’d swiftly fall by his hand.

"Hiss!"

Finally, someone couldn’t resist taking action, raising their hand to release a swarm of fine needles shooting in all directions, meticulously avoiding Jiang Shu’s position.

This is a slaughter ground.

A hundred thousand supreme geniuses clashing together, cries and shouts shake the heavens, countless colorful spells and divine skills burst forth from their hands.

In mere moments, some couldn’t hold on, reluctantly crushing their tokens and being teleported away, shouting angrily.

Though their strength could enter Deep Space Sea, their arrogant behavior was known to many for being strong, thus they became a target of concentrated attacks and regrettably exited the stage.

It’s not an uncommon phenomenon.

Many simultaneously acted, first cooperating to clear out the strong adversaries, before vying amongst themselves.

"Let’s clear out these wastes first."

A genius newly entering the Tenth Realm shouted.

In the Outer Circle, they would already be a pillar of their force. Yet within the Inner Circle, they must still fight for a chance to earn a spot.

The scene was chaotic, ordinary Ninth Realm cultivators had long been extricated from the battlefield.

Those left were essentially only geniuses of the Tenth Realm.

After half an hour, there were fewer and fewer people on the field, only about three or four thousand, all pausing, gasping for breath and cautiously watching those around them.

The ground was in a mess; shattered bricks mixed with blood and corpses, the stench of blood permeated the air.

Some geniuses even turned their gaze to Jiang Shu.

After fighting for so long, they were all blood-soaked, but the area around Jiang Shu still remained notably clean.

As they exchanged glances, they collectively looked at Jiang Shu, evidently with the intent to join forces.

"Are you going to act?"

Jiang Shu’s tone was calm, as if discussing something trivial.

Suddenly, thirteen Law Order Chains emerged behind him, entwining and merging, emanating a vast and magnificent aura that spread in all directions, like a massive mountain pressing upon their hearts. Many faces turned pale, legs shaking, seemingly unable to endure.

Among them, some had only recently stepped into the Tenth Realm and couldn’t bear his oppressive force, causing their blood and Qi to surge uncontrollably, threatening to burst forth.

Unable to withstand it, they crushed their tokens and teleported out.

Merely one act left countless geniuses struck with awe, retreating repeatedly, employing every means mainly for survival.

Even those who could contend with Jiang Shu frowned, stepping back a few paces.

This was merely a selection competition; none wished to suffer mutual destruction here.

As Jiang Shu’s power unfolded, the number of geniuses around him dwindled.

Some formidable geniuses showcased themselves similarly, demonstrating their skills.

Fighting continued incessantly on the field, waves of laws reverberated in the void.

If a normal planet were here, it might be directly pierced and destroyed by the vast power of laws.

But here, these talented wielders of transmundane techniques were only cannon fodder, mere contenders.

"Boom!"

The void quaked, forcing numerous geniuses to retreat.

"Buzz!"

As the number on the field just reached a thousand, a loud buzzing sound rang out; an ancient formation was activated, instantly transporting everyone within the plaza to another domain.

This is a world none have seen before, shrouded in mist, an endless ocean beneath their feet, and above their heads, Gang Winds roared.

"Above the Gang Wind layer, there are flames reaching the sky."

A genius’s soul surged upwards, promptly investigating the changes above the sky.

Within the Flame Layer, they heard faint sounds of thunder.

This is a brand new world.