71: Ranking Rewards

Above the sky of the Central Continent, a radiant golden divine path stretching across billions of miles of the Void Realm unfurled majestically from the Myriad Worlds Platform, resembling a ladder to heaven forged from billions of stars.

On the surface of the path, archaic divine scripts flowed ceaselessly like living creatures, each carrying the ultimate truths of heaven and earth, radiating a terrifying pressure capable of crushing a Divine Soul.

Lin Yuan stepped onto it following Vice Hall Master, ripples spreading beneath his feet, layers of dao patterns rippling like divine water. An ancient and boundless aura rushed towards him, as if every step were taken upon the River of Time and Space.

Behind him, the nine hundred ninety-nine Prodigies followed in his footsteps, none daring to overstep by even half a step—the invisible pressure of the Dao Lords was like an iron Law of heaven, grimly proclaiming the immutable rule of this Universe: "Might is truth!"

"Look over there!" a certain Saint exclaimed, his voice trembling slightly from extreme shock.

Everyone followed the sound and looked, only to see a towering "mountain range" stretching for a million miles suddenly appear at the end of the horizon!

That was by no means an ordinary mountain, but a massive architectural marvel formed by the stacking of countless floating immortal palaces and divine towers!

Its main peak was shaped like a world-ending divine sword that had cleaved the firmament, its blade piercing straight into the Nine Heavens.

Nine great dao divine chains coiled around the sword body like archaic dragons and pythons, each as thick as a mountain ridge, erupting with the divine radiance of dao rhyme capable of destroying heaven and earth!

The red chains churned, with world-burning true fire roaring, faintly revealing the shadow of an ancient flame dragon; the azure chains flowed, with chaotic gale winds whistling, as if the Origin of the wind dao were undulating within; the silver chains flashed, with world-destroying tribulation thunder rumbling, the aura of destruction chilling to the bone!

"Spirit Martial Hall headquarters." Vice Hall Master flicked his sleeves, his tone filled with pride. "Seven main peaks, seventy-two secondary peaks, and three hundred sixty auxiliary peaks together form the 'Universal Universe Array'. This array uses the heavens as a board and the myriad worlds as pieces, seizing the fortune of heaven and earth, defending against outer demons, and nurturing true spirits. It is the Foundation upon which our Hall shall stand forever!"

As the distance closed, the immortal atmosphere became even more breathtaking!

The main peak was cast entirely from Primordial Divine Jade with flowing rivers of Law stars. On the mountain body, billions of Origin Qi Immortal Caves were densely packed like a beehive, and the Spiritual Qi they exhaled condensed into tangible colorful immortal mists, swirling and lingering.

What shook the mind the most were the seven Origin Qi heavenly rivers, over ten thousand feet wide, cascading down from the Nine Heavens!

That was not ordinary water, but liquefied Origin of heaven and earth!

The Origin Qi waterfalls crashed thunderously into the Star-Radiance Jade Pools below, splashing fragments of spiritual light into the sky, as if one were in the Supreme immortal realm at the beginning of Grandmist!

"Origin Qi turning into liquid... This... what kind of Heaven-Defying Spiritual Qi Foundation is this?!" A certain Saint from an Eight-Star Great World was dazzled, his voice dry, his face filled with unbelievable envy.

Lin Yuan's gaze narrowed slightly, and his ninth-tier Divine Thought quietly unfolded like an invisible net.

In his perception, the entire Spirit Martial Hall headquarters was like an archaic giant beast dormant in the depths of Chaos; every palace and every Restriction concealed murderous intent, mysterious and unfathomable.

Those magnificent, golden-adorned pavilions were actually death traps that devoured everything.

Especially the seemingly simple gray hall at the peak of the main peak; the invisible pressure it emitted caused the Divine Thought tree in his Sea of Consciousness to sway and moan, issuing an unprecedentedly strong warning!

His gaze swept across a vast square paved with Heavenly Astral Star Stones, where one hundred thousand Cultivators clad in star-patterned battle robes, with auras as deep as the abyss and as heavy as a prison, were drilling a combined battle formation.

Their movements were uniform, and their Killing Intent soared into the sky!

With every swing of their swords, the Void Realm was torn apart, and pitch-black dimensional rifts spread like spiderwebs, as if world-ending demons could break through the realm at any moment!

"Those are the Disciples of the Main Peak Battle Pavilion." Vice Hall Master noticed Lin Yuan's gaze and said calmly, "The threshold for entry is the Dharma Domain Realm."

Lin Yuan's pupils contracted suddenly! Dharma Domain Realm!

In a Six-Star Great World, such an existence was already a titan, worshipped by hundreds of millions. Yet here, they were merely the most basic Battle Pavilion Disciples!

The Foundation of the Spirit Martial Hall on the Central Continent was truly as deep as the Chaos Return to Ruin, exceeding the limits of imagination!

"We have arrived." Vice Hall Master suddenly stopped.

Only then did everyone realize they were standing on a square constructed entirely of flawless divine jade.

On the ground, star maps flowed, and billions of starlight points swam and connected like living creatures, evolving the endless mysteries of the Universe.

Directly in front, atop nine levels of divine jade steps, seven armchairs swirling with the aura of Chaos were imposingly displayed.

The Supreme seat in the center was vacant, as if waiting for the Dominator to arrive.

Three people sat on the left and right, the aura of each being as deep as the abyss and as vast as the sea. Just sitting there, they seemed to become the center of the heaven, earth, and Universe, with ten thousand Laws circling their bodies!

"Greetings, Hall Masters!" the nine hundred ninety-nine Saints shouted in unison, their voices piercing the clouds, bowing their heads respectfully.

Only one person stood as straight as a javelin, his gaze clear and firm, looking directly at the high platform—it was Lin Yuan!

His gaze met with the old man in the second seat on the left—it was the Inspector Mo Xuan he had met during the Six-Star Great World selection.

A flash of undisguised admiration crossed the old man's eyes, and he nodded imperceptibly; it was the gratification of seeing a piece of uncut jade finally shine!

"Rise." The man in the first seat on the right, clad in a purple-gold Daoist robe, spoke. His voice was sonorous like the clashing of divine metal, carrying the Supreme majesty of judging all things.

Above his head, a purple sun hung brilliantly. On the surface of the sun, world-burning dao flames churned ceaselessly; it was the terrifying manifestation of having brought the Dao of Fire to the Transcendent state, where every flicker of flame was enough to incinerate a Small World!

"As is customary, I bestow upon you one drop of 'World Fetal Heart Dew'." The purple-robed Hall Master waved his large sleeve, and a thousand streams of light containing the vast Origin of the world shot out.

"This dew is the essence born from the core of a Small World, condensing the vitality and fortune of a world. Refining one drop can make your comprehension of Laws feel like a sudden enlightenment, progressing a thousand miles in a day!"

Lin Yuan reached out and grabbed the crystal bottle that flew before him. The liquid inside was only the size of a soybean, yet it felt as heavy as a mountain in his hand!

The vast and pure World Origin inside spun crazily like a star nebula.

Just by holding it in his palm, the thirty-three dormant Law Dragons within his body simultaneously let out eager hums, restless and excited, as if they had encountered a Supreme delicacy!

"Top three, step forward!" Nine Nether Emperor stepped forward first, his black robe fluttering, his whole body permeated with the depth and arrogance of a Nine Nether Dominator.

Chu Dust-Dispelling followed closely with his ancient sword in his arms; inside the scabbard, there seemed to be an unparalleled sharpness held in check, emitting a low sword hum.

When Lin Yuan stepped onto the divine jade steps that symbolized Supreme glory, the air in the entire square seemed to solidify. Countless gazes—some surprised, some scrutinizing, some jealous—pressed down like tangible mountains weighing ten thousand jun!

Yet, this youth from the edge of the world was at this moment like the bright moon in the mid-heaven, his brilliance causing all the stars in the sky to lose their luster!

"Third place, Chu Dust-Dispelling, bestowed three days of enlightenment in the 'Sword Tomb Secret Realm'." The purple-robed Hall Master took out a jade talisman with soaring Sword Intent.

"Sealed within are the life-long Sword Intent imprints of one hundred thousand ancient Sword Immortals; obtain a single strand of their true teachings, and your sword dao can reach the divine!"

"Second place, Nine Nether Emperor, bestowed one volume of the 'Netherworld Record'." In the palm of Inspector Mo Xuan appeared a pitch-black book with a changing ghost face on the cover, emitting endless Netherworld Death Qi.

"This is the sacred classic of the Nether Clan, pointing directly to the Origin of the Netherworld Dao, and can help you forge the Supreme Nether King true body!"

When it was Lin Yuan's turn, a sudden change occurred!

On the steps, those six Hall Masters, who were like Dominators of the Universe, actually stood up in unison, suddenly!

"Whoa—!" The crowd below instantly erupted in an uproar!

The Dao Hearts of the nine hundred ninety-nine Prodigies were shaken violently, their eyes filled with unbelievable shock and confusion like monstrous waves!

The Hall Masters standing up to welcome him? Such treatment had never been seen since ancient times!

"Lin Yuan." Vice Hall Master's voice suddenly became unprecedentedly solemn and grave, even carrying a hint of imperceptible... awe. "The Grand Hall Master—wants to see you!"