From the Metropolis to the Strongest in the Cosmos

Chapter 203: Chapter 203: Second Round Selection

A broad smile spread across Candy’s face. ’Li Yang’s talent is truly remarkable,’ he thought.

The powers that had come to Earth included factions of the nine great World Masters of the Milky Way Galaxy, factions of World Masters from surrounding galaxies, and more.

After all, not all World Masters were the same. Some spent the better part of their lives struggling just to reach that stage.

But with Li Yang’s Talent, once he became a World Master, he would undoubtedly be a top-tier expert among them!

It wasn’t just these World Master factions. Even people from the Golden Moon Empire had come, bearing numerous gifts.

Of course, Li Yang held no fondness for the Golden Moon Empire. He knew that the young man who had worked with Tian Luo to eliminate him in the past was a member of their royal family.

"Thank you for dealing with them, Candy," Li Yang said gratefully.

Candy had been handling all the various powers that had arrived on Earth. Otherwise, the constant receptions would have driven Li Yang mad.

"Li Yang, you’re still in the middle of the tournament. You should make it your priority," Candy said with a smile.

He then added, "Li Yang, the second round is in three days. Your opponents have been determined. This is the file on them. You can take a look."

With a wave of his right hand, a ball of light flew toward them.

The ball of light pulsed, and streams of information appeared, hovering in the air.

"My opponents?" Li Yang murmured as he read.

Candy said, "Li Yang, this time, a little over ten million people from the Yangyuan Star Continent passed the thousandth step of the Path of Deities."

It’s incredibly difficult to pass the thousandth step of the Path of Deities; on average, only one person per ten galaxies manages it.

The Golden Moon Empire, which rules over more than a thousand galaxies, only produced fifty-eight such geniuses.

But the Yangyuan Star Continent encompasses hundreds of millions of galaxies. All told, the total number of people who passed the first stage reached a staggering ten million!

Candy continued, "These ten million-plus people will be divided into one thousand pocket dimensions, with over ten thousand people in each!"

"These ten thousand-plus people will fight each other to the death. The battle in each dimension will only end when just ten people are left standing."

"One thousand dimensions, with ten survivors from each, making for a total of ten thousand. These ten thousand will represent the Yangyuan Star Continent in the competition against geniuses from other Star Continents."

The first stage, the Path of Deities, lasted five years. It provided everyone with numerous opportunities to enhance their strength, and it was completely free of danger.

As for the second stage, it was nothing but a brutal, bloody free-for-all!

Ten million people, divided into one thousand dimensions, with ten thousand people per dimension.

In these numerous dimensions, the competition would automatically end once the fighting left only ten survivors in each.

Ten people would advance. The rest, who were killed, would all be eliminated. There was no room for mercy!

One could only imagine what a bloodbath it would be!

"The ten thousand participants in each dimension are grouped by strength, with an even distribution."

Candy continued, "The distribution is based on the rankings from the first stage, the Path of Deities. Each dimension will have one person ranked between 1 and 1,000, one person between 1,001 and 2,000, one between 2,001 and 3,000, and so on... They’re all placed together in these combinations."

Since ten people advance from each dimension, they can’t just throw all the strongest geniuses into one place. Each group has a mix of the strong and the weak.

For example, the top ten thousand geniuses from the Path of Deities will be evenly divided into one thousand groups and placed in different dimensions.

To a certain extent, one’s rank on the Path of Deities was a reflection of their true strength.

Li Yang listened carefully to the rules, nodding as he said, "These elimination rules are truly brutal."

"Li Yang, your rank is in the 9900s, which is toward the back of the pack. Based on the distribution rules, your battle dimension will contain nine people who are, by ranking, stronger than you. These nine are..."

Candy began introducing them to Li Yang.

Li Yang also looked on intently. The strongest person in his assigned battle dimension was a genius named Jun Mo, who ranked 310th overall in the first stage.

Five years ago, he already possessed the strength of the Mid Longevity Realm and could instantly kill anyone at the Early Longevity Realm. As for how strong he was now, after five years had passed... no one knew.

Li Yang continued to watch, his gaze calm, but inwardly he was thinking, ’It’s a pity I’m not in the same dimension as Tian Luo.’

A chill settled in his heart. Five years ago, he had just mastered the second form of the Hexagram Spear and could likely only fight Tian Luo to a draw.

Now, five years had passed... With the help of so many law imprints, and with the constant epiphanies of his Sky-Fierce Flood Dragon and Thunder Star Beast avatars, just how terrifying had Li Yang’s strength become?

Until he revealed it, no one could possibly know!

...

While Li Yang was reviewing the information, Tian Luo was in another part of the Virtual World, meeting a slender young man who carried a massive saber on his back.

"Tian Luo, what did you want to see me for?" Jun Mo asked bluntly, looking at him.

He found it a bit odd. The second round of the Human Race’s Eternal Saint Hall selection was about to begin. What could Tian Luo possibly want from him?

"Jun Mo, I’ve come to ask you for a favor," Tian Luo said.

Jun Mo said nothing, merely watching him.

Tian Luo smiled. "The assignments for the battle dimensions in three days have been finalized. There’s a person in your dimension named Li Yang, currently ranked in the 9900s. I want you to help me eliminate him!"

Jun Mo’s strength was comparable to his own. As for Li Yang, ranked in the 9900s, his strength was likely somewhere between the Early and Mid Longevity Realm.

With that level of strength, he was no match for Jun Mo.

If Jun Mo was willing, he could eliminate Li Yang without a doubt.

Based on the first round’s rankings, Li Yang was ranked tenth in his assigned battle dimension. A rank like that gave him a very good chance of advancing to the final stage.

That was an outcome Tian Luo absolutely refused to accept.

The many events that had transpired... had already placed him and Li Yang on completely opposite sides, with no hope of reconciliation!

Advancing to the third round to represent the Yangyuan Star Continent and duel geniuses from other Star Continents was a completely different concept from being stopped in the second round.

Therefore, he had to stop Li Yang in his tracks.

"Li Yang, ranked in the 9900s?"

Jun Mo mused for a moment.

Someone ranked in the 9900s would indeed be no match for him.

"Rest assured, Li Yang has no powerful backing. Besides, after you eliminate him, I’ll give you that Xuanmo Bian technique you’ve always wanted," Tian Luo said with a smile.

"The Xuanmo Bian?" At these words, Jun Mo’s eyes lit up.

"Alright, Tian Luo. I accept."

In a battle dimension with ten thousand people, it would be a complete free-for-all. It would be perfectly normal for him to specifically target Li Yang and treat him as a rival. No one could say a thing.

Besides, Jun Mo could proactively pick a fight with Li Yang before the battle, manufacturing a bit of conflict in advance. That way, dealing with him would seem all the more justified.

Their discussion concluded, Tian Luo left.

And no one else knew what the two of them had discussed.

Li Yang was already ranked near the bottom, with his strength placing him right around the tenth-place cut-off. For someone with that kind of power to be eliminated would be perfectly normal, and few people would pay it any mind.

Ten million people, split into a thousand dimensions, with all battles proceeding simultaneously and being broadcast live. How many people would even be paying attention to Li Yang?