From the Metropolis to the Strongest in the Cosmos

Divine Golden Moon looked at everyone present.

After Lentz was eliminated, he had stopped paying attention to the Human Race’s Eternal Saint Hall talent selection.

Therefore, Golden Moon knew nothing about Li Yang.

”Ancestor.”

The emperor of the Golden Moon Empire spoke with the utmost respect, ”Ancestor, within the Milky Way Galaxy, which is under our Golden Moon Empire, there is a genius named Li Yang. In the current ranking battles of the Human Race’s Eternal Saint Hall, he is ranked tenth among all the geniuses from the Three Thousand Star Continents.”

”Oh? Tenth place?”

Hearing this, Divine Golden Moon’s gaze flickered. He knew what this rank signified!

Back in his day, he was a genius recruited by the Yangyuan Empire and hadn’t been qualified to enter the Human Race’s Eternal Saint Hall at all. He had only managed to become a Deity through immense hardship and toil.

But with Li Yang’s potential, becoming a Deity in the future would not be difficult.

”Excellent. This Li Yang has performed very well. Our empire must maintain a good relationship with him,” a smile appeared on Golden Moon’s face as he nodded and said.

The emperor of the Golden Moon Empire, however, was not smiling. He continued, ”Ancestor, Li Yang previously participated in the talent selection hosted by the Yangyuan Emperor. But a genius from the Yuanlan Clan, Tian Luo, held a grudge against Li Yang and came to find Lentz...”

He quickly recounted the entire affair.

Upon learning all this, the smile on Divine Golden Moon’s face vanished in an instant, and his expression became incredibly dark.

”You’re saying Lentz helped Tian Luo get Li Yang eliminated? And Li Yang knows Lentz was behind it?”

His face was dark as he exploded with rage, ”Audacious! Truly audacious! How dare you rig a talent selection hosted by the Emperor? Lentz, I used to think so highly of you, yet you’ve done something this foolish?”

Golden Moon roared, his eyes filled with killing intent as he glared at Lentz.

He had previously held Lentz in high regard. Before the Human Race’s Eternal Saint Hall talent selection, he had even personally coached him for several days and had planned to entrust the Golden Moon Empire to him in the future.

But how could Lentz have done such a despicable thing?

Was a being like the Yangyuan Emperor someone they could afford to provoke?

Lentz was terrified. He cried, ”Ancestor, I truly didn’t know Li Yang’s Talent was so immense.”

Li Yang was just from some Planet Zero. He couldn’t care less about a planet like that.

But the more he had dismissed and looked down on Li Yang before, the more terrified and frightened he was now.

At this moment, Divine Golden Moon felt like killing someone, but he could only forcibly suppress the fury in his heart.

What was done was done, and it was impossible to take back. So, the only thing to do now was to deal with what had already happened!

After pausing for a few seconds, Divine Golden Moon gritted his teeth and began to report the matter up the chain of command.

Even if the Yangyuan Emperor didn’t know about this yet, it could easily be discovered with a simple investigation.

If he reported it now, he could still claim ignorance and frame it as Lentz’s action alone.

If he didn’t report it, and the matter was exposed in the future, their entire Golden Moon Empire would be implicated.

After sending the message, Golden Moon said in a low voice, ”I have reported the matter. Now, we wait for the Emperor’s punishment!”

Everyone in the hall was filled with trepidation, but Lentz alone was consumed by terror and dread.

He knew that no matter what the punishment was, his fate would be anything but good!

...

In the Yangyuan Empire, within a grand palace, a video feed appeared before the Yangyuan Emperor.

The feed showed the enormous screen where the various geniuses were competing.

”Emperor!”

Suddenly, a figure wreathed in flames appeared and spoke with immense respect.

The Yangyuan Emperor glanced at him.

The Divine Fire Spirit said respectfully, ”The matter concerning Li Yang has been fully investigated. Li Yang previously participated in the talent selection hosted by you, Emperor. However, during the second stage, the Golden Moon Empire’s selection, a genius from the Yuanlan Clan, Tian Luo, colluded with a Prince of the Golden Moon Empire, Lentz, to forcibly eliminate him. This Tian Luo has a grudge against Li Yang. Before Earth made contact with the Cosmos, a member of the Yuanlan Clan named Jin Mola attempted to annihilate Earth and then become its Controller...”

Fire Spirit quickly summarized the events. He had investigated everything thoroughly, even uncovering the various grudges between the Yuanlan Clan and Li Yang.

The Yangyuan Emperor’s gaze was calm. He said nothing.

But for that very reason, he seemed somewhat terrifying at this moment. Even the Divine Fire Spirit was trembling with apprehension.

’So, it’s true. Li Yang did participate in the talent selection I hosted, but someone interfered, and he wasn’t recruited as a result. Now, the 9,999 geniuses I recruited stand no chance, while the one who got away by accident, Li Yang, has achieved such results!’

After a long moment, the Yangyuan Emperor said indifferently, ”Imprison Tian Luo of the Yuanlan Clan and Lentz of the Golden Moon Empire in the third level of the Death Prison. They are not to be released unless they break through to the Divine Realm within.”

’The Death Prison.’

Hearing this, the Divine Fire Spirit’s heart skipped a beat. He knew what that place was. This time, the Yangyuan Emperor was truly enraged.

He quickly said, ”Yes, Emperor. I will make the arrangements immediately.”

His figure flickered and vanished without a trace.

Within the grand palace, only the Yangyuan Emperor now stood in silence.

His expression was clearly unpleasant.

’The same thing happened with that genius, Sword Mark, in the past. He wasn’t recruited by my faction, and later, every genius from my training grounds was eliminated, while only Sword Mark was accepted into the Human Race’s Eternal Saint Hall.’

’After that, Sword Mark rose relentlessly, and now, his strength has even surpassed my own.’

’But because Sword Mark never joined my faction, our relationship is merely ordinary.’

’Having once joined a faction versus never having joined at all are two completely different things.’

’And now, the same thing is happening again. Another peerless genius has failed to join my Yangyuan Empire but has been accepted by the Human Race’s Eternal Saint Hall.’

’Li Yang... just how far can he grow?’

The Yangyuan Emperor wondered silently.

’I know it’s incredibly difficult for a genius to fully mature. Take Lan Yu and Mixed Void, for example. Even if they pass all the trials, perhaps only one in ten of their caliber will ever reach the Emperor Level.’

’The probability of Li Yang becoming an Emperor in the future is minuscule.’

’Anyone who doesn’t reach the Emperor Level is insignificant to someone of my station. I have a whole host of Divine Realm experts under my command.’

’But I have a strange feeling... this Li Yang I failed to recruit... he won’t rise relentlessly just like Sword Mark and reach the Emperor Level, will he?’

’Even though I know the probability is minuscule, I can’t shake this strange feeling.’

(Thanks to Bansheng Liangliang Liang dao Shang for the 1500 tip, and to 08a and Jiyuan Xiaotian for the 100 tip. Thank you.)