From the Metropolis to the Strongest in the Cosmos

After explaining his goals for Li Yang, the Blade Slaughter Sect Master continued, ”Li Yang, now that you’ve passed the ninth step, you can choose a place to go and hone yourself. Real-world combat is the best way to improve your strength.”

Only naturally born Deities, like the Fire Nether Divine Beast, could break through to the Divine Realm without effort.

All other beings had to strive, fight, and search for opportunities to break through.

Take the Sky-Fierce Flood Dragons, for instance. They were born with a natural mastery over the mysteries of three Laws, and their life-level was second only to the Fire Nether Divine Beast. Yet, if they didn’t strive, they could still remain trapped in the World Realm until they died of old age.

”Yes, Master,” Li Yang said with a nod.

He had heard that Lan Yu had also gone out to fight and had found his great opportunity that way.

”Alright, you may go,” the Blade Slaughter Sect Master said, not elaborating further.

”Come see me again once you’ve decided when you’ll go.”

”This disciple takes his leave.”

...

Walking along the path, Li Yang thought to himself, ’Master wants me to fight more, to hone my skills?’

”Li Yang, life-and-death battle is a necessary part of growth. You’ve fought for a long time in the Virtual World, but you have far too little experience in true, real-world combat.”

Soul Ink’s voice echoed in Li Yang’s mind. ”Even though the Virtual World is a perfect simulation, the feeling is completely different from the real world. The most crucial difference is psychological.”

”In the Virtual World, no matter what, you know deep down that you can’t truly die. You can be revived in an instant.”

”But the real world is different. One mistake means true death. Even with your World Tree avatar, your death would mean reviving inside it. If you were to then return to the Human Race’s Eternal Saint Hall, your avatar’s existence would be exposed.”

It was true. To this day, Li Yang hadn’t experienced many true life-or-death battles in the real world.

”At the Longevity Realm, and later the Star Lord Realm, the Human Race’s Eternal Saint Hall will provide you with resources. You are all still considered geniuses. But once you break through to become a World Lord, your path forward is your own. If you still think of yourself as a genius who needs protection, then you can forget about ever becoming a Deity.”

Throughout the endless ages, countless geniuses had stalled at the World Realm.

Even among the three thousand geniuses of Li Yang’s generation—recruited by the Human Race’s Eternal Saint Hall to be cultivated into Deities—it was highly likely that a minority would ultimately fail to make the breakthrough.

The leap from the World Realm to the Divine Realm was a massive hurdle.

The former offered a lifespan of a million years; the latter, an eternal one. The sheer disparity revealed how incredibly difficult that threshold was to cross.

Nodding, Li Yang tapped his right hand in the air, searching for suitable sharpening grounds for Longevity Realm geniuses.

”Fire-Scorched Forest: Home to a multitude of life forms, including demonic beasts and the Insect Race... The strongest inhabitants are at the Peak of World Realm. Possibility of Divine Realm demonic beasts and Insect Beasts exists...”

”Lingyue World... Home to demonic beasts and the Insect Race... The strongest inhabitants are at the Peak of World Realm... Possibility of Divine Realm demonic beasts and Insect Beasts exists...”

...

A series of entries appeared.

’These sharpening grounds are all inhabited by demonic beasts, the Insect Race, and so on...’ Li Yang thought as he read the information.

It seemed the Human Race kept these places contained specifically for their geniuses to hone their skills.

’And they even award contribution points...’

Killing these demonic beasts and Insect Beasts yielded contribution points, but only if they had reached the Late Star Lord Realm.

Killing one at the Late Star Lord Realm awarded 1 contribution point, while killing one at the peak of the Star Lord Realm awarded 100.

As for any creature weaker than the Late Star Lord Realm, there was no reward.

Therefore, only the most elite geniuses could actually earn contribution points in these places.

’Furthermore, these sharpening grounds hold various opportunities,’ Li Yang read on.

Some of the Human Race’s top experts frequented those places and might leave opportunities behind for fated geniuses to discover.

”Li Yang, which place will you choose to sharpen your skills?” Soul Ink asked casually.

”You already have so many great opportunities that it’s unlikely you’ll find anything better.”

It was almost a joke. He had three top-tier avatars and the Inheritance Tower of the Fire Nether Divine Beast clan!

Even if the Fire Nether Divine Beasts were weaker overall, with few Emperor Level experts, they were still an entire race!

And Li Yang had unrestricted access to their race’s inheritance grounds to gain insights.

This had already boosted the progress speed for Li Yang and his three top-tier avatars several times over!

In the entire Cosmos, that was definitely a mid-to-high-tier opportunity. It would be very rare to find one better than that.

So, for Li Yang, the main purpose of choosing one of these sharpening grounds was the training itself. He didn’t need to concern himself with any potential opportunities.

Li Yang looked them over and said with a smile, ”I choose Lingyue World.”

Soul Ink said nothing. From his perspective, it made no difference which sharpening ground Li Yang chose.

”Time to go see my master.”

After making his choice, Li Yang returned to the Blade Slaughter Sect.

”Li Yang, you’ve chosen to enter Lingyue World?” the Blade Slaughter Sect Master asked.

”Yes, Master,” Li Yang nodded.

The Blade Slaughter Sect Master nodded. ”Since you’re ready to go, then as your master, I’ll offer you a few pieces of advice.”

”I am not entirely certain of the specific strength of the demonic beasts and Insect Beasts within Lingyue World. It’s possible some at the Divine Realm exist, as they could have broken through at any time.”

Although these demonic beasts and Insect Beasts were raised in captivity for the Human Race’s geniuses to train against, the Human Race didn’t restrict their strength, allowing them to cultivate freely.

There could be hidden Deities.

Li Yang said nothing, listening quietly.

”So, Lingyue World is very dangerous. You must always remain vigilant. A moment of carelessness could lead to death.”

The Blade Slaughter Sect Master said, ”Of the three thousand geniuses in your generation, two hundred and ninety-eight have already died in the Sharpening Spaces.”

”What? Two hundred and ninety-eight are dead?” Li Yang was shocked.

He hadn’t even known.

He had little contact with the geniuses at the foot of the mountain. The ones he usually interacted with were the top twenty geniuses who resided on the mountainside.

He truly had no idea what was happening with the other geniuses at the mountain’s base.

But while those sharpening grounds were dangerous, they also held many opportunities.

The cultivation environment for the geniuses at the foot of the mountain was already inferior to that of the mountainside and the peak, so naturally, many of them chose to go out to train and search for opportunities.

Some geniuses might have found their opportunities, but others had died in the Sharpening Spaces.

Li Yang’s expression shifted. They were Longevity Realm geniuses being cultivated in the very heart of the Human Race’s Eternal Saint Hall. To him, death had seemed like a distant concept. But now, this number left him utterly stunned.

These Longevity Realm geniuses were meant to be cultivated for a hundred years. Only sixteen years had passed, and nearly three hundred of the three thousand were already dead.

’In the remaining eighty-four years, how many more will die?’

’After a hundred years, how many of the three thousand will be left?’