Chapter 3153: What the World Cares About Is Nothing More Than Fame and Profit! Awarding...

As Wang Teng was observing that True God, It finally spoke in a deliberate, measured tone.

"Then let Us be the one to announce this matter."

Its voice was quite calm, yet it carried an indescribable sense of grandeur and imperious majesty.

That voice seemed to echo within a vast space before crossing the light screen and settling into the ears of all present.

Everyone’s heart shuddered, their already grave expressions sharpening into a deeper intensity.

It was clear that every soul present had felt the distinct difference of this True God.

It remained silent until it spoke, but once it did, its voice crashed through the air like a sudden clap of thunder.

The sensation was subtle and profound.

Yet those present were all powerhouse figures, able to effortlessly discern the distinct mastery woven into those words.

This was the sheer overwhelming presence born of absolute power.

The crowd even suspected that this True God might be the paramount sovereign among the ten True Gods.

Of course, it was merely conjecture.

None of those present had ever seen the ten True Gods engage in battle, leaving them naturally unable to determine who was stronger or weaker.

It was simply that this intuition was so overpowering that a subtle inclination had involuntarily taken root in everyone's hearts.

It was not just the various powerhouses; Wang Teng felt precisely the same way.

One had to admit that when every single person shared the exact same feeling, the accuracy of that intuition was bound to be high.

Amidst such an atmosphere, that True God spoke once more.

"In this final decisive battle against the Dark Apparitions, all of you fought bloody battles and achieved illustrious military feats."

"These feats concern not only your personal honor, but also the prestige and standing of your respective factions within the cosmos."

"Therefore..."

At this point, the True God paused briefly, drawing the collective focus of the crowd completely unto itself before speaking again:

"After joint deliberations among the high commands of all forces, it has been decided to formally verify and confer honors upon those who achieved preeminent merit in this great war."

"A conferment of honors!" Wang Teng froze for a moment, and then a brilliant gleam erupted in his eyes.

Having failed to grasp it earlier, he finally understood everything in this moment.

The singular matter that surpassed all others in importance was precisely this so-called conferment.

If what came before was "profit," then what lay ahead was "fame."

In a war, the victors could attain not only immense practical rewards, but also a considerable measure of renown.

The only reason he had failed to think of it right away was entirely because...

By comparison, Wang Teng did not actually care all that much about this conferment of honors; he was far more invested in tangible gains.

This was not because he was pragmatic to a fault, but because he knew his current renown was not that crucial yet.

His strength had not kept pace; no matter how elevated his renown became, it remained nothing more than rootless duckweed.

Those willing to show deference might care about such renown.

Yet if he encountered someone who refused to accord him respect, then this renown would prove utterly useless.

If an enemy was genuinely determined to kill him, why would they ever care about such meaningless fame!

It was nothing more than an empty illusion.

Naturally, if one spoke of its usefulness, it possessed monumental significance; otherwise, the crowd would not be flocking to it so eagerly.

This much could be discerned from the expressions of those present.

Upon hearing of the conferment, everyone’s expression grew somewhat fervid, including the Immortal-level Revereds...

And even... the True God-level existences!

"The things of this world that men obsess over are nothing more than fame and fortune!"

Wang Teng sighed inwardly with emotion.

When even True God-level existences could not be an exception, who else in this universe could truly transcend it?

If anyone genuinely did not care, it could only be that this fame and fortune were not yet grand enough to stir their hearts.

"Wait, could this conferment be related to the Hall of Stars?!"

Wang Teng suddenly recalled something, a striking thought flashing through his mind.

Back then, he had already received the Hall of Stars' Seven-Star Ordinary Glory Badge, so he naturally possessed a degree of understanding regarding it.

Since this conferment could encompass even these Immortal-level figures and True God-level existences within its scope,

it had to be driven by an extraordinarily colossal faction to accomplish such a feat.

A single entity, even a titan faction, would likely lack the necessary standing and qualifications.

After all, the sphere of influence of a single faction was simply not vast enough.

Such influence referred to authority wielded across all the diverse powers of the cosmos.

Great powers had always governed themselves independently; while they could influence one another to a degree, that influence remained inherently limited.

Thus, only an organization capable of encompassing all factions could exert true influence over them all.

And the Hall of Stars happened to be precisely such an entity.

Though Wang Teng had caught only a mere glimpse of its outer edge, he already understood its terrifying depth.

It was for this very reason that he ventured such a conjecture.

As for whether other identical organizations existed, he had no knowledge whatsoever, leaving him with nothing else to guess.

"As I presume you all understand, this conferment of honors shall be presided over by the Hall of Stars."

At that very moment, that True God-level existence spoke the name with absolute composure, confirming Wang Teng's suspicion.

His eyes brightened, a spark of genuine interest igniting within his heart.

It truly was the Hall of Stars.

In that case, would he be able to obtain another Glory Badge this time?

Or perhaps... an upgrade!?

Simultaneously, the expressions of everyone present underwent a dramatic shift.

The Hall of Stars!

That was an organization encompassing countless factions across the cosmos, possessing an influence so vast it defied imagination.

Even those Immortal-level powerhouses, upon hearing that name, were instantly struck with solemn reverence.

In truth, they had all guessed as much in their hearts, yet hearing the name pronounced aloud still stirred an uncontrollable sense of solemnity within them.

This was a veneration born from the deepest recesses of their souls, seemingly etched into their very bones over countless ages.

Wang Teng's gaze swept over the faces of the crowd, his mind stirring as his understanding of the Hall of Stars deepened by yet another layer.

"Elder Ji, is this Hall of Stars truly so extraordinary?"

He could not help but ask through a secret voice transmission.

Here, it seemed Elder Ji was the only one he could turn to with such questions.

Furthermore, as a demigod-level entity, the elder surely possessed far vaster knowledge than an ordinary Immortal Venerable.

Elder Ji clearly had not anticipated Wang Teng’s sudden inquiry at this juncture; he startled slightly before responding in kind.

"The Hall of Stars is a unique coalition, forged jointly by the universe's titan factions."

"Its existence serves, one might say, as the very custodian of cosmic order."

"Every titan faction dispatches their most pinnacle powerhouses to assume critical mantles within—such as Palace Masters and Star Envoys."

"These positions wield immense, sweeping authority."

Elder Ji paused, a glimmer of profound reverence flickering within his eyes.

"This authority encompasses..."

"The power to wage war!"

"The power to govern all factions!"

"The power to arbitrate the greatest disputes within the cosmos!"

"And even... the power to pass judgment upon existences above the Immortal level!"

As Elder Ji’s words fell one by one, Wang Teng’s expression shifted from its initial calm to sheer astonishment, and finally to deep shock.

Most of the information Elder Ji spoke of was already within his general understanding.

Yet, a portion of it had remained entirely unknown to him.

For instance, that this Hall of Stars was the custodian of cosmic order itself!

And that it possessed the authority to judge existences transcending the Immortal level!

This dominion was far grander than anything Wang Teng had ever imagined.

If it could hold sway over beings beyond immortality, what was left that the Hall of Stars could not achieve?

The mere thought of it felt utterly absurd!

What kind of concept was this?

It implied that the authority of the Hall of Stars somehow reigned supreme, hovering above all individual factions!

The sudden realization flashed across Wang Teng's mind like a bolt of lightning, leaving his thoughts in utter disarray.

"But is that even possible?"

Wang Teng subconsciously inquired through voice transmission: "How could the various factions ever allow an organization to place itself above them?"

Suddenly, he found himself lost in confusion.

It was bewildering!

An organization established by the factions themselves was meant to reign over those very factions?

Did that make any sense?

What did the factions stand to gain?

Did they find themselves too powerful?

Did they desire a mightier entity to bind them in chains?

Could these titan factions truly possess such altruistic enlightenment?

Elder Ji smiled softly, his expression tinged with a subtle, enigmatic depth.

"Because the Hall of Stars is inherently composed of those very factions."

"Every titan power holds a seat within its grand chamber."

"Every decree issued by the Hall of Stars is the collective resolution of their shared counsel."

"Rather than saying the Hall of Stars reigns above them, it is more accurate to call it a 'tool' forged by the factions to collectively preserve cosmic order."

Wang Teng nodded slowly, lost in thought.

He was beginning to understand.

The Hall of Stars was, in essence, a grand conclave of titans.

Through this platform, the various powers gathered to deliberate, coordinate, and resolve their mutual grievances.

And its authority was indeed absolute and concrete.

For within the Hall of Stars, every faction dispatched only their most supreme and immensely prestigious powerhouses.

The might of these paragons naturally embodied the collective will of their respective factions.

"Then why allow someone of my lesser strength to enter the Hall of Stars?" Wang Teng asked, a new thought causing him to frown.

"To nurture you, of course!" Elder Ji replied.

"To nurture me?!" Wang Teng echoed in curious astonishment.

"Indeed, to nurture you. Existences like yourself are, in truth, the reserve forces!" Elder Ji said deliberately. "You hold the potential to become a Star Envoy, or even a Star God!"

"Do not assume that mere raw strength is enough to grant entry into the Hall of Stars!"

He shook his head once more: "You must understand, this is no simple 'admittance'—it is a 'conferment of honor'."

"The Hall of Stars operates upon a flawless merit system."

"Only a warrior who has rendered monumental contributions to the peace and stability of the universe is eligible to have their merits recognized by the Hall, and thus be bestowed with a corresponding Badge of Glory."

"These Badges of Glory are divided into multiple echelons: the Ordinary Badge of Glory, the Star Envoy Badge of Glory, the Star God Badge of Glory..."

"And each echelon is further graded from one to nine stars."

"The higher the grade of the Badge of Glory, the greater the holder's voice within the Hall of Stars, and the more exquisite the privileges they enjoy."

"And even..."

Elder Ji suddenly lowered his voice to a hushed whisper.

"If the holder’s Badge of Glory is of a sufficiently exalted rank, they may petition for the intervention of the Hall's Star Envoys and Star Gods to rescue them in times of peril."

Wang Teng’s heart leaped.

This was truly extraordinary!

The Star Envoys of the Hall of Stars were all existences beyond the Immortal level, and it was entirely possible that True Gods walked among them.

If one could summon such figures to strike on their behalf, what danger could possibly remain unresolved?

This privilege, at times, was far more potent than any Dao Guardian provided by the great factions.

After all, a Dao Guardian's strength was inherently capped by their own cultivation, whereas the badges of the Hall of Stars carried no such inherent limitation.

No, it wasn't that there were no limits at all, but rather that once the stringent requirements were met, the constraints became negligible.

"However, to obtain a high-ranking Badge of Glory is an endeavor of monumental difficulty."

Elder Ji spoke again, "Many immortal-level powerhouses might spend their entire lives without ever earning a star-envoy level badge of honor."

"By the same logic, a true-god level existence might not necessarily obtain a star-god level badge of honor either."

"This implies that among the star envoys, there might actually exist... true-god level powerhouses!"

"What?!" Wang Teng was utterly shocked.

He had assumed that a true-god level existence would possess at least a star-god level badge of honor, but now Elder Ji was telling him that a true-god might only hold a star-envoy level badge.

This was getting absolutely ridiculous!

The difficulty of obtaining a star-envoy or star-god level badge of honor was far greater than he had imagined.

"Now you understand the importance of this badge of honor," Elder Ji said with a smile.

"I understand it all too well," Wang Teng said, nodding.

"..." Elder Ji fell silent for a moment before snapping crossly, "Be serious."

Wang Teng chuckled, and a sudden thought striking him, he asked, "So, does this mean a star-envoy level badge of honor could actually be used to request a true-god level existence to take action on one's behalf?"

"Exactly!"

Elder Ji nodded, wearing an expression that seemed to say the boy was a fast learner.

"Under normal circumstances, the level of the powerhouse you can summon corresponds to the level of the badge of honor."

"Meaning, a star-envoy level badge of honor can at most summon a star-envoy level powerhouse."

"However, since true-god level powerhouses can exist among the star envoys, a star-envoy level badge of honor can indeed summon a true god."

Wang Teng stroked his chin, finally grasping all the intricate nuances involved.

Looking at it this way, the badges from the Hall of Stars were indeed incredibly useful and could not be casually overlooked.

Even a common-level badge of honor was a rare and precious treasure to him.

Currently, he possessed a seven-star common badge of honor, a rank that was already quite formidable.

According to the logic just discussed.

For many immortal-level powerhouses, they might only ever obtain a common-level badge of honor.

Therefore, Wang Teng was actually capable of summoning an immortal-level powerhouse right now.

This was truly impressive!

In the future, Wang Teng wouldn't even need to rely on the factions backing him; based solely on his own prestige, he could summon immortal-level powerhouses.

One could call it borrowing external strength, but it was also a testament to his own capability.

Nurturing prestige! Nurturing prestige!

This was precisely the benefit of building one's reputation.

Now Wang Teng completely understood why Breathes had urged him to achieve the highest military merit.

This was the exact purpose.

"This god is a star envoy of the Hall of Stars!"

At that moment, the voice of the true god echoed once more, sending a profound shock through everyone's mind.

A star envoy!!!

The true god standing before them was actually a star envoy!!!

Incredible!

Truly incredible!

The crowd had considered many possibilities, yet they had never expected this true god to be a star envoy of the Hall of Stars.

Even though the entity was a true-god level powerhouse, no one felt that the rank of star envoy was low.

In the hearts of everyone present, the rank of star envoy was already an immensely elevated existence, holding a status sufficient to override all the true gods on the scene.