Chapter 230: Promoted to Stellar Level! Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine Layer Immortal Tower

Chapter 230: Ascension to Stellar Level! The Nine Hundred and Ninety-Nine Layer Indestructible Tower! A Clash of Titans! Target: Champion!

In the deep void of space, beneath the ancient Bodhi tree, Qin Feng sat cross-legged, his mind clear and empty.

His consciousness was entirely immersed in a vast, boundless ocean of information.

This ocean was the supreme cultivation method of the Limit Legion—the *Ten Complete Hands*.

Even the opening summary alone contained tens of millions of words of profound discourse, each character seemingly embodying an independent universe of laws, deep and complex.

Beyond that, there were accompanying techniques for the subtle manipulation of mental power, three-dimensional video teachings recorded by generations of powerful warriors, and a handwritten journal of cultivation insights personally penned by Company Commander Zhou Xiong...

All these materials combined formed a data volume so immense it could overload the core of any celestial-grade intellect.

Qin Feng recalled his first encounter with the *Ten Complete Hands*.

Back then, his mental strength was feeble, its total volume insufficient to condense even a single complete droplet, and the speed and depth of his thoughts were extremely limited.

Faced with a technique as profound as the truth of the cosmos, he could not comprehend even a fraction of it, merely memorizing some superficial fragments.

But times had changed.

Now, Qin Feng's mental cultivation had long since reached the realm of the Boundless Sea, vast and infinite like misty waves.

More importantly, he had successfully forged the [Indestructible Tower] to a height of four hundred layers—not only a symbol of power but also a multiplier of his cognitive abilities.

His current thinking capacity was millions of times greater than before, granting him the full ability and qualification to systematically and comprehensively study this supreme divine art.

"Goal: Initiation!"

Qin Feng set his objective.

Bathed in the warm, wisdom-awakening radiance emitted by the Bodhi tree, he completely emptied his mind and devoted his entire being to comprehending the *Ten Complete Hands*.

Time flowed slowly.

During this period, this former headquarters of the 99th Galaxy was not left undisturbed.

One after another, warriors from the 99th Galaxy returning from missions, as well as those who had seen the news on private forums, arrived via subspace teleportation.

When they beheld the ravaged void and the solitary figure seated beneath the Bodhi tree, they were all struck with shock and terror.

Among them were powerful warriors blinded by hatred, who attempted to ambush Qin Feng while he was in deep meditation.

However, all their actions were monitored by Qin Feng's mental domain, which covered hundreds of thousands of miles.

He did not even need to open his eyes; merely multitasking, he diverted a single thread of thought.

The majestic tower floating behind him would tremble slightly, and an invisible mental shock would sweep out, instantly annihilating the intruders' souls, along with their power armor, turning them into new wreckage in this stellar graveyard.

No matter how many came, they all died.

In this universe, it was common for swarms of low-level warriors to defeat and kill high-level warriors, but only when the low-level warriors were equipped with large numbers of high-grade "Knowledge Creations," consuming vast resources.

The eighty thousand warriors Qin Feng had slain earlier possessed no standard "Knowledge Creation" weapons, so they had no resistance against him.

If they had been eighty thousand well-equipped Space Marines, Qin Feng would likely have had to flee.

Over time, no one dared approach this region shrouded in the shadow of death.

The void where Qin Feng sat became a true forbidden zone.

For Qin Feng, immersed in enlightenment, time lost its meaning.

One year later.

Qin Feng, who had remained seated with eyes closed, suddenly felt his eyelids twitch slightly.

In his sea of consciousness, the vast ocean of information formed by the *Ten Complete Hands* had finally been sorted into a clear main framework.

Countless complex knowledge points were connected, summarized, understood, and absorbed, ultimately integrated into a single, profound runic imprint deeply etched into his soul's origin.

[*Ten Complete Hands* (Initiated)]

[Proficiency: 1/100]

A clear prompt appeared in his consciousness.

"The *Ten Complete Hands*... finally initiated."

Qin Feng slowly opened his eyes, two brilliant gleams flashing briefly in their depths.

Even at the initiation stage, he felt a qualitative leap in his thinking, perception, and control over his own energy.

He did not immediately begin seclusion but skillfully opened the private forum, quickly browsing the changes in the war zone over the past year.

As expected, during his seclusion, the alliance led by the 99th Galaxy and the survivors of the 115-119 Galaxies had erupted into an extremely brutal, wide-ranging full-scale war.

The intensity of the conflict had reached its peak since the tournament began.

Naturally, one of the triggers was his massacre of eighty thousand prodigies in a fit of rage.

That slaughter had completely torn away the last pretense of peace between the two sides.

Since a blood feud had already been forged, there was no possibility of reconciliation—only a fight to the death remained.

Qin Feng's eyes swept rapidly through countless battle reports, and finally, his finger tapped lightly on the virtual screen, typing a name.

Caesar.

The latest relevant intelligence immediately appeared.

Not long ago, Caesar had successfully obtained the final core resource needed to advance to the Stellar level, left the previous battlefield, and chosen a hidden location to begin his seclusion.

"Time is extremely tight."

Qin Feng's gaze turned intensely grave.

"Caesar's [Indestructible Sacred Feather] has already reached a terrifying 80% completion, with only the final 20% remaining.

His cultivation method is certainly of no inferior grade; with his talent and resources, he is likely close to initiating it, or perhaps... has already done so."

"And as for me, my [Indestructible Tower] is only at 40% completion. The gap between us is far, far too great."

This was a race against time, a gamble that determined the fate of countless warriors across five galaxies.

"No matter what, I will give it my all."

Qin Feng took a deep breath, turning all pressure into motivation to move forward.

Without further hesitation, he rose to his feet and took a single step.

Hum—

Ripples of subspace teleportation spread, and his figure vanished instantly from beneath the Bodhi tree.

When he reappeared, he was back on that frozen planet, covered in thick ice, where he had once spent decades in seclusion.

He followed the familiar path deep into the ice cave, activated the highest-level defensive barriers, and severed all internal and external connections.

Qin Feng, too, began his seclusion.

...

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the starry sky, on a barren rocky planet.

The imposing figure of Caesar sat quietly atop a mountain peak.

Before him, a subspace forum light screen also floated.

The content displayed on the light screen was precisely the battle report concerning Qin Feng’s slaying of Yu Hai and Yan Hu, and his final completion of the “Rebirth Compass” mission.

“Hunting down Yan Hu and Yu Hai…”

A trace of mockery curled on Caesar’s face.

“…”

“What use is there in chasing those two wastes? All it yields is a few stolen beast fragments.”

“Seizing the Bodhi Ancient Tree—was that to elevate his nurturing method? Hmph, the Limit Battle Group’s ‘Ten Complete Hands’ is indeed formidable… but so what?”

His eyes brimmed with absolute confidence and arrogance.

“I am already far, far ahead. I have gathered all the resources needed to advance to the stellar level.

As for Qin Feng’s resources, even if he slaughtered eight hundred thousand men and took the fragments Yu Hai and Yan Hu stole, it will still take him ages to collect everything.”

“Heh, sorry, Qin Feng.

To secure an absolute lead on this new track of the stellar level, I have no choice but to activate the ‘Betting Order.’ All the resources you painstakingly gathered will ultimately serve only to repay the colossal debt of 1B contribution points.”

Caesar casually dismissed the light screen, slowly closed his eyes, and likewise entered a state of deep seclusion.

…

When the two most eye-catching top prodigies of the great war zone simultaneously chose seclusion, preparing to break through to the stellar level, all the empire’s viewing institutions and official livestream rooms instantly focused their attention on them.

Countless viewers, commentators, and data analysts began a heated discussion about the impending ultimate showdown.

“I wonder which of the two will be the first to reach the stellar level.”

“Probably Caesar—he’s only 20% away from completion.”

“But Qin Feng is from the Limit Battle Group, with the nurturing method Ten Complete Hands, widely recognized as the best auxiliary nurturing method. It seems he took the Bodhi Ancient Tree to push his method to the entry level.”

“Entry-level Ten Complete Hands brings a qualitative leap in cultivation speed.”

“Hard to say—fifty-fifty.”

“Qin Feng and Caesar truly determine the fate of six galaxies’ warriors.”

“Tsk, 1B contribution points—no small sum indeed.”

“…”

The barrage buzzed with chatter, everyone’s heart tightly gripped by this contest that would decide the destiny of six galaxies.

As the discussion deepened, some seasoned viewers began analyzing the longer-term situation.

“Once the stellar level appears, the barriers between galaxies will gradually be lifted, if I recall.”

“Yes, after the stellar level emerges, cross-galaxy battles will become more frequent, and team coordination will grow increasingly important.

After all, stellar-level beings are immortal and indestructible; for one stellar-level to completely kill another is basically impossible—they can only rely on team coordination to compete for resources…”

“Mm, that’s right.”

“So Caesar has already laid an excellent foundation.

If Caesar succeeds, he stands a good chance of becoming the first in the great war zone to advance to the galactic level, and even seize the top spot on the overall combat power ranking.”

“Exactly. Among the ten thousand galaxies, only Caesar has completed the initial integration of his own galaxy. Though it’s just initial integration, he’s already far ahead of everyone else…”

“Mm, I’m also leaning toward Caesar.

Look, each galaxy has a hidden artifact. Caesar completed the initial integration, not only obtaining the hidden artifact of Galaxy 99 but also seizing that of Galaxy 118 during the assault.

So even if Caesar loses this Betting Order, he still has a powerful trump card.”

“Yes, Qin Feng currently has only one hidden artifact, the ‘Rebirth Compass,’ which those two fellows Yu Hai gave him.”

“If that’s the case, there are still three hidden artifacts undiscovered in these six galaxies—everything remains uncertain.”

“…”

The barrage debated fiercely, everyone quietly awaiting the final outcome of this “Betting Order.”

However, from a long-term strategic perspective, the vast majority of viewers and analysts clearly favored Caesar.

He had even become one of the top contenders for the championship of the universal genius war, thanks to the astonishing integration ability and strategic layout he had displayed.

Because everyone could clearly see that Caesar, holding two hidden artifacts, had far greater fault tolerance and development potential than Qin Feng.

Even if he truly lost this bet, with those two trump cards, he could quickly erase the 1B contribution point gap and even overtake Qin Feng.

In the long run, the advantage of integrating an entire galaxy’s participants was simply too enormous.

After all, it is when stellar-level warriors multiply that the competition’s resources are richest and the battles most intense.

—

Time, within the extreme seclusion of the two top prodigies, passed swiftly and silently.

In the blink of an eye, ten years had gone by.

Deep within the frozen planet, Qin Feng’s [Indestructible Tower], under his full construction, had risen to a staggering seven hundred floors, with total construction progress steadily advancing to 70%.

At the other end of the starry sky, Caesar’s progress was even more rapid. His magnificent and majestic [Indestructible Holy Feathers] had reached 87% completion, leaving only the final stretch to perfection.

At this moment, in the depths of subspace imperceptible to ordinary people, that pure land sheltering the soul projections of human warriors,

the phantom of Qin Feng’s [Indestructible Tower] stood quietly in the core region surrounding the Emperor’s Golden Throne.

Silver light flowed over the tower; the stacking of every brick seemed to pulse in sync with the entire subspace.

While constructing his own tower, Qin Feng could clearly feel that on the other side of this core region, another magnificent foundational phantom was being built at a speed no less than his own.

It was a pair of enormous, holy wings—the [Indestructible Holy Feathers].

Qin Feng could distinctly “see” Caesar’s progress, and likewise, Caesar could precisely “see” Qin Feng’s.

“No wonder… he said back then that we were the same kind of people.”

Qin Feng murmured inwardly, a glimmer of understanding dawning on him.

“So he too has received the Emperor’s favor, and his indestructible projection has been drawn to this core region closest to the origin.”

This region was the exclusive domain of the Emperor’s chosen.

Caesar’s presence itself spoke volumes.

On the other side, the turmoil in Caesar’s heart was even more intense than Qin Feng’s.

“This guy… could he be the ‘Two-Nail Chosen’? Why does his projection feel even closer to the Golden Throne than mine?”

Caesar’s will was filled with shock and confusion.

What unsettled him even more was Qin Feng’s astonishing cultivation speed.

“Improving so fast! Is the Ten Complete Hands after entry-level truly this terrifying? No wonder it’s the Limit Battle Group’s ultimate secret art… at least a dozen times more exquisite than the top nurturing method passed down in our battle group!”

He knew clearly that he had a 40% lead in construction progress—an advantage that should have let him rest easy.

But now, from Qin Feng, he felt a suffocating pressure of pursuit, enough to completely erase that lead!

Thus, the two of them, in the vast subspace, “gazed” at each other across the supreme throne.

There was no exchange of words, no collision of spirits.

There was only the madness they both could feel, the madness of squeezing their own potential to the limit; in silent accord, they transformed this wordless duel into an extreme cultivation race against time!

Time flew by, and another ten years passed.

Qin Feng's [Indestructible Tower] had been stacked to nine hundred stories, its construction progress officially reaching 90%!

Caesar, relying on his profound accumulation, still maintained a slight lead; his [Indestructible Sacred Feathers] had reached 95% completion!

The final sprint had arrived!

Another ten years passed.

When the total seclusion time reached thirty years, a startling equilibrium point emerged.

Qin Feng: [Indestructible Tower] construction progress, 99%!

Caesar: [Indestructible Sacred Feathers] construction progress, 99%!

Thirty years of frenzied pursuit—Qin Feng had forcibly erased that once seemingly insurmountable 40% gap, leaving only the final, most crucial one percent!

Victory or defeat, at this very moment!

Crack...

Crack, crack...

Deep within the ice cavern, Qin Feng's consciousness had completely merged with the [Indestructible Tower].

Block after block of silver-white bricks, infused with all his spiritual will, were stacking madly at a speed far surpassing before.

The nearly completed tower top, symbolizing the perfection of the Dao foundation, was being constructed at lightning speed, with only the final corner remaining!

On another desolate planet, Caesar had also entered a state of self-forgetfulness.

Upon the pair of sky-covering [Indestructible Sacred Feathers] phantom, feathers shimmering with holy radiance were growing and covering at a visible rate.

The wings grew fuller and more solid, likewise leaving only the last few critical plumes yet to be constructed.

Both had fallen into a terrifying state of absolute focus, burning all their potential, making the final sprint for ultimate victory!

...

Outside, the world had long been in turmoil.

The brutal conflict that had raged for nearly thirty years across six galaxies had, in recent times, inexplicably ceased entirely.

Outside the frozen planet in Galaxy 117, which Qin Feng had chosen as his seclusion site.

At this moment, the cosmic space was densely filled with countless martial artist figures floating.

They came from five galaxies—115, 116, 117, and others—numbering over a million.

They did not speak nor make any superfluous movements; with solemn expressions, they formed layers of defensive lines, firmly guarding the frozen planet at the center.

And behind that tiny frozen planet, in the vaster cosmic void, a colossal tower phantom of indescribable grandeur stood silently.

It was billions of times taller than the planet; its height even required light-years as a unit of measurement.

Its entire body was composed of pure silver-white spiritual power; the tower surface was covered with mysterious runes flowing like star rivers, exuding a heavy might that suppressed the ages and was immortal and indestructible!

Wave after wave of terrifying energy fluctuations uncontrollably emanated from the tower from time to time; each emission caused clearly visible spatial ripples in the surrounding cosmic space.

All the martial artists guarding here cast their reverent yet tense gazes toward that majestic giant tower.

"Almost there! Boss Qin Feng is about to succeed!

Look, only the last few bricks at the top remain to be built!"

Among the crowd, a martial artist spoke with a trembling voice, his tone filled with irrepressible excitement.

Cang, Mobi, Leng Yu, Wolf Seven, Wolf Ten, Tiemuer...

These top prodigies from the five galaxies had all gathered here; as they gazed at the tower about to be capped, their eyes were brimming with excitement and anticipation.

The same scene was unfolding within the already fully occupied Galaxy 118. Above a desolate planet, a pair of holy wing phantoms, vast enough to obscure starlight, slowly flapped with radiance in the pitch-black starry sky.

Around the planet, a similarly vast number of martial artists from Galaxy 99 had gathered, voluntarily guarding their leader.

"Boss Caesar is almost done!"

"Any moment now! Look, on those sacred feathers, only the last few feathers remain to be built!"

"..."

During the thirty years of these two's seclusion, the battle between the five galaxies and Galaxy 99 had long reached a fever pitch.

The conflict's cause, from initially vying for top stellar-level opportunities, had gradually evolved into the current situation—when Qin Feng and Caesar's cultivation were nearing perfection, their powerful auras created these earth-shattering phenomena, both sides realized the final decisive battle had come.

They began to attack each other madly, disregarding casualties, with the sole aim of reaching the other side's stronghold in seclusion; even the slightest interference could affect the final outcome of the 'Betting Decree.'

Countless prodigies fell in this bloody slaughter, blood nearly staining several star domains red.

Until now, when both leaders had reached the final critical moment of breakthrough, everyone tacitly abandoned mutual attacks.

They retreated to the side of their own strong, using their lives to build a final line of defense, then quietly awaited the arrival of that fateful moment.

Crack! Crack-crack—

Under everyone's gaze, the silver-white tower standing in the cosmic void suddenly shook violently!

Then, an infinite, indescribably brilliant boundless silver light burst forth from the tower!

It was the color of spiritual power, pure silver-white.

The light was so dazzling that it instantly illuminated the pitch-black cosmic vacuum within several astronomical units, bright as day!

A terrifying might, vast enough to make all Boundless Sea martial artists present tremble with fear, surged forth from Qin Feng's body like an awakened ancient beast!

That majestic ancient tower, under the silver light, had its final corner instantly filled and perfected!

Boom—!!!

The ancient tower was completely constructed!

Stellar level, promotion successful!

A vast pressure, as if ruling the universe and overlooking the galaxy, instantly swept across the entire star system.

Deep in the ice cavern, Qin Feng suddenly opened his eyes!

At that moment, all the martial artists guarding here, through their spiritual perception, clearly 'saw' within that frozen planet a blazing, brilliant 'great sun' rising, capable of rivaling a true star!

Yet, just a brief instant after Qin Feng's successful promotion and the spread of his pressure, from the distant direction of Galaxy 118, an equally powerful and holy pressure also erupted!

Caesar had also succeeded in his promotion!

But in the end, he was one step slower than Qin Feng!

"Qin Feng... succeeded!!!"

Cang, gazing at that dazzling 'great sun' and feeling that familiar yet powerful aura, could no longer suppress his excitement and shouted to the heavens!

All the martial artists from the five galaxies present felt their hearts leap, then one by one, with the utmost speed, they took out their jade tokens!

Sure enough, the moment they took out their tokens, a crystal-clear information prompt appeared on everyone's jade token!

[Betting Decree Ended]

[First Stellar-level martial artist to ascend: 'Qin Feng' of Galaxy 117]

[Galaxies 115-119 victorious, earning entry to the top-tier stellar resource site, the "Eternal Furnace"]

[Galaxy 99 defeated, penalty: each warrior incurs a debt of 1B Imperial Contribution Points; all resources gained in the competition will be used to repay the debt first]

As the announcement of the final outcome of the "Wager Decree" clearly appeared on every identity jade token, the entire cosmic void was torn apart by two diametrically opposed extremes of emotion.

In an instant, the over one million warriors from the five galaxies guarding the frozen planet erupted into a heartfelt cheer that could shake the stars!

Thirty years of pent-up tension, thirty years of anxious worry for the future, all transformed in that moment into ecstatic shouts.

They had won! In this gamble that concerned everyone's life and death, they had laughed last!

In stark contrast, in the distant 118th galaxy, beneath the radiance of those holy wings, all the warriors of the 99th galaxy stared fixedly at their jade tokens. Their expressions, from initial nervous anticipation, instantly froze, then swiftly turned into an incredulous, ashen despair.

Every face bore the agonized look of a soul being drained away.

They had lost.

The colossal debt of 1B Contribution Points, like an invisible Mount Tai, crashed down upon each of their hearts.

Deep within the ice cavern, Qin Feng also gazed at the information on his jade token. The string that had been taut for thirty years finally relaxed completely, and a genuine smile spread across his face.

He had won.

At the final moment, he had pushed himself, arriving three seconds earlier than Caesar to become a Star-level powerhouse!

Those three short seconds had decided the fate of all warriors from six galaxies, securing the ultimate victory in this "Wager Decree"!

"I actually... really won."

Qin Feng let out a long breath of stale air, still feeling a sense of dreamlike unreality.

"It seems the advantage of the *Tenfold Hand* cultivation method over other top-tier methods is far greater than I imagined."

He knew well that without the qualitative leap in cultivation efficiency brought by the *Tenfold Hand* after its initiation, he could never have achieved this earth-shattering reversal from a 40% construction deficit.

Qin Feng smiled, his mood unprecedentedly light.

No need to bear the crushing debt that could break anyone, and an additional entry qualification to a top-tier Star-level resource site.

With this shift, an advantage had been established.

From now on, as long as he developed steadily, he could roll this slight advantage like a snowball, making it bigger and bigger.

Qin Feng had not forgotten his ultimate goal: the top hundred of the Grand War Zone.

If he could enter the top hundred, he would gain a precious opportunity to directly enter the Myriad Races Battlefield, to enjoy the vast top-tier opportunities accumulated by humanity over countless ages with blood and sacrifice.

Yet, the joy of Qin Feng and the million warriors of the five galaxies did not last long. Their smiles froze simultaneously.

Because, right after that victory message, a new line of text, exuding an icy aura, appeared without warning on everyone's jade tokens!

[Warrior "Caesar" of Galaxy 99 activates the competition's hidden item—"Forced Duel Decree"!]

[Selected duel warriors: "Qin Feng" (Galaxy 117), "Caesar" (Galaxy 99)]

[Duel time limit: 10 years]

[Caesar's victory condition and reward: Kill Qin Feng within the time limit.

Reward: Erase all debts of Galaxy 99 warriors, and gain entry slots to the Star-level resource site "Eternal Furnace" won by Galaxies 115-119.]

[Caesar's draw condition and reward: Both survive at the end of the time limit.

Reward: Erase all debts of Galaxy 99 warriors.]

[Caesar's defeat penalty: None.]

[Qin Feng's victory condition and reward: Kill Caesar within the time limit.

Reward: None.]

[Qin Feng's defeat penalty: Killed by Caesar within the time limit.

Penalty: All warriors of Galaxies 115-119 incur a debt of 1,000,000,000 (1B) Contribution Points, and permanently lose entry slots to the Star-level resource site "Eternal Furnace".]

[Qin Feng's draw penalty: None.]

This duel contract, filled with injustice, instantly extinguished everyone's joy, appearing clearly on the jade tokens of every warrior from the six galaxies.

After a deathly silence came the towering rage of the five galaxies' warriors!

"Damn! Another hidden item? This is disgusting! They lose and then pull out something like this?"

"Absolutely revolting! Win with no reward, lose with double penalty? What kind of bullshit rule is this?"

"How was this hidden item obtained? Why don't we have any? This is unfair!"

"What the hell? This is outright thuggery!"

"It's over now... If Qin Feng loses, we'll still have to bear that damn debt, and we'll lose the resource site we fought so hard to win..."

"...

The crowd was seething!

The million warriors, who had just been immersed in the joy of victory, now felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over their heads, chilling them from head to toe.

All eyes converged, without exception, on that frozen planet, on their only hope—Qin Feng.

Hum—

Space rippled faintly, and Qin Feng's figure had already left the frozen planet where he had secluded himself for thirty years, standing silently in the void.

Qin Feng paid no attention to the chaotic discussions around him. Instead, he immediately opened the private domain forum, quickly browsing through everything that had happened in the past thirty years.

Soon, a hint of surprise appeared on his face.

He saw that after his breakthrough phenomenon appeared, the originally scattered warriors of the five galaxies had spontaneously split into two groups.

One group, disregarding life and death, guarded outside his seclusion site, using their lives to block the frantic harassment from Galaxy 99;

The other group, even more fearless, took the initiative to constantly harass Caesar, who was also in seclusion, even at the cost of being eliminated, just to buy him even a second of precious time!

Moreover, under the joint impetus of top experts like Cang and Tiemuer, they had even established an efficient and brutal "Hunting Period Rotation Mechanism."

In simple terms, a group of warriors volunteered to sacrifice themselves, deliberately being killed by their own core experts who were about to enter the "Hunting Period," ensuring these powerful fighters could fight without worry, without being caught weak during the "Hunting Period" and eliminated by enemies.

These volunteering warriors would also kill each other during their own "Hunting Periods," achieving a state of "infinite refill," never truly being eliminated.

To form such a mechanism, where one must entrust their back to "comrades," requires a high degree of trust and unity!

To be honest, Qin Feng was truly shocked.

Because from the very beginning, he had little faith in this so-called alliance of five galaxies.

In his eyes, these people were just a scattered bunch thrown together by the Wager Decree.

But now, this scattered sand had initially united for a common victory!

Whoosh!

Qin Feng stood silently in the void.

He had just advanced to Star-level, his surging life force blazing like a cosmic sun, forming a brilliant halo around him.

Behind him, the solid, nine hundred ninety-nine-story phantom of the [Indestructible Tower] stood quietly, exuding an aura of majesty.

Below, the million martial artists gradually ceased their commotion, all eyes converging upon him, filled with worry, hope, and a trace of guilt—they seemed once again about to heap all the burden onto Qin Feng's shoulders alone.

Feeling those complex gazes, Qin Feng slowly spoke.

His voice was not loud, yet through the amplification of his spiritual power, it rang out clearly and directly in the depths of every heart.

"Everyone, I will do my best."

No grand declarations, no promises of certain victory.

Just those simple yet weighty four words, like a star ignited, instantly detonating the pent-up blood and passion of all the martial artists across the five star systems!

"Go for it, Qin Feng!"

"Slay that despicable Caesar! We all believe in you!"

"Boss Qin Feng! I still have three million contribution points—not much, but if you need to buy any one-time 'knowledge artifacts,' just say the word!"

"Yes! Let's pool our resources! Maybe we can scrape together a one-time stellar-class beam weapon for you! Smash that Caesar to death!"

"Kill that bastard."

Countless waves of spiritual power surged toward Qin Feng from all directions, each person's support so sincere and fervent.

Now they were a community of shared interests.

Facing this tide, Qin Feng remained silent.

He merely nodded slightly in the direction of the crowd.

The next moment, his form transformed into an invisible ripple, silently merging into the folds of space, vanishing completely.

—

At the intersection of the gravitational fields of these five planets, in that void that had been silent for countless epochs, two figures, spanning vast distances, appeared almost simultaneously, emerging without a sound.

Qin Feng and Caesar.

Ten thousand miles apart, they faced each other from afar.

Here, there were no cheers from a million-strong army, no superfluous spectators.

Only the two of them, and the colorful nebula flowing slowly in the background, filled with the unknown and the uncanny.

The moment they appeared, two utterly different yet equally terrifying auras—vast enough to dim the stars—erupted without restraint!

Boom—!

It was not a physical sound, but the collision of two formless oceans of spiritual power, the most primal and savage clash in the vacuum of the cosmos!

Centered on Qin Feng, a silver-white spiritual domain expanded wildly. Within the domain, the phantom of an indestructible ancient tower, nine hundred and ninety-nine stories tall, loomed into view.

On the tower's body, billions of runes swirled, exuding a heavy aura that could suppress the ages and annihilate all things, as if it would turn this universe into an eternal prison!

On the other side, golden radiance, like the first holy light at the dawn of creation, illuminated the entire starfield.

Behind Caesar, the pair of enormous [Immortal Sacred Feathers], each plume seemingly forged from the purest laws, slowly unfurled.

The aura of sanctity, majesty, and judgment of all things surged forth as a golden tide, crashing violently against the silver-white spiritual ocean!

It was as if two giant stars of infinite mass had collided head-on in this cramped space!

At the center of their intersection, space twisted into eerie, water-like ripples; light was devoured, and the laws were thrown into chaos!

Qin Feng wore a set of pure black power armor, gripping the pitch-black Star-Swallowing Spear.

Caesar was clad in a magnificent golden knight's heavy armor, each joint adorned with pigeon-blood-red gemstones.

In his hand, he held an elegant yet powerful golden knight's holy sword, the whole of him like an invincible war god stepping out of mythic epic.

Their auras clashed madly, their indestructible projections unleashing the terrible radiance of their respective domains, locked in stalemate.

This initial probing alone had already declared that neither side had gained the upper hand.

"Ha ha ha ha—"

A hearty laugh, filled with appreciation, shattered the suffocating silence.

A hint of admiring smile graced Caesar's handsome, flawless face.

"Qin Feng, the Limit War Group's 'Ten Complete Hands' truly lives up to its reputation; its terror far exceeds my imagination."

"Just luck."

Qin Feng's expression remained calm. He shook his head gently, his deep gaze fixed on Caesar, and asked in a flat tone, "I just don't understand why you initiated this meaningless 'Forced Duel Order.' We both know that as Stellar-levels, unless there is an overwhelming disparity in strength, it's impossible to determine life or death in a short time. Isn't this purely a waste of each other's time?"

"Ha ha ha ha—"

Caesar laughed again.

"Well said! You mentioned that as Stellar-levels, it's extremely hard to decide life or death! That is precisely the purpose of my coming here."

His golden eyes sparkled with wisdom, and he shifted his tone, "Qin Feng, from start to finish, I have never harbored any ill will toward you. My goal, like yours, is merely to secure a spot in the top hundred of the major war zone. So, at this point, you should be able to understand my true intention."

"..."

Qin Feng fell silent.

His brows furrowed slightly, but his mind raced at an unprecedented speed.

Caesar's words struck like lightning, cleaving through all the fog in his heart, connecting all seemingly unrelated clues in an instant!

...Extremely hard to decide life or death... no ill will... goal top hundred...

Key words collided and recombined in his mind.

Gradually, a faint, self-mocking, and enlightened smile appeared on his face.

Clearly, he had fully grasped the true, earth-shattering scheme hidden beneath all of Caesar's arrogant actions.

Qin Feng let out a soft, wry laugh. He raised his head, looked at Caesar, and slowly said, "So, from the moment I laid the first brick of the Indestructible Tower in the Pure Land of Subspace, you had already noticed me?"

"Exactly."

Caesar nodded frankly, not hiding his admiration.

"Otherwise, why do you think I would risk so much to initiate the 'Betting Order' and forcefully attack your five star systems? With my strength, wouldn't it be simpler and safer to pick a weak star system and crush them one by one?"

"..."

Qin Feng nodded slightly, and the last shred of doubt in his heart dissipated completely.

He understood everything.

From the very beginning, Caesar had noticed him in the core region of the Golden Throne in Subspace.

He had seen through the essence of this Cosmic Genius Tournament earlier than anyone else—when the competition reached its mid-to-late stages, more and more top prodigies would advance to the "immortal and indestructible" Stellar level, making individual battles meaningless. A single fight could last hundreds or thousands of years without a clear victor; relying on mere kills to plunder resources and improve rankings would become inefficient, even impossible.

Because the Grand Tournament lasts a total of a thousand years, and now three hundred and ninety years have already passed.

By that time, the only way to stand out from tens of millions, even hundreds of millions of geniuses and break into the final top hundred is unity!

Only by thoroughly integrating the top powers of one galaxy, or even several galaxies, into an efficient war machine can one, in the subsequent cross-galaxy hegemony, attack and plunder with irresistible force, seizing vast resources!

And all of Caesar's previous actions seemed to be for the benefit of the "Betting Order," but that was merely the surface.

His true purpose was to forcibly stimulate and consolidate the cohesion and centripetal force of those unruly prodigies under his command through a brutal external war!

Just like now.

Although he failed in the "Betting Order," he immediately and without hesitation launched the "Forced Duel Order," once again shouldering everyone's hopes on his own shoulders.

This series of actions had already established a godlike, blazing prestige in the hearts of the martial artists of Galaxy No. 99. Everyone was filled with gratitude and worship for him; the hearts of the people were united, and the general trend was set.

Qin Feng even felt that Caesar had deliberately lost to him.

And looking at himself, after experiencing this series of twists and turns, he had also become the savior-like, sole hope in the hearts of the survivors of the five galaxies.

No one wanted the hard-won fruits of victory to vanish into thin air, only to be burdened with heavy debts instead.

Everything depended on this battle between him and Caesar.

Unconsciously, his own prestige had also reached an unparalleled peak.

All of this had been within Caesar's calculations.

"What do you think, Qin Feng?"

Caesar's voice was filled with infinite allure, and he extended an olive branch to Qin Feng.

"Cooperate with me.

We two are the earliest to advance to the Star Level in this war zone, and also the earliest to see through the essence of this competition system.

If we join forces, with the two of us as the core, integrate all the power of the six galaxies, and then start from this point, conquer outward, sweeping all the way!

By then, what difficulty would there be in seizing first and second place in the war zone?

We could even bring out several, even dozens of top hundred experts, and even sweep the top thousand, the top ten thousand!"

"This will be an unparalleled achievement, unprecedented and never to be repeated!"

In Caesar's eyes, a blazing fire of ambition burned, and on his incomparably handsome face was a hint of almost fanatical fervor.

"Hahaha—"

What answered him was Qin Feng's equally unrestrained laughter.

Qin Feng's laughter gradually subsided, his eyes sharp as a spear, piercing straight into Caesar's heart: "Cooperate with you? Sounds good indeed. But an equal cooperation, or... let me be subservient to you?!"

"Then we'll have to see who's stronger in actual combat."

The smile on Caesar's face remained unchanged, but the admiration in his eyes had completely transformed into surging battle intent.

The leadership of an alliance is never won by words, but by fists!

"Then let's fight!!"

Qin Feng wasted no more words; his battle intent also climbed to its peak at this moment!

(End of this chapter)