Chapter 359: Venerable Inheritance! Sitting Opposite for a Million Years! Great Name Spreads Far and Wide,

Chapter 359: The Venerable’s Inheritance! A Million Years of Stillness! Renown Spreads, Murderous Intent Approaches!

Eight centuries passed in the blink of an eye.

For those King-level powerhouses who often spent tens of thousands of years in seclusion, eight hundred years was but a fleeting moment, barely enough to complete a single cycle of deep meditation.

Yet, for the ten thousand King-level experts gathered outside the first gate of the Yaoguang Secret Realm, these eight centuries felt agonizingly long and fraught with tension.

Every gaze, whether intentional or stray, would frequently drift toward that steel figure perched atop the massive black boulder—Vanguard.

He was like a block of eternal, unmelting ice, a silent reef in the cosmic sea.

For eight hundred years, he had not moved a fraction, had not uttered a single word, and not even the metallic luster flowing across his mechanical frame had shifted in the slightest.

He sat there in stillness, as if he had merged with the boulder beneath him and the dead, silent space of the realm, becoming an isolated world forgotten by time itself.

This extreme silence, rather than causing him to be forgotten, birthed an even more terrifying sense of oppression.

The more silent he remained, the more bizarre the speculations grew, and the more unreachable his strength seemed in the eyes of others.

That pure black divine light, which had erased the Heavenly King from existence—body and soul alike—remained like an indelible brand, carved deep into the souls of everyone present, a forbidden red line that none dared to cross.

In stark contrast to Vanguard’s absolute stillness were the other two prodigies recognized as the strongest contenders for the inheritance.

The "Heartless Demon Child" still wore his eerie, unsettling smile.

His aura had grown more sinister and viscous during the eight-century wait, as if countless invisible, wailing spirits circled his body.

From time to time, he would flick his scarlet tongue to lick his pale lips, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding King-level experts as if appraising dishes about to be served at a feast.

That naked look, treating the suffering of others as sustenance, made many a King shudder and subconsciously retreat from his vicinity.

He did not find the waiting agonizing; rather, he seemed to relish the calm before the storm, anticipating the "banquet" that would soon allow him to feast to his heart’s content.

"Fairy Linglong," meanwhile, displayed a vastly different demeanor.

She sat cross-legged upon a seven-colored lotus throne condensed from pure energy, surrounded by swirling celestial light and dancing law-runes.

Her eyes were closed, her expression holy and serene, as if the turmoil of the outside world had no bearing on her. Her Dao heart was pure and unblemished; for her, the eight-hundred-year wait was merely a meditation to cultivate her spirit.

Her presence was like a clear spring, washing away the pervasive aura of slaughter and death in this space, causing those near her to feel an involuntary sense of peace.

These three top-tier prodigies, each with distinct styles and unfathomable strength, loomed like three insurmountable mountains over the hearts of all other competitors.

The vast majority of the King-level experts had long since extinguished any delusions of seizing the final inheritance. Their goal for this journey had quietly shifted: to survive as far as possible through the first two trials, gain some minor fortune, and hone their skills—that alone would be a stroke of luck.

Finally, at the end of those eight hundred years, this eternal, unchanging space underwent a transformation.

Hum—

A low, ancient vibration, as if originating from the dawn of the universe, resonated without warning deep within the soul of every living being.

The void ahead, shrouded in thick, chaotic mist, began to churn and boil violently. The mist receded to the sides, as if an invisible curtain were being drawn back by a pair of giant hands.

A staircase reaching from the earth to the heavens slowly emerged from the void.

It was a staircase whose material defied description.

It was deathly pale, as if compressed and calcined from the bones of countless beings, or cast from solidified pain and despair.

The surface was not smooth; it was covered in countless twisted, struggling reliefs that, upon closer inspection, revealed themselves to be faces contorted in ultimate agony.

Merely gazing upon it evoked a chill that pierced the marrow and a stinging pain that originated from the soul.

Ninety-nine levels of the heavenly ladder pierced straight into the chaotic firmament above, endless and seemingly connecting to a purgatory designed specifically for the torture of souls.

"The Ladder of Pain has opened!"

Someone let out a low growl, suppressing both excitement and terror, instantly igniting the atmosphere of the entire assembly.

Everyone’s eyes turned scorching hot.

The member of the Heavenly Secret Sect, who had existed like background scenery, appeared once more before the crowd, his voice clearly reaching every ear: "Everyone, this is the second trial of the Yaoguang inheritance: the Purgatory Ladder of Pain.

There are ninety-nine levels in total. The higher you climb, the more the pain will increase geometrically. This pain acts not only upon the physical body but strikes directly at the origin of the soul. It tests your ultimate capacity to endure suffering and your indomitable will."

"The rules remain the same: each person has only one chance to climb. Once you can no longer endure, you will be immediately teleported out. This ladder opens only once every ten thousand years; opportunities are rare. I advise you to act according to your ability and take care of yourselves."

With those words, he quietly withdrew.

After a brief silence, the atmosphere on the scene erupted.

"It’s finally here! I’ve waited eight hundred years for this very moment!"

"Hmph, the Heart-Refining trial tested our Dao hearts, and since we passed, our will is naturally not weak! I will certainly conquer this Ladder of Pain!"

"Don't be too confident. Haven't you seen the appearance of those stairs? That is certainly no ordinary pain. How could the methods of the Yaoguang Venerable be something we can fathom?"

Amidst the murmurs, an impatient King-level expert could no longer restrain himself. He transformed into a stream of light and was the first to rush toward the pale, heaven-piercing ladder.

The moment his foot touched the first step, his figure jolted violently. The color drained from his face, and beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down his forehead.

Yet, he gritted his teeth, let out a low growl, and struggled to take a second step.

With the first person having taken the plunge, the remaining King-level experts hesitated no longer. Like a school of fish crossing a river, they surged toward the Ladder of Pain.

In an instant, dozens of powerful beings began their ascent simultaneously.

However, the cruel trial began from the very first step.

"Ah—!"

A shrill scream pierced the air. A King-level expert who had just stepped onto the fifth level suddenly convulsed violently, his eyes rolling back, white foam mixed with soul fragments spewing from his mouth. His body was flung away by an invisible force like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily onto the ground in the distance, completely unconscious.

This scene sent a chill through those who were preparing to climb.

That was only the fifth level!

The intensity of the pain far exceeded their imagination!

Qin Feng’s mechanical avatar, "Vanguard," remained seated on the black stone. He was in no rush to depart, observing calmly instead.

His gaze swept over the figures struggling to climb, his powerful perception allowing him to clearly capture every subtle change in them.

The first level was the pain of ten thousand ants devouring the heart. Countless invisible energy ants burrowed into the body, gnawing at every inch of flesh and every meridian.

The second level was the pain of being consumed by raging fire. The soul felt as if it were placed in the core of a star, enduring endless burning.

The third level was the pain of glacial freezing. An absolute zero originating from the depths of the soul sought to freeze thought and consciousness into ice crystals.

...

The types and intensity of the pain progressed with each level, becoming more bizarre with every step.

They were not merely physical or energy attacks, but conceptual pain directed at the origin, based on the laws themselves.

A cultivator’s protective divine light, law domains, and secret treasures were useless against it.

The only thing one could rely on was one’s own pure, unadulterated willpower.

Soon, a large number of King-level experts were eliminated within the first ten levels. One by one, their faces twisted, they were ejected with screams, landing in a disoriented heap, their Dao hearts suffering significant shocks.

Those who could reach the twentieth level were already the elite, each possessing a tenacious will.

And when the ascent reached the thirtieth level, the number of people had plummeted to fewer than a hundred.

It was at this moment that the two true top-tier prodigies finally moved.

"Heh heh heh... what a delicious 'feast' this appears to be!"

The Heartless Demon Child let out a piercing, grotesque laugh, his form flickering like a bolt of black-red lightning, surging ahead to claim the celestial ladder in a heartbeat.

A scene of sheer horror unfolded.

When other titled kings stepped onto the ladder, they were invariably twisted by agony, their progress a grueling struggle.

Yet, as the Heartless Demon Child touched the first step, his face betrayed no pain; instead, he wore an expression of morbid, ecstatic intoxication.

"Ah... this is the feeling, so... exquisite!"

He spread his arms as if embracing a lover, greedily drinking in the power of suffering radiating from the ladder.

The agony that would have shattered an ordinary king became, for him, the purest of elixirs.

His speed was impossibly fast, one step per level, and in an instant, he had surpassed all who had ventured before him.

Ten levels!

Twenty levels!

Thirty levels!

He trod as if on flat ground, his pace accelerating with every passing moment.

The demonic aura surrounding him grew thicker as he feasted on the pain, his presence rising in intensity, becoming ever more terrifying.

"What... what kind of monster is this?!"

"He is devouring the pain? His Dao... it feeds on suffering!"

"A madman! A complete and utter lunatic! This Ladder of Agony was practically tailor-made for him!"

The onlookers outside gasped in unison, utterly shaken by the Demon Child’s display.

Meanwhile, the Fairy Linglong began her ascent.

She rose slowly from her seven-colored lotus throne and bowed toward the ladder from afar, her movements elegant and devout.

Then, with a single step, she appeared at the base of the celestial stairs.

She lacked the wicked, violent aura of the Heartless Demon Child; her climb was serene and resolute.

As she stepped onto the first level, her delicate brows furrowed slightly, for she, too, felt the agony that pierced to the very marrow.

Yet, the hazy seven-colored celestial light surrounding her only grew brighter at that moment.

Her body trembled faintly, but her steps remained remarkably steady, one by one, neither hurried nor slow.

Her climb was less a battle against pain and more an act of acceptance, purifying and refining the suffering through her own immaculate heart. With every level she ascended, her celestial light grew purer, and her will, more unyielding.

The pain became the furnace fire that tempered her glass-like Dao heart, causing this flawless gem to radiate an even more dazzling brilliance.

Though her speed did not match the Demon Child’s extravagance, she remained far ahead of the others, trailing him steadily to form a second vanguard that left the rest of the pack far behind.

"Look! Fairy Linglong is exerting her strength now!"

"A naturally immaculate Dao heart—truly extraordinary! Such pure willpower is the bane of all illusions and trials of suffering!"

"Too powerful! The Heartless Demon Child and Fairy Linglong were born for the Yaoguang inheritance! Compared to them, the others are light-years behind!"

The crowd’s eyes were entirely captivated by these two peerless prodigies. Their ascent was a feast for the eyes and the soul, showcasing two vastly different yet equally formidable paths.

Forty levels!

Fifty levels!

Sixty levels!

The Heartless Demon Child’s manic laughter echoed through the heavens; he was a maddened beast, unstoppable.

Fairy Linglong’s celestial light illuminated the void; she was a lotus blooming in the storm, unbending and resilient.

The two of them had turned this cruel trial into their own private stage.

When they both broke through the seventy-level mark, the path behind them was empty. Every other participant had been eliminated.

"Seventy levels! My heavens! This record hasn't been touched in millions of years, has it?"

"Terrifying! Who among them will have the last laugh?"

Speculation rippled through the crowd, all convinced that the final victor must emerge from these two.

Yet, just as all eyes were fixed upon them, the ancient, unchanging black reef finally stirred.

Vanguard slowly stood up.

His massive mechanical frame emitted a faint, teeth-grinding screech of metal against metal as he rose, like a star-spanning beast awakening from an eon-long slumber.

He looked at no one, his gaze resting calmly upon the bone-white ladder before taking a single step.

His movement was not fast—one might even call it sluggish—but every step held an indescribable rhythm, as if he were beating in unison with the pulse of the universe.

He arrived at the foot of the ladder.

Then, he lifted his foot and let it fall.

Level one.

His mechanical frame did not tremble in the slightest.

His gaze remained devoid of any fluctuation.

It was as if he were not stepping onto a Ladder of Agony, but merely climbing a set of ordinary stairs.

In silence, he began his ascent.

One step.

Two steps.

...

Ten steps.

He traversed the first ten levels.

His speed was neither fast nor slow, his tempo as steady as a precision instrument.

The onlookers outside had paid him little mind at first. After all, the performances of the Heartless Demon Child and Fairy Linglong were too dazzling, stealing all the limelight.

"That Vanguard has started, too."

"Hmph, he may be powerful enough to slay the Heaven King in one blow, but willpower is another matter. This Ladder of Agony does not test combat prowess."

"Exactly. Just watch, he’ll be lucky to make it to fifty."

Yet, as time passed, the disdain and doubt on their faces gradually froze, replaced by an unmistakable, profound shock.

Twenty levels.

Thirty levels.

Forty levels.

Vanguard’s figure was like a silent mountaineer, climbing upward with unwavering resolve. His rhythm never faltered, his expression never changed, and his deep, electronic eyes remained a dead, tranquil void.

The agony that would have driven other kings to madness acted upon him like a stone cast into the sea, failing to stir even the slightest ripple.

"This... how is this possible?!"

"Can he... can he not feel the agony? He is of the Machine Race; do they not possess nerves for pain?"

"Impossible! This torment strikes directly at the core of the soul! The Machine Race possesses a soul core just the same! It is impossible for him to be immune!"

At this moment, the Heartless Demon Child, having already climbed to the eighty-fifth tier, sensed a chilling, silent presence behind him.

He whipped his head around, only to see the unhurried figure of Vanguard, who had already reached the seventieth tier.

For the first time, the sickly smile vanished from his face, replaced by a look of gravity and... bewilderment.

Because from Vanguard, he could sense no trace of struggle against the pain.

He himself was savoring the pain, transmuting it.

Fairy Linglong was purifying the pain, tempering her own essence.

But this Vanguard... he seemed to disregard the pain entirely.

The agony was there, acting upon him, yet he stood like an outsider, a mere spectator, coldly watching the torment ravage his body and soul, unable to shake his true consciousness in the slightest.

This was a realm higher and more terrifying than enjoyment or purification—it was absolute mastery!

"Damn it!"

The Heartless Demon Child let out a low growl, a surge of unprecedented competitiveness rising within him. Holding nothing back, his demonic energy erupted, and he sprinted toward the ninetieth tier with unmatched speed.

Fairy Linglong felt the pressure as well; the seven-colored celestial light around her condensed into substance, forming the phantom of a majestic Immortal King behind her to guard her Dao heart, as she too pressed toward the ninetieth tier.

Finally, under the gaze of all, they stepped onto the ninetieth tier at almost the exact same moment!

Boom!

A torrent of pain, ten times more powerful than before, crashed down upon them!

Pfft!

The Heartless Demon Child spat out a mouthful of black blood, his smile utterly obliterated, replaced by a mask of ferocity and madness. He felt as if his demonic soul were being pierced and churned by ten thousand divine blades at once; the agony had surpassed the limits of what he could "savor."

On the other side, the Immortal King phantom behind Fairy Linglong let out a mournful cry of collapse, shattering inch by inch. For the first time, a look of agony marred her flawless, holy face, and her delicate body trembled violently, as if on the verge of breaking.

"The ninetieth tier! They have both reached the ninetieth tier!"

"This is already a legend! An achievement worthy of the history books!"

The gasps from the outside world could no longer reach their ears. They poured every ounce of their will into staying pinned to the ninetieth tier, unable to take even half a step further.

Their limits had been reached.

Yet, just as they struggled in agony, and just as the world outside cheered in shock at their achievement,

A silent, steel-forged figure walked past them with calm indifference.

Vanguard had passed the ninetieth tier.

His pace remained as steady as ever.

His gaze remained as tranquil as ever.

He did not even glance at the two top-tier prodigies who were teetering on the edge of collapse.

Time seemed to stand still in that moment.

Every breath in the world seemed to hitch.

The Heartless Demon Child’s eyes widened, the madness replaced by an emotion called "incredulity."

Fairy Linglong raised her head with great difficulty, her eyes, pure as glazed glass, filled with shock and bewilderment.

The gap...

It turned out that from the very beginning, the gap was as wide as a chasm between heaven and earth.

The will they took such pride in, the Dao heart they viewed as their ultimate trump card, was as fragile as a joke before this silent machine.

Qin Feng felt no ripples in his heart. Pain?

For him now, the meaning of that word had long been redefined.

From the moment his mechanical avatar stepped onto the Heavenly Ladder, the so-called agony of ten thousand ants devouring the heart or flames burning the soul felt no more significant than a cup of lukewarm water.

His will, his soul, had been tempered through countless life-and-death trials into an immortal monument that even gods could not shake.

He had fought a death match against the Blood Slaughter Marquis in the Crimson Arena for ten thousand years, where every death and rebirth was a cycle of agony.

He had faced the descent of the Evil God Khorne’s will, enduring fifteen thousand years of mental warfare in an illusion, suffering spiritual corruption from a divine level that could have shattered the universe.

He had even personally detonated his own Great Dao and soul origin to stage a "fake death," experiencing the ultimate terror of total annihilation, from existence to nothingness.

Any one of these experiences would have driven a Sovereign-level powerhouse to madness.

And this mere Ladder of Pain left by the Venerable Yaoguang, with its so-called extreme agony, was like child's play compared to the suffering Qin Feng had endured.

His [Ultimate Body], his [Ultimate Laws], and his [Pure Black Quality] soul formed a barrier that could never be breached.

The pain could not even truly "touch" his true self.

He could clearly "observe" the operation of the laws of pain, could "analyze" how they acted upon flesh and soul, but he himself remained behind an impenetrable glass, watching a play that had nothing to do with him.

His climb was not a confrontation, not an endurance, but a calm "study."

Ninety-first tier.

Ninety-second tier.

...

Under the gaze of countless eyes—dull, numb, and some even stripped of the ability to think—Qin Feng’s figure walked firmly and solitarily toward the end of the ladder.

Finally, he arrived before the ninety-ninth tier.

He lifted his foot and set it down, calmly.

Boom!

The entire Ladder of Pain let out a violent roar.

A source of pain, condensed into pure black, descended from the top of the ladder and poured entirely into Qin Feng’s body.

It was the ultimate trial, enough to instantly erase the will of a newly ascended Sovereign and turn them into a fool!

Yet, Qin Feng’s mechanical body merely paused for a fraction of a second.

Within his pure black soul origin, the [Primal Furnace] Dao seal turned gently, swallowing and smelting this massive torrent of pain, turning it into insignificant nourishment to strengthen himself.

Invulnerable to all laws, unwearied by all suffering.

This was Qin Feng now!

He had finished the ninety-ninth tier.

Before him, all the pale stairs vanished, replaced by a portal emitting a soft glow, leading to an unknown realm.

Thus, the second trial was passed.

He was the only one who had walked all ninety-nine tiers.

He was the only one qualified to enter the third trial.

Qin Feng did not hesitate, nor did he look back at the so-called prodigies he had left far behind; he stepped into the light, and his figure vanished in an instant.

Only long after his silhouette had utterly vanished did the silence break.

The eliminated Wuxin Demon Child and Fairy Linglong were gently deposited back onto the ground by an unseen force, their faces deathly pale and their vitality withered, clearly exhausted by the ordeal of the ninetieth step.

The deathly stillness of the outside world was finally shattered by a scream that tore through the air like a thunderclap.

"He... he finished it... he finished all ninety-nine steps!!"

"My god! That is the Stairway of Agony!"

"Alone... he entered the third trial all by himself!!"

"A monster! A true monster!!"

"Now I finally understand... why the Heavenly King was killed in a single strike... before him, that Heavenly King was truly no different from an ant!"

"To crush a master of physical transcendence with one blow, and to traverse the ninety-nine steps of agony alone... who exactly is this 'Vanguard'?! Since when did the Machine Race give birth to such a terrifying existence?!"

Shock, horror, worship, and fear—

A cocktail of extreme emotions erupted in the hearts of every living soul who witnessed this.

The name "Vanguard" was, in this moment, imbued with mythic color, becoming a legend that none present could ever surpass, only gaze upon in awe.

...

The gatekeeper of the Heavenly Secret Sect bowed deeply toward the void, his attitude more reverent than ever before, as if he were not facing empty space, but a supreme existence worthy of his absolute devotion.

"Congratulations, fellow traveler, for passing the second trial, the Stairway of Purgatorial Agony."

His voice was clear and solemn. "Please follow me to the third trial, the final place of inheritance."

As he spoke, the space before him rippled, and a light gate, similar to the previous one but radiating an aura far more ancient and profound, slowly creaked open.

Having done this, the gatekeeper turned to the tens of thousands of beings still reeling in shock and said calmly, "Everyone, the second trial has concluded. By the rules, those who failed may remain here to meditate for a century, after which the secret realm will transport you out."

His words sent a shiver through many.

Leave?

No!

No one wanted to leave!

"May we... may we stay to observe?"

A bold King-level expert asked loudly, his tone heavy with supplication. "We shall not approach, nor shall we interfere; we only ask to witness the birth of the first legend in tens of millions of years to potentially claim the Yaoguang inheritance!"

His plea was immediately echoed by all.

"Yes! We are willing to swear an oath upon the Great Dao to never step out of line!"

"To witness a supreme prodigy claim such a heaven-shaking inheritance is a magnificent opportunity for us as well! We beg for your indulgence, Senior!"

Are you joking?

Having witnessed the miraculous performance of "Vanguard," everyone was convinced that his acquisition of the final inheritance was a foregone conclusion.

This was a historic moment!

A monumental event worthy of being recorded in the annals of the universe!

If they left now, they would regret it for the rest of their lives.

The gatekeeper seemed to have anticipated this. He remained silent for a moment before saying faintly, "The rules left by Venerable Yaoguang only concern the inheritor; there is no restriction on spectators. You may... do as you please."

With that, he ignored them, turned, and stepped into the newly opened light gate, vanishing from sight.

"Wonderful!"

"The senior from the Heavenly Secret Sect has tacitly agreed!"

Suppressed cheers erupted from the crowd.

Immediately, almost every prodigy and King-level expert transformed into streaks of light, rushing into the gate after the gatekeeper.

All greed had vanished from their hearts, replaced by pure curiosity and the thrill of witnessing history.

They wanted to see how far this god-like, demon-like machine could go, and how earth-shattering the legendary Yaoguang inheritance truly was.

...

Passing through the gate, the view opened up into vastness.

This was no longer the suffocating, deathly space of before.

Before their eyes lay a boundless sea of stars.

Countless stars hung silently in the distance, emitting brilliant, soft light. Rivers of stars, condensed from the purest laws of the universe, flowed slowly through the void—breathtakingly beautiful, yet containing power enough to make even an Emperor-level expert tremble.

In the center of this star sea floated a massive, ancient dais carved from white jade of unknown origin.

The dais was empty, yet it naturally exuded a supreme aura that seemed to suppress the ages and overlook the entire cosmos.

Merely standing in this space and sensing the aura of the dais, many King-level experts felt their understanding of the laws deepen, however slightly.

The gatekeeper stood solemnly by the dais, waiting quietly.

Qin Feng’s mechanical avatar, "Vanguard," had already been transported to the very center of the dais.

He remained in his silent posture, standing still as if waiting for something.

The tens of thousands of King-level experts who followed stayed consciously at the distant edge of the star sea, not daring to approach the dais by even an inch.

Like the most devout believers, they watched from afar, their breathing unconsciously lightened.

"Is this... the final place of inheritance?"

"Such dense law energy! Cultivating here for a year must be worth a millennium in the outside world!"

"Look at the dais! It’s changing!"

Amidst the gasps of the crowd, countless starlight particles began to converge upon the white jade dais.

The light grew brighter and brighter, finally coalescing into a blurred, human-shaped silhouette.

Though one could not discern its features, the aura it exuded felt like the source of the universe, the final destination of all myriad laws.

He simply sat there, yet his presence compelled every King-level expert present to feel a soul-deep urge to prostrate themselves in worship.

Venerable Yaoguang!

Even as a mere shadow for testing, his majesty was enough to shake the firmament!

Once the silhouette took form, it slowly raised a hand and pointed to the position opposite itself.

Seeing this, the gatekeeper immediately proclaimed in a voice that echoed throughout the entire star sea:

"The third trial, the ultimate test—The Dao Questions the Heart!"

"The examinee 'Vanguard' shall sit opposite the will-projection left by Venerable Yaoguang upon this dais for one million years!"

"During these million years, the Venerable’s projection will set forth layers of trials, encompassing secret arts, willpower, comprehension, the path of the Dao, and the understanding of all laws in the universe."

"Only by passing all trials can one receive the Venerable’s recognition, inherit his Dao fruit, and glimpse the supreme [Yaoguang Law]!"

"This is the final test, and the ultimate opportunity!"

The gatekeeper’s words exploded in everyone’s hearts like a thunderclap.

Sitting face-to-face for a million years!

To endure a comprehensive gauntlet devised by a Universe Venerable!

What manner of terrifying ordeal was this?!

A test of pure will—they had only just witnessed the harrowing horror of the Staircase of Agony.

Comprehension, secret techniques, the seeking of one's Dao... any single one of these trials was enough to cull ninety-nine percent of the realm's proudest geniuses.

Yet now, they were expected to conquer every single one of them, sustained over a span of a million years!

This level of difficulty was nothing short of despair-inducing!

Just as the crowd’s spirits wavered under the sheer weight of this ultimate trial, the next words from the disciple of the Heavenly Secret Sect allowed them to breathe a shallow sigh of relief.

"There is no need for panic, everyone. The laws governing this space were woven by the very hand of Venerable Yaoguang. Seated upon the Dao platform, time flies like a weaver's shuttle; a million years within that domain equates to but a single year in our outer world."

So that was it!

Realization dawned upon the crowd, though the awe in their hearts only deepened.

Distorting the flow of time by a factor of a million! What a heaven-defying, miraculous feat!

The might of a Universe Venerable had truly transcended the boundaries of their imagination.

As the voice of the Heavenly Secret disciple faded, Qin Feng, atop the Dao platform, made his move.

Without a shred of hesitation, he slowly sat cross-legged directly opposite the phantom of the Venerable.

The moment he settled into place, an invisible curtain of light, resembling an inverted bowl, instantly cloaked the entire white jade platform.

Upon the luminous barrier, starlight flowed and runes of cosmic law flickered in and out of existence, completely severing all inspection from the outside world.

The ultimate trial had officially begun!

...

Outside, a single year.

To the waiting masses, this was destined to be a long year, thick with anticipation.

At the edge of the sea of stars, tens of thousands of King-fated powerhouses did not disperse. Instead, each found a pocket of the void to sit cross-legged, absorbing the dense laws of the region while keeping their eyes locked onto the shrouded white jade platform, their discussions rising and falling like waves.

"Tell me... do you think Senior Vanguard can succeed this time?"

"Nonsense! Of course he can! Think back to his previous displays—was that even something a 'mortal' could achieve?"

"Exactly! Slaying King Cangtian in a single strike proved his combat prowess and secret techniques have long since reached the pinnacle.

Conquering all ninety-nine steps of the Staircase of Agony proved his will is unbreakable, far surpassing anything we could imagine.

If a being like him cannot pass the trial of Venerable Yaoguang, then this inheritance is probably nothing more than a myth!"

"I agree! Though the trial sounds frightening, let's not forget that the one facing it is Senior Vanguard! I even feel this final test might just be a mere formality for him."

"A million years... I truly look forward to it! A year from now, when the curtain of light disperses, we might witness with our own eyes a future titan of the universe... laying the bedrock of his rise at this very moment!"

Unexpectedly, almost everyone held the exact same view.

That was—Vanguard would surely succeed!

This almost blind faith stemmed from Qin Feng’s two prior performances, which had been far too shocking, far too incomprehensible.

The strength and resolve he had displayed had utterly shattered the pride of every genius present, erecting an invincible, insurmountable image in their hearts.

They could no longer gauge him by common sense; they could only look up and believe.

This atmosphere was intensely contagious.

Soon, several geniuses who could not contain their excitement began using various specialized secret arts or communication devices to transmit the news of this place to their relatives, friends, or sects in the outside world.

"You would never believe what I've witnessed in the Yaoguang Secret Realm! A mysterious Machine race genius named 'Vanguard' has burst onto the scene!"

"He killed King Cangtian, a walker of the divine path, in a single blow! Then he walked the ninety-nine steps of the Staircase of Agony all by himself! Right now, he is undergoing the final trial of inheritance!"

"A historic moment! The inheritance of Venerable Yaoguang, after countless eons, is finally about to reappear in the world!"

The news, like a nuclear payload dropped into a placid lake, instantly detonated a titanic wave across the star systems outside the secret realm.

Initially, the first reaction of those who received the messages was disbelief.

"What kind of joke is this? Do we not know the state of the Yaoguang Secret Realm? How many brilliant and breathtaking figures have broken their spears and sunk into the sand there? How could anyone possibly pass the final trial?"

"Vanguard? Never heard of him. Among the renowned geniuses of the Machine race on the King's Ranking, none bear that name."

However, as more and more geniuses from different races and factions sent out messages that were virtually identical in content, skepticism gradually turned to shock.

The spread of the news began to ripple outward into the wider starry domains at an exponential rate.

In this process, the information inevitably underwent a degree of "refinement" and "embellishment."

"Have you heard? A peerless monster named Vanguard has emerged in the Yaoguang Secret Realm. He has already broken through every stage and is currently receiving the inheritance!"

"That's nothing! The version I heard is that he didn't expend any effort at all; he cleared the first two stages in seconds! The inheritance of Venerable Yaoguang is already securely in his pocket!"

"Latest news! From a reliable source! That Vanguard has already gained the recognition of Venerable Yaoguang! He is currently merging with the [Yaoguang Laws]. A year from now, when he emerges, he will be an invincible King-fated powerhouse bearing a Venerable's legacy!"

Rumors, as always, traveled faster than the truth.

When the name "Vanguard," accompanied by the magically potent phrase "Inheritance of Venerable Yaoguang," echoed through dozens of surrounding star sectors, the nature of the situation began to quietly shift.

The initial shock and curiosity were gradually replaced by another, more primal, darker emotion—greed.

The inheritance of Venerable Yaoguang!

That was the core orthodoxy left behind by a genuine Universe Venerable! The [Yaoguang Laws] contained within were rumored to be one of the supreme laws comparable to the source of the universe itself!

Whoever obtained it essentially held a ticket to the apex of the universe!

To countless powerhouses trapped at the King-fated realm with no hope of breaking through for the rest of their lives, this was a temptation for which they would pay any price, even wagering their very lives.

Who was "Vanguard"? It didn't matter.

How strong was he? It didn't matter.

What mattered was that he was about to possess a supreme treasure!

A treasure that a mere King-fated cultivator could fundamentally never hope to protect!

No matter how strong he was, could he withstand the siege of dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of powerhouses of the same rank?

He would have just endured a million years of the ultimate trial; his mind and strength would inevitably be heavily depleted, catching him at his absolute weakest!

This was, quite simply, an opportunity bestowed by heaven itself!

For a time, dark undercurrents surged.

In the several chaotic star sectors closest to the Yaoguang Secret Realm, countless old monsters who had been in seclusion for eras, countless star pirates who licked blood from the edges of blades, and countless solitary rogue Kings were all stirred to action.

Ferocious warships hidden deep within asteroid belts restarted their engines one after another.

Grotto-heavens that had lain silent for tens of thousands of years saw their stone doors crash open.

Powerful, concealed auras began to quietly converge from all directions toward the coordinates of the Yaoguang Secret Realm, like a school of sharks smelling blood.

They had but a single purpose.

To wait.

Wait for that lucky soul dubbed the "Vanguard" to emerge from the secret realm, bearing a legacy potent enough to drive the entire cosmos into a frenzy.

And then...

Kill him, and seize the prize!

No one cares to witness the glory of this legendary prodigy.

What they crave is to strangle this nascent legend in his cradle and strip him of everything he possesses!

Beyond the Yaoguang Secret Realm, the once-silent void of space has grown unprecedentedly "lively" over these past few months.

Countless pairs of greedy, murderous eyes lurk in the dark corners, like vipers coiled to strike, weaving a suffocating, inescapable web of death specifically for Qin Feng.

Yet, within the realm, Qin Feng, currently undergoing his trials, and those spectators eagerly awaiting a glimpse of history, remain entirely oblivious to it all.

(End of this chapter)