Swallowing the Stars: Heart of the Martial God

Chapter 234 The struggle for the crown prince has always been like this.

March 9, 2066 (Chinese calendar), virtual universe, Heilongshan Island.

Although it's a virtual world, everything here is indistinguishable from reality. Simulated stars twinkle in the night sky, and lights dot the island, especially in the bars and entertainment venues, which are dazzling and bustling with activity, as if it were another real world.

Sudden--

Without warning, an unimaginably huge list of names unfolded in the night sky above Heilongshan Island!

It was entirely black, yet its edges radiated a sacred and gentle light, like a rift in the night sky leading to a supreme palace. Above the inscription were characters constructed of pure light, each one seemingly containing a certain rhythm of the Great Dao, inspiring awe in all who beheld it.

"Humanity in the Universe - Battle of Peak Geniuses"

Once every 15,000 years!

"Coming soon!"

"This Genius Battle is jointly organized by the Heavenly Court and all the universe nations. It is the first Genius Battle held by the Heavenly Court!"

"Are you a genius? Can't find an opponent at the same level? Then join the 'Peak Genius Battle'. Here, there will be a fierce battle between billions of geniuses from many cosmic countries in the entire universe!"

"For details, please visit the official website of the 'Virtual Universe Network' through the virtual assistant."

This proclamation, spanning over a million miles in length and width, brilliantly covered almost the entire night sky of Heilongshan Island. No matter where one was on the island, as long as one looked up, one could clearly see every word that exuded both majesty and allure.

After a brief period of deathly silence, the entire island erupted in excitement!

"The Battle of the Ultimate Geniuses! It only happens once every 15,000 years! And it's finally begun again!"

"My God! This year's event is actually being hosted by the Heavenly Court?!"

"All the universe nations, billions of geniuses... Just thinking about it makes my blood boil!"

"I've heard that those ranked in the top 1,000 across the entire universe will receive an astonishingly huge reward!"

"It's more than just a reward! This is the first one personally organized by the Heavenly Court! It's of extraordinary significance! If one can be chosen by the Heavenly Court, that would be a true meteoric rise to power!"

"That's right! The Heavenly Court... that's the entity that governs all laws and enforces the Heavenly Laws! Any cosmic nation, any power, even those super powers with cosmic venerables in charge, are all under the supervision of the Heavenly Court!"

In the crowd, a middle-aged man with a silver horn on his head excitedly said to his companions, "Do you still remember that earth-shaking event from decades ago involving the 'Black Scale Universe Kingdom'?"

"You mean... the immortal family was wiped out overnight?" His companion immediately realized, his face showing awe.

"Yes! That's the matter!" The middle-aged man with the silver horn's voice trembled slightly. "It's said that that family, relying on their immortal ancestor, ran rampant in the country, even secretly persecuting a promising star-level genius and robbing him of his opportunities. As a result, that genius managed to escape, went through many hardships, collected conclusive evidence, and directly filed a formal complaint with the Heavenly Court through the virtual universe network, accusing the family of violating the serious crimes of 'harming human talents' and 'abusing power to disrupt the law' in the Heavenly Laws!"

He paused, glanced around at the engrossed crowd, lowered his voice, but the shock in his tone remained undiminished: "Guess what? After receiving the report and verifying the evidence, the Heavenly Court issued a decree! It's said that only one Enforcement Envoy was dispatched, and with just one move, that immortal family's lair, which they had cultivated for millions of years, along with that immortal ancestor, was completely wiped out of the universe! Clean and efficient, no cosmic nation or power dared to plead for them!"

"Hiss—" A collective gasp of astonishment rippled through the crowd.

"One move... to wipe out an immortal family?"

"This is the majesty of the Heavenly Court! Violating the Heavenly Laws, no matter if you are immortal or anything else, you will be destroyed at will!"

"Therefore, this Genius Battle is hosted by the Heavenly Court, which is of great significance! If you perform exceptionally well and are selected by the Heavenly Court, that would be a true leap over the dragon gate, with unlimited potential!"

"Quick! Don't just stand there, go check out the details on the Virtual Universe website!"

The entire Black Dragon Mountain Island was thrown into a frenzy by this sudden announcement. Everyone was talking about the "Heavenly Court" and the "Battle of Geniuses," and countless ambitious and capable young people were eager to compete, their eyes burning with excitement.

Meanwhile, on Earth, in Luo Feng's training room.

Luo Feng, Hong, and Lei Shen were discussing their cultivation experiences together, while Babata floated listlessly in mid-air.

Suddenly, all four of them were taken aback.

"Hmm?" Luo Feng frowned.

"The virtual universe has sent a notification," Hong said in a low voice.

"Did it come from Virtual Universe Corporation?" Thor wondered.

Almost simultaneously, the four of them separated a wisp of their consciousness to connect to the virtual universe network.

The next moment, when they saw the enormous notice in the night sky above Black Dragon Mountain Island, especially the words "Heavenly Court," their reactions varied.

Babata was the first to scream, his virtual body flashing excitedly: "Heavenly Court! Wow! Luo Feng! Hong! Thor! It's the Peak Genius Battle! The greatest event for the human race, which used to only happen once every five thousand years! In the past, it was only hosted by the Virtual Universe Company and the Giant Axe Arena, but I never expected that this year it would be hosted by the Heavenly Court itself! We're rich, we're rich! This is an incredible opportunity!"

Luo Feng looked up at the proclamation that exuded supreme authority, and his heart began to beat faster involuntarily.

He recalled his previous experience of forcing the Nuolanshan family to retreat by relying on the name of "Heavenly Court," and gained a more intuitive understanding of the majesty and power of "Heavenly Court."

Now, this behemoth is actually hosting the Genius Battle in person?
The recruitment offers from the Virtual Universe Company are far more enticing than those they received previously.

“The Heavenly Court…” Luo Feng murmured to himself, his eyes sharp, “If it were to host this competition, the scale and influence of this year’s Genius Battle would probably far surpass any previous one.”

Hong remained calm, but a flame burned deep within his eyes. He exhaled softly: "The billions of geniuses from all the universes competing on the same stage... just thinking about it is exhilarating. To compete against the geniuses of humanity across the entire universe—this is the martial path I pursue!"

Thor grinned broadly, rubbing his hands together, his body crackling with electricity: "Hahaha! This is awesome! Fighting against the geniuses of the entire universe? Is there anything more exhilarating than this? And it's hosted by the Heavenly Court, the rewards must be incredibly generous! I have to participate! Nobody stop me!"

Babata excitedly somersaulted in the air and exclaimed in a shrill voice, "Yes! We must participate! Luo Feng, with your current strength, you are absolutely qualified to give it a shot! Hong, Thor, you too! This is the best opportunity to make a name for yourself, or even to rise to the top in one step! If we can be valued by the Qianwu Universe Kingdom, Earth will truly be safe! Quick, let's go back and study the specific rules carefully!"

Luo Feng, Hong, and Lei Shen exchanged glances, all seeing the uncontrollable fighting spirit and desire in each other's eyes.

Clash with the geniuses of humanity across the entire universe?

Selected personally by the supreme Heavenly Court?
Isn't this the stage they've always dreamed of?
"Let's go back and take a closer look at the rules," Luo Feng said in a deep voice, his consciousness quickly exiting the virtual universe, with Hong and Thor following closely behind.

With the announcement, all 1080 intergalactic nations of humanity went completely mad.

The opportunity to join the Heavenly Court is extremely rare!
In the past, the Heavenly Court did not directly hold such selection ceremonies. Its members were mostly direct descendants of Emperor Yan, elites of the Candle Dragon Empire, and the Yanyu lineage created by Emperor Yan himself.

In addition, the best candidates are selected from the core members of the five major forces: Virtual Universe Company, Giant Axe Arena, Cosmic Galaxy Bank, Cosmic First Bank, and Cosmic Mercenary Alliance.

However, the core of the five major forces is already full of strong people and elites. The core members of the Giant Axe Arena and the Virtual Universe Company are selected directly from their respective genius battles. It is easy to imagine how difficult it is to stand out from these already famous geniuses and enter the Heavenly Court.

Now, the Heavenly Court has personally set up a stage, opening a relatively fair and direct channel to all cosmic nations, all forces, and even all scattered human geniuses!

As long as you can break into the top 1000 in the finals, you can directly join the Heavenly Court. This is undoubtedly a shortcut that shines with infinite glory, enough to drive any ambitious genius crazy!
In the virtual universe, Venerable Tianshuang resides in his palace on the Thirty-Third Heaven.

The main hall is magnificent, and the stars seem within reach.

Seated in the main seat was a man dressed in an ice-blue robe. His face was cold and stern, and his eyes were as deep as an ancient abyss. He naturally exuded a chilling aura that made people's minds freeze.

Ling Shuang's gaze calmly swept over the figures below, representing the highest authority in the human realm—the rulers of the 1080 Universe Kingdom.

Although it was just a virtual projection, the invisible pressure still made this space feel exceptionally heavy. "This Genius Battle is the first one held by our Heavenly Court." Venerable Tian Shuang spoke, his voice cold and devoid of any warmth, yet it clearly resonated deep within the souls of every ruler. "Ling Shuang is presiding over this event on my father's orders. I hope that all rulers will work together to ensure that no outstanding talent is overlooked and that we can all make this a great success."

His words were concise, without even mentioning any specific requirements, but the five words "on my father's orders" carried enough weight to crush the stars.

The rulers present all knew very well that the father of the Heavenly Frost Venerable was none other than the eternal being who sat in the highest hall of the human race, overlooking the cycle of reincarnation—Emperor Yan.

A female ruler, surrounded by soft, shimmering light and wearing a crown of stars, bowed first, her tone filled with absolute respect: "Rest assured, Venerable Tianshuang, my 'Lanshui Universe Kingdom' will certainly mobilize the entire nation's strength to cooperate with the Heavenly Court in selecting all the geniuses within its borders, and will not dare to slacken in the slightest."

"The Lord of Lanshui is absolutely right!" Another lord, whose stature was as imposing as a mountain, said in a booming voice, "Our 'Giant Rock Universe Kingdom' will give its full support. All the eligible star-level geniuses in all secret realms and star fields have received the highest priority notification! It is a blessing for these juniors to be able to participate in the grand event led by the Heavenly Court!"

"We will obey the decree and do our utmost to live up to the expectations of the Heavenly Court and Emperor Yan!" The other rulers also bowed and pledged their allegiance, their voices forming a powerful torrent, expressing absolute obedience and support. No one dared to show the slightest hesitation towards the will of the Heavenly Court in this setting.

Amidst the enthusiastic applause, the ruler of the Noah Universe Kingdom, a middle-aged man dressed in a magnificent robe embroidered with a vast star map, with a refined yet dignified appearance, also bowed slightly along with the crowd.

His expression was no different from that of other kings, filled with awe for the heavens.

However, deep in his heart, there was an indescribable confidence and expectation.

"The first Heavenly Court Genius Battle... its significance is far too extraordinary. If we can emerge victorious in this realm, its symbolic meaning and potential rewards will far surpass any previous battle!" The Noah Kingdom's mind raced. "Our Noah Universe Kingdom, after countless years of silence, has finally ushered in a turning point... that little fellow named 'Bolan' truly possesses a talent for spatial laws that has not been seen in tens of thousands of epochs! Although a genius who appears 'once in tens of thousands of epochs' is not the most outstanding in the long history of humankind, and may even be considered as insignificant as dust in the eyes of His Majesty the Flame Emperor, at this moment, in this battle, this is the greatest advantage of our Noah Universe Kingdom!"

He could almost see Bolan representing the Noah Universe Kingdom to win first place in the Genius Battle, and he could see the glorious scene when the Heavenly Court bestowed its rewards.

This ambition burned fiercely in his heart, but he remained outwardly calm and even deliberately concealed his gaze so as not to stand out too much.

The trump card must be revealed at the most crucial moment to achieve the best effect.

Now is not the time to reveal "Berlan".

After the meeting ended, the illusory figures of the rulers respectfully bowed and then disappeared.

Ling Shuang sat upright in the main seat, her deep gaze seemingly piercing through the dissipating phantom, reflecting the flow of the myriad universes.

Just then, a gentle ripple spread across the space beside him, like water gently undulating.

A beautiful woman dressed in a palace gown with a phoenix pattern in crimson gold quietly appeared. Her appearance was peerless, her temperament was elegant and noble, and a faint light of nirvana seemed to flow around her.

“Mother.” Ling Shuang rose, the icy expression melting from his usually cold face, revealing natural respect and closeness. He bowed slightly. “Why did you come in person?”

A gentle smile played on Feng Lishuang's lips, but her eyes held a clear, all-seeing gaze. She gently raised her hand, and an invisible force lifted Ling Shuang up. "Let's see how your preparations are going. Shuang'er, although things are busy, don't overwork yourself."

"Thank you for your concern, Mother. Everything is ready, and all the nations of the universe have been mobilized. We are just waiting for the competition to begin," Ling Shuang replied calmly.

Feng Lishuang nodded slightly, then changed the subject, lowering her voice and saying something meaningful: "Just being ready is probably not enough. During the break in the meeting at the Lingxiao Palace, I observed your father's expression... His emphasis on this genius battle is extraordinary, even unprecedented in millions of years."

She paused, a knowing glint in her beautiful eyes, and continued, "You need to put in more effort and keep a close eye on the youngsters participating in this Genius Battle. I have a feeling that there must be a deeper meaning behind your father's attitude."

Upon hearing this, Ling Shuang's eyes flashed with surprise, then she suddenly realized: "Mother, do you mean... Father might take on another personal disciple in this Genius Battle?"

“That’s right.” Feng Lishuang nodded affirmatively, a mischievous knowing look on her face. “I have been husband and wife with him for countless epochs, and I know him better than anyone. On the surface, he is now majestic and powerful, in charge of the Heavenly Laws, and overlooking reincarnation, but in reality… well, let’s save him some face and not expose his secrets.”

She paused slightly, her eyes becoming exceptionally serious: "But I'm certain he's definitely considering taking on a disciple, and his expectations are extremely high. Shuang'er, since you're in charge of the Genius Battle this time, please keep a close eye on things for your father and do your best to vet them. Make sure you carefully examine the character and conduct of those youngsters, and absolutely prevent any more of those wicked disciples from appearing countless eons ago, bringing shame upon our Heavenly Court!"

As she finished speaking, Feng Lishuang's tone became solemn and unquestionable.

Ling Shuang's expression also became solemn. He bowed deeply and said, "Mother, rest assured, Shuang'er understands the implications. This time, I will do my utmost to investigate carefully and will not allow those with wicked intentions and improper conduct to have the opportunity to tarnish Father's family or desecrate the majesty of the Heavenly Court."

Looking at her son's serious and solemn expression, Feng Lishuang felt a hint of relief in her eyes and gently patted his arm: "I naturally trust you to handle things. However, this matter concerns your father's wishes and the future of the Heavenly Court, so it's always good to be cautious. Go ahead, and if you discover any noteworthy signs, you can come and discuss them with me at any time."

“Yes, Mother,” Ling Shuang replied respectfully.

Feng Lishuang nodded slightly, her figure transforming once again into soft halos of light, dissipating into the air like phoenix feathers, leaving only a faint fragrance.

Ling Shuang stood alone in the magnificent hall, her gaze piercing through the barrier of the virtual starry sky, as if she could glimpse countless stories unfolding in the myriad universes.

In the depths of those icy, spring-like eyes, sharpness and profundity intertwined. The originally methodical preparations for the competition were given a completely different meaning because of the mother's words and the father's unspoken but weighty expectations.

“Father’s disciple…” he murmured to himself, his cool voice echoing subtly in the empty hall. “It seems I need to be extra careful this time.”

"What father's disciple?" A clear, slightly unruly voice rang out from behind, breaking the silence of the hall.

Ling Shuang didn't need to turn around; she could already sense the figure of the person in her mind.

He raised the corners of his lips slightly and turned to look at his third brother, Ling Feng, who strode into the hall: "Third brother, what brings you here today?"

"Brother, what did you just say?" Ling Feng took a few steps closer, his handsome face full of curiosity and eagerness. "Is the old man taking on another disciple? Which family's genius is it this time?"

Ling Shuang shook her head helplessly as she looked at her younger brother.

This kid has picked up this lazy nature from who knows where, which is really inconsistent with the solemn identity of the Universe Venerable.

"My mother came by earlier and mentioned that my father might have the same idea."

"Who? I, the Third Prince of Heaven, must investigate this myself!" Upon hearing this, Ling Feng straightened his back, raised his chin slightly, and revealed a hint of arrogance.

When the old man accepted his eldest disciple, Venerable Fiery Erosion, he was the one who personally examined him.

Now, he naturally needs to carefully select his second disciple.

"The candidate has not yet been decided," Ling Shuang said calmly. "Mother said that Father will make the choice during this battle of geniuses."

"Then I'll definitely take charge myself!" Ling Feng's eyes lit up, and he grabbed Ling Shuang's sleeve. "Big brother, why don't you give me the spot to host this Genius Battle? Let me keep a close eye on things for the old man."

Ling Shuang raised an eyebrow at her younger brother: "You always find these trivial matters troublesome, why are you so enthusiastic today?"

“How can this be the same?” Ling Feng said seriously. “It concerns the old man’s disciple. How can I, as his son, not care? The struggle for the crown prince has always been like this.”

Hearing this, Ling Shuang couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head.

Why should the three brothers fight each other?
One of their father, Emperor Yan, roamed the cosmic sea year-round, bringing back so many resources that the three brothers could use them freely without ever consuming them all. Most of these resources were then donated to the clan's treasury free of charge.

Ling Xuan has always been generous to his close relatives, never setting limits on cultivation resources.

This also enabled the three brothers, despite not being the most talented, to reach the level of a high-ranking Venerable in such a short time.

In my father's words, "Given enough resources, even a pig can be piled up into something immortal."

"You..." Ling Shuang looked at her younger brother's eager expression and finally relented, "Since you're so eager, then come and watch the battle with me. However, the matter of hosting is of great importance and should not be taken lightly."

Upon hearing this, Ling Feng's eyes flashed with a cunning light: "Don't worry, elder brother, I know what I'm doing. I'll definitely help the old man choose a junior brother who is worthy of our Heavenly Court!"

(End of this chapter)