In the Spark-Heritage Zone's Reserve-tier cultivation city, only eighteen members of the Chenriver Empire remain, gathering inside a dim, oppressive building.
"We keep losing, again and again. There's no more hope for us."
The Chenriver Empire youths looked at each other, unable to see any hope or light. If things continued this way, they were doomed to be eliminated at the bottom of the Spark-Heritage Zone.
Because there are so many cultivation geniuses, the Spark-Heritage Zone enforces a 'survival of the fittest' system.
The strong become ever stronger.
The weak become ever weaker.
Of course, those with true genius potential are the exception. No matter how harsh the conditions or how difficult the environment, even when at a disadvantage—a true genius can still erupt and rise. This is indisputable.
In short—
The Spark-Heritage Zone never has to worry about eliminating those with true genius potential!
"But..."
"People like us..." The leader of the Chenriver Empire youths, a young man with a white horn, slowly touched his rotating single horn. His tone was lonely, his face shadowed and hard to see clearly.
"We can only fight desperately, striving for even the tiniest chance, no matter the cost. Either we survive the tempering of the Spark-Heritage Zone, somehow become Geniuses and ascend to the Standard Gate, or we are gradually eliminated."
Elimination means being expelled from the Spark-Heritage Zone and leaving the Human Supreme Hall.
This is something all Reserve-tier cultivation geniuses consider a lifelong shame, something they will remember for the rest of their lives.
"The Standard Gate..."
The white-horned youth stood up and exhaled slowly and heavily.
He admitted that the Standard Gate was unimaginably distant, yet he also yearned for it, dreamed of it, and longed for it—making entry into the Standard Gate his ultimate goal and lifelong faith. Everyone present felt the same, as did all the other Reserve-tier cultivation geniuses.
The Standard Gate—the inner direction of every Reserve-tier cultivation genius.
"The Standard Gate is just too difficult."
"How could a Starlight-tier possibly fight against a Stellar Palace-tier lifeform in adversity? Even the weakest Stellar Palace-tier of other races is still a Stellar Palace lifeform."
"Unthinkable. Truly unimaginable."
The group spoke in hushed tones, unable to suppress their sighs and laments.
Long ago, back in Chenriver Empire’s Chenriver Palace, every one of them had ranked among the top ten cultivation geniuses—at worst, they were first-tier talents. None could have imagined their current predicament.
Even reaching the bare minimum Genius standard is this difficult.
So just imagine how terrifying the strongest figures in the Standard Gate must be, or those even higher up in the Primordial Gate—what kind of Human geniuses are they?
At this thought—
The White-Horn youth stepped to the small fountain in the center of the main hall, gazing at the clear water and the shattered droplets splashing out. "Unless our Chenriver Palace can produce truly exceptional cultivation geniuses who, eighty-six star-years from now, join the Grand Feast of the Cosmic Ancient Kingdom and then enter the Spark-Heritage Zone... only then could we reverse our disadvantage."
Bit by bit, disadvantage accumulates.
By the same logic, a few outstanding cultivation geniuses could indirectly erase these disadvantages.
"Heh."
A cold laugh echoed through the main hall.
A Pink-Skin Human youth sneered three times, quietly stood up, walked to the window opposite the White-Horn youth, and looked out at the street and the distant city buildings. "Compared to the Spark-Heritage Zone, what is Chenriver Palace worth? Even the strongest in Chenriver Palace history can’t reach Genius standards. Are you White-Horn Human Clan so fond of daydreaming?"
Mocking laughter, scorn, and utter contempt radiated from the Pink-Skin youth.
The White-Horn youth retorted coldly, "At a time like this, you’re still thinking of infighting?"
"Infighting." The Pink-Skin youth repeated, glancing sideways at the White-Horn youth. "You’re not even worthy."
With that—
He left the main hall and returned to his own floor. The two Pink-Skin Human young women also cast a casual glance at the White-Horn youth, lips curled in cold smiles as they left.
They didn’t have the qualifications for long-distance communication.
Moreover, the destruction of the Pink-Skin Human race had happened less than half a star-year ago, and the three Pink-Skin cultivation geniuses still didn’t know.
——