Chapter 577 - 351: Enlightenment Tower

Chapter 577: Chapter 351: Enlightenment Tower

A magnificent voice boomed throughout the majestic arena.

It firmly captured the attention of the ten million top geniuses from the ten thousand districts:

"Next, we will begin the random selection for the specific events of the first stage."

As the voice faded, a strange silence fell over the entire mega-arena.

Ten million pairs of eyes focused on the massive holographic screens in front of their respective districts.

Tension, anticipation, anxiety... A mixture of emotions permeated the silent air.

Even Cosmic Level prodigies like Ling Xuzi, Time Shadow, and Illusory showed a new level of focus in their eyes.

No one dared to underestimate the randomness of the finals’ first round; it would directly determine how easy or difficult their start would be.

Just as the voice had said, the first-stage events of every finals were bizarre and varied.

Some tested the physical body, some tempered willpower, and others were purely a competition of ultimate comprehension.

For contestants who excelled in different fields, the event’s focus could mean the difference between heaven and hell.

"It’s starting. I hope it’s not too difficult." Not far from Li Wen, a contestant from the Alka District prayed under his breath, his palms slick with sweat.

He was well aware that he was on the weaker side among these top geniuses. If an event that extremely tested the physical body or willpower was chosen, things would look grim for him.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Demon Hand Hua Sha stared intently at the screen, his gaze sharp and tinged with a barely perceptible tension.

He considered himself quite strong, but he was even more desperate for a stage that would allow him to play to his strengths.

"Beginning random selection."

With no further preamble, the magnificent voice announced the start.

In an instant, on the ten thousand giant screens spread across the arena, countless names of assessment events, shimmering with a strange light, began to scroll at a dizzying speed.

The scrolling was so fast that even the dynamic vision of a Star Lord Level expert couldn’t catch the specific names, seeing only a blur of radiant light.

Countless people held their breath, their hearts pounding in time with the scrolling lights.

The scrolling finally stopped!

As if an invisible hand had pressed pause on all of them at once, the ten thousand screens uniformly displayed three massive names, each exuding a different aura:

1. Enlightenment Tower

2. Solitary Steps

3. Killing Field

"Dammit! How could it be these three events!" In a nearby district, a brawny genius’s face turned deathly pale as he cried out involuntarily.

His comprehension had always been his weak point. For him, the Enlightenment Tower was a complete nightmare.

"Hahaha! Yes! This is perfect!" In stark contrast, a young man from a race known for its tenacious willpower reacted.

Upon seeing the Solitary Steps, he couldn’t help but let out an excited growl, his eyes shining with confidence.

This was his chance to make a name for himself!

"The Enlightenment Tower... the Solitary Steps... the Killing Field..." Saphis Yingge murmured, his brow slightly furrowed.

His family’s secret spatial Secret Technique might give him an advantage in the Killing Field.

But the Enlightenment Tower required quiet contemplation, which wasn’t his forte, and the Solitary Steps was a test of pure willpower.

He felt a particular, instinctual aversion to the Solitary Steps.

His gaze subconsciously swept over Li Wen in the front row of the Alka District, his expression complicated.

"So it’s the Enlightenment Tower, the Solitary Steps, and the Killing Field."

Li Wen stared at the three event names frozen on the screen, detailed information about them instantly flooding his mind.

This information came from either public data on the Source Net or background material included in the opponent intel Isabel had provided.

The Enlightenment Tower’s core, as its name implied, was comprehension.

The tower was divided into seven layers, each one progressively harder.

Each layer contained fragments of Law or a Profound Mysterious Atlas that needed to be comprehended.

Challengers had to successfully comprehend the core of a layer within the time limit to open the passage to the next one.

The higher one climbed, the more profound the contained Laws became, and the demand on one’s comprehension increased exponentially.

Those who failed to comprehend before time ran out were eliminated directly.

This trial was a pure test of innate talent and comprehension.

The Solitary Steps was a staircase that seemed to lead into an endless void.

Those who stepped onto it would be instantly dragged into a mental world of absolute loneliness and desolation.

With every step taken, the feeling of spiritual solitude would double.

The tide of loneliness would erode one’s consciousness and wear down one’s will.

Only the most resilient and purest of wills could remain lucid amid the boundless desolation and continue to climb.

There was also a time limit, and the score was determined by the final number of steps climbed.

The higher the step count, the higher the score.

This trial was the ultimate crucible for willpower.

The Killing Field had the most direct rule: kill, and keep killing.

The field was also divided into layered spaces.

Each layer was filled with a fixed type and number of enemies, but their strength skyrocketed with each ascending layer.

They could be ferocious beasts, members of other races, or even twisted creations of Law.

Killing enemies awarded points; the stronger the enemy, the more points they were worth.

Within the time limit, one had to go as deep as possible, kill stronger enemies, and accumulate points.

This trial tested pure combat instinct, killing efficiency, on-the-spot adaptability, and endurance.

A flicker of barely concealed delight crossed Li Wen’s eyes. He thought to himself, ’Of the three assessments, the first two are extremely favorable for me.’

’For the Enlightenment Tower, I have the ’Absolute Focus’ skill from my Scholar class, which enhances comprehension. As for the Solitary Steps...’

At this thought, he grew even more certain.

’The Martial Artist passive, [Eternal Heart], grants me near-immunity to mental erosion and the ability to permanently fortify my true self.

’No matter how overwhelming the external desolation gets, for me, it will probably be as simple as walking up a normal flight of stairs.’

Everyone had fought tooth and nail in their respective districts to get this far. Their goal was never just to squeeze into the top one thousand and become a core member of the Source Net.