The dark clouds above the Ancient Beast Forest slowly dispersed.
Yet the pressure left behind lingered in everyone's hearts.
An ancient inheritance had been claimed.
But by whom?
No one knew.
Only one fact was certain.
The owner of that inheritance would become a terrifying existence in the future.
Outside the forest...
The seven-day trial finally came to an end.
Thousands of participants returned.
Some were covered in blood.
Some carried dozens of Beast Cores.
Others never returned at all.
On the massive stone plaza, Elder Tian stood before a towering crystal monument.
"Submit your Beast Cores."
One by one, the participants stepped forward.
The rankings began to appear.
Rank 97...
Rank 68...
Rank 24...
The crowd cheered whenever a famous genius appeared.
Then...
Adrian stepped forward.
He placed his Beast Cores on the altar.
The crystal monument glowed.
Rank 11.
The audience was stunned.
"Adrian Vale?"
"Isn't he from a declining family?"
"How did he place so high?"
Adrian ignored the whispers.
Although he had lost the Ancient Heavenly Flame, he had grown stronger through countless life-and-death battles.
He had proven he wasn't a nobody.
A few moments later...
Knox walked toward the altar.
His expression remained calm.
Without a word, he opened his storage ring.
Beast Cores poured onto the ground like a river.
The entire plaza fell silent.
One thousand...
Two thousand...
Three thousand...
Even Elder Tian's eyes widened.
The crystal monument shone with blinding light.
Then...
Golden letters appeared.
Rank 1 — Knox Void
Points: 38,750
The previous record...
Had been shattered by more than double.
The audience exploded into chaos.
"Impossible!"
"Did he hunt the entire forest?"
"Monster..."
"As expected of the Void Emperor Clan's heir."
[Ding!]
Mission Completed!
- First Place Achieved ✔
- Hidden Inheritance Obtained ✔
Reward:
- 5,000 Villain Points
- Mythic Treasure Chest
Would the host like to open it?
Knox answered mentally.
"Open."
Golden light surrounded him for an instant.
Congratulations!
Reward Obtained:
- Supreme Physique: Abyssal Void Body (Sealed)
- 1 Divine Lottery Ticket
Knox's heartbeat quickened.
Even he was surprised.
A Supreme Physique...
Such treasures appeared only once every million years.
Unfortunately...
It remained sealed until he reached the Nascent Soul Realm.
Still...
His future had become even brighter.
Just then...
A loud voice echoed across the plaza.
"Knox Void!"
The crowd turned.
A handsome young man wearing golden imperial robes stepped forward.
Behind him stood dozens of royal guards.
Someone whispered,
"It's Prince Leon Solaris."
"The First Prince of the Solaris Empire."
"A genius at the Peak Core Formation Realm."
Prince Leon stared directly at Knox.
"I challenge you."
Silence.
Everyone froze.
Knox looked at him lazily.
"Why?"
Leon frowned.
"Your arrogance has spread throughout the world."
"You look down on everyone."
"I want to defeat you."
Knox smiled faintly.
"So..."
"You want fame."
The Prince's expression darkened.
"I seek justice."
Knox chuckled.
"No."
"You seek recognition."
His words struck like a sword.
Leon clenched his fists.
"Fight me."
Elder Tian stepped forward.
"The trial has ended."
"Private duels are permitted."
"But neither side may kill the other."
Leon drew his crimson spear.
Flames erupted around him.
His aura surged.
The spectators retreated hundreds of meters.
Meanwhile...
Knox remained standing with his hands behind his back.
He didn't even draw his weapon.
Leon felt insulted.
"You won't use your sword?"
Knox answered calmly.
"You haven't earned that privilege."
The crowd gasped.
How arrogant.
Leon's face turned red with anger.
"Then don't regret it!"
He vanished.
His spear pierced toward Knox's chest.
At incredible speed.
Most participants couldn't even follow the attack.
Knox...
Simply tilted his head.
The spear missed.
Leon attacked again.
And again.
And again.
Each strike was faster than the last.
Yet Knox dodged every attack with the smallest movements.
It looked almost effortless.
As though he had predicted every move.
High above the arena...
Seraphina watched silently.
"He's reading his opponent."
"He knows where every attack will land before it's thrown."
An elder beside her nodded.
"His battle instincts are terrifying."
Leon roared.
"I refuse to believe you're unbeatable!"
His cultivation exploded.
The sky turned crimson.
"Solar Spear Art!"
"Hundred Suns!"
One hundred flaming spear shadows descended toward Knox.
The spectators held their breath.
Finally...
Knox moved.
He raised one finger.
The surrounding space trembled.
Void Art—
Shattered Horizon.
A thin black line appeared across the battlefield.
For one heartbeat...
Everything became silent.
Then—
Every spear shadow shattered into nothingness.
The flames disappeared.
Even Leon's real spear cracked in half.
The Prince was blasted backward, crashing into the arena wall.
BOOM!
Dust filled the air.
When it settled...
Leon was kneeling on one knee, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.
He had lost.
In one move.
Knox slowly walked toward him.
The entire plaza became deathly quiet.
Leon lowered his head.
"...Kill me."
Knox stopped.
"I won't."
Leon looked up in confusion.
Knox spoke calmly.
"If I kill everyone who challenges me..."
"Soon there'll be no one left to challenge me."
He turned away.
"But remember today."
"The next time you point your weapon at me..."
"I won't stop at breaking your spear."
Without another glance, Knox walked away.
[Ding!]
Villain Event Completed.
You defeated a major genius without killing him.
Prince Leon's Dao Heart has been shaken.
Villain Points +2,000.
Reputation +500.
New Title Unlocked:
The Unreachable Genius
Far away...
Adrian watched everything in silence.
His fists tightened.
The distance between him and Knox...
Seemed impossible to cross.
But inside his mind, the ancient soul suddenly laughed.
"Good."
Adrian frowned.
"Good?"
"The stronger your enemy..."
"The stronger you must become."
"In three days..."
"I will take you to a place where even the Void Emperor Clan has never stepped."
Adrian's eyes lit up.
A new opportunity.
A new path.
Destiny...
Had not abandoned him yet.
Meanwhile, Knox looked toward the horizon and smiled.
"So..."
"The next chapter of your story is beginning, Adrian."
"I'll be waiting."
End of Chapter 6