C128 Reward

Everything was reduced to ashes by Chu Yi's formidable power.

In the void, a figure observed everything silently, his expression inscrutable.

Yet, the subtle trembling of light around him betrayed that he was far from the picture of tranquility he presented.

He had never anticipated such an outcome.

He had contemplated Chu Yi's sporadic bursts of power, his potential for dazzling brilliance, and so much more, but he had never imagined that Chu Yi would shine so intensely.

He had actually won!

In a fair fight, he had triumphed over a prodigy from the Devil Clan!

This was a possibility that had never crossed his mind, not even fleetingly.

Chu Yi, despite being extraordinary, was fundamentally different from a genius of the Eighth Level civilization.

Chu Yi was merely extraordinary!

A genius from the Eighth Level civilization was inherently superior to those extraordinary beings from the Seventh Level.

And the Devil Clan prodigy was no ordinary individual; he was a talent among the Devil Clan, on par with some of the extraordinary beings of the Eighth Level.

But now, right before his eyes, the once-flawless Devil Clan prodigy had been defeated...

Everything was vanishing, including Chu Yi himself.

In this instance, Chu Yi had risked everything, employing the ultimate Heavenly Demon Body Separation technique, even beginning to refine the fabric of space and time around him.

His strike was so fearsome that the power he wielded defied the imagination of any being of his level.

But the cost was steep.

Indeed, had this occurred in the real world, Chu Yi would have been doomed.

Now, with only a sliver of strength remaining, the moment it dissipated would mark Chu Yi's final moment...

In the next instant, the figure in the void seemed to exhale.

With a gentle wave of his arm, all was obliterated...

When Chu Yi opened his eyes once more, he found himself in an endlessly dark realm.

It wasn't entirely shrouded in darkness, though, as a singular, bright light caught his eye immediately.

The light remained strikingly brilliant, capturing Chu Yi's attention instantly.

"Excuse me, does this mean I've won this time?" Chu Yi was very keen to know the answer.

The light figure paused, seemingly taken aback by Chu Yi's eagerness. After all, like Chu Yi, the other prodigies who had awakened from death typically reacted with either bewilderment or agony.

This was a matter of personal will, unrelated to the civilization they were part of. Even those with formidable wills looked rather disheveled upon awakening.

But Chu Yi was different. There was not a single trace of pain on him, and considering his level and realm, deceiving the light figure would have been impossible.

This left the light figure feeling somewhat perplexed. After all, wasn't pain expected after a brush with death?

"Doesn't this count?" Chu Yi mused. Though he and the Devil Clan genius had both met their ends, he had outlasted the other by a margin. If it came down to declaring a winner, it should be him, right? His analysis seemed flawless.

Could it be that the other party was reluctant to admit defeat because of the resources involved? Chu Yi's eyes began to drift.

The light figure, initially puzzled by Chu Yi's disdainful and enigmatic gaze, quickly grasped the implications when the subject of rewards was considered. Previously unfazed by Chu Yi's display of formidable power, the figure now trembled intensely.

Chu Yi's gaze had clearly unsettled the light figure.

"You win," the figure finally conceded through gritted teeth. Chu Yi, hearing this, was unconcerned with the figure's tone and beamed with satisfaction.

"In that case, I won't bother with the Eighth Level," he declared.

Eighth Level?

"There is no Eighth Level..." the light figure sighed deeply. "The assessment consists of only Seven Levels..."

The light figure left some thoughts unspoken.

Creating a projection of the Stellar Tower is not a trivial task; each time a projection is set up, it consumes a significant amount of resources. Moreover, the stronger the Stellar Tower's projection, the greater the resource expenditure. Even beings as powerful as they are cannot guarantee that the Stellar Towers in the central region can achieve perfection. This is especially true for the Star Domain where Chu Yi and his companions find themselves, which is an extremely remote corner of the universe. If it weren't for the occasional presence of humans, it's likely that no one would even cast a glance in this direction.

"Whether it's your Milky Way or the many galaxies within the Kun Qiong Star Domain, humans are exceedingly rare..." A flicker of light pointed towards the sky. "You must have noticed when you first arrived; there are only a handful of human geniuses who come here to test themselves each day. This is the very limit for this Star Domain..."

Every day, hundreds or perhaps even thousands of prodigious talents arrive here for testing. While this may seem like a significant number, Chu Yi quickly realizes how meager it truly is. Consider that even within the Terran Federation, the number of human geniuses could easily be in the thousands or even tens of thousands. If only one percent of them took the Stellar Tower's test, that would still amount to over a hundred individuals. Since each person can be tested multiple times, this translates to several hundred attempts.

Yet, the Terran Federation is minuscule in comparison. There are countless life-bearing planets within the Milky Way Galaxy alone. If the human population were larger, the number of geniuses emerging and the number of human prodigies coming here would be unimaginable. The genius count from Earth alone nearly averages out to one attempt per day.

However, the several hundred to a thousand attempts each day are equivalent to the combined civilizations of only hundreds or thousands of Terran Federations. This might sound substantial, but when considered in the context of the entire Milky Way Galaxy, it's hardly a drop in the ocean. And this is just the Milky Way. What about the vast expanse of the Kun Qiong Star Domain? Chu Yi may not have known before, but it's clear to him now that the Kun Qiong Star Domain is an immensely vast region, containing countless galaxies—hundreds, thousands, or even hundreds of thousands are all within the realm of possibility.

Are there many humans in this place?

No, not at all!

You could even say their numbers are tragically low.

The light and shadow glanced at Chu Yi and gave a nonchalant shrug.

"You get it now, right?"

The human population here is far too sparse.

"The number of humans here doesn't hold a candle to the populations found in their Star Domains."

"While it's true that humans are spread across the entire universe, there are certain Star Domains where they are particularly abundant."

"In those Star Domains, there are countless Stellar Towers."

"But here..."

Here, there's only one.

"So, is this your excuse for cutting corners?"

The figure was indistinct, his face obscured.

But at that moment, Chu Yi imagined the other party must be grimacing.

Chu Yi felt a twinge of anxiety. He had blurted out his thoughts without meaning to, nearly forgetting that he was speaking to someone of high stature!

Next, this individual was supposed to present him with a reward!

Had he known about the reward beforehand, Chu Yi wouldn't have been concerned.

But now...

He was completely in the dark about what the reward might be. What if this shadowy figure decided to shortchange him or give him the runaround?

The figure quivered momentarily before finally settling down.

He recognized that Chu Yi's talent was indeed formidable, but it seemed to pale in comparison to his knack for irritation!

He was an exalted being, revered as the supreme authority in any human territory.

Other prodigies, even those hailed as scions of the human race, would quake in his presence.

Even as a mere avatar of will, no one would dare show disrespect.

But this young man...

Well, let it go...

Having talent means you can afford to be capricious...

The figure felt somewhat weary.

"It's not about skimping on the work; it's due to the accords established among the various races."

"In territories not governed by one's own Race Civilization, exceeding the agreed-upon construction standards is forbidden."

Damn!

There's a rule against exceeding construction standards?

Chu Yi was skeptical, wondering if he was being hoodwinked, but alas, he had no proof.

"The maximum allowed here is a Seventh Level structure."

"And it's not just us; the same applies to the Devil Clan, the Ancient Orchid Race, and other dominant civilizations at the pinnacle of power."

"Moreover, they likely have no interest in establishing any sort of heritage site here, right?"

"After all, those other races are nothing like us humans!"

At that moment, the light radiated a hint of pride.

Indeed, that is the essence of humanity!

Sure, humans often engage in internal conflicts, and there are some scoundrels among them. But let's not forget the sheer number of humans. They boast the largest population among the Eighth Level Origin Civilizations in the universe.

In fact, humans might even be considered the most populous race in the cosmos.

With such a vast population, there's bound to be a wide range of qualities among the people.

It's reminiscent of the country from his past life.

A populous nation has its share of great individuals, but it also has its traitors.

This is something we can all understand.

"Actually, the construction of this Stellar Tower sparked some debate when it was first established."

"Even though it's not the highest standard, building a Stellar Tower still consumes an immense amount of resources, not to mention the involvement of certain laws and principles."

"In reality, the resources needed to construct seven floors as opposed to seventy aren't as drastically different as you might think."

Observing Chu Yi's contemplative look, the light figure felt a sense of satisfaction. He believed Chu Yi was finally coming into his own.

"So, the rewards you've given me are somewhat less than those offered in the main Star Domains?"

The light figure was at a loss for words.

Rewards, always the rewards!

In the main Star Domains, the light figure felt he would restrain himself and make a direct appearance, regardless of whether someone was a genius or a prodigy, and set things straight with a firm hand!

Unfortunately, he was merely a will projection, a fragment of consciousness tasked with overseeing the Stellar Tower, possessing no substantial power of his own.

Thus, he could only watch helplessly.

"Enough already. You've said so much, but isn't it just because you're worried I'll covet those rewards of yours?"

The light figure realized that no amount of talking would suffice; tangible rewards were what truly mattered.

As expected, upon hearing this, Chu Yi looked up, his eyes brimming with anticipation, gazing at the light figure.

"Come here..."

The light figure had no desire to continue the conversation.

With a casual gesture, a gateway of light materialized.

As he spoke, he vanished into the portal of light. Chu Yi, without a moment's hesitation, stepped through after him...

...