Plunging into that crimson torrent, it felt as if space and time were warping, like flying through a cosmic passage.
Whoosh!
A burst of light before the eyes.
Ahead lay a hall shrouded in a faint, pale mist. The material of the hall, much like the passages and cabins of the Tomb Ship, possessed a deep grey sheen.
Currently within the hall were eight Universe Masters: the Master of the Deer Insect, the Master of the Shadow Dust, the Master of the Screaming Sea, the Master of the Glazed Jade, and others. All eight turned their gazes over.
Swish! Luo Feng flew straight across.
"Galaxy Master, you have only cultivated for a mere dozen eras—incredibly short—yet you’ve come too!" the Master of the Deer Insect chuckled.
"We were just discussing whether you, Galaxy, would come. If I were you, being from the Primitive Universe, with two more reincarnation eras before your limit, you could live on for a very, very long time. To achieve this much with such short cultivation, there’s absolutely no need to risk pitting yourself against us. You could truly step back now," the Master of the Shadow Dust said with an affable expression.
"Since I have come, I will not retreat," Luo Feng stated calmly.
"Hmph."
"Coming here is just courting death," the Master of the Screaming Sea shot Luo Feng a cold look.
"Since the junior wishes to seek death, we need not concern ourselves with him," the Master of the Crimson Parrot added with indifference. The Skeleton race was inherently a cold and fanatic species; they only united amongst their own kind and were exceedingly hostile to outsiders. This was especially true towards Luo Feng, who had achieved so much in just a dozen eras, harboring a sliver of jealousy.
In truth, the Master of the Shadow Dust, the Master of the Witch Charm, and the Master of the Crimson Parrot, among others present, who chose to venture in, seeking to obtain the inheritance through risk, were the most hostile toward Luo Feng!
They knew very well...
When selecting an inheritor, priority is generally given to the speed of progress, comprehension, and so on. Someone cultivating for a dozen eras achieving nearly the same level as someone who had cultivated for nearly three reincarnation eras—who would the 'Duan Donghe' choose? It was obvious. Their only hope now was that the methods left behind by Duan Donghe could not determine precisely how long those present had lived.
Yet, concerning Duan Donghe, they only sensed an unfathomable depth, leaving them unsettled. This made them all the more eager for Luo Feng to retire early.
As Luo Feng and the other eight stood in this misty hall, exchanging barbed pleasantries, suddenly, invisible energy began to coalesce nearby, forming a figure. It was that green-haired man, Duan Donghe himself.
"All nine have arrived."
Duan Donghe’s gaze swept over the nine experts and he nodded. "Then, we shall begin the first screening."
"Screening?"
The Master of the Deer Insect, the Master of the Shadow Dust, Luo Feng, and the others felt a jolt in their hearts; none dared claim they could pass the screening.
"Rise!" Duan Donghe pointed remotely at the hall floor, and with a huan...
The floor abruptly split open to the sides, and an odd machine began to emerge from below. It resembled a Rubik's Cube, entirely dark red, its surface etched with numerous mystical laws and runes. The subtlety of these runes caused every expert present to feel dizzy and unable to comprehend them fully.
Crack! This cubic instrument suddenly split open to reveal a door.
"One enters, one is screened," Duan Donghe stated directly. "Only one at a time. Begin."
The nine experts present exchanged glances—who would go first?
This strange and unpredictable cubic instrument looked quite dangerous, and for a moment, no expert was willing to enter first.
"You," Duan Donghe pointed at the Master of the Deer Insect. "Go in."
"This is merely the initial screening; the Master of the Deer Insect will surely succeed."
"Yes, how could this be difficult for the Master of the Deer Insect?"
The other Universe Masters from the first reincarnation era instantly relaxed and even began to jest. The Master of the Deer Insect, however, merely smiled slightly, said nothing more, and walked directly toward the cubic instrument, stepping through the door and entering within. Immediately, ka, the door of the cubic instrument shut.
The runes on the surface of the cubic instrument began to glow, hong hong hong...
Powerful energy fluctuations emanated from within the instrument, causing the entire device to shift from its former dark red to a dazzling, incandescent white.
"What exactly is happening inside?" Luo Feng felt a knot of tension in his heart.
Screening?
What was being screened? Everything was unknown.
The Master of the Deer Insect inside offered no sound. Perhaps he was roaring in agony, but the sound could not carry out. In short, because no one could enter the cubic instrument, anxiety gripped them all.
A moment later, crack! The door opened.
A figure emerged from the cubic instrument—it was the Master of the Deer Insect, wearing an expression of puzzlement. The other eight Universe Masters were also bewildered; surely whatever happened to the Master of the Deer Insect inside had caused that expression.
"First screening, qualified," Duan Donghe glanced at the Master of the Deer Insect.
The Master of the Deer Insect immediately showed joy.
"Master of the Deer Insect, what was it like inside?" the Master of the Glazed Jade asked.
"Congratulations, Master of the Deer Insect. May we ask what it was like inside?" the Master of the Witch Charm also inquired. The two female figures present were the first to speak up.
"You'll know when you enter," the Master of the Deer Insect replied, then stepped to the side. Since he had passed this mysterious screening, he was naturally quite leisurely.
"Next!" Duan Donghe’s gaze swept toward the remaining eight.
"I'll go!" A fierce glint flashed in the eyes of the Master of the Screaming Sea, and he strode forward immediately.
Seeing an expert volunteer, Duan Donghe stood motionless and said nothing, watching silently.
The Master of the Screaming Sea reached the door of the cubic instrument, hesitated for a moment, and then stepped inside. Ka...
The door closed. Immediately, the runes on the surface of the cubic instrument lit up again. Luo Feng and the others waited in silence.
What was happening inside?
A moment later, the door opened. The Master of the Screaming Sea also walked out, his face full of doubt.
Duan Donghe looked at the Master of the Screaming Sea, but there was a sharp edge in his eyes; he spoke coldly, "You, do not qualify!"
Instantly, the hearts of the other experts trembled.
Do not qualify?
"Do not qualify? I don't qualify? Why? Why do I not qualify?" the Master of the Screaming Sea grew anxious, unable to help but blurt out, "I have only lived for nearly three reincarnation eras. That Master of the Deer Insect has lived much longer than I, and he is only stronger than me by relying on an ultimate supreme treasure. Why would I not qualify?"
This was an opportunity for their Skeleton race, and the Master of the Screaming Sea truly did not wish to give it up.
"Silence!" Duan Donghe roared.
"Next!" Duan Donghe looked towards the remaining seven. The Master of the Screaming Sea, who had been the only one to volunteer, had failed, which made the seven others considerably more cautious, daring no one to step forward proactively.
"You." Duan Donghe pointed at the Master of the Glazed Jade.
The Master of the Glazed Jade, qualified!
The Master of the Rock Giant, not qualified!
The Master of the Shadow Dust, qualified!
The Master of the Witch Kui... qualified!
The Master of the Golden Square, qualified!
The Master of the Screaming Sea, not qualified!
The Master of the Crimson Parrot, not qualified!
"You." Duan Donghe finally pointed at Luo Feng, unsure if it was intentional or accidental—since the Master of the Screaming Sea’s voluntary attempt failed, the other experts had all been pointed to enter by Duan Donghe.
Luo Feng also held his breath and walked directly to the cubic instrument, crossing the threshold and entering.
Inside the instrument was an independent void.
Luo Feng floated in the void, looking around. There was no exit.
"Boom..." "Boom..." "Boom..." Twisted runes began to appear in the void. Dazzling white runes instantly spread throughout the entire space, and waves of bizarre, inscrutable power instantly materialized, penetrating directly toward Luo Feng. Even with the Star Tower guarding his soul and the Mad Demon God-Slaying Armor protecting his body... nothing helped.
This strange, inscrutable power drilled directly into his divine body. At this moment, it seemed that all of his secrets were exposed.
The invisible, bizarre force continuously drilled into his divine body, infiltrating every bit of divine power, becoming completely merged with Luo Feng. A moment later, as the twisted runes in the void began to dissipate, that bizarre power finally vanished.
Crack!
A door appeared in the void ahead.
Luo Feng then stepped out of the door into the hall outside, but everything that had transpired inside the cubic instrument still left Luo Feng deeply perplexed.
"You, qualify," Duan Donghe nodded, a faint smile appearing on his face.
"Hm?"
"A smile?"
"Something is wrong."
"There’s a problem."
The faces of those who had passed the first screening—the Master of the Deer Insect, the Master of the Shadow Dust, the Master of the Witch Charm, and others—flickered slightly, as this was the first time since the beginning that Duan Donghe had shown a smile. Based on the experts' judgments, Duan Donghe possessed a very cold nature.
This illusion he left behind must surely be consistent with his original disposition.
"You, you, you." Duan Donghe pointed at the Master of the Screaming Sea, the Master of the Crimson Parrot, and the Master of the Rock Giant. "The three of you, depart immediately, or your only path is annihilation."
The Master of the Screaming Sea and the Master of the Crimson Parrot exchanged a look. Unwilling to accept this, was the Skeleton race facing complete failure?
The Master of the Rock Giant, this rock-based special life form, also looked at the Master of the Glazed Jade and said gravely, "Glazed Jade, Rock Giant can no longer protect you. Be careful with everything."
"Lord Duan Donghe, could you tell us why neither of us passed?" the Master of the Screaming Sea could not help but ask.
"Members not of my race, yet you dare wish to inherit the lineage of my Duan Donghe? Preposterous! Be gone!" Duan Donghe said coldly.
"Race?"
Luo Feng, the Master of the Deer Insect, and the others were greatly shocked.
If judged strictly, the six who qualified were not all from the same race; some weren't even flesh-and-blood beings. For instance, the Master of the Glazed Jade was a plant-based creature, yet she still qualified.
"Race..."
The Master of the Screaming Sea and the Master of the Crimson Parrot trembled.
It was because of this reason? That meant immense trouble; it meant they had failed, and even other experts of the Skeleton race would likely consider them failed.
"Are you not leaving yet!" Duan Donghe’s eyes shot out icy cold light.
"Go."
The Master of the Screaming Sea and the Master of the Crimson Parrot gritted their teeth and immediately turned into streams of light, rushing outward. The Master of the Rock Giant also bid a reluctant farewell to the Master of the Glazed Jade before rushing out, flying into that crimson stream of light.
Following the crimson stream of light, space flowed, and the three of them soon arrived back in the control room hall they had been in before.
"Hmph." The Master of the Screaming Sea lowered his head, looking at the deep crimson passage, his voice laced with venom. "Since that is the reason, doesn't that mean not a single one of my Skeleton race can succeed?"
"Since that is the case, if my Skeleton race cannot succeed, then we shall spread the news! Let all major powers know! Let masses of experts rush here! Our Skeleton race cannot succeed, but we certainly won't let the God-Eye race succeed easily either," the Master of the Crimson Parrot hissed hatefully. After all, three of the six inside were from the God-Eye race. How could the Skeleton race simply watch the God-Eye race succeed?
In the Misty Hall.
Duan Donghe looked at the remaining six. "Those not of my lineage naturally do not have the qualifications to receive the inheritance. However, this is only the simplest screening, the only safe one. But what follows will involve mortal danger. If you are frightened now, you may still withdraw."