All the supreme experts across the vast sea of the universe keenly understood the paramount importance of powerful inheritances from those ancient, primordial civilizations! They silently waited, hoping that their strongest members within the Death-Life Corridor of the Tomb Boat would quickly meet the requirements for resolving the "Xihuang Puzzle."

Within the Tomb Boat, amidst the Yanbing Domain of the Cosmic Boat, deep inside the Death-Life Corridor.

This location had now become the most crucial, silent battlefield in the entire sea of the universe! The inheritance of Duan Donghe... it was likely to determine which faction could transcend reincarnation, which power would become the next Holy Land Universe.

"Luo Feng only has a temporary advantage! We still have a chance!" "Yes, as long as we meet the minimum requirement for resolving the Xihuang Puzzle within a certain timeframe, then there's a chance for the inheritance." "We must seize the opportunity." "The transcendence of our race hinges on this moment." "Even if it costs us our lives, we must obtain the chance."

The various factions had grown frantic. For the moment, they dared not dream of directly obtaining the inheritance; instead, they yearned to first reach the "minimum requirement for resolving the Xihuang Puzzle" to gain access to the opportunity! As long as the opportunity existed... anything was possible.

"Ding! Dong!" In the silent Death-Life Corridor, that familiar sound rang out once more.

"Hmm?" All the Undying Gods, Universe Venerables, Universe Masters, and the Universe's Strongest, including Luo Feng, who was enveloped by a palace of hazy light, all looked up. In the mid-air, light coalesced to form a figure.

"Duan Donghe!" "Duan Donghe has appeared again." "The last time Duan Donghe appeared, it was to announce that the human, Yinhe, had met the puzzle-solving requirement. Now, the same voice, the same scene..." "Could it be me? I am the fastest in my race to comprehend the Xihuang Puzzle; I have already resolved 820 puzzles."

The factions watched with feverish anticipation.

Luo Feng frowned, watching. He already met the requirements; it shouldn't be appearing for him, should it?

"Candidate, Bixue of the Eastern Emperor Holy Land, has reached the puzzle-solving requirement." Duan Donghe looked down, his gaze settling on a figure in the distance, amidst the Eastern Emperor Holy Land contingent. It was a handsome-looking man surrounded by vines and leaves, whose face now couldn't help but show excitement.

All the experts present turned to look.

Luo Feng also observed this lesser-known Eastern Emperor Holy Land expert named "Bixue," and his brow furrowed slightly upon seeing him: "Hmm, a Universe Venerable? I am a Universe Venerable, and the second to meet the requirement is also a Universe Venerable..." Judging from the position from afar, one could estimate the opponent's general strength.

The Universe Masters of the Eastern Emperor Holy Land were at the forefront, the Universe Venerables slightly behind, and the Undying Gods were protected at the rear.

Furthermore, judging by the divine power, "Bixue's" divine power was not strong, only at the life gene level of a Universe Venerable multiplied by a thousand. Such divine power confirmed him as a Universe Venerable, without a doubt.

"A Universe Venerable?" "The second one to meet the requirement after the human Yinhe, is actually a Universe Venerable?" "There are seven of the Universe's Strongest and nearly 200 Universe Masters present—it's understandable for Yinhe, a supreme genius Universe Master. But even a Universe Venerable has succeeded?" "How can this be..."

A wave of shock and uproar swept through the crowd.

"Hush~~" Duan Donghe pointed into the distance. Immediately, the crystal pillar next to Venerable Bixue emitted hazy light and shadow, forming a palace of mist that enveloped him. The hazy palace turned golden, identical to Luo Feng's. Bixue was protected.

"Continue your comprehension,"

Duan Donghe smiled. "The more puzzles you resolve, the greater the benefit to you. Comprehend with peace of mind; with the protection of my secret method, no one can harm you."

Duan Donghe swept his gaze over all the experts present. "The rules were set long ago. Any who meet the puzzle-solving requirement will receive my protection. Anyone who dares to attack will be eliminated and killed without exception." "Bixue, keep working hard," Duan Donghe encouraged.

"Yes, Lord Duan Donghe," Venerable Bixue replied respectfully.

Hush~~

Duan Donghe vanished instantly.

"He actually let a Universe Venerable take the lead!" The Second True Master of the God-Eye Race was driven mad with anger. "Does he resolve puzzles faster than me?" "A Universe Venerable is ahead!" Angry voices erupted everywhere.

The experts of the Eastern Emperor Holy Land were extremely excited, encouraging him one after another. Venerable Bixue nodded repeatedly in excitement and even cast a glance toward Luo Feng in the distance, clearly intending to compete with him.

Luo Feng glanced over and thought to himself: "Me being the first to meet the requirement only gives me an advantage. But choosing a successor will depend on many factors. Duan Donghe apparently intends to select quite a few candidates. I must resolve more puzzles. The more I solve, the greater my hope for the inheritance, according to Duan Donghe's intent."

A heavy pressure descended...

The hope of the human race rested on his shoulders. He already held such a significant advantage; he naturally could not afford the slightest relaxation.

The sea of the universe, Eastern Emperor Holy Land Universe.

"Bixue?" "Bixue actually reached the requirement?" "Our Eastern Emperor Holy Land dispatched a large contingent this time—Universe Masters, Universe Venerables, Undying Gods... In terms of speed of puzzle comprehension, it should be Lord Youzan! Lord Youzan has already resolved up to the 1200th puzzle, yet he still hasn't met Duan Donghe's requirement, but Bixue, who only just finished resolving the 1000th puzzle, is deemed qualified?"

Hundreds of Universe Masters and several Universe's Strongest gathered in a palace hall.

Dong~

A hazy figure glowing with cyan light appeared in the half-air of the hall.

"Ancestor." "Ancestor."

All the experts in the hall bowed respectfully.

The blurry figure glowing with cyan light slowly spoke as it looked down: "From this, it appears Duan Donghe's requirements for the inheritance differ based on power level. Instruct our Undying Gods and Universe Venerables to strive harder. The more of us who meet the requirements, the greater the chance our Eastern Emperor Holy Land has of obtaining Duan Donghe's inheritance."

"Yes." "Yes." Every single one responded in compliance.

The cyan light figure vanished directly.

The experts in the hall, who had existed for an unknown length of time, exchanged glances, secretly astonished. The Eastern Emperor Ancestor rarely showed himself; it had been a very long time. While it was understandable that he openly appeared before to dispatch a large number of experts to seize the inheritance, his current appearance directly within their hall showed how much the Eastern Emperor Ancestor valued this inheritance.

"Although Venerable Bixue is only a Venerable, he belongs to the ranks of Quasi-Universe Masters! His willpower is at the level of the Universe's Strongest, and his puzzle comprehension is extremely fast. If we had known this, we should have dispatched more Quasi-Universe Masters." "Indeed." "Knowing this, we absolutely should have sent more Quasi-Universe Masters."

Quasi-Universe Masters referred to certain special Universe Venerables.

For instance, the Eastern Emperor Holy Land Universe had existed for an incomparably long time. Even if ten Universe Masters were born in one reincarnation era, there would have been over ten thousand Universe Masters! But the reality was that there were only a few hundred Universe Masters... Why was that?

It was due to the carrying capacity of the Holy Land Universe!

It was like the maximum number of plants a piece of land could support; if there were too many, the land couldn't bear it.

And a small universe could not nurture a Universe's Strongest; at most, it could give rise to Universe Masters! Moreover, the number of "Universe Masters" a small universe could sustain was limited. Every Universe Master was a huge burden on the small universe; once a certain limit was reached, no more could be added, or it would harm the Holy Land Universe itself.

Therefore...

Some whose comprehension of the laws was long ago perfected, who could enter the "Universe Master ranks" at any moment, were forcibly unable to receive any divine power supply from the Holy Land Universe's origin, making advancement impossible! They were thus trapped in the "Universe Venerable ranks."

When pressure on the Holy Land Universe eased due to the demise of other Universe Masters from the faction, creating a few extra slots, some of these "Quasi-Universe Masters" would be selected to rapidly become Universe Masters! They too had lived for a long time—some for hundreds of reincarnation eras or even longer—so their willpower was naturally honed to be incredibly strong.

The 800th year of Luo Feng's study of the Xihuang Puzzle.

"Ding! Dong!"

Like the sound of six water droplets falling into a deep pool, Duan Donghe reappeared, immediately drawing the attention of all waiting parties.

"The Insect Race member from the Second Reincarnation Era, 'Xue You,' has reached the puzzle-solving requirement," Duan Donghe stated, his gaze falling upon a candidate from the Insect Race.

"What!" "An Undying God?" "Even an Undying God reached the requirement?"

The various factions were astonished.

The third person to meet the requirement, following the human Yinhe from the Primal Universe and Bixue of the Eastern Emperor Holy Land, was an Undying God from the Insect Race of the Second Reincarnation Era.

"Rise." Duan Donghe pointed, and immediately, the crystal pillar beside Xue You emitted a palace of hazy light and shadow that enveloped her. That hazy palace was also golden.

As time flowed by...

One candidate after another reached the requirement. The various powers soon understood that the requirements differed based on power level. The fact that the seven Universe's Strongest, who clearly comprehended puzzles the fastest, had not met the requirement, revealed a certain mystery.

The first was Luo Feng! The second was a Universe Venerable! The third was an Undying God! The fourth was the Undying God Ji Ling! The fifth was a Universe Master! Youzan of the Eastern Emperor Holy Land—this made two from the Eastern Emperor Holy Land who met the condition. At this point, it had been 1100 years since Luo Feng began accepting the inheritance. The sixth was a Universe Venerable! The seventh was a Universe Master! It was a familiar face to Luo Feng, Lord Yilu of the Insect Race, who, as a sixth-tier Universe Master, finally met the requirement. This was about 1200 years since Luo Feng began accepting the inheritance.

Time flowed, and nearly three thousand years passed in the blink of an eye.

In the entire Death-Life Corridor, golden palaces of light and shadow enveloped one candidate after another. There were now a full 62 candidates who met the requirements. In fact, since the 2000-year mark, there had been an explosion in candidates meeting the standard; even Lord Peng Gong had reached the requirement.

Conversely, the pitiful seven Universe's Strongest had not succeeded even one.

"Ding! Dong!"

Duan Donghe appeared again.

By this time, Duan Donghe's appearance had become commonplace; everyone simply looked up to see which faction had met the requirement.

"The 'Canbu Demon Lord' from the First Reincarnation Era has reached the requirement," Duan Donghe announced.

All seven Universe's Strongest within the Death-Life Corridor trembled.

"Heavens!" "Finally, a Universe's Strongest has reached the puzzle-solving requirement." Nearly one hundred thousand experts looked over in unison.

It was pitiful. Finally, one had succeeded!

The seven Universe's Strongest felt a mix of excitement and sorrow. Nearly 3000 years! Those weaker than them had met the requirements, yet they had fought desperately and failed, making them doubt if there was any hope for the Universe's Strongest at all.

Finally, Canbu Demon Lord, one of the seven, had succeeded.

He was ranked 63rd!

"The threshold for the Universe's Strongest is resolving 2000 puzzles!" Lord Canbu's heart was filled with a myriad of complex emotions.