The Tai Dragon Phantom shattered, and the impact force of the entire area vanished completely.
Wang Xu held the Great Dragon Bow forged from crystal stones in his hand, a heavy burden pressing on his shoulders, his gaze increasingly resolute.
For the Endless Saint Venerable, for Tai Long, he must rebuild the Endless Tai Dragon Palace no matter what.
Yet at the same time, he also had doubts.
The Endless Saint Venerable mentioned it, as did Tai Long.
Just what was that so-called "battle"?
How did the war that shattered heaven and earth, destroyed the cosmos, shook all beings, and annihilated billions of lives in an instant come about?
How was it finally calmed down?
Wang Xu was not Yin Gu; he had not participated in that Cosmic War and was unaware of its shock. Even if he racked his brains, he could not figure it out.
"It’s best to leave first." Wang Xu waved his hand, collecting up the Spiritual Crystal shaped like Tai Long, his figure transforming into a stream of light heading in the direction of the Bronze Giant Gate.
Tai Long Cosmic Country, National Hall.
"...After that great war, three stars with ancient ore veins were discovered in the Heshe Starfield. The Domain Master of Heshe Starfield learned that people from other Cosmic Countries had infiltrated, with malicious intentions towards these three ancient ore vein stars, and immediately reported, requesting the Sovereign for a decision." A minister wearing a purple crown reported.
"Such a matter exists, order three thousand Tai Long Guards to go and guard the three ancient ore veins..." The Sovereign spread out a sheet of white paper, his fingers sliding across it, golden characters leaping onto the paper, "This is the decree, anyone daring to violate it will be an affront to our Tai Long, severe punishment will not be spared!"
The Sovereign waved his hand, the white paper rolled up and fell into the hands of the minister wearing the purple crown.
"The Sovereign is wise!" The minister with the purple crown received the decree and withdrew.
Outside the National Hall, a thunderous noise erupted.
The Sovereign furrowed his brows, stood up, then took a step forward, instantly arriving outside the National Hall, looking up into the Outer Heaven.
In the starry skies beyond, four Guardian Beasts emitting blue flames, as pure as glass, were pulling a magnificent, grand, golden carriage, causing the clouds and mist to churn and surge, the void rumbling loudly.
"It’s the Yanyue Cosmic Country!"
"It’s them again, could the ’Qualification Battle’ be approaching?"
Seeing this, the ministers whispered among themselves.
"Haha... Tai Long Yao, how have you been?" From within the magnificent carriage came an audacious and arrogant laughter, causing the Sovereign to involuntarily furrow his brows.
"Bold, to directly call the Sovereign by his name, simply not placing our Tai Long in their eyes!" A recently arrived minister said angrily.
"Silence!" An elder minister quickly covered his mouth, "Do you realize you almost caused a big trouble, that person is the sovereign ’Yanyue Zhe’ of the Yanyue Cosmic Country, a peer to our Sovereign, shouting and screaming at him, do you wish to die?"
The minister shrank his neck, daring not to speak further.
"Yanyue Zhe has been at odds with our Sovereign of Tai Long for a long time," the elder minister sighed, "His visit this time is probably to provoke the Sovereign over the ’Qualification Battle’. We’ve fought for the Qualification Battle for billions of years, but have never obtained it..."
"What is the Qualification Battle...?" the newly arrived minister asked.
"Do you know about the division of Cosmic Countries?" the elder minister asked in return.
"Of course, Minor Cosmic Countries, Great Cosmic Countries, Super Cosmic Countries, Immortal Cosmic Countries... We, Tai Long, are one of the Great Cosmic Countries." The new minister said.
"Then do you know how Cosmic Countries are divided?" the elder minister asked again.
"Could it be..." the new minister suddenly understood, "it’s this Qualification Battle?"
"There are countless slots for Minor Cosmic Countries, millions of qualifications for Great Cosmic Countries, but only ten thousand slots for Super Cosmic Countries." The elder minister said, "Only when a Super Cosmic Country falls and is destroyed can a Great Cosmic Country fill its slot, and the Qualification Battle is born from this."
"To become a Super Cosmic Country, Tai Long lacks too much, we can’t make it." The elder minister sighed.
"Why?" The new minister was anxious, "Tai Long has the strength, why can’t we become a Super Cosmic Country?"
Super Cosmic Country, represents not only a symbol of strength but also identity and status.
If Tai Long became a Super Cosmic Country, the status of the ministers would naturally rise. No matter where they traveled in the future, they would receive the highest respect from Cosmic Martial Artists.
"The Qualification Battle cannot be decided by the Sovereign alone; it is a war initiated by the three major forces, and they value not the strongest power of a Cosmic Country, but its potential." The elder minister said, "Cosmic Countries competing in the Qualification Battle can only send three Cosmic Martial Artists who are under a thousand years of age and below the Mixed Universe Realm."
"How is this different from the Battle of Geniuses?" the new minister frowned.
"It’s just the Battle of Geniuses under a different name." The elder minister said, "The three major forces value the potential of Cosmic Countries, and where is the potential? It lies in these geniuses. The greater the genius, the more brilliant their future achievements, and the farther the Cosmic Country can go."
"The downfall of a Super Cosmic Country is not due to the failure of the strongest, but because the geniuses of other Cosmic Countries rise, while its own Cosmic Country’s geniuses are few and stagnant... Time spares no one, and when geniuses rise, they will become the strongest." The elder minister said, "This is also why the three major forces are scrambling to seize geniuses. Geniuses are always the foundation of a country’s survival; once geniuses are insufficient, the only path awaiting them is destruction."
The new minister finally nodded in understanding.
"Yanyue Zhe, it’s only a Qualification Battle, why bother coming personally to inform?" The Sovereign spoke calmly, his majestic voice emitting forth.
The magnificent carriage stopped above the National Hall, standing in the void, a figure stepped out, an imposing aura surging, standing between heaven and earth, with dazzling glory spreading behind him.
He donned a golden robe, with the characters "Yan Yue" exuding grandeur, and laughed heartily:
"Tai Long Yao, you and I have been old friends for eons, no need to be formal. With the qualification battle imminent, I’ve come specifically to see Tai Long’s three subjects and broaden my perspective."
The Sovereign frowned, his expression displeased.
In every qualification battle, thousands of cosmic countries contest, with casualties being all too common, yet the three subjects sent forth by Tai Long in previous years mostly never returned, vanishing amidst the masses. Yanyue Zhe’s words were clearly intended to highlight Tai Long’s shortcomings.
"The three subjects are currently in cultivation, preparing for this qualification battle, so there’s no need for the Sovereign of Yanyue to concern himself," the Sovereign said calmly.
"Tai Long Yao, you should know the purpose of my visit this time, right?" said Yanyue Zhe.
The Sovereign remained silent. Yanyue Zhe’s personal visit was certainly about more than just seeing the subjects; more importantly, it concerned a wager.
The wager was made eons ago.
At that time, Tai Long and Yanyue were at odds, border wars were commonplace and had never ceased.
No matter how deep the resentment, neither dared to turn it into an outright life-or-death confrontation.
Thus, during a qualification battle, Yanyue Zhe proposed the wager.
"Whoever has more subjects return from the qualification battle wins; if the numbers are the same, it’s a draw."
The Sovereign, unwilling to show weakness, immediately agreed.
Both sides each offered an artifact, with the winner taking the opponent’s artifact.
Little did they know, from that time onward, Tai Long had never won even once.
Each time the qualification battle sounded, Yanyue Zhe would arrogantly come in person to continue the wager with the Sovereign.
He claimed it was for the wager, but in reality, he came to savor the sight of Tai Long’s fury when losing the artifact, which gave him great pleasure.
"Tai Long Yao, our wager has been ongoing for eons. Are you willing to continue making this bet with me in the upcoming qualification battle?" Yanyue Zhe said. "I presume... the grand Tai Long Cosmic Country isn’t that susceptible?"
The Sovereign’s expression was somber; he could clearly hear the insinuation in Yanyue Zhe’s words.
Tai Long had always been on the losing side, occasionally achieving draws but never victories, yet Tai Long never once abandoned the wager, repeatedly fighting and repeatedly losing.
Tai Long could afford to lose, no matter how many times, but could not afford to admit defeat without a fight, completely losing all courage.
The thought of terminating the wager once crossed the Sovereign’s mind, but upon seeing the gazes of his subjects, sensing the fighting spirit of the departing subjects, and realizing the matter pertained to national pride and honor, he could only grit his teeth and agree.
Artifacts were of little importance; face, honor were paramount. No matter what, he would persist to the end.
"No need to say more, let’s sign the wager now," the Sovereign said with a calm demeanor, his voice resonating outward.
"No rush," Yanyue Zhe smiled, "let’s first bring out our respective artifacts."
Saying this, Yanyue Zhe waved his hand, and a stream of golden light emanated, suspended in the void.
The light dissipated, revealing its contents, and immediately the subjects below gasped, their faces changing color.
"It’s... it’s actually the National Statue!"
"That... isn’t that the statue of Yanyue Muhua, the founding Sovereign of Yanyue!"
The Sovereign was also moved upon seeing the statue, exuding might and commanding presence.
Legend had it that Yanyue Muhua, the founding sovereign of Yanyue, had long surpassed the Celestial God Realm, reaching another terrifying realm of extraordinary power, but subsequently disappeared without a trace, passing the Sovereign title to his son, Yanyue Zhe.
Those of such power do not allow others to glimpse their visage.
Just as Wang Xu felt the oppression of life level upon seeing the Sovereign for the first time, a fear arose in his heart, making it impossible for him to look directly at the Sovereign.
The stronger one is, the higher the life level, rendering those of lower classes unable to face their true form; an ordinary Martial Artist would have their consciousness collapse and breath extinguished with just one glance, let alone Yanyue Muhua, who surpassed the Celestial God Realm.
Such a statue, often carved by the person themselves, harbors untold opportunities.
Even for the Sovereign of Tai Long, it was a rare and precious artifact worth risking everything for.
"Yanyue Zhe, you’re too avaricious," the Sovereign said in a deep voice.
The National Statue was almost the supreme artifact among Cosmic Countries, Tai Long would have to present an artifact of equal level if it wished to continue the wager.
Presenting such an artifact, Yanyue Zhe was confident of victory, evidently intending to extract a heavy toll from Tai Long.
"You only need to tell me, will you bet or not?" Yanyue Zhe said.
All subjects’ gazes were fixed on the Sovereign, awaiting his decision, but most were praying he would not agree.
If he refused, the scandal of the Cosmic Country would surely spread, exposing it to ridicule.
But if he accepted, it meant Tai Long would lose a supreme artifact, a consequence too significant for Tai Long!
The Sovereign stared into that awe-inspiring figure, decisively saying, "We will bet!" (To be continued. If you work, you are welcome to vote for it on Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com for reading.)