Chapter 259: Old Rival?

Seven days later.

The second round of the Genius Battle is about to begin.

During these seven days, besides the Cloud Kingdom, some other forces also came to visit Lin Chuan, but he politely declined them.

Discussions about Lin Chuan spread among the major forces.

Independent cultivator?

The overwhelming majority of forces do not believe it.

How could a true independent cultivator dare to give so many major forces the cold shoulder?

Naturally, only one with confidence would dare to do so.

Lin Chuan paid no heed to outside gossip and focused on preparing for the competition.

The format of the second round of the Genius Battle is a deathmatch battle royale.

The Sphere of All Beings will create a special micro‑world, selecting a thousand cultivators to enter and compete; only the top ten in ranking can advance to the next round, the "Heavenly Realm Contention" battle.

Rankings are based on Heavenly Pride Points.

Within the micro‑world, defeating other geniuses, or killing Shadow Creatures and mechanical puppets, all grant Heavenly Pride Points.

The micro‑world exists for a period of one year.

"Shadow life?"

"Is it actually related to Black Mist?"

Lin Chuan's curiosity about shadow life far exceeds his interest in sparring with other geniuses.

Sangyu, Xiao Qingmei, Jiaojiao Niangzi, Ye Xue, and Lü Ya—five sharing the same anticipation—form a "family group"; they can also view the real‑time scenes of the Genius Battle through the Spatial Cloud Mirror.

"Here it comes."

The power of space surged, enveloping Lin Chuan's body.

In the next instant, Lin Chuan was teleported into the micro‑world, landing in a forest of towering ancient trees, dim and dense.

His divine consciousness spread recklessly outward.

"Are you being suppressed?"

Clearly, the micro‑world has special rules that suppress the Heavenly Pride's divine consciousness detection range, perhaps to increase the conflict of the Genius Battle.

"Fortunately, shadow life does not conceal its aura."

In Lin Chuan's perception, not far away there was a bizarre aura, completely different from the beings of this world.

"Shadow life? Is it truly a derivative of Black Mist?"

Lin Chuan charged toward the location of the shadow life.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

"It moved."

"Is it rushing toward me?"

Lin Chuan was not startled but pleased, "Conveniently saves effort."

In his sight, a black dot expanded rapidly; in the blink of an eye he could discern its shape—a humanoid creature.

Its silver‑white skin was suffused with a layer of shadow.

At its brow, there was a crescent‑shaped mark.

"Moon Clan?"

Lin Chuan was startled, recalling the Moon Clan, one of the Nine Ancient God Clans in the Ancient God Absolute Realm, and noting how similar they were.

He remembered Sangyu saying.

In Sangyu and Jiaojiao's final battle with Black Mist, Black Mist had once manifested the nine devoured Ancient Gods, including the Nine Ancient God Clans.

"Were Shadow Creatures captured to serve as sparring partners for the genius cultivators?"

Lin Chuan's expression was odd.

In the past, between the various clans, wars were constant, and they would capture each other's prisoners to hone their own geniuses.

Now, however, there is considerably more unity.

In his thoughts, the shadow Moon Clan life was already charging.

"It really does resemble it."

Even the fighting style is extremely similar to the Moon Clan in Lin Chuan's memory.

"Die!"

Lin Chuan slashed a blade across the head of the shadow Moon Clan life.

The Moon Clan's combat techniques were already inferior; after transforming into shadow life, they became even more chaotic, let alone being crushed by Lin Chuan's realm.

"That's not right."

Suddenly, Lin Chuan's brows twitched.

The decapitated shadow Moon Clan life did not lose its mobility.

Its head, flying upside down in the air, suddenly opened its mouth wide, spitting out a silver beam, while the headless body simultaneously rebelled.

Countless moon wheels cloaked in shadow, perfectly dense with no blind spots, swarmed to slaughter Lin Chuan.

"Can it revive without the Moon God Well?"

Lin Chuan was intrigued.

Draw the sword!

Spin!

Countless sword qi, centered on his body, surged outward forcefully, instantly crushing the moon wheels with a withering strike,

then, with undiminished momentum, he slashed at the shadow Moon Clan life, tearing it into fragments.

"Now I definitely can't survive?"

Lin Chuan didn't believe it; the Sphere of All Beings could even replicate the Moon God Well.

After slaying one, he didn't linger, and kept swooping toward the distance.

He didn't know why he felt an inexplicable excitement, as if an old friend from a foreign clan had suddenly come to his hometown to visit him.

"How truly absurd."

"I can't believe I thought that."

…

At the highest point of Yun Tai.

As the most eye‑catching peerless Heavenly Pride of the first round Cage Mixed Battle, Lin Chuan's performance drew great attention.

Eleven guardians of the Dao from various major super powers were closely watching Lin Chuan's performance.

"How strange."

"Facing shadow life for the first time, my spirit wasn't affected at all, and my response was natural."

The guardians of the Dao were rather puzzled.

Normally, a Heavenly Pride's spirit must be affected when confronting shadow life for the first time.

After all, the source of shadow life is a being that even they fear.

Being able to adjust within a short time already qualifies one as a peerless Heavenly Pride; many young cultivators have been frightened into losing themselves.

But a completely composed individual like Lin Chuan throughout—such a person they have never seen.

"He seems a bit excited."

"Is he truly a reincarnated great power?"

The guardians of the Dao debated fervently.

"According to the records, there doesn't seem to be a great power capable of reincarnation like this, right?"

A reincarnated cultivator who retains memories is absolutely the topmost great power in the world; with their experience, they can recognize one at a glance.

There is absolutely no such one.

"Let's see."

"Perhaps he is the person of Heaven's Mandate."

A guardian of the Dao from the Purple Star Emperor Sect chuckled.

Within the small world, Lin Chuan roamed recklessly, his aura surging wildly, with no concealment.

Other geniuses setting up an ambush?

He wasn't afraid at all.

The main point was to attract shadow life to hunt him.

"Another one appears."

"No, it's three."

Within the range of his divine perception, an aura appeared in his sight, another humanoid life, similar to the previous shadow Moon Clan life, its body cloaked in a layer of shadow.

But this time it wasn't the Moon Clan.

"The Hidden Order Clan has all arrived."

"Interesting."

The shadow Hidden Order Clan life had eyes sprouting all over its body, without pupils, the eyes overall gray‑white.

"The Hidden Order Clan's greatest strength lies in the Hidden Order Heart Eye, which lets the entire clan share information—truly perverse."

"The Sphere of All Beings probably can't replicate this aspect."

While his thoughts raced, Lin Chuan's steps were not slow at all; his body transformed into a blade of light, streaking across the sky and instantly landing before the three shadow Hidden Order Clan lives.

Horizontal slash! Cut!

The two shadow lives suddenly scattered.

Only the one directly ahead blocked Lin Chuan's sword; the eyes on its body kept turning.

"Is it like this?"

Lin Chuan instantly understood: three beings sharing?

No!

It should be the entire small world's shadow Hidden Order Clan sharing, no wonder they could relatively easily block his sword.

But this level of strength, compared with the true Hidden Order Clan, is far inferior.

The former Hidden Order Clan once forced the Human Race into a life‑or‑death predicament.

"Soul Sword!"

"Sword Twenty‑Three."

Lin Chuan whispered lightly in his heart; three vague shadows rose within him, each wielding a CloudHeart sword, slashing simultaneously at the three shadow Hidden Order Clan lives.