Chapter 352: Let's Begin

"Brother Ye, I hope you have been well; as expected, I have met you at this pinnacle."

Ziyang Shen spoke.

His voice was calm, yet carried the composure and restraint forged by the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea, forming a subtle contrast with the lingering, sky‑splitting murderous aura around him.

Ye Wuque heard the voice, his gaze falling again on Ziyang Shen; he could clearly feel that the Ziyang Shen before him had undergone a bone‑changing transformation compared to the one before the trial.

It was not merely a leap in strength, but a complete metamorphosis of his essence, spirit, and mind.

The earlier Ziyang Shen was already formidable, but now he resembled a peerless killing blade repeatedly forged in endless blood fire and slaughter, finally drawn from its sheath—its edge concealed yet far more deadly.

He must have, in the extreme conditions of the endless slaughter trial, fully unleashed and tempered his innate talent and potential, ultimately ascending the summit with absolute dominance.

"Brother Zi, I hope you have been well."

Ye Wuque gave a faint smile, nodded in reply, his tone calm.

A faint glimmer flickered in Ziyang Shen's violet eyes; he said no more, gave another slight nod, then withdrew his gaze, restoring his solitary, abyss‑like poise.

The resurrected Ziyang Shen was indeed destined to stir colossal waves across the Great Thousand Divine Universe and even the Zhutian Wanjie.

Ye Wuque silently praised in his heart.

At that moment, the Void in the distance rippled again.

"Wooo—"

A spacetime ripple, as if from the end of Time, bearing faint sorrow and a sense of loss, spread in.

The third guiding colossal ship broke through the air, its hull a gray‑hazy hue as if shrouded in the dust of history; the runes etched upon its body were twisted and bizarre, as if recording a lost civilization.

It silently descended onto another platform.

"The Lost Spacetime Trial's contingent."

Lao Ning squinted slightly and said softly.

The colossal ship steadied, and figures descended in succession.

The aura of these beings differed entirely from the previous two; most wore a slightly dazed or contemplative expression, enveloped by an elusive spacetime aura, as if just returned from an ancient, chaotic fragment of Time, still bearing that era's imprint and bewilderment.

Ye Wuque's gaze swept the contingent, and soon he spotted a somewhat familiar figure among them.

It was a young man of strikingly handsome, even slightly otherworldly looks; he wore a loose dark‑blue robe, his posture languid, eyes half‑closed, as if indifferent to everything around him, yet when he occasionally lifted his gaze, a peculiar light flickered deep within, seeming able to pierce illusion, revealing his extraordinary nature.

It was the enigmatic Ye Beichen, with whom we once shared a brief encounter!

Now Ye Beichen's aura was even deeper and inscrutable; beneath his languor seemed to hide a unique grasp and control over spacetime rules.

He also sensed Ye Wuque's gaze, tilted his head slightly, and a faint, inscrutable smile appeared on his uncanny face; he gave Ye Wuque a distant nod as a greeting, then instantly returned to his languid demeanor, as if the upcoming Holy Son selection barely piqued his interest.

"Ye Beichen... he also broke out of the Lost Spacetime Trial, and it seems he gained a lot," Ye Wuque thought silently.

This Ye Beichen gave him a very particular impression; his strength was likely terrifying.

After the "Lost Spacetime Trial," the Void trembled in succession.

The fourth, fifth, and sixth guiding colossal ships arrived one after another within a short span.

This time, the six great trials of the Great Thousand Divine Universe were opened: the Saint King trial, the God trial, the Young Supreme trial, the endless slaughter trial, the Lost Spacetime trial, and the Bloody Devour trial.

All the beings that emerged victorious gathered here!

The six contingents, combined, numbered fewer than a hundred!

Yet these under‑hundred are the true essence, selected from the countless billions of geniuses across the Zhutian Wanjie who participated in the Great Thousand Divine Universe trials, after the harshest selection and competition.

They are the small handful of the young generation across the Zhutian Wanjie who stand at the pinnacle of this era!

The atmosphere was heavy to the extreme.

Invisible auras collided, gazes intertwined in the air—curiosity, scrutiny, battle intent, and cold hostility.

There is only one Holy Son position; everyone present will be each other's most direct competitor.

The six elder guides, including Lao Ning and Lao Mo, gathered and exchanged a few words in low voices.

Then Lao Ning turned, faced all the Heavenly Pride, and boomed, "Everyone, follow us."

Without superfluous words, the six elders led the way, heading deeper into this ancient Void.

Nearly a hundred unparalleled Heavenly Pride followed in silence, crossing divine bridges that streamed with the brilliance of law, traversing floating misty seas of immortal mountains, and finally arriving at a breathtaking site.

It was a plaza whose enormity defied description.

The ground, polished as if from a single block of Chaos divine jade, was mirror‑smooth yet unimaginably hard, reflecting the multicolored sunrise and the law‑woven Star River above the heavens.

Around the plaza stood nine ancient stone pillars reaching heaven and earth, their surfaces etched with incomprehensible primal totems and Tiandao runes, exuding a vast aura that suppressed the Eternal Time and Space.

Here, it seemed a stage prepared for epics and legends.

The six elders arrived at the plaza's edge and halted; they lined up on both sides, their expressions supremely solemn, even bearing a heartfelt reverence, heads slightly bowed as if awaiting something.

The entire plaza fell silent, and every Heavenly Pride could feel an invisible, supreme pressure beginning to spread.

They knew the Great Thousand Divine Universe Holy Son selection was about to commence.

"Hum..."

Moments later, the Void above the plaza's center rippled gently like water.

There was no earth‑shaking clamor, yet a vast, overwhelming pressure, as if embodying Tiandao's authority, silently enveloped the entire plaza.

Nine Dark Shadow figures materialized out of thin air, descending onto the high sky above the plaza's center.

These nine individuals, dressed diversely—men and women, old and young—each seemed in harmony with the Dao, their bodies radiating flawless Tiandao brilliance; their faces were slightly obscured by the light, but their eyes, like endless star seas, were profound and unfathomable.

Their presence seemed the embodiment of the rules; merely standing there made every Heavenly Pride below feel as tiny as dust, even their internal energy flow becoming slightly sluggish.

"Your presence... esteemed Dao Master Envoys!"

The six elders bowed together, their voices supremely respectful.

Dao Master Envoy!

And there are nine of them!

Many Heavenly Pride felt shocked in their hearts.

Dao masters, already beings of extremely high status within the Great Thousand Divine Universe, wield authority over a sector of Tiandao; their envoys, their identities and strength are self‑evident.

The simultaneous appearance of nine of them is enough to show the Great Thousand Divine Universe's emphasis on this Holy Son selection.

Among the nine Dao master envoys, a tall elder who subtly occupies the center—upright in stature, white beard hanging to his chest, his calm gaze sweeps over the nearly one hundred Heavenly Pride below.

His gaze seems to contain a strange magic; those he scans feel as if they have been completely seen through.

He does not ask the six elders to rise, offers no small talk, and speaks directly, his voice ancient and resonant, clearly reaching the depths of every living being's soul:

"Great Thousand Divine Universe, this Dark Era's Holy Son selection…"

"Now begins."

"The rules are simple. All of you, here on this plaza, may duel freely. The loser withdraws, until in the end… a single victor is decided."

"The loser loses Holy Son qualification, but may enter the Great Thousand Divine Universe as a true disciple."

"The winner becomes, in this Dark Era… the Great Thousand Divine Universe's Holy Son!"

"Now… let it begin."