Chapter 43: The Dominator

Although Ji Ning was looking forward to a battle with Beta Leo, feeling that crossing swords with him on Starwood Island would leave no regrets, Beta Leo first challenged the old-timers.

The fifth-level Starwood Islands grew fewer and fewer.

Eight, seven, six, five.

Only five remained, all from the latest batch of newcomers.

…

"I lost." The handsome, eerie silver-haired youth gazed at the distant white-robed, white-haired youth. Both had extraordinary auras—one more sinister, the other calm and gentle.

"Ge Huo, it seems you've already found the path to step into the Dao of Life and Death," Beta Leo said with a smile.

"Yes." Ge Huo rarely admired anyone.

Even though Beiming, Qian Xingzi, and others had each defeated him, he didn't care much, because he could see that Qian Xingzi relied on merging avatars, and Beiming's divine body, comparable to Qian Xingzi's, likely used similar means. In terms of true Dao attainment, neither Beiming nor Qian Xingzi could match him, Ge Huo.

But the Beta Leo before him made Ge Huo feel pressure! For the first time, he encountered an opponent who completely suppressed him in realm.

"Which path do you plan to take?" Beta Leo asked curiously.

"If I have the chance, I'll take the path of spacetime," Ge Huo said.

"Spacetime? Isn't your strongest path the Fire Element?" Beta Leo was puzzled. From their earlier exchange, Ge Huo's achievements in the Fire Element were very high, even to the point where he could step into the Dao of Life and Death at any time.

"I like it," Ge Huo said, but inwardly he thought... what I'm truly best at should be spacetime. Being strongest doesn't mean it's what I'm best at.

As the strongest descendant of the Eternal Clan's great 'King Geque,' he was naturally quite skilled in the Fire Element, but his true specialty was spacetime! However, in the Fire Element, he had the personal guidance of 'King Geque,' while in spacetime, he had always been exploring on his own. Thus, the Fire Element had only slightly surpassed spacetime.

But cultivating the Fire Element was 'half the result with twice the effort.' Before being abducted, his father, King Geque, had said he would find him a great power in spacetime.

"No matter how great the power, they can't compare to the great Dominator of the Mangya Kingdom." Ge Huo had worked hard and finally, two years ago, gathered that set of spacetime inheritance. "According to this inheritance, if I achieve enough in the future, I can even receive personal guidance from the great Dominator."

"Once I become a Dao Lord and awaken my bloodline, my strength will increase. Even Beta Leo might not be able to match me in the future." Ge Huo was full of pride inside.

Because the Eternal Clan, before awakening, were like cultivators, but after awakening, their strength surged, even earning them the title 'Dao Lord Predators.' They preyed on Dao Lords, powerful and fearsome.

…

Five Starwood Islands became four.

…

"None of my techniques are useful at all." A special life form with fish scales on his face and golden eyes, 'Daoist Fish,' sighed.

"You have too many techniques; it's better to specialize," Beta Leo said, shining brightly like the sun, then gradually his light converged and completely retracted.

"I know, but I like it and can't control myself," Daoist Fish sighed. "Alas, on the fourth and third levels, I could toy with them as I pleased. But when I meet someone of the same level, I'm defeated time and again."

…

Daoist Fish was the only one among the newcomers who had reached the fifth level and was now on the fourth.

…

"How is this possible?" The stunning bald woman, usually cold, was now full of shock. "How can you..."

"Fairy Mingxin, your defensive techniques are indeed impressive, and I admire them, but your heart... is a great weakness. Even I, or any other World-level heartforce cultivator, could easily defeat you," Beta Leo said softly with a sigh.

Fairy Mingxin's face turned slightly pale.

The nightmare deep in her heart, unforgettable, was also the obsession that had driven her to cultivate to this point.

"I understand." Fairy Mingxin nodded lightly.

…

Four Starwood Islands became three.

…

"Fighting you was the most satisfying; you made me go all out," Beta Leo said, looking at the green-haired woman 'Empress.'

The Empress, wearing a translucent gauze robe that was almost naked, was extremely seductive. She chuckled softly, "Beta Leo, everyone knows you excel in the Light Element and are even better at heartforce... Just now, you didn't even use heartforce. You defeated me head-on with just the Light Element."

"At least in close combat, I went all out," Beta Leo said. "Your talent is very high, but your realm is still lacking. If your realm were one level higher, reaching Ge Huo's level, even I would need to use heartforce techniques to defeat you."

…

Three Starwood Islands became two.

…

"So amazing." Waterwalker looked at Beta Leo, his eyes full of admiration. "We haven't even fought yet, how did I fall asleep?"

"You were probably born not long ago, right?" Beta Leo looked at Waterwalker.

"Mm, when the great Dominator caught me, I had just awakened," Waterwalker nodded.

"Your talent is among the top of special life forms; even the Empress might be slightly inferior. Your talent is so high... it's probably comparable to the legendary ancient cultivators, or even the royal clan of the Mangya Kingdom," Beta Leo said. "Relying on your talent, you make it hard for other prodigies to harm you. With your talent alone, you can defeat some opponents on the fourth level."

"But you were born too recently, far too recently."

"Stay on Starwood Island for a while longer, for a chaos cycle, then wander the Mangya Kingdom for another chaos cycle," Beta Leo said. "Then enter the Twelve Palaces."

"I don't quite understand why I need to stay so long, but I can feel your goodwill," Waterwalker said, looking at Beta Leo. "From today, you are also my friend."

"Haha, good." Beta Leo nodded.

Seeing Waterwalker, he felt like he was seeing his former self, except Waterwalker had been abducted shortly after birth, while he had wandered outside for far too long, experienced too much—joys and sorrows, partings and reunions—all of which had led him onto the path of heartforce.

…

Two Starwood Islands became one.

…

Only one lonely Starwood Island remained on the fifth level—Ji Ning's island.

"Am I the last?" Ji Ning, dressed in white, sat cross-legged on the grass of Starwood Island, the divine sword Violetjade on his lap. He had been waiting, but Beta Leo had left him for last.

"The challenge has come."

Ji Ning glanced at the golden scroll beside him.

In the golden scroll, he finally received a challenge—from the sixth level, something he had never encountered before.

"I've trained on Starwood Island for a thousand years, waiting for this battle." With a thought, Ji Ning crushed the challenge message—accepted!

…

"Wow."

"That one on the sixth level is truly invincible."

"Too powerful."

The entire Starwood Island had felt suffocated for the past ten-plus days, watching the fifth-level islands fall one by one. Those on the fifth level were all prodigies, no matter which path they took or what they specialized in. All were crushed and defeated by Beta Leo.

Now only one lonely Starwood Island remained on the fifth level.

Once this last one was defeated, the fifth level would have no islands at all.

At this moment, hundreds of thousands of World-level cultivators were watching, waiting for the final outcome.

…

At the bottom of the Dark Abyss.

Now, including the black-haired, unkempt man in a war skirt, more than a dozen figures had gathered here, each with an aura like a vast ocean.

"Beta Leo is truly remarkable in heartforce."

"This should be his final battle on Starwood Island."

"After sweeping through everyone, he should leave."

"He still hasn't said whether he'll join the Light Palace or the Heartforce Palace."

These great powers discussed.

They had long been watching Beta Leo; not just them, even the great Dominator was paying attention.

Because cultivation paths are divided into three major schools: divine body refinement, qi refinement, and heartforce. People like Ji Ning cultivated both divine body and qi. But in fact, one could cultivate all three—divine body, qi, and heartforce—simultaneously. And Beta Leo cultivated all three. Such a cultivator was the most terrifying. In battle, if Beta Leo slightly influenced his opponent, his fearsome close combat could sweep through any foe. Many opponents could be easily defeated by Beta Leo without him even moving.

"Oh, there's still one last match?" A voice sounded.

An old man with a snow-white robe and six curved horns on his head appeared out of thin air.

The more than a dozen great powers gathered there were all startled and immediately bowed respectfully: "Dominator!"

…