I gain ten years' worth of cultivation every day, and even geniuses will only see my doorstep!

Qin Yuan inquired about the Prodigy Tournament in the desolate city. The desolate region had a "Prodigy Ranking," recording the top one hundred geniuses. The lowest level cultivator on the ranking was the sixth level of the Chaos Heavenly Monarch realm, and the highest was the ninth. Qin Yuan was currently at the fifth level of the Chaos Heavenly Monarch realm, barely enough to make the list. He decided to challenge the cultivators on the Prodigy Ranking to improve his ranking and qualify for the tournament.

Ninety-ninth place went to a swordsman at the sixth level of the Chaos Heavenly Monarch realm. The two clashed outside the city. The swordsman sneered, "A fifth-level Chaos Heavenly Monarch dares to challenge me?" Qin Yuan remained silent, his bone blade unsheathed. The first strike severed the swordsman's longsword. The second strike severed the swordsman's right arm. The third strike brought the blade to his neck. The swordsman conceded defeat, and Qin Yuan's ranking dropped to ninety-ninth. He continued his challenge, climbing from ninety-ninth to fiftieth place within a week. Each battle involved one or three strikes, never hesitant or drawn-out. The cultivators of the desolate city whispered among themselves: "Who is that madman with the bone blade?" "Nobody knows, where did he come from?" "Is he out of his mind?"

Beast Master Wushuang, the young master of the Ten Thousand Beasts Manor and an eighth-level Chaos Heavenly Lord, sent someone to invite Qin Yuan. Qin Yuan accepted the invitation. The Ten Thousand Beasts Manor was built in a valley, its architecture rugged, littered with animal bones and hides. Beast Master Wushuang sat on a tiger-skin chair, a white tiger at the seventh level of the Chaos Heavenly Lord lying beside him. He sized Qin Yuan up. "Your swordsmanship is not bad. Join the Ten Thousand Beasts Manor, and I guarantee you'll be in the top ten of the Heavenly Pride Tournament." Qin Yuan said, "I won't join." Beast Master Wushuang's face darkened, and the white tiger pounced on Qin Yuan. Qin Yuan drew his bone blade and decapitated the tiger in one stroke. The white tiger's corpse fell to the ground, its blood splattering all over Beast Master Wushuang.

Enraged, Beast Warrior personally attacked. His fists were like iron, the wind from his punches piercing the air. Qin Yuan parried with his bone blade, but was forced back several steps. He burned his lifespan, and 1,500 patterns on his bone blade lit up, severing Beast Warrior's right arm with a single strike. Beast Warrior screamed in agony and turned to flee. Qin Yuan did not pursue, sheathing his blade and leaving.

The Heavenly Sword Sect Master, Sword Madness, a ninth-level Chaos Heavenly Lord, sent someone to invite Qin Yuan. Qin Yuan went to the Heavenly Sword Sect. The Heavenly Sword Sect was built on a mountain peak, its sword energy soaring into the sky. Sword Madness was a middle-aged man with sword scars on his face and sharp eyes. "Your swordsmanship contains sword intent. I want to take you as my disciple." Qin Yuan refused. "I have my own path." Sword Madness was not angry. "Then help me kill someone—Youmingzi, the Lord of the Netherworld Valley, a ninth-level Chaos Heavenly Lord. Kill him, and I guarantee you will enter the top three of the Heavenly Pride Tournament." Qin Yuan asked where Youmingzi was. Sword Madness pointed to a black valley in the distance. "Deep in the Netherworld Valley."

Qin Yuan ventured alone into the Netherworld Valley. The valley was shrouded in demonic energy, so thick that visibility was zero. Netherworld Valley disciples burst forth from the mist, and Qin Yuan, wielding his bone blade, fought his way to the valley floor. Netherworld Prince emerged from the darkness, wielding a bone staff, his face pale. "You, a mere fifth-level Chaos Heavenly Lord, dare to trespass into my Netherworld Valley?" he roared, brandishing his staff, unleashing countless ghostly shadows that lunged at Qin Yuan. The patterns on Qin Yuan's bone blade shone brightly, shattering the ghostly shadows. He burned his lifespan, temporarily boosting his cultivation to the seventh level of Chaos Heavenly Lord, and with a single strike, shattered Netherworld Prince's bone staff. Netherworld Prince, terrified, tried to flee. Qin Yuan pursued, his bone blade piercing his heart. Netherworld Prince fell to the ground, and Qin Yuan retrieved his head.

Upon returning to the Heavenly Sword Sect, Qin Yuan handed over You Mingzi's head to Jian Kuang. Jian Kuang kept his promise and recommended him as a seeded player for the Heavenly Pride Tournament. Qin Yuan rested at the Heavenly Sword Sect, where his cultivation broke through again in battle, reaching the sixth level of the Chaos Heavenly Monarch realm.

The Prodigy Tournament was held in the central arena of the desolate city. Tens of thousands of spectators watched, their shouts deafening. One hundred contestants participated, their cultivation level at least at the sixth level of the Chaos Heavenly Monarch realm. Qin Yuan's first opponent was a rogue cultivator at the seventh level of the Chaos Heavenly Monarch realm, wielding twin swords. The two exchanged blows, and Qin Yuan defeated his opponent with three strikes. His twin swords were broken, and the rogue cultivator conceded defeat.

In the second round, Qin Yuan's opponent was Beast Tianci, the new young master of the Ten Thousand Beasts Manor, a Chaos Heavenly Lord at the eighth level. Beast Tianci sought revenge for his brother, his attacks ruthless and deadly. Qin Yuan burned his life force, 1800 patterns lighting up on his bone blade. After a hundred moves, he severed Beast Tianci's spear, placing the blade against his neck. Beast Tianci conceded defeat, and Qin Yuan advanced to the top sixteen. The audience gasped.

In the rest area, a woman in white approached Qin Yuan. Her long hair reached her waist, her face was aloof, and her eyes held a scrutinizing gaze. "I am Bai Ling, an envoy from the Divine Realm. Your strength is considerable; you are qualified to be chosen by the Divine Cult." Qin Yuan asked, "Were the seven women captured by you?" Bai Ling replied, "They were chosen as goddesses; it is an honor. If you can reach the top three in the tournament, you too can enter the Divine Realm." Qin Yuan said, "I will definitely go." Bai Ling smiled. "I'll be waiting for you."

In the quarterfinals, Qin Yuan faced off against Jian Xin, the chief disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect. Jian Xin was at the peak of the eighth level of the Chaos Heavenly Monarch realm, his swordsmanship divine; a single strike unleashed a torrent of sword energy. The two fought fiercely for a thousand moves before Jian Xin unleashed his strongest attack, "Heavenly Sword Slash." Qin Yuan's bone blade met the blow head-on, the clash of swords exploding in a blinding white light. Jian Xin's sword broke. Qin Yuan's bone blade was now pressed against his neck. Jian Xin conceded defeat, and Qin Yuan advanced to the semifinals. His cultivation had broken through to the seventh level of the Chaos Heavenly Monarch realm during the battle.

In the semi-finals, his opponent was Huang Wuji, the number one genius of the Desolate Region. A ninth-level Chaos Heavenly Monarch, he cultivated the Ancient Sacred Body, his body as hard as iron, his fist capable of shattering mountains. Huang Wuji's punch shattered the ground, sending debris flying. Qin Yuan parried with his bone blade, but was sent flying, coughing up blood. He burned 150,000 years of his lifespan, two thousand patterns on his bone blade lighting up as he engaged Huang Wuji in close combat. Fist and blade clashed, sparks flying. Qin Yuan traded blows, his left arm broken, bone fragments protruding. But his bone blade pierced Huang Wuji's abdomen. Huang Wuji, in excruciating pain, punched Qin Yuan away. Qin Yuan scrambled to his feet, charging again, severing Huang Wuji's right arm with a single strike. Huang Wuji knelt on the ground, blood gushing from his body. "I concede," Qin Yuan said, advancing to the finals.

His opponent in the final was the new Valley Master of the Netherworld Valley, the Netherworld Maiden, a ninth-level Chaos Heavenly Monarch. She cultivated the Netherworld Demonic Art and excelled at soul attacks. Upon stepping onto the stage, she cast "Netherworld Illusion," trapping Qin Yuan in an illusion where he saw seven women being tortured. Su Yao was suspended by chains, Yan Lingji was burned by flames, and Mu Hongyi had a sword piercing her chest… Qin Yuan knew it was an illusion, but his heart ached. He bit his tongue, the blood spreading in his mouth, the intense pain bringing him back to his senses. He closed his eyes, using his bone blade to sense her location. With a single thrust, he pierced the Netherworld Maiden's shoulder. The Netherworld Maiden screamed, her demonic energy erupting, and Qin Yuan was blasted away. He burned two hundred thousand years of his lifespan, temporarily boosting his cultivation to the ninth level of the Chaos Heavenly Monarch. With a full-force strike, he severed the Netherworld Maiden's long hair, the blade pressed against her neck. The Netherworld Maiden conceded defeat.

Qin Yuan won first place in the Prodigy Tournament. Bai Ling walked onto the stage and handed him a golden token. "This is a Divine Realm Pass. Someone will come to pick you up in three days."

Qin Yuan rested in the desolate city for three days. He refined the resources gained from the Refining Conference, stabilizing his cultivation at the eighth level of the Chaos Heavenly Monarch realm. Two thousand five hundred patterns lit up on his bone blade. Three days later, Bai Ling arrived as promised to pick him up and take him to the Divine Realm via a teleportation array. The teleportation array flashed, and Qin Yuan arrived on a golden land. The sky was golden, the earth was golden, and the spiritual energy in the air was so dense it condensed into liquid, feeling cool on his skin. Bai Ling said, "The Heavenly Mystery Divine Sect is in the center of the Divine Realm. Follow me."