The primary competition venue was an enormous floating oval structure with a semi-major axis spanning approximately 16,000 meters. Suspended at an altitude of over 100,000 meters, it defied the need for any supports.
Xu Jingming and his fellow competitors eyed each other warily, particularly those with clones on the outside. Their minds raced at breakneck speed, ceaselessly memorizing and deducing information about their adversaries.
I can tell from the first round of preliminaries that I won't stand a chance in the initial tournaments, Xu Jingming mused. Those potent wingless species faced greater flying resistance than me, yet over 50 of them were faster.
Especially those three! The Fire Dragonborn, the one-armed Giant Ape, and the Mountain Demon are leagues ahead. Xu Jingming was the epitome of patience.
Being a weaker species, it made sense for him to avoid the first few tournaments. He could use those early rounds to gauge the strength of his opponents, without risking his life.
In the Myriad Species World, weak species are the majority. A significant number of high-dimensional lifeforms belong to these weaker species. Xu Jingming also took note of the powerful members of weak species who arrived at the arena slower than he did. As long as they can make it into the top 10,000, they can't be underestimated.
Suddenly—
Buzz!
A luminous barrier encapsulated the entire arena, isolating the other contestants.
"All remaining preliminary contestants are eliminated." A resounding voice echoed through the sky as the infuriated powerhouses from the myriad species outside the light barrier were teleported away.
…
"They won't even let us watch the subsequent screening rounds." All the preliminary contestants were teleported out, including Yu Yangwei, Fengke, and Shadow, who appeared somewhat disheartened.
Yu Yangwei sighed. "After participating in the preliminaries and witnessing these competitors firsthand, I finally understand the gap. Even many weak species are stronger than us. The chances of me taking first place in the Myriad Species Arena are nil! Struggling is futile!"
"Even among the weaker species, there are many who outmatch us. We have no hope of survival," Shadow remarked calmly. "I was born a high-dimensional lifeform. As a high-dimensional lifeform in the Firstborn realm, I've lived a cautious and miserable existence, constantly fearing sacrifice or death… But I couldn't escape this fate."
Born as a high-dimensional lifeform, Shadow had lived in hiding for years. A single sweep from a third-realm entity affected over five million high-dimensional lifeforms, and Shadow was among them.
"In the future, I won't have to hide. I can enjoy life in peace." Shadow gazed at the city before him and smiled. "I'll savor this final chapter of my existence."
Fengke, the portly contestant, remained silent and walked alongside them.
The competition among high-dimensional lifeforms was brutal from the start, and even more so in the Myriad Species World. Only a minuscule fraction of the over five million high-dimensional lifeforms were fated to survive.
"Compared to low-dimensional lifeforms, we're already fortunate to have lived so long," Yu Yangwei said, forcing a smile. "Even compared to the natives of the Myriad Species World, our strength has afforded us a more comfortable existence."
"I hail from a low-dimensional lifeform species, and I'm the only high-dimensional lifeform among them," Fengke murmured. "I won't give up until I draw my last breath."
Shadow and Yu Yangwei were taken aback.
******
At the floating Myriad Species Arena, 10,000 preliminary contestants assembled.
"Congratulations on passing the first round of selection," the golden AI robot hovering above announced. "Next is the second screening round, which is also the final one! Out of the 10,000 preliminary contestants, 300 will advance to the main competition."
Xu Jingming's eyebrows shot up at the news.
Only 300 would progress from the second round?
Many powerhouses present listened intently.
"An invisible force will bear down on you during the second round," the golden AI robot continued. "You must endure. The longer you withstand the pressure, the better. If you can't, you may choose to give up. Once you do, the Myriad Species Arena will teleport you out of the venue.
"Let me offer some friendly advice. If you feel as though you can't hold on any longer, give up! If you persist until the end, you may not be able to utter the word 'give up' and will be crushed to death.
"Those who willingly give up and those who are crushed to death will be eliminated.
"Once only 300 contestants remain, the second round of selection will conclude," the golden AI robot declared. "The rules have been explained, and the final selection is about to commence. 5… 4… 3…"
"2… 1! Begin."
This massive oval arena was enveloped by an invisible force that weighed down Xu Jingming and the other powerful beings.
Huh? Xu Jingming felt as if a 100,000-foot mountain was crushing him. Even with his physique, he felt somewhat strained. What's more, this pressure was constantly escalating.
Xu Jingming still had the leisure to observe his other opponents.
The smaller ones are relatively at ease. The bigger ones… are already in agony. Xu Jingming saw that the two Giant Celestials he had come across during registration were trembling.
The two Giant Celestials—who were over 30 meters tall—were too enormous, and the suppressive force they were enduring was much greater.
"Why are those shorties so relaxed?" The two Giant Celestials were good friends and stood together. The two of them found the test extremely strenuous, and they couldn't help but shudder.
"When flying, those shorties were about as fast as us. Our bodies have great resistance, so our physiques should be stronger than theirs. This invisible force… Is the pressure proportional to size?"
"This round of screening is unfair to powerful species."
"However, we can't even make it to the top 300. Taking part in the main competition is a joke." Many thoughts surfaced in the minds of the two Giant Celestials. Their bodies were steaming, and they were drenched in sweat.
As time passed…
"Give up." "Give up." "I forfeit." "Give up." Powerful high-dimensional lifeforms chose to surrender. This selection was indeed more prejudiced toward weak species.
The two Giant Celestials—who were ranked around 5,000—also chose to give up.
At this moment, just being slightly stronger allowed them to last longer than a group of eliminated opponents.
Xu Jingming still felt very at ease. He glanced around, and found fewer and fewer contestants on the arena. He didn't see anyone being crushed to death.
High-dimensional lifeforms aren't foolish either. If they have to persevere to make it into the top 300, even if they barely qualify for the main competition, they will quickly be eliminated. They have no chance of becoming number one among the myriad species. Xu Jingming watched. If they don't see any hope, they might as well give up.
When there were still over 2,000 contestants left in the preliminaries, weak species began to be eliminated.
"I can't even clear the preliminaries."
The various flying species were also eliminated in large numbers. Their average standards were indeed inferior to the other contestants, so many of them were naturally eliminated in the second round.
Huh?
When there were still 1,000 contestants left on the field, Xu Jingming could already sense the immense strength weighing down on him.
It's getting a bit difficult. The Fire Dragonborn, the Mountain Demon, and the one-armed Giant Ape King also felt some pressure. They were too massive after all, and the pressure they endured was intense.
Especially the Mountain Demon powerhouse, he stood at over 60 meters tall, and the pressure he suffered was extremely frightening.
900, 800, 700…
The number of contestants who persevered decreased, and the remaining ones were true elites.
There are under 500 contestants left. Xu Jingming felt that the pressure was already very terrifying. He observed his surroundings. Weak species that can last until now might be my competitors in the future.
Even if the rules of the second round of selection benefit weak species, there are less than 50 from the weak species that have lasted until now.
They are probably extraordinary in the outside world.
Xu Jingming thought to himself.
He was a newly-advanced Eternal of the Heart Realm lineage and had reached the Eternal realm in about 10,000 years. He was extremely gifted.
What about his other opponents?
Even if I temporarily have an advantage, it doesn't mean that I will have an advantage thousands of years later, Xu Jingming thought. There are also weaker species like the Ants and Bees. There will definitely be some formidable powerhouses among them.
335, 334, 333… A cold-looking Forest Elf's body trembled as he observed his surroundings. I, Emperor Shanyi, have cultivated to the half-step third realm. Can't I even enter the main competition?
I've already fallen behind in the past 300 years. I have to work harder in the coming days, the elven powerhouse thought to himself.
Crack.
The elven powerhouse felt his bones crack under the pressure.
"I forfeit," the elven powerhouse shouted. Before he was teleported away, he swept his gaze around. There are still ten weak species left. All of them are stronger than me!
Whoosh.
He was teleported out.
…
Xu Jingming found it strenuous as well. His expression turned much graver as he observed his surrounding opponents.
310th, 309th…
As people gave up one after another, fewer and fewer people remained in the main competition venue. Every powerhouse who left memorized the powerhouses who managed to endure.
Suddenly, the extremely frightening pressure completely dissipated. Xu Jingming instantly felt much more at ease, and he felt like he was about to soar.
If it had continued any further, I would have lasted half a minute at most. Xu Jingming observed his surroundings. There were only a handful of behemoths around him. Of the 300 contestants in the main competition, only nine are from the weaker species?
Even though the second round of screening was already prejudiced toward weak species, very few of them entered the main competition.
In just 300 years of cultivation, the progress of weak species is far slower than that of powerful species, Xu Jingming thought to himself. Weaker species like the Ants grow even slower. I wonder when they will enter the main competition.
My body is already trembling. This human clearly had it more leisurely than me. A Xiao glanced at Xu Jingming.
Nine weak species. I'm an Abyss Overlord. What about the other eight? A Dwarf powerhouse observed his surroundings with a smile, focusing on the other contestants that were likewise from weaker species.
"The selection is over," the golden AI robot said with a smile. "Congratulations to everyone present for becoming participants in this Myriad Species Tournament's main competition."
All the contestants also paid attention to each other, especially the nine weak species that attracted the most attention.
