Cosmic Professional Gladiator



Xu Jingming returned to the contestants' room and scrutinized the subsequent matches closely.

"After the second round ended, Xiao Lilu made it into the top five," Panqiu exclaimed ecstatically. "Human Jing Ming and Xiao Lilu actually entered the second round of the main tournament 5,000 years ago. Back then, they were the only contestants from the weaker species to advance to the main competition's second round!"

"Come to think of it, I was also the host of that year's tournament. Given my lifespan, I should be able to host a few more years." The host, Panqiu, chatted away.

Since today was for the top ten tournament, there were only five matches in total! The matches didn't require much time, so the tournament host naturally had to gab more to heat up the atmosphere.

A round—including the contestants' entry and exit—might only take two to three minutes, but the tournament host had to speak for ten minutes.

…

"The third match has ended. The Demon Dragonborn, Cloudhunter, has made it into the top five!"

"The fourth match has ended. The Ant, Havering, has made it into the top five!"

"The fifth match has ended. The Gray Elf, Tribulation Subduer, has made it into the top five!"

Despite Panqiu's stalling, the five matches that day still ended over an hour later, and the top five were determined.

"The ultimate round-robin match will be held tomorrow. The top five contestants will fight in pairs until the champion of this tournament is decided." Panqiu was extremely excited. "The new champion will be born tomorrow. Let's look forward to the most exciting ultimate round-robin match."

Countless spectators and contestants started leaving the arena.

Xu Jingming mulled over his other four opponents and also left.

The largest of the other four opponents is the Demon Dragonborn, Cloudhunter, who's over 16 feet tall, Xu Jingming thought. Among the top five of this competition, the tallest is over 16 feet tall, and the shortest is an Ant powerhouse who's under a foot tall. The Xiao, Gray Elf, and I aren't too different in size… From this, it can be seen that the weaker species have truly risen to the top.

"Lord Jing Ming." On the streets outside the arena, Xu Jingming ran into Shadow, Yu Yangwei, and Fengke.

"Lord Jing Ming, there's no hope for us to get out of here. However, you've got a great shot at winning the championship." Yu Yangwei grinned from ear to ear. "No matter what, we were all born human."

"Humans have to have a champion, right?" Shadow said with a smirk.

"The other high-dimensional humans are too weak. We can only count on you, Lord Jingming," the portly Fengke added.

Xu Jingming nodded. "Thank you."

These three friends had known each other since the early days of their descent. They had already given up on becoming champions.

"You want a drink? On me," Xu Jingming said.

"Sure," Yu Yangwei, Shadow, and the portly Fengke agreed with enthusiasm.

******

In a super-enormous bar, Xu Jingming and the others were drinking their hearts out.

"Bottoms up!" The portly Fengke drank the craziest. He seized the massive wine cask and poured it into his mouth.

"I still remember that when I was a low-dimensional being, I was obsessed with becoming a high-dimensional being," said the portly Fengke as he lowered the wine cask. "I eventually became the only high-dimensional being in my race. However, I realized that… it's too difficult for a Firstborn realm high-dimensional being without any background to survive."

"It's indeed difficult." Yu Yangwei nodded.

"For Firstborn cultivators, the biggest danger isn't the Eternal powerhouses who carry out Abyss Sacrifices or exploring dangerous areas, but… high-dimensional space itself," Fengke said. "In high-dimensional space, it's too easy to get lost. It's too easy to unknowingly enter dangerous places."

Xu Jingming nodded. Back when Redmond became a high-dimensional being, the dean and the others were in charge of guiding him. After that, he focused on cultivating on Myriad Star Island and didn't dare run around.

"High-dimensional space is very dangerous, and so are other high-dimensional beings," said the portly Fengke in a low voice. "We can only think of ways to interact with the other high-dimensional beings in our own universe in exchange for weak cultivation methods."

"I'm careful and don't make enemies. I don't go to dangerous places. I even hoped that I could live to the end of my life and live an Abyssal Era." The portly Fengke shook his head with a bitter smile.

The lifespan of a Firstborn was an Abyssal Era, but how many Firstborns could live that long?

"High-dimensional Eternals have theoretically infinite lifespans, but many of them can't live past an Abyssal Era," Shadow said. "How can we at the Firstborn realm have extravagant hopes for an Abyssal Era?"

"Yeah, calamity just befalls you even if you hide in your home universe," Fengke said. "I was dragged into the Myriad Species World, and this is probably the end of my life."

"At the very least, many high-dimensional beings will accompany you." Yu Yangwei smiled. "At the very least, Shadow and I will always be with you."

"Thank you. I never expected to make true high-dimensional friends in the Myriad Species World." The portly Fengke smiled happily.

Xu Jingming listened from the side.

He hadn't been a high-dimensional being for long, and he was transported here shortly after he broke through.

As a member of the Heart Realm lineage, he had many clones. He could explore countless Heart Realm ruins and head to distant dominions to seek opportunities, but with more clones, it was easier for him to encounter a calamity—just like now.

Thankfully, there was still a chance of escape.

…

The final day of the tournament was also the most thrilling day of the tournament. Countless spectators from multiple species eagerly anticipated the most exciting championship round-robin match.

In the ultimate round-robin match, the ultimate champion would be decided based on the number of victories.

"The first match of the championship round will be between Gray Elf Tribulation Subduer and Human Jing Ming," Host Panqiu said solemnly. "Please welcome them into the arena."

Buzz! Buzz!

The air trembled, and two figures appeared in the arena.

Xu Jingming observed his opponent thousands of meters away. Every victory in the final round was crucial.

Human Jing Ming? Tribulation Subduer also gazed at Jing Ming and thought, I only became an Overlord after enduring countless calamities in the Abyss. How can I die silently in the Myriad Species World?

Tribulation Subduer was accustomed to brutal competition.

Defeat him. Tribulation Subduer moved, and blurry afterimages filled the arena. Over 100 versions of him appeared everywhere.

What speed and agility. Jing Ming remained still but was extremely alert. In terms of nimbleness, he surpasses me.

The arena's maximum diameter was only 10,000 meters, yet the Gray Elf instantly changed direction hundreds of times, leaving behind afterimages.

Now!

Tribulation Subduer spotted an opening and immediately charged at Xu Jingming diagonally from behind.

Xu Jingming remained motionless.

Bang!!!

The instant Tribulation Subduer approached, Xu Jingming's right hand lashed out!

Tribulation Subduer was hurled like a cannonball and crashed into the shield a thousand yards away. Blood trickled from his nose and mouth as he hit the ground with a grunt.

What power! He's so fast! Tribulation Subduer was secretly amazed.

The fusion of mind and body seeks to maximize the speed of attack. Xu Jingming's Heart Divine Weapon treated the body as a weapon, so he naturally placed great importance on speed. After all, in terms of agility, the super-small species far exceeded Xu Jingming.

Though agility was his weak point, Xu Jingming had to leverage his other advantages.

Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.

Over a hundred afterimages flickered at blinding speed.

Tribulation Subduer seized every chance to strike, but Xu Jingming's blows always landed first. Before the Gray Elf's attacks could touch Xu Jingming, he was sent flying.

"Tribulation Subduer, surrender is inevitable. Concede defeat," Xu Jingming said. From their clashes, he could tell he was overpowering Tribulation Subduer.

Other than agility, Xu Jingming dominated his opponent in every respect.

"These injuries mean nothing." Tribulation Subduer was clearly indignant.

Xu Jingming finally moved.

Whoosh!

The speed at which he moved was as swift as lightning, and he was clearly faster than Tribulation Subduer who couldn't evade or escape.

A barrage of fists struck like a storm—Ape Demon Heart Piercing! Xu Jingming's fists became a blur as he struck wildly. No matter how nimbly Tribulation Subduer dodged, Xu Jingming landed blow after blow.

Tribulation Subduer tried blocking with hands and legs but was in excruciating agony.

In just one exchange, Xu Jingming battered Tribulation Subduer with 32 punches.

Many bones in Tribulation Subduer's body shattered, and he was drenched in blood. He could only indignantly shout, "I concede defeat!"

Only then did Xu Jingming stop.

Even though the Gray Elves were smaller and tougher than Humans, if he endured more of that merciless pounding, he'd be dead!

I lost. I lost the first round. I probably have no chance in this tournament. The Ant has already entered the top five of this tournament. I likely can't defeat the powerhouses of the Ants and Demon Rats in the next.

In the next few thousand years, it might be dominated by super-small species.

I have nearly 20,000 years of life, thousands more than super-small species. Perhaps my chance is a few millennia after the super-small species die of old age.

After Tribulation Subduer lost the first match, his situation leaving the Myriad Species World promptly worsened.

Half-step third-realm powerhouses and Abyss Overlords had gathered. There were also some gifted high-dimensional lifeforms and some powerhouses ideally suited for the Myriad Species World. They were all vying for first place. Coupled with restrictions on their species and lifespans, even plenty of half-step third-realm powerhouses and Abyss Overlords would perish in the Myriad Species World.

Phew.

Xu Jingming also breathed a sigh of relief. The first match of the final round-robin matches was crucial; he had almost no hope of winning if he lost it. Thankfully, he had won the first match.

"The second match of the ultimate round-robin matches will be between Xiao Lilu and Ant Havering," Panqiu said gravely. He could sense the unspoken pressure and determination of the top five contenders.

Each of the top five powerhouses had terrifying wills and craved victory.

Xiao Lilu and Ant Havering appeared, spurring the audience to cheer loudly.

Lilu towered three meters tall, bald, with sparse fur. His eyes were calm and emotionless but instinctively terrified anyone who gazed into them.

Ant Havering stood only 30 centimeters tall, and his dark jade-like body seemed impervious to the naked eye. In the previous rounds, he hadn't sustained a single injury.

The two of them pose a severe threat to me, Xu Jingming thought seriously.

Like Xu Jingming, Lilu had reached the second round of the main competition in the inaugural tournament and hadn't participated in the following few thousand years. He likely also had the confidence to clinch the championship if he chose to compete this time.

Xu Jingming was extremely wary of Havering based on his identity.

I wonder who will prevail in this match, Xu Jingming mused. The victor will be my most formidable opponent.