Cosmic Professional Gladiator

What an eye-opener it is, a true wonder, thought Xu Jingming as he happily stowed away the incredible find. His many clones merged into one, slipping away silently from the scene and venturing deeper into the mountains.

Xu Jingming didn't dare linger, fearing that the battle's commotion would attract other formidable beings. This was the mountains, after all, a domain where countless invincible half-step third-realm powerhouses roamed, far surpassing his own abilities.

Whoosh.

As he journeyed on, hundreds of Xu Jingmings sat cross-legged within the pocket universe he carried with him. The illusory sphere hovered before them.

A halo shimmered across the surface of the illusory sphere. Guided by Xu Jingming's consciousness, the sphere transformed, giving rise to an immense and intricate Abyss. With the passage of time, the illusory Abyss expanded, growing vast beyond measure and emanating a terrifying, invisible aura.

In combat, I usually conjure the Abyssal Void with a mere thought. However, the entire burden falls upon my mind and consciousness, Xu Jingming pondered. But with this wonder, it can serve as a conduit for the Abyssal Void, and I have ample time to construct it gradually. The Abyssal Void I create… it will be even more expansive and formidable.

The process of constructing it with a single thought was undoubtedly distinct from meticulously shaping the Abyssal Void without any time constraints.

Freed from the strain on his mind and consciousness, Xu Jingming could fashion the illusory realm of the Abyssal Void to his heart's desire, thus rapidly augmenting its power.

After more than three hours, the illusory sphere had transformed entirely into an expansive illusory abyss.

The Abyssal Void I fashioned in just over three hours has reached my current limit. Thankfully, I possess this wonder as a vessel. Otherwise, my mind and consciousness would crumble beneath the weight of such an immense illusory realm, Xu Jingming mused, a smile gracing his face. Setting aside the Abyssal Void for now, he began to meticulously study the three characters he had obtained by slaying the mutated beast.

The three characters, when combined, formed a perfect representation of a new direction.

Xu Jingming scrutinized the three characters intently, while his clones traversed the boundless lands outside, examining the over 1,000 characters they had collected and contemplating various combinations.

Could this be a power from a higher dimension? Xu Jingming was already astounded by studying each character individually, but when he explored the fusion of the three characters, his astonishment grew even greater.

His clones continued their journey outside, and the mental strain was negligible. Almost all of his focus was dedicated to deciphering these enigmatic characters.

…

In a pavilion nestled within Feather Fire City, Xu Jingming, Ancient Tree World Lord, and Thearch Dragon Island Lord were gathered, savoring their drinks as they engaged in lively conversation.

"Today, I lost one of my clones in the Ultimate Land," said Ancient Tree World Lord with a sigh. "Of all the companions who embarked on that journey with me, only you and North River remain."

"To think I died, while North River still remains alive!" Thearch Dragon Island Lord couldn't help but interject. "I've reached out to numerous acquaintances. Even in the outskirts of the Ultimate Land, one can encounter invincible half-step third-realm powerhouses and Abyss Sovereigns."

Ancient Tree World Lord nodded solemnly. "I perished at the hands of an Abyss Sovereign. From a distance, I witnessed a clash of powerhouses in the mountains, so I proceeded with utmost caution. I preferred to remain in the outer regions rather than venture into the inner region. Little did I know that today, shortly after I sought refuge, I would encounter an Abyss Sovereign! Moreover, he made off with all the mysterious characters I had amassed."

"I've also lost the few third-realm weapons I brought with me," Thearch Dragon Island Lord lamented, feeling the sting of his loss. He had painstakingly gathered them over time.

Xu Jingming furrowed his brow. "Even invincible half-step third-realm powerhouses and Abyss Sovereigns have infiltrated the outer regions?"

"Yeah." Thearch Dragon Island Lord confirmed with a nod. "I've made inquiries! It seems that the competition within the inner region is fierce. Certain invincible half-step third-realm powerhouses and Abyss Sovereigns believe that the mysterious characters hold great importance. Consequently, they venture to the periphery to hunt down weaker half-step third-realm powerhouses, pillaging vast quantities of these mysterious characters."

Xu Jingming grew wary. He had a clone situated in the outer region.

"The outer region spans vast expanses. With caution and vigilance, there remains a chance of eluding capture for an extended period," Ancient Tree World Lord advised. "You and North River are the sole survivors among us. North River is relying on you, so you must persevere a little longer."

Xu Jingming nodded.

"Brother Wu Ming," Thearch Dragon Island Lord said gravely, "the Ultimate Land will only grow more treacherous as time passes. Those who have endured this long are not to be underestimated. You must exercise utmost caution."

"Have no fear," Xu Jingming responded, his confidence undeterred.

Having obtained the wonder, the might of his illusory realm—the Abyssal Void—had grown exponentially. Furthermore, he possessed a third-realm weapon that harmonized perfectly with his psychic weapon lineage. With these two combined, Xu Jingming believed that despite the disparity between himself and an invincible half-step third-realm powerhouse, he possessed the necessary confidence to safeguard himself.

******

Xu Jingming's clone in the outside world diligently gathered information.

Within the Ultimate Land, he pursued two different paths.

One path involved venturing cautiously through the outer region, carrying the mysterious characters. Occasionally, he would be attacked by indigenous creatures, granting him the opportunity to eliminate them and accumulate more mysterious characters.

The other path led him through the mountains—the inner region—where danger lurked at every turn, but where greater treasures and opportunities awaited.

In the blink of an eye, ten days had passed since Xu Jingming delved into the mountains. Throughout this time, he had faced seven attacks from indigenous creatures. Relying on his significantly enhanced power—the formidable Abyssal Void illusory realm and his psychic weapon—he swiftly vanquished these seven creatures in succession, obtaining a collection of mysterious characters.

Upon the demise of these seven creatures, they left behind a minimum of three combined characters, and at most, five combined characters.

The native creatures within the inner region are considerably stronger, yet once engaged in battle, they will become consumed by a frenzied madness, choosing death over retreat. Xu Jingming found this perplexing.

On the other hand, while the native creatures in the outer region possessed only a single character each, they displayed far greater cunning. Realizing their inability to overcome their adversaries, they knew when to flee.

The inner region operated under different rules, clearly.

Fortunately, I acquired a wonder, greatly augmenting my strength in the illusory realm. Otherwise, dealing with these native creatures wouldn't have been as effortless, Xu Jingming thought, secretly relieved, before shaking his head. Regrettably, I obtained only one wonder.

During these past ten days, he had caught sight of other treasures from a distance. However, items visible from afar inevitably attracted the attention of other powerhouses, and the competition for them was fierce. Xu Jingming wisely chose to steer clear.

I've acquired numerous combined characters by slaying indigenous creatures. Xu Jingming frowned. Yet, their usefulness to me… remains unclear.

His power had undeniably undergone significant growth since entering the Ultimate Land, but such advancement was primarily due to the aid of the wonder, resulting in a qualitative transformation of his Abyssal Void illusory realm. The impact of the mysterious characters on his psychic weapon, however, proved to be only a marginal enhancement.

This doesn't seem right. I can sense that these mysterious characters harbor higher-dimensional powers. If I can truly grasp their fundamentals, a qualitative transformation should occur. Xu Jingming yearned for such power. Perhaps, with its mastery, he would stand a chance of reaching the third realm.

To progress from the half-step third realm to the third realm? It was an immensely challenging feat.

Feather Fire Lord had dedicated his life to grooming disciples, yet not a single one had attained it.

Nevertheless, Xu Jingming harbored a faint inkling that these mysterious characters left behind by an Ultimate being might hold the key to reaching the third realm.

Higher-dimensional powers… Xu Jingming continued to study and contemplate as he pressed onward.

Perhaps due to the multitude of invincible half-step third-realm powerhouses and Abyss Sovereigns who had ventured into the inner region ahead of him, treasures that were relatively easy to locate had already been claimed. Xu Jingming had yet to stumble upon a second wonder.

It all hinged on luck.

Some things could be obtained with ease, while others remained elusive no matter how diligently he searched. Xu Jingming could only maintain his composure and exercise patience.

Huh?

Xu Jingming's eyes sparked with excitement. In the distance, he caught a glimpse of an inconspicuous shadow within the forest, causing his heart to inexplicably flutter. Merely the sight of a distant shadow affects my mind? It must be an extraordinary treasure!

Without hesitation, Xu Jingming swiftly approached.

But at that very moment, two auras erupted from afar.

Boom! Boom!

"Haha! I've beaten you to it. This treasure belongs to me!" A tall figure clad in black robes emitted a dark aura, gripping a translucent staff tightly in one hand.

Xu Jingming's heart quivered as he beheld the scene. Given his realm, he instantly recognized that the material of the translucent staff was identical to that of the Heart Spirit Beads. After all, he had refined numerous Heart Spirit Beads and was intimately familiar with them.

A single Heart Spirit Bead is equivalent to three drops of Abyssal Mother Blood. A staff crafted from the same material… would be comparable to thousands, or even more than 10,000 Heart Spirit Beads. Although Xu Jingming was unsure of the staff's exact purpose, he could venture a guess. A staff constructed from such a multitude of Heart Spirit Beads would undoubtedly possess miraculous effects on the Heart Realm lineage.

Merely observing it captivated Xu Jingming's mind and soul. It was truly an immensely precious wonder of the Heart Realm lineage.

Wonders that he had never heard of before seemed to appear randomly within the Ultimate Lands. Unfortunately, they were not his to claim.

"I was a step too slow." Another figure bathed in scorching white light glared at the scene with frustration.

When opponents possessed similar strength, it became exceedingly challenging for one to seize a treasure after it had been snatched away.

In the Abyss, Abyss Sovereigns were on par with invincible half-step third-realm powerhouses.

"Yaming, consider yourself fortunate." The white-hot figure shot a cold glance at Sovereign Yaming, then at Xu Jingming, before swiftly departing.

Whoosh.

Xu Jingming promptly retreated.

"Retreating, are you?"

A dark aura instantaneously barred Xu Jingming's path—it was the towering Sovereign Yaming. Having already stowed away the wondrous staff, he observed Xu Jingming with keen interest. "Wu Ming, do you believe you can escape?"

Xu Jingming met his gaze. "Sovereign Yaming."

"I sensed your presence when you lunged for that wonder." Sovereign Yaming's eyes exuded a cold darkness. "Speaking of which, you managed to elude me at Feather Fire Mountain, didn't you?"

Beings like Sovereign Yaming possessed formidable memories. Even if they hadn't personally experienced an event, they would never forget what they had witnessed in the timeline, let alone what they themselves had encountered.

"Sovereign Yaming, I have no desire to be your enemy." Xu Jingming slightly lowered his head, signifying his submission.

"I have no interest in killing you." Sovereign Yaming's frigid gaze brimmed with anticipation. "But I am intrigued by your treasures!"