NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1077: Golden Crown
Max and the other geniuses from Acaris landed with a sudden heaviness on a cold, white platform that stretched beneath their feet like polished stone. The surface gleamed faintly in the dim light, and the chill that rose from it bit into their boots, making the air itself feel sharper.
Max lifted his gaze and scanned his surroundings. To his astonishment, countless other platforms floated in the vast expanse, suspended in the void like islands adrift on an endless sea. Atop each platform stood figures, their silhouettes distinct even at a distance. The air was silent, yet the weight of their presence pressed down like invisible chains.
"Are they geniuses from the other worlds?" Max muttered, his voice low but clear enough for those nearby to hear.
"They are indeed geniuses from other worlds," Victor replied as he walked to stand beside him. His expression was solemn, and his eyes gleamed with the weight of the knowledge he carried. "I have heard that the Heavenly Lord Secret Domain connects to ten worlds in total, ours included. Every world has sent its finest talents here."
Max nodded slightly, his eyes moving from platform to platform. The scale of it all was overwhelming. Yet one detail seized his attention above all others. Every figure standing on the platforms radiated immense strength. Whether their posture was calm or arrogant, the truth of their power was unmistakable. Each and every one of them had reached the peak of the Mythic Rank.
Only he stood apart.
Before the thought could settle, a startled voice rang out. It came from the platform adjacent to theirs, loud enough to echo across the entire void. "Huh? Am I seeing this correctly? How can someone at the sixth level of the Legend Rank be here?" The tone was incredulous, laced with disdain.
The words cut through the silence, and in that instant every head turned. Despite the vast distance separating the platforms, the senses of those at the Mythic Rank were sharp beyond compare. They could see across leagues as though the space between was nothing but mist, and they could hear the faintest whisper as if it were spoken at their side.
The scrutiny fell like a storm upon Max and the group from Acaris. Faces twisted with disbelief, voices rose in astonishment, and murmurs surged across the void like crashing waves. In the blink of an eye, order dissolved into chaos.
The arrival of a single genius below Mythic Rank had shattered the balance, and now every platform was alive with commotion, their collective focus drawn to the lone anomaly among them.
"What the hell? It really is someone at the sixth level of the Legend Rank," a voice cried out from one of the distant platforms, sharp with disbelief. "What kind of world would send such trash into the Heavenly Lord Secret Domain?"
Another voice quickly followed, this one carrying the tone of certainty. "If I am not mistaken, the platform to our left belongs to a world called Acaris. I have heard that in the past ten thousand years not a single genius from that world has managed to ascend to the Divine Realm."
Murmurs rippled outward, growing sharper with every passing second. "That backward planet? There are hundreds of mortal worlds in the Thousand Vines Sector, and yet they chose to include one where no cultivator has broken past the Divine threshold. To waste such a fortune on them is disgraceful."
"Indeed," another sneered. "I did not think the Heavenly Lord's legacy would sink so low as to allow someone at the sixth level of the Legend Rank to step foot here."
Their voices blended into a chorus of mockery, each genius from the other worlds speaking with contempt. Derision colored their words, and the laughter that followed rang across the void like the clashing of steel.
Yet if one looked closely at the figures standing on the platform of Acaris, there was no trace of humiliation. Instead, subtle smiles played across their lips, smiles edged with irony and hidden amusement.
They all knew the truth that the outsiders could not see. Max was not someone to be measured by the rank of his cultivation. His strength and ruthlessness had long surpassed such boundaries.
Victor stepped closer, his tone light but his eyes gleaming with understanding. "They seem to be underestimating you quite a lot," he said, his voice carrying the faint edge of a tease.
Max's expression remained calm as he lifted his gaze toward the sneering figures on the surrounding platforms. His shoulders relaxed, and his reply came with a shrug that carried neither anger nor interest. "Good for them, I suppose."
Just then Max's body began to radiate with a soft golden light. It spread slowly at first, as if drawn from deep within his core, and then swelled brighter until his entire figure seemed to glow with an otherworldly brilliance.
Before he could even process what was happening, a small golden crown materialized above his head. It floated just above him, shining so brightly that even the distant platforms could see its dazzling glow.
"What is this?" Max muttered to himself, his voice filled with curiosity. He reached up and touched the crown lightly, half-expecting it to resist his touch or lash out with hidden malice.
Yet he felt nothing hostile within it. Instead, a wave of calmness washed over him, soothing his spirit and steadying his thoughts as though the crown itself was a source of serenity.
The sight left those around him utterly stunned. Victor, Adrian, Seraphina, Edric, the twins Chris and Christine, and even Gareth stared with wide eyes, their expressions frozen in disbelief. Their mouths hung open as if words refused to form. The brilliance of the crown was undeniable, and its significance was something none of them could ignore.
"This is incredible," Victor exclaimed, his voice breaking the silence. Then he laughed aloud, the sound rich with triumph. "Good. At last, our world has finally produced a genius who has called forth the golden crown. This will increase our chances within the Heavenly Lord Secret Domain. The opportunities waiting for us have just grown, though so have the dangers." His face lit with pride as he watched Max, his tone carrying both excitement and caution.