The Megaverse Crossroads was not established by any supreme being or faction, but rather formed by the most primordial rules that encompassed countless rivers of space and time across the infinite megaverse.
In simple terms, the existence of the Megaverse Crossroads was part of the primordial rules.
It was just like the samsara cycles of heaven and earth, just as mortal lifeforms lived for a million years at most, and just as sempiternal life was destined to perish in samsara... these were all iron-clad laws.
The Megaverse Crossroads opened once every 5.5 billion years, and once opened, regardless of where one was in the infinite megaverse, as long as they were mortal lifeforms with Dao comprehension reaching the Astral Monarch level, they would all be directly transported inside.
This too was an iron-clad law, which even supreme beings could not forcibly defy or obstruct.
However, supreme beings were extraordinary after all, and with each samsara cycle of heaven and earth and each opening of the Megaverse Crossroads, they found some loopholes in the rules, allowing their faction’s participants to maintain some connection with the world outside.
This was the limit of what supreme beings could accomplish.
On the other hand, while the Megaverse Crossroads was indeed mysterious and its location unknown to all, the opportunities it held were truly extraordinary.
Therefore, during the eras when the Megaverse Crossroads opened, many Saintdoms across the megaverse focused on training their younger generation. After all, participation was out of their control.
"They've all entered."
"Over six hundred thousand ordinary geniuses from the plaza, and eighty-eight geniuses from the hall of elites, have all entered."
"They've all entered without any hiccups," Overlord Hou Jue and many other Overlords chatted, all breathing sighs of relief.
"Let's enter the voidrealm."
"We should receive news from the Crossroads soon."
"Let’s go." These Overlords successively entered the special voidrealm established by the Eldritch Progenitors of the Eldritch Court.
In that special voidrealm, they could communicate with their respective disciples, allowing them to receive timely reports and provide guidance.
The Ling Jiang Universe, Taiyuan True Realm, the Overlord Temple.
"About six thousand people have all entered."
"Only five hundred qualified to enter the voidrealm." The hundred-zhang tall Overlord Shan Jin's voice boomed: "In this aspect, we indeed can't match the Eldritch Court or Immortal Court."
"Don't think about competing with those two factions, they'll fight among themselves anyway," Overlord Yan Kui said: "Reserve that energy for thinking about how to best help Ming Jian, Bai Yi and the others."
Although Overlord Yan Kui had some objections regarding the occupancy of the Primordial Hall, he didn't think badly of Ming Jian, but rather was dissatisfied with Overlord Xin Ya. He too valued Ming Jian highly.
"Mm. Entering the second stage shouldn't be a problem for Ming Jian," Overlord Xin Ya said softly: "As for Bai Yi and Hu Biao, it would be considered a success if they enter the second stage.
“As for the others, unless they undergo shocking transformations, their hopes of entering the second stage were slim. Obtaining some major opportunities early on will already be a decent achievement.”
“Let's enter the voidrealm first." The group of Overlords from the Taiyuan Divine Court successively entered that special voidrealm.
Across the megaverse, similar scenes were happening in various Saintdoms.
Only one group was an exception - the Abyssal Devil race.
The Abyss was one of the most special constructs in the megaverse. Its origin was untraceable even by supreme beings, yet it connected to all universes.
Every universe had an Abyss. And these Abysses were formlessly connected with many macrocosms in the universe.
The Abyss of the Ling Jiang Universe was a place where spacetime overlapped, countless worlds were born and destroyed, and innumerable evil and strange creatures lived.
Every day, countless devils were born from various devil nests in the Abyss, fighting and devouring each other to rise up above the rest.
Among them was a vast and boundless world with no trace of chaos. Rather it could be described as ‘orderly’. Many powerful Abyssal Devil race members lived in this world, each exuding mighty auras, many comparable to Archimmortals and Archdeities, some even matching Astral Monarchs.
In a temple at the core of this world.
"Devil Emperor, the approximately three hundred mortal devils selected from your domain have all been transported into the Megaverse Crossroads." A Sovereign wearing blood-colored robes, with a body as large as a small mountain, respectfully reported.
"Mm, I've sensed it," a cold and majestic voice echoed in the temple.
"Devil Emperor." The blood-robed Sovereign tentatively asked: "Should we contact them? The Devil Reverend bestowed voidrealm jades to them earlier."
"No need. The Devil Reverend is merciful, offering them a path of survival, but what's the use of giving them a path? Whether they live or die rests on them alone." The voice echoed with an austere indifference.
"If they are strong enough, they can naturally dominate the competition, perhaps ascending to become Sovereigns and Overlords. If they lack strength or luck, they’ll just be a waste of spiritual qi anyway. They’re better off dead.
“For those who do not become supreme, death is inevitable. Since they are trash, it’s better that they die early.
“Let them carve their own bloody path forward. If they survive and return from the Crossroads, it proves they aren't trash, and only then are worth our attention and resources."
"Understood," the blood-robed Sovereign acknowledged.
This was the Abyssal Devil race - they inherently believed in the strong devouring the weak, abiding by the brutal of the jungle.
A ‘genius’? From the lofty Devil Emperors and Sovereigns, down to the lowliest mortal devils, the Abyssal Devil race acknowledged only true strength.
If one was truly a genius, they should be able to shatter every obstacle by themself to become a super powerhouse, no matter how insurmountable.
If they couldn't achieve this, it would merely prove they had shortcomings and weren't true geniuses, even if one were a so-called Supreme Genius.
Their deaths would not be a pity.
Within the distant Greenridge Macrocosm was an unremarkable worldlet. Halfway up a mountain peak in this worldlet stood a pavilion.
A fine spread of immortal wine and fruits was laid out on the table inside. Before it, a black-robed figure was leisurely seated.
Whoosh~ Suddenly, countless light motes gathered, materializing into a figure draped in beast hide.
"Kua Chi, you've finally come," the black-robed figure smiled: "Please sit."
"Bei You." Sovereign Kua Chi nodded and sat directly at the other end of the table.
The two sat facing each other, admiring the scenery from the mountain.
"You should have received the news," Sovereign Bei You smiled: "The Megaverse Crossroads has opened."
"Yes, the Overlord has informed me," Sovereign Kua Chi replied.
"Let's speak frankly," Sovereign Bei You smiled: "This time, I invited your incarnation here so we could wait for Ming Jian’s results together - perhaps he’ll claim a Saintcrest."
"It's Wu Yuan!" Sovereign Kua Chi emphasized: "His childhood name was Wu Yuan, and his body refiner self came first."
"Ming Jian. Under my tutelage, and in the Taiyuan Divine Court, he has always used the name Ming Jian," Sovereign Bei You smiled and glanced at him: "He is Ming Jian."
Sovereign Kua Chi shook his head with a smile, too lazy to say more.
Whether Ming Jian or Wu Yuan, they were just aliases, and didn't change anything.
"Let me know immediately if there's any news," Sovereign Bei You smiled: "Your Eldritch Court's intelligence is much better than my Taiyuan Divine Court’s. Don't worry, I won't leak it."
"Mm." Kua Chi nodded.
"Your disciple, that Jiang Huan, seems quite good too, perhaps there will be surprises," Sovereign Bei You sighed: "Unlike me, I can only count on Ming Jian."
"Bei You, no need for such talk between us," Sovereign Kua Chi shook his head: "Your disciple Dong Yang, though not famous in the macrocosm, has made quite a name for himself in the Long Shan Universe."
"You know?" Sovereign Bei You looked slightly embarrassed and reached out: "Come, let's drink!"
The two Sovereigns chatted casually.
These two could be called the two most important guides on Wu Yuan’s path of growth for his respective true selves, and had a deep understanding of Wu Yuan's background.
As Sovereigns themselves, they possessed both strength and insight, and understood that this battle of the Megaverse Crossroads would be the most crucial part of Wu Yuan's journey. If he could claim a Saintcrest, he would truly soar to the heavens in one go. But this path was also full of obstacles, and the risk of death was present, so naturally they were both very concerned.
"Don't worry. With Wu Yuan's two true selves working together, he’s not far behind those Supreme Geniuses," Sovereign Kua Chi smiled: "In particular, his qi refiner self's self-preservation ability is first-rate."
"Mm. We just don't know if his two true selves can successfully reunite," Sovereign Bei You said.
The world outside was in tumult, with various Saintdoms throughout the endless megaverse watching closely.
Within the Megaverse Crossroads.
When that magnificent and vast wave swept across every corner of the endless megaverse, it immediately enveloped Wu Yuan's qi refiner self and body refiner self. Then everything went black, and they completely lost consciousness.
It felt as if a long time had passed, yet also only an instant.
Hmm? When Wu Yuan's body refiner self regained consciousness, the scenery before him had completely changed.
What met his eyes was an ancient forest with towering trees, so dense they stretched endlessly beyond sight. Each of these trees was several li tall, with trunks of astounding thickness.
Wu Yuan sprang up, his instincts sharp. A forest? Without hesitation, he summoned the Mystic Turtle Shell, the armor cocooning his form. In his palm, the Hundred Stars Saber materialized.
He prepared for the worst, ready to unleash his grand ether arts and the Creation Saint Prohibition at a moment’s notice.