Void Evolution System

The experts in the first banquet hall were all stoic characters in their daily lives, but in the past two days, they'd been forced to show a wide range of emotions.

In fact, at this point, the experts had split into various cliques, mostly of forces who were already affiliated, or those from the same domain. However, the Human Domain only sent a single group to represent themselves, rather than multiple groups from strong influences.

While the murmuring of the crowd leaned towards shaming the domain for having only a few worthy geniuses to showcase, Tian Yang and the rest didn't let the crowd bother them at all.

After all, why would they care for the opinions of those speaking without a single hint of knowledge?

They alone understood the true capabilities of their domain, and this knowledge bestowed them with supreme confidence.

Of course, not all the experts held such bias. There were a few who took the time to greet Tian Yang's group and introduce themselves. These were mainly those without strong affiliations that forced them to pick a side, such as the Ancient God Clan.

And of course, the very familiar Director Alucard and Commander Huo.

There was only one influence in the universe that could claim to be completely unbiased, and that influence was none other than Hidden Death Valley of Death Emperor Star.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," the Director said amiably, nodding in greeting as he approached.

"Oh?" Tian Yang uttered with a slight smile. "Could you be Alucard?"

"Have we met before?" The Director asked in slight confusion.

Tian Yang shook his head in amusement. "Perhaps you do not recognize this version of me, but perhaps you have some faint memory of a man named Yang Tian?"

"Yang Tian…" the Director echoed before his eyes suddenly widened.

"Crazy Bastard Yang Tian?!"

"The one and only!"

"Hahahaha!" The Director laughed boisterously. "How could this be? I thought you died in the Ancient Mythical Realm all those millennia ago!"

Tian Yang smiled warmly as his old acquaintance slapped his shoulder happily.

"Mm, I also thought I was dead, but instead, when I awoke, I had returned to my home in the Human Domain. Quite the strange circumstance, wasn't it?"

"In this universe? Not as rare as one would believe it."

"Isn't that true."

Tian Yang's youth took place in a time when the Human Domain wasn't so utterly disconnected from the wider universe. Back then, while the divide existed, it was far easier to find safe passage through the destroyed space if one was willing to risk their life for the chance.

Tian Yang held a secret that nobody in the Human Domain knew.

Under his wise and sagely exterior was a man who, in his youth, was a mad barbarian enough to where his universally bestowed title was Crazy Bastard!

Not many he knew back then were still alive now, and of those who were, only Alucard who he just revealed his identity to could make the connection between him and his past.

Tian Yang and Alucard began to jovially converse, catching up on the details of each other's lives, while Tang Lingzi and Albeus entertained the other influences who came to greet the Human Domain.

Suddenly, a wave of gasps spread through the crowd.

Tian Yang's attention was attracted to the front of the hall, and his smile immediately widened into a haughty grin.

With no warning, tens of geniuses started dropping out of the secret realm portal every minute, collapsing to the floor and writhing as they readjusted to being alive.

On the screens in the air above them, the advent of four geniuses was displayed clearly to all.

They took the four cardinal directions for themselves, moving forward without pause and destroying anything in their paths.

To the south was a dark icy hellscape. The souls of the dead wandered the air and corrupted any genius they came across, while the ice below froze their bodies and minds for eternity.

To the west was another icy land, but far purer and brighter than its counterpart. It was flat, as all obstructions in the path were sliced to nothingness, and the razor-sharp sword aura in the air razed everything that touched it.

To the north was an atmosphere with no change, but perhaps that was the most terrifying part. Despite the land of death and destruction the north had become, not a single person could see a hint of it through its peaceful appearance.

And finally, to the east was a path that truly represented the concept of destruction. The land was torn and sundered, golden dragons of sword aura streaked through the air and devoured any enemy they found.

The one thing all these paths had in common was the fact that at their ends, one could faintly hear the sounds of continued slaughter, making it evident that those who carved them were nowhere near done with their domineering killing spree.

And of course, they were all created by Human Domain geniuses.

This…

'What is this…?' Many experts thought as one.

Was this the so-called decrepit and declined Human Domain?

If this was the trash Human Domain, what did that make them, the people whose geniuses were being crushed like ants?

The negative stigmas surrounding the Human Domain were already crumbling with every second, but neither those geniuses in the secret realm nor Tian Yang and the elders in Luxurion planned to stop here.

Just like anyone else, they had no desire to stay in the shadows of the past.

Whether it be at the genesis of the universe or the very ends of time when creation returned to nothingness, the Human Domain would remain a legendary existence to all.

That was the ultimate goal.

***

It was a large space, far too large to fit within the bounds of the Tomb of Ayakashi.

The walls were made of weathered dark brown bricks that were covered in damp green moss and vines that snaked around like they were alive. The ground was lined with ancient letterings and hieroglyphs depicting various symbolisms that were long lost in the annals of time.

Chains spanned the ceiling and draped down several feet, clanging against each other as they were swayed by the mysterious wind that wrapped around the space and filled the already eerie atmosphere with disharmonious melodies that sang songs of death.

The entire area showed signs of extreme debilitation except for the very center, where a massive stele stood by its lonesome.

This was the central point of the Tomb of Ayakashi, the very room that held the ancient secrets hidden within the tomb.

And as Elena stared into its darkness, she firmed her will.

'The aura in this place is not natural. It's coming mainly from that stele, but there are strong pulses of it coming from several other areas. I'm afraid this tomb–'

–was already in the process of breaking down.

She covered her body in powerful vital aura and Light Laws, warding off all evil as she stepped into the unknown.

A single display in the first banquet hall went dark.

From this point forward, Elena was truly on her own.