A palm-sized Skittershade covered entirely in gray fur stood upon Morado’s left shoulder.

The small creature was exceptionally energetic, constantly leaping back and forth between his shoulders.

Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!

The Skittershade seemed to have grown bored and began crying out repeatedly.

"Chongyun, we’ve known each other for thousands of years."

"How are you still as restless as the day we first met?"

His meditation interrupted, Morado turned toward the Skittershade and complained helplessly.

The Skittershade curled its lips and immediately retorted,

"You have the nerve to criticize me?"

"Just look at yourself. You’re so dull that anyone who stays beside you for too long would become numb from boredom."

"Oh?"

"And then?"

Morado did not become angry.

Instead, a faint smile appeared on his face.

"I admit that I’m not as interesting as my younger sister."

"You stayed with her for so long. I imagine you preferred her way of living."

The moment Morado mentioned his younger sister, the Skittershade’s expression changed.

It had always known that his sister was a forbidden subject.

Morado almost never spoke of her.

It had not expected him to bring her up of his own accord today.

Morado seemed to understand what the Skittershade was thinking.

He waved dismissively.

"Relax. I let go of that matter long ago."

"I have now entered the Myriad Worlds Tournament."

"With my strength, obtaining a high ranking is entirely possible."

"I am no longer the coward my sister described—the weakling who could only hide behind her and depend upon her protection."

"Do you truly believe I still cannot move beyond the past?"

Chongyun immediately grinned.

"Your sister is still wandering somewhere in the outside world, and no one knows what has happened to her."

"If she returned to participate in the Myriad Worlds Tournament, she might still be stronger than you."

Morado’s expression gradually stiffened.

A fierce, combative light appeared in his eyes.

"Why do you believe I am still inferior to her?"

The Skittershade hurriedly shook its head.

"No, no, no!"

"I think your current strength has already reached a terrifying level."

"You should be evenly matched with your sister."

"However, unless you secure third place in the actual Myriad Worlds Tournament, you will never prove that you have surpassed her."

"At most, you can prove that you are her equal."

A smile appeared on Morado’s face.

He closed his eyes and sneered.

"It is merely third place."

"Wouldn’t obtaining it be effortless for me?"

...

More than half a day had passed since the conclusion of the Heroic Spirit Corridor.

All preliminary activities had now ended.

The official stage of the Myriad Worlds Tournament was about to begin.

The fourth day soon arrived.

On that day, the voice of the will of the universe suddenly echoed beside every participant’s ears.

[The official stage of the Myriad Worlds Tournament has begun.]

[All participants must proceed to the designated tournament grounds immediately.]

[Late arrivals will be punished.]

The Great Dao voice of the will of the universe rang within every participant’s mind like a tolling alarm bell.

John’s eyes immediately lit up.

"The official stage of the Myriad Worlds Tournament has finally arrived."

"Let’s see what the tournament rules are."

In the next instant, his figure vanished.

Holly, Silt, Odelle, and the other members of Valhalla immediately followed him, disappearing as they traveled toward the location of the official tournament.

At the same time, participants throughout the various faction encampments were energized by the announcement.

"The tournament is finally beginning?"

"After waiting so long, it has finally arrived."

"Lina, I will definitely heal you."

"Mother, I will bring you back to life."

"I have waited so long for this moment."

"My family will be reunited."

"I will seize a place among the top three!"

Cedric, Morado, Morn, and the others all carried their own ambitions and obsessions as they rapidly traveled toward the Myriad Worlds Tournament grounds.

Only after the numerous powerhouses had gathered did the voice of the will of the universe sound once again.

This time, it announced the official rules.

[The preliminary round of the Myriad Worlds Tournament will formally begin today.]

[The rules of the preliminary round will now be announced. All participants must listen carefully.]

[Rule One: All participants will be randomly transported to one of the numerous planes within the Celestia Universe.]

[Rule Two: Each plane possesses a corresponding Plane Origin.]

[Only participants who obtain a Plane Origin will qualify to enter the following elimination round.]

[Participants who fail to obtain a Plane Origin will be eliminated and barred from entering the elimination round.]

[Rule Three: After all participants are transported into the Celestia Universe, they will have sixty minutes to compete.]

[Once sixty minutes have passed, the entire Celestia Universe will be destroyed in an explosion equivalent to the full-power strike of a peak High God-level powerhouse.]

[No participant remaining inside will survive.]

[The tournament accepts no responsibility for participants who remain within the Celestia Universe after the sixty-minute limit and die as a result.]

[Rule Four: Participants who obtain a complete Plane Origin may leave the Celestia Universe ahead of time.]

[Rule Five: The Celestia Universe contains five thousand independent secret realms and five thousand complete Plane Origins.]

[However, only the first three thousand participants to obtain a Plane Origin will advance to the elimination round.]

[The final two thousand participants to obtain a Plane Origin will still be eliminated.]

[Rule Six: Transportation will begin one minute after the announcement of these rules.]

[All participants must prepare themselves.]

...

There were many rules, but they were simple enough to understand.

John carefully memorized every word.

The first preliminary round was essentially a battle royale.

All participants would be scattered across the planes of a single universe and forced to compete for the Plane Origins hidden within.

Furthermore, they had to obtain one as quickly as possible within the sixty-minute limit.

The rules were simple—

But also ruthless and unforgiving.

Under such an elimination system, only High Gods with formidable strength, sound judgment, and exceptional combat techniques would enter the next round.

Those whose strength was insufficient would inevitably be eliminated.

At that moment, Holy Spirit Sovereign’s voice entered the ears of every Skyvault Consortium participant through Divine Sense transmission.

"The rules of this competition are exceptionally brutal."

"Remember this well."

"Members of Skyvault Consortium are forbidden from attacking one another."

"If any of you kill another member of our faction, I will personally expel you from Skyvault Consortium after the round ends."

"Conduct yourselves accordingly."

The moment Holy Spirit Sovereign finished speaking, a terrifying surge of power from the will of the universe descended.

Every participant transformed into a streak of light and was transported toward the Celestia Universe.