John carefully reviewed the entire list but failed to find either his own name or those of the three women from Valhalla.

Only after continuing farther down did he finally see his name under the category of newly risen top-tier High Gods.

His rating was SSS rank.

Holly, Hilt, and Odelle were also listed under the same category, each with an SS-rank evaluation.

Among ordinary High God cultivators, the four of them were already considered members of the absolute upper echelon.

However, compared with the truly supreme powerhouses, they were still ranked one level lower.

After thinking about it carefully, John found the evaluation reasonable.

After all, it had not been long since the four of them broke through to the High God level.

The three women had very few public battle records worth mentioning.

Among the four, John was the only one with any notable achievements on record.

Even then, the intelligence report clearly lacked a full understanding of their true strength.

After distributing all the information, Holy Spirit Sovereign once again transmitted his voice to the High Gods present.

"Once you have finished reviewing the intelligence, return and rest immediately."

"Prepare yourselves for the elimination round."

The crowd hurriedly responded,

"As you command, Sovereign!"

John was about to leave with the others when Holy Spirit Sovereign’s voice sounded separately within his mind.

"John, remain here for a moment."

"Your companions should stay as well."

"Hmm?"

John raised an eyebrow.

He then exchanged a glance with Holly and the others, signaling for them not to leave yet.

They waited until the remaining High Gods had departed.

Before long, only John and the three women remained inside the hall.

Holy Spirit Sovereign looked at the four of them.

A gentle smile appeared on his face.

"Prepare yourselves."

The instant those words left his mouth, four pitch-black figures suddenly appeared around them.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The figures lunged toward John and his companions without warning.

Golden light flashed within John’s eyes.

He calmly extended a finger and drew it through the air before him.

A violent Void Rift instantly opened along the path of his fingertip.

Two of the black figures had no time to react before the newly formed rift swallowed them completely.

At the same time, Holly faced the dark phantom attacking her.

She did not even draw her sword.

She merely shouted softly,

"Sever."

Her index and middle fingers came together to form a sword gesture.

With a light sweep through the void, a terrifying blade of sword qi appeared and struck the black figure, cutting it apart instantly.

On the other side, the phantom of the Origin Creation Wheel emerged above Hilt’s head.

A massive beam of divine radiance refracted from the wheel and instantly melted the dark figure before her into nothingness.

Odelle did not move either.

Her expression remained completely calm.

Terrifying battle intent erupted from within her body.

As the battle intent condensed, it transformed into an enormous fist formed from pure willpower.

The fist descended and forcibly shattered the final dark figure, suppressing it on the spot.

Holy Spirit Sovereign had suddenly attacked in order to test the strength of the four.

Yet every one of his attacks had been effortlessly neutralized.

The outcome did not surprise him.

John and the three women looked toward Holy Spirit Sovereign with puzzled expressions.

They did not understand why he had suddenly chosen to test them.

Holy Spirit Sovereign nodded in satisfaction.

"Very good."

"You performed well."

"The Skyvault Consortium will have to rely upon you during this Myriad Worlds Tournament."

"You may leave now."

"Strive to obtain outstanding results in the upcoming elimination round."

"Once the tournament ends, not only will you obtain the supreme opportunities offered by the Myriad Worlds Tournament itself, but I will also secure generous rewards for you from the consortium."

John and the others nodded slightly.

Their figures then flashed as they left the hall.

John paid little attention to the fact that Holy Spirit Sovereign had deliberately kept them behind, tested their strength, and then promised them rewards.

When the Spirit of the End descended, all living beings would suffer.

At that time, endless slaughter would erupt throughout the universe.

Even a supreme faction such as the Skyvault Consortium would inevitably be drawn into the conflict.

Whether it could continue to exist was uncertain.

Only sufficient personal strength could provide the capital needed to survive in this world.

No matter where one stood, strength was the only true foundation upon which one could rely.

John and the others had not joined the Skyvault Consortium to fight its wars.

Their true objective was to use the tournament to temper themselves and improve their cultivation.

...

"Is that true?"

"Holy Spirit Sovereign summoned John and his companions privately?"

When Aldric heard the news, his face filled with surprise.

He looked toward Kaine and asked in disbelief,

"Where did you obtain this information?"

A faint smile appeared on Kaine’s face.

"You do not need to ask where it came from."

"It has already been confirmed."

"This matter deserves careful consideration."

"What is so special about John and his companions that Holy Spirit Sovereign would summon them privately?"

"He may even have granted them some additional opportunity."

"This..."

Aldric opened his mouth but could not immediately find a suitable response.

"Perhaps John was recognized by Holy Spirit Sovereign because his own strength is sufficient."

Kaine continued,

"It is also possible that their results during the preliminary round far surpassed everyone else’s."

"I suspect that John was the person who continuously held first place during the earlier trials."

Aldric froze upon hearing those words.

"That is an extremely bold assumption."

"Do they truly possess such terrifying strength?"

"Are you not overestimating them?"

Kaine chuckled softly.

"Heh."

"Unless we directly encounter John during the Myriad Worlds Tournament, there is no genuine conflict of interest between us."

"So what if their group is exceptionally powerful?"

"I merely find it interesting."

"This year’s Myriad Worlds Tournament will undoubtedly be far more exciting because of them."

Aldric shook his head slightly.

"You have seen the intelligence on the other participants."

"This year’s tournament is filled with powerful experts."

"There are already dozens whose strength is comparable to mine."

"I am under enormous pressure, yet you remain completely carefree."

"I truly cannot understand you."

"Thinking too much will only exhaust you."

"Why seek out trouble for yourself?"

Kaine replied indifferently.

In the next instant, his figure flashed and disappeared.

...

Within the Celestia Universe, the starfields had already become burial grounds for countless supreme High Gods.

To compete for qualification in the elimination round, innumerable High God-level powerhouses had perished there forever.

By now, any High Gods who still had not escaped their planes had already lost their final opportunity to leave.

They could only remain there for eternity.