Li Xiaotian, enveloped in light, was propelled towards the second stage by the teleportation force. He frowned, carefully sensing the fluctuations, an odd feeling stirring within him.
This teleportation force seemed to disrupt time, making a hundred years feel like an instant, and an eternity pass in a flash, or perhaps it was just a moment. Unseen laws and powers permeated his surroundings.
Occasionally, the walls of the passage became transparent, revealing vast expanses of void being left behind. He felt as though he was piercing through the universe, arriving at an extremely distant place.
Recalling the unfathomable might of the Hundred Battles City, Li Xiaotian seemed to grasp something. If the Hundred Battles City could recreate deceased powerhouses, could it also recreate places that never existed?
Because, at this moment, he could no longer perceive time. It was a peculiar sensation; he knew it was happening, yet he couldn't explain it.
After an indeterminate period, the teleportation force suddenly shifted, and Li Xiaotian's feet found solid ground.
Shouts reached his ears. Li Xiaotian instinctively looked, and his pupils abruptly contracted. He found himself in a vast plaza, teeming with a dense multitude of figures.
He even saw the silhouette of a giant eagle among them.
What was going on? The giant eagle shouldn't have cleared the first stage so quickly.
"Buzz!"
At that moment, a fluctuation pulsed through Li Xiaotian's mind, and a thought appeared.
Regardless of the time taken to clear the first stage, all participants would eventually arrive at the second.
Li Xiaotian was inwardly shocked. Recalling the anomalies he'd felt within the teleportation channel, he suddenly understood.
Time!
That teleportation channel possessed the power of time.
For example, he had cleared the stage relatively early, while the giant eagle had cleared it later. However, the time difference between their arrivals was erased during teleportation!
What kind of method was this? It contained the power of the Great Dao of Time. The Great Dao of Time, as far as Li Xiaotian knew, had never been born in the entire Western Region.
Exclamations continued to erupt as more and more beings discovered the anomaly with time.
"I spent a year in the first stage, but now I've arrived here at the same time as those who cleared it a year ago. Was my entire year in the first stage real? Was it a dream?"
A powerhouse whispered, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
"It's actually the Great Dao of Time, the most supreme Dao!" someone exclaimed, his expression excited, only to immediately regret it, for he had missed the opportunity to comprehend the Great Dao of Time.
"Hahaha, I thought those who cleared the first stage later would lag behind those who cleared it early, but it seems I've profited."
A powerhouse laughed heartily, his face beaming with excitement. Others took three days to clear, but he had taken several months. Although he seemed to be at a disadvantage, he had gained considerable opportunities during those months, so he had indeed profited!
Soon, the square gradually quieted as all eyes turned towards the front of the plaza.
There stood a colossal island, not a star, nor a meteor, but a mysterious giant island.
It was grander than an ancient star, exuding an aura of eternal vicissitude that instilled awe.
Some cold, sinister gazes swept over, sending shivers down Li Xiaotian's spine. He turned back and saw several figures – individuals from the Summoning Realm, the Buddha Realm, and the Dou Qi World, about fifty to sixty people gathered together!
Further in the distance, nine demonic figures watched him coldly, their killing intent radiating from them.
Seeing this, Li Xiaotian gave a wry smile. It seemed a battle was inevitable in the second stage!
The mysterious ancient island spoke of eternal ages, time flowing like a river, and years cutting like a knife, leaving behind mottled ancient scars.
In the cold expanse of the universe, starlight cascaded down. Over six hundred trial-takers stood on the plaza, gazing at the ancient island in the distance.
"The second stage: the Nine Provinces. The nine regions are separated by mysterious, unbreakable barriers. Each trial-taker may choose one region to enter for their trial. Crossing boundaries once inside is difficult, as breaking the barrier will incur immense seals."
A cold, mechanical voice echoed in every being's mind, detailing the conditions of the second stage.
The nine regions each possessed different characteristics, some covered in lightning, others in flames. In essence, countless opportunities lay within. All the trial-takers had to do was reach the deepest part and obtain the verification mark of the second stage!
As for what this mark was, the rules offered no explanation, which was likely another test.
Li Xiaotian's eyes flickered as he carefully considered the rules of the second stage. He was somewhat surprised that each trial-taker could choose a region to enter, and that barriers existed between each region, making them difficult to break.
This seemed like a protective mechanism to prevent trial-takers from fighting each other. However, the rules also stated that breaking the barrier would result in immense seals, implying that powerhouses who broke through would face increased trial difficulty.
If breaking was prohibited, why mention the consequences of breaking a barrier?
Li Xiaotian's gaze sharpened. These rules were problematic. Ordinary beings would likely adhere to them, but what about powerful individuals? They might challenge themselves, break through the barriers, and attempt cross-region trials.
Li Xiaotian scanned all the present trial-takers. Over six hundred of them. Even if divided equally among nine areas, each region would have over seventy people.
With over seventy individuals entering a single region, and given the size of the island, meeting each other would be difficult. However, Li Xiaotian glanced at those who harbored hostility towards him. It was unlikely these individuals would abide by the rules obediently.