154: One certificate for eternity, eternally unique, breaking limits.

When the first Red-level Secret Realm had been mostly looted,

Zhang Sheng raised his blade and struck, slaying the final guardian Yao Beast.

The Secret Realm shattered at the sound, space distorted, and all Earth Cultivators were instantly thrown back to Earth.

Immediately after, the second Red-level Secret Realm opened!

The third!

The fourth!

...In just a few short days, Zhang Sheng led the Earth Cultivators to sweep through seven Red-level Secret Realms with the force of thunder!

Only the final Black-level Secret Realm remained lying across their path.

Once it was conquered, the entire Earth would welcome the glorious moment of collective Ascension to the Tianxing Continent!

“Zhang Sheng, congratulations!” Inside the star ring, Xiao Ling's voice carried an irrepressible excitement. “Actually, you have already passed the Civilization Assessment!”

“This final Black-level Secret Realm has no trials, only rewards exclusive to you!” Encountering a peerless Genius like Zhang Sheng, Xiao Ling felt as if she had already touched the dawn of freedom.

“Rewards? Could it be... the Origin Law?” Zhang Sheng's heart skipped a beat.

Responding to him was a sudden phenomenon above the firmament that tore through space!

Pitch-black lightning danced wildly as a massive black gate, engraved with ancient and mysterious patterns, forced its way out of a crack in the Void Realm, emitting a heart-palpitating pressure!

“Of course! Go in quickly!” Xiao Ling urged.

Even if an abyss lay ahead, Zhang Sheng understood he had no other choice.

From the moment the cultivation civilization descended upon Earth, his fate had been sealed—only forward, no way back.

He transformed into a blazing arc of light that tore through the sky, crashing through that massive black gate without hesitation, his figure instantly vanishing within.

The scene before his eyes changed abruptly!

Chaos! Boundless gray mist surged as Zhang Sheng looked around in a daze.

In the next second, he saw a sight he would never forget in his life:

A... vertical pupil as massive as a towering mountain!

It floated quietly in the depths of Chaos, watching him indifferently.

It felt as if a monstrous wave had risen within his Sea of Consciousness, churning violently before returning to a strange, deathly silence!

Zhang Sheng felt as though everything about him, from his flesh to his Soul, was laid bare under the gaze of that giant eye!

Cold sweat instantly soaked his entire body.

Suddenly, a Chaos-colored stream of light shot out from that mountain-like vertical pupil, accurately entering the space between Zhang Sheng's eyebrows!

The eight dazzling golden characters on his talent panel—“Once Certified, Forever Certified · Eternal Unique”—suddenly vibrated violently, greedily devouring this light of Chaos.

After one stream of light, the panel... remained completely unchanged!

The mountain-like vertical eye also seemed to freeze for a moment, its pupil dilating slightly.

Immediately after, a second stream of light shot out!

The third!

...Until the ninth Chaos light stream poured into his brow! Only then did that golden talent panel finally undergo a qualitative change!

The brilliant gold faded, transforming into a deep, pure ink-black that seemed capable of devouring everything:

“Once Certified, Forever Certified · Eternal Unique · Limit Breaking”

The words “Limit Breaking” were now strikingly present!

Zhang Sheng's mind shook violently! Could it be... the meaning he had hypothesized?!

Suppressing his tumultuous thoughts, he understood that the truth would require future cultivation to verify.

He subconsciously looked toward the mountain-like vertical eye. He wasn't sure if it was an illusion, but the light of that giant pupil... seemed to have dimmed a fraction?

“What are you looking at! Kid, you’ve taken all the advantages for yourself!” A voice as powerful as thunder exploded directly in Zhang Sheng's mind.

“Senior, who are you?” Zhang Sheng asked tentatively.

“Don't ask! I am merely restricted by the rules to infuse you with the Universe's Origin Law and help your Talent evolve!” The voice carried a hint of undetectable... frustration?

“Thank you, Senior!” Zhang Sheng bowed respectfully.

“Now get out!”

The world spun! Zhang Sheng's vision blurred, and he found himself standing once again on the soil of Earth, the massive black gate silently dissipating behind him.

Not long after he left, a second being who had completed the Civilization Assessment appeared before the vertical pupil.

The giant pupil was still thinking about that “glutton” from before, muttering to itself: “What a lucky fellow... what kind of ghost Talent is that, to actually swallow nine of my Origin Laws before barely leveling up...” It carelessly shot out a beam of light into the second being's body.

Less than a third of the light stream was consumed before the other party's Talent successfully leveled up.

“Tsk... what exactly is the old man thinking? Wasting such precious Origin Law on the ‘trash’ of these newborn civilizations...” The vertical pupil complained silently... Zhao Xue, Hou Wu, Song Xian, and his other companions had already been waiting outside anxiously.

With Zhang Sheng's return, the massive black gate disappeared without a trace.

Inside the star ring, Xiao Ling's voice carried an unprecedented solemnity:

“The Civilization Assessment has concluded! Ascension, officially commencing! Ascension Channel—Open!”

In an instant,

The blue moon hanging high in the sky—the projection of the myriad worlds pearl—suddenly erupted with a dazzling, eye-catching blue light!

The light screen instantly expanded thousands, tens of thousands of times, enveloping the entire Earth within it!

Around Earth, the sight of the Universe suddenly sank into an absolute darkness that devoured everything!

“The Ascension Channel has opened! Under the protection of the myriad worlds pearl's projection, Earth is traveling at full speed through the Dark Universe!” Xiao Ling transmitted.

Billions of people across the globe looked up at the sky at almost the same moment!

In the deep “starry sky,” colors flowed and shifted, the scenery changing at a speed that transcended visual limits, like a meteor storm reflecting the entire Universe!

“Soon, we will arrive at the Tianxing Continent! The final assessment Rank for the Earth civilization... is out!” Xiao Ling's voice carried a hint of excitement.

Zhang Sheng perceived the information stream coming from the star ring:

Civilization Number: 0252465824617

Lord of the Planet: Zhang Sheng;

Being Type: Primitive Human Race;

Status: Assessment Passed, Ascension Coordinates being calculated;

Civilization Potential Determination Rank: S-Rank

“Only S-Rank?” Zhang Sheng frowned slightly.

“Zhang Sheng, you took so long, so being rated S-Rank is perfectly reasonable, okay? S-Rank is already extremely strong! After Ascension, the entire Earth civilization can enjoy S-Rank treatment!” Xiao Ling explained.

“S-Rank is strong? Then what is the highest Rank?”

“The highest? Divine-Grade, of course! That kind of civilization doesn't even need an assessment; once discovered, they are directly guided to the ‘Central Heaven Domain’ at the very core of the Tianxing Continent! It has absolutely nothing to do with your S-Rank, so don't even think about it!”

“Ah?...”

Though Zhang Sheng was surprised, his long-held goal had finally been achieved, and his heart surged with heroic pride!

Scenes from the past flashed through his mind: the Secret Realms descending from the heavens, the rampaging Yao Beasts, countless compatriots shedding blood... The sky cracked and stars fell as Secret Realms appeared;

Ten thousand demons devoured cities as blood stained the sky;

A Great Wall of blood was built to resist the demons;

The entire planet goes together to the peak of the green clouds!

A day passed, during which Xiao Ling taught Zhang Sheng several languages commonly used on the Tianxing Continent.

Suddenly, the endless darkness enveloping the Earth was torn apart!

A boundless clear sky abruptly replaced the darkness, and warm, bright light shone upon the entire planet!

“We have arrived—Ascending Heaven Pavilion!” Xiao Ling's voice carried a joy of liberation.

Before Zhang Sheng could even ask what the “Ascending Heaven Pavilion” was, the space in front of him suddenly cracked open!

A pure white figure stepped out from it, instantly coming to a halt before Zhang Sheng.

The newcomer was tall and slender, standing nearly two meters tall like a solitary peak.

He wore a moon-white Daoist robe, spotless and untainted, with mysterious patterns flowing upon it, appearing and disappearing fitfully.

His skin was like cold jade, his temples slightly frosted with gray, and his long hair was tied up by a seemingly simple silver hairpin.

Most striking were those ice-blue eyes; they were very pale, yet they strangely emitted a gentle sense of affinity.

To describe the feeling this person gave Zhang Sheng—this was the image of an elegant and otherworldly banished immortal from Huaxia mythology!

“Greetings, new Lord of Civilization. My name is Bo Lu, the Reception Envoy of this Ascending Heaven Pavilion.” His voice was clear and peaceful, carrying an innate immortal charm.

“Lord Bo Lu, I am Zhang Sheng. It is a great honor!” Zhang Sheng bowed respectfully.

The other party had no detectable aura, appearing like a Mortal, but this unpredictable method of appearance had already caused a storm of shock in Zhang Sheng's heart.

“No need for formalities, it is merely routine business.” Bo Lu's gaze seemed to sweep casually over the star ring on Zhang Sheng's finger. “S-Rank potential, acceptable.”

“Shortly, the Ascending Heaven Pavilion will designate your landing zone on the Tianxing Continent based on your civilization potential Rank.”

“Now, inform me of your Talent Rank. It is required for registration.” Bo Lu's tone was flat and emotionless.

So the landing zone was tied to the rating... and he had to register his Talent?

Zhang Sheng's mind raced, and he replied cautiously: “Lord Bo Lu, my Talent is the SSS-Rank ‘Practice Makes Perfect’.”

“You’ve received the blessing of the Origin Law, haven't you?” Bo Lu looked up, his gaze seeming to penetrate Zhang Sheng's Soul. “Your current Talent is Divine-Grade. Remember that clearly.” With a light tap of his finger, he recorded the information into a warm Jade Slip.

“Wait a moment, and you will arrive at the Tianxing Continent.” Bo Lu put away the Jade Slip and turned to step into the spatial rift.

Just as his figure was about to disappear, a clear Divine Thought entered Zhang Sheng's ear:

“Since you are polite, I will give you an extra piece of advice: On the Tianxing Continent, remember, never become an enemy of the Spirit Tax Division!”