Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100 - Chapter 1172

Chapter 1172: A Secret Place

The concept of flames was among the most widely understood and practiced across all realms. Its nature was direct, powerful, and easy to grasp compared to other higher elemental concepts. So it was not surprising that many geniuses managed to comprehend the Fourth Level Concept of Flames.

One after another, fiery auras burst across the field, each representing a cultivator who had broken through to the next stage.

Among them, Seraphina and Christine were the first to succeed from Acaris. When the flames surged around them, their figures shone brightly within the trial field. Christine, gifted with the Flame Spirit Physique, radiated waves of burning crimson energy that turned the surrounding flames into whirling ribbons of light. The heat surrounding her was so intense that even the nearby geniuses stepped back instinctively.

Chris, her twin, stood beside her, but his condition was entirely different. He possessed the Water Spirit Physique—an affinity that stood in complete opposition to his sister’s flames.

His energy resisted the fire, cooling the air around him, and though he tried again and again to resonate with the pillar of flames, he simply couldn’t align himself with it. Each attempt ended in failure.

Yet neither of them seemed frustrated. From the beginning, the twins had never aimed to master the flame or ice separately. Their goal was far beyond that. They sought unity—the inheritance that could merge two opposing elements into one.

For them, the true trial wasn’t flame or ice alone, but the harmony between both. They had been born with this contradiction flowing through their veins, and this trial was the perfect opportunity to embrace it completely.

Meanwhile, Victor was still deep in his own struggle. Despite possessing the bloodline of the Azure Dragon, his progress was slow. Dragons naturally commanded fire, but Victor’s talent in manipulating the concept of flames had always been limited.

After long hours of effort, he finally managed to grasp the faint traces of the Second Level Concept of Flames. The fire around him flickered weakly, unstable but present. It was progress, though far from perfection.

Victor frowned, sweat beading on his forehead, but he didn’t give up. He could feel the connection, faint but there—a thread of flame that responded to his will. The Azure Dragon Bloodline gave him potential; he just needed time to refine it.

Beyond them, countless other geniuses from various worlds were making their own breakthroughs. Many were golden-crowned geniuses who had come solely for this opportunity.

The Heavenly Lord Secret Domain was not a place one entered often, and every chance to deepen one’s comprehension of elemental concepts was precious. Even if the flames were not their main affinity, they knew that mastering additional concepts could strengthen their foundation for future realms.

The trial field glowed with bursts of red and gold light as flames danced in every direction. The air was thick with energy and heat, filled with the roars of fire and the faint hum of enlightenment. It was a world alive with power and ambition, yet far away from it all, Max sat alone in the dark void, completely detached from the chaos.

While others wrestled with fire and comprehension, he sat within silence itself, waiting for the second part of the trial to reveal its truth.

—-

Somewhere deep within the Heavenly Lord Secret Domain, far beyond the reach of any genius or mortal eye, stood a colossal structure that defied comprehension. It was embedded halfway into the side of a mountain, its enormous frame dwarfing the surrounding peaks.

The mountain, majestic on its own, appeared as small as an anthill before the vast metallic vessel. It wasn’t a palace or a temple, but a ship—ancient, otherworldly, and far too advanced for anything that belonged to the present era. Its exterior shimmered faintly with traces of divine runes, and every few moments, soft pulses of light ran through its hull, like the slow heartbeat of a slumbering god.

Inside the ship, a great hall extended endlessly, filled with luminous mist that obscured almost everything. At its center sat seven figures around a circular platform, each emanating a divine aura that distorted space itself.

Their forms were faint, only vague silhouettes outlined by the faint radiance that surrounded them. No one could clearly see their faces, yet each presence carried the weight of a world.

They were the Seven Divine Lords—the architects, guardians, and eternal overseers of the Heavenly Lord Secret Domain. Each one represented a different aspect of existence. Together, their combined presence could shake the heavens, yet the atmosphere in the hall remained calm, filled with quiet tension.

“Old Man First,” said a rough, gravelly voice that broke the silence. “Why are you not allowing me to begin the second part of the trial for that boy, Max? It has already been days.” The speaker was Old Sixth. His voice carried the chill of endless frost and the authority of someone who had commanded the cold for eternity. Even the mist in the air seemed to freeze momentarily when he spoke.

Old Man First didn’t respond immediately. He sat still, his faint silhouette turned toward the scrying formation at the center of the hall. The circular projection showed Max seated in the void, surrounded by nothing but darkness. Old Man First’s attention was fixed upon him, his expression unreadable.

“Old Sixth,” another voice said lightly, carrying a tone of amusement. “You know Old Man First has never taken an interest in any genius since the day we forged this secret domain.”

It was Old Third who spoke, his voice smooth and calm. “In all these countless cycles, he has never interfered or shown even a spark of curiosity. This is the first time he seems interested in one of them. Let him have his moment.”

A faint chuckle followed from Old Fourth. “Indeed. For the old man who values silence above all, to stare at a mortal for this long means the child must be extraordinary.”

But Old Sixth didn’t look amused. His aura grew colder, and the mist around him began to crystallize into shards of ice that floated in the air like glass. “I understand his interest,” he said, his tone heavy, “but my trial must proceed as it should. The sequence exists for a reason. The boy has already proven his worth in the flame trial. If he steps into my domain, he could inherit my White Ice—pure yang ice, the only one of its kind. His Black Dragon bloodline grants him those devouring, yin-type flames. The unity between his yin flames and my yang ice would be unparalleled. He was born for it.”

Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!