The golden mist that had been swirling across the heavens began to gather at a single point, thickening until it no longer resembled mist at all but liquid light flowing down from the sky. The very air trembled.

The ground beneath every genius shook as a deafening hum spread through the core region, echoing across mountains, valleys, and ruins alike. The world itself seemed to be resonating with the divine energy that was descending from above.

The sky darkened, yet it wasn't the darkness of clouds or night. It was the overwhelming brilliance of the divine glow, so intense that it drowned out all other light.

Streaks of gold and silver intertwined, forming vast circular patterns that stretched across the heavens like the eye of a god staring down at the mortals below. From the center of that heavenly vortex, a colossal shadow began to emerge.

The Divine Platform was finally descending.

Every genius in the arena instinctively stopped whatever they were doing. All conversation ceased. Every heartbeat seemed to slow as countless eyes turned upward, watching the miracle unfold. The golden radiance illuminated the entire core region, and what they saw made even the proudest of geniuses fall silent.

Descending slowly from the heavens was a massive structure forged from light, energy, and something beyond mortal comprehension. It wasn't made of stone or metal but of condensed divine essence itself.

It stretched for miles, shaped like a circular platform yet layered with intricate patterns that seemed alive. Its surface glowed softly, flowing like molten gold, while countless runes shifted and rearranged themselves across it, forming constellations and geometric patterns that no mortal mind could ever fully decipher.

Around the platform floated nine massive rings of pure energy, each rotating in perfect harmony. Every time they turned, the air hummed with a deep resonance that touched the souls of everyone present.

These nine rings symbolized the ten life and death cycles of the Divine Rank—one for each step toward transcendence, and one for the realm beyond it.

At its center, a column of golden light connected the platform to the heavens above, stretching endlessly upward. Divine symbols flickered within the column, forming and dissolving in an endless cycle as if recording the rise and fall of countless divine beings through the ages.

When the platform finally stopped descending, it hovered high above the arena. Its sheer size dwarfed everything below. It looked less like a structure and more like a floating continent of divine creation.

The air beneath it was charged with sacred pressure, so overwhelming that the weaker geniuses trembled and fell to their knees instinctively, their bodies unable to bear its presence.

Even Victor and Seraphina looked awestruck. Victor's fists clenched tightly as he gazed at the platform. "This is the Divine Platform…" he whispered. "The foundation of every Divine Rank being that has ever existed."

Seraphina nodded, her eyes wide with wonder. "I can feel it. The divine essence here… it's pure to the point of perfection. One breath here feels like cultivating for months."

All around the arena, geniuses from countless worlds stood frozen, staring upward. The golden light washed over them, illuminating their crowns and reflecting in their eyes. Even the golden-crowned geniuses, proud and indifferent as they were, couldn't hide their awe.

The legends they had heard since birth were true—the Divine Platform truly was a bridge between mortality and godhood.

Max stood at the center of it all, silent and still.

The nine rings of energy rotated again, and beams of divine light descended, striking the arena like golden pillars. The ground rippled with light as patterns spread outward, forming countless platforms beneath the main structure.

Each beam connected to a different group of geniuses, as if assigning them their own place of ascension.

Whispers filled the air.

"It's beginning…"

"The Divine Platform is dividing the regions…"

"We'll all be tested soon…"

As the beams stabilized, the air became heavy with energy. The divine essence poured down in torrents, washing over every genius like an invisible ocean. Some of the weaker ones screamed as their bodies began to crack under the pressure, their energy circulation unable to handle the purity of divine power.

Max, however, remained unmoving. He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the divine energy enter his body. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced. The energy didn't just flow into him—it merged with his essence, strengthening his soul and nourishing every vein of his existence.

His First Divine Vein—the Vein of Origin—responded immediately, glowing faintly beneath his skin as if awakening to the divine call.

When he opened his eyes again, the Divine Platform had stopped descending completely. It floated high above the arena like a celestial monument, radiating an eternal light that made even the sky itself look dim.

Victor looked at Max from the side, his expression filled with a mixture of respect and excitement. "This… this is where the real challenge begins."

Max nodded slightly. His gaze remained fixed on the glowing colossus above. "Yes," he said softly. "This is where the gods were born… and where mortals decide if they're worthy to stand beside them."

The hum of the Divine Platform deepened, echoing through every corner of the Heavenly Lord's Secret Domain. It was calling to all who were worthy. The final trial of the secret domain had begun.

Max looked around him, his gaze sweeping across the vast crowd of geniuses gathered at the base of the glowing colossus above. The golden brilliance of the Divine Platform washed over their faces, illuminating their eyes with a mixture of anticipation, awe, and determination.

Even the air around them seemed alive, vibrating faintly as if the heavens themselves were holding their breath.

Turning toward the gathered geniuses from Acaris, Max raised his voice, his tone calm but firm, carrying clearly across the noise of the crowd. "This is it," he said. "This is the final trial of the Heavenly Lord's Secret Domain. This will decide how far you will go in the Divine Rank—and whether you have what it takes to go beyond it. Those who can grasp this opportunity may one day cross the limits of the mortal coil and ascend to the Divine Realm. This is your chance. Go and give it everything you have."

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