Yuan’s Ascension

Chapter 1164: The River’s End, Vanquishing All Daos (1)

“Are you truly the Heavenly Domain Emissary?” Wu Yuan stood in the void, surrounded by swirling Xuanhuang qi.

Even late-stage Sovereigns would be annihilated instantly under the crushing pressure of these streams of Xuanhuang qi. Yet they had no effect on Wu Yuan whatsoever.

“What’s this? Have you not regained your memories? Do you not recognize me?” The white-robed man smiled, taking a step through the void to appear near Wu Yuan in an instant.

Wu Yuan drew a deep breath and respectfully greeted, “This junior greets Senior.”

Forget? How could Wu Yuan possibly forget? The tens of thousands of years he had spent at the Megaverse Crossroads had been one of the most pivotal turning points in Wu Yuan’s cultivation journey. The mysterious Heavenly Domain Emissary had left an indelible impression in his mind.

Back then, upon returning from the Megaverse Crossroads, many memories from the second stage – the Heavenly Domain stage – had still been concealed and erased. It was only later, as Wu Yuan grew stronger, that he fully recovered them.

The Megaverse Crossroads was one of the greatest secrets in the entire River of Universes, perhaps even the whole megaverse. The opportunities it bestowed upon generation after generation of mortal lifeforms were enough to make countless major factions in the cosmic seas green with envy.

Even now, despite Wu Yuan’s lofty status, he remained unclear about its secrets. How was it created? How did it operate?

And this mysterious Heavenly Domain Emissary – where did he come from? Was he human or some form of spirit? All of this remained unknown. First, he oversaw the Megaverse Crossroads, and now he appeared in the deepest recesses of the Xuanhuang Cosmiris.

“I truly didn’t expect this. When I awakened this time, I first saw you cutting a bloody path through the Megaverse Crossroads as a mortal, with both your true selves claiming Saintcrests.” The Heavenly Domain Emissary smiled. “Then, in the Xuanhuang Cosmiris, I watched you activate the Primordial Bronze Pillar in an astonishingly short time, directly opening the Ancient Mythic Path. Zhu Shan is far slower compared to you.”

“Senior praises me too highly,” Wu Yuan replied.

He understood what the Heavenly Domain Emissary meant. Since the Primordium, none had grown as rapidly as himself, becoming a Legend of the River in just four hundred thousand years.

Even Zhu Shan, whose growth was swift and opportunities were numerous, had only reached the eighth-level Dao Field stage in the Great Dao of Five Elements.

“I once said I hoped you wouldn’t disappoint me,” the Heavenly Domain Emissary said calmly. “It seems I underestimated you.

“However, true eternal invincible beings never measure themselves by the passage of time,” the Heavenly Domain Emissary continued. “To an Eternal, the years are meaningless.

“Some powerhouses shine brilliantly for a brief time, dazzling the world, yet they are like castles in the air, unable to cross that final threshold. In the end, they fade like shooting stars across the night sky, vanishing without a trace.

“Other powerhouses advance slowly but steadily, gaining unstoppable momentum, forging an invincible path, ultimately reaching the pinnacle and blazing open the path of eternal legend.

“You still have a ways to go before reaching the level of Nüwa, Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu, and Jin Yi,” the Heavenly Domain Emissary said, looking at Wu Yuan.

Wu Yuan remained calm.

Not yet on par with Goddess Nüwa, Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu and the others? The mere fact that he could be mentioned in the same breath as them was already an honor.

As for the future? The future remained unwritten, and anything was possible. Countless brushes with death and moments of epiphanies had forged Wu Yuan’s indomitable spirit.

He now had an unshakeable belief in his own invincibility. Even the words of the Heavenly Domain Emissary, mentioning the greatest powerhouses throughout history, could not sway Wu Yuan’s emotions in the slightest.

“Senior, is this the Mythic-tier Star?” Wu Yuan asked directly.

His gaze swept the surroundings. It didn’t look like it.

According to the records in the Eldritch Court and Blood Dream Alliance, the reason it was called the Mythic-tier Star was due to the great treasure trove of opportunities located on this star. Yet here was an endless void, with no trace of any star to be seen.

“It is, and it isn’t,” the Heavenly Domain Emissary smiled. “Do you know why it’s called the Mythic-tier Star?”

“Because only those who have forged a Legend of the River can obtain the ultimate opportunity within the star?” Wu Yuan ventured.

“Correct.” The Heavenly Domain Emissary nodded in approval. “Whether it’s the Megaverse Crossroads or the Xuanhuang Cosmiris, both are supreme creations under the Primordium’s operations, both striving to produce the mightiest existences among mortal lifeforms and sempiternal lifeforms.

“The apex of mortal lifeforms can claim Saintcrests! The apex of sempiternal lifeforms can be called Legends of the River!

“The ultimate goal is to produce the apex of eternal lifeforms.” The Heavenly Domain Emissary’s voice grew distant, a hint of reminiscence in his eyes, as if recalling something from long ago.

Wu Yuan listened in shock.

The Megaverse Crossroads and Xuanhuang Cosmiris were all preparations for the final path to eternity? Then was all of this truly just the autonomous operation of the Primordial Rules? Was there really no secret mastermind behind the scenes?

“Senior, is this Xuanhuang Cosmiris also under your control?” Wu Yuan couldn’t help but ask.

“I wouldn’t say I control it,” the Heavenly Domain Emissary shook his head. “Fundamentally, I merely follow the order of things, maintaining that order.

“In a sense, you can think of me as the embodiment of the River of Universes’ order,” the Heavenly Domain Emissary smiled.

Wu Yuan’s eyes widened.

The embodiment of the River of Universes’ order? If this monumental secret were to spread, it would surely shock countless eternal powerhouses.

Wu Yuan also vaguely understood why, when he first encountered the Heavenly Domain Emissary as a mortal lifeform, the other was like a being of unfathomable depths, seemingly eternal and indestructible.

Now, standing at the apex of sempiternal lifeforms, facing him again, Wu Yuan still found the other inscrutable and mysterious, beyond his ability to probe.

The embodiment of the River of Universes’ order? Perhaps only those at the level of Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu and the Heavenly Imperator truly had the qualifications to converse with such a being.

“There’s no need to spread word about me,” the Heavenly Domain Emissary smiled.

“Understood,” Wu Yuan nodded.

“I chose to reveal myself and bring you directly to this Essence Void, bypassing the many trials on the Mythic-tier Star, because your strength is sufficient. You rank among the mightiest of the powerhouses who have come here throughout history, so there’s no need for you to slaughter those beast kings on the Mythic-tier Star.

“After all, it’s not easy for the Xuanhuang Cosmiris to spawn and nurture those fourth-stage Overlord beast kings,” the Heavenly Domain Emissary said with a wry smile.

Wu Yuan was struck speechless.

It seemed that if he had entered the Mythic-tier Star normally, he would have faced numerous difficult trials, needing to kill vast numbers of beast kings to pass through.

The Heavenly Domain Emissary had instead opened a path through the bronze divine pillar, bringing him directly here? And this place was called the Essence Void? Wu Yuan pondered silently.

“Senior, what should this junior do?” Wu Yuan asked respectfully.

“Through countless samsara cycles of heaven and earth, the Xuanhuang Cosmiris has opened time and again. Many with fifth-stage Overlord strength have made it to the Mythic-tier Star,” the Heavenly Domain Emissary said. “They have all been able to enter the Essence Void. But the Essence Void can only be entered once.”

Wu Yuan listened quietly.

So in other words, because he was too strong, he’d been allowed to bypass the Mythic-tier Star entirely?

Does this mean that even if I enter the Xuanhuang Cosmiris again in the future, I won’t be able to come here? Wu Yuan mused inwardly.

“Wu Yuan, now that you’ve come to the Essence Void, you have the right to make a choice,” the Heavenly Domain Emissary looked at Wu Yuan.

“First, you can choose to obtain an ultimate treasure perfectly suited to you. This will be a Xiantian Instrument tailored for you by the essence of the River of Universes. Then, you will experience one round of insights from the River.”

“Second, you can choose to step onto the Path of Legends, and seek the profundities at the end of the River of Universes.”

A Xiantian Instrument? Perhaps for most Overlords, a Xiantian Instrument would be incomparably precious. Obtaining one that perfectly matched one’s attributes would already be an incredible stroke of fortune.

With a Xiantian Instrument, most Saints could exert the power of a Full Saint, even approaching the Threshold True Saint level.

However, such a reward held no allure for Wu Yuan. He was far more interested in the Path of Legends.

“Senior, what is this Path of Legends?” Wu Yuan asked.

“I don’t know,” the Heavenly Domain Emissary shook his head frankly. “I can only tell you that it holds the ultimate secrets of the River of Universes, and is also the greatest treasure of the Xuanhuang Cosmiris.

“Likewise, this path is extremely difficult. There is a risk of perishing, and it only grows more challenging the further you go.

“Once you’ve ventured deep inside, you can’t simply turn back whenever you wish.” The Heavenly Domain Emissary spoke gravely. “Historically, some Legends of the River have fallen on this path. Though your strength is formidable, I cannot guarantee you’ll return alive.

“Your power in direct combat is indeed at the very forefront, perhaps even deserving to be called the greatest throughout history. But the Path of Legends isn’t just a test of strength. In fact, strength is not the most important factor.

“It’s the Dao,” the Heavenly Domain Emissary gazed at Wu Yuan. “I can see that your eternal ultimate technique is incredibly powerful. I suspect the Dao you’re attempting to pioneer is quite extraordinary.

“But until you’ve actually pioneered a Dao, you still haven’t taken that step.”