Yuan’s Ascension

Chapter 1286: Tian Xu Returns (2)

“Indeed,” the azure-robed figure replied with a smile. “With sheer luck, I returned and restored my essence. My true body has already recovered to the True Saint stage. Soon, I should be able to take the fourth step once more.”

“The Other Shore of Samsara?” Eldritch Progenitor Di Jiang exclaimed, his delayed reaction betraying his shock. His eyes widened as the implications sank in. “You’ve broken free from the shackles of a Dao Master? Then—!”

The thought struck him like lightning. Di Jiang’s head snapped toward the distant light screen where the recording of white-robed figure looped repeatedly.

“Your guess is correct,” the azure-robed projection confirmed. “Wu Yuan’s qi refiner self has long been the Spacetime Dao Master. He took over the moment he stepped into eternity.

“Hou Tu, surely you can see that his qi refiner self has become the Spacetime Dao Master.”

At this revelation, surprise flickered across both Eldritch Progenitors’ faces.

“Yes, I did discern that,” Hou Tu admitted, her brow furrowing slightly. “But I assumed it happened after his step into eternity.” She shook her head in grudging admiration. “Thinking back now—you exploited the loophole of stepping into eternity to pass him the mantle of Dao Master in one stroke? As expected of Tian Xu! Truly impressive!”

She regarded him with newfound respect. “Those youngsters merely strive to Stow Away from Heaven’s eye. What you’ve done is tantamount to stowing a Dao Master away, using the Primordial essence to suppress the Great Dao’s backlash.”

“Haha, Hou Tu is indeed worthy of her reputation,” the azure-robed projection laughed softly. “I merely gave you a hint, and you deduced the entire truth.”

Hou Tu waved away the compliment. “Such realizations are hardly remarkable.”

“You two, enough with the mutual flattery,” Di Jiang interrupted. Though extraordinary in combat, he clearly lagged behind the others in strategic thinking.

“Tian Xu,” Hou Tu asked, her tone growing serious, “now that you’ve returned, what of Mountain Daoist?”

“Him?” The figure’s expression turned serious.

“He was too foolish. It will likely take him much longer. Struggling to revive on the Other Shore of Samsara is incredibly difficult.”

The two Eldritch Progenitors exchanged meaningful glances. This update is available on novel·fire.net

Difficult? They marveled silently. And breaking free from the shackles of the Dao Master’s identity and returning in mere of billions of years wasn’t considered difficult? Moreover, the self-created Dao that Tian Xu had pioneered would undoubtedly rank among the most powerful. With his past accumulations and newly forged path, his strength would swiftly eclipse his former self, reaching even more terrifying heights.

“Tian Xu,” Hou Tu probed gently, “surely there’s another reason you called this meeting? It can’t merely be to announce your impending revival, right?”

“Naturally not.” The azure-robed figure’s eyes gleamed. “You must have noticed the special nature of the Tenth Chaos Void. This time, the treasures born far exceed those of previous Chaos Void openings.”

Both Eldritch Progenitors nodded in agreement. As beings who stood at the pinnacle of the cosmic sea, they possessed vast knowledge and were privy to many secrets. The unprecedented abundance of treasures and the sheer number of powerful True Saints emerging had not escaped their notice.

“Nine is the extreme, ten is the final. The opening of the Tenth Chaos Void means the ultimate secret of the Chaos Void is about to be revealed.” His smile held a hint of mystery. “This time, I won’t interfere. By right, I shouldn’t disclose this prematurely, but I still wish to help Wu Yuan. Telling you is equivalent to telling him.”

He fixed them with an intense gaze. “Prepare yourselves. Within the Chaos Void lies both opportunity and tribulation… Heaven helps those who help themselves.”

Hou Tu and Di Jiang grew increasingly perplexed, struggling to grasp his meaning.

“You don’t understand?” The figure laughed softly. “You will soon enough. One thing is certain—it’s coming soon.” His form began to dissipate. “I’ll take my leave now. When I truly break through, I’ll visit in my true body to reminisce about the good old days properly with you.”

With that, the azure-robed projection vanished completely.

“Hou Tu,” Eldritch Progenitor Di Jiang frowned, “what do you think Tian Xu meant by appearing and saying all this? The Ten Chaos Voids have only ever admitted True Saints. Could there be some hidden secret? Is it possible that even we Dao Zenithels might enter?”

“It’s hard to say.” Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu’s expression grew solemn. “Long ago, I divined that a great tribulation would sweep through. I’ve been preparing ever since… Goddess Nüwa has long vanished without a trace, and those Dao Zenithels who followed her have disappeared into the depths of the cosmic sea.”

She sighed heavily. “In terms of divination, I dare say I’m unmatched in the cosmic sea. Even Jin Yi’s schemes, I can anticipate to some degree. But Tian Xu remains too mysterious—I’ve never been able to see through him.

“In the Primordial Era, other Dao Masters underwent considerable trials before merging with the Great Dao’s Authority. Only he seemed destined for that role from birth, effortlessly claiming the Great Dao’s Authority. Where others obtained a single Xuanhuang Dao Treasure, he seized three. And throughout history’s major campaigns, both Jin Yi and I suffered numerous defeats at his hands. Each time, he seemed to possess foresight, laying countless schemes in advance.”

Di Jiang listened in silence. These truths were not new to him. The higher one stood at the pinnacle, the more one sensed Tian Xu’s terrifying nature. He always seized the initiative, his true intentions and ultimate goals remaining impenetrable.

“This goes for the Ten Chaos Voids as well,” Hou Tu continued softly. “Long ago, I sensed that there would be a great upheaval there. That’s why I arranged for Wu Yuan to enter the Ninth Chaos Void, hoping he might seize some great opportunity. But I didn’t expect the Tenth to open so quickly.”

She fixed Di Jiang with a meaningful look. “According to Tian Xu’s words, the coming disturbances will likely affect the entire cosmic sea. We should prepare early.”

Di Jiang nodded. “I’ll secretly contact various Dao Zenithels, ensuring they’re all ready.”

Many Dao Zenithels were either in secluded cultivation or wandering through the deepest, most dangerous parts of the cosmic sea, places which might take them millions of years to return from. Without early preparation, they could easily miss what was coming.

With that, Di Jiang’s figure vanished.

Is it almost time? Hou Tu wondered to herself. Could it be… the Primordium? Her mind drifted to the numerous scenes she had witnessed in that mysterious place.

And Jin Yi! She murmured, shaking her head slightly. Do you truly intend to sacrifice everything in pursuit of that final step? Why drive yourself to madness? What’s the point?

Her gaze pierced through endless spacetime, landing on that towering figure who stood above heaven and earth. She had witnessed the Heavenly Imperator’s rise. Had she been willing to act, she might have extinguished him in his early stages. But by the thinnest margin of decision, she had ultimately chosen not to intervene.

Yet Hou Tu harbored no regrets for her choice.

From beginning to end, you never truly made a move against Wu Yuan. She mused. Do you harbor thoughts similar to mine from back then? Or do you truly lack the strength to spare?

…

Wu Yuan remained oblivious to the unfolding machinations—Tian Xu’s return, the cryptic conversation with the Eldritch Progenitors, the secrets stirring behind the Ten Chaos Voids. He continued his exploration of the Tenth Chaos Void, unaware of the gathering storm.

How exhilarating! Wu Yuan’s mana body and ether body soared through the void. That battle was truly invigorating! After nearly half a day of flight, they finally discovered an inconspicuous ruined continent where they could rest.

He settled into meditation, taking stock of his condition.

After that strike with the psyche weapon, my mana body needs at least ten days to recover. Wu Yuan assessed. Had he only employed psyche dream illusions to restrain the enemy, the psyche energy consumed would have been minimal, and he could recover quickly. But the psyche weapon was different. It wounded both foe and wielder alike, requiring significant time to heal.

Once the Chaos Nucleus emerges and I reach the Dao Zenithel stage, I’ll claim the Samsara Sword. He thought. Then, using the Samsara Sword as a medium for attacks, my power will grow truly devastating, with far smaller personal cost.

For Dao Zenithels, possessing a Xuanhuang Dao Treasure versus not possessing one were two entirely different concepts.

My qi refiner self’s Xuanhuang Dao Treasure is settled. Wu Yuan reflected, a slight furrow creasing his brow. As for my body refiner self, according to Senior Tian Xu and Mountain Daoist, I should have a Xuanhuang Dao Treasure of my own as the Creation Dao Master. Perhaps I’ll only discover clues once I ascend to Dao Zenithel?

After brief contemplation, Wu Yuan set these thoughts aside. Excessive speculation would yield no fruit.

Calming his mind, he focused on analyzing his battle with Cloud Saint, examining his strengths and weaknesses methodically.

Wan Yu Tower has its justification for ranking me second on the True Saint Rankings. He acknowledged. In physical defense, foundation and raw ether, I surpass True Saint Luan Hai. But he has created a Dao Zenithel ultimate technique. In a direct confrontation, I would likely still be at a disadvantage.

At their level, foundation and roots were already perfected, all derived from their self-created Dao. Wu Yuan’s self-created Dao was indeed heaven-defying, but having only recently taken the third step, certain limitations remained.

His Saint Realm, for instance, emerged from the second step of his self-created Dao. While stronger than other True Saints, no fundamental difference existed between them.

Self-created Daos! Self-created ultimate techniques! These determined the essential distinctions among True Saints and Dao Zenithels who had reached the pinnacle.

Ultimate techniques for defense, sealing, or domains—my body refiner self needn’t rush those yet. Wu Yuan decided. My focus now should remain on saber techniques, perceiving the Great Dao’s essence, and leveraging my advantage as a Dao Master.

He extended a strand of consciousness toward the Eldritch Progenitor Hall. I must delve deeper into the profundities of my self-created Dao and explore the myriad Dao Zenithel ultimate techniques preserved within the Eldritch Progenitor Hall.

Wu Yuan immersed himself in daoist scriptures, studying countless ultimate techniques and insights left by Dao Zenithel Eldritch Progenitors. Previously, when his Dao cultivation level had been lower, he had feared being influenced by the Dao techniques created by others. Now, with his self-created Dao fully formed, he could safely absorb their experiences without contaminating his path.

These advantages distinguished him from the vast majority of True Saints.

And then there’s this Chaos Jade Crystal. Wu Yuan’s ether body opened his palm, revealing a strange, translucent crystal of extraordinary beauty. Mysterious fluctuations emanated from its depths.

I hope my body refiner self can forge a Dao Zenithel ultimate technique in one go. He thought, allowing his ether body to harness the Chaos Jade Crystal without hesitation.

Had the struggle for the Chaos Nucleus already concluded, Wu Yuan would likely have sent his ether body back, letting his body refiner self utilize the crystal for even greater effect. However, with the Chaos Nucleus’s emergence imminent, he lacked confidence in creating a Dao Zenithel ultimate technique quickly enough without this precious aid.

The Chaos Jade Crystal compresses ten thousand years of cultivation into a moment of epiphany. For pure theorizing and deduction, one year equates to over a hundred million years of normal cultivation as a True Saint.

These effects were widely acknowledged. More crucial still, through the Crystal, one could resonate with the vast, infinite Primordial essence in the depths of existence, providing remarkable support when breaking through cultivation bottlenecks.

Without such properties, how else could the Chaos Jade Crystal drive countless True Saints to madness?

If the Chaos Jade Crystal is this impressive, how wondrous might the Chaos Nucleus be? Wu Yuan found himself filled with anticipation.

Without advancing further, Wu Yuan lacked absolute confidence in his ability to triumph should he face encirclement by multiple foes. In his view, lacking absolute confidence was tantamount to having no confidence at all.

Time flowed onward.

Wu Yuan’s mana body remained in secluded cultivation, its Chaos Jade Crystal still effective for more than a thousand years. Naturally, he couldn’t afford to waste it.

His ether body, too, remained deeply immersed in cultivation.

Throughout the Tenth Chaos Void, rare treasures continued to emerge, drawing True Saints from all directions to vie for them. Yet the number of True Saints remaining had sharply decreased to just over a thousand. Those left all possessed extraordinary power, at least Peak True Saint level.

They stayed for one reason alone: the Chaos Nucleus.

Five hundred years passed, then a thousand… in the blink of an eye, over six thousand years had elapsed.

Wu Yuan’s mana body roamed the Chaos Void for more than four thousand years after the Chaos Jade Crystal’s mysterious power was exhausted, yet the Chaos Nucleus remained hidden.

During this span, Wu Yuan’s mana body encountered many powerful True Saints. He had crossed paths once with True Saint Luan Hai and True Saint Yin Yu, but both parties had given each other a wide berth, avoiding unnecessary conflict.

As long as the Chaos Nucleus wasn’t involved, they saw no reason to engage in a life-or-death struggle prematurely.

It wasn’t until eight thousand and three hundred years after the ninth Chaos Jade Crystal’s emergence, when many True Saints had begun to doubt whether the Chaos Nucleus even existed, that it finally happened.

On that fateful day, a vast, formless fluctuation that transcended spacetime’s constraints instantly swept through the entire Tenth Chaos Void, felt by every powerhouse within its boundaries.

In that singular moment, all True Saints realized: the Chaos Nucleus was about to emerge.