Yuan’s Ascension

How terrifying! This strike... my Great Eldritch Divine Body merely endured one percent of the impact, yet it's still trembling and nearly crumbling. Wu Yuan was shocked inwardly. If I had taken a direct hit, I fear my entire body would have been instantly pulverized.

This attack must have reached the ninth-stage Earth Immortal level! Is an Earth Immortal attempting to assassinate me? Wu Yuan's judgment wasn't wrong.

This arcane art indeed reached the ninth-stage Earth Immortal level after its attack power was charged up.

Even after being weakened by the knife domain to just one-tenth of its power, it still matched fourth or fifth-stage Earth Immortal-level power. That was why it could penetrate through the shields and armor, causing Wu Yuan's fourth-stage Great Eldritch Divine Body to tremble uncontrollably.

If the Great Eldritch Divine Body hadn't evolved, Wu Yuan would have been gravely injured even with Shadow Moon's knife domain weakening the attack and the armor's protection! This was the terrifying power of an arcane art unleashed by an Earth Immortal after careful preparation.

In terms of Dao comprehension, Wu Yuan was naturally superior; but in raw power, he was over a thousand times weaker than his opponent. Furthermore, the enemy had the element of surprise.

"Master, there's a fifth-stage Earth Immortal cultivator fleeing twenty thousand li away," As a puppet, Shadow Moon appeared to be a qi refiner, but her body was incredibly resilient like an artifact. Protected by armor, she was largely unaffected.

She, too, possessed the ability to scan her surroundings, though not as miraculously as individuals with Yuan Souls.

"Kill!" Wu Yuan, having just narrowly escaped death, was filled with rage, growling, "Go, kill him! Kill every immortal cultivator that poses a threat!"

Whoosh! Shadow Moon didn't respond, transforming instantly into a terrifying streak of light, her speed reaching frightening levels as she pursued the target through the canyon.

As a puppet, she possessed a certain level of intelligence, but she never questioned her master’s orders. At this moment, her mind focused on a single command—kill! Kill everything that threatened her master's life!!

…

Flee! How is this possible! A puppet at the peak-stage Earth Immortal level? Earth Immortal Qi He was so terrified his soul nearly left his body as he fled.

Originally, he was confident in his ambush, believing he could kill Wu Yuan with a single strike. However, in his Soul Will’s perception, Wu Yuan summoned the puppet with unbelievable reaction speed, which then unleashed terrifying power.

At that point, Qi He still held a glimmer of hope, thinking that the remaining 10% of his attack's power should be enough to easily kill a ninth-stage Shambhala phase cultivator.

Never in his wildest dreams did he expect Wu Yuan to actually withstand the shockwave's impact!

A ninth-stage Shambhala cultivator enduring an arcane art at the fourth or fifth-stage Earth Immortal level? What kind of monstrous prodigy is this?! Qi He finally realized he had picked the wrong target.

This Shadow Blade wasn't just a core disciple of Autumn Lake Hall; he was likely one of those once-in-a-million-year monstrous prodigies, rarely emerging even throughout the entire macrocosm.

Qi He didn't even bother with soul attacks anymore. The fact that Wu Yuan detected the attack in advance essentially told him that Wu Yuan had already reached the Soul Will level. He had to have treasures in place to guard his soul, so attacking him with soul secret arts was just a waste of time.

The peak Earth Immortal puppet is coming to kill me? Qi He had immediately fled the moment he sensed its might.

However, his speed was far slower than Shadow Moon's, who was a puppet. With a distance of twenty thousand li between them, he would be overtaken in no time.

Realizing this, a hint of ferocity flashed in Qi He's eyes as he gritted his teeth. Having provoked such an enemy, it's time for my true self to escape.

Boom! Qi He's speed accelerated to its limit. In the blink of an eye, he had already rushed through the canyon passage, passing by Chi Chang, Protectorate Fang, and the others without the slightest pause.

"What?"

"Earth Immortal?" Chi Chang, Protectorate Fang, Mu Xin, and the others were first stunned, then quickly realized what was happening.

Their expressions changed dramatically as they transformed into streaks of light, attempting to flee. But by then, it was already too late! Shadow Moon had arrived.

Whoosh~ The knife domain, enveloping the sky, swept through everything, the countless blade rays slaughtering all in their path. The raging knife domain descended towards Chi Chang, Mu Xin, and the others.

"No!"

"Shadow Blade, spare us! Have mercy!" A glimmer of despair flashed in Chi Chang's eyes.

He could see that the puppet was at least ten times more powerful than he previously thought. He also knew that Wu Yuan was this Earth Immortal puppet’s master.

"No, don't," Nie Le's face paled. "Shadow Blade, my father is a High-"

"Childe Shadow Blade, please don't, I am Mu-" Mu Xin's beautiful face revealed a hint of despair, looking so pitiful it evoked an instinctive desire to protect her.

"No!"

"Childe Shadow Blade, spare us..." Other Void Refiner/Elysian Field cultivators from the Longstar Immortal Sect screamed as they fled and begged for mercy.

But their speed was far too slow compared to Shadow Moon's.

Slash~ Whoosh~ Slash~ With the sweeping knife domain crushing everything, all struggles and pleas for mercy abruptly ceased!

Chi Chang, dead! Nie Le, dead! Protectorate Fang, dead! Mu Xin, dead!

Apart from Earth Immortal Qi He, all ten-plus immortal cultivators from the Longstar Immortal Sect perished!

"Kill!" Shadow Moon's expression remained icy cold, still fixated on Earth Immortal Qi He frantically fleeing ahead.

To her, killing a few Void Refiner/Elysian Field or Amethyst Cradle cultivators was no different from killing a few insects.

Finally, after several more breaths, and a chase spanning over a hundred thousand li, Shadow Moon caught up to Earth Immortal Qi He as they approached a transverse mountain range.

"Damn it all!" A hint of madness flashed in Qi He's eyes as he waved his hand, instantly summoning numerous spirion artifacts.

An Earth Dao Field appeared, integrating with various spirion artifacts as Earth Immortal Qi He attempted to put up a resistance.

“The Knife Which Annihilates Heaven and Earth, Destroy!" Shadow Moon immediately employed her ultimate move.

Instantly, a multitude of high-grade spirion throwing knives assembled, forming an incredibly terrifying storm of blade rays.

Boom! The blade ray storm tore through the vast sky in an instant!

It crashed into the Earth Dao Field, scattering the spirion artifacts in the sky and blasting through the body of Earth Immortal Qi He, shredding his body to nothingness.

The shockwave of the collision reverberated in all directions, causing the mountain ranges stretching for tens of thousands of li on both sides of the canyon to tremble subtly.

Even the artifacts left behind by Earth Immortal Qi He were sent flying chaotically in the terrifying aftermath of the blade ray storm.

"Scanning!" Shadow Moon maintained a state of heightened vigilance. "No Yuan Soul aura detected. No abnormal soul fluctuations! 80% probability it's a mana body."

"Report back to Master," Shadow Moon swiftly gathered up the numerous artifacts left behind.

Then, she slowed to a speed of one thousand li per second as she flew back towards Wu Yuan. This was her basic mode, the most energy-efficient form, consuming less than her first form. By contrast, in her third form, combined with the use of arcane arts, she could burn through three divine crystals per second!

…

“What? It's likely a mana body?” Wu Yuan furrowed his brow slightly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes as he received Shadow Moon's report.

Qi refiners who reached the Divided Soul phase, becoming Earth Immortals, could cultivate mana bodies once they generated a Yuan Soul. Body refiners who reach the Dharma Body phase, becoming Earth Deities, could cultivate ether bodies.

Mana bodies and ether bodies possessed combat power approaching that of one's true self. Even if destroyed, they could be recreated by the true self, making them indispensable tools for immortal cultivators venturing on dangerous expeditions.

Many cautious immortal cultivators only dispatched their mana bodies or ether bodies when exploring treacherous areas.

Of course, mana bodies and ether bodies were far less valuable than one's true self. If the true self perished, the mana body or ether body would instantly fall as well.

"Correct," Shadow Moon swiftly reported the entire course of the battle.

"I see. Shadow Moon, this is worrisome. Go rest for now," Wu Yuan said, waving his hand to recall Shadow Moon.

Then, Wu Yuan quickly conducted a cursory examination of the many artifacts left behind by Earth Immortal Qi He and the others.

This inspection left him feeling pained!

Aside from the Thunder Beast Stones, the total value of the remaining treasures likely doesn't exceed two divine crystals. That damned Earth Immortal Qi He barely allocated any valuables to his mana body. Wu Yuan gritted his teeth.

His hatred for Earth Immortal Qi He had reached its boiling point. It was worth noting that his battle with Shadow Moon lasted a total of twenty-five seconds, consuming seventy-five of Wu Yuan's divine crystals.

This expedition resulted in a massive loss for him.

The only consolation is these Thunder Beast Stones. Wu Yuan muttered to himself. There are actually over two thousand second-grade Thunder Beast Stones? But how could an Earth Immortal not have a single first-grade Thunder Beast Stone?

What Wu Yuan didn't know was that Earth Immortal Qi He had left the Core Region because he couldn't defeat those thunder beast kings. Otherwise, he wouldn't have needed to come to the Inner Region to study the Dao pattern diagrams on the stone walls.

Hopefully, these Thunder Beast Stones can form several Thunder Beast Diagrams. Wu Yuan thought to himself.

This was the only way to compensate for his losses.

Hmm? Wu Yuan's brow furrowed. Mu Xin and Nie Le were also here? Both were killed by Shadow Moon?

After conducting a more detailed inspection, Wu Yuan had discovered their personal belongings. He felt nothing for either of them. Wu Yuan even harbored a trace of disgust towards Mu Xin, so her death meant little to him.

But this Nie Le seems to be the offspring of a High Immortal from the Longstar Immortal Sect. Wu Yuan frowned slightly. And this Qi He is also an Earth Immortal from the Longstar Immortal Sect. Is his true self still alive?

I hope this doesn't cause too much trouble.

This Thunder Marsh World is jointly controlled by the six major immortal sects of the White Sea Immortal Continent. Wu Yuan quickly analyzed the situation.

Escape!

I’ll head directly for the entrance of the Immutable Land. Once I enter the Immutable Land, it won't matter even if an Archimmortal from the Longstar Immortal Sect personally arrives. Wu Yuan thought to himself.

Even Master Kua Chi and the others couldn't spy on the Immutable Land!

Whoosh! Wu Yuan swiftly vanished into the canyon passage.

…

The Longstar City was located in the same immortal continent spacetime boundary as the Thunder Marsh World.

The headquarters of the Longstar Immortal Sect sprawled across a vast area, with a diameter exceeding thirty million li.

A figure in star-patterned robes, exuding an extraordinary aura, swiftly flew out from an enormous immortal mansion, heading rapidly towards a massive teleportation array not far away.

Suddenly, a tremendous pressure descended with a thunderous rumble, instantly rendering the star-robed figure immobile. A flash of terror crossed his face.

"Qi He, where do you think you're going?" A deep voice inquired, his voice tinged with coldness, "My son's soul lamp was extinguished simultaneously with your mana body's. Were you planning to leave without offering me an explanation?"