Yuan’s Ascension

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Seven Wu Yuans appeared simultaneously, each exuding a formidable aura. Every one of them was perfectly lifelike, indistinguishable.

The grand ether art ‘Rending the Heavens’ had two core functions: one, to drastically increase burst speed, and two, to create lifelike phantoms to confuse the enemy during close-quarters combat.

Wu Yuan could project up to fifty-five such phantoms, each both real and illusory. He could switch between them at will, making it difficult for enemies to discern the true target.

However, under the immense suppression of High Immortal Wu Zong's Tribulation Domain, Wu Yuan could only maintain seven phantoms.

Slash~ Flying swords sliced through the air, impaling phantom after phantom.

One of Wu Yuan’s phantoms suddenly unleashed a barrage of blade rays, cutting through the air with terrifying force. Eight razor-sharp streaks of light surged forward, their weight and momentum seemingly endless, imbued with the profundities of the Life Dao. Like torrents of raw power, they clashed violently with two approaching flying swords.

Clang! Clang! The sound of fierce collisions echoed through the air as the two forces clashed hundreds of times.

The overwhelming power of Wu Yuan's blade rays forced the two flying swords to retreat, their momentum blunted.

High Immortal Wu Zong, who controlled the sword domain, could only deploy nine flying swords at a time. Each sword retained about 80% of its peak strength, but even with two swords attacking together, they were unable to overwhelm Wu Yuan.

She had comprehended the Qiankun Dao to the fourth-level True Intent stage and a Lesser Law of the Wind Dao to the sixth-level Dao Field stage. Although she had not attained the rank of Heavenly Master, she was among the most powerful of ordinary High Immortals.

More importantly, her stealth and assassination abilities were unmatched, even compared to the three Imperial Majesties, making her the perfect choice for this crucial mission. In her estimation, even a ninth-stage Elysian Field cultivator with exceptional talent and powerful artifacts should not have been a match for her.

Yet, Wu Yuan had defied all expectations, meeting her on equal terms in a direct confrontation.

This scene also left the other fighters thunderstruck.

"Haha, excellent! Excellent!" The Snake Ancestor's face lit up with delight as it laughed, "Nan You, you've paid a huge price, but it seems you've miscalculated."

"This… this can't be!" Imperial Majesty Nan You could not hide his disbelief. “Hou Feng isn’t even an Earth Eldritch yet!”

The power Wu Yuan unleashed rivaled that of eldritch race veteran elder or even immortal race Heavenly Masters.

It was simply unheard of.

One had to understand that Wu Yuan was only at the ninth-stage Elysian Field phase. Yes, he had the Archeldritch Divine Artifacts. But fighting a High Immortal, someone two cultivation phases above him, to a stalemate? It was simply inconceivable.

"How could Hou Feng's strength surpass our own?" The High Eldritches were simultaneously stunned and exhilarated.

"Are the Archeldritch Divine Artifacts boosting his power?"

"Even if so, the strength he’s displaying is absurd. Not even Eldritch Deity Zhu Jiu could achieve this."

“Is this the genius the Imperial Majesties of the immortal race want to eliminate?"

“None of us had even heard of him before.”

Even the High Immortals and Earth Immortals of the six beast battle arrays were visibly shaken, their initial confidence faltering as a hint of fear began to take root in their hearts.

If this monstrous prodigy was already nearing the power of a Heavenly Master at the ninth-stage Elysian Field phase, what would happen when he advanced to Earth Eldritch? Would he have the power of an Eldritch Deity? Or worse, what if he reached High Eldritch?

"Kill him, don’t hold anything back!" Imperial Majesty Nan You's voice thundered in Wu Zong’s mind, fueled by desperation. "If he survives, he will annihilate our immortal race!"

Unfortunately, Imperial Majesty Nan You was helpless to assist. While he appeared to be pinning down the Snake Ancestor, the Snake Ancestor was also keeping him occupied.

Moreover, though he wasn't afraid of the numerous arrays and barriers around the eldritch race tribe, it would still take some time for him to break free. At least, he found it far more difficult than High Immortal Wu Zong.

Kill! The eldritch race annihilated my clan, slew my Dao companion, and murdered my kin. This Hou Feng must die! A hint of madness gleamed in High Immortal Wu Zong's eyes.

Her hatred for the eldritch race burned fiercely. She was selected for this mission not only for her skills but also because she was one of the most trustworthy and relentless High Immortals.

Thousand Swords Array!

Sword! Intent! Divine! Life! Soul!

Unite. High Immortal Wu Zong screamed inwardly, her amethyst cradle shaking violently. Vast waves of mana roiled as she mobilized her strongest burst-type secret art, burning her life essence.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Flying swords blotted out the sky, integrating with her Tribulation Domain. These low-grade spirion artifacts stabilized the vulnerabilities in the sword domain and amplified its might.

…

Inside the sword domain, Wu Yuan remained eerily calm, his gaze icy.

Some Second Tribulation High Immortal thinks she can kill me? Wu Yuan thought, undeterred.

Wu Yuan had been caught off guard by the first strike and didn’t have the time to fully unleash his ether arts, let alone employ his movement skills. That was why he had gotten injured.

But now, he was ready to fight with everything he had.

With the enhancement from the authority of heaven and earth granted by the Archeldritch Divine Artifacts, I rival a ninth-stage Earth Eldritch in mana power! Once I unleash multiple ether arts and employ Beast Fusion... I'll be even closer to the High Eldritch level.

The High Eldritches and High Immortals of Huanggu lack Immortal Tribulations. Even if their Dao comprehension is deeper, their mana capacity only rivals that of a First Tribulation High Immortal at best. Wu Yuan was very clear on this point: In terms of mana, this female High Immortal is stronger than me, but not insurmountably so.

In Huanggu, without the existence of Heavenly Tribulations, becoming an Archimmortal was nearly impossible. The mana of High Immortals and High Eldritches was unable to undergo a true transformation.

Ordinary High Eldritches and High Immortals could only compare to First or Second Tribulation cultivators.

The so-called veteran elders of the eldritch race and the immortal race’s Heavenly Masters possessed strength akin to Third or Fourth Tribulation cultivators.

Figures like the eldritch race’s Eldritch Deity Hou Tu, though their Dao comprehension rivaled that of Archimmortals, had smaller mana capacities, limiting them to power levels equivalent to Fifth Tribulation High Eldritches from the external world. With the enhancement of Archeldritch Divine Artifacts, they could at most match Sixth Tribulation High Eldritches.

However, top-tier powerhouses like the Snake Ancestor, Eldritch Deity Zhu Jiu, and the three Imperial Majesties of the immortal race stood in a league of their own.

In terms of Dao comprehension, the power I can harness from my understanding of the Law of Life plus Law of Space, though not yet at the level of Eldritch Deities, is very close, and far surpasses hers.

As for artifacts, this female High Immortal has a greater quantity of them, and even a celestial divine sword, but I possess three Archeldritch Divine Artifacts, so I'm not too far behind.

Moreover, while I can't enter higher spatial dimensions, my movement skills are no worse than hers.

Defeating you may prove challenging, but you think you can kill me? Wu Yuan’s gaze turned frigid, his aura radiating overwhelming intensity.

Earlier, he had chosen to flee—not out of fear, but because his current strength wasn't sufficient to interfere in the battle between the Snake Ancestor and Imperial Majesty Nan You. Moreover, the immortal race was clearly targeting him.

Yet retreat did not mean Wu Yuan was powerless.

After her initial attacks failed to subdue him, High Immortal Wu Zong abandoned any reservation, fighting with no regard for her own life. Even if she managed to survive the battle, her life expectancy would be cut short by at least a hundred thousand years.

"Kill!" High Immortal Wu Zong’s face flushed with a crimson hue as she pointed from afar. The Thousand Swords Array came to life, and eighty-one flying swords assembled into nine azure divine swords. Their power was overwhelming, and their sword qi sliced through the heavens, covering a hundred thousand li.

The nine divine swords descended together like an enormous net, determined to shred Wu Yuan to pieces.

"Kill!" Wu Yuan roared, swinging his eight sabers in unison. Blade rays erupted like torrents, vicious and unrelenting.

Simultaneously, countless phantoms of Wu Yuan flickered into existence within the sword domain.

Clang! Clang! Clang! The two forces clashed violently once more, with every collision sending Wu Yuan tumbling backward.

Yet, every time the divine swords attempted to trap and bombard him, Wu Yuan seamlessly shifted between his phantoms, dodging the killing blows.

Boom! Boom! Boom! The divine swords smashed through his phantoms, but as quickly as they were destroyed, the illusions reformed.

Wu Zong concentrated six divine swords on suppressing the phantoms, leaving only three to attack Wu Yuan directly.

But three divine swords were not enough to bring him down.

I cultivate the Great Eldritch Divine Body. With the protection of my Archeldritch Divine Artifact armor, coupled with the abundant blood mist replenishing my vital ether, you can’t kill me. Wu Yuan’s eyes burned with a savage intensity.

The Life Dao was known as the Undying Dao.

The Space Dao was known as the Shadowless Dao.

When these two Daos combined and his profound mastery of grand ether arts came into play, Wu Yuan's ability to preserve his life reached an unimaginable level.

No matter how hard High Immortal Wu Zong tried, her efforts were futile.

Damn it! Damn it! How can this Hou Feng be so powerful? Desperation crept into Wu Zong's thoughts, her heart heavy with disbelief.

Killing Wu Yuan on her own seemed impossible. Her only hope was to trap and bind him within the sword domain, keeping him from escaping.

"Wu Zong!"

"We're here to help!" Two voices called out from the distance as two massive battle arrays charged into the sword domain.

They had finally breached the defense arrays and gotten past the four High Eldritches, arriving at the clash between Wu Yuan and Wu Zong.

Their entrance immediately compounded Wu Yuan’s predicament.

A beast's claw sliced through the air, hurling Wu Yuan into the distance. With his phantoms occupied, he had no way to dodge. The blow left him coughing blood, his body crashing violently against the ground.

Wu Yuan felt his vital qi churning throughout his body.

The power of these battle arrays is close to the Third Tribulation High Eldritch level. Madness flickered in Wu Yuan’s eyes.

This was equivalent to facing one Second Tribulation High Immortal and two Third Tribulation High Eldritches simultaneously.

The pressure on him more than doubled.

He knew that breaking free from the Tribulation sword domain was nearly impossible. He was essentially trapped here. While his self-preservation techniques could keep him alive for a time, they wouldn’t last forever.

The Snake Ancestor, Eldritch Deity Hou Tu, and the other High Eldritches were all tied up with their own battles. No one could save him.

He had to defeat his opponents. He had to tear this sword domain apart.

Kill! If there’s no way out, I’ll carve one with my blade! Wu Yuan’s battle intent soared, his spirit unshaken.

If there had been a chance to flee, Wu Yuan would have taken it. However, he wouldn’t give up even in this no-escape scenario. It was only at the edge of life and death that one’s most primal potential could be unlocked.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Divine swords whistled through the air, forcing Wu Yuan to retreat again and again.

"Die!" A massive tail cracked through the sky toward him.

"Kill!" Wu Yuan’s icy gaze sharpened as he swung his eight sabers. His footing faltered, but he continued to strike, only to be flung backward once more, blood trickling down his chin.

His vital aura was weakening rapidly.

Hmm? In the chaotic frenzy, an unexpected clarity bloomed within Wu Yuan’s mind. As he teetered on the brink of life and death, an insight struck him.

Those profundities of the Law of Life which had eluded him until now, suddenly crystallized—the True Intent of Life.

So, this is the complete True Intent of Life? Wu Yuan's mind calmed as Dao insights cascaded through his consciousness.

In that moment, his saber technique evolved.

This was—an Archimmortal-level saber technique!

Whysee's Thoughts

For reference:

Minor Eldritch

Communion

Minor Immortal

Qi Sea

Eldritch Soldier

Spiritual Body

Immortal Soldier

Golden Core

Eldritch Warrior

Shambhala

Immortal Warrior

Amethyst Cradle

Eldritch General

Elysian Field

Immortal General

Void Refiner

Earth Eldritch

Dharma Body

Earth Immortal

Divided Soul

ordinary High Eldritch

(comparable to 1st-2nd Tribulation) Universe Architect

ordinary High Immortal

(comparable to 1st-2nd Tribulation) Tribulation

eldritch race veteran elder

(comparable to 3rd-4th Tribulation) Universe Architect

immortal race Heavenly Master

(comparable to 3rd-4th Tribulation) Tribulation [at or above seventh-level Dao Field stage]

Eldritch Deity (High Eldritch)

(comparable to 5th Tribulation, 6th Tribulation with boost from Archeldritch Divine Weapons) Universe Architect [Fully comprehended a Lesser Law]

Imperial Majesty (High Immortal)

(comparable to 5th Tribulation, 6th Tribulation with boost from Creation Divine Weapons) Universe Architect [Fully comprehended a Lesser Law]