Yuan's Ascension

Chapter 721: Wu Yuan Returns, Merging Of Memories (1)

The ‘Will of Life and Death’. A single spear strike holds both life and death, yet also transcends them. Wu Yuan immersed himself in contemplation. Death awaits at the end of life, yet within death often lies the seed of rebirth.

He had learned numerous combat secret arts in the Cang Feng Eldritch World, as well as various exquisite combat techniques from the secret art sacred mountains during his test.

However, none could compare to this ‘Will of Life and Death’. It was not merely a simple convergence of Dao insights, but seemed to contain traces of the Immutable True Saint's will within.

Whenever Wu Yuan recalled this combat secret art, memories of the Immutable True Saint's cultivation experiences would surface. Unconsciously, it guided Wu Yuan towards comprehending the Great Dao of Creation.

It should be noted that Wu Yuan had only recently grasped the True Intent of Creation and only just established a Life Dao Body.

Now that he had obtained the ‘Will of Life and Death’, countless insights into the Dao flooded his mind. Scene after scene of spear training flickered through Wu Yuan's thoughts.

The Immutable True Saint wielded a spear. To truly comprehend this secret art, a spear would likely be ideal. Wu Yuan mused. But my strength lies in the saber, and it’s the weapon I’m most fond of.

I should learn from those who came before, while still forging my own path.

Only by standing on the shoulders of giants could one see farther and gain strength more swiftly. To stubbornly insist on blazing a new trail through the wilderness when a broad highway already existed was not the mark of genius, but of foolishness!

Yet walking the path laid by one's predecessors did not mean blind imitation. Rather, it meant absorbing their wisdom while finding the way best suited to oneself.

The most crucial aspect of the Will of Life and Death is this will. Wu Yuan realized with sudden clarity. I must study the profound workings of the Laws of Creation, yet gradually form a will that is uniquely my own.

The saber! First, I must learn to wield this powerful combat secret art with a saber. Wu Yuan made up his mind.

The weapon was merely the external form. The profundities and will of the Dao were the true core.

Wu Yuan sank deep into contemplation, feeling countless insights surge through him, propelling his progress. He became utterly oblivious to his surroundings.

The elderly man in black robes merely smiled, making no move to interrupt. For him, waiting a few years more or less made little difference.

...

Exhaling, Wu Yuan slowly opened his eyes.

It felt as if only an instant had passed, yet all the insights into the Great Dao of Creation he had accumulated over centuries seemed to have been unleashed at once under the guidance of the ‘Will of Life and Death’.

"Senior, how long has it been?" Wu Yuan turned to the black-robed elderly man.

"One year," the elderly man replied with a smile.

"So long?" Wu Yuan was startled. He had completely lost track of time.

"What's a mere year? In the future, you may seclude yourself in cultivation for millions of years at a stretch," the elderly man said, still smiling.

Wu Yuan couldn't help but smile as well.

Indeed, the further one progressed in cultivation, the more difficult each step became. He had yielded great gains from this one year of comprehension. Yet, he was still far from breaking through to the second-level True Intent stage of Creation.

"As the successor of the Immutable True Saint, the ‘Will of Life and Death’ is your second reward," the elderly man said, gazing at Wu Yuan. "It contains a trace of the True Saint's will, which will unconsciously guide you towards the essence of the Great Dao as you cultivate – an opportunity rarely afforded to those who seek to comprehend the Great Dao.

With the Life Dao Body and ‘Will of Life and Death’, your chances of becoming a Sovereign in the future have increased at least tenfold, and your hope of achieving transcendence has grown significantly as well," the elderly man continued.

Wu Yuan listened intently, realizing the strength and uniqueness of the ‘Will of Life and Death’. Its power as a combat technique was but one aspect. More crucially, it offered guidance in comprehending the Dao.

"Emissary, was it truly my master, the True Saint himself, who spoke to me earlier?" Wu Yuan asked.

"Indeed." The elderly man nodded. "Master has not perished. The scene you witnessed was of one of his lectures within the Creation Divine Hall. It took place countless eons ago, when the Immutable Land was first established. But as a transcendent being, Master holds all imprints of time and space within his mind.

That which he contemplates becomes manifest. Thus, the words spoken to you by Master in the past are equivalent to him addressing you in the present.

Master is aware of your existence," the elderly man said.

Wu Yuan was stunned by this revelation.

He was so powerful?

"Of course, you are currently only a nominal disciple, not yet a true disciple," the elderly man continued. "As such, you are not yet qualified to learn of Master's precise whereabouts."

Naturally, the elderly man left some things unsaid – even he did not know the current location of the Immutable True Saint.

Since the creation of the Immutable Land and his master's departure, countless eons had passed without his return.

"When might I meet Master?" Wu Yuan asked curiously.

"That is unknown," the elderly man shook his head. "When Master deems it appropriate to meet you, he shall do so... But your two senior brothers have not seen Master since their time in the Creation Divine Hall either."

Wu Yuan was taken aback.

His two nominal senior brothers had only met the Immutable True Saint once? And it wasn't even considered a true meeting?

"May I know who my two senior brothers are?" Wu Yuan inquired.

"There's no need to speak of the one who has perished," the elderly man said. "As for the one who still lives, he would be your Great Senior Brother... His name is Jian Huang."

"Sovereign Jian Huang?" Wu Yuan thought to himself.

He had never heard of this name before, but made note of it.

"Sovereign Jian Huang is a late-stage Sovereign in the river of space and time, ruling over a great macrocosm. He has achieved no small measure of success, even slaying other Sovereigns," the elderly man explained. "He reigns supreme in his domain, and even some super powers are wary of provoking him."

Wu Yuan nodded, impressed.

It seemed this Sovereign Jian Huang possessed terrifying strength, likely on par with or even surpassing Immortal Sovereign Qing Ling of the Greenridge Macrocosm.

"However, he has not yet met Master's expectations, at least not as of now," the elderly man said, looking at Wu Yuan. "You must understand, Master is a supreme being who has transcended the samsara cycles of heaven and earth.

Be they Sovereigns, or even late-stage Sovereigns, Master has little use for them. Master established the Immutable Land, created the Creation Divine Hall, and even paid a great price to leave behind imprints of the Great Dao – but not for the sake of nurturing Sovereigns," the elderly man continued.

"Even some exceptionally powerful Sovereigns known as Overlords, with strength approaching Master's level, are not worth his attention.

No matter how mighty they may be, as long as they have not transcended, they too shall ultimately perish when the cycle of samsara ends."

Wu Yuan listened in shock.

Exceptionally powerful Sovereigns known as Overlords? His mind immediately flashed to the Overlord Hall in the Bloodforge Spacetime. Could it be that the Bloodforge Spacetime was created by one such Overlord?

"Take the powerful Deities and Devils born in the era when the heavens were first created. Many were Astral Monarchs or even Sovereigns from birth. They were the darlings of heaven and earth, yet almost none had any hope of transcendence," the elderly man said.

Born as Sovereigns? Wu Yuan grew increasingly astonished.

This was information he had never heard of before. He only knew of some powerful Deities and Devils from ancient times, like the Teng Snake Progenitor who followed Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

He had yet to ascend to Archimmortality, and thus did not qualify as a true elite of the Cang Feng Eldritch World, let alone the Eldritch Court. Naturally, there was much classified information he remained unaware of.

Moreover, under the current workings of heaven and earth, 99% of powerful beings arose from various macrocosms. Their understanding of those primordial, inherently mighty lifeforms was naturally scarce.

"In short, Master chose you as his successor and is nurturing you in hopes of raising another supreme, transcendent being," the elderly man said.

Wu Yuan was secretly shocked. Such lofty expectations from a supreme being! When ordinary Sovereigns nurtured disciples, they only dared hope for their disciples to reach the Sovereign phase, even if they were their most brilliant geniuses.

A supreme being? They were not something one could nurture simply by wanting to. His two senior brothers must have been monstrous prodigies as well, far surpassing ordinary Supreme Geniuses. Yet what of it? They still saw no hope of success.

"Of course, this path is extremely difficult. What we call opportunities and treasures are all relative," the elderly man said.

"For instance, a third-degree immortal root would be considered a great opportunity among most Amethyst Cradle/Shambhala cultivators, with those possessing one called monstrous prodigies. But to an Archimmortal, it is utterly commonplace – without a third-degree immortal root at least, one could not even forge an immortal body or deity body.

Things like first-degree immortal roots, Intermediate Dao Bodies, and supreme techniques would be considered heaven-defying opportunities and characteristics of monstrous prodigies to ordinary immortal cultivators. But every Sovereign possesses a first-degree immortal root at least.

Without a first-degree immortal root, one simply cannot become a Sovereign. As for Intermediate Dao Bodies? At the Sovereign phase, even those are nothing special," the elderly man shook his head.

"Why? Because anyone who reaches that phase has experienced great providence and extraordinary opportunities. How could they lack such things?"

Wu Yuan nodded slightly.

He understood this principle well. In the past, he had been considered top-tier within the Bloodforge Spacetime. But upon first arriving in the eldritch world, he was mediocre in Master Kua Chi's eyes.

It was the same now. Among supreme transcendent beings, his current achievements could likely only be deemed passable, for their standards were far too high.

"Thus, Master has prepared what could be called the finest training conditions for you," the elderly man said. "You relied on your own power to establish an Apotheosis root, which is excellent. With this foundation, you have hope of becoming an Overlord in the future."

"Apotheosis root?" Wu Yuan's eyes flashed with surprise.

"I know everything about you. You are only at the Earth Eldritch phase now, thus your root can be upgraded upon crystallizing the True Intent of Creation. If your cultivation phase had been more advanced, this would not have been possible," the elderly man said with a smile.

"The more powerful one becomes, the harder it is to upgrade one's root. Among Sovereigns, 99% do not possess an Apotheosis root. If they wished to upgrade their roots? The chances are not much greater than transcending."

Wu Yuan's eyes lit up. So an Apotheosis root was extremely rare even among Sovereigns.

"A Greater Dao Body and a supreme technique containing the will of a transcendent being are equally rare. Most ordinary Sovereigns do not have such benefits," the elderly man said. "With these three advantages, you have hope of standing at the peak of Sovereigns in the future.

But all of this will be useless when it’s time to take the final step. You can only achieve transcendence by yourself," the elderly man said. "At that stage, no one can help you - not even Master can do it for you."

"This junior shall strive with all his might," Wu Yuan said respectfully, bowing his head.

That final step? It was still far too distant!

As an Earth Eldritch, he should focus on slowly cultivating to High Eldritch, then breaking through to the pinnacle of Sovereign. Transcendence? He’d consider that after reaching the late-stage Sovereign phase.

"Besides these, there are two secret arts suitable for you," the black-robed elderly man said. "Both are considered life-saving techniques. With them, your path to becoming a Sovereign will be smoother. These two secret arts are also considered Master's masterpieces. Ordinary Sovereigns won’t be able to create them. And one of them will be of great use even after you become a Sovereign."

"Oh?" A flicker of anticipation flashed through Wu Yuan's heart.

A supreme being’s masterpieces? They must be extraordinary.