Yuan’s Ascension

On the brutal Eldritch-Immortal Battlefield, both sides knew that defeat meant death. With their strengths closely matched, neither could claim victory in the short term.

"Damned Immortal Court cultivators, I’m going to kill you all!" An Shu growled, then spat a mouthful of fresh blood.

The blood was a vivid crimson and charged with a mysterious aura, seeping into his flying sword. The sword array responded with a surge of power.

"An Eldritch Blood Art? Hmph!" The purple-robed man scoffed. The horn atop his head shimmered with an eerie light, casting a divine aura that amplified his already imposing presence.

One was a prodigy from the Eldritch World, the other was a prodigy from the Voltari Temple. Both wielded powerful secret arts and artifacts.

"Shi Jing, are you just going to stand there and watch? If you don’t act soon, there won’t be any part of the ore vein left for you!" The purple-robed man’s voice boomed across the battlefield, resonating through the void for tens of thousands of li.

An Shu and Gong Shujie exchanged glances, their expressions tightening. Did this man have allies they were not aware of?

A chill ran down their spines as Pei He and Lie Shier remembered Wu Yuan's warning. Were there truly hidden enemies?

Laughter echoed from the distance. "Haha! I thought you could hold out longer."

Thousands of li in the distance, a rogue planet exploded, and a massive figure appeared, standing roughly three thousand zhang tall.

The figure was humanoid with eight arms, and his skin resembled rock. He was clad in ancient black armor adorned with countless cryptic patterns.

His aura was suffocating, and as he emerged, a wave of fiery energy swept across the battlefield, enveloping thousands of li in an instant.

Layer upon layer of phantom images materialized around the figure—rivers, mountains, canyons—all encircled by endless flames, giving him the appearance of a fiery deity. Though his Shambhala Domain had yet to reach them, the heat was already unbearable for An Shu and Gong Shujie.

"Elysian Field phase, second-stage?" An Shu’s pupils constricted in shock. He could handle newly advanced first-stage Elysian Field cultivators in a one-on-one battle, but the current stalemate left his group in a precarious position.

"It's an Elysian Field cultivator.”

“We're in danger." Fear gripped Pei He, Lie Shier, and Bing Roushui as they realized the gravity of their situation.

The strength that Pei He’s battle array could exhibit was barely at the threshold of the Void Refiner/Elysian Field.

Boom! Shi Jing, who had been concealing his aura, finally revealed his power. As an Elysian Field cultivator, even An Shu hadn’t sensed his presence when he stayed hidden, but once he unleashed his power, his strength was unmistakable.

"Kill!" Shi Jing’s towering body stepped into the void, covering thousands of li with each stride, and in a few flashes, he reached Gong Shujie.

The inferno blazed around him, and with massive war hammers in each of his eight arms, Shi Jing unleashed a flurry of attacks that sent the puppet warriors and serpents flying. He was an unstoppable force.

Though his Dao comprehension was at the seventh-level True Intent stage, and his immortal root was only fifth-degree, as an Elysian Field powerhouse, his base strength was overwhelming.

"Die!" Shi Jing’s savage expression twisted as he set his sights on Gong Shujie. "Young puppet master, it's an honor for you to die at my hands."

Each swing of Shi Jing’s warhammers seemed to tear space apart, and Gong Shujie was forced back with every exchange. Unintentionally, they had drifted close to the hovering first-grade spirit battleship.

Suddenly, the hatch of the battleship burst open. A majestic surge of aura, equal in intensity to Shi Jing's, exploded outward, drawing the attention of everyone on the battlefield.

An Shu, the purple-robed man, Pei He, Shi Jing, and the others turned toward the battleship, only to see it disappear. In its place stood an equally towering, four-armed, silver-armored titan wielding four divine swords. It was an Amethyst Cradle battle array.

"I was worried you’d run if I showed my power earlier, so I held back," said the titan, a smirk on its face. It was Wu Yuan, leading the battle array. The aura radiating from Wu Yuan's array was overwhelming, second only to Shi Jing, who had employed multiple ether arts. The strength of this array was far greater than any of the others.

"Thousand zhangs? This power... It's the pinnacle of an Amethyst Cradle battle array, formed by eighty-one Amethyst Cradle cultivators."

"A peak Amethyst Cradle array."

"How long has Commander Ming Jian spent studying the coordination array? Yet he's already completely mastered it?"

Pei He, Lie Shier, Bing Roushui, Yu Zhuo, and the others were stunned. The silver armor they wore acted as array flags, facilitating immediate array formation.

But an array formed by eighty-one Amethyst Cradle cultivators working in unison? The complexity was simply mind-boggling!

They knew Wu Yuan had a broad perspective and sound judgment, and suspected that he had considerable strength as well. Yet, they never thought he would be this powerful.

"What a powerful Amethyst Cradle battle array!"

"Impressive."

"Ming Jian has been hiding his true strength all this time? Just how powerful is he?" An Shu and Gong Shujie were initially upset with Wu Yuan for not taking action, but now they were filled with surprise.

To lead such a strong battle array, his strength had to be incredible.

"A peak Amethyst Cradle array?"

"How could there be so many strong fighters hidden on that battleship? I couldn't sense any vital auras from it just a moment ago."

"I didn't notice it? Did someone mask their aura?" The expression of the man in purple robes shifted.

A possibility came to mind, sending a cold shiver down his spine.

"A peak Amethyst Cradle array?" Shi Jing stood tall, his gaze locked onto the giant figure in silver armor wielding the divine swords.

He felt that this armored giant posed an immense threat to him. However, his dignity as an Elysian Field powerhouse prevented him from retreating without a fight.

Eighty-one Amethyst Cradle cultivators. Is this the limit of the silver-armored giant array? Wu Yuan sensed the array’s overwhelming power.

This was his first time commanding an Amethyst Cradle battle array. The moment he took control, he understood why a real peerless genius would prefer to fight alone.

The battle array’s power was the collective power of the Amethyst Cradle cultivators operating the array. But it wasn’t a simple addition of their mana, and it had its limits.

The power unleashed by a peak Amethyst Cradle battle array was equivalent to the first-stage Void Refiner cultivator with a sixth-degree immortal root, only two stages above Wu Yuan.

Moreover, unlike a fixed array, the battle array was a unified entity, capable of moving freely. Within, numerous arrays were layered on top of each other. Array controllers would find it difficult to manipulate a large number of artifacts at will, thus limiting ranged attacks.

To unleash the true power of a battle array, the best way is through close combat! Pei He and Lie Shier have all chosen to fight in close quarters.

Weaklings gather in battle arrays to avoid being massacred. Wu Yuan shook his head slightly. But for a peerless genius, the battle array is somewhat redundant.

However, this cloaks my true strength and identity. And it’s more than enough to kill a second-stage Elysian Field cultivator! Wu Yuan moved subtly, perfectly controlling the entire battle array.

Four massive divine swords rose!

Boom! Wu Yuan exploded into action. His towering body was enveloped in a faint yellow glow, which turned into a silvery light, piercing through heaven and earth.

He lunged directly at the rock-like Elysian Field powerhouse.

"So fast."

"This speed?" Pei He, Lie Shier, Bing Roushui and the others were taken aback. That instantaneous burst speed definitely reached two thousand li per second.

"So fast."

"This aura?" Both Gong Shujie and An Shu were equally astounded.

An Shu could also lead a peak Amethyst Cradle battle array, but its burst speed would be far slower than Wu Yuan's. One had to keep in mind that he comprehended the Law of Wind.

Two thousand li per second!

Previously, Shi Jing's relentless attack on Gong Shujie had brought them right next to the battleship. So, in an instant,

Wu Yuan charged into Shi Jing's Shambhala Domain.

So fast? Shi Jing was also inwardly surprised, but he remained undeterred. Seems like another peerless genius. Exactly the type I need to kill.

Rumble~ The flames that encompassed everything within three thousand li flared, transforming into fire dragons that bore down on Wu Yuan.

Shambhala cultivators were capable of forming Shambhala Domains around their bodies. And upon reaching the Elysian Field level, the internal Shambhala transformed further, growing even more powerful, hence it was also known as the Elysian Field.

"Elysian Field?"

"If it were a Elysian Field cultivator with a second-degree immortal root, I might bother putting in some effort. You?" Wu Yuan's gaze was icy.

Boom! The boundless mana of the giant array surged violently, harnessing the essence of the Celestial Body Dao.

The True Intent of the Celestial Body Dao!

Boom!

The Dao Field and Elysian Field collided.

Wu Yuan’s speed, which was originally suppressed, once again skyrocketed.

Not good! It's a Dao Field! It's a peerless genius who has comprehended a Dao Field! Why am I so unlucky? Run!! Shi Jing's stomach plummeted.

A cultivator who could comprehend a Dao Field at the Spiritual Body/Golden Core phase was rarely born in tens of thousands of immortal continents. They were the topmost peerless geniuses.

A cultivator who could comprehend a Dao Field at the Amethyst Cradle/Shambhala phase was also a rare genius even in hundreds of immortal continents.

Run? It was too late to retreat.

"No!" Shi Jing howled in desperation, wielding his eight warhammers. His power surged as he tried to block Wu Yuan’s attacks.

Whoosh! Whoosh! At this moment, four streaks of earthy yellow sword light descended, each as powerful as a star’s explosion, yet fluid and never-ending.

They cut across space!

Bang! Bang! Both parties clashed, each attack imbued with unimaginable might.

In the blink of an eye, dozens of exchanges passed. Wu Yuan's swordplay grew faster, heavier, and eerily relentless.

Meanwhile, Shi Jing felt increasingly desperate. He knew he was fighting a losing battle, unable to withstand Wu Yuan's swordsmanship.

Whoosh! Suddenly, a trail of sword light left an indelible mark in space.

A warhammer of the towering, rock-like giant, slipped from his grasp. One of his arms was severed and sent flying!

Swoosh! Another streak of sword light swept across, instantly decapitating Shi Jing's colossal figure.

Splat! His massive body was split down the middle by a stroke of the sword.

"No!" Shi Jing's head took flight, still screaming. "An Elysian Field body is undying, I will not die, I will not die!"

Whoosh! Whoosh! His fragmented body transformed into beams of light, shooting off into the distance.

With the power to rejuvenate from a single drop of blood, it could be said that Elysian Field powerhouses did not have a single weakness from head to toe.

"Undying body?" Wu Yuan's eyes were icy.

With a mental command, nearly a thousand third-grade spirit flying swords materialized around him, forming an immensely large sword domain in an instant.

Sixth step of the Dark Earth Sword Array—Dark Earth Sword Domain.

This sword domain was imbued with the True Intent of the Celestial Body Dao. Sword qi blanketed the space, effortlessly covering thousands of li.

All the fragmented parts of Shi Jing's body were suppressed within the domain, reducing his speed drastically.

Swish! Countless sword lights howled. Numerous flying swords formed Celestial Body divine swords, further tearing Shi Jing's body apart.

In one breath, Shi Jing's towering body was reduced to nothing, all the vital ether contained in his body, completely exhausted!

Shi Jing, an Elysian Field powerhouse, was dead!

If a body refiner could maintain their defenses, ensuring their body remained in one piece, they could withstand a prolonged assault. Even a fight over three days and nights wasn't a problem.

But once their body was torn apart, no matter how large their pool of vital ether, they wouldn’t be able to hold on for long.

A fifth-rank fighter? 500,000 ethercrystal laurels? Wu Yuan received a message from the Eldritch Blood Temple. However, he remained calm.

In terms of foundation, Wu Yuan was somewhat weaker even while leading a battle array. But in terms of Dao comprehension, Wu Yuan far surpassed Shi Jing.

Among Earth Immortals and Earth Eldritches, Wu Yuan's Dao comprehension was considered mid-tier. Killing a regular second-stage Elysian Field powerhouse? That was hardly a challenge!

A few have escaped? Wu Yuan's gaze swept across the space.

At this moment, the single-horned, purple-robed man, initially brimming with confidence, was now fleeing in terror, while An Shu chased him with a sword array.

Boom! With a swift movement, Wu Yuan accelerated to his utmost speed, lunging towards the man in purple robes.