Yuan’s Ascension

In the heart of the Cang Feng Eldritch World, within a special, independent realm, lay an endless desolate plain.

Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi sat in lotus position amidst the windswept grasslands, unperturbed by the fierce gales that flattened the vegetation around him.

Countless demonic beasts roamed the area, yet none dared to disturb him. Strangely, many of the creatures seemed drawn to him, displaying an unusual affection despite their fearsome nature.

Kua Chi’s eyes scanned the intelligence report in his hand. Ming Jian? A King-rank fighter of the entry-level battlefield? He mused silently. I wasn't mistaken back then. Of his two true selves, the body refiner self showed greater potential—not only possessing heavenly endowed eldritch tattoos but also a Celestial Body Dao Body.

Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi had mentored over a thousand disciples, many of whom possessed Intermediate Law Dao Bodies. Yet, he couldn’t help but acknowledge the formidable nature of Dao Bodies at this level. Among the many nurtured by heaven and earth, there were only subtle differences between each type.

But now, it seems my disciple's qi refiner self is comprehending the Longevity Dao at an astonishing pace, keeping perfect stride with his body refiner self. Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi furrowed his brow. Why is this?

As one of the peak powerhouses of the Greenridge Macrocosm, Kua Chi knew that such strength was never a matter of coincidence. There was always a reason, a deeper mystery to uncover.

If Wu Yuan's qi refiner self truly possessed such incredible natural talent, the fame of 'Li Xia', his previous identity, would not have been limited to a single immortal nation. Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi understood this clearly.

Wu Yuan's qi refiner self’s raw talent, before entering the Eldritch-Immortal Battlefield, should have been on par with the likes of An Heng and Dongli Zhen, both of whom Wu Yuan had slain. Perhaps even slightly inferior.

Yet now, after a mere seventy years of cultivation, Wu Yuan had achieved a level of prowess that was nothing short of monstrous. It was truly astounding.

Observing his performance, it seems he has upgraded his immortal root to the first degree? To undergo such a metamorphosis at the Amethyst Cradle phase, coupled with nine lifebound flying swords and a Dao comprehension rivaling those with Intermediate Law Dao Bodies... Eldritch Sovereign Kua Chi pondered. How different is this from an innate first-degree immortal root?

An innate first-degree immortal root represented the pinnacle of talent, and Wu Yuan's qi refiner self had come remarkably close to that benchmark.

Such a dramatic transformation in such a short time? And this is just his qi refiner self. If combined with his body refiner self? Kua Chi shook his head slightly.

Among the countless disciples he had taken on over his long years, Wu Yuan's talent would likely rank in the top ten.

Yet, Kua Chi did not place Wu Yuan higher, not because other disciples were superior, but because Wu Yuan was still too young. His future was uncertain, and Kua Chi's evaluation was naturally tempered by this fact.

With such extraordinary aptitude, it's no wonder even the Eldritch Court has taken notice from afar. The Eldritch Progenitor, perhaps? Kua Chi recalled his first attempt to retrace the past of this disciple. Upon reaching the beginning, he encountered a formless resistance. He also thought of how urgently the Bloodforge Devil Hall had sent Wu Yuan to him back then.

It's likely that this disciple of mine is involved in some heaven-shaking secret. Kua Chi concluded, though he wasn’t overly concerned.

So what if there was some great secret? This was the Greenridge Macrocosm, after all. Besides, if there truly was some terrifying mystery, the supreme Eldritch Progenitor wouldn't stand idly by.

Still, this Bei You certainly likes to fish in troubled waters. Kua Chi shook his head slightly. So be it.

Ming Jian... it's time I met this disciple of mine. Kua Chi closed his eyes.

A strand of his consciousness had already entered the Cang Feng Eldritch Voidrealm.

…

The world outside buzzed with excitement, and Ming Jian's name spread throughout the Eldritch-Immortal Battlefields, reaching the ears of top echelons in various top-tier major factions across the Greenridge Macrocosm.

Rumors swirled that the Eternal Sun Immortal World had produced another monstrous prodigy named Ming Jian.

But soon after, the highest echelons of the Eternal Sun Immortal World issued a decree, forbidding any Astral Monarch-level entities within the immortal world from investigating Ming Jian's background.

They also cracked down on numerous intelligence operatives from various factions, and the commotion gradually subsided.

As for the connection between Li Xia and Ming Jian? Indeed, quite a few factions harbored such suspicions. However, the vast disparity in talent displayed by the two identities gave them pause.

Coupled with the Dragon Star Immortal Sect's denial, claiming that Li Xia had yet to break through to the Amethyst Cradle phase, and the implicit protection from the Eternal Sun Immortal World's upper echelons, the matter was left unresolved in the absence of concrete evidence.

Of course, the core reason was that the Eternal Sun Immortal World maintained a neutral stance within the macrocosm, without any absolute enemies.

Thus, neither the Voltari Temple, the Greenridge Immortal World, nor other top-tier factions were willing to expend significant resources and effort to uncover Ming Jian's origins. After all, what would it matter even if they did? Could they kill Ming Jian?

For the various top-tier factions, knowing that Ming Jian possessed exceptional talent and confirming his allegiance to the Eternal Sun Immortal World was sufficient.

Meanwhile, the turbulence in the external world had no impact on Wu Yuan. After all, no one knew his specific identity within the Eternal Sun Immortal Voidrealm, so there was no one to harass him.

In the blink of an eye, two days had passed since Wu Yuan slew a group of Immortal Hall prodigies.

At the heart of the eldritch camp's territory in the Eldritch-Immortal Battlefield 36 stood the majestic Blood Eldritch Temple. The structure hovered over the landscape, its presence both awe-inspiring and ominous.

Whoosh~ An inconspicuous teleportation array flashed with light, and a figure clad in black robes emerged.

I'm back. Wu Yuan stepped out of the array, his gaze sweeping over the throngs of immortal cultivators coming and going in the distance.

Few paid much attention to Wu Yuan, for he had already applied to withdraw from the battlefield, so his voidrealm jade profile was deactivated.

At the very least, ordinary participants couldn't directly ascertain Wu Yuan's identity or name. As for his appearance? Wu Yuan had long since grown accustomed to altering his features as a habit.

Whoosh! A streak of light flashed from afar, and an elderly man wearing official white robes appeared before Wu Yuan, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Esteemed King-rank fighter," the white-robed elderly man bowed slightly, speaking in a low voice only the two of them could hear.

This scene drew surprised glances from quite a few immortal cultivators nearby. After all, in their perception, this white-robed elderly man was clearly an Earth Immortal. An Earth Immortal, bowing to an Amethyst Cradle cultivator?

"Please Senior, that’s too much," Wu Yuan quickly responded. "How about simply addressing me as ‘young friend’?"

"I don't have that privilege," the white-robed elderly man smiled warmly. "I'll take the liberty of calling you Childe if I may."

The elderly man was well aware of Wu Yuan's strength, which already approached his own. How could he possibly address such a monstrous prodigy as an equal?

A ripple of Earth Immortal-level mana shielded their conversation from eavesdroppers as the white-robed elderly man continued, "Childe Ming Jian, you've applied to withdraw from the battlefield as well as redeem a Legendary treasure, is that correct?"

"Yes," Wu Yuan nodded. Since he was preparing to leave, it was only natural that he’d use up all his ethercrystal laurels.

"The redemption of a Legendary treasure is of great significance, so the Archeldritch specially instructed me to receive you," the white-robed elderly man explained. "Please, Childe, follow me."

"Very well," Wu Yuan nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

Without another word, they moved, the two instantly transforming into streaks of light as they swiftly passed through layer upon layer of invisible barriers, ascending to the higher levels of the Blood Eldritch Temple.

The entire temple stood tall in the void, majestic and boundless. Wu Yuan had only previously visited the ground floor, but this time, as they passed through barrier after barrier, he began to grasp just how vast the Blood Eldritch Temple truly was. There were dozens of levels, each one more imposing than the last.

Were it not for an Earth Immortal leading the way, even with Wu Yuan's privileges as a King-rank fighter, it would have been impossible for him to enter these areas that could be considered forbidden grounds.

As they ascended over twenty floors, clearing the security measures on each one, quite a few Void Refiner, Elysian Field, and even Earth Immortal cultivators along the way cast curious glances at Wu Yuan, but none spoke up.

Finally, the white-robed elderly man led Wu Yuan to the entrance of a rather spacious hall.

"Childe Ming Jian, please enter. The Archeldritch awaits within the hall," the elderly man said respectfully.

"Mm." Wu Yuan, harboring no suspicions, stepped into the hall.

The vast chamber was completely empty, save for a single black-robed figure standing at the far end.

As he stood there, he emanated a strange aura of darkness, as if the brightly lit hall had been plunged into endless shadow.

Beyond the Archeldritch level? Wu Yuan marveled inwardly.

He was no longer his old, naive self. The immense power of his Yuan Soul and Dao comprehension meant that, subconsciously, Wu Yuan didn't particularly fear Earth Immortals or even High Immortals.

As for Archimmortals and Archeldritches? Though their strength was indeed formidable, capable of obliterating Wu Yuan with a wave of their hand, they couldn’t evoke the same fear in him.

Whoosh! Wu Yuan's form flickered as he appeared in the middle of the hall, bowing respectfully. "Ming Jian pays his respects to Senior."

"My name is Astral Monarch Xue Ying. You may call me Xue Ying," the black-robed figure said, turning to face Wu Yuan. Though his features remained obscured beneath his hood, an inexplicable warmth and goodwill radiated from him, enveloping Wu Yuan in an aura of reassurance.

"Junior dares not," Wu Yuan quickly replied, instinctively lowering his gaze.

An Astral Monarch allowing Wu Yuan to address him directly by name?

"Fear not," Xue Ying continued, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "You are the disciple of an Eldritch Sovereign. Your senior brothers and I address each other as equals. In the future, we will have many more opportunities to work together."

Wu Yuan's heart skipped a beat. Who exactly was this Astral Monarch Xue Ying?

"Wu Yuan, there's no need to be surprised," Xue Ying said, as if reading his thoughts. "Here, no one can eavesdrop on our conversation."

"Moreover," Xue Ying added with a smile, "the Eldritch Sovereign himself should be speaking with you soon."

Wu Yuan was stunned for a moment.

In the next instant, Wu Yuan was startled to discover that Xue Ying's words were true. Without a sound, the presence of Master Kua Chi materialized within his personal hall in the eldritch voidrealm.

“Senior,” Wu Yuan barely opened his mouth to speak when Xue Ying interjected, "Go and meet the Eldritch Sovereign first. All will become clear."

Wu Yuan nodded.