Yuan’s Ascension

His first encounter with her was marked with threats of violence and death, nearly ending in bloodshed. How could he say he was fond of such situations?

"Your temperament is still the same as ever," Wu Yuan said, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Still, I must thank you for your help back then," he continued. "Without your aid, I might never have reached the Spacetime Dao Realm."

It was the truth. Perhaps Zhuo Haiyue had acted out of self-interest, but without her guidance, Wu Yuan would never have joined the Dragon Star Immortal Sect or met Master Dong Yang.

Even if his power had grown, his progress would likely have been far slower than it was now. This debt of gratitude weighed heavily on Wu Yuan's mind.

"Your achievements are your own," Zhuo Haiyue said, shaking her head with a smile. "My help was insignificant. A Supreme Genius cannot be produced through nurturing alone."

She turned to Wu Yuan. "Does our agreement from back then still stand?"

"It does," Wu Yuan nodded firmly. "I always honor my promises."

Years ago, before Zhuo Haiyue had departed for the divine court headquarters, they had made a pact. If she ever required assistance in the future, Wu Yuan would do everything in his power to aid her.

"Good. Your word is enough," Zhuo Haiyue said, a rare, unguarded smile gracing her features. She raised her teacup. "To find a friend in the Spacetime Dao Realm—I count myself fortunate."

"As do I," Wu Yuan replied, raising his own cup in response.

They drank their tea in silence.

With a sudden motion, Zhuo Haiyue rose to her feet. "Ming Jian, fear not. I'm sure you have your reasons for concealing your identity. I won't breathe a word about your past to anyone."

"Thank you," Wu Yuan said with genuine gratitude in his voice.

"Let us strive together on the path to attaining the Dao," Zhuo Haiyue said, her smile warm. "I hear you've become a disciple of Immortal Sovereign Bei You. With your talent, you might ascend directly to a Sovereign of Space after a few hundred thousand years of cultivation."

"The same could be said of you," Wu Yuan replied with a grin. "The road of a Supreme Genius is fraught with peril. Since the dawn of the Greenridge Macrocosm, none have truly walked it to completion. We are all still on the journey."

Neither made any attempt to hide their ambitions. There was no need.

Level one hundred of the seven-star tower stood as the ultimate benchmark for Supreme Geniuses. Reaching level one hundred of any star tower merely meant one had met the standard for their age group.

Only by fully comprehending one of the Greater Laws and conquering level one hundred of the seven-star tower could one truly be called a Supreme Genius, worthy of leaving their name in the annals of the endless river of space and time.

Both Wu Yuan and Zhuo Haiyue aspired to this lofty goal.

"Oh, one more thing," Zhuo Haiyue added.

"You bear a Dao Master Imprint, so you should have sufficient points. Don't rush into embarking on spacetime missions just yet. Focus on cultivating your mana to the ninth-stage Earth Immortal phase first," she advised. "Also, while you have enough points for twenty spacetime inheritances, don't be hasty. I suggest waiting at least a century between every two inheritances."

"Thank you for the advice," Wu Yuan said, inclining his head.

Zhuo Haiyue nodded slightly. She understood that Wu Yuan had his own mentors and background, and having received the Dao Master Imprint, he surely had access to relevant information. A gentle reminder was enough to show goodwill. Saying too much would only come across as nagging.

"I'll take my leave now," Zhuo Haiyue said with a smile. "If I require team members for future spacetime missions, I may extend an invitation your way."

"I look forward to it," Wu Yuan replied.

…

As Zhuo Haiyue's form receded into the distance, Wu Yuan watched her go, his emotions calm, tinged only with a hint of curiosity.

How fascinating. After centuries apart, we finally met again, both completely changed. Fate truly works in strange ways. He mused to himself inwardly.

Wu Yuan took another sip of tea.

A moment later, his form dissipated, his consciousness departing the Spacetime Immortal Voidrealm.

…

In a vast hall near the eastern edge of the Spacetime Island, a residence for Sovereign Imprint bearers, a woman in silver armor sat in the lotus position, lost in thought.

"Not likable?" she murmured to herself. "After enduring hell and nightmares, who cares about being likable?"

Zhuo Haiyue knew how to appear agreeable, she simply chose not to. During her time at the divine court headquarters, she had maintained an icy demeanor towards all, save for a select few. It was her nature.

One had to remember that Wu Yuan's body refiner self had been forced to take part in the Golden Core Bloodforge Battle. Zhuo Haiyue, born to a prince-rank family of an immortal continent, had voluntarily applied for the Bloodforge Battle at mere decades of age. Her personality was clear as day.

Time to accept an inheritance. They say the spacetime inheritance of this Spacetime Dao Realm is among the top three inheritances for comprehending the Greater Laws of Space and Time. Zhuo Haiyue mused, her eyes slowly closing. I hope it doesn't disappoint.

An invisible force enveloped her.

Time passed.

The spacetime inheritance truly lives up to its reputation. Zhuo Haiyue opened her eyes, a gleam shining in them. A faint ripple of energy pulsed around her.

"Little Yue, you've finally let me out!" a childish voice exclaimed. "Did you receive a spacetime inheritance?"

"Yes," Zhuo Haiyue replied curtly.

"I must remind you again," the voice continued, "while the spacetime inheritance is valuable, your true path lies in comprehending the Law of Thunder..."

"Enough," Zhuo Haiyue interrupted, her brow furrowing slightly.

"Fine, fine," the voice acquiesced. "According to our previous training plan, after you assimilate the first spacetime inheritance, you should take on a spacetime mission. I suggest starting with an Elite-level mission, then a few Sovereign-level ones to get acclimated. Only attempt a Dao Master-level mission after breaking through to High Immortal."

"That's unnecessary," Zhuo Haiyue said calmly.

"I'll take one Sovereign-level mission, then move straight to Dao Master-level missions," she declared. "Mission difficulty increases over time. There's no point in delaying it deliberately."

"Isn't that a bit too hasty?" the voice protested. "I still think you should wait until you reach the High Immortal phase..."

"It's decided," Zhuo Haiyue cut in. "I'll inform you of the mission details once they're sent. You can then compile a list of necessary treasures. For now, I need to cultivate. You may go."

"Wait, Little Yue—" the voice began, but it faded away before it could finish.

Silence reigned in Zhuo Haiyue's mind once more.

Always discouraging me from exploring other Daos, always pushing me to advance to the Tribulation phase and fully fuse my Yuan Soul with the imprint... Zhuo Haiyue mused inwardly, her eyes cold. A Saint’s imprint... as if such gifts were offered for free.

It’s both a blessing and a curse. You seek to use my body... if I fail and you succeed, will I still be myself?

But, I have no choice left. Zhuo Haiyue's eyes drifted shut.

She had never regretted choosing this path. Or rather, destiny had left her no alternative. All she could do was struggle, and fight with every ounce of her being. Perish or triumph, there was no third path.

…

On the Spacetime Island, in the private hall of Wu Yuan's qi refiner self.

He sat in lotus position atop a jade platform in his meditation chamber.

How annoying. He muttered inwardly. My first day here, and there’s already an invitation to join a spacetime mission? Wu Yuan shook his head.

He chose to ignore this obvious ploy entirely. Since word had spread, countless requests to add Wu Yuan as a ‘Daoist Friend’ had flooded in through the Spacetime Immortal Voidrealm.

There were thousands upon thousands of them, the vast majority coming from immortal cultivators of the Taiyuan Divine Court faction, with a minority from other factions.

Wu Yuan promptly blocked most imprint bearers from messaging him through the Spacetime Immortal Voidrealm, leaving only a few like Zhuo Haiyue, Nangong Meng, Nie Zhen, and Pei Shi with permission to contact him.

The noise quieted at last.

I've got a good grasp on the situation in the Spacetime Island now. Wu Yuan thought. Even if mission difficulty increases over time, my strength is far from its peak.

While mana bodies generally don't carry lifebound flying swords into battle, I should at least raise my cultivation to the ninth-stage Earth Immortal phase. He considered.

With divine crystal elixir, it would take seven years to reach the peak of his current cultivation phase. For Wu Yuan, who had already reached the Earth Immortal phase, staying patient for this bit of time was a small matter.

I'll cultivate mana and nurture my mana body simultaneously. He decided. At the same time, I will work on my Dao comprehension.

Wu Yuan's eyes drifted shut as his Soul Will merged with the entire hall, awakening an invisible force slumbering within.

In truth, all these countless halls were connected to the boundless, majestic power of the Spacetime Island!

A hum resonated through the air as an invisible force enveloped Wu Yuan. A cold voice echoed in his mind: "Dao Master Imprint Bearer Ming Jian, do you wish to initiate the spacetime inheritance?"

"Yes," Wu Yuan replied.

"Deducting one thousand spacetime points. Nineteen thousand spacetime points remaining. Inheritance commencing," the voice intoned.

Boom! Before Wu Yuan could respond, an immense, boundless power instantly enveloped Wu Yuan.

Despite his Yuan Soul rivaling that of a High Immortal and his Dao Heart nearly matching an Archimmortal's, he found himself utterly helpless against this overwhelming force. He was completely submerged.

A moment later, Wu Yuan felt his 'perspective' stretch infinitely, as if he had been transported back to the unfathomable time before the creation of heaven and earth.

He 'witnessed' that era of primordial chaos. It was an endless, boundless darkness, devoid of up, down, left, or right. There were no concepts of time or space. This instant might have lasted for billions of years, or just passed in a blink. It was from this moment that everything began. It was then that the concept of 'time' came into being.

Boom! A beam of light pierced through the infinite darkness, carving out space and etching the very concept of time into existence.

This ray of light came from an unknown source and headed towards an unknown destination, as if it were the most primal, vastest force in existence.

Rumble! As the light flashed past, heaven and earth were created. Countless surging, turbulent forces began to emerge... The magnificent heaven and earth started to take shape.

Space. Wu Yuan was completely immersed in the experience. From that single beam of light, he sensed an extraordinary power, feeling the profundities of Space.

The Dao begets one, one begets two, and three begets all things. And Space was that 'one'! It was because of the existence of space that the subsequent two, three, and all things came to be. It represented the beginning of all Dao and all things.

Rumble! Heaven and earth expanded and countless lives were born, multiplying rapidly. Various laws governing the workings of heaven and earth began to take shape and operate, and the entire world entered an era of prosperity.

Streams of peculiar fluctuations, like rolling floods, permeated through every dimension and region of the entire world. These fluctuations were omnipresent. There was nowhere they couldn't penetrate. Or perhaps it was because of these strange fluctuations that the workings of heaven and earth could operate.

Time! It's the fluctuations of Time, the strands of Time! Although Wu Yuan's perception was blurry, he still managed to sense it.

It's because of the Apotheosis Yuan Soul. Wu Yuan realized.

Normally, even High Immortals would find it difficult to truly perceive the existence of Time. Time Dao fluctuations never manifested externally; they were simply part of the workings of heaven and earth.

However, the Apotheosis Yuan Soul broke some of the limits of the rules of heaven and earth’s workings. Just as the Apotheosis Yuan Soul made it easier to comprehend Space, it also allowed Wu Yuan to perceive the existence of Time fluctuations more clearly during the spacetime inheritance simulation.

Space was the foundation! Time was the pillar!

It was because of Time that the process of the operation of all things came into being, or rather, it was the embodiment of the process of all things operating.

Time never exists in isolation. But it always exists. Wu Yuan pondered, already captivated by the awe-inspiring profundities of spacetime. He was completely immersed in this experience.

Rumble! The workings of heaven and earth encompassed by Space, the rolling flood of Time… finally this magnificent world headed towards extinction. Everything returned to nothingness, space began to collapse, and those strands of time flowing through all things swiftly converged and returned to one!