Yuan's Ascension

Chapter 698: Breakthrough, Twelve Yuan Souls (1)

In the vast, endless void, darkness stretched in all directions, with no discernible end in sight.

At the center of this void stood a majestic, boundless range of black mountains. The mountain range undulated, its peaks soaring to heights of at least billions of li. As for its length? It far exceeded Wu Yuan's sensory range, boundless!

Wu Yuan stood at the foot of this black mountain range, which resembled an expansive world unto itself. Here, a grand hall stood.

He stood before the hall, not daring to move rashly.

What a strange world. Could this be the Black Devil Blood Hollow? The legendary lair of Sovereign Black Devil? Wu Yuan pondered silently.

Just moments ago, as Wu Yuan had begun to sense something in the void, he was suddenly transported by a terrifying force, arriving in this realm.

Wu Yuan was certain of two things: first, he was at the location specified by the spacetime coordinates. Second, when he had first learned of the Black Devil Blood Sacrifice, he had caught a distant glimpse of Sovereign Black Devil perched atop a black mountain range, strikingly similar to the one before him now.

Hum~ Suddenly, a figure in black robes materialized not far from Wu Yuan, his aura both ethereal and domineering.

Though the figure appeared slightly illusory, his mere presence caused Wu Yuan's heart to shudder instinctively.

"Senior," Wu Yuan bowed respectfully.

"There's no need to address me as Senior. You may call me Big Devil," the black-robed figure replied, his voice completely devoid of warmth. "I am a spirit entity created by the Sovereign, or more precisely, the spirit of the Black Devil Blood Hollow, tasked with assessing the countless immortal cultivators who arrive here.

Only those who pass my assessment may obtain the treasures left behind by the Sovereign."

Wu Yuan listened silently.

"All of the many spacetime coordinates left by my master lead to the Black Devil Blood Hollow. But among those who enter through the second most dangerous coordinates, you are the first Earth Immortal to date," the black-robed figure glanced at Wu Yuan.

Wu Yuan listened silently.

Indeed, Earth Immortals were rarely seen in the Inner Region of the Snowlight Mist Realm, and the Core Region was even more perilous.

In his decades of exploration and hundreds of battles, Wu Yuan had scarcely encountered High Immortals, let alone Earth Immortals.

In fact, over ninety percent of those who ventured into the Core Region were Archimmortals from the nine major factions of the Dao Realm.

"I can sense a trace of the Black Devil Divine Pillar's aura within you. The fact that you found this place means you've met the basic requirements of the Black Devil Divine Pillar.

To possess such power when you’re merely an Earth Immortal, and at such a young age, your talent must be extraordinary." The black-robed figure looked down at Wu Yuan, his expression unchanging: "By right, you should be qualified to face the Sovereign's trials."

Wu Yuan's heart stirred. By right? What about by left?

“However, why did you only send your mana body here? And why did you not even bring the Black Devil Divine Pillar?” The black-robed figure shook his head with icy disdain.

Wu Yuan was taken aback.

Was it necessary to bring the Black Devil Divine Pillar? The information stated by Sovereign Black Devil had never mentioned this requirement.

"Just because the Sovereign didn't mention it, you can’t think for yourself?" The black-robed figure sneered, seemingly reading Wu Yuan's thoughts. "Besides, did you really think you could obtain the Sovereign's true treasures with just a mana body?

Remember this well. Come in your true self and carry the Black Devil Divine Pillar to qualify for entry into the Black Devil Blood Hollow." The black-robed figure looked down at Wu Yuan. "This mana body of yours is unqualified!"

Unqualified? Wu Yuan was stunned. If he was unqualified, why bring him here in the first place?

"Unqualified, yet daring to trespass into the Black Devil Blood Hollow—a capital offense!" The black-robed figure's eyes turned frigid as he pointed at Wu Yuan from afar.

Capital offense? Wu Yuan was instantly alarmed and tried to speak: "Sen—"

Whoosh! A terrifying beam of light emerged from the black-robed figure's fingertip, completely piercing through Wu Yuan's mana body near instantaneously.

Even though Wu Yuan comprehended both Time and Space Daos, he couldn't muster even the slightest reaction in the face of the attack.

In that moment, Wu Yuan's mana body completely dissipated, vanishing into nothingness.

“An Earth Immortal? A monstrous prodigy? Hmph! Trying your luck with just a mana body, too cowardly to risk your life, yet daring to venture into the Black Devil Blood Hollow?" A flash of murderous intent gleamed in the black-robed figure's eyes. "I would sooner let my master's treasures rot than carelessly pass them on."

He didn’t care whether they were geniuses or not. Anyone who didn't meet Sovereign Black Devil's dying wishes would be slain without exception.

...

The Spacetime Island, Wu Yuan’s qi refiner self’s hall.

Theoretically qualified, but in reality unqualified? And for that, my mana body was destroyed? Wu Yuan opened his eyes, his brow furrowing slightly.

If he wasn't qualified, why transport his mana body into the Black Devil Blood Hollow in the first place? Expulsion would have sufficed. Instead, it was outright annihilation.

As expected of Sovereign Black Devil, who stirred up countless calamities in the Dao Realm, to the point where even the Dao Master had to personally intervene to destroy him. His methods are indeed tyrannical. Wu Yuan's eyebrows arched.

He had read up on Sovereign Black Devil and knew his usual style of doing things.

Demanding that my true self bring the Black Devil Divine Pillar? Wu Yuan pondered silently. Is this true or false?

The loss of a mana body is one thing, but my true self? Wu Yuan frowned slightly.

For ordinary Earth Immortals and High Immortals, the loss of a mana body was a significant matter. After all, their lifespans were limited, and methodically refining a new one could take tens of thousands of years.

Immortal Life Pills were extremely expensive—a Divided Soul Immortal Life Pill was worth over ten thousand divine crystals. A Tribulation Immortal Life Pill was worth a hundred thousand divine crystals.

As for Immortal Life Pills at the Archimmortal level? They were worth a million divine crystals, so most Archimmortals were unwilling to purchase them, and would rather spend a hundred thousand years slowly nurturing a new mana body.

For Wu Yuan, if he were to complete his Ninth Immortal Tribulation in the future and become an Astral Monarch or even a Sovereign, spending millions of years nurturing a single mana body was normal. To create one in a short time would come at an even greater cost.

But currently? For Wu Yuan, even if his mana body perished again and again on various expeditions, he could still afford the price to hasten their recreation.

Yet, the death of his true self would mean the complete end of his qi refining journey. Therefore, whether to go forth in his true self along with the Black Devil Divine Pillar was a question he had to consider carefully, as the level of danger was exceptionally high.

Hmm? Wu Yuan suddenly sensed something and looked up.

"Master." Star Moon had already flown to his side, speaking urgently, "The Spacetime Island just issued an order, assigning you a Dao Master-level Mission."

As she spoke, Star Moon waved her hand, and a massive light screen appeared, filled with detailed text.

Dao Master-level Mission: Exploration

Exploration: Head to the Snowlight Mist Realm, enter the Black Devil Blood Hollow within the Core Region, and return alive. This mission must be undertaken by your true self.

Reward: One thousand spacetime points.

Mission Background: The Black Devil Blood Hollow was created by the extremely powerful Sovereign Black Devil in the early years of the Dao Realm...

Note: To be completed within the current spacetime mission cycle. 792 years remaining.

Assigned to me? Wu Yuan stared at the light screen in disbelief.

It was not unheard of for the Spacetime Island to assign missions without the imprint bearer's consent. But it was extremely rare.

To Wu Yuan's knowledge, many imprint bearers could spend tens of thousands of years on the Spacetime Island, completing hundreds of missions, without being assigned a single compulsory spacetime mission.

Yet, Wu Yuan, not even three hundred years into his first mission cycle of a thousand years, had already been assigned one? And it was a Dao Master-level mission at that.

As I suspected earlier, the Spacetime Island has been monitoring me in secret? Wu Yuan mused internally. Or perhaps, nothing that happens in the Dao Realm escapes the Spacetime Island's notice.

Given that the Dao Master mastered Spacetime, the fact that he possessed such capabilities was within Wu Yuan's expectations.

According to what that temple spirit said previously in the Spacetime Labyrinth, many of the opportunities in the Dao Realm were left behind by the Dao Master. The fact that the Black Devil Blood Hollow wasn't destroyed must also be in line with the Dao Master's wishes. Wu Yuan pondered.

Now, with this spacetime mission being arranged for me, it seems there shouldn't be any safety concerns, at least.

Spacetime missions were never suicide missions. There was always hope for survival.

But, for my true self to enter the Core Region of the Snowlight Mist Realm?

Wu Yuan shook his head slightly, still feeling a little reluctant. He had already lost several mana bodies in succession.

After cultivating part one of the ‘Genesis Law Sacrifice’, his true self, while carrying the Black Devil Divine Pillar, could unleash the mana of a Third Tribulation High Immortal.

Yet Wu Yuan's qi refiner self's direct combat prowess had merely progressed from approaching the Archimmortal level to reaching the second-stage Archimmortal level.

After all, the combat secret arts Wu Yuan mastered, such as the Nine Swords of Spacetime and Moonlight Shadow, were only comparable to the fifth or sixth-stage Archimmortal level, not yet reaching the Astral Lord or seventh-stage Archimmortal level.

For the nine stages of the Archimmortal level, every three stages represented a qualitative leap.

There are still nearly eight hundred years left, enough for me to step into the High Immortal phase. Wu Yuan had already made up his mind. It's better to wait until I enter the High Immortal phase before venturing into the Black Devil Blood Hollow with the Black Devil Divine Pillar.

Once he entered the High Immortal phase, he would have a stronger foundation overall. Even if his Dao comprehension didn't improve further, Wu Yuan was confident his strength would increase significantly.

Moreover, up to now, Wu Yuan had only been cultivating for just over six hundred years. After several hundred more years, no one could predict how much Wu Yuan's strength would grow.

When the time comes, my true self will head there to complete the spacetime mission and obtain Sovereign Black Devil's treasures. Wu Yuan's eyes gleamed with determination.

If I can obtain a Sovereign's treasures, my chances of becoming a Supreme Genius and ascending to the Sovereign phase in one go will increase even further.

Indeed, although it was dangerous for his true self to venture forth, many powerful opportunities could only be seized by taking such risks. The path of immortal cultivation was far from smooth sailing.

For now, I'll focus on cultivating another mana body first. Wu Yuan's qi refiner self decided.

He dedicated a portion of his mental energy to creating a new mana body within his amethyst cradle using a Divided Soul Immortal Life Pill.

...

Ten years later, his new mana body was created. As Wu Yuan already had a Dao Master-level Mission, he couldn't accept new spacetime missions.

His mana body once again set out to explore the Snowlight Mist Realm, dying several times consecutively.

Not counting the loss of treasures, Wu Yuan had lost over a hundred thousand divine crystals in purely Immortal Life Pills and personal artifacts alone.

This was the nature of expeditions. They went hand in hand with complications and challenges.

Even for super powerhouses, it was possible for their mana bodies to perish after many battles if luck wasn't on their side.

Meanwhile, Wu Yuan began to receive his second spacetime inheritance, two hundred years after the last time.