Yuan's Ascension-Chapter 966: Escalating Tensions

It really is Wu Yuan? Sovereign Jian Shi's eyes lit up, his heart leaping with joy. Haha, I’ve finally confirmed it. Six mid-grade Dao Instruments? Being the first to confirm Wu Yuan's identity is worth the price.

Over a hundred Sovereigns were deployed by the three Overlords of the Immortal Court's Long Shan Saintdom, but this wasn't considered a major operation.

Their primary objective was to confirm whether this mysterious Supreme Astral Monarch was indeed Wu Yuan. If confirmed to be Wu Yuan, the secondary objective was to slay his ether body.

Indeed! Up until now, even the highest echelons of the Immortal Court, including Sovereign Jian Shi who was locked in combat with Wu Yuan, believed they were merely facing Wu Yuan's ether body. After all, the odds of a peerless genius’ true self venturing into immutable relic sites while at the Astral Monarch phase were far too low. It had never happened in history.

In the eyes of the Immortal Court Sovereigns, unless Wu Yuan was foolish beyond saving, there was no way he would risk his true self on such an expedition.

"Daoist Chang Zhu, you have my thanks. Once this matter is settled, I'll find an opportunity to deliver the six mid-grade Dao Instruments to you," Sovereign Jian Shi transmitted. He was in exceptionally high spirits.

While six mid-grade Dao Instruments was no small price, being the first to confirm Wu Yuan's identity would bring even greater rewards.

"Haha, excellent." Sovereign Chang Zhu responded with a hearty laugh. "I'll take my leave then." He had just scored six mid-grade Dao Instruments without having to fight. Naturally, he was in a fantastic mood.

"Yaoqing, let's go," Sovereign Chang Zhu transmitted.

"We're not waiting anymore?" Zi Yaoqing was momentarily stunned, her experience in expeditions still somewhat lacking.

"We've already reaped the benefits. What more are we waiting for?" Sovereign Chang Zhu transmitted hurriedly. "Sovereign Jian Shi is clearly no match for Wu Yuan, yet he insists on prolonging the engagement. What do you think that means?"

"Other Immortal Court Sovereigns are on their way?" Zi Yaoqing finally caught on.

"Exactly! There are both Immortal Court and Eldritch Court powerhouses at the Well of Life," Sovereign Chang Zhu explained. "We can guess that Sovereign Jian Shi is calling for reinforcements, and Wu Yuan surely has deduced the same. There's a high probability he's also summoning other Eldritch Court powerhouses.

“Moreover, a battle of this caliber is likely to attract numerous Sovereign-level powerhouses. Soon, an astonishing melee of Sovereigns will erupt here," Sovereign Chang Zhu said gravely. "Dozens of Sovereigns from both the Immortal Court and Eldritch Court may join the fray."

"A melee of dozens of Sovereigns?" Zi Yaoqing's eyes sparkled. She had never witnessed such a grand battle.

"You’re thinking of watching? The Immortal Court has confirmed Wu Yuan's identity. Once the two sides communicate, you and I will be the first suspects," Sovereign Chang Zhu glared, his voice urgent. "Staying here will only bring trouble. If the Eldritch Court Sovereigns prevail, they'll likely target us."

"They'd attack just on suspicion?" Zi Yaoqing was taken aback.

"You think the Eldritch Court and Immortal Court are like our Demon Moon Temple? They don't need evidence; suspicion is enough," Sovereign Chang Zhu snorted coldly. "They've always been tyrannical. My mana body has been destroyed twice, merely on suspicion."

Zi Yaoqing finally understood.

No wonder Sovereign Chang Zhu seemed unafraid of offending the Eldritch Court; he had long harbored resentment towards them.

"We're just here to collect some interest. Our Demon Moon Temple's influence is weak, and our strength is limited. We've gained our prize, so we must leave quickly. Let's go," Sovereign Chang Zhu urged.

"Yes," Zi Yaoqing nodded repeatedly, having learned much.

Whoosh! Whoosh! The two Sovereigns transformed into streaks of light and departed, swiftly vanishing from Wu Yuan and Sovereign Jian Shi's perception.

That old fox, he's already fled? Sovereign Jian Shi glanced over, not the least bit surprised.

He knew Sovereign Chang Zhu all too well. This was the typical behavior of most Sovereigns without powerful backing when on expeditions - grab some benefits and immediately retreat.

Chang Zhu and Zi Yaoqing have both left? Wu Yuan frowned slightly, unsure if they had revealed his identity.

Transmissions through fluctuations of Laws were impossible to detect, even for Overlords.

Merely revealing that I am Wu Yuan won't have much impact. The Immortal Court has long harbored strong suspicions, and various rumors are already flying. Wu Yuan's thoughts flashed.

Sovereign Feng Huang and the others should be arriving soon. Once they arrive, there's hope of shaking off this Jian Shi. Wu Yuan mused.

He was reluctant to unleash his full power, not wanting to stir up an even greater commotion that would bring far more harm than benefit.

If he did, even if he managed to slay a few more Sovereigns, what good would it do? It would only incite the Immortal Court Overlords to hunt him down.

True, the Eldritch Court could dispatch Overlords to intercede. But unless they could provide constant, personal protection, there was no way to guard against every possible threat indefinitely.

Clang! Clang! Wu Yuan and Sovereign Jian Shi continued their frenzied battle, yet neither could gain the upper hand over the other.

...

Within the Immortal Court Voidrealm, inside a grand hall on the Long Shan plane, the avatars of over a hundred Sovereigns had gathered.

"Everyone, I can now confirm that the Supreme Astral Monarch suspected to be Wu Yuan is indeed Wu Yuan," a voice suddenly resonated through the hall.

"Is that true?"

"How did you confirm it?" The numerous Sovereigns in the hall immediately turned their heads, looking towards Sovereign Jian Shi who had spoken up, all harboring doubts.

By all accounts, Sovereign Jian Shi shouldn't have seen Wu Yuan in the past.

The hundred-plus Sovereigns in the hall were all from the Immortal Court's Long Shan Saintdom who had accepted this mission. At this moment, their mana and ether bodies were all within the Creation Dao Realm.

However, although most had been pursuing Wu Yuan, not many were actually at the Well of Life at this moment - only about a dozen or so. After all, they hadn't known Wu Yuan's final destination until now.

"There’s no need to question my sources. I am absolutely certain. If I'm wrong, I'll take full responsibility," Sovereign Jian Shi said gravely. "Sovereign You Hong, Sovereign Yuan Jiu, make haste and come quickly."

His gaze swept over the dozen or so Sovereigns currently at the Well of Life.

"Rest assured."

"I'll be there in about a quarter hour."

"I'm close as well." The dozen or so Sovereigns responded, having already sensed the battle's fluctuations and rapidly converging on the location.

...

Almost simultaneously, within the Eldritch Court Voidrealm's Long Shan plane, numerous Sovereigns had likewise gathered in a hall.

"Sovereign Feng Huang, everyone, I’m sorry for the trouble," a thread of Wu Yuan’s consciousness descended in this place.

"Brother Wu Yuan, fear not."

"We're rushing over now. A mere Jian Shi, we'll certainly resolve this."

"Kill him." One Eldritch Court Sovereign after another spoke up, all brimming with confidence.

There were quite a few Eldritch Court Sovereigns at the Well of Life as well, and they had all received orders from Overlord Ming Zhun.

Help Wu Yuan? They were all more than willing.

In their view, Wu Yuan possessed the combat power of a fourth or fifth-stage Sovereign even before his breakthrough. Once he did break through, he'd likely reach late-stage Sovereign strength, perhaps even surpassing Zhu Shan. Such monstrous prowess was utterly terrifying.

It should be noted that Zhu Shan's years of cultivation far exceeded Wu Yuan's. At the very least, when the Megaverse Crossroads concluded, Zhu Shan's true strength was still widely acknowledged to be somewhat superior.

I hope everything goes smoothly. Wu Yuan thought to himself.

The moment Sovereign Jian Shi tried to tie him down, Wu Yuan immediately realized his intentions and sent messages to the Eldritch Court Sovereigns, calling for reinforcements.

...

At the Well of Life, amidst the chaotic nebula.

Wu Yuan and Sovereign Jian Shi battled furiously, pushing ever deeper into the Well of Life.

"Haha, Wu Yuan, you truly are naive if you think this will force me to leave," Sovereign Jian Shi laughed uproariously, his voice echoing through the endless void. "When it comes to control and entrapment abilities, you can’t beat someone who comprehends Spacetime."

He was brimming with confidence. Moreover, given Wu Yuan's sharply reduced flight speed, it would take at least a day for him to reach the core of the Well of Life.

Wu Yuan's gaze was icy cold. He remained silent, merely swinging his saber again and again, attempting to wound Sovereign Jian Shi.

Saber techniques! The Great Dao of Creation – such life-and-death combat truly provides an immense boost to cultivation. Wu Yuan immersed himself in this frenzied battle, honing his saber skills.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. It was through accumulating bit by bit that one could ultimately break through.

Boom! Boom! Three mighty auras rapidly appeared from different directions, all at the Sovereign level. They gazed at the battle from afar.

"It's the Immortal Court's Sovereign Jian Shi."

"And that Supreme Astral Monarch suspected to be Wu Yuan - the two of them are locked in combat?"

"I don't see any treasures." The three newly arrived Sovereign powerhouses quickly made their assessment. Not one was willing to intervene.

Time flowed on.

Whoosh! Whoosh! More and more Sovereigns arrived, quickly reaching a count of seven in total.

These seven Sovereigns all belonged to different Saintdom factions in the Long Shan Universe.

"How formidable."

"A mere Astral Monarch with far inferior base power, yet so strong?"

"Is he really Wu Yuan?"

"Who knows."

Seeing that Wu Yuan could actually fight Sovereign Jian Shi head on, they were all impressed. Rumors were one thing, but seeing it with their own eyes was another.

But aside from their shock and amazement, the seven Sovereigns merely observed from afar, none willing to approach the combatants. Without any benefit to gain, they wouldn't interfere in the battle between the two. But if there were sufficient rewards, if the temptation was great enough, that would be another matter entirely.

Boom! Boom! Just then, several more powerful auras rapidly approached in succession, a full four Sovereigns appearing. This wave of arriving powerhouses was too large, immediately drawing the attention of everyone present.

"It's the Immortal Court's powerhouses."

"It's Sovereign You Hong."

"You Hong, she's not one to be trifled with."

"That Astral Monarch suspected to be Wu Yuan is in trouble now." The seven Sovereigns here all sensed it.

The four newly arrived Sovereigns were all from the Immortal Court. The most eye-catching among them was the woman clad in dark red robes—Sovereign You Hong.

Haha, You Hong has arrived. Jian Shi's eyes lit up, staring intently at Wu Yuan as he transmitted: "Wu Yuan, be a good boy and accept your death."

This Jian Shi was indeed waiting for reinforcements. I just didn't expect the Immortal Court Sovereigns to arrive even faster than Sovereign Feng Huang and the others. Wu Yuan frowned slightly.

Wu Yuan recognized the identities of the four newly arrived Immortal Court Sovereigns from their attire, and knew they had varying levels of strength. Three of them were still manageable. But the last one...

Sovereign You Hong. Wu Yuan glanced sideways at the dark red-robed woman at the forefront.

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Sovereign You Hong was the only late-stage Sovereign among the four newly arrived Sovereigns, possessing formidable strength.

Hopefully, this mana body of hers isn't carrying too many high-grade Dao Instruments. Wu Yuan thought to himself.

Even for a late-stage Sovereign, if their mana body or ether body didn't carry a full set of high-grade Dao Instruments, they couldn't perfectly unleash the profound might of the Daos, and the strength they could display would be significantly weaker.

"Over there!"

"Wu Yuan."

"Kill him!" The moment Sovereign You Hong and the other three Sovereigns arrived, they immediately confirmed the location of the two combatants.

"The credit for verifying his identity has already been claimed by Sovereign Jian Shi, we can't lose the credit for killing Wu Yuan's ether body too."

"Kill Wu Yuan, seize the merits!" The four Immortal Court Sovereigns transformed into four streaks of light, heading straight for Wu Yuan and Sovereign Jian Shi.

"That Astral Monarch is finished."

"He's a goner."

"Besieged by five Sovereigns, including Sovereign You Hong." The seven Sovereigns observing the battle all made their judgments.

The only question—how long could this invincible Astral Monarch hold out?

"Kill!"

"Slay him." One of the body refiner Sovereigns swung his battle saber, joining forces with Sovereign Jian Shi to launch an attack.

"Myriad Wood Prison." One Sovereign unleashed a ranged binding-type arcane art.

"Heart's Lament!" Another qi refiner Sovereign pointed towards Wu Yuan from afar, launching a soul attack while simultaneously summoning a great bell.

"Yin-Yang Twin Dragons!" Sovereign You Hong also made her move, and as soon as she did, her aura transformed.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Hundreds of Dao Instrument silver needles appeared, invoking the fluctuations of the Great Dao of Yin-Yang to transform into a black and a white jiaolong with terrifying auras. The jiaolongs howled as they tore through the void, roaring as they pounced towards Wu Yuan.

The combined attack of five Sovereigns was overwhelming, making the seven Sovereigns observing from afar feel their scalps tingle. They questioned whether they could withstand such an onslaught if they were in Wu Yuan’s position.

Here it comes. Good! Wu Yuan's gaze turned icy cold as he retreated, his form turning somewhat ethereal and dreamlike.

Wu Yuan began to move in an almost spectral manner. Though still far from matching Sovereign Jian Shi's movement techniques, it was definitely superior to most Sovereigns. He evaded the blade rays and the binding arcane arts that resembled vines.

"Slash!" Wu Yuan swung his battle saber fiercely, striking to counter the attacks from the other Sovereigns.

Swift, precise, and fierce—Wu Yuan embodied these qualities to the fullest as he faced the encirclement.

Rumble~ A terrifying collision ensued. Space subtly distorted as the fearsome force of their attacks sent Wu Yuan flying back over ten million li before he finally stopped. Yet Wu Yuan still gripped his battle saber firmly, his vital aura barely diminished.

"What?"

"No effect?"

"Such a combined attack couldn't harm him at all?" This scene left the numerous Sovereigns dumbfounded.

"Such powerful defense and vitality, how is this possible?"

"Is he really just an Astral Monarch?"

"Even a body refiner Sovereign should have suffered obvious injuries, right? This doesn't make sense."

"What terrifying defense." The various Sovereigns immediately changed their assessment of Wu Yuan, elevating his strength by a major level.

Strength encompassed many aspects, with direct combat power being just one facet. Exceptional movement skill and evasion techniques, like those of a Sovereign of Space, contributed to strength. A powerful domain would provide great advantages in group battles.

Similarly, having strong defenses and robust vitality would also be incredibly troublesome for opponents, making one difficult to kill even when standing still. Wu Yuan's body refiner self undoubtedly fell into the latter category, with defenses so formidable they made others tremble.

Unable to harm him? Could his battle armor be a Xiantian artifact? Sovereign You Hong was equally shocked, having full confidence in her ultimate move.

Although the power of her artifacts wasn't sufficient, her full-force eruption should have approached the seventh-stage Sovereign-level, yet it couldn't harm Wu Yuan?

Little did Sovereign You Hong know that Wu Yuan, having comprehended the Great Dao of Creation, was inherently skilled in defense and possessed extremely strong recovery abilities. Moreover, he wore high-grade Dao Instrument battle armor.

Most importantly, Wu Yuan was a Matter Sovereign, with the strength derived from his physical body alone enough to rival Sovereigns. How terrifying was such a physical constitution?

If the physical toughness of a qi refiner Sovereign was one, then that of a body refiner Sovereign would be at least a hundred, while a Matter Sovereign's would be at least three thousand!

With such a formidable physical body, combined with other aspects, Wu Yuan's physical defense reached an absurd level of power.

"You Hong, put a bit more effort into it, don't just tickle me." Wu Yuan stood in the void, holding his battle saber. His mighty voice resounded like the roar of an ancient god or devil, echoing through the endless void. "Today, I'll stand right here. Come and kill me if you can."

Wu Yuan was incredibly arrogant, but he indeed had the confidence to back it up.

"Damn it."

"Restrain him." The Immortal Court Sovereigns were all enraged.

"So what if his physical defense is strong? His attacks are weak and he can't escape. We'll capture him, then kill him slowly." Sovereign You Hong's voice was icy as she immediately issued the command: "Attack."

Boom! Boom! Boom! Just then, three powerful auras appeared in the depths of the nebula, led by a golden-armored giant with a domineering aura.

"Feng Huang?" Sovereign You Hong's expression changed.

"Reinforcements have arrived." Wu Yuan, on the other hand, revealed a smile.