Yuan’s Ascension

Chapter 1052: The Immortal Court’s ‘Special Treatment’ (2)

“Simultaneously, a grand Overlord advancement celebration will be held for you,” Overlord Hou Jue continued. “However, entry to the Eldritch Progenitor Hall requires more than just the Eldritch Progenitor’s permission; it also needs approval from the Eldritch Court Headquarters. It might take some time before approval is granted.”

“Eldritch Progenitor Hall?” Wu Yuan murmured.

“It is the highest sanctum of the Eldritch Court. In reality, the Eldritch Progenitor Hall is located in the Eldritch Court Universe, the abode of Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu, Eldritch Progenitor Di Jiang, and others. No one but the Eldritch Progenitors may enter.” Overlord Hou Jue’s eyes glimmered with reverence.

“However, within the voidrealm, the Eldritch Progenitor Hall refers to the highest council of the Eldritch Court, divided into the Eldritch Progenitor Council, the Eternal Council, and the Overlord Council. Three levels in total.

“Usually, one has to reach the tenth rank in the Eldritch Court Voidrealm to join the Overlord Council,” Overlord Hou Jue chuckled.

Wu Yuan suddenly understood that this so-called Eldritch Progenitor Hall was indeed the highest echelon of power in the Eldritch Court. The Overlords were merely the lowest ranks within this echelon, but at the very least, he now belonged to this circle.

“Once you’ve cleared the Eldritch Court Headquarters’ review, you will be promoted to the tenth rank. At that time, facilities like the Eldritch Progenitor Hall, Overlord-level intelligence archives, and other Overlord-exclusive privileges will be fully open to you,” Overlord Hou Jue said with a smile. “Just be patient.”

“All right,” Wu Yuan was looking forward to it.

In some respects, his authority within the Eldritch Court Voidrealm matched that of an Overlord, but was not yet at the genuine Overlord level.

…

While Wu Yuan happily tallied up his gains and communicated with several Overlords of the Eldritch Court through the Eldritch Court Voidrealm, news of the battle in the Creation Dao Realm had already spread to the far-flung Immortal Court Universe.

Here resided the eternal dominion of the megaverse’s greatest faction, the Immortal Court, which also served as its highest headquarters. Matters that couldn’t be resolved by individual branches culminated here.

A vast, ancient astral sea stretched forth, its waves billowing over hundreds of light-years, and its surface shimmering with radiant starlight.

At this moment, more than ten towering silhouettes materialized above the ancient astral sea. Each form was colossal beyond belief, at least a trillion li in height.

Each lorded over different regions of outer space. They stood there like incarnations of the Dao, eternal and indestructible.

Suddenly the astral sea quaked violently and starlight flashed, immediately drawing the attention of the towering figures in outer space.

Without a whisper, the starlight of the ancient astral sea converged, forming a majestic, stellar silhouette that stood nearly a light-year tall.

Adorned in a cloak of ethereal starlight, one could scarcely discern whether the figure was real or illusory. It seemed to stand atop the astral sea, yet also hovered beyond outer space.

The majestic aura it exuded was so overwhelming that it transcended heaven and earth, transcending this universe, like an elephant trying to fit into a small pool.

Before this presence, the colossal silhouettes seemed suddenly trivial.

“Immortal Eminence!”

“Immortal Eminence!” Thirteen towering figures slightly bowed in reverence.

Such a scene, if observed by the Overlords of the Immortal Court, would surely stir an uproar.

Among themselves, the Overlords of the Immortal Court often referred to eternal lifeforms as Immortal Reverends. Yet, in truth, only third-step Eternal True Saints were qualified to be termed Immortal Reverends. The supreme leaders of various Saintdoms were all True Saints.

Although first-step Eternals and second-step Eternals surpassed Overlords, their might wasn’t truly insurmountable.

Only by advancing one’s self-created Dao to astounding heights could one absolutely and entirely surpass a fifth-stage Overlord.

This was mirrored in the Eldritch Court, where those recognized as Eldritch Progenitors were typically third-step Eternals.

And the Immortal Eminences, rising above the Immortal Reverends, represented the highest echelon of the Immortal Court. Such existences transcended all within the endless megaverse—fourth-step Eternal!

“The reason I called you here is neither critical nor negligible,” the one-light-year-tall silhouette’s eyes, inscrutable as if encompassing a vast cosmos, swept across the silhouettes before him. “Xiao Yao, Jiu Fang, which of you will elaborate?”

“Reporting to the Immortal Eminence.” A cerulean-robed silhouette spoke respectfully. “Wu Yuan is a lifeform of the Ling Jiang Universe, so allow me to narrate.”

The mighty stellar silhouette nodded lightly in consent.

“Everyone,” Immortal Reverend Xiao Yao’s incarnation, garbed in cerulean robes, looked at each of the eternal lifeforms, each of whom shared a similar stature to himself.

“Not long ago, in the Long Shan Universe of the River of Universes, a Saintdom war erupted within the Creation Dao Realm… Wu Yuan is a youngster who has only started cultivating in the last hundred thousand years. In this battle, he slew over four thousand Sovereign mana and ether bodies, as well as two Overlord ether bodies.

“Based on reports from Overlords under Immortal Reverend Jiu Fang, Wu Yuan should now be a true Overlord, possibly possessing the strength of a third-stage Overlord.”

A deep silence followed.

In the celestial expanse over the ancient astral sea, each of the eternal lifeforms wore expressions of astonishment.

“Only a hundred thousand years of cultivation?”

“A sempiternal lifeform, reaching the true Overlord level so swiftly? Is that even possible? How did his Dao comprehension advance so rapidly?”

“Is there some great secret involved?”

“The battle occurred within the Creation Dao Realm? Why, as a being from the Ling Jiang Universe, wasn’t he suppressed in the Long Shan Universe? Could he have uncovered some secret of the Creation Dao Realm?”

“It seems he disappeared for around twenty thousand years.”

“He was a Saintcrest Prodigy, likely obtaining a second-grade Saintcrest, perhaps even a first-grade Saintcrest.” Each eternal lifeform spoke up, voicing doubts and conjectures.

Apart from Immortal Reverend Xiao Yao and Immortal Reverend Jiu Fang who commanded their respective Saintdom universes, most roamed the cosmic sea and were indifferent to skirmishes in the thirty-six universes of the River of Universes.

In their eyes, a universe served as a cradle for life. Unless one planned to leave an inheritance behind, it wasn’t worthy of excessive attention from them.

Indeed, before Immortal Reverend Xiao Yao spoke, most of these Immortal Reverends barely knew who Wu Yuan was or what feats he had accomplished. Saintcrest Prodigy? To the eternal Immortal Reverends, it didn’t mean a thing.

However, as the Immortal Reverends swiftly retrieved information about Wu Yuan from the Immortal Court’s intelligence archives, many were taken aback.

Becoming a true Overlord in a hundred thousand years? That was genuinely frightening.

“Immortal Reverends,” the towering stellar silhouette spoke with an ethereal voice that reverberated across hundreds of light-years. “Now, do you understand the reason I’ve summoned you?

“The fall of some Sovereign mana bodies and ether bodies? A trivial matter. Even if the whole Long Shan Saintdom were obliterated, it wouldn’t undermine the foundation of my Immortal Court. At most, when the samsara cycle begins, a new Saintdom will naturally take its place.

“Moreover, the foundation of the Immortal Court’s roots lies within the cosmic sea. The thirty-six universes of the River of Universes essentially serve as training bases to produce eternal lifeforms.” The voice of the majestic stellar silhouette echoed ethereally.

Silence. The thirteen Immortal Reverends listened reverently, fully agreeing with the Immortal Eminence’s words. The struggles, battles, and falls of sempiternal lifeforms hardly concerned them.

The mushroom of a single morning cannot comprehend the cycle of a month; the cicada of a single summer cannot understand the passing of a year. [1]

To them, even a third-stage Overlord was no more than a fleeting cicada, albeit a relatively large one.

“An entire universe may not produce a single eternal lifeform throughout a full samsara cycle of heaven and earth. Meanwhile, the vast cosmic sea births countless naturally-born eternal lifeforms, vastly outnumbering universe-born lifeforms by millions of times.” The voice of the stellar silhouette held an ephemeral quality.

“However! Why do my Immortal Court and the Eldritch Court strive tirelessly to seize control of the River of Universes? Endeavoring to infiltrate each universe and govern larger domains?” The stellar silhouette’s gaze passed over each Immortal Reverend.

“Because sempiternal lifeforms have immense potential, occasionally giving rise to some inexplicable monstrous prodigies.

“Roughly a third of Immortal Reverends in my Immortal Court are universe-born lifeforms. And more than half of our Immortal Eminences originated as universe-born lifeforms.

“The supreme Heavenly Imperator, too, was previously a universe-born lifeform.” The stellar silhouette continued. “Now, within the River of Universes, there finally emerges another monstrous prodigy with the potential to reach the fourth step.”

“What?”

“Potential for the fourth step?”

“Him? Wu Yuan?” The dozen or so Immortal Reverends present displayed a hint of astonishment.

Fourth-step Eternal? Indeed, after scrutinizing the intel on Wu Yuan, they all marveled at his astounding potential. Yet, to say he would reach the fourth step of eternity? They instinctively found it unbelievable.

“The time spent on cultivation is never the sole determinant of one’s ultimate achievements, but if one advances with such terrifying speed, there must be a special reason.

“Comprehension of the ninth-level Dao Field stage within a million years. In the past twenty samsara cycles of heaven and earth, he is the seventh to achieve this.” The majestic figure spoke serenely, “Among the previous six, four have become True Saints, while one is a Dao Zenithel.

“That individual who reached the Dao Zenithel stage is known as Yan Tuo.”

“Yan Tuo?”

“Emperor Yan Tuo!” Instantly, the ten-plus Immortal Reverends grasped the Immortal Eminence’s implication.

Of the six, barring one who failed and perished, the other five reached the third step of eternity at least, ultimately giving rise to one who reached the fourth step. This was a staggeringly high rate of success. Such a prodigy had to be eradicated.

“If Wu Yuan wishes to achieve eternity, he will have to roam the cosmic sea; many great fortuitous encounters can only be grasped by one’s true self.

“There will be opportunities. Aside from Xiao Yao and Jiu Fang, the eleven of you have all achieved eternity within the last nine cycles, and the Saintdoms you’ve established are not far from the River of Universes or the Long Shan Universe,” the majestic stellar figure intoned. “Order your Perennial and Dao Pioneer followers to make attempts to eliminate Wu Yuan. Make no distinction between his ether body or otherwise—slaughter them all.”

“Should you succeed, your reward would be equivalent to slaying a True Saint, understood?”

“Yes!” The thirteen Immortal Reverends bowed slightly; they all understood the Immortal Eminence’s resolve.

…

Wu Yuan could never have foreseen that the impact of this battle would pierce the heavens, drawing the eyes of the highest echelons of the Immortal Court. He was utterly unaware of what reaching the ninth-level Dao Field stage within a million years truly signified.

Though Wu Yuan’s qi refiner self caused a significant upheaval when displaying its power earlier, it mainly captured the attention of the Overlords, with limited focus from the True Saints.

After all, a closer examination would reveal that Wu Yuan’s qi refiner self relied heavily on treasures, and its Dao comprehension was not particularly deep.

Treasures? Relying on external aids offered meager help when one sought to break through and achieve eternity on their own.

However, Wu Yuan’s body refiner self was a different matter entirely. Overlord Wan Du, who personally clashed with him, was convinced that Wu Yuan had reached the ninth-level Dao Field stage of Creation.

Naturally, this shocked the highest echelons of the Immortal Court, drawing even the Immortal Eminence’s rare attention.

1. 朝菌不知晦朔，蟪蛄不知春秋。Conveys the relativity of perception: Each being’s understanding is limited by its lifespan and experience. ☜