Yuan’s Ascension

Chapter 1211: Entering The Holy Sect, The Number One Genius (2)

“Overlord Wu Ji, don’t resist. Words alone aren’t proof. I still need to examine you,” the stone lion puppet said in a low voice.

It waved its massive limb.

Hum~ A hazy radiance flew out from the hall, quickly enveloping Wu Yuan.

“260 million years? He truly didn’t lie.” The stone lion puppet revealed a satisfied smile. Even younger than it had imagined.

“Very well, next we’ll test your strength,” the stone lion puppet said. “Old White, Black Eagle, surround and attack Overlord Wu Ji. Remember, both of you are only allowed to use basic-level power.”

“Understood.”

“Alright! We’ve been holding back for so long. Finally, we get a chance to move about!” Two streaks of light shot over from a distance.

In an instant, two enormous puppets landed, one black and one white. They stared at Wu Yuan like primordial beasts, their auras intense.

“Overlord Wu Ji, as long as you can hold out for three breaths, you may skip the later trials and qualify to join the holy sect directly,” the stone lion puppet said in a low voice.

It didn’t elaborate further.

Three breaths? Almost impossible! In reality, as long as Wu Yuan could resist even slightly, proving he had Overlord-level strength, the stone lion puppet would immediately call for a halt.

The stone lion puppet’s demand to hold out for three breaths was merely to stimulate Wu Yuan’s potential further.

“Overlord Wu Ji, when you’re ready, you may enter the battle space,” the stone lion puppet waved its paw, pointing to the end of the void.

Whoosh~ The distant void suddenly split open, revealing a massive spatial battlefield—a separate dimension.

A grotto-heaven spacetime? Wu Yuan instantly recognized it and was taken aback. A mere puppet can employ such methods? No, it must be the power of an array laid down long ago.

Manifesting a grotto-heaven spacetime was typically not difficult. But in the Nine Realms, where spacetime was greatly suppressed, it was far from an easy feat.

Wu Yuan flew into the grotto-heaven spacetime. The stone lion puppet inclined its head slightly, approving of his courage.

“This brat went straight in without hesitation.”

“He clearly doesn’t take us brothers seriously,” the two puppets muttered, clearly displeased. Transforming into twin streaks of light, they entered the grotto-heaven spacetime after Wu Yuan.

Outside the hall complex, dozens of Overlord puppets and the stone lion guardian focused their attention on the scene unfolding within the grotto-heaven spacetime.

It had been ages since such a youthful Overlord had dared challenge this receiving temple.

“How long do you think Overlord Wu Ji will last?” one puppet asked.

Another shrugged. “Hard to say. Perhaps one breath?”

“Old White and Black Eagle seem particularly irritated,” observed a third. “They’ll likely unleash their full might to crush this upstart.”

“At such a tender age, who knows if he has created his own Overlord ultimate technique or possesses any Xiantian artifacts?”

The puppets continued their speculation, grateful for the diversion. Standing guard for eons under strict orders had left them desperately bored. These occasional battles provided rare entertainment.

Meanwhile, within the grotto-heaven spacetime, combat erupted between Wu Yuan and the two guardian puppets.

The white tiger puppet growled menacingly, “Black Eagle, let’s combine our strengths and use our full power to deal with him.”

“Mm,” replied Black Eagle.

Two eruptions of power shook the grotto-heaven spacetime as the two puppets unleashed their full might. Their speed instantly surpassed three hundred thousand li per second and continued accelerating rapidly.

Within an eyeblink, they approached light-speed, their bodies simultaneously expanding to a million li in height. Their combined aura radiated terrifying pressure.

“Old White and Black Eagle are visibly displeased,” the observing Overlord puppets commented. “They’re using their full power, clearly not planning to give him any chances.”

These guardian puppets possessed two distinct states—basic and burst. In their basic state, their strength roughly equaled a second-stage Overlord while consuming minimal energy. In their burst state, however, they could manifest power equivalent to a third-stage Overlord, but it drained energy quickly, making it a rarely-used last resort.

At this moment, it was as if two peak second-stage Overlord powerhouses were besieging Wu Yuan from both sides.

Interesting. Wu Yuan thought, admiring their craftsmanship. To be able to invoke corresponding Dao techniques—what exquisite artistry went into creating these puppets.

The next instant, Wu Yuan unleashed his own power with a thunderous boom, growing to a million li in height as well. Immediately after, a dazzling sea of blade rays erupted.

Rumble! Boom! The blade rays struck Old White and Black Eagle, sending both puppets flying backward over a million li. They crashed heavily onto the ground, the impact sending tremors rippling through the grotto-heaven spacetime.

Stunned silence fell.

Old White and Black Eagle flipped upright. While the impact hadn’t shattered their bodies, their expressions reflected pure shock. Even if they were to activate their burst state, holding nothing back, they still wouldn’t be able to defeat this Overlord Wu Ji.

Whoosh! The three exited the grotto-heaven spacetime. The outcome was decided; continuing would serve no purpose.

“This? So powerful!” gasped one of the watching puppets.

“This Overlord Wu Ji must be at the peak third-stage, right?” The group of Overlord puppets exchanged astonished glances.

Even the stone lion puppet’s eyes glowed. “What an excellent saber technique. This must be a limitbreak Overlord ultimate technique. Beautiful—truly impressive swordsmanship.”

“Thank you for your kind praise, Senior,” Wu Yuan replied humbly. “I created it recently.”

The stone lion puppet laughed heartily. “To develop a limitbreak Overlord ultimate technique in less than 300 million years of cultivation? Truly remarkable! Given time, Overlord Wu Ji, you may well rank among the top tier of Sagelings.”

Wu Yuan smiled politely. Sageling? Top tier? The level of power he had just displayed was carefully calculated after deep consideration.

He knew that showing too much strength would be unwise—the Seventh Realm was only so large, and if the Qian Yang Holy Sect was determined to investigate, it would inevitably uncover the truth.

All great power had its justification. A peerless genius wouldn’t emerge without reason. Having just joined the holy sect, maintaining a low profile seemed the wisest course.

“I’ve notified the envoy, who is on his way now,” the stone lion puppet announced with a smile. “When he learned of your performance, he was quite pleased.”

As the stone lion puppet spoke, the massive temple doors suddenly parted. A black-robed figure glided out silently. An eternal Dao resonance emanated from him. His aura was incomparably domineering, his presence enveloping the entire mountain range.

“Envoy Kou Bing.” The stone lion puppet immediately knelt in respect.

“Greetings, Envoy,” intoned the many Overlord puppets as they bowed deeply.

“Wu Ji pays respects to Senior,” Wu Yuan said with perfect deference, playing his part flawlessly.

“So you are Wu Ji?” Perennial Kou Bing looked down at Wu Yuan, curiosity flickering in his gaze.

Less than 300 million years of cultivation, yet already possessing the strength of a peak third-stage Overlord. Such talent would be considered exceptional even in the upper three realms—most Sagelings couldn’t compare.

“Senior is perceptive,” Wu Yuan replied respectfully.

“Excellent! If you’re willing to join our Qian Yang Holy Sect, we naturally welcome you,” Perennial Kou Bing said with a warm smile. “As the receiving envoy for the Second Realm, I should explain your options in detail.”

He continued, “You’ve passed the entrance assessment and are qualified to enter the Second Realm of the Saint Realm. You have three choices before you.

“First, join our Qian Yang Holy Sect as a hereditary disciple. This path grants you the chance to become a Sageling in the future, along with numerous other benefits. However, you must swear a blood contract oath of absolute loyalty to the sect.

“Second, join as a nominal disciple. This requires only an essence oath, swearing that you will not disobey the sect’s orders. There are fewer restrictions on your freedom, but also significantly fewer benefits.

“Third, become a free agent. This path requires you to venture once into the Eternal Darkness Domain, surrendering all treasures you obtain to our Qian Yang Holy Sect. This also requires an oath. If you return alive, you may then freely explore the Second Realm.”

Perennial Kou Bing’s smile widened. “The choice is yours to make.”

Eternal Darkness Domain? Wu Yuan felt his heart quicken, though his expression remained composed.

From the Vermilion Devil Master’s memories, he knew this was a notoriously dangerous exploration site in the Second Realm. Even Saints might perish while exploring it. Yet Wu Yuan suspected that this Eternal Darkness Domain likely held great secrets of the Nine Realms.

The Vermilion Devil Master had never ventured there, so information was limited. Wu Yuan could only make educated guesses about its true nature.

“I’m willing to become a hereditary disciple of the sect,” Wu Yuan declared solemnly. “Only with the sect’s nurturing do I have greater hope of achieving eternity.”

“Very good!” Perennial Kou Bing’s face brightened with approval.

“The blood contract can only be established if you willingly accept it,” he explained. “By joining the holy sect, you’ll naturally understand the wisdom of your choice in the future. Given time, you might even surpass this old man.”

“Come with me.” Perennial Kou Bing turned and strode toward the depths of the hall complex. Wu Yuan followed attentively.

They entered a majestic temple.

“This is the corresponding cultivation method for the blood contract oath,” Perennial Kou Bing said, waving his hand. A divine slip materialized before Wu Yuan. “After you comprehend it and successfully establish the contract, you can proceed to the holy sect.”

“Yes.” Wu Yuan reached out, accepting the divine slip. His Soul Force surged into it, absorbing the rush of information that flooded his mind.

This? Wu Yuan thought, maintaining his outward composure while inwardly recoiling.

Blood contract? It’s clearly a spirit enslavement contract! These conditions are extraordinarily harsh.

The blood contract’s contents were complex, but there were just two core demands: unconditional loyalty to the Holy Emperor for all of eternity, and unconditional loyalty to the holy sect; the former taking absolute precedence over the latter.