Yuan’s Ascension

Chapter 1341: Wu Yuan And The Heavenly Imperator (1)

What? This!

Biao Huo? Yin Yue? Imperial Majesty Nan Guang’s expression transformed from confidence to horror as he fixed his gaze on the white-robed figure hovering at the void’s edge. His heart froze in his chest.

Just as he prepared to draw the two Dao Zenithels into his grotto-heaven artifact, Dao Zenithel Ming Jian had annihilated them with nothing more than a thought. And he hadn’t moved any closer, still standing an immense distance away.

The implications staggered him. Dao Zenithels Biao Huo and Yin Yue possessed power equivalent to Dao Zenithel Jiu You, both at Peak Dao Zenithel strength. By all logic, they could have withstood even the Heavenly Imperator’s attacks for some time.

Yet they had been killed in a thought.

Nan Guang’s mind raced. This power surpasses what he displayed outside the Chaos Void. Could Ming Jian truly have reached Goddess Nüwa’s legendary level in the past? Though he had never seen Goddess Nüwa, Nan Guang doubted even she could do more than obliterate two Peak Dao Zenithels with a mere thought.

In the distance, Wu Yuan’s mana body observed the aftermath with mild disappointment. Employing the first level of Psyche Destruction to eliminate two Peak Dao Zenithel powerhouses consumed a full twenty percent of my psyche power.

Psyche Destruction! This was the secret soul-extinguishing art Wu Yuan had developed in recent years after comprehending the Samsara Sword’s essence and combining his insights with the third technique of Heaven’s Horizon—Annihilation.

Destroy one’s own psyche to destroy the enemy’s even more thoroughly.

In absolute power, this ultimate technique couldn’t yet match the inheritance left by Goddess Nüwa, let alone compare to Heaven’s Horizon, but it suited Wu Yuan perfectly. And what suited one best was ultimately strongest.

Wu Yuan had conceptualized Psyche Destruction with three distinct levels. The first sacrificed ten percent of one’s psyche power to extinguish an enemy’s soul. The second level expended fifty percent, the move Wu Yuan had used to slay Ancestral Saint Eastmoon when his qi refiner self was merely a True Saint.

Yet in his mind, these first two levels were merely conventional methods. Only the third level represented the ultimate killing move.

Combining elements of the Dream Megaverse, soul, mana, and Eternal Psyche into a strike that consumes one’s entire vitality. Wu Yuan had created this after studying Heaven’s Horizon and merging it with his self-created Psyche Dream Domain.

It was the purest validation of his philosophy: destroy one’s own psyche to destroy the enemy’s completely. The strongest technique unleashed through self-sacrifice, burning away everything in a display of power that would shake heaven and earth.

He had conceived this ultimate technique with the Heavenly Imperator as his hypothetical target.

However, Wu Yuan had only researched Psyche Destruction for a relatively short time. Attempting to combine aspects of the Dream Megaverse, soul, mana, Eternal Psyche and more into a single burst of power remained extraordinarily difficult. No one had achieved it before.

Thus far, Wu Yuan had only perfected the first two levels, while the third remained theoretical, far from completion.

Nevertheless, after billions of years in secluded cultivation, his qi refiner self’s strength vastly exceeded its former capabilities. At minimum, he could now fully harness the Samsara Sword’s power when employing Psyche Destruction.

The first level alone, consuming just ten percent of psyche power, now rivaled the strike that had gravely wounded Ancestral Saint Eastmoon outside the Chaos Void. Though still slightly inferior to Goddess Nüwa’s power, it came remarkably close.

After all, the Samsara Sword excelled most at psyche dream killing strikes.

My Psyche Dream Rebirth remains somewhat weak. Wu Yuan reflected. Had it been Goddess Nüwa, she could have made Imperial Majesty Nan Guang sink into delusion. Yet I didn’t even manage to shake Nan Guang’s soul essence.

Thoroughly frightened, Imperial Majesty Nan Guang dared not even attempt to save the treasures dropped by the two fallen Dao Zenithels. Wu Yuan’s body refiner self had already pounced forward like lightning, moving with extraordinary speed. His blade ray cut through the void with chilling precision.

“Bloodlight.” Imperial Majesty Nan Guang roared, swinging his divine swords—not to attack but to defend with all his might.

Boom~ Bang! Bang! As saber and sword collided, the power of their self-created Daos surged outward, releasing terrifying battle shockwaves. The impact sent Imperial Majesty Nan Guang flying backward once again, though his all-out defense had minimized the damage.

Boom! Wu Yuan’s body refiner self pressed his advantage, attacking ferociously. The long sabers in his hands howled like rays of light, piercing through the void toward his foe.

Just then, Wu Yuan’s mana body’s pupils darkened once more. “Psyche Destruction!”

A divine sword seemed to be unsheathed within his eyes. Samsara Sword—Psyche Destruction, First Level.

“Ah!” Imperial Majesty Nan Guang felt a terrifying soul power invade his being, laden with destructive force. It instantly breached his soul defense secret art, beginning to annihilate his soul layer by layer.

Crack—Nan Guang heard his own soul essence shattering. Endless pain surged through him, twisting his face in agony. Such pain could drive any Dao Zenithel to madness.

“Disperse! Cloud!” Imperial Majesty Nan Guang suddenly roared. His body transformed into a majestic snow-white divine beast over a hundred million li tall, radiating holiness and magnificence.

This form, revealed earlier during his attack, was his true body’s appearance.

Boom! Having revealed his true form, Imperial Majesty Nan Guang immediately felt the corrosion of his soul essence slow dramatically. Energy surged from every corner of his body, replenishing its power.

In an instant, he had recovered. He fixed his gaze on the white-robed figure, hatred burning in his eyes as if he wished to swallow his opponent alive.

“Die.” A blade ray flashed, cleaving down on the snow-white divine beast’s head and sending it plummeting downward, covered in blood. Its vital aura diminished slightly as Wu Yuan’s body refiner self and mana body attacked in sync.

“Damn it!” Imperial Majesty Nan Guang snarled. “You forced me to use my innate ultimate technique. Do you really think you can kill me now?” His enormous body drifted backward like a giant white cloud.

Even after taking a direct hit from Wu Yuan’s body refiner self’s saber, the impact was minimal, his vital aura barely fluctuating.

As expected. Wu Yuan mused. According to the legends, Imperial Majesty Nan Guang’s true form is a naturally-born eternal lifeform called Snowcloud, a strange entity that appears solid at first glance but is actually formless, capable of dispersing and reassembling. Even if blasted apart, it can reform repeatedly.

Every part of their body contains vast soul power, equivalent to having a soul essence several times stronger than other Dao Zenithels from birth, making them extraordinarily difficult to kill.

This explained why Wu Yuan’s mana body had initially probed it with Psyche Dream Rebirth rather than attacking outright. He wanted to test Nan Guang’s soul defenses, discovering them to be astonishingly robust.

But Wu Yuan’s psyche power had limits. The first level of Psyche Destruction had barely affected Imperial Majesty Nan Guang.

Would using the second level, expending fifty percent of his psyche power, be enough to gravely wound or kill his opponent? Wu Yuan wasn’t confident.

My mana body has already consumed thirty percent of its psyche power. He calculated. Using the Samsara Sword has also depleted a corresponding amount of soul essence.

While psyche power recovered easily, perhaps a few dozen days, any consumed soul essence required at least a million years to regenerate. This drawback made the Samsara Sword ill-suited for prolonged battles.

Using Psyche Destruction without the Samsara Sword would render it too weak. Even expending fifty percent of my psyche power would produce results far inferior to the first level with the Samsara Sword. Wu Yuan’s mana body frowned slightly.

Wu Yuan now fully appreciated the formidable nature of Xuanhuang Dao Treasures. Without one, neither his qi refiner self nor mana body could easily slay an ordinary Dao Zenithel. With one, they could make most Full Dao Zenithels pale with fear.

Even expending fifty percent of my psyche power with the Samsara Sword might only gravely wound Imperial Majesty Nan Guang. He would still escape. Wu Yuan calculated. We’re approaching the Oceans of Darkness. If he reaches them, my chance of killing him drops to no more than thirty percent.

Wu Yuan abandoned the thought of killing his enemy for three reasons. First, the low probability of success. Second, seizing the Xuanhuang Dao Treasure remained the priority. Third and most crucial, preserving sufficient trump cards for the possible arrival of the Heavenly Imperator mattered more than eliminating Nan Guang.

While uncertain if the Heavenly Imperator would appear, the precedents set by the Blood Emperor and Dream Emperor suggested caution.

Senior Tian Xu warned that the Heavenly Imperator is terrifying in the Realm of Destruction. Wu Yuan reminded himself. If my body refiner self perishes here, it can be revived. But the Creation Origin Armor would be lost.

Between killing his enemy and preserving his resources, Wu Yuan chose the latter. There would be other opportunities to deal with Imperial Majesty Nan Guang. Wu Yuan’s mind was calm, unlike his ferocious exterior.

Boom! Rumble! Boom! Wu Yuan’s body refiner self continued attacking relentlessly, driving Imperial Majesty Nan Guang into a miserable retreat. Nan Guang remained especially wary of the white-robed figure at the void’s edge.

After half a day of conflict, they approached the Oceans of Darkness.

“Wu Yuan, don’t be smug just yet,” Imperial Majesty Nan Guang roared. “How dare you slay Immortal Court Dao Zenithels in the Realm of Destruction? The Heavenly Imperator won’t let you off easily.”

“The Heavenly Imperator?” Wu Yuan laughed. “He’ll need to find me first.”

With a splash, Imperial Majesty Nan Guang plunged into a vast, gloomy black ocean, swiftly vanishing from Wu Yuan’s perception.

He fled rather quickly. Wu Yuan’s body refiner self halted, not pursuing further.

Despite appearing to ravage his opponent during their battle, the actual damage had been limited, with Nan Guang’s Eternal Psyche constantly regenerating his mana and healing his wounds. Moreover, the Oceans of Darkness functioned like an enormous domain, suppressing the attacks from both sides and further reducing their effectiveness.

If they continued fighting this way, Wu Yuan might not have slain Imperial Majesty Nan Guang even after ten thousand years.

Forcing him to retreat is enough.

Wu Yuan’s body refiner self and mana body transformed into two streaks of light, turning back toward the massive star that held the treasure. The return journey would take another half day.

…

In the gloomy depths of the sea, Imperial Majesty Nan Guang halted abruptly, his senses confirming what he suspected. Wu Yuan didn’t pursue me? He paused, scanning the darkness behind him. I see. He must fear the Heavenly Imperator. His mind raced through possibilities. Moreover, he’s likely after the treasure.

At the thought of that coveted prize, a burning sensation ignited in Nan Guang’s chest, quickly followed by waves of hatred for Wu Yuan. Following the Heavenly Imperator’s guidance, he had devoted countless samsara cycles to this search, meticulously exploring every corner of the vast Lightflare Domain and Oceans of Darkness.

Only recently had he finally discovered a promising lead, only for Wu Yuan to stumble upon it by sheer chance.

The treasure should’ve been mine! Nan Guang’s teeth clenched with barely contained rage, yet caution tempered his impulse to return and challenge Wu Yuan. The deaths of Dao Zenithels Biao Huo and Yin Yue had shaken him deeply, and the presence of Dao Zenithel Ming Jian, a titan wielding a Xuanhuang Dao Treasure, demanded extreme wariness.

Ming Jian might not be using his full power. He reasoned. He and Wu Yuan will likely conserve their strength to guard against the Heavenly Imperator.

As these thoughts churned in his mind, a sudden summons interrupted his contemplation.

Hmm? The Heavenly Imperator calls for me? Nan Guang’s pupils contracted sharply as he activated a token.