Yuan’s Ascension

Chapter 1360: Engage

In the murky depths of the void, Wu Yuan’s body refiner self and ether body streaked through space at breathtaking speed, hurtling toward the Immortal Court Universe. Simultaneously, his qi refiner self led Eldritch Progenitor Di Jiang, Great Emperor Yan Tuo, and the others through the void.

For Dao Zenithels, traversing the River of Universes was swift work. Now, freed from the Primordium’s restraints, their speed would grow truly terrifying.

Suddenly, Wu Yuan’s body refiner self and ether body jerked to a halt. A message from Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu had reached him.

“The Dao Zenithels have departed the Immortal Court Universe,” Hou Tu transmitted directly. “Their trajectory indicates they’re heading for my universe. Given the distance between the Eldritch Court Universe and the Immortal Court Universe, they’ll arrive in two hours.”

Heading for the Eldritch Court Universe?

Wu Yuan’s heart lurched. Currently, Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu’s true body was absent, with only a fragment of consciousness revived. She could only rely on the universe’s essence power to withstand external threats.

In normal times, this might suffice. But now, during the turn of the samsara cycle, the River of Universes’ essence power relentlessly eroded and destroyed universe after universe.

At this moment, with sufficient external force, destroying the Eldritch Court Universe would be far easier than ever before.

“Eldritch Progenitor, concentrate on condensing the universe’s essence power,” Wu Yuan transmitted urgently. “We’ll arrive soon.”

“Alright.”

…

In the spacetime of the River of Universes, over seventy Dao Zenithels soared through the void at staggering speed.

Streams of Xiantian qi flowed through the emptiness around them.

“The River of Universes spacetime.”

“It’s been ages since I visited this place.” Most of the Dao Zenithels remained relaxed, taking the time to observe their surroundings.

The moment the Heavenly Imperator had wielded the Original Sword, unleashing that terrifying strike that sliced through the Immortal Court Universe, the vast majority of Dao Zenithels had instinctively concluded that this “great decisive battle” would be a walk in the park. With such a formidable ally plus over seventy Dao Zenithels on their side, how could the Eldritch Court possibly stop them?

Above the dozens of Dao Zenithels, the Heavenly Imperator flew at tremendous speed, waves of destructive energy radiating outward. His aura alone subtly surpassed that of dozens of Dao Zenithels combined.

Thirty-five universes, all destroyed. He thought. Only the Eldritch Court Universe remains. If we can destroy it, our task will be complete.

His determination to launch this war wasn’t truly about annihilating the Eldritch Court. For him, obliterating the Eldritch Court or killing Hou Tu and Wu Yuan were mere parts of a greater plan. What he valued was the final outcome.

Time flowed on.

Finally, an immense universe appeared within the visual range of the seventy-odd Dao Zenithels. Its surface was shrouded in dense, endless Xiantian qi, emanating a vast and magnificent aura. This was the Eldritch Court Universe.

Within the Eldritch Court Universe, the Primordial Rules were in motion, waves of invisible fluctuations reaping the lives of countless lifeforms. In a universe perfectly controlled by a Dao Zenithel, while the universe itself could be protected from destruction, all lifeforms yet to achieve eternity would still perish. This was the tribulation of samsara.

Outside the universe, the Heavenly Imperator, leading the seventy-plus Dao Zenithels, came to a stop.

“Is this the Eldritch Court Universe?”

“The universe controlled by Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu.”

Many gazed up at the enormous universe, sensing the boundless, majestic aura it emitted. It was countless times more powerful than the essence of an ordinary Eternal Realm. Under normal circumstances, these Dao Zenithels could hardly make it budge.

“The Eldritch Court’s army will arrive soon,” the Heavenly Imperator said coldly, wielding the Original Sword. “Proceed as planned. Your task is to hold off their army. Prevent them from interfering with me as much as possible.”

“Understood,” the numerous Dao Zenithels replied in unison. Even powerhouses like the Lord of the Abyss and Dao Zenithel Bai Lian, Full Dao Zenithels themselves, instinctively deferred to him. They were supposedly allies, but faced with the overwhelming dominance of the Heavenly Imperator, they all felt a hint of fear. The power he displayed had reached a whole other level.

Only Dao Zenithel Wan Yu maintained his aloof demeanor.

A flash of sword light sliced through the void, and all of heaven and earth fell silent. Dazzling black light pierced through everything, its destructive aura causing all present Dao Zenithels to hold their breath as they watched.

The Original Sword had unleashed its power once more.

The sword light that emerged wasn’t particularly large at first. But as it cut through the void, it frantically devoured all Xuanhuang qi in its path. The light grew increasingly brilliant, its aura increasingly vast. By the time it struck the surface of the universe, this flash of sword light had become all-encompassing, as if it could annihilate everything.

On the boundless surface of the Eldritch Court Universe, an enormous rift instantly appeared. The edge of this sword strike penetrated the universe’s surface, striking deep into the Eldritch Court Universe.

The essence of the Eldritch Court Universe trembled, instantly condensing vast amounts of essence power, attempting to resist this terrifying sword light. Both sides frantically consumed their power.

“As expected,” the Heavenly Imperator noted. “Even with just your consciousness revived, you can still condense the universe’s essence power. Hou Tu, destroying your universe will be far more troublesome than destroying mine.”

He swung the Original Sword once more, and destructive power erupted again, crashing toward the Eldritch Court Universe.

The power was overwhelming. Each sweep of sword light tore through the Eldritch Court Universe, inflicting massive internal damage and battering the universe’s essence.

The Eldritch Court Universe had already sustained damage during this samsara cycle, and the destructive power from the River of Universes’ essence also bore down constantly on the Eldritch Court Universe’s essence. This double suppression made the situation increasingly dire.

“Can the Heavenly Imperator truly destroy the Eldritch Court Universe?” The dozens of Dao Zenithels from the Immortal Court watched, trembling in awe.

The destruction of the Immortal Court Universe was within expectations. After all, it was the Heavenly Imperator’s own universe, and he had full control over its essence. Its rapid collapse came as no surprise to the Dao Zenithels.

But the Eldritch Court Universe was different. Why didn’t this group of Dao Zenithels dare to charge in? Because they feared the universe’s essence would strike back.

Yet the Heavenly Imperator could single-handedly wound the universe’s essence in every strike.

The Dao Zenithels keenly sensed the weakening of the Eldritch Court Universe. Once it reached a critical point, the destruction of the entire universe would become irreversible.

The level of a Grand Supreme? Dao Zenithel Wan Yu watched, his pupils contracting slightly. Other than an attack at the level of a Grand Supreme, he couldn’t conceive of any other possibility.

Suddenly, Dao Zenithel Wan Yu turned his gaze toward the distant void.

“The Eldritch Court’s army has arrived,” he announced, his voice cutting through the silence as he stared into the seemingly peaceful expanse.

“They’re here already?” Imperial Majesty Nan Guang’s voice held disbelief.

“Where? How did they come so quickly?” Imperial Majesty Dong Huo, the Lord of the Abyss, and the others snapped their attention toward the horizon.

A single breath passed.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Powerful Dao Zenithel auras pierced through the boundless Xiantian qi, manifesting at the void’s edge. They advanced with frightening speed toward the assembled Immortal Court Dao Zenithels. Leading the charge were Wu Yuan’s two true selves, flanked by Eldritch Progenitor Di Jiang and Great Emperor Yan Tuo.

“Great Emperor Yan Tuo has joined them.”

“The Blood Emperor and Dream Emperor are present too.”

“Dao Zenithel Ming Jian must have escorted them. Otherwise, they could never have arrived this swiftly,” Dao Zenithel Bai Lian, the Lord of the Abyss, and the others exchanged troubled glances. The easy victory they were expecting was turning into a genuine challenge.

The presence of Great Emperor Yan Tuo changed everything.

“Heed my command! Engage and kill!” Imperial Majesty Dong Huo’s roar resonated instantly in the minds of all Immortal Court Dao Zenithels.

“Attack!” Imperial Majesty Nan Guang echoed, battle intent surging as Xuanhuang Dao Treasure battle armor materialized across his form.

Dao Zenithel Wan Yu sighed softly. “Let’s go, time to face the enemy.” He felt reluctant to participate in this conflict, but the Heavenly Imperator had managed to locate his Eternal Realm and made some compelling promises he couldn’t refuse.

“Form the array,” commanded Dao Zenithel Bai Lian.

“Quick!”

“Prevent Dao Zenithel Ming Jian from ambushing us.”

Golden pearls appeared simultaneously above the heads of Dao Zenithel Bai Lian, the Lord of the Abyss, Dao Zenithel Jiu Huang, and Lord White Devil. The other Dao Zenithels divided themselves into groups, around fifteen to each figure with a golden pearl, then arranged themselves into formation.

“Rise!” A lotus platform materialized beneath Dao Zenithel Bai Lian’s feet. With a thought, the golden pearl above her head radiated dazzling light, enveloping fifteen Dao Zenithels in her group and instantly forming a powerful cooperative array. Their merged auras surged skyward, allowing the sixteen Dao Zenithels to function as one unified entity.

The array bestowed by the Heavenly Imperator is truly extraordinary. Dao Zenithel Bai Lian marveled inwardly. This golden pearl, though merely a Chaos Treasure, allows sixteen Dao Zenithels to perfectly merge our lives and souls.

This feat was unprecedented. While mortal or sempiternal beings could form cooperative combat arrays through battle arrays or array diagrams, such cooperation became increasingly rare as one ascended to the eternal stage. Power grew exponentially, and the fundamental nature of life diverged dramatically. By the True Saint level, meaningful cooperative arrays ceased to exist.

Even during the battle outside the Tenth Chaos Void, when multiple factions united and dozens of Dao Zenithels joined forces, they could only launch coordinated long-range attacks. Close combat would have resulted in mutual interference.

Yet the Heavenly Imperator had devised this formidable array, complemented by miraculous golden pearls, enabling over a dozen Dao Zenithels to merge their strengths as one and strike in perfect harmony.

Boom! Empowered by over a dozen Dao Zenithels, Dao Zenithel Bai Lian’s combat power, originally that of a Full Dao Zenithel, now skyrocketed as if enhanced by a Xuanhuang Dao Treasure. The Lord of the Abyss, Dao Zenithel Jiu Huang, and Lord White Devil experienced similar transformations.

This powerful cooperative array not only increased the Immortal Court’s overall strength but crucially enhanced each Dao Zenithel’s defensive capabilities, preventing the enemy from targeting them individually.

The array was a masterpiece of the Heavenly Imperator, conceived after acquiring the miraculous golden pearls. He had spent countless eons refining and perfecting it, leveraging the unique properties of the pearls. It stood as one of the Immortal Court’s trump cards for the great eldritch-immortal war.

The approaching Eldritch Court army began preparing for a joint assault. However, they witnessed Dao Zenithel Bai Lian and the others form four grand cooperative arrays, while three titans wielded Xuanhuang Dao Treasures in a defensive formation.

The expressions of Great Emperor Yan Tuo and his allies shifted dramatically.

“Cooperative arrays?”

“Such flawless arrays; it feels less like multiple Dao Zenithels and more like a single entity!”

“Is this the Heavenly Imperator’s creation?” Panic spread through the Eldritch Court Dao Zenithels.

Those from the Ancient Megaverse and Blood Dream Alliance instinctively considered retreat. They weren’t true members of the Eldritch Court. How could they be expected to fight to the death for its cause?

“We’re in trouble.”

“The Immortal Court had such an ace hidden?” Wu Yuan and Eldritch Progenitor Di Jiang exchanged grim glances. The Immortal Court’s collective strength exceeded all expectations.

For Wu Yuan and Eldritch Progenitor Di Jiang, however, retreat wasn’t an option. When they witnessed the Heavenly Imperator repeatedly unleashing the Original Sword against the Eldritch Court Universe, they could sense its essence weakening. Such fluctuations were impossible to conceal.

If they didn’t force the Heavenly Imperator to cease his assault, the Eldritch Court Universe would inevitably collapse.

Should the Eldritch Court Universe be destroyed, Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu, with only a single strand of consciousness revived, would perish completely. Wu Yuan thought, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

She would have no chance of revival.

While a True Saint might resurrect after their Saint Realm’s destruction, Dao Zenithels were too powerful. The stronger they were, the harder resurrection became. If their Eternal Realm was obliterated and they no longer had the aid of the Eternal Realm’s essence, resurrection would be impossible.

Wu Yuan would not allow the Eldritch Court Universe to be destroyed. He would stop the Heavenly Imperator, even at the cost of his life.

“Yan Tuo, keep Dong Huo occupied. Prevent him from assisting the Heavenly Imperator,” Wu Yuan commanded. “Blood Emperor, Dream Emperor, lead all Standard and Peak Dao Zenithel powerhouses against Dao Zenithel Bai Lian, Dao Zenithel Jiu Huang, and their forces.”

“Elder Brother Di Jiang, you handle Imperial Majesty Nan Guang.”

In the world of cultivation, strength reigned supreme. Wu Yuan, unquestionably the mightiest in the current Eldritch Court camp, naturally assumed leadership.

“Understood.”

“Let’s move,” Great Emperor Yan Tuo, Blood Emperor, and Dream Emperor nodded, secretly relieved.

None were fools. Great Emperor Yan Tuo fought for personal gain; Blood Emperor and Dream Emperor participated due to Dao Zenithel Ming Jian’s influence and the Heavenly Imperator’s threat. But witnessing the Immortal Court’s might, especially the sword in the Heavenly Imperator’s hand, they trembled inwardly, harboring thoughts of retreat.

The disparity between armies was too great. An all-out confrontation would likely end in one-sided slaughter, leaving no escape route.

Wu Yuan’s arrangements, however, offered a glimmer of hope.

“The opponents assigned to us are within our capabilities. Let’s see how things unfold,” Great Emperor Yan Tuo transmitted to his subordinates.

“We’ll give it a try. Saint Yuan and Dao Zenithel Ming Jian must have hidden trump cards,” Blood Emperor and Dream Emperor assured their followers.

Yet doubts lingered. Several formidable beings on the Immortal Court’s side, such as Dao Zenithel Wan Yu, the Lord of the Abyss, and Lord White Devil, remained unoccupied

Most critically, the Heavenly Imperator himself had yet to join the battle, and he could now wield the Original Sword.

How could they counter such power? Could Saint Yuan and Dao Zenithel Ming Jian alone possibly contend with so many super powerhouses?