Yuan's Ascension

Chapter 761: The Arrival Of An Overlord (1)

"Did he fall just like that?"

"The Astral Lord is a seventh-stage Archimmortal powerhouse, yet he had no chance against this Ming Jian, falling in a single strike?" Archimmortal Huo Feng and Archdeity Huo Lie felt a tendril of fear grip their hearts.

They had anticipated that Wu Yuan had some level of confidence to come here looking for a fight, but they never expected his power to be this overwhelming.

If he could kill a seventh-stage Archimmortal in one sword strike, how strong was Ming Jian when he fought seriously? Ninth-stage Archimmortal-level? Or perhaps even beyond that, quasi-Astral Monarch-level?

Through methodical cultivation, Archimmortals and Archdeities could generally reach the ninth stage. However, the gap between a ninth-stage Archimmortal and an Astral Monarch was immense. Only an extremely small number of powerful Astral Lords could display strength approaching the Astral Monarch-level while still at the Astral Lord phase.

For example, first-degree immortal roots, combat secret arts at the Astral Monarch level, or formidable Dao Instruments could all augment the strength of an Astral Lord.

In this moment, Archdeity Huo Lie and Archimmortal Huo Feng both felt as though they weren’t facing a High Immortal, but a super powerhouse at the quasi-Astral Monarch level.

What they didn't know was that even if Wu Yuan's qi refiner self unleashed all nine of his lifebound flying swords at once, their pure offensive power would only reach the ninth-stage Archimmortal level.

It was just that Spacetime sword strikes were the most unpredictable and mysterious of all attacks. One could say that as long as the opponent’s defense was insufficient, they would be killed in an instant when faced with Wu Yuan's divine sword. Spacetime was inherently the most enigmatic and unfathomable among all the Great Daos.

"Flee!"

"Run, quick!" At that moment between life and death, Archdeity Huo Lie and Archimmortal Huo Feng instantly chose to escape.

Whoosh! Wu Yuan waved his hand, collecting the many treasures left behind by Astral Lord Huo Xiang. He didn't feel particularly excited. It was just killing an ordinary Astral Lord after all.

In terms of strength, Senior Brother Jiang Huan, Nie Zhen and the others are also only at the seventh-stage Archimmortal level, on par with Astral Lord Huo Xiang. Wu Yuan mused to himself.

Without realizing it, his qi refiner self had already reached the point where he could kill an ordinary Astral Lord with a wave of his hand.

My Dao comprehension level isn't much higher than Senior Brother Jiang Huan and the others. We're all around the early-stage Astral Monarch level. What's different is that I’ve learned ‘Genesis Law Sacrifice’. Wu Yuan pondered silently.

He could sense how incredibly powerful and heaven-defying ‘Genesis Law Sacrifice’ was for a secret art. For a High Immortal, it granted one the ability to fight above one's phase.

The ‘Creation Saint Prohibition’ that his body refiner self cultivated was even more formidable and unique, but the conditions for acquiring it were also more difficult to replicate. How many could receive the favor of a True Saint?

Without ‘Genesis Law Sacrifice’, Wu Yuan's current strength would only reach the fourth or fifth stage Archimmortal level.

Boom! After killing Astral Lord Huo Xiang with one strike and collecting his treasures, Wu Yuan didn't hesitate much before charging toward Archdeity Huo Lie and Archimmortal Huo Feng.

Amidst the howling winds, Wu Yuan's figure flickered as he rapidly closed in.

Hmm? Wu Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly as he saw numerous powerful figures appear tens of millions of li away, causing faint ripples in space.

The weakest among them had vital auras at the fourth or fifth-stage Archimmortal level. There even seemed to be powerhouses at the Astral Lord level.

They were all powerhouses who had sensed the intense energy fluctuations while exploring the Ice Vortex Valley and rushed over, thinking some treasure had emerged.

This was just the first wave. As time passed, more and more powerhouses would arrive.

"Ming Jian's is too fast. If we flee together, we're sure to die. Even an Astral Lord couldn't withstand a single strike, let alone us."

"Let's split up and escape."

"Hurry!" Archdeity Huo Lie and Archimmortal Huo Feng fled frantically, each unleashing various burst secret arts to push their speed to the limit.

However, faced with a being who had crystallized Spacetime True Intent, their escape was destined to be in vain. No matter how far they fled, as long as Wu Yuan entered the Turbulent Spatial Layer, he could catch up in a single step.

Whoosh! Wu Yuan's figure flashed, and two dazzling divine lights appeared in the sky.

They streaked through the air like two bolts of lightning, striking Archdeity Huo Lie and Archimmortal Huo Feng respectively. Each divine light was a lifebound flying sword.

"No!"

"Block it!" Archdeity Huo Lie and Archimmortal Huo Feng were scared out of their wits. One employed an ether art, growing ten thousand zhangs high in an attempt to resist, while the other unleashed multiple arcane arts.

Whoosh! The seemingly tough deity body and the seemingly powerful multi-layered arrays were instantly pierced. The terrifying sword qi within the divine lights erupted, shooting in all directions like exploding fireworks. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Archdeity Huo Lie was dead!

Archimmortal Huo Feng was dead!

Wu Yuan waved his hand, gathering the treasures dropped by the Archimmortal and Archdeity.

A moment of silence fell.

They should all be powerhouses who came running after sensing the battle fluctuations. Wu Yuan glanced at the figures tens of millions of li away. There’re no karmic threads connecting me to any of them, which means none of them have formed grudges with me in the past. There's no need for a massacre.

There wasn’t any enmity between them and Wu Yuan wasn't the type to kill indiscriminately, so he naturally couldn't be bothered to deal with them.

Let's go. Wu Yuan took a step and merged into the Turbulent Spatial Layer, vanishing from his original spot.

...

Tens of millions of li away, the first batch of Archimmortals and Archdeities who had arrived from all directions, including two Astral Lords, were all staring in shock at the scene before them.

They hadn’t witnessed Astral Lord Huo Xiang’s death, but they saw with absolute clarity how Archdeity Huo Lie and Archimmortal Huo Feng were effortlessly killed, unable to offer any resistance.

"A High Immortal? Who was that?"

"Judging by his appearance and techniques, he seems to be Ming Jian. It should be him."

"Huo Lie and Huo Feng both had strength at the sixth-stage Archimmortal level, yet they were killed instantly?" This group of powerhouses was shocked.

Archdeity Huo Lie and Archimmortal Huo Feng weren't exceptionally strong, but they were among the most formidable existences below the Astral Lord level.

Furthermore, Archdeity Huo Lie, as an Archdeity, undoubtedly had extraordinary self-preservation abilities. Yet he was still killed in a single strike. This was definitely not something an ordinary Astral Lord could accomplish.

"But more importantly, where is Astral Lord Huo Xiang?"

"Could he have also been killed by Ming Jian?"

"After five hundred years, Ming Jian has appeared in the Snowlight Mist Realm once more? I remember when he last appeared in another realm boundary a few decades ago, he was only at the sixth-stage Archimmortal level."

"How did he become so powerful in the blink of an eye?" These powerhouses were both shocked and suspicious.

If Astral Lord Huo Xiang had also perished, then Wu Yuan was far too terrifying.

They didn't have to wait long for an answer.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! As more powerhouses arrived, they learned what had transpired from those who had arrived first.

Soon, another piece of news spread.

"Astral Lord Huo Xiang's true self has sent word that his mana body was killed by Ming Jian in a single strike," an Astral Lord called out excitedly.

"The one who killed him was Ming Jian."

"Killed in a single strike? Ming Jian?"

"Is this true or false?"

"Huo Xiang said it himself, how could it be false?" The large group of powerhouses gathered there broke into a clamor, all astonished by the news.

Although Ming Jian had broken through, he should only be a First Tribulation High Immortal based on the timeline. How could a First Tribulation High Immortal be powerful enough to kill an Astral Lord in a single strike?

...

News of Astral Lord Huo Xiang's death began to spread throughout the Spacetime Immortal Voidrealm, but because not much time had passed, it hadn't spread very far yet.

Meanwhile, Wu Yuan was traversing the Turbulent Spatial Layer.

Following a karmic thread, he quickly arrived at the location of another Astral Lord and appeared before him.

"Ming Jian? You dare to show yourself in the Snowlight Mist Realm again?" Astral Lord Tong Heng, seated atop a glacier, opened his eyes. He stood up.

"Why wouldn't I dare?" Wu Yuan strolled through the air, smiling as he said, "Rather, Tong Heng, I've come to hunt you down, yet you don't flee for your life?"

"Ridiculous! You're just relying on that one burst secret art. A mere High Immortal thinks he can make me flee? Get lost!" Astral Lord Tong Heng roared angrily.

In the next moment, a black longbow materialized in his palm. He drew the bow, nocking a silver arrow that gleamed like the full moon.

He understood Wu Yuan's intentions clearly and didn't want to waste words. Let their strength determine life and death.

Oh? Wu Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of surprise flashing through them. As the silver arrow locked onto him, he felt as if his spirit was being suppressed by waves of pressure. It was a formidable divine bow.

Whoosh! The silver arrow shot forth. Spiritual qi from millions of li gathered into its shaft, causing it to radiate with an incomparably fearsome light.

It streaked across millions of li, causing the vast heaven and earth to fall silent.

Retreat. Wu Yuan didn't hesitate, flashing back into the Turbulent Spatial Layer. This was the heaven-defying advantage of comprehending Spacetime – no matter how powerful the opponent’s technique, he could simply withdraw to a higher spatial dimension, remaining safe and sound.

Boom! But to Wu Yuan's surprise, the silver arrow pierced through the boundaries between spatial dimensions. It streaked through the spatial turbulence, shooting towards him.

Breaking dimensional boundaries? Wu Yuan's expression changed slightly. He had a vague feeling that this arrow had locked onto his soul and spirit.

His opponent must have comprehended part of the Law of Karma and incorporated it into his archery.

Whoosh! Wu Yuan's form scattered as he employed ‘Moonlight Shadow’, instantly splitting into nine silhouettes. At the same time, a sky-covering expanse of sword lights appeared, forming a sword domain.

Thud~ Faced with the nine Wu Yuans, the silver arrow wavered slightly before shooting directly towards one of the silhouettes, colliding with numerous sword lights that greatly diminished its power.

But an invisible soul wave also enveloped all nine Wu Yuans simultaneously, seeking to destabilize Wu Yuan's soul. This arrow strike was combined with a soul attack.

Hold. Wu Yuan's twelve Yuan Souls blazed, their power like a vast sea. This was the Yuan Sea, a soul defense secret art from the Sea Of Stars, which he had already mastered to an extremely profound level.

Even without employing a soul defense secret art, ordinary soul arts from Astral Lords couldn't affect Wu Yuan in the slightest.

This arrow was undeniably powerful. If it were any other Astral Lord facing this attack, it would certainly spell big trouble. But Wu Yuan's self-preservation ability was heaven-defying, allowing him to block it with ease.

As expected of Astral Lord Tong Heng. Kill. Wu Yuan's form flickered as he descended once more to the Material Spatial Layer.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Nine lifebound flying swords spun out, merging into a single spacetime divine sword that thrust straight toward his opponent. He wouldn't give Astral Lord Tong Heng another chance to use his divine bow.

What? He's just a High Immortal, yet my arrow had no effect on him at all? Astral Lord Tong Heng was stunned.

He knew Wu Yuan excelled in the Dao of Spacetime and had extremely formidable self-preservation abilities, which was why he had wanted to kill him with his strongest attack.

He never expected that it would have no effect on Wu Yuan whatsoever.

"Tong Heng, I was hoping we could talk this out, but now you shall die." Wu Yuan's cold voice echoed in Astral Lord Tong Heng's mind.

Wu Yuan's mana body had merged with his qi refiner self. Though appearing as one individual, they were actually fighting together.

Whoosh! With a mental command from his mana body, a barrage of celestial swords shot forth, transforming into an enormous sword domain that enveloped Tong Heng, greatly reducing his flight speed.

At the same time, nine lifebound flying swords merged into one, forming a spacetime divine sword. Employing the Nine Swords of Spacetime, its power increased threefold within the sword domain as it shot forward like lightning.

So fast. How can he be this quick? And his sword domain? Astral Lord Tong Heng grew increasingly alarmed. He felt Wu Yuan's strength far exceeded his imagination.

In an instant, he put away his divine bow and his body grew to a gigantic form. Six war sabers and three shields appeared in his hands as he prepared to resist Wu Yuan.

As an Archdeity, he had confidence in his self-preservation ability.