Chapter 1017: Greenridge Macrocosm, I’m The Overlord

Created specially by the Taiyuan Divine Court for Overlord Bloodforge, the internal space of the Bloodforge Spacetime was immense, nearly a completely independent spacetime.

At the very least, the Sovereigns of the Greenridge Macrocosm, like Sovereign Heng Yang and Sovereign Cang Feng, lacked the ability to intrude forcefully.

However, it certainly couldn't stop a Sovereign of Space.

Grandmaster Sovereign Bei You could likely break in.

Wu Yuan mused silently. This independent spacetime was fundamentally similar to the Bei You Realm and Ming Jian Realm, just on a grander scale.

Rumble~

As the spacetime rift opened, Wu Yuan and Devil Sovereign Bloodforge moved through the void, enveloped by what seemed to be endless darkness and emptiness.

For ordinary Sovereigns, this void would be impenetrable to their senses. However, Wu Yuan was different. With a mere thought, he could access the Spacetime Intersection Layer, perceiving everything around him with perfect clarity despite the apparent emptiness. Even so-called completely enclosed spaces were mere jokes before him—much like how a three-dimensional being could effortlessly perceive a flat square that might confine a two-dimensional creature.

Arrays specifically designed to harvest animus

. Wu Yuan's gaze swept across the shadowy passages that extended in all directions.

What appeared as dark mist were, in Wu Yuan's eyes, actually incredibly complex array patterns. And it wasn't limited to just the passage he occupied.

Wu Yuan's perception spread out, and the scene observed by his Yuan Soul began to change dramatically. He saw numerous shadowy passages, glimpsed multiple dim Bloodforge Worlds, and observed mysterious streams of power flowing faintly between the multitude of array patterns.

Those were — animus.

Like countless streams, gradually converging at an endpoint.

Wu Yuan's gaze pierced the distant shadows.

The essence of animus was extracted from deceased cultivators, who had to die within the arrays' boundaries. This was what the Bloodforge Devil Hall had been doing for generations.

The Golden Core/Spiritual Body and Amethyst Cradle/Shambhala cultivators selected from countless worldlets and numerous immortal continents all slaughtered each other in these Bloodforge Worlds, ultimately becoming nourishment.

Wu Yuan's body refiner self had learned of these matters from the white-robed woman when he participated in the Bloodforge Battle and entered the Bloodforge Spacetime years ago. Today, he simply saw it more clearly.

These countless array patterns were like streams, all converging towards the deepest part of the Bloodforge Spacetime, towards a single endpoint.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Wu Yuan and Devil Sovereign Bloodforge advanced swiftly. Soon, space began to tremble subtly as an intangible spacetime force enveloped them. Wu Yuan put up no resistance.

Whoosh!

The surrounding darkness dissipated. Wu Yuan and Devil Sovereign Bloodforge now stood upon a vast, empty plaza paved with black metal.

Back in a familiar place.

Wu Yuan's gaze swept around, marveling at the unpredictability of life.

A hundred thousand years ago, his body refiner self had arrived here, filled with fear, competing for the title of Bloodforge King and seizing what now seemed like insignificant opportunities to his current self. Now, his qi refiner self had arrived.

Hmm?

Wu Yuan's brow furrowed slightly as he gazed into the distant void.

A faint spacetime fluctuation rippled through, followed by the appearance of a tall, white-robed female figure. Her jade eyes held a breathtaking beauty, and her intangible aura made one's heart tremble.

It was the controller of the Bloodforge Spacetime whom Wu Yuan's body refiner self had encountered years ago.

However, times had changed. The being who had once seemed so lofty and inscrutable in Wu Yuan's eyes was now like an open book. Merely a spirit, nothing more.

"Devil Sovereign." The white-robed woman alighted on the metal surface, nodding slightly.

"Emissary Jing, this is Overlord Ming Jian," Devil Sovereign Bloodforge introduced respectfully.

"Overlord Ming Jian?" The white-robed woman looked at Wu Yuan and hastily bowed with respect: "Jing pays respects to the Overlord."

Wu Yuan nodded lightly, though inwardly he found it somewhat surreal.

A hundred thousand years had passed like a dream. Those who had once stood high above him now bowed low, showing utmost respect.

Such was the magic of time. It could transform an ordinary child into one who stood at the pinnacle, gazing down upon countless lives in the vast river of space and time.

"Mm." Wu Yuan's expression remained impassive as he nodded slightly. "Where is Bloodforge?"

"The Overlord awaits in the main world. I humbly request Overlord Ming Jian to proceed there," the white-robed woman said respectfully.

She pointed to the distance, where another spatial vortex appeared, leading to an unknown place.

"There's no need for me to go to the main world. Ask him to come here," Wu Yuan shook his head slightly. "I dislike placing myself in situations I cannot control."

These words caused the expressions of the white-robed woman and Devil Sovereign Bloodforge to change subtly, as they naturally detected the wariness in Wu Yuan's tone.

"Does Overlord Ming Jian not trust our Overlord?" the white-robed woman couldn't help but ask.

Devil Sovereign Bloodforge's heart immediately filled with alarm.

"Hmph!" Wu Yuan suddenly let out a cold snort, causing the white-robed woman to pale as a force of suppression bore down on her.

"Are you in any position to question my words?" Wu Yuan's voice not only echoed across the plaza but also penetrated layers of space, reverberating throughout the vast Bloodforge Spacetime.

The white-robed woman instantly lowered her head. Devil Sovereign Bloodforge was equally shocked. This man was indeed an Overlord!

Little did they know that while Wu Yuan's mana body's direct combat prowess only matched that of Sovereign Qing Ling, his control over spacetime was no less than that of an ordinary Overlord.

Emissary Jing, the white-robed woman, might be the controller of the Bloodforge Spacetime, but the power she could muster only matched that of a sixth-stage Sovereign. How could she compare to Wu Yuan?

The Bloodforge Spacetime's continued existence was due firstly to the backing of the Taiyuan Divine Court, and secondly to its special nature.

Unless one could enter the Spacetime Intersection Layer, it was impossible to locate this place. Only Overlords or Sovereigns of Space could accomplish this.

If one could find this place, breaching the outer regions of the Bloodforge Spacetime wouldn't be too difficult. Only the main world at the core of the Bloodforge Spacetime was beyond Wu Yuan's control, which was why he was unwilling to proceed there.

Overlord Bloodforge? Based on Overlord Xin Ya's description, he was a terrifying madman. Wu Yuan naturally had to be cautious. This was also why he had only sent his mana body here.

"If Bloodforge is willing to talk, then he should come out and talk," Wu Yuan said calmly. "If not, I'll leave."

𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Just as the white-robed woman was about to speak, a deep voice suddenly resonated throughout the vast spacetime. "As expected of Overlord Ming Jian. Impressive."

Then, a cold, bloody, and terrifying pressure spread from the void, enveloping the entire metal plaza.

"Overlord."

"Overlord." The white-robed woman and Devil Sovereign Bloodforge's expressions changed slightly as they knelt and bowed respectfully.

Only Wu Yuan remained standing.

Within a hundred meters around him, an invisible force spread out, isolating that bloody and frenzied pressure. The power he emitted wasn't mana. It was mental strength.

Hum~

The minds and wills of both sides clashed furiously, but Wu Yuan stood his ground as if rooted in place, like an immovable celestial body, blocking wave after wave of bloody and frenzied impacts.

Rumble~

Vaguely, the void above the plaza trembled, causing the white-robed woman and Devil Sovereign Bloodforge's expressions to change involuntarily. They knew that two Overlord-level beings were clashing.

In just half a breath, the spirits and wills of both sides had clashed countless times, yet Wu Yuan remained unperturbed.

It wasn't that his spirit and will were stronger than Overlord Bloodforge's, but rather that his powerful Yuan Soul effectively supported his will's resistance.

The mind had its wellspring, and intent emerged from the physical self. Overlord Bloodforge might have been powerful at his peak, striking fear throughout the vast universe, but with only a wisp of his soul remaining, how strong could he truly be?

Finally, as if realizing he couldn't overcome Wu Yuan, the bloody and terrifying pressure that had blanketed the spacetime swiftly dissipated.

Whoosh!

A towering figure clad in blood-colored robes appeared at one side of the metal plaza, seemingly out of nowhere.

A mask covered his face, and the blood-colored armor visible beneath his robes seemed to drip with fresh blood. His aura was vast and oppressive, spreading out in layers. Only his eyes were visible.

What kind of eyes were they? At first glance, they seemed as vast as a universe, but upon closer inspection, one would be shocked to discover that they seemed to contain a terrifying bloodiness capable of drowning an entire macrocosm. Only mountains of corpses and seas of blood could forge such a terrifying and bloody aura.

"Overlord." The white-robed woman and Devil Sovereign Bloodforge, feeling the impact of the pressure, bowed with great difficulty.

They hadn't expected Overlord Bloodforge’s true body to leave the main world. Devil Sovereign Bloodforge had not seen the Overlord's true body since entering the main world to pay respects trillions of years ago.

"Bloodforge." Wu Yuan, however, remained calm and composed.

"As expected of Overlord Ming Jian, the greatest genius in the history of our divine court headquarters. Even Xue Li said you have the potential to achieve eternity," Overlord Bloodforge's deep voice echoed through this Spacetime.

Wu Yuan smiled faintly in response.

"Did Xin Ya speak with you?" Overlord Bloodforge asked in a low voice.

"Overlord Xin Ya did not mention anything specific," Wu Yuan shook his head. "He said to come talk to you directly."

"Very well. Then let me explain," Overlord Bloodforge fixed his crimson eyes on Wu Yuan. "I need you to help me set up 550 Blood Sacrifice Divine Arrays throughout the entire Greenridge Macrocosm."

"Blood Sacrifice Divine Arrays?" Wu Yuan frowned slightly. "What are those?"

"Once this grand array is laid down, activating it will allow the power of the Bloodforge Spacetime to spread to every corner of the Greenridge Macrocosm, enabling the extraction of animus from every living being," Overlord Bloodforge explained in a low voice.

"Then, I also need you to help me slaughter all life in the entire macrocosm. Though it's not necessary to kill everyone - all mortal lifeforms should be eliminated, and about half of the Archimmortals and Archdeities should be killed, but the Astral Monarchs and Sovereigns need not be slain as they are too powerful and difficult to extract animus from.

“After killing all these lifeforms, we'll repopulate the macrocosm with lifeforms relocated from other macrocosms, then repeat this slaughter of beings within the entire macrocosm every ten thousand years.

“Continuing this cycle for hundreds of millions of years should provide just about enough animus."

As he spoke, the expressions of Devil Sovereign Bloodforge and the woman in white robes shifted subconsciously. Neither had imagined Overlord Bloodforge would have such a horrifically cruel plan.

"Kill all life in an entire macrocosm? For hundreds of millions of years?" Even Wu Yuan, who had some prior suspicions, was stunned upon hearing Overlord Bloodforge's demands.

Even half of the Archimmortals and Archdeities were to be slaughtered? This left Wu Yuan silent.

"Once successful, I have hope of recovering. When I achieve eternity, I can promise to gift you ten Xiantian artifacts. What do you say?" Overlord Bloodforge stared at Wu Yuan, his blood-red eyes flickering with anticipation. "It shouldn't be difficult for someone of your power to simply slaughter some mortal lifeforms.”

"Currently, the macrocosm is not yet unified. There are still territories controlled by the Desolation Divine Court, the eldritch world, and the Eight Mountains Alliance," Wu Yuan's voice had already turned indifferent.

"A bunch of rabble, what is there to fear?" Overlord Bloodforge snorted coldly. "If they interfere, just kill them all. Back when I roamed the universe, even the Eldritch Court and Immortal Court couldn't do anything to me."

"What about the territories of the Eternal Sun Immortal World?" Wu Yuan asked calmly. "The divine court headquarters occupies nearly twenty percent of the macrocosm."

"For the regions occupied by the divine court headquarters, just don't kill the sempiternal lifeforms. As for mortal lifeforms? Mere nutrients," Overlord Bloodforge shook his head. "Even if you don’t kill them, nine out of ten of these insects will die off in thousands or tens of thousands of years anyway. Why not have them contribute to my return?

“After hundreds of millions of years, when I fully recover and return, we can relocate some lifeforms from other macrocosms to continue propagating," Overlord Bloodforge said indifferently.

Silence fell.

The woman in white robes and Devil Sovereign Bloodforge no longer dared to speak.

Devil Sovereign Bloodforge, who called himself a Devil Sovereign and considered himself crazy and evil enough, felt like a mere novice compared to Overlord Bloodforge.

Too insane. Wu Yuan was equally silent. This Overlord Bloodforge was simply a madman.

He finally understood why Overlord Xin Ya had said, “He went mad.”

Indeed, he had well and truly gone mad.

A moment passed.

"What if I disagree?" Wu Yuan said slowly.

"You disagree?" Overlord Bloodforge's eyes suddenly turned ice-cold. "Why? Could it be that you can't bear it?

"In the grand design of the divine court headquarters, what significance does the destruction of a single macrocosm hold compared to my revival?" Overlord Bloodforge said in a low voice. "Besides, it's only the loss of mortal life over hundreds of millions of years. You’re not taking any real risks, and no other Saintdom faction would truly intervene."

"I refuse!" Wu Yuan shook his head slightly, already too weary to explain himself further.

Whoosh!

Wu Yuan took a step forward, spacetime before him splitting open as he prepared to leave.

"Ming Jian!" An enraged roar erupted, reverberating through infinite spacetime.

Boom!

Waves of terrifying blood light suddenly bloomed and exploded, rushing at Wu Yuan from all directions and attempting to block his path.

“Overlord, you mustn’t!”

“Overlord, stop!” exclaimed the white-robed woman, her voice tinged with alarm. Next to her, Devil Sovereign Bloodforge’s face mirrored her shock. Neither had anticipated Overlord Bloodforge’s sudden assault.

Whoosh!

The space around them was consumed by a blood-red light, enveloping the dim void. In the blink of an eye, a brilliant, world-rending sword light cleaved through heaven and earth.

A massive rift appeared, stretching across the vastness, seemingly a million li wide. In reality, it was a complex folding of space, originating from a distant spacetime. Through this rift in overlapping space, both the woman and the Devil Sovereign saw something that left them utterly stunned.

Beyond the Bloodforge Spacetime, standing at the edge of the void where spacetime intersected, a figure in white robes emanated an aura of boundless sword qi. He radiated an overwhelming presence and authority.

It was Wu Yuan’s qi refiner self.

With a single, powerful sword strike, he had sliced through the numerous defensive arrays guarding the Bloodforge Spacetime.

Now, under the immense pressure from Wu Yuan’s qi refiner self, Overlord Bloodforge, once so domineering, found himself completely subdued.

“Ahhh!” Overlord Bloodforge’s roar echoed into the sky, yet his immense frame quivered beneath the relentless pressure, already showing signs of collapse.

In a swift motion, Wu Yuan’s mana body smiled slightly, stepped forward, and seamlessly left the Bloodforge Spacetime, merging with his qi refiner self.

“Bloodforge!” he declared, his voice cutting through the void like steel. “Many have risen against me, and many have met their end.”

Wu Yuan’s qi refiner self cast a cold, unyielding gaze downward. “This sword strike spared your life, not out of fear of Overlord Xue Li, but to settle a sliver of karma.”

He recalled the treasures his body refiner self had once obtained from the Bloodforge Spacetime. Resolving karma served to keep his spirit unburdened.

“But heed my words—you are no longer the Overlord Bloodforge of old. Now, you’re merely a bone fragment. Conduct yourself accordingly.

“In the current Greenridge Macrocosm, I’m the Overlord,” Wu Yuan asserted, his tone icy and absolute. “If I say no—then it shall not be!”

With that pronouncement, Wu Yuan's qi refiner self vanished from the edge of the void.