Chapter 1067: Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang (2)

“Haha, Overlord Wu Yuan, I've finally gotten the chance to meet you in the real world.” Overlord Huan Guang wore robes of purple and gold, exuding an air of majesty and nobility, like an emperor incarnate. But with Wu Yuan, he was exceedingly courteous.

“The same goes for me. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Overlord Huan Guang,” Wu Yuan replied with a smile. They had spoken several times before in the Eldritch Progenitor Hall within the Eldritch Court Voidrealm, enough to be somewhat acquainted.

“Your return eases my mind significantly,” Overlord Huan Guang laughed. “Once your strength grows further to Jue Dong’s level, then we can truly raise our heads high.”

Wu Yuan couldn’t help but chuckle.

In the Ling Jiang Universe, there were two fourth-stage Overlords: one being Overlord Bei Zhen of the Desolation Divine Court and the other, Overlord Jue Dong of the Immortal Court.

Without a doubt, Overlord Bei Zhen overshadowed Overlord Jue Dong. Yet, this didn't change the fact that the Immortal Court's Ling Jiang Saintdom thoroughly suppressed the Eldritch Court's Ling Jiang Saintdom. Over countless ages, they always found themselves at a disadvantage in battles. A fourth-stage Overlord’s influence was immense.

Of the twelve Saintdom territories in the Ling Jiang Universe, the Desolation Divine Court was the most powerful, the Immortal Court ranking second, leaving the Eldritch Court around fourth or fifth.

“I will do my utmost,” Wu Yuan replied with a smile.

“Overlord Wu Yuan, Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang awaits you in the Myriad River Hall. Go on ahead,” said Overlord Hou Jue. “Once you return from the Eldritch Progenitor Hall, we can continue our discussion.”

“Very well, I'll go see the Eldritch Progenitor first,” Wu Yuan said, still smiling.

...

The Myriad River Hall was the supreme temple of the Myriad River Realm. Contrary to the Taiyuan Hall, it wasn't housed within the divine tower but nestled deep within the Spacetime Intersection Layer. Only Overlords could reach it.

Bidding farewell to Overlord Huan Guang and Overlord Hou Jue, Wu Yuan quickly made his way to the Myriad River Hall.

Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang’s residence?

Wu Yuan's gaze landed on a temple situated within the Spacetime Intersection Layer.

Soon, he entered it.

Unlike the Taiyuan Hall, the design of the Myriad River Hall was quite basic, bereft of decoration, with no side halls around it—a single main hall stood alone.

Upon Wu Yuan’s entry into the hall, his eyes immediately found the black-robed figure standing at the center.

The elderly man's face was aged, adorned with a long, white beard, as if he had endured endless vicissitudes of life. His eyes seemed to contain a vast universe within them.

“You’ve arrived,” the elderly man said with a gentle smile, his gaze was warm.

“Wu Yuan pays respects to Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang,” Wu Yuan greeted respectfully, sensing that this was not the Eldritch Progenitor’s true body.

“Rise. You need not be so formal with me,” Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang said with a smile. “Perhaps, you might even be one of my bloodline descendants.”

“Bloodline descendant?” Wu Yuan was slightly taken aback.

“At the dawn of the universe, I established this Saintdom, spreading the Eldritch Court's glory. I created numerous lifeforms of the human race through the profundities of the universe’s operation. In a manner of speaking, they’re all my descendants,” Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang explained with a smile. “These humans proliferated over time, and you too are a member of the human race.”

Understanding dawned on Wu Yuan. Numerous samsara cycles ago, Goddess Nüwa created the human race and was regarded as their ancestral progenitor. Yet after countless cycles of samsara, those original mortal and sempiternal humans had long since ceased to exist. The humans born thereafter were created by eternal lifeforms from the human race.

“Long ago, Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu mentioned you to me. You were weak back then, and with Hou Jue being your guide, I saw no need to summon you,” Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang said with a smile. “Your recent performance in the Creation Dao Realm was exceptional.

“Your name is now on the Eternal Register—though not at the level of the Immortal Court's Heavenly Imperator, reaching late-stage Overlord in merely a hundred thousand years is a legend among sempiternal lifeforms.”

“The Eldritch Progenitor flatters me,” Wu Yuan replied humbly.

He was aware that every Eldritch Progenitor who established a Saintdom was a True Saint, capable of accessing the Eternal Register with a thought.

“You rendered great contributions in the war. I understand that Eldritch Progenitor Wan Xuan granted you a Xiantian artifact. I too must reward you for your efforts,” Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang promised with a smile. “I shall grant you one thousand Xuanhuang merits.”

“One thousand Xuanhuang merits?” Wu Yuan exclaimed in shock.

Within the Eldritch Court, sempiternal lifeforms redeemed various treasures using eldritch merits, which represented their contributions to the Eldritch Court.

From Archimmortals and Archdeities to Sovereigns, all could exchange eldritch merits for an array of resources like Immortal Life Pills, high-grade Dao Instruments, and even top-grade Dao Instruments. Eldritch merits were of immense importance to countless sempiternal lifeforms within the Eldritch Court.

However, for the Overlords, the very apex of sempiternal lifeforms, the utility of eldritch merits drastically diminished. Most treasures that could be redeemed with eldritch merits held negligible value for them.

What they coveted were treasures utilized by eternal lifeforms—such as Xiantian artifacts. Such ultimate treasures couldn't be redeemed with eldritch merits. They couldn't be found within the Saintdom branch’s treasury and could only be obtained from the Eldritch Progenitor Hall.

And to redeem them, one needed Xuanhuang merits. These were the merits used by the Eldritch Court's eternal lifeforms and Overlords.

Acquiring Xuanhuang merits was exceedingly difficult, typically possible in two ways: offering treasures to the Eldritch Progenitor Hall or making a truly major contribution.

As Wu Yuan understood, a top-grade Dao Instrument contributed to the Eldritch Progenitor Hall would typically yield half a Xuanhuang merit, with numerous limitations to prevent unrestricted contributions.

Simply put, for the vast Eldritch Court, top-grade Dao Instruments weren't in short supply, so Xuanhuang merits were not easily dispensed. And making truly major contributions? Even more challenging.

“Eldritch Progenitor, according to my calculations, my contributions to the war in the Long Shan Universe should only equate to around twenty to thirty Xuanhuang merits,” Wu Yuan couldn't help but voice out.

An ordinary Xiantian artifact, such as a low-grade Xiantian flying sword, would cost about a hundred Xuanhuang merits.

The Xiantian artifact Eldritch Progenitor Wan Xuan had presented to Wu Yuan was worth a hundred Xuanhuang merits. This generosity had already left Wu Yuan immensely thrilled.

But now, Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang was conferring an additional thousand Xuanhuang merits?

“The excess can be considered an extra reward for you,” Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang said with a smile. “Naturally, there’s a condition attached.”

“Please explain, Eldritch Progenitor,” Wu Yuan requested.

“Your talent is unparalleled. You also have a qi refiner self, which isn't far behind your body refiner self,” Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang explained.

Wu Yuan listened intently, recalling how Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu had once expressed that only she and Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang were aware of his two true selves.

“I’ve lived through nine samsara cycles of heaven and earth, yet such talent is rarely seen,” Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang reminisced wistfully.

Nine samsara cycles of heaven and earth? Wu Yuan was inwardly startled. Such an enormous span of time.

“Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu has high hopes for you, and so do I,” Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang said with a smile. “Our greatest hope is for you to achieve eternity through your own efforts, and to become a True Saint Eternal before this samsara cycle of heaven and earth concludes.

“Ultimately, we would like you to be the leader of the Eldritch Court’s Ling Jiang Saintdom in the next samsara cycle of heaven and earth.”

“Oh?” Wu Yuan was taken aback. “Assume leadership? What about you?”

“From the next samsara cycle onward, I will be unable to enter the Heartland region,” Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang explained.

Wu Yuan felt puzzled.

“You should know, the cosmic sea is boundless, and True Saints aren't rare,” Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang explained with a smile. “But why haven't most True Saints established Saintdoms?”

Wu Yuan shook his head; this was not something he knew.

“The operation of the Primordial Rules,” Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang elaborated. “To establish a Saintdom faction, one must project their Saint Realm within the River of Universes.

“A Saint Realm is the mighty world every True Saint will establish, completely aligned with themselves. A True Saint within their Saint Realm is able to contend with a Dao Zenithal.

“Take the Eldritch Court's Ling Jiang Saintdom headquarters. The Myriad River Realm was created as a product of my Luan Jiang Saint Realm resonating with the universe's essence,” Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang explained.

Wu Yuan listened in awe, these were all secrets to him before.

“Right after achieving eternity, a universe-born lifeform experiences resistance from the River of Universes. But as little time has passed since their detachment, the suppression from the River isn't very strong. But across numerous cycles of samsara, the ties between an eternal universe-born lifeform and the River weaken, making it increasingly difficult to project a Saint Realm.

“Nine represents the ultimate number; nine cycles of samsara mark the limit,” Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang noted. “So, in the coming samsara cycle, even if the Ling Jiang Universe develops once more, I will not be able to return to it.”

Wu Yuan understood now.

Upon achieving eternity, possessing the strength of a True Saint within nine cycles of samsara enabled one to establish a Saintdom within their home universe.

“The masters of the current twelve Saintdoms of the universe have all reached the True Saint stage within the past nine samsara cycles of the Ling Jiang Universe?” Wu Yuan asked.

“With the exception of the Spacetime Dao Master, myself, and Immortal Reverend Xiao Yao, the other nine indeed became True Saint Eternals in the last nine samsara cycles of the Ling Jiang Universe,” Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang replied with a smile.

“With the exception of you three?” Wu Yuan was confused.

“The Spacetime Dao Master needs no explanation; he wields a Great Dao’s Authority, is a fourth-step Eternal, and should he wish, could easily govern the entire universe,” Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang said with a smile.

“And for myself and the Immortal Reverend Xiao Yao?

“The Eldritch Court and the Immortal Court both have Saintdom branches in every universe. Is it realistic for the two greatest factions to produce a True Saint in every universe?” Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang shook his head. “Naturally, it's not feasible.”