Chapter 1068: Eldritch Progenitor Hall, Status (1)

"Is it because of Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu and the Heavenly Imperator?" Wu Yuan couldn't help but ask.

The intelligence archives had mentioned similar information, but did not go in-depth.

"Yes. I was originally an eternal lifeform who rose to prominence in the Eldritch Court Universe," Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang said softly. "After achieving eternity, it took nearly seven samsara cycles of heaven and earth before I finally attained the position of Eldritch Progenitor at the end of the cycle before last.

"Then, Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu used her supreme divine abilities to make me compatible with the essence of the Ling Jiang Universe, ensuring I wouldn’t be rejected as a foreign being. This allowed me to take over from the previous Eldritch Progenitor of the Ling Jiang Saintdom, establishing a Saintdom in the Ling Jiang Universe at the beginning of the last samsara cycle of heaven and earth." Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang shook his head.

"Such heaven-defying power is beyond even the Dao Masters. Only Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu and the Heavenly Imperator could accomplish this."

"The cycle before last?" Wu Yuan was secretly shocked.

He recalled Great Eldritch Kua Fu saying that Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang had attained his position as an Eldritch Progenitor in the last samsara cycle of heaven and earth. Now it seemed that there was a slight discrepancy. To be precise, Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang had become the master of a Saintdom in the last cycle.

But after thinking about it, this was understandable. The current Great Eldritch Kua Fu was, after all, only an Overlord, and might not be privy to all the ancient secrets.

Master of a Saintdom?

Wu Yuan pondered thoughtfully.

From what he understood, there were typically three conditions for establishing a Saintdom in a universe.

First, one had to be a lifeform nurtured by that universe. Second, one's age could not exceed nine samsara cycles of heaven and earth. Third, one had to be a True Saint Eternal at least.

While Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu and the Heavenly Imperator couldn't change the latter two requirements, they could enable True Saints to bypass the first condition.

"Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang, are candidates for Saintdom masters in such short supply?" Wu Yuan asked curiously.

He wasn't very clear about the status of True Saint Eternals within the Eldritch Court.

"Indeed," Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang nodded slightly. "In fact, this samsara cycle of heaven and earth is considered a relatively prosperous era. The Immortal Court and Eldritch Court's ability to establish Saintdom branches in numerous universes is due to the greater number of young True Saint Eternals that have emerged in recent cycles.

"In previous samsara cycles of heaven and earth, it was decent if the Eldritch Court and Immortal Court could maintain over twenty Saintdom branches."

Twenty?

Wu Yuan mused inwardly.

Besides the two strongest universes, the other thirty-four universes were relatively chaotic and lawless. It seemed the situation within the River of Universes varied greatly in different samsara cycles of heaven and earth.

"There are some things that would be of no benefit to you at present even if you learned of them," Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang smiled faintly. "But since you've asked, there's no harm in telling you.

"True Saint Eternals are not rare in the vast cosmic sea, but most break through after accumulating experience over long ages.

"In the current era, most True Saints have lived for over nine samsara cycles of heaven and earth," Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang said. "As for myself, achieving the position of Eldritch Progenitor in seven cycles, I am not considered particularly young or old."

Understanding dawned on Wu Yuan. There were strict age limits for Saintdom masters. Once they reached a certain age, they could no longer continue their role, and the Saint Realm they established had to leave the River of Universes for good.

From Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang's words, most Saintdom masters could probably establish a Saintdom in a universe no more than four or five times.

"If you can't become a True Saint in this samsara cycle of heaven and earth," Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang's eyes flashed with a complex expression, "then in the next cycle, the Eldritch Court will likely no longer have a Ling Jiang Saintdom branch."

Wu Yuan sighed inwardly.

By this calculation, the number of relatively 'young' True Saint Eternals in the current Eldritch Court was not very high.

"Serving as a Saintdom master has many benefits. For one, you’ll be able to comprehend the profundities of the River of Universes' operations, which will greatly aid your path toward the fourth step of eternity," Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang continued. "However, the fourth step of eternity is still quite distant for you. It’s better to focus on the present.

"In three hundred thousand years, the Xuanhuang Cosmiris will open," Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang said. "This is a grand gathering of sempiternal lifeforms, and also an opportunity for you."

"Xuanhuang Cosmiris?" Wu Yuan gave a look of surprise, pretending not to know.

"It seems the Taiyuan Divine Court hasn't received the news yet," Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang smiled slightly. "Feel free to share what I’m telling you. This information will spread sooner or later, and you can also research the Xuanhuang Cosmiris in the archives yourself."

"Understood," Wu Yuan nodded.

"The Xuanhuang Cosmiris holds great opportunities, but also great dangers. Sempiternal lifeforms who wish to enter must do so with their true selves," Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang said softly. "Therefore, one has to be cautious.

"Of course, if you are able to slay Overlords from the Immortal Court, that would be a great contribution.

"Slaying the true self of an Immortal Court Overlord will earn you three hundred Xuanhuang merits from the Eldritch Court headquarters.

"The amount of Xuanhuang merits you obtain depends on your abilities," Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang looked at Wu Yuan.

"Three hundred Xuanhuang merits?" Wu Yuan's eyes lit up. It was no small amount, enough to redeem three ordinary Xiantian artifacts.

However, Wu Yuan understood that with the Eldritch Court offering such rewards, the Immortal Court's rewards would likely be no less generous. The two factions were bound to engage in brutal slaughter when the time came.

Unlike the Megaverse Crossroads, where only young geniuses competed and participants were protected by intangible rules, the Xuanhuang Cosmiris had no rules at all. It was pure survival of the fittest.

"Go on then. You still have three hundred thousand years," Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang smiled. "With your talent, you might be able to make another breakthrough. Your current strength is sufficient for self-preservation there, but not enough to slay enemies."

"Thank you, Eldritch Progenitor," Wu Yuan bowed respectfully and slowly retreated.

Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang watched as Wu Yuan disappeared at the end of the temple.

What exactly did Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu see in Wu Yuan?

Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang's eyes flashed with puzzlement.

Is it because he's a successor of the Spacetime Dao Master?

Throughout many samsara cycles of heaven and earth, there have been many Dao Master successors, but none have gone on to become a Dao Zenithel Eternal.

Possessing late-stage Overlord strength in just a hundred thousand years, he’s truly an enigma.

Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang shook his head slightly.

But Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu must have her reasons for doing this.

A thousand Xuanhuang merits? A worthy investment.

Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang gently closed his eyes.

For other Overlords under his command, unless they created an eternal ultimate technique, Eldritch Progenitor Luan Jiang wouldn't bestow anything extra beyond the normal gift of one Xiantian artifact.

Since becoming master of the Saintdom, Wu Yuan was the Overlord he had shown the most attention and favor towards.

...

After leaving the Myriad River Hall, Wu Yuan swiftly arrived at the Eldritch Progenitor Hall in the Saintdom headquarters.

The Eldritch Progenitor Hall here was a rather ethereal palace.

Legend has it that the Eldritch Progenitor Halls in various Saintdom branches are just true projections of the real Eldritch Progenitor Hall?

Wu Yuan looked up at the hazy, dreamlike majestic hall in the Spacetime Intersection Layer.

The hall was entirely black, bearing similarities to the Ancestral Pagoda in certain aspects.

Whoosh!

Wu Yuan stepped into the hall, watching streams of light flash past him. He seemed to traverse multiple layers of space, arriving in another spacetime.

Wu Yuan knew clearly that this Eldritch Progenitor Hall was both real and illusory, a place that was deeply profound. Only the Overlords of Saintdom branches had the qualifications to come here.

In places like the Taiyuan Divine Court, if one wanted to trade for Xiantian artifacts, True Saint Taiyuan would have to personally send them over.

But the various Saintdom branches of the Eldritch Court were different, with projections of the Eldritch Progenitor Hall built in the core of each Saintdom.

Through these Eldritch Progenitor Halls projections, Eldritch Court Overlords could redeem or offer Xiantian artifacts directly with the Eldritch Court headquarters.

These Eldritch Progenitor Hall projections are essentially ultra-large spacetime teleportation channels.

Wu Yuan mused inwardly.

They connect the Eldritch Court headquarters in the cosmic sea to numerous Saintdom branches.

Such wondrous and heaven-defying methods could only be achieved by the Eldritch Court and Immortal Court.

In the magnificent temple, spacetime fluctuations intertwined, and numerous illusory Xiantian artifacts flashed around Wu Yuan. Though mere illusions, they all emanated vast, eternal auras, appearing extremely tempting.

Wu Yuan knew that these were just illusions. Want to get the real items? Then bring out Xuanhuang merits!

"Overlord Wu Yuan, welcome to the Eldritch Progenitor Hall," a melodious voice sounded. "You currently have 1100 Xuanhuang merits. Your current authority allows you to redeem mid-grade Xiantian artifacts at most."

Authority? Mid-grade Xiantian artifacts? Wu Yuan remained calm inwardly, not surprised.

The higher one’s authority, the more precious the items one could redeem. Even late-stage Sovereign powerhouses, no matter how many Dao Instruments they possessed or how great their contributions, could not redeem Xiantian artifacts without permission.

For the vast majority of Sovereigns, Xiantian artifacts were forbidden items. Similarly, for Overlords, high-grade Xiantian artifacts were forbidden items.

When eternal lifeforms bestowed treasures, they usually wouldn't bestow high-grade Xiantian artifacts.

"I wish to contribute treasures," Wu Yuan spoke.

"Overlord Wu Yuan, please bring out the treasures you wish to contribute. The Eldritch Progenitor Hall will assess them," the gentle voice resounded again.

Whoosh!

Wu Yuan waved his hand, and a dense array of high-grade Dao Instruments and top-grade Dao Instruments appeared in the void.

Among them were two Xiantian artifacts, one being the Black Rock Saber, and the other the Xiantian shuttle obtained from Overlord Wan Du.

Black Rock Saber.

Wu Yuan couldn't help but take one last look at this black battle saber that had accompanied him through many battles, having developed some emotional attachment to it.

Unfortunately, Wu Yuan currently needed more powerful treasures, and his Xuanhuang merits were limited, so he had to part with it for now.

Hum~

A hazy stream of light swept over the numerous artifacts - more than a thousand Dao Instruments and two Xiantian artifacts.

In an instant, over ninety percent of the treasures were covered in a hazy glow, with only a few items covered in a green light.

"The level of the items covered in red light are low and cannot be exchanged for Xuanhuang merits. Please put them away. These items can be exchanged for eldritch merits at the Saintdom treasury," the gentle voice said.

Their level was too low?

Wu Yuan felt helpless, but it matched what was said in the intelligence archives.

High-grade Dao Instruments weren't qualified to be exchanged for Xuanhuang merits. At least top-grade Dao Instruments or treasures of equivalent level were required, and could be exchanged for at most one hundred Xuanhuang merits.

"The items covered in green light can be offered to the Eldritch Progenitor Hall. You can obtain a total of 320 Xuanhuang merits. Do you wish to contribute them?" the gentle voice asked again.

"Yes," Wu Yuan said quite decisively.

Of these three hundred-plus Xuanhuang merits, the two Xiantian artifacts accounted for the bulk, while the hundred-odd top-grade Dao Instruments were just a bonus.

In an instant, Wu Yuan's Xuanhuang merits increased to 1420 points.

Simultaneously, the top-grade Dao Instruments and Xiantian artifacts vanished without a trace, clearly transported to another location by the Eldritch Progenitor Hall.

Whoosh!

Wu Yuan waved his hand, storing away the high-grade Dao Instruments bathed in red light and some special artifacts.

Now, it's time to consider what treasures to redeem.

Wu Yuan immediately began perusing the light screen catalogue in the hall for the Xiantian artifacts he could acquire.