Chapter 1096: Heaven-Defying Defense, The Flower Of Sin Blooms (1)

The stronger an eternal lifeform that descended into the River of Universes, the more intensely they were suppressed by the River, and the harder it was for them to conceal their aura.

This was especially true in certain special regions, such as the Sector River of the Abyss. In a normal Abyssal world, eternal lifeforms could hide their auras, undetectable unless Devil Emperors drew near. But this was the mother river at the core of the Abyss, where the essence power of the Abyss was strongest. If an eternal lifeform entered this place, they would be virtually exposed.

Though still extremely distant, Wu Yuan's keen spatial perception, combined with the Sector River's unique properties, allowed him to detect it nonetheless.

After seven hundred years, they've finally come.

Wu Yuan murmured to himself.

I was hoping they would only arrive after the Flower of Sin bloomed.

Wu Yuan glanced at the nearby Flower of Sin.

The blood sea that had once spanned one billion li in diameter when he first obtained it was now nearly dry, and the small island had transformed into a vast continent. The blood sea had been almost completely absorbed.

The stem of the Flower of Sin had grown to nine meters tall, its bud now open, radiating a sacred aura that enveloped the entire world. It could bloom at any moment.

By Wu Yuan's estimate, with the Array of Eternal Sin, the Flower of Sin would fully bloom in as little as thirty to fifty years, or at most a hundred years.

If I hadn’t been discovered, I could have left the Abyss after the Flower of Sin fully bloomed with no one the wiser.

Wu Yuan mused with a slight shake of his head.

Though he claimed not to fear eternal lifeforms, Wu Yuan knew he had yet to create an eternal ultimate technique and lacked absolute confidence. If he could avoid battling an Eternal, that would naturally be best.

A wise man didn’t put himself in unnecessary danger.

Yet a faint smile tugged at Wu Yuan's lips.

However, it seems the situation is still somewhat manageable. Only one eternal lifeform has arrived.

Was there only one Dao Pioneer Eternal under True Saint Ji Guang capable of descending into the Abyss? Likely not.

Dao Pioneer Eternals faced many restrictions when returning to the Abyss, such as needing to have transcended from the Abyss within the last nine samsara cycles, and being limited to returning at most twice per samsara cycle for no more than a million years each time. But surely a True Saint would not be limited to dispatching just one Dao Pioneer Eternal subordinate.

I suspect these Dao Pioneer Eternals were previously exploring various parts of the Abyss. The one arriving now is likely the closest to me, though I wonder which Dao Pioneer Eternal it is.

Wu Yuan mused.

I hope it's not Saint Yan He.

When Wu Yuan previously sought advice from Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu, he obtained information on many powerful eternal lifeforms of the Abyss Alliance.

Among them was Saint Yan He, a highly renowned Saint said to be just one step away from becoming a True Saint, undoubtedly the strongest Saint under True Saint Ji Guang.

In the cosmic sea, Saint Yan He's power far surpasses the peak fifth-stage Overlord level.

Wu Yuan thought with a slight shake of his head.

Wu Yuan was no ordinary Overlord. With his wealth of knowledge, he was well aware that even the Heavenly Imperator had only managed to slay ordinary Dao Pioneer Eternals in his younger days. Someone like Saint Yan He? He could likely unleash fifth-stage Overlord-level power even within the River of Universes. Far too difficult to kill.

I hope it's not Saint Yan He.

Wu Yuan thought to himself.

If it truly is him, I may have no choice but to pluck the unripe Flower of Sin and depart now.

Whoosh!

Wu Yuan rose and strode to the edge of the array, not rashly flying out beyond its bounds.

Hum~

Wu Yuan's mana body had already flown into the array core, fully activating the Nine Radiance Celestial River Array and Realm Mirage Array.

"Master, is it an eternal lifeform?" Yun Yi flew over from afar, her face tense. "Perhaps you shouldn't charge out of the array to fight."

She seemed very worried that Wu Yuan would attack proactively, like with Devil Emperor Jin Qu, Devil Emperor Jian Long and the others.

Wu Yuan glanced over with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I know how formidable eternal lifeforms are. I won't recklessly charge out and attack. Let's wait for that eternal lifeform to come to us."

Yun Yi nodded at this, seeming somewhat relieved.

...

Far from the grand arrays Wu Yuan and Yun Yi had laid down, a hall hovered in the void.

This was Devil Emperor Jian Long's temporary base. He had been ordered by True Saint Yue Luo to monitor Devil Emperor Xia, and thus had remained here for several hundred years.

He dared not draw too close, lest he be detected by the other party. The array was incredibly vast, its aura overwhelming. So for Devil Emperor Jian Long, merely observing the array from afar was relatively easy.

At least, Wu Yuan had not detected that Devil Emperor Jian Long was nearby.

It's not like I'm a match for Devil Emperor Xia anyway.

Devil Emperor Jian Long thought with a yawn as he reclined in his chair.

If Devil Emperor Xia sneaks away, the True Saint can hardly blame me.

For him, self-preservation came first. As for the True Saint's orders? He would do his best, but there was no need to risk his life.

Hmm?

Devil Emperor Jian Long's eyes suddenly darted to the side, his massive body abruptly leaping up.

This... this... this aura.

He sprang to the doorway, staring in shock at the seemingly calm void in the distance.

E-Eternal?

As a Spacetime Devil Emperor, how could his perception be anything less than extraordinary?

An eternal lifeform has arrived?

Devil Emperor Jian Long held his breath.

Is another battle between eternal lifeforms about to erupt within the Abyss?

Devil Emperor Jian Long had lived for countless years, venturing into the cosmic sea, slaying universal Overlords, and battling fourth-stage Overlord powerhouses.

But eternal lifeforms? He had only glimpsed them in the cosmic sea. Within the Abyss? They were the stuff of legend.

After all, whether the universes or the Abyss, they were merely cradles nurturing sempiternal lifeforms. There weren't many treasures that could attract eternal lifeforms.

This must be the eternal lifeform’s true self. The only way to resist the River's suppression is with their Eternal Psyche.

Devil Emperor Jian Long reasoned.

So it must be a Dao Pioneer Eternal.

If it were a Perennial Eternal, they could at most exert the power of a third-stage Overlord within the River of Universes. Coming here would be suicide.

Can Devil Emperor Xia withstand it?

Devil Emperor Jian Long was unable to resist piloting his hall artifact slightly closer, hoping to catch a glimpse of the battle.

...

I simply cannot conceal my aura as I traverse this Sector River of the Abyss.

Saint Hong Yun soared through the Sector River, feeling rather vexed.

If she could approach silently and undetected, she might be able to give Devil Emperor Xia a nasty surprise. But now she had no choice but to attack head-on.

I'll test Devil Emperor Xia's mettle first. Peak fourth-stage Overlord? Is that true or false?

Saint Hong Yun pondered. Though suppressed by the River of Universes, her power as a Dao Pioneer Eternal still allowed her to break through various limits, accelerating to fifty thousand times the speed of light.

Ten thousand times light speed was the first speed limit of the Abyssal Sector River.

Fifty thousand times light speed was the second limit. Fourth-stage Overlord powerhouses or Devil Emperors skilled in the Dao of Spacetime had hope of reaching this speed.

Hmm?

Saint Hong Yun suddenly glanced to the side. She had sensed a rather powerful vital aura – a sempiternal lifeform.

Such rapid speed, and spacetime fluctuations? They’re not using brute force to shatter laws.

Saint Hong Yun made her assessment.

It's Devil Emperor Jian Long under True Saint Yue Luo. Does he wish to spy on the battle?

After that single glance, Saint Hong Yun paid him no further mind.

But that one look had thoroughly frightened Devil Emperor Jian Long in the distance. Compared to Devil Emperor Xia, he was far more wary of this mysterious eternal lifeform.

Which Dao Pioneer Eternal is it?

Devil Emperor Jian Long grew increasingly curious, hastily relaying this news to True Saint Yue Luo.

He received only one order in response: continue reconnaissance.

...

Spacetime warped as waves of strange fluctuations swept across the river. The spacetime of the entire Sector River had grown peculiar.

Whoosh!

Knowing she could not hide her aura, Saint Hong Yun made no attempt to conceal herself. She descended openly and grandly outside that towering, immense array.

The Realm Mirage Array was fully activated, shimmering hazily, cloaked in layer upon layer of misty light. Spacetime twisted, as if one were in another realm entirely. It appeared incredibly mysterious.

This array?

Saint Hong Yun was rather amazed as she observed the array.

What a masterful array. It must be an eternal-level array. Could it be that this Devil Emperor Xia is also an array expert?

Along with her amazement, Saint Hong Yun felt a twinge of frustration.

If it were an Overlord-level array, I could dismantle it given some time. But an eternal-level array?

She was not particularly skilled in arrays. It might take her a million years to dismantle this one.

I can't just wait around indefinitely. I'll have to attempt to break in by force.

Saint Hong Yun frowned slightly.

If I delay until Saint Yan He arrives, all the credit will go to him.

She had risked entering the Abyss in hopes of rendering great contributions.

Hum~

Silently and without warning, the mist within the Realm Mirage Array surged. A black-armored figure radiating a boundless, majestic aura walked out. A wisp of eternal Dao resonance trailed him.

In that moment, the two super powerhouses faced off from afar. Wu Yuan's vital aura was slightly inferior, but his overall presence was no less imposing

"Devil Emperor Xia?" Saint Hong Yun's voice was cold and aloof.

"Who are you?" Wu Yuan's voice boomed, echoing through the heavens. "You dare return to the River of Universes? Do you not fear dying here?"

"Dying? In this samsara cycle of heaven and earth, is there any sempiternal lifeform capable of slaying an eternal?" Saint Hong Yun couldn't help but laugh. "Devil Emperor Xia, I admire you greatly. To unleash peak fourth-stage Overlord power as a sempiternal lifeform, you are no weaker than I was in the past.

"You are worthy of knowing my name. I am called Hong Yun." Saint Hong Yun gazed at Wu Yuan from afar.

Saint Hong Yun?

Wu Yuan's eyes narrowed as information about her instantly surfaced in his mind.

She was an eternal lifeform born in the Abyss. At the sempiternal lifeform stage, she had been among the top ten super powerhouses of the Abyss, a peak fourth-stage Overlord powerhouse.

In the samsara cycle of heaven and earth that Saint Hong Yun had achieved eternity, the Abyss had produced over a hundred fourth-stage Overlord powerhouses. In the end, only a few had stepped into eternity with their own power. In terms of the number of eternal lifeforms produced, the Abyss fell short of the thirty-six universes.

"Devil Emperor Xia, hand over the Flower of Sin and the True Saint may spare you the death penalty," Saint Hong Yun transmitted directly.

"How laughable. Hand it over and I can live? How could I possibly believe that? Moreover, the Flower of Sin represents a chance to achieve eternity. If you were in my place, would you be willing to hand it over?" Wu Yuan sneered.

Saint Hong Yun was at a loss for words.

Indeed, if their positions were reversed, she would rather offend a True Saint than give it up. This represented a glimmer of hope for transcendence.

"I've given you a chance." Saint Hong Yun shook her head lightly, as if pitying Wu Yuan.

"Saint Hong Yun, enough talk. If you have the guts, then come and fight," Wu Yuan stood in the void, his eyes smoldering with battlelust. "Haha! I have yet to cross blades with a true eternal lifeform in the Abyss. If I slay you successfully, this legendary feat will be passed down through countless samsara cycles of heaven and earth across the entire Abyss!"

Those at the Dao Pioneer stage were true Eternals. Slaying one as a sempiternal lifeform, whether in the Abyss or the universe, was considered mythical.

"A legendary feat? After your death, the entire Abyss will spread tales of your foolishness," Saint Hong Yun's voice was icy. She was truly enraged.

As a Dao Pioneer Eternal, she was incredibly proud, soaring through the Abyss and looking down upon countless sempiternal lifeforms.

In her eyes, these countless sempiternal eternals would eventually pass away. Only those who left the River could truly be eternal and undying.

Boom! Boom!

Saint Hong Yun and Wu Yuan moved almost simultaneously.

Indeed, Wu Yuan had also lunged forward to attack.

“Proactively courting death?" Saint Hong Yun's expression grew even more icy. Wu Yuan's actions, in her view, were a provocation.

Whoosh~

A layer of hazy red light blanketed the vast expanse of spacetime. Waves of red, like tides of blood, frantically surged towards Wu Yuan from all directions.

Nine arms suddenly appeared on Saint Hong Yun's body, each holding a divine sword, striking at Wu Yuan like lightning.

Terrifying sword lights blossomed. Those sword lights seemed to be born from heaven and earth, walking through the past, soaring towards the endless future.

An eternal Dao! Neverending sword lights!