Chapter 1122: Nwa Stone Fragments (2)

This Overlord of Spacetime's domain is truly powerful. To completely isolate the inside from the outside—how terrifying. I doubt many Perennials of Spacetime possess such an ability.

Perennial Yong Hun remained on high alert. His strength was only average among Perennials.

This is a tribulation. If I can endure it, I might obtain the sixth fragment and complete the set. Whether I offer it to the alliance or use it myself, both will lead to great benefits.

Perennial Yong Hun's thoughts raced.

His two arms crackled with lightning as he varied the motions of his long spear, making it impossible to predict where he would strike next.

It’s coming.

Perennial Yong Hun's eyes narrowed. He sensed that a powerful being was approaching rapidly, though the chaotic spacetime made it hard to perceive things clearly.

A sempiternal lifeform unleashing peak fourth-stage Overlord power is already terrifying. It shouldn't be possible for him to employ even stronger moves. There’s only one powerhouse born in the River of Universes Abyss that’s stronger than him.

Perennial Yong Hun mused.

I believe he's called Devil Emperor Xia or something.

He cared nothing for the other Overlords of the River of Universes, nor did he pay attention to such news. But he had heard tales of Devil Emperor Xia's exploits.

Whoosh!

At that moment, a blade ray filled with destructive energy suddenly lit up the chaotic spacetime.

Destruction! Malevolence! Madness! As the blade ray bloomed, it was as if a miniature Abyss had been born, brimming with endless destructive force. It cleaved directly towards Perennial Yong Hun's face.

Though it appeared to be a single blade ray, it was in fact the convergence of nine Skybreaker Sabers—the full power his ether body could unleash.

Not good! This is—!

Perennial Yong Hun barely had time to think amidst his shock. His enormous body of lightning trembled violently, countless bolts surging—like the bristling hair of a human in a state of furious alarm.

Whoosh!

In that moment between life and death, Perennial Yong Hun unleashed his most powerful move. Spear lights blossomed in the void, and a shimmering display of light and shadow rippled out, dazzling and beautiful.

Clang!

A terrifying collision ensued. Perennial Yong Hun's long spear was cleaved apart directly by this horrifying blade ray. The blade ray's power only diminished slightly as it swept through like lightning.

𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Cold! Malevolent! Frenzied!

Boom!

The blade struck the lightning star with a heavy blow. The massive star seemed to shudder, countless electric arcs flying wildly as its vital aura plummeted.

This saber technique? Destruction! Yet it also seems to contain the profundities of Creation, and the aura of the Abyss.

Perennial Yong Hun was terrified.

Peak Perennial power?

The might of this blade ray held peak Perennial stage power? Even his true self's combat power couldn't match this.

Rumble!

Perennial Yong Hun's massive form was sent flying backwards. Even though his body was protected by low-grade Xiantian artifact battle armor, he was still wounded by this saber strike.

I can't block it.

Perennial Yong Hun tried to flee in terror, but confined within the River Ring, where could he escape to?

Whoosh!

Dazzling and terrifying blade rays lit up once more. That black-robed figure resembling a god of destruction swung his saber with lightning speed, cold and merciless.

Thud!

Once again Perennial Yong Hun was sent flying, his vital aura plummeting further.

“A sempiternal lifeform! You're Devil Emperor Xia! Devil Emperor Xia from the Abyss!!" Perennial Yong Hun suddenly cried out in shock and fury.

There was no response.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

A deluge of blade rays completely engulfed Perennial Yong Hun.

In a fair fight, Perennial Yong Hun could have retreated while blocking the attacks, but under the suppression of Wu Yuan's mana body, he had no way to escape. He could only passively endure the onslaught.

Soon, Wu Yuan had launched eight consecutive attacks.

"Devil Emperor Xia! Even if I die, you won't get off easy!" Perennial Yong Hun roared. His body exploded violently, trillions of times brighter than a sun. It was as though a small star had emerged from this corner of the void.

Self-detonation?

Wu Yuan's ether body's expression remained cold. Instead of retreating, he advanced, swinging his battle sabers once more. Strands of blade rays bloomed as his entire being transformed into a massive abyss, madly devouring the surrounding matter and the shockwaves produced by the self-detonation.

Eternal ultimate technique—Devouring Abyss.

Indeed, during these thirty thousand years of secluded cultivation, Wu Yuan's qi refiner self had made tremendous progress. Though his body refiner self was still far from pioneering his own Dao, he had created a second set of Abyssal ultimate techniques.

Devouring Abyss was a defensive ultimate technique that could turn one's body into a miniature abyss, achieving near immortality.

Rumble!

Wu Yuan's ether body withstood most of the impact from the Perennial powerhouse's self-detonation. The remaining shockwaves were contained by the River Ring.

The impact of this self-detonation is far inferior to Saint Hong Yun's.

Wu Yuan muttered to himself.

Saint Hong Yun's self-detonation had wounded Wu Yuan's body refiner self.

Over thirty thousand years had passed. With this ultimate defensive technique, the physical defense of Wu Yuan’s ether body now rivaled that of his former body refiner self when he wore the Azure Origin Armor.

However, in terms of both offense and defense, my body refiner self is still stronger when wielding the Mo Yuan Sabers.

Wu Yuan mused.

If my body refiner self were here, it could probably slay this one in under ten strikes.

The first one is dead. Time to kill the second.

Wu Yuan's gaze turned to another chaotic region of spacetime.

Oh it looks like he wants to surrender?

A cold smile flickered across Wu Yuan's ether body's face.

Too bad. It's too late now.

Whoosh!

Wu Yuan waved his hand, collecting the many treasures dropped by Perennial Yong Hun. Transforming into a streak of light, he swiftly charged towards the other Perennial.

Indeed, Perennial Ge Long had truly panicked. He never imagined Perennial Yong Hun would be forced to self-detonate in such a short time.

Devil Emperor Xia? Devil Emperor Xia was actually secretly accompanying this Overlord of Spacetime?

Perennial Ge Long had received a message from Perennial Yong Hun's true self.

Devil Emperor Xia! He was the only Legend of the River born in this samsara cycle of heaven and earth, one who had truly slain a Dao Pioneer Eternal.

How could we be so unlucky? To encounter Devil Emperor Xia, the strongest of all sempiternal lifeforms?

Perennial Ge Long's mind trembled.

In the vast cosmic sea, with its countless exploration sites, they just happened to run into the mightiest sempiternal lifeform?

Although eternal powerhouses suffered no suppression in the cosmic sea, their opponent was not someone two Perennials could hope to match.

"Fellow Daoist, I'm willing to concede defeat. I'm willing to hand over all my treasures." Perennial Ge Long called out repeatedly, his slightly panicked voice echoing within the River Ring.

He knew he was destined to lose. If the opponent showed mercy, at least his ether body might survive.

A deathly silence fell.

The response to Perennial Ge Long's plea was—a devastating blade ray! The blade ray blossomed like an explosion in the depths of the Abyss.

Eternal ultimate technique—Blade of the Abyss.

If his trump card hadn't been revealed, Wu Yuan wouldn't have minded sparing the two Que Luo race Perennials. But with his ace exposed, their deaths were inevitable.

Compared to Perennial Yong Hun, Perennial Ge Long was noticeably weaker, especially in terms of defense. Now, with his ether body fully exposed, Wu Yuan’s killing intent blazed without restraint.

Whoosh!

One blade ray slashed forth after another, leaving Perennial Ge Long utterly helpless, his vital aura rapidly diminishing.

"Die!" After merely sixteen strikes, Wu Yuan lunged forward, thoroughly annihilating Perennial Ge Long's ether body.

This Perennial's ether body seems to have worn weaker armor. Its defense was much feebler.

Wu Yuan glanced at the numerous treasures dropped by his opponent. Waving his hand to collect them, he immediately began to examine them.

A Perennial powerhouse? Even if it were his true self, I might still be able to kill him.

Wu Yuan's ether body’s gaze turned icy as his form shifted, transforming into a stream of light that flew back into his mana body.

With a thunderous rumble, the massive spacetime ring dissipated. Wu Yuan's mana body recalled his ether body, nine Heavenrending Swords circling around him.

Those four Overlords fled in that direction.

Wu Yuan vaguely sensed.

The battle had ended swiftly. Though the four Que Luo Overlords had fled, they hadn't gone too far. With Wu Yuan's mastery over spacetime, he could still barely sense their presence.

Let's go.

Wu Yuan's mana body transformed into a streak of light, giving chase. Despite having slain two Perennials, he felt no particular joy.

What mattered now was uncovering Sovereign Lan Yan's whereabouts.

...

In the Nine Saints Voidrealm of the Nine Saints Alliance, the avatars of Perennial Yong Hun and Perennial Ge Long had gathered in one of the small worlds within the Que Luo Plane.

"The Nüwa Stone fragment is lost."

"It was seized by Devil Emperor Xia." The two Perennials exchanged glances, their expressions extremely grim.

Although they had encountered the Overlord of Spacetime first, they instinctively assumed that the mastermind behind it all must be Devil Emperor Xia.

They had never seen Devil Emperor Xia before, but they hardly doubted his identity. After all, while they couldn’t recognize his soul aura, the techniques and power he displayed couldn't be faked.

A sempiternal lifeform, erupting with Peak Perennial strength— according to public information, only Devil Emperor Xia could achieve this in the entire cosmic sea.

"Devil Emperor Xia probably hasn't realized the significance of the Nüwa Stone fragment yet, but given some time, he's sure to become aware of it." Perennial Yong Hun's voice was low and solemn.

"As a powerhouse of the Abyss Alliance, and having pioneered a Dao, he's certainly highly valued by the True Saints or even the Dao Zenithels of the Abyss Alliance. He'll likely uncover the origins of the Nüwa Stone very soon."

Perennial Ge Long nodded in agreement.

In the eyes of the various factions in the cosmic sea, Devil Emperor Xia was undoubtedly a member of the Abyss Alliance. As a first-rate faction, the Abyss Alliance was in no way inferior to the Nine Saints Alliance.

"There's no use in concealing it any longer. We must report to the Saint immediately," Perennial Ge Long said gravely. "We must request the Saint to intervene and reclaim the Nüwa Stone fragment before the Abyss powerhouses arrive."

"Indeed, that's our only option now," Perennial Yong Hun sighed inwardly.

Originally, the two of them had harbored selfish intentions, hoping to gather all the fragments of the Nüwa Stone and find a way to divide it between themselves. But now, there was no choice left.

"Let's go. If we delay, that Devil Emperor Xia will escape for good." The two Perennial powerhouses swiftly set off to seek an audience with the Saint.

...

Within Ancient Dream Mountain, in an area close to the inner region, countless wisps of mist surged.

Boom!

Three explosions erupted in rapid succession, the shockwaves sweeping across swaths of void, leaving behind only a heap of treasures suspended in the emptiness.

I hadn't even made a move, yet they all self-detonated?

Wu Yuan stood in the void, feeling rather helpless.

As he was giving chase, the four Overlords had immediately scattered and fled frantically. Even though Wu Yuan's speed was astonishing and he had pursued them without hesitation, he had only managed to chase down three of the Overlords in the end.

And these three Que Luo Overlords had instantly self-detonated, giving Wu Yuan no chance to capture them whatsoever. As for the last Overlord? He had escaped without a trace.

The surging mists of Ancient Dream Mountain greatly impeded spacetime perception. Even Wu Yuan's perceptive abilities were far inferior here compared to the world outside. Otherwise, he wouldn't have accidentally entered the spacetime array in the first place.

Soon, he collected the treasures dropped by the three Overlords.

They'd rather destroy their mana and ether bodies than exchange a few words with me. Could they have received orders from those two Perennial powerhouses?

Wu Yuan frowned slightly.

Why were they unwilling to communicate? What exactly was Sovereign Lan Yan involved in?

In reality, Wu Yuan's guess was correct. After the two Perennial ether bodies had fallen, their true selves had immediately ordered all the Overlords in this area to flee. The three Overlords originally guarding that black mountain had already left. Their purpose was to delay Wu Yuan's search for Sovereign Lan Yan.

Now, I've completely lost the trail.

Wu Yuan furrowed his brow.

Killing these Que Luo powerhouses hasn't helped matters. I can only search slowly now.

Wu Yuan briefly oriented himself, then flew in the direction from which Perennial Yong Hun and the others had arrived.

At the same time, Wu Yuan began to examine the treasures dropped by the Que Luo powerhouses one by one, hoping to find some clues among them.

Wu Yuan inspected them quickly. Dao Instruments, Xiantian artifacts, medicinal pills, array bases, talismans... A vast array of items was appraised by Wu Yuan and tossed aside.

He was now extremely knowledgeable and could quickly identify most treasures, knowing which were ordinary items at a glance. These treasures held little significance for him, serving only as a way to earn some Blood Dream points and Xuanhuang merits.

A quarter of an hour passed.

Hmm?

Wu Yuan's mana body suddenly halted, a glimmer of surprise flashing in his eyes.

What's this?

Whoosh!

Wu Yuan waved his hand, and five streaks of light flew out. They were five stone fragments, pure white in color, and faintly emitting a hazy divine radiance. An immense vital aura permeated the air, and on the cross-sections of these fragments were numerous mysterious cryptic patterns, containing special and profound fluctuations.

These stones seem to share the same source?

Wu Yuan hesitated slightly.

What kind of treasure is this?

Though he couldn’t tell what they were, Wu Yuan sensed that these fragments might be more precious than some Xiantian artifacts.

Whoosh!

Wu Yuan attempted to imprint his vital aura onto the five fragments, to no avail. Neither ether nor mana could penetrate the interior of the fragments.

However, the moment he tried to claim ownership, a strange fluctuation was triggered from the fragments, distantly pointing him towards the misty depths of the void.

There are other fragments in that direction?

Wu Yuan instantly understood.

There are more than five fragments in total?