Chapter 1176: My Dao Is The Heavenly Dao (1)

At this moment, within the Path of Ancients, all Legends of the River who had their Dao traces inscribed had awakened. The last to arrive were also the three most powerful since the Primordium.

"Destruction and Genesis!" Wu Yuan's body refiner self fought with all his might, feet upon the Abyss and head against the universe, once again unleashing his strongest killing move as his nine arms transformed into sabers.

In this pivotal moment, Wu Yuan's battle intent surged to an unparalleled zenith, his entire being ignited with raw, unbridled power as he waged a savage battle against Eldritch Progenitor Di Jiang, Great Emperor Yan Tuo, and the nine other formidable Legends of the River.

The sight was heart-shaking—nine Legends of the River, beings considered the pinnacle of sempiternal existence since the Primordium, found themselves utterly suppressed by a single individual.

This was merely the beginning.

"Dao pioneering!" Wu Yuan's laughter rang out, composed despite the chaos surrounding him. From the battle's first moments, he had been crystal clear about his goal: to pioneer a Dao amidst blood and conflict.

Nine guardians? Thirteen guardians? Even the imminent arrival of the Heavenly Imperator, Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu, and Goddess Nüwa could not shake his resolve.

My strength knows no equal! This was no empty boast, but a reflection of Wu Yuan's inner self—the culmination of hundreds of thousands of years of preparation. He had fully comprehended all Laws on the Path of Will, cultivated a thousand years on the Path of Ancients, and learned a thousand different ultimate techniques. Each experience, each battle had been a stepping stone, allowing him to draw from countless sources and establish a foundation of unimaginable depth.

These bloody battles were the final crucible, breaking through his last shackles and revealing his true potential. The moment of metamorphosis had arrived.

"Nüwa and the others have come."

"The Heavenly Imperator approaches."

"Kill! Defeat this challenger!"

The nine Legends of the River unleashed their fury simultaneously. Heaven-shaking auras erupted, promising to reverse the battle's tide and suppress Wu Yuan once more.

Then, she arrived.

Goddess Nüwa materialized in white robes, her true appearance indiscernible—a legendary holy figure. With a vast and magnificent aura, she radiated endless maternal warmth, as if every living being in heaven and earth were her children.

Her mere presence caused the guardians' spirits to waver, threatening to succumb.

An invisible wave invaded Wu Yuan's consciousness. In an instant, his body refiner self grew dazed, his eyes losing focus. Even his Eternal Psyche could not perfectly resist.

This was Nüwa—the first being in the endless cosmic sea to take the fourth step with her own power, the pinnacle of her era, commanding universal reverence.

"Six paths of samsara, eternal through the ages," intoned Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu, now transformed. Gone was her previous gentleness, replaced by the visage of a war goddess. Her cold gaze swept across the battlefield, domineering and dismissive, unleashing divine might.

The Legends of the River joined forces, focusing on a single moment of vulnerability—when Wu Yuan's soul wavered into confusion. This was a calculated killing strategy.

In that critical instant, Wu Yuan's consciousness flickered—then crystallized. His eyes sharpened, and reality itself transformed. Myriad Laws bent to his will, and he became an endless, consuming darkness.

Domain of the Abyss erupted around him, an eternal ultimate technique. Yet even this ultimate defense could not completely shield him. The combined assault of the Legends blasted Wu Yuan apart. His massive form trembled on the brink of annihilation, suspended between existence and total destruction.

But Wu Yuan was not so easily defeated.

A golden streak of impossible speed suddenly bisected the endless void.

"Cleave the heavens!" A cold voice heralded its arrival. The light suppressed everything in its path, promising absolute obliteration.

Wu Yuan's response was instantaneous. "Destruction and Genesis!"

His Abyss-like body reverted back to human form. Yet even as his body bled, Wu Yuan unleashed his strongest killing technique.

Boom!

The terrifying ultimate techniques met with cataclysmic force, and Wu Yuan was blasted back tens of thousands of li. This was unprecedented.

Since entering the Path of Ancients, Wu Yuan had never been knocked back in single combat. Previous instances of being driven back had always been the result of collective efforts—the combined assault of multiple Legends of the River.

Wu Yuan had encountered an opponent who could match him. One could imagine how powerful the newcomer was.

The golden light paused, condensing into a tangible form. A heroic youth emerged, wearing battle armor of fire-red that appeared crude and unrefined. His skin was a canvas of countless scars—each mark a silent narrative of unimaginable battles.

At their level of power, injuries typically healed instantaneously. These scars were no ordinary wounds.

"Challenger, this is the first time I've encountered someone who can truly fight me. It's a pity you're of the human race," the youth declared, his voice ringing with endless battle intent.

When the young Heavenly Imperator moved again, he displayed an almost casual arrogance. No imposing aura surrounded him—just a seemingly brash youth. Yet his gaze never once acknowledged the other Legends of the River. They were so far beneath his notice that they might as well not exist. Not even legendary figures like Nüwa or Hou Tu qualified for his attention.

With a mere wave of his hand, golden light erupted—a force of destruction so pure it made one’s mind tremble. This was annihilation in its most fundamental form, devoid of even a hint of vitality.

Great Destruction?

Wu Yuan recognized something familiar yet alien in the attack. The path walked by this young Heavenly Imperator bore similarities to Wu Yuan's own, yet remained fundamentally distinct.

Wu Yuan, born in a universe, had nearly fully comprehended the Great Dao of Creation, even obtaining its Authority. He was naturally aligned with the path of Great Creation.

His journey into the Abyss and subsequent chance encounter with the Flower of Sin had expanded his understanding, introducing him to the concept of Great Destruction and Great Creation.

But this Heavenly Imperator represented something else entirely. His Dao was one of absolute, uncompromising destruction—an annihilative essence that surpassed anything Wu Yuan had witnessed.

Cruelty! Destruction!

A burning curiosity ignited within Wu Yuan.

Legends say that the Heavenly Imperator is also a universe-born being. What experiences could have led him to forge such a path?

One’s Dao and mind were never truly separate, especially so for eternal powerhouses. The Daos they pioneered were intrinsically woven with the Great Daos they comprehended and their personal experiences.

Absolute destruction and unfathomable power.

Wu Yuan and the young Heavenly Imperator clashed with great fury. Though the Heavenly Imperator seemed to retain only fragments of memory, the Dao he wielded radiated power beyond conception.

The danger he felt from this singular opponent eclipsed even Goddess Nüwa and Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu. In their fierce engagement, Wu Yuan—who had just begun his transformation—could maintain only the slightest of advantages.

My foundational strength is greater. Could it be that the Destruction and Genesis I've comprehended is still a notch weaker than the Heavenly Imperator's Dao?

Wu Yuan acknowledged internally, a tremor of realization spreading through his consciousness.

Heavenly Imperator. The title had never seemed more justified.

Boom! Whoosh! Hiss!

The battle reached a crescendo. Seizing the opportunity, the Legends of the River attacked in unison. They completely suppressed Wu Yuan, forcing him to back up repeatedly, each movement accompanied by violent bloody coughs.

This was a true nightmare. Wu Yuan's defeat seemed not just probable, but inevitable. The enemy was simply too powerful.

Yet Wu Yuan's expression remained calm and detached, as if the battle unfolding around him was of no more consequence than a passing breeze.

...

In the distant Essence Void, the Heavenly Domain Emissary observed with growing concern.

Is he really going to lose?

The Emissary sighed, perplexed.

His strength clearly surpasses the Heavenly Imperator's.

From the Emissary's perspective, Wu Yuan's body refiner self matched the young Heavenly Imperator in raw strength. Under normal circumstances, if his two true selves had methodically made their way through the guardians, completing the path seemed highly probable.

But now? There wasn’t much hope.

He can hold on for at most ten breaths. There's no hope.

The Emissary thought.

Perhaps if Wu Yuan were given just a bit more time to pioneer his Dao, he could have succeeded.

The Emissary had long recognized that Wu Yuan stood on the precipice of Dao pioneering—and this Dao was so extraordinary, so heaven-defying, that it was potentially the strongest in all of history.

Yet, even when one stood a mere hair’s breadth from revelation, breakthrough remained unpredictable, governed by opportunity rather than will alone.

Hmm?

The Heavenly Domain Emissary's pupils contracted.

How is this possible? Is he really about to break through?

This! What exactly is this Dao he is pioneering?