Chapter 1219: The Ultimate Pinnacle Of The Nine Realms, The Great Battle Begins (4)

Over these six million years, Wu Yuan's body refiner self had made tremendous progress, even creating a sixth ultimate technique. With the profundities of this technique, Wu Yuan believed he would no longer rank among the weakest True Saints.

However, taking the third step of his self-created Dao still seemed a distant goal.

Nevertheless, there's no need to rush.

Wu Yuan reminded himself, his heart tranquil.

With this sixth ultimate technique, my body refiner self should encounter little difficulty creating a Saint Realm.

One must take the third step of their self-created Dao to create a Saint Realm? This was considered an ironclad law throughout the cosmic sea, but in Wu Yuan's estimation, it wasn't necessarily unbreakable—it only appeared so because the self-created Daos of countless eternal powerhouses lacked sufficient power.

In the future, I shall test this theory.

Wu Yuan resolved.

With a sufficiently powerful self-created Dao, even at the second step, one should be able to create a Saint Realm and become a True Saint.

Just as it was once deemed impossible for a sempiternal lifeform to slay a True Saint—yet had now become reality—Wu Yuan believed that anything was possible. One simply needed to take action and push forward, breaking through step by step.

Hum~

An invisible wave swept through the area, instantly alerting Wu Yuan. Without raising his head, he understood.

The Holy Emperor has likely returned.

Soon afterward, Wu Yuan received a message and immediately rose, flying out of his meditation chamber. Saint Jiu Xing had already arrived outside, waiting for him.

"Saint," Wu Yuan acknowledged respectfully.

"The Holy Emperor has returned and awaits in the Emperor's Palace," Saint Jiu Xing announced. "Come with me immediately to meet him."

The two immediately soared from the hall into the depths of the Qian Yang Holy Sect, soon entering the forbidden zone—the Holy Emperor's exclusive domain, where even Saints weren't normally permitted access.

Following a fixed route, they proceeded unhindered, but with his extraordinary perception, Wu Yuan detected layers upon layers of protective arrays along their route. Each array emanated a dangerous, lethal aura.

It’s fortunate I didn't execute my last resort.

Wu Yuan thought silently.

Even if I could kill those holy sect Saints, dismantling these numerous arrays in the forbidden zone would have required an incalculable amount of time.

A hint of caution rose in his heart.

So many arrays.

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

If the Holy Emperor decided to strike, could he emerge victorious? If outmatched, could he escape?

In an instant, Wu Yuan had calculated every possibility.

If exposed, I must strike with all my power to kill the Holy Emperor, giving him no opportunity to recover.

Finally, after passing through dozens of arrays, a sprawling mountain range appeared before them, with a majestic palace standing a million li tall at its center.

On its plaque, two ancient characters were inscribed: 'Qian Yang.'

"The Holy Emperor's Palace," Saint Jiu Xing whispered, his eyes revealing unmistakable reverence as he involuntarily dropped to his knees. "Holy Emperor! Great Holy Emperor!"

His demeanor had transformed completely from his usual bearing.

The blood droplet inside Wu Yuan's body began to vibrate subtly. He understood instantly—the blood contract oath was taking effect.

"Great Holy Emperor!" Wu Yuan also knelt on the ground, playing his part perfectly.

"Enter." A gentle voice was transmitted from the palace, echoing throughout heaven and earth.

"Wu Ji," Saint Jiu Xing said in a hushed tone, "the Holy Emperor summons you. You must be devout. Go now, do not keep him waiting."

"Yes." Wu Yuan rose, keeping his head respectfully bowed as he flew into the palace through its open doors.

The great doors slowly closed behind him.

...

The hall stretched before him, vast and empty.

Upon entering, Wu Yuan immediately saw a towering figure bathed in endless flames at the far end of the temple. His aura was vast and boundless, surging like an ocean.

Through the resonance of the blood contract droplet, Wu Yuan instantly understood—that figure wreathed in flame was Holy Emperor Qian Yang.

"Great Holy Emperor!" Wu Yuan prostrated himself respectfully, his eyes displaying a carefully calculated trace of fanaticism.

But inwardly, Wu Yuan was profoundly confused. A Saint? Indeed! In his perception, the Holy Emperor Qian Yang before him was clearly only a Saint, and his aura carried a hint of something bizarre and ominous that Wu Yuan instinctively recoiled from.

It was as if the figure before him wasn't quite like a normal living being at all.

"Wu Ji, you are indeed exceptional," the Holy Emperor remarked. "Come here."

Holy Emperor Qian Yang's voice suddenly turned cold, devoid of its previous warmth. He reached out, wrapping Wu Yuan in his power.

Wu Yuan didn't resist, maintaining his facade of devotion. "Great Holy Emperor."

In a flash, his body was seized and brought before Holy Emperor Qian Yang's feet.

“Hmm? Your physique seems quite extraordinary." Holy Emperor Qian Yang's eyes flashed with momentary confusion before he coldly commanded: "Overlord Wu Ji, let down your guard and do not resist. I need to explore your spirit world and read all your memories."

Without any preamble or explanation, a powerful soul wave surged into Wu Yuan's body, attempting to probe his soul and spirit.

The approach was brutally direct.

Does this Holy Emperor Qian Yang intend to take my life?

Wu Yuan thought, his heart turning ice-cold.

As a Saint, delving into an Overlord's spirit world without proper technique risked catastrophic damage to the Overlord's soul. Yet Holy Emperor Qian Yang showed no such caution or respect. His manner was beyond merely discourteous—he treated Wu Yuan not as a junior disciple deserving of guidance, but as his own property.

It made sense. All holy sect disciples were bound by blood contract oaths. Having sworn such binding oaths, weren't they essentially slaves to the Holy Emperor's will? Had Wu Yuan truly submitted to such an oath, he might have passively allowed Qian Yang to rummage through his spirit and memories.

Unfortunately for the Holy Emperor, Wu Yuan was not truly bound.

I cannot keep pretending. This Holy Emperor Qian Yang harbors no good intent, clearly viewing all beings of the Nine Realms as slaves.

He promised a great opportunity while making moves that threaten my life. There's no reason to delay any longer.

Wu Yuan made his decision.

Resist. And kill.

Boom!

Wu Yuan unleashed his attack. Boundless aura erupted, his physical form expanding.

Holy Emperor Qian Yang was first momentarily shocked as he felt his soul power—which had infiltrated Overlord Wu Ji's body—shatter completely against an unexpected resistance. Then, his eyes widened as Wu Yuan's aura continued its explosive expansion. "You're not controlled by the blood contract?" he roared, indignation mixed with disbelief.

Swish!

A blade ray flickered through the dim void, its edge indistinct yet unmistakable, cleaving directly toward the Holy Emperor's head. Where the blade ray passed, space itself fractured layer by layer, transforming into countless streams of chaotic qi.

Had other Saints witnessed this sight, their hearts would have trembled with recognition and fear. This was the fifth step of Wu Yuan's ultimate technique—Limitless Chaos.

"Begone!" Holy Emperor Qian Yang had lightning-fast reflexes. The moment the blade ray flashed, he swung his divine fist with violent precision. Endless flames surged from his knuckles as he smashed forward with tyrannical force, piercing through the raging chaotic qi streams to strike the battle saber.

Saber against fist!

Boom!

The collision unleashed shockwaves that radiated in all directions, instantly reducing the majestic palace to nothingness.

The impact sent Wu Yuan flying back thousands of li, the earth and mountains trembling beneath him. His vital qi churned violently within him until he finally halted his uncontrolled flight.

Yet Wu Yuan's eyes showed no panic. Instead, they revealed an unexpected composure.

Full Saint strength?

Indeed. The power behind Holy Emperor Qian Yang's punch had merely been that of a Full Saint—which explained why he had only slightly overpowered Wu Yuan's ether body rather than obliterated it.

Peak Saint strength?

In the void above, Holy Emperor Qian Yang stared down at Wu Yuan with equal shock.

An Overlord actually capable of unleashing such powerful force?

Outside what remained of the palace, Saint Jiu Xing stood frozen, his face a mask of bewilderment. How could the great Holy Emperor be engaged in combat with Overlord Wu Ji? Was this merely some form of sparring? The ferocious auras both combatants released suggested otherwise, radiating waves of danger that made even a Saint like himself tremble.

More puzzling still:

If they're truly fighting, how could the Holy Emperor's punch merely send Overlord Wu Ji flying without inflicting serious injury?

Saint Jiu Xing found the scene absurd.

"Jiu Xing! Kill him!" Holy Emperor Qian Yang suddenly commanded, his voice cutting through the Saint's confusion.

At the same moment, the Holy Emperor sent urgent messages to his other subordinates: "Shang Yue, Fei Hua... come quickly and destroy him." His mental commands reached all Saints under his authority within the holy sect's boundaries.

Rumble! Rumble!

The defense arrays surrounding them activated instantly, endless flames enveloping the world in a cage of fire.

"Wu Ji, surrender now!" Holy Emperor Qian Yang roared, staring at Wu Yuan with naked greed gleaming in his eyes.

An Overlord capable of unleashing Peak Saint power? If I were to devour him...

His heart pulsed with a mixture of shock and delight. This development was utterly unexpected! The Holy Emperor no longer wished merely to kill Wu Yuan—he wanted to capture him alive and extract the secret of his extraordinary strength.

Arrays? Saints?

Wu Yuan observed Saint Jiu Xing charging toward him from the corner of his eye.

"Holy Emperor Qian Yang, your greatest mistake was letting me inside here in the first place." Wu Yuan's eyes hardened to ice.

Whoosh!

A white-robed figure materialized instantly beside Wu Yuan's ether body, his eyes deep as an ancient ocean.

"Netherworld Sword, emerge!" Wu Yuan commanded. An impossibly sharp wave of power descended!