Chapter 1238: True Saint Ming Jian (2)

When Wu Yuan's qi refiner self first began breaking through, various factions across the cosmic sea had only a vague awareness of the event.

But as time progressed and the breakthrough phenomenon persisted, not only Overlords but countless Sovereigns throughout the universe detected it from vast distances.

The secret could no longer be contained.

"Waves of pressure extending a hundred billion light-years?"

"Such a monumental disturbance from stepping into eternity?" The entire cosmic sea roiled with shock. Not just True Saints but even Dao Zenithels from major factions like Nine Peaks, Wan Yu Tower, and the Ancient Alliance personally appeared to investigate the phenomenon.

Their conclusion was unanimous.

"True Saint!"

"Overlord Ming Jian is ascending directly to True Saint in one leap. The phenomenon of this breakthrough unmistakably resembles that of a True Saint."

"This is the first occurrence since the Primordium."

"A direct transition from sempiternal lifeform to True Saint." The cosmic sea erupted in astonished discussion, with countless True Saints and Dao Zenithels expressing amazement at this unprecedented feat.

...

"Even the Heavenly Imperator didn’t become a True Saint right after transcending."

"As expected of Overlord Ming Jian, he’s done the impossible once more."

"His talent clearly rivals Overlord Wu Yuan's. This era's Ling Jiang Universe has truly produced some incomprehensible prodigies."

"No, he has actually attained True Sainthood faster than Overlord Wu Yuan himself." This realization sent additional shockwaves through the cosmic sea.

...

"Having achieved True Sainthood directly, he should be capable of creating a Saint Realm within the universe proper."

"We must now address him as True Saint Ming Jian."

"With such extraordinary potential, becoming a Dao Zenithel before this samsara cycle concludes seems virtually assured."

"He will unquestionably reach the Dao Zenithel stage."

"Does this mean our Blood Dream Alliance might someday control a universe? Could we challenge the dominance of the Eldritch Court and Immortal Court?"

"Remarkable! Given True Saint Ming Jian's unprecedented talent, he might eventually surpass even the Blood Emperor and Dream Emperor." The upper echelons of the Blood Dream Alliance could scarcely contain their excitement.

Numerous True Saints shared this enthusiasm. They viewed Ming Jian as an integral part of the Blood Dream Alliance, understanding that his rise would elevate their entire faction's standing.

The highest authorities within the Blood Dream Alliance, the Blood Emperor and Dream Emperor themselves, monitored these developments closely and immediately attempted to contact the Spacetime Dao Master, knowing that Ming Jian was his successor.

To their considerable surprise, all attempts to communicate with the Spacetime Dao Master failed completely. No response came, and no one knew where he was.

"Where has the Spacetime Dao Master gone?"

"Could he possibly be in secluded cultivation?"

"What cultivation could be important enough to miss such a momentous occasion?" The Blood and Dream Emperors exchanged troubled glances.

They redirected their efforts toward True Saint Taiyuan, but still could not reach Ming Jian.

At this pivotal moment, no one could establish contact with the ascending True Saint.

"We shall wait," the Blood Emperor finally declared. "True Saint Ming Jian is currently undergoing the Primordium’s baptism. Based on historical precedent, this requires him to meditate for at least hundreds of millions of years.

“Henceforth, True Saint Ming Jian shall be recognized among the highest echelons of our Blood Dream Alliance, with status equivalent to Dao Zenithels.

"When True Saint Ming Jian emerges, extend my personal invitation to him." The Blood Emperor's directive reflected extraordinary respect, elevating Ming Jian to extremely high standing.

Throughout the entire Blood Dream Alliance, not a single Dao Zenithel or True Saint raised objections.

Why would they protest? For a prodigy of such exceptional caliber, one who might lead the Blood Dream Alliance to unparalleled glory, no honor seemed excessive.

Ming Jian was now beyond the category of promising talent requiring centuries of development. He had become a True Saint, a being whose individual strength already commanded awe throughout the cosmic sea.

...

Ming Jian’s breakthrough to True Saint sent ripples of commotion through the cosmic sea. While many factions buzzed with this news, only the Blood Dream Alliance and the two supreme powers, the Eldritch Court and the Immortal Court, truly kept a close eye on the situation.

"Ming Jian has ascended to True Saint? Surely this means he'll establish his Saint Realm within the universe."

"The Dao Zenithels of the Blood Dream Alliance will undoubtedly reveal this secret to him and guide him through the process."

"What about Wu Yuan? His Dao cultivation has clearly reached the True Saint level. When he breaks through, he'll undoubtedly reach the same stage."

"Both are universe-born beings from the Ling Jiang Universe. Should they wish to create Saint Realms with a universe, their only choice is the Ling Jiang Universe. Yet ultimately, only one can truly control the universe."

"They're said to be inseparable friends, bound by life and death. Will this inevitable competition tear them apart?"

"It seems almost certain!"

"Who could resist the temptation of ruling an entire universe, with its boundless advantages?" The eternal powerhouses from both the Immortal Court and Eldritch Court debated ceaselessly.

The situation troubled the Eldritch Court's eternal powerhouses deeply. They had witnessed Overlord Wu Yuan dominating his peers in the beginning, yet now Ming Jian seemed poised to claim the ultimate prize.

In contrast, the Immortal Court observed these developments with undisguised elation.

“Haha, if one of those two must control the universe, better it be Ming Jian. Even Immortal Eminence Jiu You's spirits lifted at this prospect. "How perfect if these two were to clash over this matter, resulting in one's destruction.

"Ideally, True Saint Ming Jian would slay Wu Yuan."

"Issue the command," came the order from the highest echelons of the Immortal Court. "Inform True Saint Ming Jian that we will support his claim to the Ling Jiang Universe, setting aside our past grievances."

Indeed, the Immortal Court had once despised True Saint Ming Jian, even seeking his death. But Wu Yuan now represented the greater threat.

In the calculations of the Immortal Court's Dao Zenithels, if True Saint Ming Jian could be turned against Wu Yuan, past animosities became irrelevant.

There exist no eternal allies or enemies—only eternal interests.

...

While the entire cosmic sea churned with speculation, with countless prominent factions locked in endless debate, nothing could disturb Wu Yuan's qi refiner self within the Ling Jiang Universe.

At this pivotal moment, Wu Yuan drifted in a state between awareness and trance.

True Saint? The third step of Psyche Dream Rebirth?

Wu Yuan felt his body transforming rapidly, the world of his Eternal Psyche manifesting within his core.

The instant he broke through, reality blurred like a dream.

Wu Yuan perceived himself merging with the universe itself, all beings bowing beneath his feet.

Yet this was merely a prelude to something far more significant—perceiving the Primordium!

The Primordium’s baptism.

Wu Yuan sensed, his eyes closing as he connected with something vaster than one could comprehend. He perceived the supreme Primordium’s will, representing all origins, all that had been, and all that would come. The Primordial Rules operated with infinite complexity, yet Wu Yuan found his spirit and consciousness effortlessly aligning with their patterns.

One hundred million years?

Wu Yuan naturally understood this.

The Primordium’s baptism was, at its essence, a gift bestowed through the operation of the Primordial Rules. This rare opportunity allowed those ascending to eternity to sense, cultivate, comprehend, and follow the Primordial Rules for an astonishing one hundred million years, a privilege that would inspire unbearable envy in countless Dao Zenithels.

This singular opportunity came only once in a lifetime.

Even beings as powerful as Dao Zenithels could only faintly detect the will of the Primordial Rules, never able to draw close again.

Past, present, future... River of Universes, cosmic sea, Primordium... Great Dao, self-created Dao, myriad Daos and techniques...

Wu Yuan absorbed these concepts in silent contemplation. The Primordial Rules were paradoxically simple yet infinitely complex.

They encompassed all, transformed all. Everything Wu Yuan had ever thought, known, or understood could be traced within these fundamental principles.

Only one exception existed: the self-created Dao of his body refiner self.

The unification of destruction and creation is my self-created Dao.

Wu Yuan reflected as his mind grew still.

My Dao is the heaven’s Dao. This self-created Dao of my body refiner self cannot be fully imprinted within the Primordial Rules.

Wu Yuan felt this might be because his body refiner self remained bound by the constraints of samsara.

Or perhaps the self-created Dao of his body refiner self was too vast, transcending even what the Primordial Rules could comprehend and imprint.

Nevertheless, though my body refiner self's self-created Dao remains beyond imprinting, my qi refiner self's self-created Dao can be sufficiently refined.

Wu Yuan calmed his thoughts and directed the majority of his consciousness toward alignment with the Primordial Rules, cultivating with singular focus.

These hundred million years represented his greatest opportunity. How quickly he reached the Dao Zenithel stage in the future depended largely on how he used this precious time.

Simultaneously, a small fraction of Wu Yuan's consciousness observed another profound transformation occurring within him.

The Great Dao's Authority. How am I able to wield the Authority of the Great Dao of Spacetime?

Even now, Wu Yuan could scarcely believe this development.

Wu Yuan could sense his consciousness effortlessly perceiving that boundless, eternal Dao in the mystical cosmic sea—the Great Dao of Spacetime.

With remarkable ease, Wu Yuan branded his imprint upon the essence of the Great Dao of Spacetime.

A mere thought brought infinite insights flooding into his mind.

This knowledge stemmed not from Wu Yuan's natural talent, but from the imperceptible feedback generated by the operation of the Great Dao of Spacetime's essence.

The Authority of Spacetime.

Wu Yuan thought, and invisible forces immediately encircled his form.

These powers belonged to the essence of the Great Dao of Spacetime, yet he could now command them.

Even the power of the universe's essence subtly retreats before this Authority.

Wu Yuan realized.

It makes perfect sense; the power of the eternal Dao's essence forms one of the foundations of the entire cosmic sea, transcending any single universe.

At this moment, Wu Yuan understood why Dao Masters held such special status. They could harness the power of the Great Daos’ essences to accomplish feats beyond even Dao Zenithels.

They could reopen Eternal Realms within the universe.

They could achieve resurrection!

As a Dao Master, merging with the Great Dao's essence practically results in immortality.

Wu Yuan thought with astonishment.

Even if the physical body perishes, one can swiftly resurrect through the Great Dao's essence.

Other eternal powerhouses had to devise elaborate methods to leave imprints of themselves, accumulating these traces bit by bit to create the possibility of resurrection after death.

A Dao Master required no such preparations; the Great Dao's essence served as their ultimate imprint.

As long as the Great Dao's essence endured, a Dao Master remained virtually unkillable.

Wu Yuan now truly comprehended the might of Dao Masters.

Perhaps those first-generation Dao Masters had only developed superior self-created Daos and ranked lowest among Dao Zenithels in direct combat power, but they feared no Dao Zenithel.

Meanwhile, numerous Dao Zenithels hesitated to provoke Dao Masters.

And yet, the Spacetime Dao Master clearly still lives, and I never fused with the Authority of the Great Dao of Spacetime... Why did I merge directly with this Authority upon reaching eternity?

Wu Yuan was puzzled.

This was a bizarre situation.

Hm?

As Wu Yuan's qi refiner self contemplated this mystery, he suddenly sensed something at the core of the Great Dao of Spacetime's essence.

Whoosh~

Invisible power converged, forming the silhouette of an elderly man with black hair. He smiled at Wu Yuan.

With a thought, Wu Yuan similarly manifested a projection of his consciousness.

"Dao Master?" Wu Yuan ventured. This black-haired elderly figure seemed familiar, yet subtly different from the Spacetime Dao Master he had previously encountered.

"Haha, no need for such formalities. You are now the Spacetime Dao Master. Call me Tian Xu." the black-haired elder replied with a gentle smile. "Wu Yuan, I have waited for this day for a very, very long time.

"Though I never formally accepted you as a disciple, you are nonetheless my successor. Addressing me as Senior should not be too much to ask." The black-robed elder's smile was enigmatic.

Tian Xu? Wu Yuan wondered silently. Could this be the true name of the Spacetime Dao Master?

"Senior Tian Xu," Wu Yuan responded respectfully, sitting down with patience, hoping the elder would address the questions filling his mind.

"To shed this identity of Dao Master, I schemed for ages," the black-robed elder remarked with a faint smile. "Your body refiner self is about to wield the Great Dao of Creation’s Authority, is it not?"

Wu Yuan nodded.

"The method Mountain Daoist employed was one I revealed to him, a technique I devised myself," the black-robed elder explained. "The friendship Mountain Daoist and I share goes a long way back.

"A pity he was somewhat foolish."

Wu Yuan was taken aback.