Chapter 1282: The Frightening Wu Yuan (2)

My Eternal Psyche?

Struggling to stabilize himself, True Saint Chen Xing felt waves of shock surge through his consciousness. A massive, visible crack had appeared on his Eternal Psyche. Despite channeling eternal mana frantically to heal this wound, the fissure remained stubbornly present.

A single strike had wounded his essence. His mind trembled at the implications.

Dao Zenithel level! The power of Wu Yuan's attack has absolutely reached the Dao Zenithel level.

Only an attack with such strength could have injured his Eternal Psyche so grievously. There was only one conclusion:

The fourth step! Wu Yuan has definitely taken the fourth step of his self-created Dao.

Terror gripped True Saint Chen Xing. He hastily retreated, desperate to escape with his life.

Before this breakthrough, True Saint Wu Yuan was already considered to have reached the limit of the True Saint level, second only to the rare few who had taken the fourth step. Now, having made that breakthrough himself, his strength likely rivaled that of True Saint Luan Hai.

"Trying to retreat now?" Wu Yuan's cold voice cut through the void. "Too late."

Oblivious to True Saint Chen Xing's inner turmoil, and wholly unconcerned even if he had known, Wu Yuan pursued his prey without mercy. After sending his opponent flying with a single exchange, he closed the distance in an instant, unleashing his strongest saber technique: Worldforge.

Those who dared block his path would die. It was that simple.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

In the blink of an eye, Wu Yuan's nine arms delivered eleven precise strikes. Each blow battered True Saint Chen Xing further into retreat as his vital aura plummeted. By the ninth strike, his Eternal Psyche had completely shattered, but Wu Yuan continued his relentless assault.

In the end, True Saint Chen Xing, ranked 54th on the True Saint Rankings, was smashed to pieces, his massive form dissipating into the void.

He was dead!

What?!

Cloud Saint, who was now close by, halted abruptly. His eyes widened in disbelief at the scene unfolding before him.

True Saint Chen Xing died in just a few exchanges?

True Saint Wu Yuan's attacks are simply too fierce.

True Saint Luo Quan observed, unable to mask his shock. As a fellow saber wielder, he had long prided himself on his saber techniques, though he knew they fell short of True Saint Luan Hai's. The latter had a stronger foundation and had even created a Dao Zenithel ultimate technique.

But True Saint Luo Quan believed that he surpassed Cloud Saint and True Saint Yin Yu in terms of pure offensive power.

Yet upon witnessing Wu Yuan's saber strike, True Saint Luo Quan stood dazed. Even without crossing blades directly, he sensed with absolute certainty that he was no match for Wu Yuan.

"Dead?" The word rippled through the gathered observers. "True Saint Chen Xing, dead just like that?"

An uproar erupted among the hundreds of True Saints within the array and the countless True Saints and Dao Zenithels observing from afar. This was True Saint Chen Xing, ranked 54th on the True Saint Rankings, renowned for his nearly impenetrable physical defense! His demise sent far greater shockwaves than the deaths of True Saint Mo Xiong and the others.

"The fourth step.”

"True Saint Wu Yuan must have taken the fourth step."

In an instant, countless True Saints and Dao Zenithels reached this same understanding.

...

Only two billion years and he's already taken the fourth step of his self-created Dao?

Imperial Majesty Dong Huo stared blankly at the scene displayed on his light screen.

He had known Wu Yuan's rise was unstoppable, that even the Heavenly Imperator's intervention might not hinder him, but he hadn't expected it to happen with such breathtaking speed.

...

This Little Junior Brother of mine.

True Saint Meng Guan marveled, eyes wide.

We haven't even properly met, and he's already broken through? This is...

True Saint Meng Guan felt a moment of helplessness before a faint smile creased his face.

That's fine. Senior Tian Xu would be overjoyed if he knew.

...

Tsk, tsk!

Though in seclusion, True Saint Dong Yi had spared some attention to observe this battle. He couldn't suppress a smile.

What a monstrous prodigy! Even with a Chaos Jade Crystal, I haven't broken through, yet he's done it without one.

For a moment, True Saint Dong Yi found himself at a loss for words.

A blessing for my Eldritch Court.

He gently closed his eyes, no longer concerned about the battle's outcome. He knew with certainty that no one—not even True Saint Luan Hai—could now wrest the Chaos Jade Crystal from Wu Yuan's grasp.

...

Deep within the cosmic sea, inside the Eldritch Progenitor Hall, Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu watched Wu Yuan slay True Saint Chen Xing on her light screen.

"Elder Brother, it's done," she announced with quiet satisfaction.

"Congratulations," Eldritch Progenitor Di Jiang replied, his voice tinged with emotion. "Your grand design is complete, unstoppable now. After all your planning and nurturing, you've finally succeeded."

...

Wu Yuan's sudden eruption and breakthrough sent shockwaves through the various factions across the cosmic sea. Countless Dao Zenithels sighed in amazement, his breakthrough causing far greater waves than those of True Saint Luan Hai, Cloud Saint, and others combined.

After all, True Saint Luan Hai and his peers had cultivated for dozens of samsara cycles. Though difficult, their breakthroughs seemed almost inevitable with time. But Wu Yuan? The length of his cultivation period made his achievement utterly unprecedented.

"True Saint Wu Yuan will definitely contend for first place on the True Saint Rankings," observers predicted.

"Indeed! Even True Saint Luan Hai may not be able to suppress him anymore."

In the blink of an eye, consensus emerged: besides True Saint Luan Hai, no True Saint was a match for Wu Yuan. Not even Cloud Saint or True Saint Luo Quan.

"This Chaos Jade Crystal belongs to him now."

"Cloud Saint can't take it. Even teaming up with True Saint Luo Quan, they have no hope." This realization caused the Immortal Court Dao Zenithels to sigh in regret. This was the last Chaos Jade Crystal, and despite his considerable power, Cloud Saint had failed to secure even one.

As for the Chaos Nucleus? With so many powerhouses having taken the fourth step, Cloud Saint's chances seemed equally slim there as well.

...

In reality, all these events happened in a flash. After slaying True Saint Chen Xing, Wu Yuan casually collected his treasures before streaking toward Cloud Saint.

True Saint Chen Xing's death might have shocked the other True Saints, but to Wu Yuan, it was merely a stepping stone. His target, from beginning to end, had always been a single individual: Cloud Saint.

"Cloud Saint, you can die now."

Wu Yuan's form flashed like lightning, his vast Chiaroscuro Domain surging forward, attempting to trap his prey.

"Wu Yuan, your domain is impressive," Cloud Saint replied coldly, his snow-white robes billowing around him, "but useless against me."

With a subtle gesture, countless snowflakes materialized around him. Each crystalline flake was imbued with heaven-defying power, corroding and annihilating everything in its path. They shattered the myriad black and white qi streams Wu Yuan had summoned with apparent ease.

The space in a radius of hundreds of millions of li transformed into a world of pristine snow—a realm of pure white light with drifting snowflakes dancing through the void. In terms of domains, Cloud Saint truly ranked first among all True Saints.

"Snow Falls Upon the Mortal Realm," he intoned, his robes billowing as killing intent radiated from him. Though filled with unwillingness, knowing that defeating Wu Yuan would be difficult and obtaining the final Chaos Jade Crystal even more hopeless, his pride drove him to vent his frustration through battle.

Whoosh!

Cloud Saint's fingertips danced through the air, trailing countless flowing lights imbued with profound Dao resonance. Streaks of snow-white light sliced through the sky, assailing Wu Yuan.

His finger technique was a rare and special combat teaching, seldom seen among eternal powerhouses who typically relied on weapons or conventional fist and palm strikes. Most found finger techniques too limited to utilize the body's full advantages, but Cloud Saint was clearly different; his finger technique was unfathomable.

Myriad Snowprints? Annihilate!

Wu Yuan, however, responded with incredible ferocity. Seeing his domain had little effect, he abandoned subtlety and swung his nine sabers, slashing wildly through the void.

Those wisps of finger-light, elusive and unpredictable, might have flustered True Saint Luan Hai, but Wu Yuan didn't care. He tanked the attacks directly, focusing solely on Cloud Saint, attacking madly again and again. His saber strikes tore through the sky, causing the massive array to tremble beneath their force.

This was pure, all-out aggression. Only attacking without defending.

Clang! Clang! Boom! Boom!

At first, Cloud Saint attempted to maintain his offensive against Wu Yuan, but soon abandoned this approach. He discovered with growing dismay that his attacks, which were capable of severely wounding most Full True Saints, could hardly deal any damage to Wu Yuan.

Yet he dared not face Wu Yuan's blade rays head-on. In the end, he could only trace defensive streams of light to block Wu Yuan's relentless strikes.

In this battle, Cloud Saint found himself completely suppressed.

Damn it!

He snarled, thoroughly enraged. His normally composed temperament began to crack. He had known Wu Yuan was strong, but to be so thoroughly dominated in direct combat despite having the domain advantage wounded his pride deeply.

While there was no immediate mortal danger, face mattered greatly to powerhouses of their caliber. Moreover, they now represented the strongest True Saints of the Immortal Court and Eldritch Court respectively, with countless powerhouses from various factions watching their every move.

Wu Yuan continued his assault with savage joy, holding nothing back. He focused entirely on Cloud Saint, everything else fading into the background.

Kill! Kill! Kill!

Wu Yuan's ether body unleashed its full strength, driving Cloud Saint back step by step. Cloud Saint's domain restraints, capable of instantly killing Standard True Saints, could only reduce Wu Yuan's speed by less than twenty percent, having minimal effect on his relentless advance.

"This is..."

"Cloud Saint has been utterly suppressed."

"Too vicious, too fierce."

"That saber! Such blade rays..."

The hundreds of True Saints who had rushed into the array's range now stood completely still, abandoning all thoughts of seizing the Chaos Jade Crystal. They watched in stunned silence as Wu Yuan and Cloud Saint clashed at levels far surpassing True Saints.

Wu Yuan's power etched itself into the heart of every observer, promising to remain unforgettable for a lifetime. Even his most casual blade ray could annihilate most True Saints with ease.

It wasn't just the Standard True Saints who kept their distance. Powerhouses like True Saint Luo Quan and True Saint Shen Yan had arrived in this spacetime region, but none dared join the fray.

"Shen Yan, you're quite lucky to make it in time again," True Saint Luo Quan teased. "Why don't you try your hand?"

"Me?" True Saint Shen Yan shook his head repeatedly like a frantic rattle drum. "Luo Quan, stop joking. How could I involve myself in such a battle? Among all the True Saints present, I believe only you might be qualified to participate."

True Saint Luo Quan couldn't help but laugh. Indeed, among the hundreds of True Saints present, only he might survive interfering in Cloud Saint and Wu Yuan's titanic clash. The others? They would die instantly.

"Luo Quan, why haven't you joined the battle yet?" Cloud Saint's urgent voice suddenly resonated in True Saint Luo Quan's mind. "Let's team up and force Wu Yuan to surrender the Chaos Jade Crystal. The Crystal will be yours. What do you say?"

Pushed to desperation yet unwilling to retreat in disgrace, Cloud Saint's pride forced him to seek aid from True Saint Luo Quan.

"Join forces?" True Saint Luo Quan sneered. "Cloud Saint, do you take me for a fool? I bear no grudge against Wu Yuan. I came for the Chaos Jade Crystal, and I believe he understands that and won't hold it against me. Now you wish to drag me into your personal vendetta?"

After a pause, he added: "Promise me a Chaos Treasure, and I'll help you once."

Cloud Saint gritted his teeth. He dared make this empty promise, knowing the Chaos Jade Crystal wasn't in his possession anyway. In reality, even if True Saint Luo Quan joined the fight, their combined forces could at most suppress Wu Yuan temporarily, not defeat him. It would merely save face.

Paying a Chaos Treasure merely to preserve his dignity?

"Bastard!" Cloud Saint snarled, his form violently retreating as a sky full of snowflakes erupted around him. The crystalline fragments transformed into countless streams of light that bombarded Wu Yuan, attempting to create distance between them.

In that crucial moment, Wu Yuan's eyes gleamed with a strange light.

Trying to escape?

He observed coldly.

One breath ago, I couldn't have killed you.

But now? Cloud Saint, your death is certain.