Chapter 1296: One Man Versus A Thousand Saints (1)

"Ming Jian, your greed knows no bounds. And you severely underestimate me." True Saint Yan Huo's face contorted with rage, fury coursing through his heart.

As a top-ranking True Saint who had taken the fourth step of his self-created Dao, he naturally had great pride. In his view, giving up even one Chaos Nucleus was a huge concession. Yet this Ming Jian dared to pressure him? Did this upstart believe he was made of clay, someone who could be easily pinched and prodded?

"Pressure you?" Wu Yuan's mana body fixed Yan Huo with an icy stare. "When power rested in your hands, you pressed others without hesitation. Why should others not do the same when the tables turn?

"Today, my strength exceeds yours. So what if I pressure you?"

Without warning, brilliant streaks of sword light erupted from the golden lotus domain, cutting through the air. The sword lights danced with breathtaking brilliance, their power overwhelming and absolute, thoroughly suppressing True Saint Yan Huo. Most important of all, under the domain's influence, Yan Huo's speed dropped drastically, making escape all but impossible.

"Fine! FINE! FINE!" True Saint Yan Huo suddenly erupted into wild, unhinged laughter. His gaze swept fiercely across the approaching figures of True Saint Meng Guan, True Saint Qi Guang, True Saint Pu Yang, True Saint Shen Yan, and the other elite True Saints rushing toward him.

"I possess only one Chaos Nucleus!" he roared, spittle nearly flying from his lips. "Do you all still wish to fight over this single prize? Even if you strike me down, do you truly believe Ming Jian will give this Chaos Nucleus to any of you?

"Did you not hear his declaration? He wants everything. You're merely toiling for his benefit!"

He thrust a finger toward the assembled True Saints. "The price of your actions today is the enmity of my Immortal Court. I ask you, is it worth it?"

His words struck their mark. True Saint Shen Yan, True Saint Xiao Yue, True Saint Gui Chong, and other True Saints ranked among the top thirty hesitated, uncertainty flickering across their faces.

Indeed, even if they slew True Saint Yan Huo, their gains would be minimal, while the wrath of the Immortal Court would be guaranteed. Dao Zenithels might dismiss threats from the Immortal Court or Eldritch Court, secure in their own tremendous power. But for True Saints who wandered the cosmic sea in search of opportunities to ascend to Dao Zenithelhood, such threats still carried considerable weight.

Even True Saint Pu Yang, True Saint Qi Guang, True Saint Tian Peng, and other Eldritch Court True Saints paused. Their hesitation stemmed not from reluctance to eliminate True Saint Yan Huo, but from the Chaos Nucleus itself. Without sufficient rewards to motivate their actions, none wished to be manipulated as pawns in another's game.

"Everyone," True Saint Yan Huo's voice grew deep. "Of the three Chaos Nuclei, two now rest in Ming Jian's possession." He drew a deep breath. "I am prepared to swear a Primordial Oath. If you join forces to strike down Ming Jian, my Immortal Court will relinquish all claims to both Chaos Nuclei.

"As for whatever treasures Ming Jian leaves behind, my Immortal Court will make no claim to those either."

His voice rose again, teeth grinding audibly. "What say you? I know you fear him, but now my Immortal Court stands ready to lead the charge. Does your fear still paralyze you?

"Do you fear only him and not my Immortal Court?"

A profound silence descended upon the temple’s entrance, which moments before had shaken with earth-shaking commotion. The vast majority of True Saints ceased their conflicts, falling into deep contemplation. The calculus was simple: compared to the meager gains from killing True Saint Yan Huo, the rewards for eliminating True Saint Ming Jian appeared substantially greater. Furthermore, True Saint Yan Huo now volunteered to spearhead the assault himself.

Beyond this, the threat posed by the factions backing these two individuals differed vastly.

"True Saint Ming Jian." True Saint Shen Yan's voice suddenly broke the silence. "We are not asking for too much. Surrender the Chaos Nucleus you've just acquired, and both you and True Saint Yan Huo may depart unhindered."

"That's right!" came another voice.

"You two are strong. We raise no objection to each claiming one Chaos Nucleus. But to claim all three—that crosses into unconscionable greed."

"Surrender one," demanded one True Saint after another. Though less powerful than Wu Yuan, these speakers represented major powers throughout the cosmic sea. Their collective statement effectively represented the consensus of those formidable factions.

In mere moments, under True Saint Yan Huo's persuasion, the various powers of the cosmic sea had reached their verdict: True Saint Ming Jian must relinquish one Chaos Nucleus.

Even the Eldritch Court True Saints, such as True Saint Qi Guang, True Saint Tian Peng, and others, maintained a telling silence that clearly revealed their position. These Eldritch Court True Saints hungered just as desperately for a Chaos Nucleus.

Though True Saint Ming Jian maintained cordial relations with the Eldritch Court, this hardly guaranteed significant benefits for these individual True Saints.

"Junior Brother?" True Saint Meng Guan regarded Wu Yuan with evident concern. The Blood Dream Alliance had few True Saints present, barely a few dozen. There were too few to sway the overall situation.

"Brother Ming Jian." True Saint Shen Yan transmitted his voice directly to Wu Yuan's mana body. "Yield one Chaos Nucleus to me, and I pledge my aid in eliminating True Saint Yan Huo."

Beyond Shen Yan, True Saint Qi Guang, True Saint Pu Yang, and others likewise transmitted similar offers to Wu Yuan.

Forcing me to surrender a Chaos Nucleus?

Wu Yuan's brow furrowed slightly. He felt the weight of countless gazes fixed upon him, the collective attention of hundreds of True Saints.

He understood perfectly well. Just as True Saint Yan Huo had been surrounded and attacked for possessing two Chaos Nuclei, he too had become the focal point of their greed for the same reason.

All the world's conflicts ultimately stemmed from desire. These eternal powerhouses might appear to sway like grass on the top of the wall, but their motivations always distilled to a single point: benefits. For the promise of benefits, they would battle to the death without reservation. For benefits, they could transform from steadfast allies to mortal enemies between one heartbeat and the next.

But surrender a Chaos Nucleus? Far from giving up the one already in his possession, Wu Yuan remained determined to claim the third as well.

"Yan Huo, cease your delusions." Wu Yuan's mana body shook his head slightly, his gaze remaining cold. "Initially, I merely intended to relieve you of the Chaos Nucleus. Your death was not my objective."

His voice hardened. "But now, understand this clearly. Your fate is sealed."

His gaze swept across the thousand True Saints surrounding him. "As for the rest of you, those who stand aside may freely contest whatever treasures remain once I've eliminated every Immortal Court True Saint.

"Those who dare move against me, prepare for annihilation."

Shock rippled through the assembly.

Even True Saint Qi Guang, True Saint Tian Peng, and the others stared wide-eyed at the white-robed figure, stunned by such breathtaking arrogance and dominance.

True Saint Meng Guan's expression shifted subtly. From his perspective, Wu Yuan's declaration had positioned him in opposition to every True Saint present.

One man challenging over a thousand True Saints? And the weakest among them stood at Peak True Saint level.

Madness. Even True Saint Luan Hai would never dare make such a proclamation.

"Everyone, need I say more?" True Saint Yan Huo growled. "Will you allow him to strut contemptuously above you?

“Unite! Strike him down and claim the Chaos Nuclei for yourselves!"

"Kill Ming Jian!" True Saint Mu Jing howled, rage contorting his features.

"Such insufferable arrogance! Destroy him, and all treasures he possesses become ours. He must have accumulated a good amount of wealth over the years!" One Immortal Court True Saint after another added their voices to the growing chorus.

The expressions of the gathered True Saints fluctuated wildly as murderous intent blossomed among them.

"Yan Huo, cease your pathetic incitement. Come and embrace death." Without further hesitation, he raised his hand in a casual gesture. The nine divine swords hovering within his domain flashed brilliantly before materializing in his palm.

In the next instant, Wu Yuan's mana body transformed into a streak of blinding light. Empowered by the golden lotus domain, he launched himself toward True Saint Yan Huo with lightning speed.

"Die!" True Saint Yan Huo released a furious roar, abandoning any thought of retreat. He swung the Blazebringer Staves with savage force, smashing them toward the approaching white-robed figure.

He knew, without any doubt, that either he or True Saint Ming Jian would have to die today.

Boom!

The two collided in an explosive exchange. In close quarters combat, Wu Yuan's mana body displayed an even greater advantage, utterly overwhelming True Saint Yan Huo.

“Complete mastery of the Eternal Matter Body?" True Saint Yan Huo's expression grew increasingly grave as realization dawned.

"Words are meaningless now." Wu Yuan's voice remained frigid. While cultivating with the Chaos Jade Crystal, his qi refiner self had not only gained deeper insights into its self-created Dao and ultimate techniques but had also advanced significantly in its mastery of the path of matter. Now, he had achieved complete mastery of the Eternal Matter Body.

In ranged combat, Wu Yuan's mana body could utilize only mana, meaning that even with the Psyche Dream Domain's assistance, he could merely maintain a slight edge over his opponent.

But in close combat, Wu Yuan's mana body revealed truly terrifying strength, fully unleashing his divine body's power.

This approach had one significant drawback: the effectiveness of his domain was reduced considerably. The two advantages could not be fully utilized simultaneously.

"Charge!”

Figures streaked through the void from every direction, all Immortal Court True Saints. Fifty of them converged like a storm of blades.

While powerhouses from other factions had not yet joined the battle, they no longer hindered the Immortal Court True Saints. Even the nearly one hundred Eldritch Court True Saints remained stationary. Only the thirty-odd True Saints of the Blood Dream Alliance intervened, but their numbers proved woefully inadequate, capable of engaging only a fraction of the enemy forces.

In an instant, Wu Yuan found himself besieged.

Hoping to observe tigers locked in combat? Waiting for the Immortal Court True Saints to deplete my strength before rushing in for the kill?

Wu Yuan's penetrating gaze swept across the crowd, instantly comprehending the thoughts harbored by the majority of True Saints.

Their fear of the Immortal Court made them unwilling to join the siege directly.

The group of True Saints maintained their distance, eyes gleaming with both ravenous desire for the Chaos Nucleus and wariness for Ming Jian’s deadly psyche weapon. None wished to fall first.

Wu Yuan understood that there was only one viable path: establish absolute dominance and strike terror into these True Saints' hearts.

Die!

His mind pulsed with killing intent.

With a thunderous crack, a divine sword of impenetrable darkness materialized above his head. Its form flickered between existence and non-existence, blade flashing with unearthly light as it swept across the void, striking the souls of dozens of Immortal Court True Saints.

"Ahhhh!"

"No!"

Blood-curdling screams tore through the silence as the eyes of over thirty True Saints dimmed simultaneously, their vital auras dissipating.

Dead! With a single thought, thirty-four Immortal Court True Saints were dead. The dozen or so who survived the psyche weapon's onslaught stood ashen-faced, their souls severely damaged, power drastically diminished.

"What?"

"This cannot be..."

"Dozens of True Saints, obliterated with a mere thought?" Disbelief twisted the faces of the thousand-plus True Saints observing from beyond the conflict.

The fallen True Saints had been far from weak; many were Full True Saints. Yet in a single instant, most lay slaughtered like common beasts.

More terrifying still, this had been a group attack. How strong would its power be when focused on a single target?

True Saint Shen Yan, True Saint Xiao Yue, and True Saint Gui Chong exchanged meaningful glances, silently grateful they had resisted the urge to rush forward. Had they done so, their names would surely be counted among the fallen. Such killing efficiency was beyond comprehension, rivaling even true Dao Zenithels and vastly surpassing True Saints like Luan Hai.

As expected, his psyche weapon's killing move has grown even more fearsome.

True Saint Yan Huo's expression subtly shifted.

Having taken the fourth step of his self-created Dao, the profundities he wielded granted him a soul far mightier than True Saint Pu Yang, True Saint Meng Guan, and the others.

And yet, regardless of his strength, he remained merely a True Saint. He remembered with crystal clarity how Cloud Saint had fallen. The decisive blow had come from True Saint Ming Jian's psyche weapon, crippling Cloud Saint's power. Only then had True Saint Wu Yuan been able to deliver the killing stroke with a physical attack.

I failed to eliminate them all?

Wu Yuan's brow furrowed slightly. He had dedicated considerable time to contemplating the Eternal Secret Codex left by Goddess Nüwa, particularly the three secret arts: Psyche Annihilation, Psyche Radiance, and Psyche Domain.

Compared to when he first took the fourth step, his mastery of these ultimate techniques had grown immeasurably stronger.

The attack he had just unleashed was the soul secret art, Psyche Annihilation, channeled through his psyche weapon, the Netherworld Sword.

For all its devastating might, it consumed vast quantities of psyche power. That single group attack, though it had claimed the lives of over thirty True Saints, had depleted more than a fifth of his reserves.

This represented the fundamental weakness of soul-class powerhouses. Their killing efficiency was terrifying, but the toll on their psyche power proved equally steep.

For precisely this reason, Wu Yuan's mana body had refrained from employing psyche weapon strikes against True Saint Yan Huo. Once he struck, he had to kill.

But to subjugate these True Saints, such a display of one-sided slaughter had become necessary.

Golden Lotus Spacetime! Crush!

As Wu Yuan gave a mental command, the Primordial Golden Lotus transformed before him. Throughout the infinite void, countless golden lotuses blossomed, their radiance illuminating the darkness.

The shimmering petals twisted and contorted, desperately enveloping the dozen or so Immortal Court True Saints who had entered his domain. Even without his divine sword's assistance, Wu Yuan's mana body commanded a domain far surpassing that of the former Cloud Saint.

"Such powerful restraints.”

"This domain..."

"Not good.”

The Immortal Court True Saints struggled frantically against their golden bonds, each unleashing their ultimate techniques and artifacts in desperate attempts to break free. Despite their individual power, their numbers were too small. Their secret arts and artifacts, lacking perfect synchronization, failed to overcome the overwhelming pressure of Wu Yuan's domain.

Had there been hundreds of True Saints united in a single, coordinated strike, they might have torn through his domain or at least forced it to withdraw. But with barely more than ten, they remained firmly in Wu Yuan's grasp.

Wu Yuan's mana body surged forward, divine sword glinting in his hand, killing intent radiating from him as he continued his frenzied assault on True Saint Yan Huo.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

True Saint Yan Huo defended with all his might. Yet no defense could hold forever, and the gap in their strengths became increasingly apparent.

Occasionally, Wu Yuan's blade would find its mark, slicing through Yan Huo's defenses and sending his towering form flying backward. The True Saint's body shuddered with each blow, yet his vital aura diminished very slowly.

His physical defense is too strong.

Wu Yuan realized. When he had slain Cloud Saint, his ether body had led the attack while his mana body focused on employing soul secret arts to suppress his foe. But now, he had only his mana body at his disposal!