Chapter 1298: First Alliance Leader

The suffocating pressure that had blanketed the temple vanished as True Saint Ming Jian and True Saint Meng Guan departed.

With the source of power gone, the subdued True Saints gradually stirred from their trance, blinking away confusion as consciousness returned to their eyes.

Realization dawned swiftly.

"True Saint Yan Huo was defeated? He was slain by True Saint Ming Jian in direct combat?"

"Killed in one-on-one combat?"

A deathly silence descended upon the temple as the True Saints stood frozen, fear taking root in their hearts.

When Cloud Saint had fallen, one could rationalize his defeat. After all, he had faced the combined might of True Saint Ming Jian and True Saint Wu Yuan in a prolonged battle before finally succumbing. But True Saint Yan Huo's death? Ming Jian had withstood the onslaught of over a thousand True Saints, then subdued Yan Huo with overwhelming force in mere moments. Such dominance was simply without precedent.

True Saint Meng Guan's participation in the final blow registered as little more than a footnote in their minds. He hadn't been the decisive factor after all.

"True Saint Ming Jian has slain Yan Huo and now possesses three Chaos Nuclei," an urgent voice suddenly cut through the silence. It was True Saint Mu Jing. "His power must be greatly weakened after such exertion. If we move quickly to intercept him, we could seize those three Chaos Nuclei for ourselves!"

His declaration drew every eye in the temple, but before anyone could respond, a cold voice replied.

"Mu Jing, don't be a fool." True Saint Shen Yan fixed him with a glacial stare. "If you truly believe Ming Jian's power is depleted, then lead your Immortal Court True Saints to kill him yourself. With your combined strength, your group isn’t weak. Perhaps you might even succeed."

True Saint Mu Jing's pupils contracted sharply. His mouth opened, then closed without a word.

"Everyone," True Saint Shen Yan continued, his voice low, eyes reflecting a newfound respect. "True Saint Ming Jian's mastery of both the Psyche Dream class and Psyche Arsenal class has reached levels beyond comprehension. While killing True Saint Yan Huo is enough to prove his fearsome strength, the true terror of his power lies in subduing over a thousand True Saints with a single thought. I believe all of you understand the implications of this."

He shook his head slightly, sighing. "This is destiny. We cannot stand against him. But of course, if anyone isn't afraid of death, you're welcome to try.

"Let's go!"

Whoosh!

True Saint Shen Yan soared skyward, followed immediately by True Saint Chou Lie and numerous other True Saints from their faction.

The remaining True Saints exchanged meaningful glances. From their levels of perspective, they knew Shen Yan spoke the truth. Ming Jian's ability to subdue over a thousand True Saints with a mere thought signified that his mastery of Psyche Dream cultivation had far transcended the True Saint level.

Yes, anyone could see that Ming Jian had reached his limits after slaying Yan Huo. Why else would True Saint Meng Guan have participated in the final moments? But none knew where those limits truly lay. Even with his reserves depleted, he might still possess enough power to slaughter another group of True Saints.

Fear gripped them. The Chaos Nucleus was tempting, certainly, but not at the cost of their lives.

"The most powerful practitioner of the Psyche Dream class," True Saint Qi Guang murmured, awe threading through his words. "Even the Eldritch Progenitors might not match him. Fortunately, he's a friend of our Eldritch Court."

Nearby, True Saint Tian Peng, True Saint Pu Yang, and several others nodded in agreement, relief washing through them. Thankfully, they hadn't opposed him and had even offered assistance previously, maintaining a friendly relationship.

"Let's depart.”

"True Saint Ming Jian will undoubtedly vie for the top position of the True Saint Rankings. Even True Saint Luan Hai and True Saint Wu Yuan might not be his equal."

"Number one on the True Saint Rankings..." The gathered True Saints began to disperse, Ming Jian's overwhelming strength carved indelibly into their minds.

One man against a thousand Saints.

This heroic feat would echo through the ages, a landmark achievement that would mark True Saint Ming Jian's meteoric rise to prominence.

...

Within the Blood Dream Voidrealm,, two figures watched the projection with astonishment.

"He won," the Blood Emperor breathed, disbelief coloring his words.

"Ming Jian actually managed to win in such circumstances?" The Dream Emperor's voice held a note of genuine shock. True Saint Ming Jian's strength had exceeded both their expectations.

"Subduing over a thousand True Saints in one move," the Dream Emperor marveled, unable to hide his admiration. "Such a technique would require my full effort to achieve. Incredible! Simply incredible."

"Even you would find it difficult?" The Blood Emperor turned to him, startled.

He knew the Dream Emperor's might well. As the highest leaders of the Blood Dream Alliance, their strength was beyond question. Naturally, there were reasons behind the aliases they chose.

The Blood Emperor excelled in direct combat, fighting with unparalleled ferocity that had earned him his alias. The Dream Emperor, meanwhile, possessed a vast array of skills and specialties. He had constructed his own Dream Universe and demonstrated unmatched proficiency in psyche dream illusions. Throughout the cosmic sea, only Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu dared claim superiority in the realm of Psyche Dream techniques, which had earned him the title of Dream Emperor.

Among the hundred-odd Dao Zenithels in the vast cosmic sea, the Dream Emperor ranked among the top three practitioners of the Psyche Dream class. Yet he admitted inferiority to Ming Jian?

"You don't understand," the Dream Emperor shook his head slightly. "My self-created Dao isn't purely of the Psyche Dream class. I only began cultivating this path after becoming a Saint, constructing a Dream World. It wasn't until I broke through to become a Dao Zenithel that I managed to construct a Dream Universe by relying on the Eternal Realm's essence. And even now, the entire structure remains unstable."

His eyes grew distant as he continued. "The foundation of the soul class is the Dream World, not mana. In terms of Dream Worlds, True Saint Ming Jian is likely no weaker than me, perhaps even stronger. He must have created a Dao Zenithel ultimate technique."

The Dream Emperor sighed softly. "The gap in our current strengths lies in our artifacts, as well as spirit and soul levels. After all, he's still just a True Saint. For now, I can still surpass him slightly. But once he crosses into the Dao Zenithel stage and his Dream World evolves, and he then forges the perfect Chaos Treasure that aligns with his attributes...He will become the number one practitioner of the soul class. Indisputably! Even Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu will fall short of him."

"The number one practitioner of the soul class?" The Blood Emperor echoed, his voice thoughtful.

Cultivation paths had many classifications, but broadly speaking, only two types existed: the soul class and the physical class. The physical class was the mainstream choice, with over ninety percent of powerhouses opting for this path. This wasn't because the soul class was weak; it was simply extraordinarily difficult to cultivate. Constructing a Dream World in the truest sense, for instance, required one to be a Legend of the River. How rare were they? Naturally, this led to a scarcity of powerhouses who took this path.

"Blood Emperor, we need to change our strategy," the Dream Emperor said suddenly. "This might be our opportunity."

"Opportunity?" The Blood Emperor was slightly puzzled.

"Ming Jian is immensely powerful, a new Spacetime Dao Master who possesses a Xuanhuang Dao Treasure. He will control a universe in the future." The Dream Emperor's voice softened. "His potential is at least on par with Great Emperor Yan Tuo."

"Great Emperor Yan Tuo?" The Blood Emperor's pupils contracted slightly.

In terms of his own Dao cultivation, he wasn't inferior to Great Emperor Yan Tuo, but the latter's status and overall influence placed him a full step above.

𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"He might even reach the level of Goddess Nüwa," the Dream Emperor continued with a faint smile. "What do you think about inviting him to become the First Alliance Leader of our Blood Dream Alliance?"

"First Alliance Leader?" The Blood Emperor's shock was palpable. Within the Blood Dream Alliance, there were quite a few Dao Zenithels, but only three Alliance Leaders: the Blood Emperor, the Dream Emperor, and Daoist Tian Xu. Among them, Daoist Tian Xu remained mysteriously absent from most affairs, leaving the true decision-making to the two of them.

Currently, the First Alliance Leader was the Dream Emperor himself.

"What about us?" the Blood Emperor asked, a slight frown creasing his brow.

"Under his leadership, our Blood Dream Alliance has a genuine chance of standing shoulder to shoulder with the Eldritch Court and Immortal Court." The Dream Emperor smiled. "What's wrong with relinquishing the position of First Alliance Leader?

“Besides, even if we don't willingly step aside, given what we've witnessed of Ming Jian's temperament today, he might seek Tian Xu's support, gain the backing of the True Saints under Tian Xu, and split our Blood Dream Alliance. Rather than risk such division, why not make him the First Alliance Leader ourselves?"

The Blood Emperor fell into deep contemplation. Indeed, as the new Spacetime Dao Master, and with Daoist Tian Xu's support, True Saint Ming Jian naturally possessed the foundation to establish a major faction in the future. It was worth noting that over the long ages, countless True Saints and Dao Zenithels had received guidance from Daoist Tian Xu.

After a moment of silence, the Blood Emperor spoke, his voice low. "Alright. I'm only the Second Alliance Leader anyway. Whether I become the Third or Fourth doesn't make much difference. It all depends on whether Ming Jian is willing to join us."

"I'll speak to him about it," the Dream Emperor said with a smile.

The public believed Ming Jian belonged to the Blood Dream Alliance, but only these two knew that Ming Jian's relationship with their alliance remained tenuous at best. He was essentially an independent cultivator.

...

"Defeated."

"Defeated in such a manner." In a plane within the Immortal Court Voidrealm, nearly ten Immortal Court Dao Zenithels exchanged grim looks.

Among them were Imperial Majesty Dong Huo and Immortal Eminence Jiu You.

When Cloud Saint fell, the entire Immortal Court was shaken. He had been a peerless True Saint capable of ascending to Dao Zenithel, yet he died in the Tenth Chaos Void. Though he could still be revived, each fall consumed a portion of his essence.

True Saint Yan Huo's breakthrough had briefly rekindled excitement among the highest echelons of the Immortal Court. How could they not rejoice at producing two powerhouses who took the fourth step of their self-created Daos in such a short time? But they never imagined he would fall as well, even losing the two Chaos Nuclei he had obtained.

A single Chaos Nucleus essentially represented the rise of a new Dao Zenithel. The loss was incalculable.

After a heavy silence, Imperial Majesty Dong Huo finally spoke, his voice flat and emotionless. "Everyone, prepare yourselves for future warfare with the Blood Dream Alliance. At the very least, we must guard against Ming Jian. Once he breaks through, his mastery of soul techniques will rival that of Goddess Nüwa herself."

Silence descended once more as the Dao Zenithels stared at him, eyes widening in shock. Goddess Nüwa had long become a legend in the cosmic sea. No practitioner of the soul class had come close to her level.

"I know what you're thinking. Our hopes of reconciliation are slim," Imperial Majesty Dong Huo continued, shaking his head gently. "With Ming Jian's pride, he's unlikely to reconcile, and his good relationship with Wu Yuan only complicates matters further... Alright, you may all disperse for now."

Although ownership of the Xuanhuang Dao Treasure remained undecided, it no longer directly concerned the Immortal Court.

The Immortal Court had suffered a crushing defeat in this opening of the Tenth Chaos Void. Their only meager consolation was True Saint Qing Yan's acquisition of a single Chaos Jade Crystal.

...

"He won!" Jubilation filled the Eldritch Progenitor Hall as Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu and Eldritch Progenitor Di Jiang witnessed Wu Yuan's mana body deliver the killing blow to True Saint Yan Huo.

"Excellent! Haha," Eldritch Progenitor Di Jiang exclaimed, his face split with a wide smile. It was a complete victory.

"Three Chaos Nuclei," he added, his voice tinged with excitement. "If used wisely, our Eldritch Court could produce three more Dao Zenithels."

"Indeed," Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu mused. "Who would have imagined there'd be three Chaos Nuclei? Even more surprising is that Wu Yuan managed to claim all three."

Considering the two Chaos Jade Crystals Wu Yuan had previously acquired, there was no doubt that Wu Yuan had emerged as the greatest winner in this opening of the Tenth Chaos Void.

"The matter of the Chaos Nuclei isn't urgent," Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu continued. "Producing a few more Standard Dao Zenithels won't significantly alter the trajectory of our Eldritch Court. What's truly crucial now is the ownership of the Xuanhuang Dao Treasure."

Her eyes narrowed. "A Xuanhuang Dao Treasure will truly affect the balance of the cosmic sea."

Eldritch Progenitor Di Jiang nodded in agreement. In the hands of an ordinary Dao Master, the power exerted by a Xuanhuang Dao Treasure was inferior to the Blood Emperor or Dream Emperor. But if it fell into the hands of an exceptionally powerful Dao Zenithel? It could create an apex powerhouse of the cosmic sea.

Figures like Eldritch Progenitor Di Jiang, Great Emperor Yan Tuo, and Dao Zenithel Wan Yu stood at the very peak, unafraid of the Heavenly Imperator and daring to engage him in direct combat alone. Why? Not only had their own power reached the Full Dao Zenithel level, but they also possessed Xuanhuang Dao Treasures.

Now, a new Xuanhuang Dao Treasure was about to emerge, with implications that would ripple across the cosmic sea for eons to come.

"Wu Yuan has the best chance of claiming it," Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu said, her voice dropping lower. "But he's likely to be targeted and surrounded. Without the aid of his qi refiner self, it all depends on the strength of his body refiner self."

...

The world buzzed with excitement, countless True Saints and Dao Zenithels across the cosmic sea singing praises of True Saint Ming Jian's extraordinary power.

At the same time, as the struggle for the Chaos Nuclei concluded, attention shifted to the looming question of who would claim the Xuanhuang Dao Treasure.

Yet, since the six True Saints had entered the spacetime corridor at the core of the five-colored realm, months had passed without a word from within.

Inside the Tenth Chaos Void, Wu Yuan's mana body and True Saint Meng Guan flew for days without stopping, streaking away from the five-colored realm into a quiet expanse of void, before finally landing on an unremarkable star.

Only then did they pause to rest.

"Junior Brother, we've fled this far. No True Saint should be able to track us now," True Saint Meng Guan said.

"Mm," Wu Yuan nodded.

With a casual flip of his palm, a golden crystal appeared, its light shifting with endless profundities. "Senior Brother, this is for you."

True Saint Meng Guan's jaw slackened, his wide eyes fixed on the crystal, "A Chaos Nucleus? Junior Brother, this is...?"

Desire for the Chaos Nucleus burned within him, yet confusion clouded his thoughts. Though Meng Guan had certainly assisted Wu Yuan on some occasions, their relationship hardly warranted such a gift.

"I met with Senior Tian Xu before the contest began," Wu Yuan explained, his lips curving into a knowing smile. "Senior Tian Xu specifically instructed that if I managed to obtain two or more Chaos Nuclei, I should pass one to you.

"Of course, I’m not doing this for free. But Senior Tian Xu has already given me treasures in exchange, so you needn't concern yourself with that aspect."

"Senior Tian Xu?" Meng Guan couldn't mask his astonishment. His eyes betrayed a flash of barely contained excitement. "Has he returned?"