Chapter 1332: Original Sword Archon (2)

"It's merely legend," sighed the Dream Emperor wistfully. "These Three Supreme Divine Objects have existed since the Primordium. As we Dao Zenithels traverse the cosmic sea, we occasionally glimpse traces of their true forms, but tracking them is nearly impossible.

"Consider the Original Sword. Every Dao Zenithel knows that its true form resides in the Realm of Destruction, yet finding it remains as impossible as touching the heavens."

Wu Yuan listened carefully.

"According to the legends, becoming a candidate controller of a Supreme Divine Object grants one its guidance, making the acquisition of a Xuanhuang Dao Treasure significantly easier," the Dream Emperor stated solemnly.

"Oh?" Wu Yuan wasn't entirely convinced, though he didn't dismiss the possibility outright. After all, while his body refiner self held the position of Ancestral Pagoda Archon, he hadn't yet ventured to the Ancestral Pagoda Spacetime to verify these claims.

"The Ancestral Pagoda cannot be easily located, and its candidate controllers are selected before they rise to power," explained the Dream Emperor. "Us Dao Zenithels have lost our eligibility, so we no longer pursue the Ancestral Pagoda."

"However, the Original Sword and Heavenly Cauldron remain relatively fixed in location. Many Dao Zenithel powerhouses, ourselves included, have ventured into the Realm of Destruction seeking recognition from the Original Sword."

Wu Yuan understood their motivation. These peak-stage Dao Zenithel powerhouses had nearly reached the limits of their self-created Daos. The easiest path forward was finding a Xuanhuang Dao Treasure.

"What was the result of your efforts?" Wu Yuan asked.

"We ventured in repeatedly, dying multiple times, yet never giving up," the Dream Emperor replied. "About twenty samsara cycles ago, the Blood Emperor discovered an opportunity. We joined forces, faced countless perils, and the Blood Emperor ultimately succeeded in becoming a second-tier Archon."

"Second-tier Archon?" Wu Yuan asked, confusion evident in his expression.

"Original Sword Archons are categorized as first, second, or third tier," the Blood Emperor explained in a low voice. "First-tier represents the highest rank, granted to true Archons of the Original Sword. The second and third tiers are merely preparatory positions."

Wu Yuan nodded in understanding. The process resembled how his body refiner self had progressed through multiple thresholds before becoming an Ancestral Pagoda Archon. The key difference was that for the Original Sword, only Dao Zenithels qualified for Archon status at any tier.

"Later, with the Blood Emperor's guidance, I also became a third-tier Archon," added the Dream Emperor.

Wu Yuan acknowledged with a slight nod. "But how is your status as Original Sword Archons connected to the Heavenly Imperator?"

"According to the guidance I received, there can only be two first-tier Archons, four second-tier Archons, and at most eight third-tier Archons. I find it difficult to sense the other Original Sword Archons," the Blood Emperor explained quietly.

"When we helped the Dream Emperor achieve third-tier status, we were elated. However, when we were about to leave the Realm of Destruction, the Heavenly Imperator ambushed us. He seemed to have tracked our movements precisely.

"We fought together, but ultimately I escaped while the Dream Emperor perished," the Blood Emperor continued, teeth clenched. "The Heavenly Imperator appeared to target me specifically, not the Dream Emperor.

"It was during the battle that I finally realized—the Heavenly Imperator is an Archon of the Original Sword, a first-tier Archon," the Blood Emperor emphasized each word.

Though Wu Yuan had suspected this, hearing confirmation still shocked him. The Heavenly Imperator was truly a first-tier Archon of the Original Sword.

This first-tier position must be similar to the eight Archons of the Ancestral Pagoda.

Wu Yuan pondered.

Except the Ancestral Pagoda has eight Archons, while the Original Sword has only two first-tier positions.

Wu Yuan could only assume that different Supreme Divine Objects employed different selection criteria.

"Why would the Heavenly Imperator ambush you?" Wu Yuan asked, puzzled.

"Honestly, we're uncertain," the Dream Emperor shook his head. "We can only speculate that he wanted to prevent us from becoming first-tier Archons ourselves."

"The Blood Emperor was close to achieving first-tier status. Once he does, he might be able to gain control of the Original Sword. Perhaps the Heavenly Imperator wished to eliminate this potential threat."

Wu Yuan felt skeptical.

Though the Heavenly Imperator was his enemy, intelligence suggested that he was extremely arrogant, convinced of his own invincibility. Would he truly hunt the Blood Emperor and Dream Emperor merely because they were Original Sword Archons? Then again, the human heart was unfathomable. The Heavenly Imperator's actions could have been motivated by any number of reasons.

"We attempted to negotiate," the Dream Emperor said, anger flashing in his eyes. "He agreed to leave us alone if we never returned to the Realm of Destruction.

"But he refused to swear a Primordial Oath!

"Moreover, I sense that he will eventually find a way to kill us," the Dream Emperor added quietly. "I trust the guidance of destiny."

Wu Yuan nodded slightly. Unwillingness to swear a Primordial Oath indicated duplicity, making the Dream Emperor's distrust reasonable. As for destiny's guidance, that was simply the operation of Primordial Rules.

Among powerhouses, some trusted only themselves, while others believed deeply in destiny. The Dream Emperor clearly belonged to the latter group.

"So you want my help facing the Heavenly Imperator?" Wu Yuan smiled faintly. "Why not ally with the Eldritch Court instead?"

"Indeed, the Eldritch Court wants us to join them against the Immortal Court," the Dream Emperor replied, shaking his head. "However, most Blood Dream Alliance cultivators aren't human and wish to avoid the conflict between these major powers.

"And we can’t trust the Eldritch Court. If we joined them and the Heavenly Imperator came for us, would they truly protect us?" The Dream Emperor shook his head. "Without joining, the Heavenly Imperator may not move against us immediately. If we do, that will give him a reason to attack."

"Furthermore," added the Blood Emperor, "Eldritch Court members like Hou Tu and Di Jiang have bullied us before."

Wu Yuan understood their position now. The Blood Emperor and Dream Emperor simply wanted protection without getting entangled in the great war between the Immortal and Eldritch Courts. Their poor impression of the Eldritch Court made them wary of becoming pawns.

"What if I eventually side with the Eldritch Court in the coming conflict?" Wu Yuan asked calmly.

The Blood Emperor and Dream Emperor exchanged concerned glances, aware of Wu Yuan's close relationship with Ming Jian.

"If the Alliance Leader stands with the Eldritch Court, we'll fight alongside you," the Dream Emperor replied. "However, we won't formally join the Eldritch Court."

"Don't worry. If that day comes, I won't force you," Wu Yuan said, now understanding their boundaries.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

As time passed, Wu Yuan continued conversing with the Blood Emperor and Dream Emperor, learning more secrets about the Realm of Destruction and the Original Sword.

"I had no idea such a mysterious place existed within the Realm of Destruction," Wu Yuan finally remarked, regarding the Blood Emperor with astonishment.

"I discovered this path purely by chance," the Blood Emperor smiled. "I suspect only a handful in the entire cosmic sea know about it."

Wu Yuan nodded, recognizing that the opportunity to become an Original Sword Archon was a precious secret that the Blood Emperor wouldn't readily share. Every Dao Zenithel had their own secrets.

"I'll keep this strictly confidential," Wu Yuan promised.

"With your talents and abilities, I believe you have excellent prospects of becoming a first-tier Archon," the Blood Emperor smiled

"We shall see. When I'm ready to enter the Realm of Destruction, I hope you'll both accompany me," Wu Yuan said with an enigmatic smile.

"Of course, Alliance Leader," they readily agreed, understanding that Wu Yuan had yet to trust them fully.

With a swift gesture, Wu Yuan conjured two tokens that floated before the Blood Emperor and Dream Emperor. "These are my tokens," he explained. "You can contact me through them if you face danger.

"No matter where I am in the cosmic sea, I'll reach you within five days," Wu Yuan assured them.

"Thank you, Alliance Leader," they responded in unison, hope gleaming in their eyes. All that groveling and begging was simply for this one promise. At the same time, awe stirred within them. To guarantee his arrival within five days? The cosmic sea was unfathomably vast. Even for a Dao Zenithel, crossing different megaverses could take thousands of years.

"I have other matters to attend to," Wu Yuan said. "When it's time to venture into the Realm of Destruction, I'll contact you."

...

They watched as Wu Yuan departed.

In the emptiness of space, the Blood Emperor voiced his doubts: "Dream Emperor, does Ming Jian truly believe us?"

"Does it matter?" replied the Dream Emperor with a knowing smile. "Once we enter the Realm of Destruction, he'll have no choice but to trust us. When he becomes a second-tier Archon, or even first-tier, I suspect the Heavenly Imperator will target him instead of us."

"It's unfortunate that there are only two first-tier positions," the Blood Emperor observed with thinly veiled disappointment.

As a second-tier Archon, he could sense that only the first-tier position was occupied. The other remained vacant.

"If you could have become a first-tier Archon, you would have done so long ago," sighed the Dream Emperor. "Then we wouldn't have needed to humble ourselves before Ming Jian."

"Is his current strength enough to challenge the Heavenly Imperator?" worried the Blood Emperor.

"It's not about the present," the Dream Emperor replied thoughtfully. "I'm betting on his future potential. If we wait until his power rivals the Heavenly Imperator before seeking his help, gaining his support won't be as simple as it was today."

...

As Wu Yuan's mana body streaked through the void, he pondered over their earlier conversation.

Obtaining information about the Original Sword was that easy? Even learning the path to becoming an Archon?

It seemed almost too good to be true.

In contrast, how much did his body refiner self suffer through to become an Ancestral Pagoda Archon?

I suppose it makes sense.

He reasoned.

Becoming an Original Sword Archon requires one to reach the Dao Zenithel stage, with one's self-created Dao nearly perfected. Perhaps fewer tests are involved.

He felt no urgency to enter the Realm of Destruction. As one of the eight elite exploration sites in the cosmic sea, second only to Yonder Cliff in danger, countless Dao Zenithels had perished there throughout history.

First, I shall head to the Ancestral Pagoda Spacetime. Let's see what awaits me there.

His body refiner self waited within the grotto-heaven artifact, sensing the distant Ancestral Pagoda Spacetime.

Over four full days of travel, Wu Yuan's mana body left the Central Megaverse, crossed the Ancient Megaverse, and entered the depths of the cosmic sea.

Profound silence reigned as he approached the boundaries of the Nine Megaverses Spacetime. Here, the power of the Primordial Rules grew increasingly faint.

The power of the Great Dao of Spacetime is waning. My spacetime traversal ability is steadily diminishing.

Wu Yuan noted as his pace steadily slowed.

The fact that he could travel so rapidly was due to the Great Dao of Spacetime. In the extreme depths of the cosmic sea, where even the Primordial Rules did not operate, swift traversal became impossible. Now, he could only depend on his own strength.

A realm of nothingness stretched before him. The deeper one ventured into the cosmic sea, the less matter existed. Stars, cosmic rivers, exploration sites—all grew increasingly scarce, approaching a land of pure void.

I’m nearing the region once explored by Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu

. Wu Yuan observed, his vigilance heightening.

According to her, eternal darkness lies at the very edge.

That was a true, endless blackness where one could easily get hopelessly lost, struggling to find a way back. This was why Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu had ultimately turned back.

Almost there.

Wu Yuan's mana body halted as a black-robed figure appeared beside him. It was his body refiner self, who had sensed an overwhelmingly strong power summoning it.

The Ancestral Pagoda Spacetime lies even deeper.

Wu Yuan’s body refiner self noted.

If I continue, I'll enter the eternal darkness. Is it truly safe?

Daoist Tian Xu hadn't mentioned whether entering the Ancestral Pagoda Spacetime posed any danger.

After brief consideration, another figure with a similar aura appeared, his ether body. It immediately plunged into the realm of darkness, vanishing beyond the spacetime perception of Wu Yuan's mana body and body refiner self.

Four more days passed.

Has it gotten lost?

His body refiner self frowned. The connection between his ether body and body refiner self had grown extremely weak, making it difficult to sense each other's positions.

His ether body had clearly gotten disoriented, though it had reached the outskirts of the Ancestral Pagoda Spacetime.

Tian Chan?

A peculiar expression crossed Wu Yuan's face.

What's he doing here?

Indeed, Wu Yuan's ether body had unexpectedly encountered Dao Zenithel Tian Chan, formerly True Saint Tian Chan, outside the Ancestral Pagoda Spacetime.