Chapter 1368: Heavenly Venerable Yuan (Grand Finale Part 3.3)

The two figures exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

"That's right," the blood-robed figure confirmed. "I am the master of Frostheaven Peak. You may call me Jiang Han, or simply Han."

"As for the one beside me," he continued, "he is my elder brother. You may address him as Lord Hong."

Wu Yuan nodded slightly. It was indeed them.

"You must have many questions. We've come to explain matters in detail," the azure-robed figure smiled faintly. His aura was elusive and unfathomable, and beneath his transcendent appearance lurked an incredibly powerful sword intent.

The auras of these two individuals weren't entirely consistent with what Wu Yuan had sensed when receiving the ultimate technique inheritances in the past. That explained his initial hesitation.

"Wu Yuan pays his respects to the two Seniors," he bowed slightly. "If not for your guidance, I would not be here today."

The smiles of the two figures broadened at his words.

"Very well, let's sit down and talk," the azure-robed figure said, waving his hand. Instantly, an invisible ripple swept through space. Three wooden stools materialized, suspended in the void.

The scene astonished Wu Yuan. This Lord Hong, appearing as a mere projection incarnation, demonstrated spacetime manipulation abilities exceeding his own.

As they sat, Wu Yuan posed his first question: "Seniors, you mentioned that I am the third Cradle Controller. What does that mean?"

"Let me explain," Jiang Han smiled. "Now that you've achieved control over the Nine Megaverses Spacetime and attained immutability, leaving your imprint in the Supreme Rules Essence, you can sense the infinite Chaosverse, correct?"

"Yes," Wu Yuan nodded. "The infinite Chaosverse is boundlessly vast."

"The Supreme Rules are the origin of all things," Jiang Han continued. "They encompass everything in the infinite Chaosverse. Where the Supreme Rules extend, all that is void coalesces into reality, constantly expanding, constantly growing—this is how the current infinite Chaosverse came to be. Even now, it continues to expand."

"Still expanding?" Wu Yuan felt secretly shocked.

"The infinite Chaosverse contains countless megaverses, but most are weak, struggling to produce lifeforms with self-created Daos, let alone Grand Supremes," Jiang Han explained. "Only the three Cradle Lands differ."

"The Cradle refers to the origin of all things—the three regions born at the very beginning of the Supreme Rules. Their essence most closely resembles the Supreme Rules themselves, forming what might be called the embryonic form of the Supreme Rules. They are the strongest, most special realms, nurturing the most powerful beings with limitless potential."

Wu Yuan nodded, vaguely understanding that the Nine Megaverses Spacetime he inhabited was one of these Cradle Lands.

"My brother and I come from the same Cradle Land," Jiang Han smiled. "It has had many names. Initially called the Boundless Realm, it later became known as the Hong Zhu Realm after my brother rose to prominence and became a supreme powerhouse of the infinite Chaosverse." [1]

Wu Yuan listened attentively. So the Hong Zhu World was the homeland of Lord Hong and Heavenly Imperator Han.

"Although others call it Hong Zhu World, the current Cradle Controller is Jiang Han," Lord Hong interjected calmly.

Wu Yuan couldn't help but look at the blood-robed figure in astonishment. So Heavenly Imperator Han, like himself, was also a Cradle Controller.

"Though I'm a Cradle Controller, many of my divine abilities still can't match my brother's," Jiang Han smiled. "Even that old ghost from the Heavenly Venerable World can't match him."

Heavenly Venerable World? Wu Yuan listened, growing increasingly puzzled.

"The conditions for producing a Cradle Controller are extremely demanding," Jiang Han explained, noticing Wu Yuan's confusion. "My brother's strength is immense, but at that time, the Hong Zhu World lacked a key like the Ancestral Pagoda in the Nine Megaverses Spacetime. Therefore, he didn't become a controller."

Wu Yuan listened with rapt attention.

"At that time, our homeland faced an invasion from another Cradle Controller—Heavenly Venerable," Jiang Han continued.

"It's similar to your title," he added with a smile. "But many similar titles exist, so there’s no need for concern."

Wu Yuan nodded. It was just like “Heavenly Imperator”; across the infinite Chaosverse with its countless cultivation civilizations, innumerable similar titles must exist.

"Heavenly Venerable controls the Heavenly Venerable World. He was also the first Cradle Controller," Jiang Han sighed. "Brother Yuan, you've just become a Cradle Controller. As time passes, you'll gradually realize how formidable such a position truly is."

"Heavenly Venerable has always sought to invade our Cradle Land. His goal is to simultaneously control all three Cradle Lands and become the true, supreme, and only existence in the infinite Chaosverse."

Wu Yuan listened in shock. Control all three Cradle Lands? The ambition was staggering.

"My brother led numerous powerhouses to wage war against Heavenly Venerable while working to cultivate a true Cradle Controller in our homeland," Jiang Han said. "This war lasted a very long time. Countless lives were lost.

"In the Heavenly Venerable World, the Heavenly Venerable could continuously resurrect the fallen, producing a great number of Grand Supremes. Our companions fell one by one, with only my brother growing ever stronger—until I was born and rose to prominence."

"Jiang Han was the first Grand Supreme to practically comprehend the Perfect Dao without even pioneering his self-created Dao," Lord Hong interjected with a faint smile. "After his rise, leveraging the special nature of the Perfect Universe, he quickly became a Cradle Controller, thus completely foiling Heavenly Venerable's schemes."

"Our war with the Heavenly faction came to an end, as neither side could overcome the other," Jiang Han concluded.

Wu Yuan suddenly understood. In this infinite Chaosverse, two Cradle Lands had already experienced an incredibly brutal war.

"However, Heavenly Venerable never gave up. Unable to seize our Cradle Land, he began scheming to take over the Nine Megaverses Spacetime, even sending armies to attack," Jiang Han continued. "But at the critical moment, my brother intervened once again.

"Outside the Cradle Lands, in the Chaosverse, my brother is an invincible existence. That old ghost Heavenly Venerable came several times but was always defeated by our combined efforts."

A war between Cradle Controllers? Wu Yuan marveled inwardly.

"Finally, my brother and I discussed that continuing this war would never bring peace. We had no desire to seize other Cradle Lands; we only wanted to protect the tranquility of the Hong Zhu World," Jiang Han explained. "With my brother as the core and me as support, we began to execute our plans for the Nine Megaverses Spacetime.

"Our goal was to cultivate a Cradle Controller for the Nine Megaverses Spacetime."

Wu Yuan's pupils constricted slightly. So that was it. He had thought Heavenly Imperator Han and Lord Hong were the leading Grand Supremes of the previous Primordial Era. It turned out they were all foreigners.

"We left behind many inheritances, as well as the Three Supreme Divine Objects as keys. This world in Yonder Cliff was something I remodeled based on the Primordial essence of the Nine Megaverses Spacetime, allowing beings born here to be more compatible with that essence. Some highly gifted individuals from this world would enter the samsara of the Nine Megaverses Spacetime.

"Like Nüwa, like Hou Tu... they all came from the world of Yonder Cliff, as did you," Jiang Han smiled.

Wu Yuan's heart raced with increasing shock. So Goddess Nüwa and Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu, like himself, all originally came from this world in Yonder Cliff.

"Of course, while remodeling this special world, I admit I indulged some personal whims, projecting some of my own past experiences into reality. I too am from the Blue Planet," Jiang Han added with a smile.

Wu Yuan was momentarily stunned. He was also from the Blue Planet? Then, Wu Yuan understood what Heavenly Imperator Han meant: this Blue Planet was not that Blue Planet. The world he had experienced in his previous life was not the only one.

Most likely, this realm deep within Yonder Cliff contained many worlds in constant samsara. The many traces of experiences were actually formed by Heavenly Imperator Han projecting his own past. The Blue Planet world that Heavenly Imperator Han had experienced was the original source.

"Besides myself, my elder brother also sent some animi separately into this special world," Jiang Han continued. "For instance, Daoist Tian Xu is actually the remnant animus of one of my brother's seniors."

"Senior Tian Xu? He's Lord Hong's senior?" Wu Yuan exclaimed in shock.

In an instant, he understood many things. No wonder Daoist Tian Xu was so mysterious, no wonder he could control the Chang Feng Spacetime with such ease.

"I will certainly treat Senior Tian Xu well," Wu Yuan pledged solemnly. "He was already a senior I deeply respected."

"Thank you," Lord Hong nodded gently.

"We left behind many methods, expecting that a Controller of the Cradle would emerge quickly," Jiang Han continued. "But in reality, it proved far more difficult than we anticipated."

"Through countless cycles of samsara, the Nine Megaverses Spacetime birthed many Grand Supremes, the most formidable being the Origin Saint. In the sempiternal lifeform stage and Dao pioneering stage, he was exceptionally brilliant, no less than you," Jiang Han looked at Wu Yuan. "Even now, he has branded his Yuan Soul imprint in the Supreme Rules, becoming one of the eleven Immutables.

"In terms of strength, he's not much inferior to us.

"I should mention that in this endless Chaosverse, only those who are able to leave their Yuan Soul imprints in the Supreme Rules qualify to be called Immutables—truly eternal and indestructible. Most Grand Supremes are still too weak.

"One who is truly Eternal should be omniscient and omnipotent, or at least coexist with the supreme. Those eternal powerhouses you lead in the Nine Megaverses Spacetime merely have exceptionally long lifespans but cannot be called Eternal," Jiang Han smiled. "Even we don't qualify to be called Eternal.

"Below eternity are the Immutables."

Eternity? Immutables? Wu Yuan listened silently. Having just become a Cradle Controller, there were many secrets of this endless Chaosverse he had yet to learn.

Jiang Han sighed, "The Origin Saint was extraordinary, but back then, he fell just short of controlling the Cradle Land. Once one becomes a Grand Supreme, there's basically no chance."

Wu Yuan’s heart pounded as he listened. It turned out that the Origin Saint had reached heights not much inferior to Heavenly Imperator Han and Lord Hong, likewise surpassing ordinary Grand Supremes.

"There's also the Azure Saint, who was actually just a step away," Heavenly Imperator Han said. "Moreover, he was extremely obsessed. The mana body and ether body technique you cultivate was created by him."

"The mana body and ether body technique was created by Azure Saint?" Wu Yuan asked, slightly surprised.

"The Xuanhuang Essence he created is an ultimate treasure that even impressed my elder brother," Jiang Han added.

"Are these Grand Supremes still alive?" Wu Yuan inquired.

"Some have passed away, some live on," Jiang Han replied solemnly. "Even Grand Supremes cannot claim to be eternally indestructible. The Origin Saint has established a Saintdom in the Chaosverse, with countless powerhouses under his command. Nüwa, for instance, resides in that Saintdom."

Wu Yuan suddenly understood.

"Now that you've become a Cradle Controller, I've sent a message to the Origin Saint," Lord Hong smiled. "When you enter the endless Chaosverse, you can meet him."

"I will," Wu Yuan nodded.

As time passed, the three continued their conversation, though Heavenly Imperator Han did most of the talking, with Lord Hong occasionally interjecting. Wu Yuan primarily listened.

From their words, he learned many stories about the previous Primordial Epochs of the Nine Megaverses Spacetime and the rise of each Grand Supreme. He learned of the brutal wars in the other two Cradle Lands and came to know many secrets of the endless Chaosverse.

After a long while, Heavenly Imperator Han stood up.

"That's enough. Brother Yuan, we've said all that needs to be said. We're both very pleased that you've become a Cradle Controller. We only wish to protect our homeland and hope there will be fewer wars in this endless Chaosverse."

"However, if the Heavenly faction starts another war in the future, we hope you won't stand idly by."

"I certainly won't," Wu Yuan promised firmly.

After this conversation, and with the many secrets he had glimpsed, Wu Yuan deeply admired the character and conduct of these two seniors.

"My brother and I will take our leave now. As for the many relic sites we left in the Nine Megaverses Spacetime and the rules we established—they are all yours now. This is your realm, your homeland. Naturally, it's all under your control," Jiang Han smiled.

The projections of the two great beings slowly dissipated.

Watching them leave, Wu Yuan murmured with a smile.

It was all to protect my homeland? That's good.

With a swift movement, he turned and flew toward the River of Universes spacetime. Having just become a Cradle Controller, he still had many things to do—and many regrets to make up for.

1. 洪主 (Hong Zhu) = Lord Hong ☜