Chapter 569: Heaven and Earth Tournament

Twenty years had passed since Wu Yuan had advanced to the Amethyst Cradle and Shambhala phases, and thirty years since the last Heaven and Earth Tournament in the Fifth Origin Eldritch Field.

The Fifth Origin Eldritch Field held its Heaven and Earth Tournament every twenty years, a relatively high frequency. By contrast, the Fourth Origin Eldritch Field, where Amethyst Cradle/Shambhala cultivators typically trained for longer periods, hosted its tournament only once every fifty years.

Thirty years have flown by in the blink of an eye.

Wu Yuan mused silently.

In another fifty years, I'll step into the Void Refiner and Elysian Field phases.

Wu Yuan had advanced rapidly to the ninth stage of his current phase, outpacing other prodigies in the Origin Eldritch Field. His speed was largely due to the divine crystal elixir bestowed by his master.

But such rapid advancement came with its own risks. With each dramatic leap in the order of life, time was needed to digest one’s insights and adapt to new power levels, lest unforeseen issues arise. This was particularly crucial in the early stages, where carelessness could lead to dire consequences.

At the Spiritual Body/Golden Core phase, once a cultivator reached the ninth stage, they typically spent a decade consolidating their cultivation. At the ninth-stage Amethyst Cradle/Shambhala phase, the consolidation period was even longer—at least a century, with eighty years being the absolute minimum.

I'll break through as soon as I complete the minimum necessary consolidation period.

Wu Yuan decided.

In both the Origin Eldritch Field and the Immortal Hall, many geniuses spent three or four centuries in the Amethyst Cradle/Shambhala phase. This was firstly because their mana cultivation progressed slower than Wu Yuan's, and secondly due to their desire to compete for the first-place rewards.

For such geniuses, spending extended periods in a cultivation phase was normal. But Wu Yuan had no intention of stalling his progress.

Without other matters to attend to, my qi refiner self should continue secluded cultivation in the Immortal Belvedere, focusing on comprehending the Law of Space.

He thought.

I've made significant progress in several Lesser Laws of Space.

I've also successfully stepped into the thresholds of the True Domain Dao and Qiankun Dao.

Wu Yuan reflected, gently closing his eyes.

With a mere thought, he became acutely aware of his surroundings in the meditation chamber.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Fifty-five phantoms materialized from thin air, each indistinguishable from Wu Yuan’s real body.

Even a typical Amethyst Cradle/Shambhala cultivator would struggle to differentiate between the real and illusory with their Soul Force.

As the phantoms dissipated with a soft hum, Wu Yuan reappeared in the corner of the chamber. But to assume this was the real Wu Yuan would be a mistake.

Poof!

The figure dissolved like a mirage, and the true Wu Yuan materialized back in his original position. The interplay of reality and illusion was dizzying.

Dream bubbles, overlapping voids.

Wu Yuan murmured.

The seventh-level Domain stage of True Domain is truly remarkable.

Indeed, after advancing his comprehension of four Lesser Laws of Space to the first-level True Intent stage, it took Wu Yuan merely six years to fuse the Intermediate Law of Space, True Domain, to the seventh-level Domain stage.

This rate of progress was nothing short of terrifying. Many Earth Immortals and High Immortals would struggle to match Wu Yuan's pace, even after millennia of cultivation in the Immortal Belvedere.

Even accounting for numerous external factors, Wu Yuan's speed of advancement was still extraordinary.

Third-level Domain stage of Qiankun.

Wu Yuan closed his eyes again, sensing countless subtle spatial fluctuations in the tranquil void around him.

Whoosh!

He took a step, and the world seemed to blur. In an instant, he appeared at the meditation chamber's entrance, as if he had teleported. Yet he knew this was a rudimentary application of the Qiankun Dao, still far from profound.

I haven't grasped the Spatial Rift Dao yet.

Wu Yuan shook his head slightly.

For his age, simultaneously grasping two of the three Intermediate Laws of Space was already a remarkable achievement.

With the aid of the Space Dao, though my progress in the Celestial Body Dao and Longevity Dao haven’t been significant, my overall strength has greatly increased.

Wu Yuan thought.

If he were to face his qi refiner self from fifteen years ago, Wu Yuan was confident he could force it into a corner and slay it within dozens of exchanges. In terms of movement skill and speed, Wu Yuan had reached an entirely new level.

However, in a true life-or-death battle, I'd still struggle against a newly advancedEarth Immortal.

Wu Yuan acknowledged the challenge of fighting across major phase boundaries.

Wu Yuan's performance was exemplary on the Eldritch-Immortal Battlefield, yet there was still a gap between his power and the Earth Immortal level. Now, with further advancements in Dao comprehension, his full power barely reached the Earth Immortal level. The disparity in base mana was too great.

My progress in the True Domain Dao has been swift. If I continue my current progress, I should be able to grasp True Domain True Intent in a few more decades.

Wu Yuan pondered.

Meeting Immortal Sovereign Bei You’s requirements within a century of cultivating in the Immortal Belvedere posed little difficulty.

Once I grasp True Domain True Intent, harmonizing it with Celestial Body True Intent and Longevity True Intent, the power yielded would be comparable to the seventh-level Dao Field stage of a Lesser Law.

This was merely the harmony of Daos. If perfectly fused to form Life True Intent, the resulting power would be terrifying, rivaling a complete Lesser Law.

At that point, even with only Amethyst Cradle phase mana, Wu Yuan’s Dao comprehension would allow him to dominate battles against Earth Immortals. However, this path was the most arduous one.

My body refiner self has toiled for over a decade, yet still hasn't crossed the threshold of the Life Dao.

Wu Yuan shook his head, feeling a bit helpless.

When his qi refiner self first began making rapid progress in the Law of Space, Wu Yuan had fantasized himself quickly mastering it, then proving himself to Master Kua Chi.

Soon, he realized he had been overly optimistic. His body refiner self, while comprehending the Celestial Body Dao, also studied the silver sphere, attempting to decipher the profundities of its layered cryptic patterns.

Wu Yuan could recognize bits and pieces of the silver cryptic patterns when isolated, identifying them as Dao profundities from the Celestial Body Dao, Longevity Dao, or True Domain Dao.

But once fused, they became as incomprehensible as a heavenly scripture, leaving Wu Yuan baffled as to how certain Dao patterns could even be combined.

It was like learning English in his past life. He could recognize individual letters, but once countless letters formed different words, and countless words formed an essay...

Fusing three seemingly compatible Intermediate Laws is a thousand times more difficult than merging three Lesser Daos into one Intermediate Law.

Wu Yuan truly grasped the challenge of this path.

He understood why so many powerhouses had failed to walk this road to its conclusion. And he realized why Master Kua Chi had given him three centuries to cross the initiate threshold. It was not without reason.

This path was difficult. Terrifyingly so. More importantly, even after crossing the threshold, one's power in the initial stages would likely fall short of the combined might of several Intermediate Laws comprehended to a high level.

In simpler terms, comprehending Greater Laws was extremely challenging and time-consuming, with little power to show for it in the beginning stages.

Only those with exceptional talent and perseverance could hope to accumulate strength slowly, eventually surpassing others.

This path was difficult at first but grew easier over time. The further one walked, the smoother it became.

Before attaining Archimmortality, High Immortals only have a lifespan of a million years. Many High Immortals might spend their entire lives trying to comprehend a Greater Law, yet fail to reach the True Intent stage and struggle to survive the Seventh Tribulation.

Wu Yuan shook his head.

Only peerless geniuses should attempt this path.

There's no rush. First, I'll continue fusing the three Lesser Laws of Space, striving to advance to the True Intent stage of the True Domain Dao.

Then, with three Intermediate True Intents stacked, I might find more opportunities to comprehend the Domain stage of the Life Dao.

Wu Yuan's qi refiner self calmed his mind and resumed cultivation.

The Qiankun Divine Stele only guided one’s comprehension of the six Lesser Laws of Space, offering little help in fusing the laws.

...

Wu Yuan's qi refiner self continued his secluded cultivation.

Meanwhile, far away in the Cang Feng Eldritch World, the central region of the Origin Eldritch Continent of the Fourth Origin Eldritch Field was bustling with activity.

Over two hundred thousand members of the Origin Eldritch Field had gathered, their gazes fixed on several hundred figures in the distance.

Today marked the second stage of the Heaven and Earth Tournament. Over the past few dozen days, two hundred preliminary candidates had been selected from tens of thousands of ordinary disciples.

"73 earth-tier members. 200 preliminary candidates, totaling 273 participants," a muscular man surveyed the scene below from mid-air.

He was the Astral Lord responsible for managing the Fourth Origin Eldritch Field. Among the gathered figures was an inconspicuous white-robed figure. It was none other than Wu Yuan.

As a former heaven-tier member of the Fifth Origin Eldritch Field, Wu Yuan had automatically been granted earth-tier status upon advancing to the Fourth Origin Eldritch Field.

Over the past thirty years, Wu Yuan's qi refiner self had experienced much, dominating the entry-level Eldritch-Immortal battlefield unchallenged before entering the Immortal Belvedere for cultivation.

His body refiner self had maintained a much lower profile, focusing on Dao comprehension and cultivating various ether arts. He was so low-key that many in the world outside had forgotten 'Wu Yuan's' existence.

The burly Astral Lord's voice thundered, "You’ve all graduated from the Fifth Origin Eldritch Field, so you know the rules. I’ll keep it brief."

"This is a round-robin tournament! Winners gain one point, losers zero. The one who ranks first will become the new heaven-tier member."

His voice resonated through the crowd. "Those who rank from 2nd to 101st will form the new batch of earth-tier members."

The Fourth Origin Eldritch Field only had one hundred earth-tier member slots, just like the Fifth Origin Eldritch Field.

"You already know the match-ups and order of battles. Go and make your preparations," the Astral Lord stated as the distant Eldritch Arena hummed to life.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Wu Yuan and the other participants transformed into streaks of light, swiftly entering their designated battle spaces within the massive arena.

The battle spaces in the Fourth Origin Eldritch Field were far more expansive, each with a diameter of over ten thousand li.

Over twenty thousand spectators eagerly chose their preferred battles to watch, their excited chatter filling the air.

"Who do you think will claim the heaven-tier title this time?"

"Probably Chu Deng. He was second in the last Heaven and Earth Tournament, just shy of becoming the heaven-tier member."

"True, his Dao comprehension has already reached the third-level True Intent stage, and his immortal root is incredibly strong."

"Long Zun has a good chance too."

"What about Fairy Xi Nan? She's an unparalleled swordswoman. I believe her power is the most formidable." Countless disciples of the Origin Eldritch Field debated.

Their discussions centered on the brightest stars of the Fourth Origin Eldritch Field.

These disciples, who typically spent their days immersed in intense cultivation, rarely had the opportunity to gather for such an occasion. Unless they were embarking on dangerous expeditions or high-stakes adventures, the Heaven and Earth Tournament was one of the few events that drew their collective attention.

The birth of a new heaven-tier member was a spectacle none wanted to miss.

"What about Wu Yuan? Have you all forgotten about him?"

"Thirty years ago, at just sixty years old, he claimed first place in the Fifth Origin Eldritch Field. Who knows how powerful he's become after another thirty years?" Many disciples mentioned Wu Yuan's name.

Many of these disciples were newcomers to the Fourth Origin Eldritch Field, and the memory of Wu Yuan’s victory still lingered fresh in their minds.

"Wu Yuan? I've heard of his strength. Comprehending the second-level True Intent stage of the Celestial Body Dao before a hundred years old is impressive, but claiming the heaven-tier title? Unlikely!"

"He won’t make it."

"Staying in earth-tier shouldn't be a problem for him though."

"Wu Yuan is likely the most talented individual in the entire Origin Eldritch Field, but he’s too young. He might stand a chance in the tournament after the next, or perhaps by the next one."

"Advancing from second-level to third-level True Intent stage isn't easy.” Their whispers were filled with skepticism, though none could deny Wu Yuan's talent. Even those who hadn't witnessed his skills firsthand had heard the stories.

However, the idea of Wu Yuan, with less than a century of cultivation, triumphing over geniuses who had trained for three or four centuries seemed far-fetched.

It was worth noting that the Fourth Origin Eldritch Field boasted around twenty top-tier geniuses who had already reached the third-level True Intent stage.

As their debates simmered, the first round of battles erupted within the vast combat spaces.

...

The first round of battles concluded swiftly, some lasting mere seconds, others stretching to a quarter hour at most.

"As expected, Chu Deng is formidable. His Hydroflame Staff is terrifying, like a spear capable of tearing through space itself."

"Long Zun’s great hammer is equally horrifying."

"Lady Xinan's swordplay remains breathtakingly beautiful. I felt like I could lose myself in its grace."

"Long..." Under the watchful eyes of hundreds of thousands of disciples, over a dozen highly anticipated top-tier geniuses showcased their prowess.

The geniuses of the Origin Eldritch Field typically relished combat, so their abilities were usually well-known.

"Wu Yuan won too. His strength is quite impressive."

"Indeed. He might even rank within the top fifty, though he’s clearly still a step behind Chu Deng and the others."

"Still, his progress at such a young age is astounding.” Wu Yuan's presence hadn't gone unnoticed.

None dared to underestimate him. After all, when the other two hundred or so participants were Wu Yuan's age, most of them were still members of the Fifth Origin Eldritch Field.

Time marched forward, and round after round of battles concluded.

According to the tournament rules, twenty rounds would take place each day, with the second stage of the Heaven and Earth Tournament lasting a total of fourteen days.

By midday, the eighteenth round had arrived.

"Chu Deng’s next opponent is Wu Yuan.”

"Interesting. The acknowledged strongest of the Fourth Origin Eldritch Field versus the number one genius?"

"What’s so interesting? Wu Yuan is bound to lose." Though a handful of disciples leaned in to observe the match, their expectations of a sudden upset were low.

Based on the previous seventeen rounds, it seemed like Wu Yuan was destined for defeat.

...

Inside the combat space, Wu Yuan and Chu Deng stood at opposite ends, facing each other from a distance. Wu Yuan’s white robes fluttered gently in the air, pristine as jade, while Chu Deng stood clad in black armor, exuding the aura of a war god.

Both eldritch warriors were at the ninth-stage Shambhala phase, their vital auras swirling like storms around them.

"Wu Yuan? Long Zun mentioned you," Chu Deng said, his voice like rolling thunder. His gaze bore into Wu Yuan, his eyes like bronze bells. "I know of your feats. You're talented, no doubt. But your time to take the heaven-tier title hasn’t come yet. I’ve waited a hundred years, and this is my third tournament."

"Chu Deng," Wu Yuan replied calmly, "Let me give you a piece of advice. The heaven-tier title can never be achieved by simply waiting."

"Oh?" Chu Deng's eyes narrowed. "Then show me what you're capable of. But let me also give you some advice: strength isn’t proven by words."

Boom!

Chu Deng's form shifted, instantly growing to a height of a thousand zhangs. Nine arms sprouted from his body, giving him an eerie appearance, and his vital aura soared to frightening levels.

Grand ether art — Nine-Armed Eldritch Progenitor!

In his nine arms, he wielded two shields, two sabers, and five staffs!

With equal ferocity, Wu Yuan also morphed, transforming into a thousand-zhang giant with three heads and eight arms that held four shields and four sabers!

Advanced ether art—Three-Headed Eight-Armed Form.

As second-degree eldritch root cultivators at the Shambhala phase, they could each cultivate one grand ether art. Clearly, Wu Yuan hadn't focused on overly powerful offensive secret arts.

"Take my strike!" Chu Deng roared, his attack as swift and devastating as the collapse of heaven. His five long staffs cracked through the air while two war sabers howled in unison.

Wu Yuan’s calm eyes blazed with sudden, intense killing intent. "Kill!" His voice rang out as his sabers and shields moved in concert to meet Chu Deng's strike head-on.

The might he displayed was no less terrifying than Chu Deng's.