Chapter 657: A Small Matter (2)

The first time one nurtures a mana body, the process is extremely fast. But when a mana body perishes, the true self's amethyst cradle will also take damage.

Wu Yuan contemplated.

Without external aid, Earth Immortals often need several thousand or tens of thousands of years to cultivate a new mana body.

Earth Immortals had a maximum lifespan of ninety thousand years, and had limited wealth. Therefore, the vast majority of Earth Immortals rarely acted too recklessly, including their mana bodies.

But how could a true peerless genius wait for so long?

With the Divided Soul Immortal Life Pills, one could cultivate a new mana body in just a few decades. Of course, this was limited to the Earth Immortal level. When it came to the Tribulation Immortal Life Pills, the price was even more exorbitant!

These rare immortal pills were mostly refined by pill refining grandmasters at the Astral Lord or even Astral Monarch level with mystical natural treasures, naturally resulting in high prices.

Ten Divided Soul Immortal Life Pills should be enough.

Wu Yuan muttered to himself.

Even if I don't use them all in the end, I can sell them off after advancing to the Tribulation phase.

Selling such immortal pills was never a worry.

Besides these treasures, Wu Yuan had also purchased a large quantity of artifacts with various uses, all to deal with different potential dangers. A large portion of the divine crystals was spent on these.

...

Apart from these treasures, the truly important artifacts in my possession are actually the gifts from my two masters.

Wu Yuan finished taking stock of his treasures.

With a wave of his hand, two treasures floated before him.

One treasure was an irregularly shaped green sphere about the size of a fruit pit. The surface of the sphere was covered in countless intricate Dao patterns, emanating a rich vital aura.

The other treasure was a black ruler, slightly more than an inch long, with countless cracks and patterns on its surface. At first glance, it appeared ordinary. But after perceiving it carefully, one could feel the vigorous spatial fluctuations emanating from the black ruler, causing the surrounding space to vibrate subtly.

The Myriad Woods Dao Treasure was a gift from Master Kua Chi after the entry-level Eldritch-Immortal battlefield ended.

Wu Yuan mused inwardly.

The Void Rift Ruler was from Master Dong Yang.

These two artifacts were the truly important treasures. Over the past few centuries, as his cultivation progressed and his Dao comprehension deepened, Wu Yuan gradually came to understand their capabilities.

Wu Yuan's qi refiner self might only be an Earth Immortal now, but even if he advanced to the High Immortal level, they would still be precious treasures.

Wu Yuan was also very clear about their value. The Myriad Woods Dao Treasure was probably worth around ten million divine crystals. But the Void Rift Ruler? It could be said that if Wu Yuan were willing to sell it, many Astral Lords would be willing to pay a hefty price. It would be more than enough to upgrade nine lifebound flying swords to low-grade celestial equipment.

Back then, when Master Dong Yang left, he instructed me not to reveal the Void Rift Ruler, fearing it might attract the attention of some Archimmortals or Astral Lords.

Wu Yuan smiled slightly.

At that time, Master Dong Yang probably never imagined that he would reach his current level.

The Void Rift Ruler? For the current Wu Yuan, it was still a precious treasure. But it was no longer too hot to handle.

After using divine crystal elixir to cultivate to the ninth-stage Earth Immortal level, and upgrading all my lifebound flying swords to high-grade spirion artifacts, my strength will naturally reach an unprecedented level.

Wu Yuan was looking forward to it.

Even the combat power of his mana body would be incredible. Compared to his true self, his mana body lacked lifebound artifacts, and possessed a much weaker soul, resulting in both weaker soul defense and attack power.

Everything takes time.

Wu Yuan mused.

However, I wonder what exactly my body refiner self is experiencing. It's been over three hundred years, and I still haven’t left the Immutable Land?

Wu Yuan's qi refiner self pondered.

Through his deepening comprehension of the Dao, he could sense that his body refiner self seemed to be undergoing some kind of transformation, especially in terms of various intangible aspects of artistic conception and spiritual resonance.

Is it an Essence Great Dao? Previously, in the Thunder Marsh World, Master Kua Chi warned me not to take this path; but my body refiner self seems to be progressing along this route.

Wu Yuan's qi refiner self shook his head slightly. He wasn't sure what his body refiner self was experiencing.

It’s fine, I trust myself. Moreover, my body refiner self is probably also wondering why I'm dedicating my full effort to comprehending the Law of Space.

Wu Yuan's qi refiner self couldn't help but smile.

He calmed his mind and began cultivating silently. Apart from normal Dao comprehension, he also focused on cultivating mana and upgrading his lifebound flying swords.

Time flew by the quickest when he was immersed in cultivation.

One day, two days... One month, two months... Wu Yuan's qi refiner self, who had just broken through, was rapidly gaining strength.

...

While Wu Yuan was cultivating in seclusion.

Within the Greenridge Macrocosm was a mysterious region called the Ivory Realm Boundary.

The entire realm boundary spanned hundreds of thousands of light-years, even larger than the spacetime domain of an ordinary immortal continent. It appeared to operate under a fixed set of rules and was a famous realm boundary within the spacetime domain of the Eternal Sun Immortal World.

This realm boundary was also close to the spacetime domains controlled by the Desolation Divine Court and the Eight Mountains Alliance.

It was considered a no-man's-land, with no single force claiming complete sovereignty. Combined with the constant emergence of numerous rare treasures, many Archimmortals and Astral Lords from various super factions would head in to explore it over the long years.

Today, in an inconspicuous area of the Ivory Realm Boundary, in the vast outer space, a terrifying battle was unfolding.

Boom! Boom!

Shocking waves of terrifying light rippled across millions of li.

Endless flames roared across space, as if threatening to burn the whole of outer space.

A figure in black robes strolled casually through the void. His body was engulfed in flames, resembling a sun. The force from each casual palm strike he sent out didn’t dissipate even after sweeping through millions of li.

It was worth noting that the speed of light was only about 600,000 li per second, and the spread of aftershocks was limited.

Clearly, each of his strikes descended from a higher spacetime dimension.

"Long Xing, stop running. [1] You're no match for me. Today, this mana body of yours is doomed to perish," the black-robed figure said coldly, his voice echoing throughout spacetime.

Boom!

Within the endless flames, a massive dragon tail suddenly lashed out, and a huge azure dragon about a hundred li long appeared, darting further into the distance.

Waves of azure light diffused around the azure dragon's body, resisting the flames as it struggled desperately.

Rumble!

The collision between the two was like the collapse of heaven and earth, causing countless stars and planets along their path to explode, the aftershocks sweeping across outer space.

This was a battle at the Astral Lord level, where each move was capable of destroying heaven and earth. Ordinary immortal continents were unsuitable battlefields for them.

"Huo Long, are you sure you want to push me?" Astral Lord Long Xing struggled while roaring angrily. "I said I'm willing to give you half the treasures. Even if you want to kill this mana body of mine, it won't be easy. If you push me too far, I'll dive into Black Devil Planet."

To one side of space where the two were battling was an extremely dark region, completely black, as if all light was swallowed upon contact with it. If Earth Immortals or High Immortals were to rely solely on their naked eyes or Soul Will, they wouldn't be able to see what was inside.

However, for beings like Astral Lord Long Xing and Astral Lord Huo Long, their immortal consciousness could penetrate higher spacetime dimensions, allowing them to observe it clearly.

At the core of that dark area spanning several light years was actually a dark black celestial body. This was Black Devil Planet, ranked among the top three most dangerous places in the entire Ivory Realm Boundary.

If an Astral Lord entered Black Devil Planet, they had a 99% chance of perishing.

"Haha, I said, I want it all," Astral Lord Huo Long, clad in black robes, was incredibly overbearing. Streams of flame penetrated the higher spatial dimensions, completely trapping Astral Lord Long Xing.

"Two paths. Either surrender all your treasures, and I'll spare your mana body; or refuse and perish." The Astral Lord Huo Long allowed Astral Lord Long Xing no quarter.

"Bastard!" Astral Lord Long Xing seethed with fury.

If only he hadn't fought so recklessly earlier, expending all the trump cards his mana body carried. Even if slightly outmatched by Astral Lord Huo Long, he wouldn’t have ended up in such a desperate situation.

Yet, after paying such a heavy price, he had to hand over all his hard-won treasures to Astral Lord Huo Long in the end? How could he possibly accept that?

"Trying to take advantage of me? Even if I die, you won't profit from me." Astral Lord Long Xing, equally hot-tempered, growled, "Huo Long, if you've got the guts, follow me into Black Devil Planet."

Boom!

Astral Lord Long Xing's massive form suddenly darted forward.

He charged directly towards Black Devil Planet, a place that ordinary Archimmortals and even Astral Lords avoided at all costs.

Rumble~

Outer space trembled, and what appeared to be visible spatial cracks began to form in the void, a sight that would chill anyone to the core.

In truth, these were not spatial fissures. Rather, the battle had been so intense that it caused a momentary overlap between lower and higher spatial dimensions, creating a visual illusion.

Space had always been there. It was the foundation for all existence, and could hardly ever truly shatter in any true sense.

If space were to truly shatter, nothing would exist. What occurred was merely the contraction, expansion, or overlapping projection of lower and higher spatial dimensions.

1. Long Xing = Dragon Star ☜