Chapter 697: Wu Yuan Perishes

First, he applied the profundities of Space, followed by Time. Now, he can even employ combat techniques combining Space and Time.

High Immortal Pu Guang mused inwardly.

Truly an inconceivably monstrous prodigy.

His sword techniques are also frighteningly powerful. Though he's still some distance from the Archimmortal threshold, he can somehow overwhelm my arrays.

High Immortal Pu Guang shook his head slightly.

Is this the power of Spacetime?

In theory, his arrays could even trap an Archimmortal for a brief moment. This spoke volumes about the uncanny nature of Wu Yuan's techniques.

By right, one shouldn't offend such a peerless monstrous prodigy. But the deed is already done, what can he do to me? Kill me?

A hint of contempt flashed in High Immortal Pu Guang's eyes.

If not for their previous grudge, yielding a low-grade celestial artifact wouldn't have been an issue. But even before their encounter today, High Immortal Pu Guang had already been seething with anger.

I paid a hefty price to request his help with completing a Dao Master-level Mission. If he was unwilling, a simple refusal would have sufficed. Yet he deliberately humiliated me with that ten million divine crystal price tag.

High Immortal Pu Guang inwardly snorted.

Moreover, he had expended time, effort, and energy to suppress three Archimmortals and compete for the treasure. Just when he was on the verge of claiming the prize, Wu Yuan had snatched it away in the chaos.

How could he back down now?

On the path of immortal cultivation, one should respect the strong and avoid offending monstrous prodigies. But that doesn't mean bowing all the time like a dog!

He can’t kill my true self on the Spacetime Island.

High Immortal Pu Guang remained unfazed.

He's from the Taiyuan Divine Court lineage, while I'm from the core of the Immortal Court. We're from different macrocosms. What can he do?

He must have already disliked me, otherwise why humiliate me previously? Today's enmity will only deepen our grudges.

High Immortal Pu Guang was unwilling to continue fighting to the death with those three Archimmortals, choosing to leave swiftly.

Wu Yuan might display some talent, showing potential of becoming a Sovereign. But the possibility was still miniscule, and the path of immortality was long. Who could predict the final outcome?

Even if Wu Yuan truly became a Sovereign, so what? In the future, Pu Guang would return to the Immortal Court. Even a heaven-defying Sovereign of Time wouldn't dare storm the divine court headquarters to slay his true self.

...

This celestial artifact should be worth about two thousand divine crystals. Not bad.

Wu Yuan flew through the glacial crevasse, his mood rather cheerful.

In a sense, two thousand divine crystals wasn’t much. When it came to upgrading his lifebound flying swords, it was a mere drop in the bucket.

But it was also a considerable sum. An ordinary Archimmortal, without risking their life by embarking on expeditions, might not accumulate even a million divine crystals after living for several million or even tens of millions of years.

Someone like High Immortal Pu Guang could offer a hiring fee of several hundred thousand divine crystals just to complete a Dao Master-level Mission because he was a peerless genius, among the top beings on all of the Spacetime Island, and had been granted many treasures by the Immortal Court.

It wasn't because High Immortal Pu Guang himself was particularly adept at amassing wealth.

A single low-grade celestial artifact was enough to drive ordinary High Immortals mad with desire. It could even incite Archimmortals to fight to the death.

This was because their wealth was slowly accumulated through countless life-and-death battles over long years.

Opportunities to gain several hundred thousand or million divine crystals' worth of wealth in one go? The vast majority of Archimmortals might never get such a chance.

Sometimes, Archimmortals who were blinded by rage or greed would fight desperately over treasures worth just over a hundred divine crystals. What did it matter if they perished? Only their mana bodies would die.

Wu Yuan was unfazed by the prospect of making enemies with Nie Zhen or forming grudges with High Immortal Pu Guang.

Immortal cultivators are bound to make many enemies over their long years.

Wu Yuan shook his head slightly.

Afraid of making enemies? Not fighting for treasures when one encounters them? Always backing down?

If one is so timid, why bother with immortal cultivation?

In fact, High Immortal Pu Guang's reaction was within Wu Yuan's expectations. It would have been far stranger if he had swallowed his anger.

...

Several hours later, Wu Yuan suddenly halted in a corner of the Glacier Domain's Core Region. He gazed towards a crevasse in the ice a hundred million li away.

There, a spatial vortex about ten thousand li in diameter swirled.

I finally found a spatial vortex. Hopefully, it can transport me to the edge of the Glacier Domain.

Wu Yuan muttered to himself.

Whoosh!

His form flashed as he plunged into the vortex. Immediately, he felt space tremble slightly, and the scenery around him shifted. He had arrived in another realm.

Immediately after, an invisible gravitational force took effect, and Wu Yuan's form plummeted rapidly. He swiftly fell onto an icy plain.

Transported to another glacier?

Wu Yuan shook his head slightly.

I can only continue searching for spatial vortices.

This was an entirely new glacier. Wu Yuan chose a path at random and continued making his way towards the Core Region of this glacier.

This was the nature of the Glacier Domain. By entering the spatial vortexes in the Core Regions and being teleported to a different location, one would eventually be transported out with enough attempts.

But there was no fixed pattern, it all depended on luck. With good fortune, one might escape in ten days or half a month. With poor luck, even a hundred years might not be enough to leave.

...

Time flowed on.

Wu Yuan's qi refiner self remained in secluded cultivation, silently practicing the three combat teachings from the Spacetime Secret Codex.

His mana body, meanwhile, ventured through glacier after glacier in the Glacier Domain, attempting to break free, only to fail time and again.

Wu Yuan wasn't particularly anxious. Embarking on a journey to the Black Devil Blood Hollow was, in a sense, a form of tempering.

While traveling through the Glacier Domain, Wu Yuan would occasionally encounter other powerhouses.

Under normal circumstances, if no treasures appeared, most encounters were peaceful. But occasionally, some Archimmortals or High Immortals, upon encountering an Earth Immortal like Wu Yuan, would attempt to make a move against him.

Wu Yuan, unwilling to show weakness, would retaliate. Sometimes he won, defeating or even slaying his opponents. Those who kill would be killed in turn.

However, unless it was for the sake of seizing treasures, Wu Yuan wouldn't take the initiative to attack other immortal cultivators.

Once in a while, when encountering formidable Archimmortals, Wu Yuan would have no choice but to flee for his life. In a head-on collision, any Archimmortal could defeat Wu Yuan.

Simply put, when celestial equipment was at stake and Archimmortals were involved, he could only hope to snatch leftovers.

But after repeated engagements and encounters with some imprint bearers from the Spacetime Island, information about Wu Yuan's techniques, such as Moonlight Shadow and Nine Swords of Spacetime, gradually spread.

Naturally, this further strengthened his fame. Word spread beyond the Spacetime Island to even some of the nine major factions of the Dao Realm. Many took note of an extraordinary Earth Immortal from the Spacetime Island, a prodigy in the Laws of Space and Time, who frequently explored the Snowlight Mist Realm.

The repeated battles and life-and-death struggles also tempered Wu Yuan, speeding up his growth.

In the blink of an eye, eight years passed.

...

The Spacetime Immortal Voidrealm, in a tavern of the Taiyuan Tower.

The sky outside was clear and bright, while waitresses continuously presented an array of exquisite dishes.

A figure in silver armor leisurely savored the delicacies before her, as if she were an insatiable glutton.

"Your love for food hasn't changed one bit," Wu Yuan chuckled. He only tasted a morsel or two, preferring to sip the immortal wine. Compared to fine cuisine, he favored fine liquor.

"Among the many pleasures of the world, only food is indispensable," Zhuo Haiyue smiled softly, wiping her mouth.

"I sent you messages earlier but got no response. Have you finally left the Spacetime Labyrinth?" Wu Yuan asked with a grin.

"Mm, I’ve just emerged," Zhuo Haiyue nodded. "However, based on the intelligence I've gathered, I fear my gains pale in comparison to yours. The spacetime techniques you've mastered are incredibly formidable.

Now, in terms of direct combat, even if you're not my equal, you're likely not far behind," Zhuo Haiyue remarked with a sigh. "Not to mention your various other auxiliary abilities."

Wu Yuan shook his head with a smile but offered no further explanation.

The supreme teachings left by the Spacetime Dao Master were indeed powerful.

Take the Law of Space, for instance. He had only just reached the third-level True Intent stage of comprehension, and hadn't even begun crystallizing the True Intent of the Law of Time. Yet when combined, the power they unleashed was utterly terrifying.

This news had spread throughout the Spacetime Island during his years of adventuring.

But Wu Yuan wasn't surprised. It was already fearsome to induce a hint of a Greater Law's fluctuations via the combination of Intermediate Laws. The fusion of two Greater Laws? Their power was naturally heaven-defying.

Moreover, according to Wu Yuan's knowledge, the combination of Time and Space was already related to a certain legendary Essence Great Dao...

"Since you emerged this late, your gains must be considerable as well," Wu Yuan said with a smile.

"I did reap some rewards." Zhuo Haiyue nodded, then changed the subject: "I've heard about your conflict with Nie Zhen. You needn't worry too much about it. He's destined to become an Astral Monarch in the future and belongs to a different macrocosm than you. Naturally, he won't truly fear you."

"Likewise, I need not concern myself with him," Wu Yuan replied with a smile.

Different temperaments meant that even if two people started off on good terms, diverging opinions and conflicts would naturally arise over time.

But the two hadn't yet reached the point of a life-or-death feud.

...

After meeting with Zhuo Haiyue, neither inquired about the other's plans. Both were peerless geniuses with their own cultivation agendas.

Time flew by swiftly.

After nine years of exploring the Glacier Domain, Wu Yuan's mana body amassed treasures worth tens of thousands of divine crystals, and finally found a way to leave.

Subsequently, Wu Yuan began using Higher Dimensional Crossing to accelerate his progress through the Snowlight Mist Realm, heading towards the Black Devil Blood Hollow’s spacetime coordinates.

Although the Snowlight Mist Realm was dangerous, neither the Outer Region nor the Inner Region posed much of a challenge for Wu Yuan who comprehended Space and Time. He made his way through them with virtually no obstacles.

It wasn't until he entered the Core Region of the Snowlight Mist Realm that Wu Yuan finally suffered a severe setback.

In a treacherous area known as the Ice Vortex Valley, his mana body perished!

...

The Spacetime Immortal Voidrealm, Immortal Court Pavilion.

This was where cultivators of the Immortal Court regularly gathered to exchange insights within the voidrealm.

However, only a small minority of imprint bearers on the Spacetime Island were from the Immortal Court. They typically numbered around 100,000, and were not considered a dominant force.

In one of the halls of the Immortal Court Pavilion, six individuals were seated, among which were High Immortal Pu Guang and High Deity Ci Yue.

"Haha, Daoist Mi Yun, I raise this toast to you," High Immortal Pu Guang lifted his wine cup, exclaiming excitedly, "You've certainly helped us vent our frustrations."

"We are all of the Immortal Court lineage, naturally we stand united. What I did was nothing special," the black-robed middle-aged man said calmly. "By looking down on you, that Ming Jian looked down on our entire Immortal Court faction.

When the treasure appeared in Ice Vortex Valley, Ming Jian didn’t know his place, so I taught him," the black-robed middle-aged man said indifferently.

"He has grown too arrogant just because he comprehends Space and Time. He only has a few hundred years of cultivation, and failed to see Daoist Mi Yun's true strength," High Deity Ci Yue's voice remained gentle as she smiled and said, "Daoist Mi Yun is equally proficient in the Law of Space, having comprehended the Law of True Domain to the Dao Field stage."

"Indeed, in terms of the comprehension of Space alone, Daoist Mi Yun is no inferior to Ming Jian, and even surpasses him," the others chimed in agreement.

"It was merely the destruction of his mana body, not his true self," the black-robed middle-aged man said with a faint smile.

"Come, let's drink."

"Cheers."

...

On the Spacetime Island, within Wu Yuan's private hall.

I truly didn't expect the destruction of a single mana body to attract so much attention. Indeed, this news couldn't be kept under wraps.

Wu Yuan shook his head slightly, sitting in lotus position atop the jade platform.

Just moments ago, he had received messages from numerous friends including Zhuo Haiyue, Nangong Meng, Hua Zhu, and Kou Lei, all inquiring about the situation.

Wu Yuan had responded to each of them. Only then did things quiet down.

However, this Mi Yun is truly formidable. He certainly lives up to his reputation as the strongest expert from the Immortal Court faction on the Spacetime Island.

Wu Yuan reflected on the battle he had fought two hours ago.

The Ice Vortex Valley was a notorious danger zone in the Core Region of the Snowlight Mist Realm.

Many Archimmortals regularly ventured into the Core Region, including powerhouses at or above the seventh-stage Archimmortal, or Astral Lord, level. Even numerous top-tier imprint bearers from the Spacetime Island explored its depths.

Wu Yuan's strength, while decent in the Inner Region, was at the bottom of the hierarchy in the Core Region.

A treasure worth hundreds of thousands of divine crystals had appeared, attracting many Archimmortal-level powerhouses. Wu Yuan happened to be nearby as well.

Amidst the chaos, High Deity Mi Yun displayed his might, single-handedly contending against numerous powerful Archimmortals, even slaying several of their mana bodies.

As the fight progressed, Wu Yuan tried to take advantage of the confusion to seize the treasure.

Little did he expect that High Deity Mi Yun would employ a special combat technique that fused the Law of Metal with the Law of True Domain, combining both attack and binding capabilities to restrict Wu Yuan's agility.

Afterwards, he unleashed just one saber strike! It tore through a million li, instantly annihilating Wu Yuan's mana body.

This Mi Yun's Dao comprehension far surpasses mine. It likely isn't even at the bottom among Astral Monarchs, and his mana capacity far exceeds mine as well.

Wu Yuan shook his head slightly.

The gap in strength was too great. That High Deity Mi Yun could truly unleash power at the seventh-stage Archimmortal level. Wu Yuan wasn't surprised that he was slain by him in one strike.

You can't walk along the river's edge without getting your shoes wet.

Through this battle, Wu Yuan also came to understand the gap between himself and the top-tier imprint bearers of the Spacetime Island.

The top-tier imprint bearers of the Spacetime Island, numbering only about ten, all possessed Dao comprehension at the Astral Monarch level.

However, once I break through to the High Immortal realm, the gap in strength between us will narrow considerably.

Wu Yuan calmed his mind.

He began using a Divided Soul Immortal Life Pill to cultivate a new mana body within his amethyst cradle.

When a mana body perished, it took ten years to create a new one even with the aid of immortal pills. On this trip, he had also lost various treasures worth nearly 100,000 divine crystals.

...

Many imprint bearers from various factions on the Spacetime Island secretly gloated over his loss at the Ice Vortex Valley, but Wu Yuan paid no heed.

Ten years later, Wu Yuan finished creating his mana body and once again teleported to the Snowlight Mist Realm. This time, he spent only a month to enter the Core Region.

But the final outcome was the same — annihilation! And this time, he perished silently, encountering a deadly trap with no chance to resist, dying instantly.

Another ten years passed.

Wu Yuan cultivated his third mana body and once again ventured into the Snowlight Mist Realm. This time, he spent three years there, enduring numerous perils.

But finally, he reached the location of the Black Devil Blood Hollow in the Core Region.

It was a tranquil expanse of space, with only howling winds. Occasionally, massive shards of ice drifted through the space, floating towards a distant glacier.

Is this the right place?

Wu Yuan's gaze swept across the space, inwardly perplexed.

Crack~

Suddenly, a massive spatial fissure tore open before him, and an invisible force enveloped Wu Yuan. In an instant, it sucked him into the rift.

The fissure closed, and tranquility returned to this region of space.