After bidding farewell, Wu Yuan's ether body stepped into a higher spatial dimension, departing from the Summerpeak World.

Standing in outer space beyond the world, he gazed at the Summerpeak World.

Home!

Wu Yuan silently mused.

This unremarkable worldlet held all his cherished memories and ties.

At this moment, Wu Yuan somewhat understood why Master Dong Yang, despite having late-stage Astral Lord strength, still harbored many worries when he left back then, and was so cautious when it came to accepting disciples.

At that time, Master Dong Yang must have been planning to embark on highly dangerous expeditions, seeking to become a Supreme Genius in one go.

Wu Yuan sighed inwardly.

Life and death are unpredictable, the future unknown.

While alive, naturally no one would dare provoke him, but what if he fell during his cultivation journey?

Back then, Master likely accepted me as his disciple out of consideration for the Dragon Star Immortal Sect.

Wu Yuan thought to himself.

Wu Yuan had done the same.

Why accept Gu Qi as a disciple? Because Gu Qi was already the top genius of the Summerpeak World. Nurturing Gu Qi was for the sake of the Summerpeak World’s future.

Though Wu Yuan's name had spread across the macrocosm, and no Astral Monarch of the eldritch world dared offend him, he still strictly ordered the immortal cultivators of the Summerpeak lineage and Wu Clan to remain low-key and avoid causing trouble.

Why? Because the entire Summerpeak lineage and Wu Clan were single-handedly backed by Wu Yuan. While he lived, there was no problem.

But the Megaverse Crossroads carried the risk of death. If both his true selves fell on the Crossroads, who would protect the Summerpeak lineage?

Even though Wu Yuan had many friends and his Master's favor, these would eventually be exhausted, after all, no one in the Summerpeak lineage was qualified to inherit what Wu Yuan would leave behind.

Human hearts were difficult to fathom, and accidents couldn't be ruled out.

Only when the Summerpeak World itself became powerful would it truly be strong.

I've done everything I could. Megaverse Crossroads?

Wu Yuan's ether body thought silently. Taking a step into outer space, he vanished silently.

…

In the eldritch world, within Wu Yuan's world in the Cang Feng Temple.

Boom!

The surrounding space trembled faintly as Wu Yuan's body refiner self, towering ten thousand zhangs tall with nine arms, deployed numerous secret arts while hovering in the void.

He had even deployed ‘Creation Saint Prohibition’. At this moment, his vital aura was fully extended, its terrifying pressure causing space itself to distort slightly. This world seemed barely able to withstand his pressure.

Within Wu Yuan's internal shambhala, the Boundary Tree towered majestically, and surging vital ether transformed continuously into divine power through Creation Saint Prohibition, permeating every part of his body.

After spending several thousand years, I've finally cultivated part three of ‘Creation Saint Prohibition’ to a great degree.

A glint of light flickered in Wu Yuan's body refiner self's eyes.

Now, upon applying the teachings, his vital ether rivaled ninth-stage Archimmortal mana. In this aspect, he could match Supreme Genius with Sovereign-level comprehension.

"Little Black, Beast Fusion!" Wu Yuan's voice suddenly echoed within his internal shambhala.

"Right away, Master!" Little Black responded cheerfully.

Little Black, who had been swimming through the internal shambhala, suddenly shot out, its body incomparably massive. Instantly, it merged into Wu Yuan's flesh.

Boom!

Another surge of ether flooded into Wu Yuan's flesh and blood, amplifying his might.

Hiss hiss hiss~

A pair of black skeletal wings pierced through the flesh on Wu Yuan's back, then fully opened, blotting out the sky.

"Roar~” A giant serpentine head also emerged, coiling around Wu Yuan. It rested its head on Wu Yuan's shoulder, its pupils frigid, like those of a ruthless assassin.

Unless those Supreme Genius are successors of a supreme being or also possess Apotheosis roots, no one could possibly surpass me in pure power.

Wu Yuan silently pondered.

Now, when Wu Yuan unleashed his full power, the strength of his ether could rival a quasi-Astral Monarch. If he progressed further, cultivating ‘Creation Saint Prohibition’ to its final part, he would be able to unleash base-level Astral Monarch mana.

Unfortunately, Wu Yuan didn’t have sufficient time or Dao comprehension to achieve this before the Crossroads opened.

Whoosh!

In an instant, the Teng Snake began to withdraw back into his body, and Wu Yuan's towering ten-thousand-zhang form rapidly shrank until it returned to normal.

Time to go.

Wu Yuan swept his gaze across this small world, revealing a smile.

After staying here for thousands of years, I've actually grown somewhat attached to this place, feeling a bit reluctant to leave.

Taking a step forward, Wu Yuan left the world, arriving in the main hall of the Cang Feng Temple.

With just one glance, Wu Yuan saw several familiar figures standing in the main hall.

"Master, Sovereign Cang Feng, Sovereign Zi Yang," Wu Yuan greeted respectfully.

Of the four Sovereigns of the eldritch world, three Sovereigns had come.

"Wu Yuan, you've finally emerged," Sovereign Cang Feng smiled. "I haven’t seen you for thousands of years, but you seem somewhat different now. It appears you’ve made substantial progress."

Wu Yuan smiled.

This scene made Jiang Huan sigh inwardly, while another black-robed High Immortal was secretly amazed - how could they be so at ease before a Sovereign?

"Wu Yuan, less than a thousand years remain until the Megaverse Crossroads opens. Theoretically, the Crossroads could open at any time," Sovereign Cang Feng said. "Therefore, all qualified geniuses of our Eldritch Court lineage will gather at the Eldritch Court headquarters."

"Headquarters?" Wu Yuan was slightly startled. "Not the Ling Jiang Saintdom of the Eldritch Court?"

He had just received the message and thought they were heading to the Eldritch Court’s stronghold in the Ling Jiang Universe.

"No!" Sovereign Kua Chi said, "The Megaverse Crossroads is mysterious and unpredictable. Only by going to the Eldritch Court Universe can you maintain some communication with the external world with treasures created by the Eldritch Progenitor."

"Communication?" Wu Yuan was quite surprised. The external world shouldn't be able to interfere with the Megaverse Crossroads.

It seemed the supreme beings of the Eldritch Court seemed able to interfere somewhat - worthy of being one of the two greatest factions of the megaverse.

"To participate in the Megaverse Crossroads, one’s Dao comprehension must reach the Astral Monarch level," Sovereign Cang Feng said. "Besides you, only Jiang Huan and Yan Guang qualify to participate from our Cang Feng Eldritch World."

"Senior Brother Jiang Huan." Wu Yuan exchanged greetings with Jiang Huan, then turned his gaze to the black-robed High Immortal. "Brother Yan Guang, congratulations."

High Immortal Yan Guang was a highly renowned High Immortal from the First Origin Eldritch Field of the Cang Feng Eldritch World.

Wu Yuan had gotten acquainted with him while cultivating in the First Origin Eldritch Field, but their friendship wasn't deep.

Previously, High Immortal Yan Guang's Dao comprehension had been stuck at the late-stage Astral Lord level. It seemed he had advanced to the Astral Monarch level just before the Megaverse Crossroads opened.

"It was just luck," High Immortal Yan Guang said with a bitter smile. "I barely qualified. I'm just here to broaden my horizons. If anyone can perform spectacularly on the Megaverse Crossroads, it will be Brother Wu Yuan and Brother Jiang Huan.”

“I'm just here to make up the numbers," Jiang Huan said with a laugh. "It's mainly up to Junior Brother Wu Yuan."

"Do your best, all of you," Sovereign Cang Feng said. "Nothing is set in stone; anything is possible. While Wu Yuan has the strongest abilities and highest likelihood of claiming a Saintcrest, you two might also find great opportunities."

Jiang Huan and High Immortal Yan Guang were considered top-tier in any macrocosm.

But on the Megaverse Crossroads, where countless peerless geniuses from hundreds of thousands of macrocosms across dozens of universes competed, they became rather unremarkable.

Or rather, just qualifying for the Megaverse Crossroads was already a glorious achievement, designating them as extraordinary talents!

Whoosh!

At that moment, a stream of light flew into the hall, merging directly into Wu Yuan's body - it was Wu Yuan's ether body.

"Wu Yuan's ether body has returned, everyone's here now," Sovereign Cang Feng said with a smile. "Good, I'll take these three and go ahead. The Overlord's battleship will arrive soon.

“Let's go." Sovereign Cang Feng waved his hand, immediately leading Wu Yuan, Jiang Huan, and High Immortal Yan Guang into the Vacuum Spatial Layer, swiftly departing from the Cang Feng Continent.

Sovereign Kua Chi and Sovereign Zi Yang remained behind.

"You're not going to give your disciple a few words of advice?" Sovereign Zi Yang asked with a smile, "We've witnessed the Megaverse Crossroads open several times, and even when we sent disciples to compete, they were just making up numbers. This time, your disciple truly has a chance of reaching the top ten, even claiming a Saintcrest."

"There’s no need to say anything. His eyes, his spirit, they already tell me of his ambition," Sovereign Kua Chi said softly. "Whether he succeeds or fails, we can only await the results."

…

At the edge of the Greenridge Macrocosm, in the endless darkness of outer space, an ancient silver battleship hovered.

Two tall figures stood in the void.

"After picking up youngsters from so many macrocosms, we've finally come to the last one, the Greenridge Macrocosm. Hou Jue, you must really think highly of this place," said a bald man in golden armor with a chuckle.

This man in golden armor resembled a divine pillar supporting heaven and earth, possessing unshakeable might.

"Of course we had to come here last," said the beautiful woman in black robes beside him indifferently. "This time, the Eldritch Court's Ling Jiang Saintdom's most brilliant and outstanding genius comes from the Greenridge Macrocosm, so naturally we must show proper courtesy. Aren't you here for Wu Yuan as well?"

"I'm just patrolling the realms." The bald man in golden armor laughed, "I came to the Ling Jiang Universe for other matters, not specifically for young Wu Yuan. Though after hearing he might stand alongside us in the future, I’m rather interested in having a look for myself."

"Hmm." The black-robed woman nodded noncommittally, her appearance flawless yet extremely cold, like an ancient glacier.

"Oh?" The black-robed woman's brows moved slightly as ripples appeared in the distant void, revealing several figures.

At the lead was Sovereign Cang Feng, who was taken aback upon seeing the black-robed woman and the bald man in golden armor beside her.

Two Overlords?

"Overlord Hou Jue," Sovereign Cang Feng greeted respectfully.

"Mm." The black-robed woman nodded slightly, her unfathomable gaze sweeping over Wu Yuan and the other two.

"Overlord Hou Jue," Wu Yuan, Jiang Huan, and High Immortal Yan Guang all bowed simultaneously.

Boom!

Suddenly, a vast and magnificent aura suddenly erupted, as the bald man in golden armor unleashed his aura without restraint, sweeping in all directions.

"Overlord, what are you doing?" Sovereign Cang Feng's expression changed slightly.

Overlord Hou Jue frowned slightly but said nothing, understanding the intentions of the bald man in golden armor.

"Hm?"

"This is bad!" Jiang Huan and High Immortal Yan Guang had never encountered an Overlord before and never experienced such terrifying pressure. Their faces paled, their Yuan Souls trembling.

Only Wu Yuan maintained his composure while bowing, his expression completely calm.

An Overlord's pressure? He had faced the true body of a supreme being and endured it for a while, why would he be concerned about an Overlord?

Yes, Overlords were great, standing at the pinnacle above countless sempiternal lives, but ‘greatness’ was relative.

This scene was naturally observed by Sovereign Cang Feng, Overlord Hou Jue, and the bald man in golden armor.

Whoom~

Silently, the bald man in golden armor withdrew his aura, allowing Jiang Huan and High Immortal Yan Guang to regain their composure.

"Not bad. Cang Feng, you've nurtured three impressive youngsters," Overlord Hou Jue said slowly. "I'll take them now. When the Megaverse Crossroads concludes, I'll bring them back from the Eldritch Court headquarters."

"Thank you, Overlord," Sovereign Cang Feng said.

"Head in. The other qualified geniuses from the Eldritch Court's Ling Jiang branch have already entered. You are the last batch," Overlord Hou Jue waved her hand.

Rumble~

The hatches of the ancient silver battleship slowly opened in the distance.

"They have already entered?"

"We're the last?" Jiang Huan and High Immortal Yan Guang were inwardly surprised.

Then, they followed Wu Yuan into the battleship, and the hatches slowly closed.

Sovereign Cang Feng quickly departed.

"How was it?" asked Overlord Hou Jue, cold as a glacier.

"Such a powerful Yuan Soul, such strong willpower," the bald man in golden armor's eyes lit up. "It's been a long time since I've seen such an impressive youngster.

“If you hadn't told me he's been cultivating for less than twenty thousand years, I wouldn't have believed it.

“In terms of Yuan Soul and willpower alone, those dozen or so youngsters at headquarters probably can't match him," the bald man in golden armor smiled. "Perhaps only Zhu Shan can compare."

"Yes, Zhu Shan is indeed a monster!" Overlord Hou Jue nodded slightly. "I heard that he is undisputedly number one among more than ten Supreme Geniuses at the Eldritch Court headquarters?"

"Haha! Better not ask about that," the bald man in golden armor laughed. "He is indeed number one, but whether that was his full strength is hard to say. After all, no one has forced him to go all out yet.

“It's said that even the Eldritch Progenitors are competing to take him as a disciple.

“It’s practically certain that he’ll claim a Saintcrest. We haven't heard of anyone stronger emerging from the Immortal Court," said the bald man in golden armor.