Chapter 912: The Top Ten (1)

The fifth round consisted of twenty matches, which would determine the top twenty. Those who had made it this far were all extraordinary geniuses, and many had recently undergone improvements in strength with the aid of the Chaos Origin Spring. Thus, these twenty battles were destined to be incredibly fierce.

However, among the forty Supreme Geniuses, a few were universally acknowledged as exceptionally powerful. This included Zhu Shan and Wu Yuan, as well as Inconstance, Li Guang, and Bai Shui. These five had already established formidable reputations during the Divine Domain stage and were almost certainly expected to break into the top ten.

Compared to them, even the prodigies who had risen to fame during the Primordial Steps Trial, like Ming Jian, Lie Jin, and You Feng, were generally considered weaker.

But almost none of the geniuses had anticipated that two monstrous prodigies universally acknowledged to reach the top ten—Wu Yuan and Inconstance—would already clash in the fifth round.

"What's going on?"

"This shouldn't be happening! Wu Yuan has cultivated for a short time, yet his strength is unparalleled. He's also the participant with the best aptitude for the Primordial Technique. He's highly likely to secure a place in the top ten."

"And what about Inconstance? His cultivation time is also very short, and his power is equally terrifying. He should have boundless potential too."

"No matter how I look at it, these two shouldn't be facing each other." The geniuses from various Saintdoms were puzzled. It was truly strange.

"What's so strange about it? The Heavenly Domain Emissary never published specific explanations behind its rules. It was likely all decided on a whim."

"Whether the matchups are based on strength or potential, it's all just our speculation."

"For instance, why did Zhuo Haiyue, who also cultivated for a short time, face Zhu Shan so early?"

"In my opinion, the Heavenly Domain Emissary wants to see the strongest clash." The numerous geniuses debated endlessly.

"Wu Yuan."

"Against Inconstance?" The many geniuses of the Eldritch Court looked on from afar, all somewhat worried.

Even Zhu Shan frowned slightly. If Wu Yuan were to face Li Guang, Bai Shui, or other peerless geniuses, he wouldn't be concerned at all, having witnessed Wu Yuan's strength. But Inconstance was special.

I hope Wu Yuan can withstand Inconstance's destiny attacks.

Zhu Shan shook his head slightly, only able to wish Wu Yuan the best. At this stage of the competition, luck meant nothing. Only strength mattered.

...

Wu Yuan?

High Immortal Dong Yang appeared calm on the surface, but was quite nervous inside.

My disciple's body refiner self is powerful. He should be able to defeat Inconstance, right?

Throughout this journey, Wu Yuan had shone brilliantly, but Inconstance was no less impressive, with terrifyingly powerful abilities. Many Supreme Geniuses had fallen to Inconstance without him so much as lifting a finger.

Wu Yuan, I hope you win.

Zhuo Haiyue, who had already been eliminated, sat on a jade platform in the viewing stands. She felt at peace with regard to stopping at the top forty.

In terms of raw strength, she could rank in the top twenty among the forty geniuses, but under the rules, she was matched up with the strongest, Zhu Shan. Clearly, the Megaverse Crossroads didn't want her to progress further. Thus, Zhuo Haiyue had no regrets. She had already gained much from this journey through the Crossroads.

Wu Yuan.

Zhuo Haiyue's gaze fell on Wu Yuan within the grotto-heaven, silently praying for him.

This was an evenly matched battle. No one could confidently predict the outcome.

...

Outside the grotto-heaven battlefield, silence reigned. Thousands of geniuses looked on intently, as this could potentially be the most spectacular duel in the Heavenly Domain stage so far.

Inside the grotto-heaven.

Wu Yuan and Inconstance faced each other, hundreds of thousands of li apart.

One exuded a majestic aura, like an unsheathed divine saber, with a radiance too blinding to look at directly. This was the bearing Wu Yuan had gained from tens of thousands of years of cultivation, especially after the bloody battles in the Divine Domain World.

Inconstance is truly formidable! Although I don't know how the Megaverse Crossroads determines the match-ups, I'll kill whoever stands in my path.

Wu Yuan's fighting spirit soared to the heavens.

My will is like a saber, cleaving through all obstacles before me!

This was Wu Yuan's resolve.

Along this path, I've seized many opportunities. The black pagoda's aid in my youth, becoming a Bloodforge King, the Spacetime Island, the Immutable Land... I rose step by step, blessed by fortune, but it also took effort on my part to grasp these opportunities.

Wu Yuan silently mused, filled with endless yearning.

Talent, opportunities, and luck—all three were indispensable in forging a peerless genius. Now, after tens of thousands of years, Wu Yuan had built great momentum, almost certainly destined to become an Overlord in the future.

But Overlords were merely the peak of sempiternal life. To transcend, to become an eternal being, claiming a Saintcrest was crucial.

Inconstance?

Wu Yuan, carrying a battle saber on his back, gazed at the man in cerulean robes floating in the distance.

The man in cerulean robes wore a smile on his face, as if he hadn't felt the terrifying pressure emanating from Wu Yuan at all.

This was Inconstance. No matter what opponent or danger he faced, he could always meet it with a smile.

However, beneath Inconstance's smiling face, Wu Yuan could sense a powerful conviction not inferior to his own.

It was the obsession with victory, the desire to become a Saintcrest Prodigy.

Perhaps, born in different eras, both would have had the chance to become Saintcrest Prodigies. But today, one of them was destined to end their journey here.

“Destiny is inconstant," Inconstance smiled and said, "We meet again, Daoist Wu Yuan. I let you go in the life-or-death treasure ground last time, but this time I won't hold back."

"Hold back? Inconstance, other Supreme Geniuses might fear you, but I don't," Wu Yuan laughed. "You couldn't beat me in the life-or-death treasure ground back then, and it'll be the same today.

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"Also, Daoist Inconstance, I have a saying for you."

"What saying?" Inconstance was slightly taken aback.

"Your fate at forty is inconstant!" Wu Yuan smiled and said, "It seems the heavens want you to stop at the top forty." [1]

Inconstance's pupils constricted slightly. As a prodigy who comprehended the Great Dao of Destiny, he believed strongly in the calculations of fate. In his predictions, this battle with Wu Yuan was already more perilous than fortunate.

Boom!

As they exchanged words, Wu Yuan moved, his true self and ether body simultaneously transforming into towering giants, each ten thousand zhangs tall with nine arms.

Moreover, wings grew on his true self’s back, his vital aura climbing to the absolute peak. Both wielded base-level Astral Monarch mana!

Having fully mastered ‘Creation Saint Prohibition’, activating it meant that Beast Fusion could no longer enhance his ether power. However, it would slightly improve his true self's movement skills compared to his ether body.

Hmm? This? Such a powerful aura.

Inconstance's expression changed slightly. Once Wu Yuan activated his burst state, Inconstance immediately sensed the special nature of Wu Yuan's aura.

This terrifying aura instantly reminded Inconstance of a certain dreaded opponent—Zhu Shan! He had crossed swords with Zhu Shan several times. Each encounter was a nightmare, and he was utterly defeated every time. And now, he saw a shadow of Zhu Shan in Wu Yuan.

However, there was a fundamental difference between the two. Zhu Shan was like a vast ocean or a majestic mountain, his overwhelming presence inspiring despair; Wu Yuan was like the sharpest battle saber in the world, his piercing radiance instilling fear. Each had its own unique aspects.

Indeed! This Wu Yuan, like Zhu Shan, is truly an Eldritch Progenitor's direct disciple, having cultivated a perfectly compatible supreme burst secret art... I only have a first-degree immortal root. In a direct physical confrontation, I'm bound to lose.

Inconstance instantly understood.

I can only go all out. Victory or defeat will be decided in this moment.

An instant later, Inconstance's true self and mana body closed their eyes. In his upper dantian lobe, twelve Yuan Souls simultaneously ignited, purple light rising from them. The purple radiance was vast, its power endless.

Hum~ Hum~

Spirit, Yuan Soul, mana, Dao fluctuations, Primordial Technique... Various aspects fused and converged at this moment, forming a strange and unfathomable purple light. His true self and mana body became two streams of Destiny's light.

Go!

With a thought from Inconstance, the consciousness of his true self and mana body seemed to merge into this wisp of purple light, instantly transcending the spatial layer. Following his karmic perception, it struck Wu Yuan.

Stillness! Time seemed to freeze in this instant, leaving only the clashing of wills and spirits between Wu Yuan and Inconstance.

...

"Hmm?"

"Why did Inconstance close his eyes? He didn't do this when fighting us before."

"Is he giving up?"

"Or is he using some special move?" The vast majority of observing geniuses felt puzzled, unclear about the situation.

"It's starting."

"Inconstance is going all out from the beginning."

"Wu Yuan's vital aura must have forced Inconstance into a corner. He’s desperate." Zhu Shan, Li Guang, Bai Shui, and the others, though outside the grotto-heaven, understood Inconstance's choice when they saw him close his eyes, as if giving up resistance.

Battling against Inconstance was unlike facing any ordinary genius. When most geniuses clashed, it's often unclear who was stronger until they actually fought. But Inconstance, who comprehended the Great Dao of Destiny and divined past, present, and future, possessed a vague ability to know the future.

Thus, whenever he encountered an opponent he foresaw would be extremely difficult to defeat, he would typically go all out from the start. It was a fighting style with his life on the line, seeking a slim chance of survival.

Throughout the nine thousand years in the Divine Domain stage, Inconstance had faced countless geniuses. Only three peerless geniuses had ever driven him to fight so desperately. They were none other than Zhu Shan, Li Guang, and Bai Shui, each of whom he had faced more than once.

Among them, Zhu Shan had achieved a definite victory, while with Li Guang and Bai Shui, Inconstance had traded wins and losses.

...

Within the grotto-heaven.

The moment Inconstance's true self and mana body simultaneously closed their eyes, two invisible waves of fluctuations descended. This was not merely a soul attack, but an assault targeting the very spirit. At this level of confrontation, victory or defeat would be decided in an instant.

Hum~

Within the upper dantian lobe of Wu Yuan's body refiner self, his twelve Yuan Souls suddenly blazed with brilliant light. The Nine Star Lotus Platforms instantly materialized, erupting with layer upon layer of dazzling radiance to protect the Yuan Souls.

Boom!

The waves of soul power carried by those two strands of purple light invaded in an instant, like two primordial behemoths from the dawn of creation. Roaring, they sought to tear through Wu Yuan's Yuan Soul defenses.

Rumble~

Wu Yuan's body refiner self's upper dantian lobe trembled faintly. This was undoubtedly the strongest soul attack Wu Yuan had ever encountered.

However, Wu Yuan's Yuan Souls were incredibly powerful, and he had cultivated secret arts for soul defense, as well as possessed treasures to protect his souls.

Hiss~

With multiple layers of defense, Wu Yuan easily withstood this overwhelming soul attack, though the aura of the Nine Star Lotus Platforms weakened, its power greatly exhausted.

As expected of Inconstance. A High Immortal unleashing such a terrifying soul attack?

A thought flashed through Wu Yuan's mind.

Boom!

A moment later, his consciousness was completely drawn into the great collision of spirits. This was Inconstance's true killing move.

Normally, he only used fifty percent of his spiritual power to annihilate and defeat ninety percent of Supreme Geniuses. But now, with his true self and mana body working in unison, he was using all one hundred percent.

He was going all out.

1. 世事无常 is a common Chinese idiom meaning “the affairs of the world are unpredictable" or "everything in life is uncertain/inconstant."

无常 (Inconstance) is his alias, also meaning unpredictable.

The phrase "四十无常" is a play on this idiom, where the first two words 世事 and 四十 sound similar. So the saying Wu Yuan came up with means that Inconstance’s life will undergo unpredictability or changes at the top 40. ☜