Wu Yuan was truly here? Astral Monarch Dong Yang was both astounded and perplexed.
Years ago, Wu Yuan's qi refiner self had sent a message through certain channels of the Taiyuan Divine Court, saying he would visit.
Yet, since the message was conveyed via the communication channels of other Saintdoms; it wasn’t very explicit, and it never mentioned that his body refiner self would be the one to arrive.
Moreover, what puzzled Astral Monarch Dong Yang most was that even if Wu Yuan’s mana body did come, its power in the Qiu Yan Macrocosm would be limited to that of a sixth-stage Sovereign, at most reaching the seventh-stage Sovereign level.
Sovereign Guan Po, while only a fourth-stage Sovereign, could harness the power of a sixth-stage Sovereign within his lair's arrays and wasn’t particularly afraid of Wu Yuan’s mana body.
Simply put, before Wu Yuan’s appearance, Astral Monarch Dong Yang believed that even if Wu Yuan’s mana body arrived, Sovereign Guan Po would manage to withstand his attacks for a prolonged time, making it difficult for Wu Yuan to rescue him successfully. Furthermore, behind Sovereign Guan Po stood Sovereign Qiu Yan.
As Sovereign Guan Po had stated: This was the Long Shan Universe, and this was the Qiu Yan Macrocosm. No matter how strong Wu Yuan’s qi refiner self was, no matter the influence of the Taiyuan Divine Court, it had little impact here.
Thus, before Wu Yuan arrived, Astral Monarch Dong Yang was prepared to die, resolutely refusing to reveal the location of Astral Monarch Ji Shuang’s grotto.
Yet, Wu Yuan had silently appeared in the core of Sovereign Guan Po’s lair and subdued him with ease, rendering him unable to mount any resistance.
This sight induced a tremor in his heart. It suggested Wu Yuan wielded the might of an eighth-stage Sovereign, or perhaps even greater.
To be clear, even if Overlord Bei Zhen or other fourth-stage Overlords from foreign universes were here, they might only match Wu Yuan’s current display of power.
“Disciple, is this your ether body?” Astral Monarch Dong Yang transmitted.
Now that he was out of the cage, he could stir the Dao fluctuations for communication. "It’s my body refiner self, Master. My body refiner self has now reached third-stage Overlord strength,” Wu Yuan replied telepathically.
“Third-stage Overlord strength?” Astral Monarch Dong Yang was taken aback.
Though nearly a century had passed since the battle in the Creation Dao Realm, the news circulated almost entirely among Saintdom Overlords and Sovereigns. Very few Astral Monarch powerhouses were aware of it.
Astral Monarch Dong Yang had been residing within the Lan Yue Immortal Nation. Unable to contact the Taiyuan Divine Court directly and lacking other channels, he had indeed not heard this news.
“Eighty years ago, my body refiner self fought a war in the Creation Dao Realm...” Wu Yuan telepathically relayed a swift account of the battle that had ignited there.
Astral Monarch Dong Yang listened, increasingly shaken. One man slaughtering thousands of Sovereigns? Third-stage Overlord strength? It was utterly heaven-defying.
For a moment, Astral Monarch Dong Yang was bewildered—when did his disciple become so powerful? Barely any time had passed!
“Disciple, something still doesn't add up.” Astral Monarch Dong Yang mused, puzzled: “The Creation Dao Realm is unique, so I can understand if you don’t face any suppression from its essence. But within the Qiu Yan Macrocosm, your body refiner self can only exert eighth-stage Sovereign strength, right?”
Wu Yuan smiled softly; Astral Monarch Dong Yang’s deduction wasn’t incorrect. If any conventional third-stage Overlord from a foreign universe like Overlord Jiang Meng arrived at the Qiu Yan Macrocosm, their strength would indeed be limited to the eighth-stage Sovereign level.
“Master, I have some special methods to minimize the effects of suppression in foreign universes,” Wu Yuan communicated, “but I’m not ready to reveal them yet. At present, I’m disguised as a native Overlord of the Long Shan Universe.”
Astral Monarch Dong Yang immediately grasped the situation.
Possessing special means to retain his full strength in foreign universes? What a heaven-defying trump card! It was only natural that Wu Yuan didn’t wish to expose it lightly.
If he could keep it a secret until his strength grew further, he could deliver a decisive strike to the Immortal Court one day. Exposing his secrets prematurely would only prompt the Immortal Court to take preventative measures and fortify its defenses.
“Master, rescuing you is the top priority,” Wu Yuan communicated, “Has Sovereign Guan Po truly placed a seal on you?”
“I am ashamed to admit it,” Astral Monarch Dong Yang regretfully sent back, “But indeed, Sovereign Guan Po has placed one on me, and cannot dispel it by myself.”
Wu Yuan nodded, a heavy feeling weighing on his heart. Things had gotten troublesome.
Sovereign Guan Po? A mid-stage Sovereign he could squash like a mere bug. Yet, no matter how swiftly Wu Yuan killed him, it would still require a moment. This was a Sovereign and not merely an Astral Monarch—Wu Yuan was not strong enough to silence him undetected.
And within that brief moment, Sovereign Guan Po could trigger the seal with a mere thought, instantly killing Astral Monarch Dong Yang.
This was why Wu Yuan dared not act rashly. Killing Sovereign Guan Po wasn’t of importance; saving Master Dong Yang was the primary goal. Sёarᴄh the NovelZone.fun website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
“Master, what of the token from Overlord Ye Mi?” Wu Yuan continued questioning telepathically.
“That’s one of the great opportunities your martial aunt and I encountered while exploring the Long Shan Universe over the years,” Master Dong Yang replied instantly. “Back then...”
He recounted everything that happened. Even Archimmortals could send millions of messages within a second. Thus, in the blink of an eye, Wu Yuan comprehended the entire backstory of Master Dong Yang’s situation.
Overlord Ye Mi was an immensely powerful Overlord of the Demon Moon Temple, possessing the strength of a third-stage Overlord, and born within the Qiu Yan Macrocosm.
Later, while traversing the cosmic sea in search of opportunities, he perished, never to return.
Foreseeing the dangers of exploring the cosmic sea, Overlord Ye Mi left behind a vast inheritance grotto and several inheritance grounds within the Qiu Yan Macrocosm.
Anyone who passed the test of an inheritance ground could obtain a token. Possessing the token granted one access to the inheritance grotto, promising a chance to receive his legacy.
“Only beings native to the Qiu Yan Macrocosm may obtain a token,” Astral Monarch Dong Yang further explained. “With my aid, your martial aunt narrowly passed the test of one such inheritance ground and secured a token.
“The location of Overlord Ye Mi’s grotto is a secret, its spacetime coordinates constantly shifting within the macrocosm. Without a token, even a Sovereign of Space would find it extremely challenging to find it.
“Moreover, as per the messages your martial aunt received, the inheritance grotto is fortified by numerous restrictions. Even if someone discovers the grotto by accident, one needs second-stage Overlord strength to unseal it.” Astral Monarch Dong Yang elaborated.
Wu Yuan gently nodded. Indeed, Overlord Ye Mi’s arrangements were comprehensive.
Clearly, he harbored deep affection for the Qiu Yan Macrocosm; otherwise, he wouldn’t have left his inheritance here.
The Demon Moon Temple and other Saintdom forces within the Long Shan Universe likely knew of the existence of his inheritance grotto. Yet, what difference did it make? The grotto’s spacetime coordinates shifted perpetually within the macrocosm, leaving them tempted but helpless.
Astral Monarch Dong Yang continued, “Originally, we planned for your martial aunt to cultivate for a few more years, gaining more strength before challenging the inheritance grotto.
“Yet, unexpectedly, the information leaked,” Astral Monarch Dong Yang explained, “This drew the attention of Sovereign Guan Po, who stormed in, intending to seize the token.
“Fortunately, since acquiring the token, your martial aunt’s true self has been hiding within a grotto she crafted; only she and I know its location,” Astral Monarch Dong Yang stated.
Wu Yuan listened attentively.
Such secret grottos are relatively common among sempiternal lifeforms. Astral Lord Long Xing of the Dragon Star Immortal Sect was another example. His true self remained hidden in his lair far from the immortal continent. No matter how many times his mana body perished repeatedly, he could simply create a new one and remain at ease.
“Eventually, Sovereign Guan Po engaged us in a fierce battle in the Frostbound World, costing the lives of our mana bodies and capturing my true self,” Astral Monarch Dong Yang lamented. “That clash erupted too swiftly for me to send a message.”
Wu Yuan nodded slightly.
The coverage of the Eldritch Court Voidrealm extended across the megaverse, maintaining an active connection unless one entered the rare zone capable of interference.
However, the Taiyuan Voidrealm’s coverage spanned only the Ling Jiang Universe. Now, Wu Yuan fully understood everything leading up to the incident. At the core, Sovereign Guan Po sought to steal their treasure.
“Master, please reveal the grotto’s location,” Wu Yuan communicated. “Leave the rest to me.
“I promise to ensure the safety of both you and Martial Aunt, and Overlord Ye Mi’s heritage won’t be lost. Should it somehow slip away, I’ll provide my martial aunt with an equally valuable opportunity,” Wu Yuan conveyed firmly. “Firstly, we must lift the seal on you.”
To Wu Yuan, his Master’s safety remained paramount.
“Alright,” Astral Monarch Dong Yang nodded. He had faith in Wu Yuan.
Moreover, Overlord Ye Mi’s inheritance might be precious to himself and Ji Shuang, and even Sovereigns desperately coveted it. But to Wu Yuan? It held little weight.
At his peak, Overlord Ye Mi was no more than a third-stage Overlord. He likely couldn’t compare to the present Wu Yuan.
...
Inside the grand hall, the conversation between Wu Yuan and Astral Monarch Dong Yang flowed swiftly.
“Still withholding the information, Senior? Are you perhaps strategizing a countermeasure?” Sovereign Guan Po scrutinized Wu Yuan, maintaining icy composure. “You might be a second-stage Overlord, perhaps even a third-stage Overlord, and I respect your strength.
“Yet, should you still refuse to surrender the token, I regret I must take offense.”
Thus far, Sovereign Guan Po was unable to discern which Overlord hid beneath the shroud of black mist.
However, through careful deduction, he suspected his opponent to be at least a second-stage Overlord of the Long Shan Universe, perhaps one who fully comprehended the Law of Space. Otherwise, he couldn’t have infiltrated his lair so silently.
Such a super powerhouse unequivocally stood at the pinnacle of the universe. Sovereign Guan Po inwardly hesitated to offend such an existence.
However, compared to Overlord Ye Mi’s token, what did it matter? On the path of cultivation, one must dare to risk all for the right opportunities. Without the courage to take risks, one had no hope of becoming an Overlord.
Yes! Overlords had terrifying strength, yet Sovereign Guan Po reassured himself, knowing that his true self was safely hiding within the headquarters of the Demon Moon Temple. The worst-case scenario would simply result in the death of a single mana body.
"Rest assured. I always fulfill my promises," Wu Yuan stated coldly. "I shall now take you to Astral Monarch Ji Shuang’s grotto and hand over the Overlord's token to you. How does that sound?"
"Agreed." Sovereign Guan Po's eyes gleamed momentarily, only to show some hesitation as he continued, "However, I must ask Senior to first swear an oath upon the Great Dao, promising not to betray me or kill me after the agreement is fulfilled.
"Additionally, Astral Monarch Dong Yang must take an oath to reveal the precise location of the grotto without error."
Sovereign Guan Po was a cautious man. He understood quite well the pride an Overlord had. How could he tolerate threats? Once Astral Monarch Dong Yang was free, with no encumbrances, this Overlord was highly likely to turn against him. Thus, he had to account for all possible variables.
"Very well." Wu Yuan responded calmly, "But you must also swear upon the Great Dao to ensure the safety of Astral Monarch Dong Yang."
"No problem," Sovereign Guan Po nodded repeatedly.
Soon afterward, both Wu Yuan and Sovereign Guan Po took Great Dao Oaths, and the vast and intangible waves of its power enveloped the two of them.
Subsequently, after a moment's hesitation, Astral Monarch Dong Yang also took his oath, revealing the location of Astral Monarch Ji Shuang's grotto. With this, Sovereign Guan Po could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
An oath upon the Great Dao was directed at the Yuan Soul and spirit, and its effects could not be evaded even with a false name.
"Now, it is time to lift the seal off Astral Monarch Dong Yang, is it not?" Wu Yuan asked coldly.
"Indeed," Sovereign Guan Po nodded, becoming significantly more at ease.
From his perspective, Wu Yuan was now constrained by the Great Dao Oath. Unless he gave up on achieving eternity, Wu Yuan wouldn’t dare to harm him.
"Let the false become reality, let the illusion grant life!
"Unseal!" Sovereign Guan Po formed seals with his hands.
A multitude of threads woven from mana interlinked, constructing mysterious Dao patterns. Those patterns transformed into streams of light that emanated strange fluctuations, seeping into Astral Monarch Dong Yang’s body and altering his aura.
"Urgh!" Astral Monarch Dong Yang gritted his teeth, stifling a groan. Evidently, the process of removing the seal was quite agonizing.
After a considerable length of time, the fluctuations around Astral Monarch Dong Yang's body settled, though his vital aura had diminished significantly.
"Master, how is it?" Wu Yuan transmitted his inquiry telepathically.
"It is undone now," Astral Monarch Dong Yang confirmed.
"Excellent!" Wu Yuan nodded softly, finally completely reassured.
"Senior, may we proceed to acquire the Overlord's token now?" Sovereign Guan Po asked eagerly.
Wu Yuan gave him only a fleeting glance, replying icily, "Now? It’s time for you to die!"
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