Yuan's Ascension

Chapter 334: I Shall Establish An Immortal Nation

In the blink of an eye, the scenery shifted once more. This newfound location was unimaginably high above the ground. Below, an idyllic panorama unfolded, with majestic mountains and winding rivers painting a picturesque scene.

Above, a vast expanse of outer space stretched out, its dimness punctuated only by the faint glow of stars. Far in the distance, three suns radiated with brilliant light.

"In the last 100 million years, you are the first in the immortal continent to reach this level," a gentle voice echoed.

Zhuo Haiyue stood in space, her gaze fixed on the woman in ethereal white robes in the distance.

The guardians in previous levels were all black-robed men who stood solemnly in rows, each more imposing than the last.

Yet, this woman in white exuded a sense of calm and grace.

"I will defeat you," Zhuo Haiyue declared, her expression resolute.

Though both were first-stage Amethyst Cradle cultivators, Zhuo Haiyue keenly felt the immense pressure radiating from her opponent.

"I sincerely hope you can defeat me," the woman in white smiled gently, her voice soft. "In the billions of years since the inception of the Redmoon Immortal Realm, only six have managed to defeat me."

"I hope you can be the seventh."

Zhuo Haiyue was well aware of the six figures who had achieved this feat. They were the most distinguished figures born in the Redmoon Immortal Continent over the billions of years. The most formidable among them had garnered a reputation that spanned the entire Greenridge Macrocosm, earning even Zhuo Haiyue's master's profound admiration.

"You specialize in lightning techniques, as do I. I will only make a single move. If you can withstand it, victory may be within your grasp," the woman in white said.

Zhuo Haiyue's eyes narrowed slightly. Just one move?

In the next moment, the woman in white extended her hand, a radiant bolt of lightning crackling at her fingertips. Then, she pointed it at Zhuo Haiyue.

That lightning tore through the heavens, a force of nature incarnate.

As the bolt was reflected in Zhuo Haiyue's eyes, it struck her in the same instant, piercing through her body without resistance.

She was defeated! There was no struggle, no resistance, just instantaneous defeat!

"Level 70, unsuccessful," the tower spirit's voice resonated throughout the world.

Numerous points of light converged, and Zhuo Haiyue reappeared. The woman in white had vanished without a trace. As a guardian of the tower, she departed once the challenger failed.

"Light!" There was no trace of discouragement in Zhuo Haiyue's gaze, only a mixture of awe and longing. "This is not merely lightning, but true light!"

"Tearing through the heavens as swift as the eyes can see, such is the speed of light." Zhuo Haiyue experienced a sudden epiphany.

She knew that the increase in difficulty from level 69 to 70 was more than tenfold. It wouldn’t be easy to pass this level in a short time.

If I can conquer this level, my comprehension of the Dao may be close to that of a Tribulation High Immortal. Zhuo Haiyue realized.

Lightning transformed into pure light! This marked the apex of mastery in the Lightning Dao, indicating that one was close to complete comprehension.

But I still have a chance.

Zhuo Haiyue's eyes traced the vast expanse of space, where the two-star tower records hung in the distance.

Two-star tower record:

Silvermist Immortal Nation's highest record: Level 83

Redmoon Immortal Continent's highest record: Level 74

Immortal Continent's past 100-million-year record: Level 69

Immortal Continent's past million-year record: Level 69

Immortal Continent's past 10,000-year record: Level 69 levels.

Zhuo Haiyue paid little attention to the Redmoon Immortal Continent's records, her focus fixed on the first line of text.

If level 70 is already this challenging, how difficult is level 83? With a mental command, Zhuo Haiyue’s avatar dissipated into countless specks of light as she departed.

...

Wu Yuan had caused quite a stir by completing level 40 of the one-star tower. However, the news wasn’t too shocking. After all, there was an abundance of prodigies in the Redmoon Immortal Continent.

However, the update of the two-star tower's record was a different story.

"Level 69!"

"Heavens! That mysterious prodigy surfaced once again? Previously, they progressed to level 67 in one go. Barely any time has passed, yet they’ve already reached level 69?"

"Unbelievable."

"He or she is the foremost genius in the entire Immortal Continent in the past hundreds of millions of years." The entire immortal continent was shaken, and countless geniuses felt a wave of inferiority wash over them.

Whether it be the one-star, two-star, or the three-star and four-star towers, the strength of the guardians varied on the same level, yet the talent of the challengers evaluated remained consistent due to their differing lengths of cultivation.

Reaching level 69? Such a feat had not been witnessed in the Redmoon Immortal Continent for a truly long time.

However, the challenger concealed their identity, leaving all factions curious and eager to uncover the truth behind this mysterious genius.

...

After leaving the Seven Towers World, she returned to Zhuo Star City within the Redmoon Immortal Realm. Inside a luxurious and elegant courtyard, a figure in a black cloak descended from the sky, moving with the grace of a dragon. His eyes, large and bright, exuded an intimidating presence.

"Greetings, Thirteenth Ancestor," Zhuo Haiyue greeted the visitor with a smile. She turned to the maidservants, “You may leave.”

“Understood,” came the obedient response as the group of maidservants scurried out of the room.

They all knew the identity of the visitor. The title of 'ancestor' within a prince-rank family carried significance beyond mere age or seniority.

Before long, the courtyard was emptied.

The black-robed man couldn't contain his curiosity any longer. "Haiyue, you’ve completed level 69 of the two-star tower?"

"Mm," Zhuo Haiyue confirmed.

"Incredible! Unbelievable!" the man exclaimed. "How old are you? You haven’t even reached 150."

With admiration in his voice, he continued, "With your unmatched talent, in another century of cultivation, you could conquer level 70 or even higher."

The way he looked at Zhuo Haiyue had shifted. In the past, he knew Zhuo Haiyue was extraordinarily talented, but he never thought she was this talented.

"Perhaps," Zhuo Haiyue responded nonchalantly.

"Haiyue, why not publicize your accomplishments? Although you are receiving guidance from an Astral Monarch, the Astral Monarch has numerous disciples, and you're just one of them. As long as you make your achievement known, the family will definitely support you, and the immortal ancestor will likely summon you. This will greatly increase your chances of overcoming your Tribulation and ascending to immortality," the man urged.

"Thirteenth Ancestor, there is no need to announce it," Zhuo Haiyue rejected his suggestion with a shake of her head. "I made my decision the day my family abandoned me."

The black-robed man sighed. He understood her reasoning, but was powerless to change the situation.

"Haiyue, the Fang Family may have been at fault in the past, but their mistakes do not warrant death. They have already paid a sufficient price," the black-robed figure adopted a persuasive tone.

"What price?" Zhuo Haiyue retorted, her expression twisted in ridicule. "Did the Fang Family's immortal ancestor die? Or did those Tribulation High Immortals die?"

The black-robed man could only offer a bitter smile in response.

"Thirteenth Ancestor, there’s no need to continue persuading me. My decision is final," Zhuo Haiyue declared, shaking her head resolutely. "Also, please inform the Elders Council that I will not vie for the title of princess, nor do I desire to inherit anything.”

“I will forge my own path as the founder of an immortal nation, traversing spacetime planes much like my master before me."

"I once swore in the name of the True Saint to lead my immortal nation’s army into battle, eradicating every last member of the Fang family," Zhuo Haiyue stated, her eyes glinting with a chilling resolve.

"No one can stop me. No one!!"

The black-robed man shuddered inwardly. He knew the intensity of Zhuo Haiyue's hatred buried deep within her heart, and understood her reluctance to reveal her full power.

"Haiyue, establishing an immortal nation is an extremely difficult goal. You alone..." the man began, his tone hesitant.

"No matter the obstacles, there is always a glimmer of hope," Zhuo Haiyue interjected, her head held high. "Just as no one anticipated a little girl to survive the Devilblood Thunder Trial decades ago."

The black-robed man fell silent. Her decision to take part in the Devilblood Thunder Trial earned her nothing but scorn from her family. However, in just a few dozen years, she defied all expectations, rising to a position of power that surpassed all the geniuses on the Immortal Continent in the past hundred million years.

"Very well," sighed the black-robed figure. "I shall abide by the Astral Monarch's wishes and continue to safeguard your secrets. If you require anything, do inform me."

"Thank you, Thirteenth Ancestor," Zhuo Haiyue replied, a faint smile gracing her features at last.

The black-robed man left Zhuo Haiyue's residence and ascended into the skies. Peering down, he watched as her avatar faded away from the immortal realm.

The Fang Family? He shook his head with a sigh. You have no idea what kind of foe you have provoked.

The prince-rank family is also made up of fools, blinded by petty gains and unwilling to take a hard stance.

He was cognizant of the whole situation, yet his hands were tied by the Astral Monarch’s decree. He could only watch helplessly as the Zhuo Family squandered a golden opportunity to rise.

...

Night descended, shrouding the land in darkness. A red flying boat soared through the skies at an incomprehensible speed.

Within a meditation chamber onboard the massive flying boat, peculiar crystals were embedded into the walls, infusing the air with potent spiritual qi.

A prince-rank family certainly lives up to its reputation. Even the jade platform in a random chamber far surpasses the one in Yanqing Hall. Wu Yuan marveled.

Unbeknownst to him, he was currently on board a celestial flying boat of incalculable worth.

Today, I showcased my talent by challenging the one-star tower in the Redmoon Immortal Realm. Invitations from the various large sects on the immortal continent should be coming my way. I hope there’ll be one suitable for me. Wu Yuan mused inwardly.

But is it enough to receive an invitation from the Moonsilver World?

After speaking with Zhuo Haiyue and several Amethyst Cradle Reverends, it was clear to Wu Yuan that the Moonsilver World was the top choice amongst the geniuses of the immortal continent. Receiving an invitation was a matter of great prestige.

However, only peerless geniuses were admitted. Though he had completed level 40 the one-star tower, he was uncertain about his chances.

I mustn't rush. He reminded himself. Patience is key.

Wu Yuan suddenly recalled another matter. From Zhuo Haiyue's words, Gu Sixing is not an adversary.

Perhaps Zhuo Haiyue played a double act? he speculated. But why would a distinguished princeling like Gu Sixing agree to such a charade? If their bond is genuine, why maintain the facade of foes?

If his guess was right, this matter involved internal conflicts within the two prince-rank families.

Forget it, there’s no need to get myself involved. Wu Yuan concluded. It’s good that we aren’t enemies.

He was very reluctant to get into a dispute with a princeling from a prince-rank family. The resources at his disposal far surpassed Wu Yuan’s after all.

For now, I should focus on my cultivation.

The Land’s profundity! Today's battle was the first time I truly perceived the True Intent of the Land. Wu Yuan began recalling the scene of the battle.

His attempt at challenging the Seven Star Luminaries Tower had yielded significant gains. Wu Yuan slowly reflected and digested each move, incorporating these new insights into his own techniques.

And it wasn't just his qi refiner self. His body refiner self in the distant Summerpeak World was also fully engaged in comprehension and cultivation.

Though the two true selves had different bodies, their consciousness was shared. When cultivating, it was equivalent to two souls simultaneously deducing and understanding the profundities of the Dao.

By learning from each other’s experiences, the overall efficiency of comprehension was greater than the sum of its parts.

It would be best to leave my one-time True Intent perception experience within the Redmoon Immortal Realm for a time after reaching the ninth-level Domain stage. Wu Yuan had consulted Zhuo Haiyue on this.

This experience was a rare opportunity.

If he waited until he reached a bottleneck in his Dao comprehension before proceeding with the perception experience, that would yield the best results. Perhaps, he might even be able to reach the True Intent stage in one go.

Zhuo Haiyue chose to forgo the use of the teleportation array, opting instead to travel via flying boat the entire way. Nearly two days slipped by unnoticed.

Wu Yuan was lost in his cultivation, the world around him forgotten. Then, a sudden jolt shook the flying boat.

Zhuo Haiyue's voice resonated in Wu Yuan's mind. "Li Xia, we have arrived at Rising Dragon City. Step outside."

We’re here? Wu Yuan opened his eyes.

In a flash, he emerged from the meditation chamber and came to the main hall of the flying boat. Zhuo Haiyue and the mysterious black-robed man waited for him inside.

Rising Dragon City? Wu Yuan looked through the flying boat's translucent walls, toward the bustling city beyond.

An immense wave of auras seemed to sweep towards him from that direction. This was a first-rate city, second only to Redmoon City in prestige across the Redmoon Immortal Continent.