439-442 (13.6k)

"Wu Yuan's face lit up: "Master, from now on, I won't study alchemy, artifact refining, and the like anymore, but will continue to focus on deducing and analyzing the basic elements of life."

"Continue to study the essence of all things."

"It's not just these elixirs, I need more materials." Wu Yuan said: "Ores, metals, spiritual fluids... Everything special, I need."

Analyzing the essence of heaven and earth is extremely difficult, and this path is even more vast and unpredictable.

Like countless lives, there are five million five hundred thousand basic units of life.

And a vast amount of material, their essence is even more complex and mysterious.

"Alright." Kuachiji nodded. Although he was not clear about Wu Yuan's situation, he trusted his disciple's judgment.

"My Qi Refining Avatar is comprehending the Great Dao of Space, but those Dao patterns are also mixed with a lot of mysteries about the operation of all things." Wu Yuan thought to himself, "The myriad paths of heaven and earth are fundamentally the same."

"My Qi Refining Avatar continues to analyze all things and spirits, naturally helping the Qi Refining Avatar to complete the incomplete Dao patterns." Wu Yuan had figured it out.

Having figured it out, all that's left is to go all out to do it.

Time passed, and more and more celestial beings and gods arrived at the third level of the trial, with the total number here already exceeding a hundred.

One day.

"Boom~" In the third level of the trial, suddenly, there was a faint invisible fluctuation, immediately attracting the attention of more than a hundred celestial beings and gods.

"Who has broken through to the second region again?"

"Who is it?"

"It's probably some of the higher-ranked ones." Most of the celestial beings and gods remained calm, as they had experienced many times before.

But some of the later ones were more curious.

But soon.

All the celestial beings and gods here instinctively felt a tremor in their hearts because, after looking around, they quickly discovered.

The one who broke through to the second region was actually—Mingjian!

"One year!"

"Mingjian has only been in the third level of the trial for one year."

"Just one year to break through to the second region? How is that possible!" All the celestial beings and gods were shocked.

——

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Chapter 440 Breakthrough, Success (Two more chapters for monthly votes)

"Has he broken through to the second region?"

"Mingjian!"

"How could it be this fast?" Over a hundred celestial beings and gods who arrived at the third level of the trial were all stunned.

Previously, Wu Yuan had risen unexpectedly in the final stages of the second level of the trial, completing three consecutive tasks and securing the last spot to obtain six Black Magic Tokens.

It had already amazed them.

In the minds of most celestial beings and gods, even if Wu Yuan was strong in the third level of the trial, it would still take decades to enter the second region.

But, just one year.

"Him?"

"It shouldn't be, these Dao patterns are so difficult, containing many high-level laws... it shouldn't be." Gu Shou, the Master of Ancient Longevity, gritted his teeth, unable to understand.

He considered himself to be progressing fast, and even from those complete Dao patterns, he had glimpsed the path to becoming a Star Lord.

But compared to Wu Yuan, he was nothing.

"One year?"

"This!" Xiang Fei, recognized as the first among celestial beings, felt a hint of despair: "These Dao patterns gave me new guidance, but it took sixty years to choose one path and complete ten Dao patterns."

The hundred complete Dao patterns represented multiple paths of the Great Dao, guiding towards higher levels.

Xiang Fei discovered that she was suitable for one of the paths, giving her enough confidence.

However.

Wu Yuan's appearance made her feel somewhat hopeless.

To break through to the second region in just one year, Xiang Fei clearly understood what this meant: "This extraordinary immortal from outside has a path extremely suitable for him. If he can reach the second region in such a short time, then the third and fourth regions won't stop him."

"The vastness beyond the heavens."

"Legend has it that the world outside is thousands of times larger than the demon world." Xiang Fei muttered to herself, "In such a vast world, there will inevitably be some extraordinary talents."

She felt a bit lost in her heart, but then, a strong sense of unwillingness surged up: "Xiang Fei, oh Xiang Fei! How can you give up before the last moment?"

"Yes, this immortal may have extraordinary talent, but he has just entered the second region, and he hasn't left me behind yet."

"Even if he surpasses me, as long as he hasn't obtained the final inheritance, I still have hope."

Xiang Fei was full of longing in her heart. She understood that this was the greatest opportunity of her life.

Give it your all!

"To give it my all, even if I fail in the end, even if I fall because of it, I will have no regrets."

"In this life, even if one cannot reach the peak, one should fall on the road to the peak."

Xiang Fei calmed down completely instead, no longer paying attention to Wu Yuan, just focusing on herself.

Success or failure, give it your all until death!

In the long history of the river of time and space, most monarchs usually skipped the stage of celestial beings and gods, directly becoming Star Lords, and then after a long period of cultivation, becoming monarchs.

However, there were always some late bloomers among them, with low talent and slow cultivation speed.

But they kept improving, kept moving forward, with the determination to forge ahead and the perseverance to never give up.

So, as long as there was a slight opportunity on them, they would shine brightly.

Without a doubt.

Xiang Fei was such a figure!

...

"The second region."

"One year, to reach the second region?" The top brass of the nine major forces in the Dao Realm quickly received the news and were all shocked.

These domain lords felt helpless.

Only Lan Yan, who had been watching coldly, remained relatively calm upon receiving this news.

In the Time and Space Fairyland, on a special star.

"Bai Xuan, the probability of surpassing Mingjian is very low." Lan Yan, enveloped in endless blue flames, said faintly, "The third level of the trial is a test of understanding the Great Dao."

"If many Star Lords compete, there is still hope."

"But your most outstanding Gu Shou Star Lord, at the pinnacle of Star Lord, has not even comprehended a mid-level law, let alone the Great Dao. How can he compete with Mingjian?"

"Mingjian, is a peerless talent who condensed the true meaning of the Great Dao in the Earth Immortal stage." Lan Yan shook his head. "I have said it before, we can't compete with him."

Bai Xuan, shrouded in black flames, fell silent.

After a long time.

"There will always be a glimmer of hope." Bai Xuan said slowly.

Lan Yan smiled and didn't bother to argue anymore.

...

Black Magic Blood Cave, the third level of the trial.

"The first region was too simple." Wu Yuan arrived at the second region, looking at the new Dao patterns on the walls.

There were still a hundred complete Dao patterns, each belonging to different Great Dao paths.

However, each Dao pattern contained some special mysteries.

They were the mysteries of the essence of all things.

They were contained in every kind of law, related to all laws, but not completely the same.

"If I hadn't analyzed the essence of all things in the second level of the trial, I'm afraid the first region would have held me back for a while."

"But I have laid the foundation. As long as I add a little insight and combine these mysteries of all things with the mysteries of time and space, I can naturally pass easily." Wu Yuan smiled.

"To pass the first region in just one year probably caused quite a stir."

"But this is just the beginning." Wu Yuan didn't care at all about the thoughts of the outside world.

Anyway, no one could interfere with him.

His current goal was to pass the six regions of the third level of the trial and seize twelve Black Magic Tokens in one fell swoop.

"Moreover."

"The mysteries contained in these Dao patterns are indeed profound, allowing me to start re-understanding the mysteries of the Great Dao of time and space from the perspective of the mysteries of all things." Wu Yuan muttered to himself.

For the past few hundred years.

His two avatars had been analyzing the mysteries of the essence of all things, but the more he deduced, the harder it was for him to perceive the connection between these Great Dao mysteries and the mysteries of all things.

However, at that time, he dared not be too distracted, and his main focus was to pass the second level of the trial.

And the third level of the trial, the Dao patterns left by the Black Magic Lord, gave Wu Yuan more guidance and more to ponder.

"Analyzing all things and understanding the basic units of life has greatly helped me in comprehending the laws of life. Unknowingly, my avatar specializing in refining the body has made great progress in the Dao of creation."

"And through these Dao patterns, I believe my progress in the Dao of time and space will also be faster." Wu Yuan continued to silently ponder.

It was not just about passing the third level of the trial.

It was also about making rapid progress on both paths, much faster than before simply comprehending.

Even so.

He continued to make rapid progress.

In the sixth year after entering the third level of the trial, Wu Yuan broke through to the third region.

In the eighteenth year, Wu Yuan broke through to the fourth region.

In the forty-second year, Wu Yuan broke through to the fifth region.

...

In the third level of the trial, with more celestial beings and gods coming in, the number of passages had increased to more than one hundred and thirty.

A silence fell.

The celestial beings and gods on those passages would occasionally look up, their expressions complex, at the distant figure in white robes on one of the passages, who was far ahead.

Wu Yuan, in the fifth region.

And then, there were the ten figures such as Xiang Fei Celestial, Gu Shou Star Lord, and Xue Yao Star Lord, waiting in the second region.

That's right!

During the decades when Wu Yuan entered the third level of the trial, no one else broke through to the third region.

The third level of the trial lasted for a thousand years.

This also indicates that in the judgment of the Magic Cave, most people are probably unable to reach the fifth or sixth regions.

It can be said that when most people enter the third region, they will be eager to directly seize the six Black Magic Tokens upon hearing the rules, but as time passes and their comprehension deepens, they will realize how unrealistic their desires are.

Let alone breaking through all six regions, it is extremely difficult just to break through to the third region.

"Mingjian!"

"The fifth region has left us far behind." When Wu Yuan broke through to the third region, these celestial beings and gods were despairing and shocked.

And when Wu Yuan continued to break through to the fourth and fifth regions.

The remaining celestial beings and gods were more numb.

Because the gap was too big, so big that even these top powerhouses couldn't muster the desire to compete.

Everyone knows that with Wu Yuan's progress, breaking through the six regions is probably just a matter of time.

Moreover.

Even if he ultimately fails to break through? At present, Wu Yuan is equivalent to having already obtained ten Black Magic Tokens.

Only two tokens away from twelve.

In the subsequent levels of the trial, with his revealed strength and potential, can he still not obtain two Black Magic Tokens?

"Can't surpass."

"Can only do our best."

"Now, we can only hope that Mingjian encounters difficulties in the eighth level of the trial." This is the main thought of many celestial beings and gods.

...

In the depths of the Black Magic Blood Cave, in that mysterious place, the nine figures in black robes were completely silent.

It was quiet.

Even the smallest black-robed figure, who always demanded the highest and was the most demanding, was now full of anticipation.

"In less than fifty years, he broke through to the fifth region."

"What kind of genius is this?" The foremost Great Demon, his eyes gleaming, said, "Although he condensed the true meaning of time and space, to complete these Dao patterns, it's not enough to simply comprehend time and space. He also needs to comprehend the essence of all things."

"Yes."

"I understand. He probably spent hundreds of years in seclusion in the second level of the trial doing this." The Great Demon shook his head slightly, sighing, "Even so, his progress is too fast."

To analyze the mysteries of all things to such an extent in just a few hundred years?

Just thinking about it, the Great Demon found it unbelievable.

The potential revealed by Wu Yuan seemed to be much higher than the comprehension of the Dao he already possessed.

"Could it be that he still has some secrets that I don't know about?" The Great Demon muttered to himself.

Suddenly.

"Great Demon, how long do you think it will take for Mingjian to pass through the sixth region?" The shortest of the nine demons spoke up.

"How long?"

The Great Demon hesitated for a moment before saying, "The sixth region is the most difficult, and Mingjian's comprehension of the Dao is only at the level of a Star Lord's initial stage... It could take as little as three hundred years, or as much as five hundred years."

"You should know that the six regions set by the Lord vary in difficulty, but even if it's the lowest difficulty now, we never expected anyone to break through quickly."

The other black-robed figures nodded involuntarily.

They believed the Great Demon's judgment.

"Three hundred to five hundred years? Even if it's five hundred years at the latest, it's still impressive." The ninth demon's voice was deep, "I was wrong before... This Mingjian, is indeed the most dazzling genius we've encountered in history."

"Even if the monarch is reborn, at the same age, he is far from his level." The ninth demon shook his head.

"Haha, even the ninth demon admits defeat?"

"Rare." Upon hearing this, the other black-robed figures couldn't help but laugh. They knew the temperament of the ninth demon well.

It's difficult to make him yield.

Even the monarchs of the past in the Dao Realm, the ninth demon didn't care about them, at least he was very stubborn.

...

The fifth region of the third level of the trial.

"Exhilarating!"

"Exhilarating."

Under the guidance of these Dao patterns, Wu Yuan gradually transformed his comprehension of the mysteries of all things over the past five hundred years into a comprehension of the Dao of time and space.

His comprehension of the Dao of time and space quickly broke through to the triple truth, and then headed towards the quadruple truth.

No!

It's not a direct transformation, but it allowed Wu Yuan to quickly break through the bottlenecks of integrating time and space.

"Time and space are the origin of all things and beings."

"Follow this feeling."

"From the first to the third level of the true meaning of time and space, it is considered the initial comprehension of a Star Lord. And from the fourth to the sixth level of the true meaning of time and space, it is considered the intermediate comprehension of a Star Lord." Wu Yuan was completely immersed in it.

Countless insights surged into his mind.

He had entered a state of enlightenment.

On the path of cultivation, sometimes it requires dedicated practice and accumulation, but when the accumulation reaches a certain point where it's difficult to break through, it requires that moment of enlightenment.

Just like when Wu Yuan condensed the true meaning of time, it was a kind of enlightenment.

And now.

Before entering the Black Magic Blood Cave, he spent hundreds of years comprehending in the six Dao Master battle ruins, obtained multiple time and space inheritances, and constantly practiced. His accumulation was already very profound.

After entering the Black Magic Blood Cave, his two avatars analyzed the mysteries of all things for more than five hundred years.

Until these decades!

Under the witness of one Dao pattern after another, combined with many powerful secrets like the "Nine Swords of Time and Space", he finally understood, entering a very special state.

And reaching his level, a little cultivation takes dozens or even hundreds of years.

So, Wu Yuan's enlightenment state this time also lasted for hundreds of years.

Hundreds of years without a breakthrough made many celestial beings and gods behind him breathe a sigh of relief, thinking that Wu Yuan had encountered an insurmountable bottleneck.

Time flies like water.

A hundred years passed.

Finally, when that last bit of mystery was understood, it was as if a huge puzzle had been completely pieced together.

"Boom!" A powerful wave spread around Wu Yuan's body, and the pressure of time and space permeated.

"The fourth level."

Wu Yuan slowly opened his eyes, his gaze bright. With a thought, a strand of his own flying sword flew out.

"Swish~"

The flying sword didn't contain any mana. It wandered through the void, leaving behind a long-lasting sword mark in an instant.

This sword mark not only stayed in the material space layer but also faintly penetrated the stable space, permeating into higher-dimensional space. It even caused fluctuations in the spatial waves.

Endless sharpness!

Enough to make any celestial being or god tremble. And this is still without containing any mana.

"If infused with powerful mana, it is enough to make countless peak Star Lords feel cold."

"The fifth style, 'Chaotic Void', has finally been initially comprehended." Wu Yuan smiled.

With this style comprehended, it truly meant that Wu Yuan had reached a new realm in the Dao of time and space.

"Now, in terms of Dao comprehension, I am among the middle ranks of countless Star Lords," Wu Yuan thought to himself.

In the past, it was said that his Dao comprehension was comparable to that of Star Lords, but in reality, he was only at the bottom level among Star Lords. Slightly stronger Star Lords could surpass him.

Now, the situation is completely different.

The fourth style of the Time-Space Nine Swords is considered to be at the level of an initial Star Lord.

The fifth style of the Time-Space Nine Swords is considered to be at the intermediate level of a Star Lord.

The sixth style of the Time-Space Nine Swords is at the peak level of a Star Lord.

If the seventh style is comprehended, it will be a move at the level of a monarch.

"With higher Dao comprehension, it will be much easier to complete these incomplete stone wall Dao patterns," Wu Yuan felt extremely pleased and then glanced at the other passages.

Although this enlightenment took hundreds of years.

But so far, no one has yet broken through to the third region, indicating the gap between them and Wu Yuan.

"No need to stay any longer."

"Let's complete them." Wu Yuan stood up and walked towards the incomplete stone wall Dao patterns in the distance.

What was once incomprehensible, now, he quickly understood.

This is the difference brought about by different foundations.

Just a few months later.

"Complete." With a thought, Wu Yuan completely repaired the tenth incomplete Dao pattern in the fifth region.

"Hum~"

An invisible ripple spread out instantly in the third level of the trial, causing every celestial being and god to sense it.

Swish!

Wu Yuan felt the suppression dissipate, and he directly entered the sixth region.

...

"The sixth region?"

"Ming Jian." Immortal Xiang Fei, Ancient Shou Star Lord, Xue Yao Star Lord, Red Demon Star Lord, and other powerful existences all sensed something.

Not only them.

In fact, in the third level of the trial, the three half-step Star Lord level strongmen were also here.

It's just that the strength of a half-step Star Lord doesn't necessarily surpass that of a peak Star Lord in Dao comprehension.

So, they are not very prominent.

"It seems that Ming Jian's breakthrough is a bit slow!"

"No! The six major regions of the third level of the trial are becoming more and more difficult. The difficulty of the second region is several times higher than that of the first region... I can't imagine how difficult the fifth region is, but Ming Jian only used a little over a hundred years."

"The sixth region, I wonder how long it will take him to break through." These celestial beings and gods speculated.

...

As time passed, in the mysterious place of the Black Magic Blood Cave.

"Hmm?"

"So fast?" The Great Demon stared in shock at the scene in the light curtain projection. "Less than three years after entering the sixth region, he completed the first incomplete Dao pattern?"

"What?"

"So fast?"

"Didn't he spend over a hundred years in the fifth region before?" The other black-robed figures were also shocked.

"The difficulty gap between the ten incomplete Dao patterns in each region is not that big. If one can complete one, it's definitely possible to complete the remaining nine," the Great Demon said softly. "It's incredible!"

The difficulty of the six major regions increases in turn.

Especially in the sixth region, the difficulty soars compared to the fifth.

Wu Yuan spent over a hundred years in the fifth region. According to the Great Demon's estimation, if Wu Yuan can break through the sixth region within three hundred years, it would be considered good.

But the result...

"Everyone, just wait."

"In my Black Magic Blood Cave, perhaps a new master will soon emerge." The Great Demon smiled.

...

In the blink of an eye, more than ten years passed.

"The eighth one."

Wu Yuan stood in front of this incomplete Dao pattern, his divine consciousness moved, mana surged out, and he quickly began to complete it.

He had already understood the ten perfect stone wall Dao patterns.

Using the Dao comprehension of an intermediate Star Lord to complete these Dao patterns could be considered a dimensional strike.

However.

Some of the ideas and mysteries in these Dao patterns still gave Wu Yuan great inspiration.

"Black Magic Monarch, what a peerless genius."

"He left so many incomplete stone wall Dao patterns. Does that mean he has condensed the true meaning in these great Dao? Or has he comprehended to even higher levels?" Wu Yuan pondered.

The more he speculated and comprehended, the more he felt the greatness of the Black Magic Monarch.

A person who simultaneously cultivates so many paths?

It's simply astonishing.

"After this trip, even if I didn't get anything else, the progress in Dao comprehension alone is significant," Wu Yuan thought to himself.

"The only regret."

"Is spending too much time in the Black Magic Blood Cave, delaying the time-space missions." Wu Yuan shook his head slightly.

He didn't care too much.

Time-space missions are essentially to strengthen oneself, so there's no need to lose sight of the bigger picture.

Moreover, being able to stay on Time-Space Island for a hundred thousand years, Wu Yuan believed that with his own strength, he would eventually accumulate enough time-space points for forty thousand years.

At most a few thousand years late.

"A few thousand years late, a few thousand years early, what's the difference?" Wu Yuan calmed down.

He continued to complete the eighth incomplete Dao pattern.

...Now, in the third level of the trial, there are nearly two hundred celestial beings and gods.

But ninety percent of them are still in the first region.

Less than twenty people have broken through to the second region.

"Immortal Xiang Fei."

"Immortal Xiang Fei, she was just a sixth-level celestial being from the demon world, and she actually broke through to the third region so quickly..."

"Amazing!"

"Surpassing many half-step Star Lords and peak Star Lords, extraordinary."

"Ming Jian, he is an unparalleled genius. In the history of our Dao Realm, he is probably the number one genius. It's only natural for him to shine."

"Xiang Fei is the only one who can come close to Ming Jian." Many celestial beings and gods communicated with each other.

Even those strong from the Dao Realm had to admire Immortal Xiang Fei.

Without any background or help.

Her strength is not too strong either, but she has steadily moved to the forefront, second only to Ming Jian.

She has proven her extraordinary potential.

"The third region." Immortal Xiang Fei stayed in the third region, calm and steady, continuously comprehending the incomplete stone wall Dao patterns according to her own pace.

Suddenly.

"Finally completed." Wu Yuan stood in front of the last incomplete Dao pattern, flawless.

"The sixth region, all ten Dao patterns are completed. This third level of the trial should be considered a perfect pass." Wu Yuan smiled. "With twelve Black Magic Tokens, I can directly enter the eighth region."

Just at that moment.

"Splash!"

A beam of light shot into the sky.

Immediately, a grand wave enveloped the entire third level of the trial.

This wave was so astonishing that it instantly awakened all the celestial beings and gods, who couldn't help but look towards the source of the disturbance.

"It's Ming Jian!"

"What's going on?"

"Could it be..." At this moment, layers of radiance enveloped Wu Yuan, making him dazzling, and all the celestial beings and gods were shocked to witness this scene.

They all understood what was happening, but they couldn't believe it.

After all, Wu Yuan had only entered the sixth region for over ten years.

"It shouldn't be like this. Even if Ming Jian progresses rapidly, there should be a limit."

"He spent over a hundred years in the fifth region before. How could he only spend a little over ten years in the even more difficult sixth region?" Ancient Longevity Star Lord, Crimson Demon Star Lord, and others couldn't believe it.

"The sixth region, huh?" Immortal Xiang Fei looked into the distance, sighing softly in her heart as well.

It's not that she didn't work hard; it's just that she encountered opponents who were too monstrous.

"Focusing on oneself." Immortal Xiang Fei lowered her head and continued to comprehend.

..."This!"

"No hope." Most celestial beings and gods naturally didn't have Immortal Xiang Fei's mindset; they sighed in despair.

They all knew that Wu Yuan had previously obtained six Black Magic Tokens and now got six more.

So, if he got twelve Black Magic Tokens, he would directly enter the eighth level of the trial.

Given his displayed talent and the possibility of inheriting, it was too high.

"Hum~"

Silent and unseen, the Great Demon draped in a black robe appeared in the void. His gaze fell directly on Wu Yuan, no longer indifferent but revealing a hint of a smile. "Ming Jian, you're excellent. You've done very well."

Quiet.

Except for Immortal Xiang Fei, all the other strong individuals looked up at the Great Demon.

"Having passed the third level perfectly, you are qualified to receive six more Black Magic Tokens." The Great Demon spoke slowly.

Swish!

Six Black Magic Tokens appeared in front of Wu Yuan out of thin air, and he reached out to take them.

"So far, you have received twelve Black Magic Tokens," the Great Demon smiled, "qualifying you to directly enter the eighth level of the trial."

Indeed!

All celestial beings and gods felt heavy-hearted.

"The eighth level of the trial is the final test, left by the Sovereign. I don't know the specifics of what it entails or what's inside," the Great Demon said slowly. "But there's one thing."

"If you succeed, then you'll be the new master of the Black Demon Blood Cavern."

"And you'll be my master too." The Great Demon stared at Wu Yuan. "However, the final inheritance site is of great importance and must not be disclosed."

"If you fail."

"Then, you will undoubtedly perish. It's not just your physical body that will perish before you, but even if you have other avatars or even other true bodies, they will also perish under the karmic backlash from the heavens."

Silence fell.

All the celestial beings and gods were stunned. So, the eighth level of the trial was a do-or-die situation.

Either succeed and become the new master of the Black Demon Blood Cavern, with a bright future ahead.

Or fail and perish outright!

Not just the avatar or the original body, but even the true body in the outside world would perish.

"Ming Jian, I now ask if you're willing to enter the eighth level of the trial," the Great Demon stared at Wu Yuan. "If not, I'll send you away."

"Failure means perishing?" Wu Yuan furrowed his brow slightly. He was the true body who came here.

And would it affect his physical body too?

---

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(End of this chapter)

Chapter 441: Zuta Wants You Dead (Four Updates, Asking for Monthly Votes)

"Someone is qualified to enter the eighth level of the trial, so I will make the rules public," the Great Demon stood in the void, his gaze scanning the celestial beings and gods. "Others can also consider it carefully."

"Ming Jian, you can take your time to think, make sure to understand, and then give me your answer," the Great Demon said lightly.

Then he closed his eyes.

He didn't disappear like before.

For a moment, in the third level of the trial, hundreds of celestial beings and gods began to contemplate, especially those who had obtained six black demon tokens like Xiang Fei, Gu Shou, Xue Yao, and others.

If there was a chance, would they go?

The successor to the Sovereign was destined to be only one. Once the ultimate successor was born, all those who entered the eighth level of the trial would perish.

These celestial beings and gods, including many strong ones from the Demon Realm, did not doubt the Great Demon's words.

In their eyes, the Great Demon represented the Demon Sovereign.

The Demon Sovereign was the invincible existence in the eyes of these strong beings from the Demon Realm, the supreme existence who created the entire Demon Realm.

And the celestial beings and gods from the Dao Realm would also be extremely cautious. After all, the Black Demon Sovereign was once recognized as the first sovereign of the Dao Realm.

"If I can finally obtain twelve black demon tokens, I will go!" Xue Yao, the Star Master, said with determination. "Such a great opportunity, if I don't seize it... I will never have a chance again. My soul will decay. If I can't fight for it, I'll die sooner or later."

In the long years, she could live for billions of years, thanks to her cautious actions. But when faced with opportunities, she would also do her best to seize them.

"To fight for it, it's the only chance." Xiang Fei, the celestial being, made a decision without hesitation.

She had already thought through this point thoroughly and would not waver.

"Do I need to fight so desperately? Even the true body will perish." Gu Shou, the Star Lord, hesitated.

He was the Lord of Space, and even if he did not obtain the inheritance of the Black Demon Sovereign, he would still be quite free and unrestrained.

Moreover, he considered himself to have seen the path of the Star Lord.

"I can become a Star Lord through normal cultivation... even if I succeed in fighting for the inheritance, can I become a Sovereign?" Gu Shou hesitated. "Although the Black Demon Sovereign is strong, he is only a Sovereign after all. If he perishes, can the treasures he left behind help me become a Sovereign?"

As a Lord of Space, Gu Shou had a broad vision and understood the levels of Star Lords and even Sovereigns.

At this moment, facing the question posed by the Great Demon, the hundreds of celestial beings and gods present all had their own thoughts.

Unlike the first level of the trial, where even if someone perished, most of them were just avatars or source bodies, they would now face real danger of perishing, so they were naturally extremely cautious.

There's only one life.

---

"How will Ming Jian choose?"

"It's hard to say."

"He's different from us."

"Most of us celestial beings and gods have been cultivating for countless years, but we still haven't become Star Lords. To be honest, in terms of talent, we're just average among countless immortals and gods."

"Yeah, if the talent and opportunity were high enough, we would have become Star Lords long ago." Many celestial beings and gods exchanged their thoughts.

"Ming Jian is different. His talent is incredibly high. Even without the inheritance of the Black Demon Sovereign, in the future, if he continues to cultivate step by step, he will at least reach the peak of the Star Lord and most likely become a Sovereign."

"He doesn't need to take risks at all." Many immortals and gods exchanged their thoughts and made their judgments.

In fact, many celestial beings and gods instinctively hoped that Wu Yuan would give up.

After all!

Wu Yuan had too much of an advantage. If Wu Yuan didn't give up, then their chances would be too slim.

---

Chapter 441: The Ancestral Tower Wants You Dead (Four Updates, Asking for Monthly Votes)

"Even other incarnations are at risk of perishing," Wu Yuan was indeed hesitant.

If only the Qi Refinement incarnation was at risk of perishing.

Then, Wu Yuan would hesitate slightly but would choose to take the risk.

After all, from the previous intelligence, it was evident that the inheritance of the Black Demon Sovereign was closely related to the Black Tower.

If there were truly no risks at all, Wu Yuan wouldn't have needed to risk his own incarnation.

But if it involved the Body Refinement incarnation, Wu Yuan would naturally hesitate.

"The Body Refinement incarnation has already obtained the Dao Imprint. I am already the inheritor of the Immortal Saint, and with normal cultivation, as the Naturalist said, it shouldn't be difficult for me to cultivate to the peak of a Sovereign in the future. I even have a chance to become a ruler," Wu Yuan thought to himself. "The inheritance of the Black Demon Sovereign... even if it's powerful, can it surpass the Supreme Being?"

However!

The Naturalist made it very clear that the Dao Imprint was precious even to a Supreme Being and would not be easily taught.

"Even if it's the Qi Refinement incarnation, although it's influenced by the Dao, it's difficult to comprehend the laws of the upper realm."

"But even if I don't receive the inheritance of the Time and Space Lord in the future, at least I should be able to cultivate to the peak of a Star Lord, and there should still be a glimmer of hope to become a Sovereign," Wu Yuan thought to himself. "Is it worth risking so much for just one Sovereign inheritance?"

Other celestial beings and gods didn't have a choice, so they wouldn't struggle for too long.

But for Wu Yuan, the path ahead was already bright enough.

The son of a rich man shouldn't sit idly by!

It can be said that if this were an ordinary Sovereign inheritance, Wu Yuan would have more than a fifty percent chance of choosing to give up in the face of such great risks.

It's not necessary.

But the inheritance of the Black Demon Sovereign, which also involved the Ancestral Tower, naturally made Wu Yuan hesitate.

"The mark of the Ancestral Tower..."

"Don't make wedding clothes for others... What did the Black Demon Sovereign really leave behind?" Wu Yuan's eyes flickered.

The Ancestral Tower definitely involved the Supreme Beings, but how deep was the involvement?

---

In the Qingling Great World, within the Pill Refining Grounds of the Cangfeng Witch World.

"Master, that's the situation," Wu Yuan said respectfully, having just explained everything.

However, he omitted the information about the Black Tower.

Unable to make a decision, Wu Yuan naturally thought of his Master, Kua Chi.

As the Sovereign of the Witch Court, his Master had a very high level of insight and might be able to offer advice.

"Danger of perishing? And it even involves your other incarnations? This one called the Great Demon has quite the audacity," Sovereign Kua Chi furrowed his brows slightly.

Wu Yuan nodded. "That's indeed what he said."

"No, this doesn't seem right!" Sovereign Kua Chi said solemnly. "If what you said about this Great Demon is true, then the inheritance of the Black Demon Sovereign is probably very special."

"Special?" Wu Yuan was puzzled.

"My disciple, you're not a Sovereign, so you wouldn't understand," Sovereign Kua Chi looked at Wu Yuan. "Ordinary Sovereign inheritances, such as mine, essentially leave behind things like divine crystals, source liquid, personal cultivation insights, powerful techniques, superior Dao artifacts, and intermediate Dao artifacts."

"In any case, unless I deliberately leave behind some lethal moves, it wouldn't be necessary to take the life of the inheritor," Sovereign Kua Chi said.

Wu Yuan couldn't help but nod.

Indeed, in the selection of an inheritor, unless it was deliberately done, there were rarely instances of directly endangering lives.

"And to endanger the life of the inheritor, it's also difficult to harm their true body through their incarnations," Sovereign Kua Chi continued. "Let alone using a single incarnation or source body to eliminate the other incarnations of the inheritor."

"It's indeed unimaginable," Wu Yuan shook his head.

On this point, he was very clear.

For example, powerful entities could attempt to kill Wu Yuan's Qi Refinement incarnation through his Law Body, which wouldn't be too difficult.

But, if they wanted to harm Wu Yuan's Body Refinement incarnation? The difficulty would skyrocket a hundred or even a thousandfold.

Because.

The causal connection between the two main incarnations was already very weak, and Wu Yuan's current strength was sufficient to resist such attacks.

"With your strength, even a Sovereign skilled in causal attacks would find it difficult to directly kill your Body Refinement incarnation through your Qi Refinement incarnation," Sovereign Kua Chi looked at Wu Yuan. "Moreover, now that you've explained the situation, I will protect you."

"If you hide in the Witch World's territory, with external protection, coupled with your own strength, even if the Sovereigns who comprehend the laws of fate fully exert themselves, they won't be able to kill you across endless time and space," Sovereign Kua Chi said solemnly. "I am confident of this."

As the Sovereign of the Witch World, he had this confidence.

"Master, what do you mean?" Wu Yuan hesitated.

"The Black Demon Sovereign is dead, so I speculate two possibilities," Sovereign Kua Chi said. "First, before his death, the Black Demon Sovereign left behind some extremely sinister methods, intending to kill all those who didn't pass on his final inheritance, to conceal the news. But since he has perished, setting up such sinister methods would be very difficult, and even if there were, they wouldn't be usable many times. It shouldn't be necessary, so this possibility is very small."

Wu Yuan nodded involuntarily.

"Second, his inheritance involves something supreme," Sovereign Kua Chi said. "And it's an extremely high and important supreme item."

"A supreme item?" Wu Yuan's pupils contracted slightly, instantly thinking of the Black Tower.

"Yes."

"Like what we call the True Saint, the Immortal, and the Lord of Dao, they are all supreme beings," Sovereign Kua Chi said slowly. "They have transcended the cycle of heaven and earth and are truly eternal beings."

"Supreme items naturally contain extraordinary power, and some terrifying supreme items, once a Sovereign comes into contact with them, if their strength isn't enough, they may suffer backlash or even complete annihilation," Sovereign Kua Chi continued. "Some of the most terrifying supreme items, once unleashed, their offensive power might be comparable to that of a Supreme Being themselves."

A barely perceptible fear flashed in Sovereign Kua Chi's eyes.

It seemed like he was recalling a scene he had encountered before.

However, Wu Yuan did not notice this.

"If that's the case, the one called the Great Demon indeed has such confidence," Sovereign Kua Chi looked at Wu Yuan. "I speculate that the second possibility is more likely in the Black Demon Sovereign's inheritance."

"Extremely high supreme items?" Wu Yuan thought to himself, finding his Master's words reasonable.

He couldn't help but feel fortunate.

He had a Sovereign Master whom he could consult at any time, helping him analyze the situation.

Otherwise, with his own vision, where would he be able to figure things out?

"Master, what do you think I should choose?" Wu Yuan couldn't help but ask.

"From my perspective, I hope you give up."

"You already have the qualifications of a Sovereign, especially your Body Refinement incarnation, with unlimited future achievements," Sovereign Kua Chi shook his head slightly. "And this inheritance of the Black Demon Sovereign is too dangerous, even more dangerous than many supreme inheritances. I even speculate that the death of the Black Demon Sovereign is related to the inheritance he left behind."

"If you get involved in it, a slight mistake may result in your downfall."

Wu Yuan couldn't help but be stunned.

Yes!

If it truly involves the Black Tower, perhaps that's the reason for the Black Demon Sovereign's demise.

"But."

"With your current strength, if I haven't sensed it wrongly, you should have already reached the fourth level of understanding in the Great Dao of Creation," Sovereign Kua Chi said with a faint smile.

"Wise Master," Wu Yuan's eyes flashed with surprise.

Exactly!

Compared to the progress of his Qi Refinement incarnation in the Time-Space Dao, his Body Refinement incarnation's understanding of the mysteries of all things had progressed just as quickly. In fact, both were approaching the fifth level of understanding of the True Meaning of Creation.

In terms of comprehending the laws, as a Body Refinement incarnation with a life path, the efficiency was indeed terrifying.

"At this level, in tens of thousands of years, your understanding of the Dao will probably be close to mine," Sovereign Kua Chi said. "Your talent is exceptional. If you claim not to have the slightest desire to peer into the highest realms, it would probably be false."

Wu Yuan couldn't help but smile.

Indeed!

Becoming a Star Sovereign? For Wu Yuan, it was just a matter of time, and there was also a great hope of becoming a Sovereign.

But what about beyond that? Any Sovereign would yearn for the highest realm.

After all.

Only the highest existence could truly transcend, no longer bound by the cycle of heaven and earth.

"Master, initially, I only hoped you would become a Sovereign," Sovereign Kua Chi looked at Wu Yuan. "However, if you yourself aspire to reach the highest realm, then perhaps this Black Demon inheritance will greatly enhance your chances."

"I've said what needs to be said."

"In the end, how you choose depends on you," Sovereign Kua Chi said.

Sovereign Kua Chi's words shook Wu Yuan's heart, abruptly awakening him.

Exactly!

With the resources he already had, following the regular path of cultivation to become a Star Sovereign or even a Sovereign wasn't difficult.

But what about beyond that?

"Throughout endless ages, how many extraordinary geniuses have there been in the river of time and space, how many so-called 'supreme talents'? All external cultivation methods, at most, only reach the level of a Sovereign."

"In many Great Realms, how many Sovereigns have truly transcended?"

"My talent is high, valued by the Immortal Saints, but the two disciples before the Immortal Saint, with talents higher than most of the strongest geniuses, have also not transcended."

"The Lord of Time and Space has not appeared to this day, indicating that I have not yet caught his eye. For a supreme existence, my talent is probably nothing special."

"If I want to transcend."

"Then I cannot be satisfied with current achievements. I must seize as many opportunities as possible."

"The Black Demon Sovereign is certainly not as good as a supreme existence, but he's related to the Ancestral Tower."

"The Ancestral Tower, from current signs, should be a very special and powerful supreme item."

"This is an opportunity!"

"According to the Black Demon Sovereign's regrets before his death, his inheritance probably also involves leaving behind the Ancestral Tower's mark."

"I should be the only one among the many challengers with the mark of the Ancestral Tower."

"In terms of talent and strength, I consider myself the strongest among all the challengers," Wu Yuan silently contemplated.

He had made up his mind.

...

"Master," Wu Yuan opened his eyes.

"Have you made up your mind?" Sovereign Kua Chi looked at Wu Yuan.

"Yeah," Wu Yuan nodded heavily. "Disciple has made up his mind to fight for it!"

"Alright." Sovereign Kua Chi nodded, not asking for the reason. Wu Yuan's choice must have been well thought out.

As a Master.

All he could do was to do his best to help Wu Yuan.

"Continue," Sovereign Kua Chi waved his hand, and nine streams of light flew out. Astonishingly, they were nine purple lotus platforms, emitting a misty aura, making even the lotus platforms themselves appear somewhat illusory.

"What's this?" Wu Yuan was stunned. He could sense that these nine purple lotus platforms were extraordinary.

"This is called the Nine Star Lotus Platform, a mid-grade Dao artifact," Sovereign Kua Chi said. "It's a treasure to guard the primordial spirit, and I'm giving it to you."

"Mid-grade Dao artifact?" Wu Yuan was taken aback, looking at his Master in surprise.

Mid-grade Dao artifacts, in terms of rarity, far exceeded high-grade immortal artifacts, let alone being treasures to guard the primordial spirit. Their value was so high that countless peak Star Sovereign experts would envy them.

Such a treasure, bestowed upon himself?

"Throughout the thousands of disciples I've accepted, even your Third Senior Brother and Ninth Senior Brother, I have never bestowed such a valuable treasure upon them. They relied on their own efforts," Sovereign Kua Chi said. "But this time, the situation is indeed different."

"Your talent truly surpasses that of your fellow senior brothers."

"Even more precious treasures to guard the primordial spirit are difficult for me to produce, and you may not even be able to use them," Sovereign Kua Chi said. "So, this will suffice."

Wu Yuan nodded involuntarily.

For him, there was currently little difference between mid-grade and high-grade Dao artifacts; both could only unleash a small fraction of their power.

"Take it and quickly refine it."

"The nine lotus platforms can each guard one layer of the primordial spirit, providing maximum resistance against attacks on fate and divine soul," Sovereign Kua Chi said.

"Thank you, Master." Wu Yuan put away the Nine Star Lotus Platforms and quickly imprinted them with his life aura.

Acknowledged!

Then, the nine layers of primordial spirit began to refine the mid-grade Dao artifact. With just a little refinement, Wu Yuan could feel its immense power and formidability.

The nine lotus platforms, seemingly separate, were actually connected to each other, weakening layer by layer, providing maximum protection for the primordial spirit.

"Let's go, accompany me to the 'Azure Peak Divine Temple,'" Sovereign Kua Chi said, waving his hand.

In an instant.

The surrounding world changed, and Wu Yuan felt ripples in the fabric of time and space. In the blink of an eye, he appeared in a majestic temple.

The temple was extremely spacious, with divine pillars standing on both sides.

At the end of the temple.

A burly figure in a black robe sat cross-legged. His aura was domineering and fierce, permeating the surroundings, making Wu Yuan feel slightly suffocated.

What a terrifying aura.

"A Sovereign?" Wu Yuan was shocked inwardly.

It wasn't that the burly figure in front of him was stronger than Sovereign Kua Chi; it was just that Sovereign Kua Chi's aura was more restrained.

"Disciple, why haven't you paid your respects to Sovereign Azure Peak?" Sovereign Kua Chi said.

"Pay respects to Sovereign Azure Peak." Wu Yuan quickly bowed respectfully, already understanding who the person in front of him was.

He was none other than the highest leader of the Azure Peak Witch Realm, 'Sovereign Azure Peak.'

He was also one of the giants in the Azure Peak Great World.

"Kua Chi, is this your little disciple?" Sovereign Azure Peak smiled, stepping forward to stand in front of Wu Yuan. His gaze was sharp as he looked down at Wu Yuan.

The pressure was terrifying!

Although Wu Yuan felt greatly oppressed, his strong primordial spirit and willpower still managed to withstand it.

"Not bad."

"What a strong will. Truly worthy of being called the 'top genius of the Witch Court' by your Master," Sovereign Azure Peak praised repeatedly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

In his eyes, Wu Yuan, who had only cultivated for two thousand years, was just a little kid.

But the strength of this little kid's will was beyond his imagination.

"Kua Chi, why have you brought your disciple here?" Sovereign Azure Peak looked at Sovereign Kua Chi.

"I need to borrow your temple to activate the great formation," Sovereign Kua Chi said. "Protect Wu Yuan for a while."

"Protect him?"

Sovereign Azure Peak was momentarily surprised, then a hint of anger flashed in his eyes. "Who wants to attack him with causal attacks? From the Thunder Feather Temple? Or from that old guy?"

As a figure of his stature, Sovereign Kua Chi had already guessed the approximate reason as soon as he spoke.

"No need to ask more."

"It's just a possibility of attack, and even if there is one, it would come from outside my Qingling Great World," Sovereign Kua Chi said. "In terms of defensive capability, your temple is the best in our Witch Realm, so I have to ask for your help."

"Sure, no problem."

"I usually stay in the temple all year round, so it's fine," Sovereign Azure Peak nodded.

Everyone has secrets.

If Sovereign Kua Chi didn't say anything, he wouldn't ask more.

"Wu Yuan, sit quietly on the jade platform over there and focus on guarding yourself," Sovereign Azure Peak pointed to a distant jade platform. "Here, you don't have to worry. Even if the Supreme Sovereign acts, it will be difficult to harm you with me guarding you."

"Thank you, Sovereign." Wu Yuan expressed his gratitude continuously.

Sovereign Kua Chi had already done well enough.

"You are my disciple, and I will do my best," Sovereign Kua Chi smiled and transmitted his voice. "Go on, don't be distracted anymore. If you want to fight, then give it your all."

Wu Yuan nodded gently and closed his eyes.

...

Inside the Black Demon Blood Cave, the location of the third trial.

"It's been so long, and Mingjian still hasn't figured it out?"

"If it were you, you would struggle too."

"Are you going to give up?" Many celestial beings communicated with each other. In their eyes, Wu Yuan had been silent for a long time.

"Senior Demon." Wu Yuan suddenly spoke.

Immediately, he attracted everyone's attention.

"What? Have you made up your mind?" Senior Demon opened his eyes, looking amusedly at Wu Yuan.

"I'm going to challenge it." Wu Yuan uttered three words.

"Good."

"Courageous." Senior Demon smiled faintly. "Sovereigns like people with courage."

"Then go."

Senior Demon waved his hand, and Wu Yuan disappeared instantly from where he stood.

...

The news of Wu Yuan's decision to challenge the eighth trial area quickly spread through the Temporal Realm and reached the high-level forces of various powers in the Dao Realm.

"Mingjian chose to challenge it?"

"He's such a genius, with a bright future ahead, yet he dares to take such a big risk to challenge?"

"He's got courage!"

"Without this kind of fearless courage, it would probably be difficult to get to where he is today. How many peerless geniuses are afraid of death?"

"The path of the strong is indeed extremely rugged." In a special dimension within the Temporal Realm, many Sovereigns of the Dao Realm communicated.

They also felt quite moved by Wu Yuan's choice.

"Let's see if he can succeed."

"Could this be a decoy? Is what the Demon said true?" A Sovereign suddenly spoke up.

"It shouldn't be! Given the nature of the Black Demon, he wouldn't stoop to deceive anyone." Another Sovereign quickly countered.

"Let's wait for the news."

"It will probably take hundreds or even thousands of years before we get a result."

For these Sovereigns, a single session of seclusion and cultivation might span tens of thousands of years.

One of the figures in a towering purple robe, his eyes flashed with coldness. "Mingjian?"

"So desperate to obtain the Black Demon's inheritance?"

"Hmph!"

"If you fail to obtain the inheritance, it's fine, but if you do... I'll make you swear an oath."

He was Sovereign Mo Lang.

He had the deepest grudge with the Black Demon Sovereign. In that peak battle, his stronghold was breached by the Black Demon Sovereign, and he almost fell into the hands of the Black Demon Sovereign himself.

"Nine Blood." He gave the order secretly.

Nine Blood Star Sovereign was responsible for intelligence under him.

"Without alerting the other eight major forces of the Dao Realm, mobilize as many Peak Star Lords, Spatial Star Lords, Half-Step Star Sovereigns, and covertly enter the core area of the Snowlight Mist Territory as possible."

"As soon as you detect Mingjian's whereabouts, capture him immediately."

"Remember, don't leak any information, especially not to the Hundred Profound Palace and the Suspended Moon Palace."

...

Sovereign Mo Lang's orders were unknown to the other Sovereigns of the Dao Realm, let alone Wu Yuan, that a huge net had already been cast over him.

At this moment.

Wu Yuan had entered a mysterious place within the Black Demon Blood Cave.

"Here?" Wu Yuan's gaze swept around, the endless darkness, shrouded in boundless black mist, with no visible boundaries.

"The eighth trial, what is it?" Wu Yuan was quite vigilant.

Hum~ Countless light spots appeared out of nowhere, converging into a figure in a black robe, his aura vast and ethereal.

Only his eyes were dazzling like stars.

"Black Demon Sovereign?" Wu Yuan was suddenly surprised.

"You've finally reached this step, even faster than I imagined." The Black Demon Sovereign looked at Wu Yuan, his voice calm. "Don't worry, this is just a remnant before my death."

"The so-called final trial is actually very simple."

"It's to integrate a strand of the ancestral tower's origin." The Black Demon Sovereign looked at Wu Yuan. "Succeed, and you'll inherit everything from me."

"Fail, and you die."

"It's not that I want you dead, it's that the ancestral tower wants you dead."

ps: Third and fourth updates.

Extra update 9/35, 10/35.

Please vote with your monthly tickets!

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 442: Truth, Pawn (Two More for Monthly Votes)

Integrate the origin of the ancestral tower?

The ancestral tower wants you dead?

The simple words of the Black Demon Sovereign contained too much information, almost making Wu Yuan's mind buzz, instantly leading to many thoughts.

"Master Kuachi's judgment is really accurate." Wu Yuan's mind was in chaos. "Sure enough, the reason why the Demon Lord dares to be so confident isn't because of the deceased Black Demon Sovereign."

"It's because it involves the ancestral tower, but... what exactly is the origin of the ancestral tower?" Wu Yuan was both shocked and curious.

The ancestral tower, incredibly mysterious.

To this day, Wu Yuan hadn't figured out its secrets, but now, he finally learned some secrets from the Black Demon Sovereign.

And.

Wu Yuan thought of more. Why did the Black Demon Sovereign provoke the intervention of the Dao Lords back then? Was it because of the ancestral tower?

Moreover, the metaphor of being a pawn in the Black Demon Sovereign's mouth? Who was he making a pawn for?

Too many confusions.

"Mingjian, your mind must be filled with confusion. Don't worry, I'll explain everything to you before you touch the origin of the ancestral tower." Although only a remnant remained of the Black Demon Sovereign, the aura he emitted was still vast, as if real.

"First, you are a reporter of the ancestral tower, so you are destined to embark on this irreversible path." The Black Demon Sovereign spoke slowly.

"Black Demon Senior, what exactly is a reporter of the ancestral tower? And what is the ancestral tower?" Wu Yuan couldn't help but ask.

Irreversible path?

"The ancestral tower is a tower, yet not a tower." The Black Demon Sovereign said lightly. "I am just on the road after all, and already dead, so I only know part of the information."

"You can listen slowly."

Wu Yuan nodded gently.

"In this vast universe, the so-called river of time we talk about, is just one universe. Many universes converge to form a cosmos." The Black Demon Sovereign said, "Many universes, in the passage of time, cycle and change repeatedly, but they cannot affect the cosmos."

"To break free from the shackles of the universe, to transcend the cycle of heaven and earth, that is the highest existence." There was a hint of longing in the Black Demon Sovereign's eyes.

Universe? Cosmos?

Wu Yuan was shocked to hear this. So, this vast river of time is just one universe? Many universes make up the cosmos?

In an instant, Wu Yuan thought of the intelligence he had learned before, the upcoming 'Cosmic Path of the Universe'.

Could it be that the Cosmic Path of the Universe is where the strong elites of many universes gather? Wu Yuan speculated in his mind.

However, he knew very little about the Cosmic Path of the Universe.

"The Great Dao is the eternal way." The Black Demon Sovereign looked down at Wu Yuan and continued, "As far as I know, before the cycle of heaven and earth, three supreme divine objects descended in the vast cosmos. They are called divine objects, but their appearance is not natural, but rather seems to be man-made."

"However, in reality, these three supreme divine objects are indeed not objects. They are more like the essence and rules themselves."

"They cannot be touched by living beings, not even by the highest existences. They are the strongest in the cosmos, above the eternal rules of the Great Dao."

Three supreme divine objects?

Even the highest existences cannot touch them?

Wu Yuan was shocked to hear this, but he already had some guesses about the three supreme divine objects.

"The three supreme divine objects, known as the 'Original Sword', 'Celestial Cauldron', and 'Ancestral Tower', are regarded as part of the rules of the universe, even surpassing the original rules." The Black Demon Sovereign said solemnly.

Wu Yuan held his breath.

These secrets were unheard of in the past and unknown.

At least, in the various intelligence Wu Yuan had encountered.

There was no mention of the three supreme divine objects.

"After the appearance of the Original Sword and the Celestial Cauldron, these two divine objects disappeared without a trace, but they did exist. The rules of heaven and earth were affected as a result, so countless practitioners, even if they didn't know about these two divine objects, understood something." The Black Demon Sovereign spoke slowly. "As for the Ancestral Tower, it does not directly affect the rules of heaven and earth, so ordinary practitioners are not aware of its existence. Even many Sovereigns are unaware of it during the cycle of heaven and earth."

Chapter 442: Truth, Pawn (Two More for Monthly Votes)

"But it has indeed influenced many cultivators, among whom the most special are the 'Ancestral Tower Marked Ones'."

"The ancestral tower, mysterious and unpredictable, I don't know where its true body is, after all, I am just a Sovereign."

"But the Ancestral Tower Marked Ones, essentially chosen by the ancestral tower, why they are chosen, what the criteria are, I do not know. Throughout the generations, Ancestral Tower Marked Ones even come from different streams of time, and there may be more than one at the same time." The Black Demon Sovereign looked at Wu Yuan. "I, am one of the Ancestral Tower Marked Ones."

"You, are the same."

Wu Yuan was shocked to hear this, he finally understood some things.

Some of the confusion in his heart was also resolved.

"In the three supreme divine objects, the Original Sword and the Celestial Cauldron don't have Marked Ones, but they invisibly influence the rules of heaven and earth?" Wu Yuan pondered silently. "The Ancestral Tower hardly affects the rules of heaven and earth, but it chooses Marked Ones? Are these Marked Ones greatly influenced by the Ancestral Tower?"

The three supreme divine objects seem to have chosen two different paths.

Just like Wu Yuan himself, although he has made efforts on his own throughout his cultivation, he has also been greatly influenced by the ancestral tower.

"What will happen to the Ancestral Tower Marked Ones?" Wu Yuan couldn't help but ask. "What is the purpose of the ancestral tower?"

He was indeed curious.

And wary too, the ancestral tower's actions probably have a purpose.

"The Ancestral Tower, its power is endless. If I'm not mistaken, it is located at the pinnacle of infinite-dimensional space-time, reflecting the past, present, and future, existing in many streams of time. We cannot perceive it, but it can perceive us everywhere." The Black Demon Sovereign sighed softly. "Every Marked One will receive gifts from the ancestral tower. The stronger and more potential they have, the greater the help they will receive from the ancestral tower."

Wu Yuan nodded gently, indeed.

"When I rose to power back then, it was with the help of the ancestral tower." The Black Demon Sovereign said. "Even after becoming a Sovereign, guided by the ancestral tower in the dark, I obtained the inheritance of a supreme existence called 'Origin True Saint', and obtained a series of treasures such as Origin World, Origin Stars, and Origin Pillars."

"And the 'Origin Rite' that is a powerful technique, which I modified later, became a series of treasures for the Black Demon, and thus, the Black Demon Blood Cave was established." The Black Demon Sovereign looked at Wu Yuan. "The Black Demon Stars you obtained, were they used by you to restore the Origin Pillar with the power of the Origin?"

"Origin True Saint?"

Wu Yuan was confused. "Isn't the 'Origin Rite' left behind by the ancestral tower?"

All along, Wu Yuan had thought that the 'Origin Rite' and the series of treasures like the Origin Stars all came from the ancestral tower.

After all.

The Origin Power born from the ancestral tower cannot be faked!

"Of course not. Initially, my understanding was the same as yours." The Black Demon Sovereign shook his head lightly. "The Origin True Saint is also a Marked One of the ancestral tower, but this supreme existence has long since fallen."

"Most of my understanding of the ancestral tower comes from the messages left by this Origin True Saint."

Wu Yuan was stunned.

"Does the ancestral tower in your Dan Tian Palace produce the Origin Power?" The Black Demon Sovereign looked at Wu Yuan.

Wu Yuan hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"But in the messages left by the Origin True Saint, there was no Origin Power in the Marked Ones at first." The Black Demon Sovereign said softly. "It was only when he stepped into the realm of the supreme, with unparalleled magical powers and endless effort, that he created the 'Origin Rite'. And later Marked Ones began to be able to produce 'Origin Power'."

"And then, the Origin True Saint fell..."

"The truth, the Origin True Saint never mentioned, but I have a guess."

"Mingjian, I think you should have some speculation in your heart too." The Black Demon Sovereign looked at Wu Yuan, his eyes carrying a hint of pity and mockery.

Wu Yuan felt a chill in his heart.

How could he not understand what the other party meant? If what the Black Demon Sovereign said is true.

The truth is too terrifying.

"All gains come with a price, and fate has never been a free gift." The Black Demon Sovereign's voice was deep. "As Ancestral Tower Marked Ones, in my eyes, it's a path of no return."

"But, we have no choice, this is fate."

Wu Yuan fell silent.

According to the Black Demon Sovereign, the so-called Ancestral Tower Marked Ones are just pawns selected by the supreme 'Ancestral Tower', assisting in their growth and strength until they become extremely powerful, then the pawn is devoured, like the Origin True Saint...

However.

Wu Yuan dared not fully believe in such news, as it was only the Black Demon Sovereign's word.

Moreover!

Supreme existences, how powerful are they? Of the several supreme existences that Wu Yuan knows now, which one of them isn't endlessly powerful? Would they easily be controlled by the Ancestral Tower?

So, Wu Yuan still remained vigilant.

He didn't dare to fully believe the Black Demon Sovereign's words.

"Black Demon senior." Wu Yuan bowed slightly. "If that's the case, why did you intervene in the Dao Realm back then..."

"Shut up." The Black Demon Sovereign suddenly frowned, a hint of severity flashing in his eyes.

Boom!

An invisible and powerful pressure instantly enveloped Wu Yuan, causing him to stop the words about to come out.

This terrifying pressure made Wu Yuan unable to resist at all.

Then.

This pressure suddenly dissipated, leaving only Wu Yuan shocked, looking at the Black Demon Sovereign.

"This is the Dao Realm."

"Don't talk too much about matters concerning the Dao Lord." The Black Demon Sovereign shook his head. "Remember, within the Dao Realm, anything you do, if the Dao Lord wants to know, he will sense it all."

Wu Yuan was slightly surprised.

"My affairs with the Dao Lord, you don't need to interfere with, nor can you interfere with, and it's not necessary for you to understand. Knowing won't benefit you either." The Black Demon Sovereign looked at Wu Yuan. "Understand?"

"The junior understands." Wu Yuan nodded.

"I know you still have some doubts, such as why specifically your true self had to come, while most of the other participants only sent their avatars." The Black Demon Sovereign said lightly.

Wu Yuan couldn't help but nod. "The junior is indeed puzzled."

"The true inheritor, from beginning to end, is only you, and only you are qualified to enter the eighth level of the trial." The Black Demon Sovereign said slowly. "This trial was specifically opened for you alone."

"To merge with this strand of the Ancestral Tower's essence, the prerequisite must be being an Ancestral Tower Marked One."

"My inheritance is not important; what's important is this strand of the Ancestral Tower's essence." The Black Demon Sovereign said. "What I envisaged for you was that you must obtain twelve Black Demon Tokens within the first four trials."

"If you can't even meet this requirement, then you're not qualified to see me, and I can just kill you directly."

"Fortunately, you performed quite well, beyond my expectations." The Black Demon Sovereign glanced at Wu Yuan.

Wu Yuan was secretly shocked.

So, the truth behind it all is like this.

It seems like there are seven trials, but in reality, he only has a chance in the first four trials.

"Am I the only one truly receiving the inheritance?" Wu Yuan couldn't help but ask. "What about the others?"

"Just the Dark Army candidates I prepared for you," the Black Demon Sovereign said calmly. "Letting the Great Demon tell others they can obtain the inheritance is to maximize their potential, to select the most promising ones."

"After all, the slots in the Dark Army are limited. At least, they need to screen out those with potential to become Star Monarchs to qualify for the Dark Army."

The Black Demon Sovereign looked at Wu Yuan. "I'm not exactly deceiving them. If they truly manage to seize twelve Black Demon Tokens, proving their potential, and ultimately become part of the Dark Army, they can indeed receive a transmission of one of my techniques, which also counts as an inheritance as a Sovereign."

Wu Yuan was speechless.

He didn't expect that all of this was orchestrated by the Black Demon Sovereign. Others were doomed not to receive the final inheritance.

They also had to become part of the Dark Army?

"Senior."

"Those powerful beings from the Demon Realm are easy to deal with, but what about the other Immortal and Divine Beings from various forces in the Dao Realm? Would they be willing to join the Dark Army?" Wu Yuan was quite puzzled.

"If they are Star Monarchs and unwilling to join the Dark Army, I naturally can't force them."

"But a group of Immortal and Divine Beings?" The Black Demon Sovereign's eyes turned cold. "If they are to join, they can only join. If they can't, they still have to join... Rest assured, if you succeed, they will naturally obey your orders unquestionably."

"Even if they only send their avatars, the methods I left behind can still control their true selves through their avatars." The Black Demon Sovereign said.

Wu Yuan listened with a shocked heart.

This! He instantly understood that it should be soul control.

Like Xiang Fei Immortal, Ancient Longevity Star Lord, and others with great potential, once selected, they would probably be controlled by the Black Demon Sovereign's soul and would be unable to resist.

He thought of Cen Jiang and many other followers of his body-refining true self, all of whom were controlled by the Witch Court's soul.

Controlling the soul is very difficult! And there are many drawbacks.

"Black Demon Sovereign, even after falling, has such terrifying power?" Wu Yuan was secretly shocked. "If he were alive, he could probably directly control Star Monarchs as his servants."

"The so-called Dark Army is just a group of servants." Wu Yuan shook his head slightly, realizing the temperament of the Black Demon Sovereign before him.

The other party, calling himself a demon, was not a good person at all.

He acted recklessly and could indeed be called a demon!

At the same time, Wu Yuan also unraveled the initial puzzle of why the selected inheritors had to be a group of Immortal and Divine Beings and why a large number of Star Monarchs were not allowed to come.

Because the methods left behind by the Black Demon Sovereign cannot control beings at the level of Star Monarchs.

No matter how the other Immortal and Divine Beings struggle, their outcome is doomed to be very tragic.

"Perhaps those who were eliminated early in the first trial only fell as avatars, but in the end, they benefited from the misfortune," Wu Yuan murmured.

This is fate.

Powerful individuals do whatever they want, and the weak cannot resist, only choosing to believe or not to believe.

Obviously.

Most of the Immortal and Divine Beings chose to believe the Great Demon's words, but they would still end up with a very tragic fate after giving their all.

However, there was nothing they could do.

"Even I might be the same," Wu Yuan sighed inwardly. "I chose to send my true self, destined to be unable to resist the Black Demon Sovereign, and can only choose to believe."

What would the consequences be? Wu Yuan didn't know.

He could only choose and gamble, hoping that he could win and survive.

"Strength, powerful strength," Wu Yuan thought silently. "If I had Sovereign power, even if the Black Demon Sovereign wanted me to make a choice, he wouldn't be able to force me."

Seemingly sensing what Wu Yuan was thinking, the Black Demon Sovereign said slowly, "You are a chosen one by the Ancestral Tower. Others may choose to kill you, but they cannot control your soul... If anyone dares to invade and control your soul, it will likely incur punishment from the Ancestral Tower."

"I can't control my soul?" Wu Yuan was taken aback.

"Don't think of this as a good thing," the Black Demon Sovereign sneered, shaking his head. "The reason we, the chosen ones, cannot be soul-controlled is because we are seen as 'food' by the Ancestral Tower."

Wu Yuan fell silent.

He sensed a strong resentment and desolation in the heart of the Black Demon Sovereign... He seemed to harbor a deep hatred towards the Ancestral Tower.

"Black Demon Senior," Wu Yuan said, "if you think the Ancestral Tower is so malevolent... why not destroy this inheritance directly? Wouldn't it be better to destroy this strand of Ancestral Tower origin?"

He didn't understand.

"You are indeed naive," the Black Demon Sovereign glanced at Wu Yuan. "Do you think death is liberation?"

Wu Yuan was stunned.

"Have you heard of reincarnation?" the Black Demon Sovereign asked.

"I have," Wu Yuan nodded. The concept of reincarnation has existed since ancient times, even on Blue Star, where the belief in reincarnation is prevalent.

"Reincarnation does indeed exist."

"But there are no underworlds, hells, or cycles of reincarnation as people imagine. Those are just common life imaginations."

The Black Demon Sovereign said solemnly, "The soul of life is the essence born from the operation of the universe. Once dead, it will reincarnate in the vast river of time and space under the operation of the rules of the universe... In reincarnation, it is absolutely impossible to awaken memories of past lives."

"All lives originate from the beginning of the universe, and when the cycle of the universe ends, all souls will be completely annihilated, never to return."

Wu Yuan was shocked to hear this.

Reincarnation truly exists in this vast universe?

This news was beyond his imagination.

"Trapped in reincarnation, each rebirth, normally speaking, is like truly dying, with almost no connection to past lives," the Black Demon Sovereign said. "There is only one exception, which is to ascend to the highest."

"Once transcending the cycle of the universe, one can break free from reincarnation and no longer suffer from it. They can also awaken the memories of all their past lives since the beginning of the cycle of the universe."

"However, with countless Sovereigns being born each time the universe cycles, how many of them become transcendents?" the Black Demon Sovereign said gravely.

Wu Yuan fell silent.

Transcendence is indeed extremely difficult.

"And the Ancestral Tower can also break free from the shackles of reincarnation," the Black Demon Sovereign said with a hint of fear in his eyes. "All Ancestral Tower chosen ones, if they haven't fused with the origin of the Ancestral Tower, it's fine. But once they fuse with the origin of the Ancestral Tower, even if they fall, the idea of entering reincarnation again is wishful thinking."

Wu Yuan was stunned.

Once Ancestral Tower chosen ones fuse with a strand of Ancestral Tower origin.

Even if they die, they cannot enter reincarnation?

"I can perceive clearly with this strand of remnant soul, my true spirit has been trapped, not entering reincarnation." The Black Demon Sovereign shook his head lightly. "If I don't enter reincarnation, I will never have a chance."

"Perhaps struggling in reincarnation and eventually reviving to transcend is extremely low, and even if I do ascend in the future, I won't be the same as I am today."

"But, there is always a glimmer of hope."

"And being forever bound by the Ancestral Tower, there is not even a shred of hope." The Black Demon Sovereign said slowly. "If I want to enter reincarnation, there is only one possibility."

"That is to choose an Ancestral Tower chosen one to replace me, fuse with this strand of Ancestral Tower origin, and then the Ancestral Tower will naturally set me free." The Black Demon Sovereign looked at Wu Yuan. "Do you understand?"

Wu Yuan understood clearly.

The Black Demon Sovereign laid down this inheritance not to find an heir, but to free himself from the Ancestral Tower's shackles and regain his freedom, to be able to enter reincarnation.

And he was the chosen one by the Black Demon Sovereign.

"Don't think that it was me who chose you," the Black Demon Sovereign shook his head. "You coming to me might also be the guidance of the Ancestral Tower... Even without me, you will surely have the opportunity to fuse with a strand of Ancestral Tower origin under 'fortunate circumstances' in the future."

"From the day we became Ancestral Tower chosen ones, we had no choice."

"No choice," the Black Demon Sovereign looked at Wu Yuan with a hint of pity. "This is already a road of no return."

Wu Yuan trembled in his heart.

He understood why the Black Demon Sovereign had spoken like that before... If what he said was true, then this was indeed a road of no return.

With this realization, Wu Yuan fell silent.

"Moreover."

"Now, you have no choice," the Black Demon Sovereign looked at Wu Yuan. "This is your true self, and you only have two paths to take: either fuse with that strand of Ancestral Tower origin, die if you fail, but inherit everything I've left for you if you succeed."

"Or, I kill you now!" The Black Demon Sovereign said casually.

A threat!

A blatant threat, revealing the true nature of the Black Demon Sovereign.

That's just how he is.

"Choosing to fuse, you die if you fail," Wu Yuan silently pondered. "Refusing, you still die."

Even if he refused today, could he escape in the future?

Wu Yuan understood that he had no choice.

There was only one path now - success in fusion.

"And don't always think of it as all bad," the Black Demon Sovereign said. "If you succeed... with the invisible assistance of the Ancestral Tower, it's highly probable that you will become a Sovereign, even a Dominator in the future, and your hope of transcendence will greatly increase."

Wu Yuan fell silent.

Transcendence? Too far.

"Black Demon Senior, what's so difficult about fusing with this strand of Ancestral Tower origin?" Wu Yuan asked.

"I don't know," the Black Demon Sovereign shook his head.

"Don't know?" Wu Yuan was taken aback.

"The Ancestral Tower is a supreme divine object, its true form is unfathomable, and this strand of origin is probably just a trace of its power split from its main body, containing infinite mysteries," the Black Demon Sovereign said. "Throughout the generations of Black Tower chosen ones, the situation and strength during fusion have been different for each."

"From what I've learned from the Primeval True Saint, there are only two points: first, the probability of success is higher before crossing the tribulation."

"Second, once you fail, you're doomed to fall."

Wu Yuan was shocked. No wonder the Great Demon had been so confident before.

This was not the power of the Black Demon Sovereign, but it stemmed from the supreme divine object, the 'Ancestral Tower'.

"After falling, no one can save you, not even the highest existence."

"Like the Lord of Space-Time, who can resurrect many beings before they re-enter reincarnation, can even resurrect a Star Sovereign, but once you fail, even if he is willing to intervene, he cannot resurrect you," the Black Demon Sovereign said.

"The Lord of Space-Time can resurrect even a Star Sovereign who has died? But can't resurrect me?" Wu Yuan was astonished by the power of the Lord of Space-Time.

He also sighed at the power of the Ancestral Tower.

But Wu Yuan wasn't too disappointed, even if the Lord of Space-Time could resurrect him.

It also depended on whether the Lord of Space-Time was willing.

"Mingjian, all you can do is give it your all," the Black Demon Sovereign looked at Wu Yuan.

Wu Yuan nodded, he understood everything.

"You have long condensed the true meaning of space and time, your Dao heart and will are also very strong among your peers... At least, you are more outstanding than I was at your age," the Black Demon Sovereign looked down at Wu Yuan. "If I could succeed back then, I believe you can too."

Wu Yuan listened.

The future is unpredictable, even if the Ancestral Tower has a huge conspiracy, he is powerless to resist now.

All he can do is give it his all, to survive the present moment.

"Whoosh!"

The Black Demon Sovereign pointed towards the void, and countless blood mists appeared, gathering together to form a hazy and dreamy tower-shaped structure made of blood mist.

"This is the strand of Ancestral Tower origin."

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PS: First and second update. Guaranteed completion.

Seeking monthly votes!!

(End of this chapter)