Yuan’s Ascension

The first trial was brief, a single battle eliminating most candidates. The second trial, however, stretched on for an exceedingly long time.

A full two hundred years slipped by in silence.

Pill cultivation, equipment cultivation, and talisman cultivation – the three tests were a tough challenge for all the Archimmortals and Archdeities across the eleven trial grounds. Even the mighty Astral Lords were no exception.

In the trial ground where Wu Yuan was assigned to, no one had completed all three tests yet.

It's just as Master predicted. Wu Yuan mused. Those who've lingered at the Archimmortal or Archdeity phase for such a long period aren't true geniuses. Few can excel in all three paths simultaneously.

Master Kua Chi had estimated that even if this trial lasted ten thousand years, fewer than a thousand of the nearly twenty thousand Archimmortals and Archdeities would complete all three tests, far short of three thousand.

But with his life at stake, Wu Yuan dared not be careless.

For two hundred years, besides his own research and deductions, he closely monitored the progress of other candidates. The actual results aligned closely with Sovereign Kua Chi's predictions.

There was a spike in successes around the hundred-year mark, with over a thousand passing the pill cultivation test. But the number dropped rapidly after that. Currently, only about 1300 have completed the first test. Wu Yuan noted.

This was typical. In the first century, those already accomplished in pill cultivation naturally broke through quickly. But for Archimmortals and Archdeities who'd struggled for millions of years yet were far from meeting the requirements, rapid breakthroughs were nigh impossible.

Though the nine major factions of the Dao Realm provided specialized training for their Archimmortals and Archdeities, the Dao Realm powerhouses were the minority; over 90% were from the Devil Realm. The Devil Realm's powerhouses lacked such external support.

Thirty-six have passed the second test so far. Wu Yuan's gaze swept his surroundings. The number of those who passed the third test is currently zero.

No one had completed the second trial yet. This was why Wu Yuan cultivated steadily, step by step, without haste.

According to Master, even if I rush, it would take me centuries at least just to fulfill the pill cultivation requirements. Add equipment and talisman cultivation, both starting from scratch. Since I’m beginning from zero on all three, it'd likely take a thousand years. Wu Yuan shook his head slightly.

A thousand years was quite long relative to his lifespan. But the path of analyzing the fundamental nature of all things, though slow at first, was one that led to a myriad of possibilities.

Once he met the requirements for the pill cultivation test, he would be able to perceive many commonalities when studying equipment and talisman cultivation. Moreover, it could potentially aid in the third and fourth trials, as analyzing all things led to a fundamental improvement.

So from the start, Wu Yuan had thought it through, dedicating a century to attempting the second path. If progress remained slow after a hundred years, he'd switch to the first path.

After all, even if Wu Yuan had initially chosen the first path, his chances of claiming three Black Devil Tokens were very low. At best, he might obtain two.

Now, I've completed a preliminary analysis of fifty-five thousand spirit herbs. But of the 5.5 million basic units of life, I've only deduced three hundred thousand. Wu Yuan's body refiner self continued his contemplation and deduction in the highest-grade pill-refining ground of the eldritch world.

Progress was swift at first. His Dao comprehension was exceptionally high, allowing him to easily perceive familiar basic units of life.

But as he progressed, analyzing and understanding the basic units of life grew increasingly difficult.

In theory, to analyze all basic units of life, one must fully comprehend the Law of Life. Wu Yuan mused. Or conversely, if one could analyze all basic units of life, then comprehending the Law of Life would be highly probable.

The two were complementary.

The Great Dao of Creation encompasses both the Laws of Life and Death. It’s more comprehensive. Wu Yuan shook his head slightly. But it’s becoming increasingly difficult. I have no hope of grasping all the basic units of life in one go.

My greatest advantage still lies in the Great Dao of Spacetime. Wu Yuan had realized this over the past two centuries.

The collision of insights as he comprehended these two Daos yielded astonishingly efficient results.

One-tenth, perhaps. Once I analyze 550,000 basic units of life, I should be at the threshold of the Astral Monarch level in terms of analyzing the fundamental nature of all things and beings. Wu Yuan pondered. With this foundation, my mastery of equipment and talisman cultivation should quickly reach the Archimmortal level.

Continue! Wu Yuan wasn't overly anxious.

His goal was to secure at least one Black Devil Token in the second trial, striving for two if possible.

…

This disciple of mine. In the pill-refining ground, Sovereign Kua Chi stood nearby as Wu Yuan's body refiner self devoted himself fully to comprehension. He concealed his aura completely, not disturbing Wu Yuan.

At first, Sovereign Kua Chi would frequently offer guidance to Wu Yuan, but as time passed, Wu Yuan no longer needed his instruction, independently comprehending and deducing the basic units of life.

What one comprehended and pondered independently often led to a more solid foundation than what was taught by others.

This disciple of mine is truly worthy of being called a top-tier genius even in the entire history of the Eldritch Court. Sovereign Kua Chi couldn't help but marvel. How could his cultivation progress so rapidly?

He was a Sovereign of Life. Though not comparable to some of the Eldritch Court's most extraordinary masters in pill cultivation, equipment forging, and other areas, he ranked first in the Cang Feng Eldritch World, which was quite remarkable.

Over the long years, he had seen countless so-called geniuses. He had also read about many monstrous prodigies from ancient texts, including peerless geniuses from previous samsara cycles of heaven and earth. The Dao comprehension progress of some monstrous prodigies was no less impressive than Wu Yuan's.

But at the very least, in terms of analyzing the basic units of life, my disciple should be the fastest I've ever seen. I've never witnessed an immortal cultivator make faster progress than him. Sovereign Kua Chi shook his head slightly.

If it were a Sovereign of Life who had already fully comprehended the Law of Life, with a Sovereign-level soul, progress would naturally be extremely swift. Different cultivation levels resulted in different speeds of deduction and comprehension.

But for Wu Yuan, merely a First Tribulation High Immortal and First Tribulation High Deity, this speed of comprehension was terrifying.

He's hundreds or thousands of times faster than many Astral Monarchs of Life. It's not just because the effects of Dao Assimilation are less severe, it's related to Wu Yuan's natural talent. It should also be connected to his comprehension of the Great Dao of Spacetime. Sovereign Kua Chi speculated.

Is simultaneously comprehending two Great Daos truly this powerful? Sovereign Kua Chi wondered.

He truly felt that his disciple was extraordinary. As an immortal cultivator, crystallizing the True Intent of a single Great Dao was already remarkably impressive, let alone two Great Daos.

Spacetime and Creation. The two were profoundly interconnected, one the origin of all things, the other the foundation of the evolution of all beings.

However, this Sovereign Black Devil is quite intriguing. If he's choosing a successor, why select Archimmortals and Archdeities? Sovereign Kua Chi furrowed his brow slightly.

Just like many Dao Realm Sovereigns who sensed something amiss, Sovereign Kua Chi likewise perceived that something was off.

Even if he forgoes selecting the most elite monstrous prodigies, at the very least, he should choose Astral Monarchs who align with his own path. Sovereign Kua Chi mused.

He couldn't understand what Sovereign Black Devil was thinking.

What did this Sovereign Black Devil do in the past? It was enough to provoke a great being like the Dao Master to descend and eradicate him. Sovereign Kua Chi shook his head lightly.

He was well aware of the vast gulf between Sovereigns and the Dao Master.

Logically, such supreme beings wouldn't easily move against Sovereigns, as that was a difference of dimensions. Sovereigns were merely the pinnacle of life confined within the samsara cycle of heaven and earth. Meanwhile, supreme beings had transcended, truly unbound by any constraints, free and unfettered.

Nevertheless, my disciple may have already caught the attention of the Dao Master. Sovereign Kua Chi pondered. Sovereign Black Devil's legacy was deliberately left behind by the Spacetime Dao Master. Even if he obtains it, it should be fine.

Sovereign Kua Chi naturally assumed that Wu Yuan had a high likelihood of acquiring Sovereign Black Devil's inheritance.

…

Time flowed by as Wu Yuan continued his cultivation.

Occasionally, Sovereign Kua Chi would offer guidance, but Wu Yuan's own comprehension took precedence.

In the blink of an eye, the second trial had lasted four hundred years.

In the Black Devil Blood Hollow, within Wu Yuan's trial ground, countless pill furnaces were arranged in rows, with a cultivator before each one.

Of course, among the tens of thousands of pill furnaces, many equipment forging and talisman crafting chambers were interspersed.

By now, over 1500 powerhouses had completed the first test. Those who'd completed the second test exceeded a hundred.

All powerhouses were either studying the codexes, or actively refining pills and forging equipment.

On this day, a dazzling radiance suddenly shot skyward from one of the sealed spaces, instantly drawing the attention of all the powerhouses.

"Who is it?"

"What happened?"

"It seemed to have come from Archimmortal Xiang Fei's location. Has she met the requirements?" Over ten thousand Archimmortals and Archdeities looked over, especially those who had completed the second test, their expressions changing dramatically.

"Senior Big Devil has emerged."

"Senior Big Devil." Everyone's expressions changed. Big Devil had appeared twice after the second trial commenced, once when Astral Lord Gu Shou completed the first test and another when Archimmortal Xiang Fei completed the second. They were the first to pass the respective tests. After that, he hadn't shown himself since.

Now, he was appearing for the third time.

"I am pleased," Big Devil declared, his gaze sweeping over the assembled crowd. His voice resonated with a slow, deliberate cadence. "Over four centuries, across eleven trial grounds, among nearly two hundred thousand candidates... at long last, someone has passed the second trial."

"Xiang Fei, you have done well," Big Devil's eyes fixed upon her.

"What?" A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

"The first among all trial grounds?"

"Archimmortal Xiang Fei, a powerhouse from the Devil Realm?" A wave of astonishment swept through the onlookers. Even mighty figures like Astral Lord Gu Shou and Astral Lord Xue Yao, along with numerous other Dao Realm powerhouses, found this difficult to accept.

They had superior Dao comprehension and stronger foundations, and had been receiving the finest training from their respective factions for centuries.

And yet, they were outpaced by a sixth-stage Archimmortal from the Devil Realm? It made them appear utterly incompetent by comparison.

I’m truly the first? Archimmortal Xiang Fei's features were ordinary, but at this moment, she was overcome with excitement. She paid no heed to the countless envious and resentful gazes shot at her.

"Xiang Fei, here are three Black Devil Tokens," Big Devil announced, still looking at her. "Furthermore, you have earned the right to proceed to the third trial.

I trust that this second trial has brought you great gains, which will aid you in swiftly overcoming the trials to come. Strive to acquire five Black Devil Tokens as soon as possible."

"Understood," Archimmortal Xiang Fei responded solemnly.

Her heart raced with excitement.

My Dao comprehension progress is slow, but in the past, I relied entirely on my own research, achieving a measure of success in pill cultivation, equipment cultivation, arrays, and various other fields. Archimmortal Xiang Fei mused inwardly. This time, obtaining the Black Devil Secret Codex has truly illuminated the path ahead for me.

Over the course of several centuries, through careful study of the Black Devil Secret Codex, Archimmortal Xiang Fei had fully tapped into the accumulation of knowledge from her long years of cultivation.

Archimmortal Xiang Fei believed that even if she ultimately failed to claim Sovereign Black Devil's inheritance, she would still swiftly break through and become an Astral Lord in the future.

Moreover, I now have a certain advantage, so naturally, I must strive to compete. Archimmortal Xiang Fei's heart harbored burning aspirations. Although I am only a sixth-stage Archimmortal, Sovereign Black Devil’s inheritance trial assesses more than just one’s combat prowess. I still have a chance.

Among those who had cultivated to become Archimmortals and Archdeities, who didn't harbor pursuits and aspirations in their hearts?