Yuan’s Ascension

One palm was like the collapsing heavens, bearing matchless might.

One palm was like a saber, its radiance blinding!

Wu Yuan's two true selves had traversed dozens of Divine Domain Worlds, witnessing countless combat techniques from geniuses. Among them were many who excelled in palm techniques, but never had he seen such beautiful palm arts.

Creation, endless cycle. Wu Yuan gritted his teeth, his expression grave as nine arms waved forth, unleashing nine blade rays to block the killing strikes from Zhu Shan's ether body.

Bang~ The terrifying collision sent Wu Yuan flying backward again. Though he barely managed to block this palm strike, Wu Yuan dared not relax in the slightest. Zhu Shan held the absolute initiative, his palm techniques flowing endlessly like a mighty river.

Another palm howled forth - if the previous palm was gentle and radiant like water, this one was fierce and vigorous.

The Metal Dao! Ultimate hardness and strength!

Facing Zhu Shan's fierce palm strike, Wu Yuan felt the sharp intent of the technique pierce directly into his spirit, causing it to tremble faintly. At that moment, he finally understood the terrifying nature of his opponent, whose might seemed vast and unmatched. He could not win this battle.

"Kill!" Wu Yuan abandoned any hope of victory and shifted his focus entirely to defense, unleashing the ‘endless cycle’ component of the ‘Will of Life and Death’.

The Will of Life and Death encompassed two aspects: life, which excelled in defense, and death, which was unmatched in its killing potential.

Since advancing to Creation Dao Field over six thousand years ago, Wu Yuan had never stopped contemplating it. Apart from occasionally stumbling into opportunities to enter secret temples to cultivate the ‘Primordial Doctrine’, his time was dedicated to comprehending the Creation Great Dao.

Despite his immense talent, reaching Sovereign-level comprehension meant that making even the slightest progress was extraordinarily challenging. Consequently, Wu Yuan's growth in strength was not too significant.

Clang! Clang! Clang! The clashes between the two participants erupted like flashes of lightning, more than ten times in the blink of an eye. Each collision sent Wu Yuan flying, but he remained resilient, defending like an unyielding rock. He held on, teeth gritted against the impact.

"Haha, impressive!" Zhu Shan's cold face broke into a smile, acknowledging, "As expected of Wu Yuan. You managed to block ten of my strikes at fifty percent of my power. Across the entire Megaverse Crossroads, fewer than ten could achieve this."

The smile faded as Zhu Shan's voice rang out once more: "Now, you'll face my full power. Surrender if you cannot defend; otherwise, I won't hold back."

Boom! He shot forward like lightning, his aura transforming dramatically. His palm technique, infused with killing intent, struck again.

The technique itself remained unchanged, and the profundities within seemed to deepen only slightly. However, the difference in power felt as vast as the gap between heaven and earth. Every aspect—speed, force, and profoundness—improved just a bit, but together, they created a massive enhancement.

Wu Yuan, already struggling, found the pressure nearly overwhelming.

That was only fifty percent power?I see now. Zhu Shan's base ether was roughly equal to mine before. But now, it aligns with base-level Astral Monarch vital ether. Thoughts raced through his mind.

Wu Yuan, with his Apotheosis root and support from Beast Fusion, could be considered a quasi-Astral Monarch in his burst state. But Zhu Shan's ether power was on par with a true Astral Monarch. Coupled with Zhu Shan's far superior Dao comprehension, the power gap between them reached an astonishing level.

Whoosh! Zhu Shan wore a faint smile as his nine palms danced in a relentless rhythm. Each strike varied, flowing like gentle streams, standing firm like immovable mountains, and sweeping away everything like exploding stars.

Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth! The Great Dao of Five Elements spun flawlessly.

The Great Dao of Five Elements might appear ordinary when its components—each a Greater Law—stood alone. Time and Space might overshadow them individually. Yet, when these five elements came together, they formed a seamless whole, like giant puzzle pieces fitting perfectly together. Alone, they carried vulnerabilities; together, they became an unbeatable force. The most powerful yet most difficult Great Dao!

Zhu Shan’s palm techniques interpreted the unstoppable might of the Great Dao of Five Elements.

Bang! Bang! Bang! In a series of seven brutal exchanges, Wu Yuan was overwhelmed, his form destabilized and fractures snaking across his body. Blood streamed from these cracks, transforming him into a man of blood, teetering on the brink of collapse.

This was a purely one-sided battle. Barring unexpected developments, Zhu Shan needed only one more palm strike to shatter Wu Yuan's ether body.

As he fought, Wu Yuan realized why many Supreme Geniuses couldn’t withstand even three blows from Zhu Shan. The gap was truly too large! Zhu Shan simply wasn't on the same level as most Supreme Geniuses.

"Wu Yuan, you've done well," Zhu Shan remarked with a slight shake of his head. "It's a pity you lack the strength." A glimmer of regret flickered in his eyes. If Wu Yuan had been given another hundred thousand years, he might have been able to give him some pressure. Such a shame.

"You won't surrender? Then perish!" Zhu Shan's voice turned icy. Wu Yuan's refusal to yield left no room for mercy. Such was Zhu Shan's nature—unyielding and decisive.

"Zhu Shan!" Despite his blood-soaked appearance, Wu Yuan's voice rang out with determination. "I had reserved this move for the Heavenly Domain stage, but I have no choice but to use it now. Without it, I cannot hope to match you."

Zhu Shan's eyes widened slightly in surprise. Did Wu Yuan still have hidden trump cards?

Boom! Suddenly, the blood that had seeped from Wu Yuan's body dissipated, replaced by flickering strands of azure light dancing across his skin.

These lights bore no trace of Law fluctuations, yet they pulsed with terrifying energy. As the azure light enveloped him, Wu Yuan's aura intensified exponentially.

"Primordial Technique? Interesting! You've comprehended the Primordial Doctrine to such a level?" Light gleamed in Zhu Shan's eyes. Having comprehended the Primordial Doctrine to no small degree himself, he could naturally recognize it. However, he could barely employ the Primordial Technique, far from Wu Yuan's level of mastery.

The path of matter! With the Primordial Technique, I can convert all matter under my control into Primordial Power. Wu Yuan's battle intent soared to the heavens. Combining the Primordial Technique with my mana... the consumption is enormous, I can only maintain it for ten breaths.

After ten breaths, the remaining vital ether in Wu Yuan's ether body would be completely depleted. Victory or defeat would be determined in ten breaths.

Boom! Wu Yuan moved - this was the first time he took the initiative to attack since their battle began.

He thrust his saber forward with a force that seemed to tear the sky and earth apart. His battle saber, heavy and formidable, erupted with terrifying power.

"Come," Zhu Shan laughed heartily as he stepped forward, his palm poised to intercept Wu Yuan's strike.

The blade ray shimmered brilliantly, encased in layers of azure light that radiated immense power. Zhu Shan's palm techniques flowed seamlessly like waves, embodying the profundities of the Great Dao of Five Elements in a never-ending cycle.

Boom! Boom! Wu Yuan was thrown back by Zhu Shan’s relentless palm techniques. Yet, he managed to hold his ground enough that the battle was no longer one-sided. The very void of heaven and earth seemed to tremble faintly.

If other Supreme Geniuses were there to witness this scene, they would be utterly shocked. Wu Yuan was actually able to resist Zhu Shan at his full power?

“The Primordial Technique! The path of matter!” Zhu Shan's eyes gleamed with battle spirit, thrilled by the challenge. “This is indeed a path to eternity. Again!” He roared, charging once more at Wu Yuan. Gone was any hint of him underestimating his opponent.

"Kill!" Wu Yuan poured all his strength into his attack, swinging his battle saber to confront Zhu Shan's palm techniques. Two monstrous prodigies clashed, each having mastered grand ether arts and supreme burst secret arts. Their comprehension of the Daos had both reached incredible heights.

In a flash, blade rays and palm silhouettes danced across the sky and earth. The ground beneath them cracked and split, while the wind and clouds stirred in their wake.

Over the course of six thousand years, Wu Yuan mastery of the Primordial Technique had advanced significantly. When unleashed, its power was terrifying. While this power couldn’t be combined with the profundities of the Dao, its sheer, raw force dramatically boosted Wu Yuan's strength, serving as his trump card against other Supreme Geniuses.

However, despite wielding such power, Wu Yuan found himself at a significant disadvantage against Zhu Shan, who attacked like a madman. In their repeated clashes, Wu Yuan was pushed back and bombarded continuously, yet he managed to keep the battle from turning entirely one-sided.

Suddenly, the ferocious attacks ceased. Zhu Shan abruptly retreated, soaring back over a thousand li in an instant, leaving Wu Yuan in bewilderment. Despite having the upper hand, Wu Yuan was certain that Zhu Shan, with his keen insight, had noticed the massive drain on his ether. Victory was near, so why had Zhu Shan stopped fighting all of a sudden?

“There’s no need to continue this battle,” Zhu Shan declared, a smile playing on his lips. “Wu Yuan, your strength is remarkable—you’ve endured a hundred of my strikes. You're the first Supreme Genius of our generation to withstand so many.

“Even the likes of Li Guang and Inconstance had managed only twenty or thirty moves before retreating in sheer panic.”

A hundred moves? Wu Yuan sighed inwardly. Only Zhu Shan could make such boasts. His battle record was indeed awe-inspiring, and he had truly swept aside countless geniuses of an era.

Invincible! With this battle, Wu Yuan now understood this with clarity.

“I promised that if you could withstand thirty moves from me, I’d give you the treasure,” Zhu Shan said, flipping his palm to produce a storage artifact which he then sent toward Wu Yuan. Wu Yuan reached out and caught it.

“Brother Zhu Shan, I am grateful,” Wu Yuan said, cupping his hands in acknowledgment of Zhu Shan’s mercy. Had they continued battling, Wu Yuan was certain he'd have perished. Zhu Shan surpassed him in Dao comprehension and mastery of supreme secret arts. He had likely established an Apotheosis root as well. Without relying on the Primordial Technique, Wu Yuan couldn't have endured his attacks for this long.

“No need for thanks; it’s merely a high-grade Dao Instrument,” Zhu Shan remarked, shaking his head. “In the Eldritch Court, and even across the endless megaverse, few Supreme Geniuses can catch my eye. You're one of them.”

Zhu Shan’s gaze was steady as he continued, “With your strength, you have a chance at claiming a Saintcrest, but remember not to grow complacent. The Eldritch Court needs you to achieve this too.

“Alright, I'll take my leave for now, but we’ll meet again at the Heavenly Domain stage,” Zhu Shan said with a slight smile. “If we have the opportunity to battle then, I won’t limit myself to just one ether body.”

Wu Yuan’s pupils tightened. Indeed, this was merely one of Zhu Shan’s ether bodies—he possessed three in total.

With that, Zhu Shan transformed into a stream of light and vanished.