Yuan’s Ascension

Chapter 1114: The Vast Cosmic Sea

“Yes, there are other megaverses,” Saint Zuo Zai nodded with a smile. “This is a secret kept from countless sempiternal lifeforms, usually only revealed when they arrive in the cosmic sea.

“In fact, you’re unlikely to encounter powerhouses from other megaverses while still a sempiternal lifeform.

“After all, the distances between different megaverses are incredibly vast. At minimum, one must be a True Saint Eternal to have any hope of crossing them,” Saint Zuo Zai sighed wistfully, a glimmer of longing in his eyes.

Though he was a Saint, the journey from forging his self-created Dao to refining it to the highest levels was immensely challenging.

“Different megaverses? Are there nine megaverses in this vast cosmic sea?” Wu Yuan felt a sense of awe.

“Don’t overthink it. While we speak of nine megaverses, they essentially exist within the same cosmic sea,” Saint Zuo Zai smiled. “Overlord Ming Jian, observe.”

With a wave of Saint Zuo Zai’s hand, countless points of light coalesced, forming a massive projection of a star map.

“A map of the cosmic sea?” Wu Yuan recognized it instantly. He was already familiar with the rough map of the cosmic sea from the Eldritch Court’s intelligence archives.

“The so-called nine megaverses are actually based around the nine Rivers of Universes,” Saint Zuo Zai pointed to nine immense river-like projections, one of which shone particularly bright. “The Rivers of Universes are the source of life, as well as the foundation of the cosmic sea’s operations.

“Our Central Megaverse is the oldest and most powerful megaverse,” Saint Zuo Zai’s voice carried a hint of pride.

“The most powerful?” Wu Yuan held his breath.

“The Central Megaverse’s River of Universes gave rise to thirty-six universes and thirty-six Abyssal sector worlds,” Saint Zuo Zai stated solemnly. “Whereas the other eight megaverses, such as the Ancient Megaverse, the Bladeborn Megaverse, and the Nine Desolations Megaverse, have only given rise to nine universes and nine Abyssal sector worlds each.”

“So the other eight megaverses combined are only equivalent to two Central Megaverses?” Wu Yuan pondered thoughtfully.

Numerically speaking, that appeared to be the case.

“Ha! It’s not so simple,” Saint Zuo Zai laughed. “The disparity in numbers is merely an indication. Fundamentally, it means the essences of the Rivers of Universes in the other eight megaverses are weaker, so the life they nurture is naturally weaker.

“Whether universe-born lifeforms or naturally-born eternal lifeforms, the powerhouses of the other eight megaverses are far inferior. The eight megaverses combined might only just be comparable to the Central Megaverse,” Saint Zuo Zai explained.

Wu Yuan nodded slightly.

According to Saint Zuo Zai, the Central Megaverse had already produced over ten thousand True Saints, which was indeed beyond imagination. The other eight megaverses averaged perhaps one or two thousand True Saint Eternals each?

“The nine megaverses exist within the same cosmic sea, but the other eight megaverses are extremely distant,” Saint Zuo Zai continued.

“Unless one is a True Saint Eternal who ventures deep into the cosmic sea, it’s generally difficult to encounter powerhouses from other megaverses.”

Wu Yuan nodded slightly.

This was the first time he truly grasped the vastness of the cosmic sea.

“Saint, how are there so many Central True Saint Eternals in the cosmic sea?” Wu Yuan couldn’t help but ask. “According to the records I’ve read, a River of Universes might only produce ten to twenty Dao-enlightened Eternals in an entire samsara cycle of heaven and earth, right?”

On average, in one samsara cycle of heaven and earth, one individual would successfully achieve eternity via Dao Enlightenment for every two universes.

“You’re not wrong. Dao-enlightened Eternals usually number only in the tens per samsara cycle,” Saint Zuo Zai smiled. “But have you considered the Abyss?”

Understanding dawned on Wu Yuan – the Abyss could produce three to five, or even ten or more, per samsara cycle.

“Moreover, do you think all these ten thousand True Saints originated from the universes?” Saint Zuo Zai shook his head. “No, half of the True Saints are naturally-born eternal lifeforms.

“Naturally-born eternal powerhouses have lower potential, but they make up for it in sheer numbers,” Saint Zuo Zai said. “In my Taiyuan Saint Realm alone, there are vast numbers of naturally-born eternal lifeforms at the Perennial stage. You’ll see when you reach the Saint Realm.”

Vast numbers? Wu Yuan mused silently. Just how many could there be?

“Secondly, the number of Heaven’s Stowaways produced over the ages is also enormous,” Saint Zuo Zai sighed. “Though their potential may not match those who achieved eternity via Dao Enlightenment, they’re at least no worse than naturally-born eternal lifeforms.

“This is especially so for those who were once fourth-stage Overlords – most can create eternal ultimate techniques while still sempiternal lifeforms. After becoming Heaven’s Stowaways and reaching the Perennial stage, they too have hope of pioneering their own Daos after endless years.

“In our megaverse alone, at least one thousand of the current True Saints began as Heaven’s Stowaways,” Saint Zuo Zai explained.

He smiled and added, “Like myself. I was once a Heaven’s Stowaway, and it took several samsara cycles of heaven and earth before I painfully pioneered my own Dao.”

Wu Yuan nodded slightly.

Being a Heaven’s Stowaway had many disadvantages, the greatest one being that they missed out on the baptism of the Primordial Rules.

But in the workings of heaven and earth, there was always a glimmer of hope. For eternal lifeforms with infinite lifespans, some True Saint Eternals naturally emerged after numerous eons.

“Furthermore, our Saint Realm produces more and more Overlords with each successive samsara cycle of heaven and earth,” Saint Zuo Zai said. “After all, the cultivation resources grow ever more abundant. So the number of Dao-enlightened Eternals in the past nine samsara cycles far exceeds that of hundreds of cycles ago.”

Wu Yuan could see why this was the case.

In the earliest days, there were only a handful of Dao Masters in the entire cosmic sea, with barely any other Dao Zenithels. The various cultivation teachings were quite rudimentary.

As time passed, more and more eternal powerhouses emerged, more teachings were created, and cultivation systems were increasingly refined.

For lifeforms of equal natural talent, different levels of nurturing would naturally lead to different final achievements.

“Take this current samsara cycle of heaven and earth, for example. How long has it been?” Saint Zuo Zai mused. “Yet that Devil Emperor Xia from the Abyss has already pioneered his own Dao and even accomplished the feat of slaying an Eternal.

“And powerhouses like you, Overlord Wu Yuan of the Eldritch Court, and Overlord Yue Shan of the Immortal Court, all have hope of pioneering your own Daos.”

Wu Yuan smiled, not refuting anything.

If one excluded himself, this samsara cycle of heaven and earth was likely not as special as Saint Zuo Zai claimed. [1]

But my goal is not to compare myself to the sempiternal lifeforms of this samsara cycle. Wu Yuan silently affirmed.

What he yearned for was to ultimately stand at the pinnacle of the cosmic sea.

The two continued along the Saint Realm passage, speeding through the spacetime of the cosmic sea as Saint Zuo Zai continued his explanations.

“Though the Central Megaverse is powerful and prosperous, it’s less united than the other eight megaverses,” Saint Zuo Zai said. “Each of the other eight megaverses has formed a megaverse alliance – these are the eight megaverse alliances, all first-rate factions within the cosmic sea.

“Our Central Megaverse, on the other hand, is fractured into dozens of factions. Among them, the most elite are the two greatest factions, six first-rate factions, and dozens of second-rate factions.”

Wu Yuan listened intently.

This information was crucial to understanding the cosmic sea. Wherever there were people, there were power structures. Eternal powerhouses were no exception. Whether for vengeance, for treasures, or for great opportunities – they too engaged in slaughter and warfare. Thus, eternal powerhouses needed unity and alliances.

The greatest factions, first-rate factions, second-rate factions. This must be the hierarchy of power within the cosmic sea.

“My Taiyuan Saint Realm, for instance, is a member of a first-rate faction – the Blood Dream Alliance,” Saint Zuo Zai explained.

Blood Dream Alliance? Wu Yuan silently noted it down.

“You surely know of the two greatest factions – the Immortal Court Alliance and the Eldritch Court Alliance,” Saint Zuo Zai smiled. “These two greatest factions both have numerous Dao Zenithels. As for True Saints? They each command over two thousand.”

Two thousand True Saints? Wu Yuan was inwardly shocked. This was information he’d never known before, not even recorded in the Eldritch Court’s intelligence archives.

“In fact, when it comes to sheer number of True Saints, some of the other first-rate factions may not be inferior. Take the Nine Saints Alliance with the most naturally-born eternal lifeforms – the number of True Saints in their ranks is also enormous, rumored to even exceed the two greatest factions,” Saint Zuo Zai sighed wistfully. “But the Nine Saints Alliance’s influence falls far short of the Eldritch and Immortal Courts.”

Wu Yuan silently absorbed this. Nine Saints Alliance?

“The most crucial factor is that the Eldritch and Immortal Courts each have a supreme leader – the Heavenly Imperator and Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu.

“Legend has it that Dao Zenithel Eternals are nearly impossible to slay,” Saint Zuo Zai said. “But both supreme leaders have killed Dao Zenithel Eternals before, and as rumor has it, more than one each.”

“They’ve slain Dao Zenithel Eternals? More than one?” Wu Yuan held his breath, feeling indescribable shock.

This was something he had never dared to imagine. It also reminded him of his encounter with Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu. He knew Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu was powerful, but never imagined it was to such an extent.

“Hard to believe?” Saint Zuo Zai smiled faintly. “When I first heard it, I could scarcely believe it either. But it’s the truth, and a legend of the entire cosmic sea. No one else can match it.

“The two supreme leaders cemented the invincible reputation of the two greatest factions.

“The six first-rate factions are the Abyss Alliance, Blood Dream Alliance, Wan Yu Tower, Nine Saints Alliance, Demon Glory Alliance, and Nine Peaks. All six first-rate factions have over a thousand True Saints.

“Among them, the Demon Glory Alliance and Nine Saints Alliance primarily consist of naturally-born eternal lifeforms, with enormous numbers of powerhouses. Of course, the other major first-rate factions also have vast numbers of naturally-born eternal lifeforms,” Saint Zuo Zai explained.

“Besides the greatest and first-rate factions, there are dozens of second-rate factions. In the scope of the entire cosmic sea, these factions are at the bottom of the hierarchy, but one cannot expect to contend with them as an individual. Any group that forms a faction alliance has at least one Dao Zenithel Eternal as its pillar,” Saint Zuo Zai said. “After all, only an Eternal Realm created by a Dao Zenithel Eternal can serve as the foundation for a major faction.”

Wu Yuan listened with increasing awe. Even those dozens of second-rate factions were presided over by Dao Zenithel Eternals? The cosmic sea was truly a realm where powerhouses were as common as clouds.

Time flowed on.

Saint Zuo Zai continued regaling Wu Yuan with tales – the legendary deeds of various Dao Zenithels and True Saints, world-shaking battles that had erupted across the cosmic sea, majestic celestial bodies scattered throughout the vast cosmic sea, exploration sites, immutable relic sites, and more. These were complemented by the massive influx of information transmitted to Wu Yuan.

All of it broadened Wu Yuan’s horizons, filling him with increasing wonder. Much of this information came from the Blood Dream Alliance rather than the Taiyuan True Realm. [2]

Gradually, the cosmic sea’s veil of mystery lifted before Wu Yuan’s eyes, revealing its true appearance – cruel, bloody, yet utterly captivating.

So, this many True Saints have fallen throughout history. Wu Yuan sighed inwardly. Even powerhouses belonging to the same faction may fight to the death.

The Eternals, free from the worries of limited lifespans, each had their own considerations. The so-called alliances were rarely of one mind. Even in the mortal realm, a single nation would see power struggles and even coups to seize control. How much more so for Eternals? Within alliances like the Abyss Alliance and the Nine Saints Alliance, internal conflicts were commonplace.

However, within each Saint Realm, there’s generally an emphasis on unity. At least on the surface, life-or-death battles are forbidden. Wu Yuan mused to himself.

He could sense that, aside from the two greatest factions, the Dao Zenithel Eternals who led the first-rate and second-rate factions of the cosmic sea did not appear to have full control over the actions of their subordinate True Saint Eternals. The vast numbers of Perennials and Dao Pioneer Eternals appeared to follow individual True Saints.

“Overlord Ming Jian, if I’m not wrong, you are a third-stage Overlord,” Saint Zuo Zai said. “This level of power is considered average in the Heartland, but you should still be cautious. Whenever you encounter an Eternal, it’s best to avoid them. However, as an Overlord of Spacetime, preserving your life shouldn’t be a problem.”

Wu Yuan nodded slightly, offering no rebuttal.

Previously, when his qi refiner self was competing for treasures in the universe, his mana body had displayed the power of a second-stage Overlord. It was only natural to be considered a third-stage Overlord now.

The clashes between the numerous great factions still feel distant to me. Wu Yuan reflected silently. In the scope of the entire cosmic sea, I’m quite weak.

The endless cosmic sea was home to countless lifeforms. In the Heartland region, the weakest were those young, naturally-born eternal lifeforms.

These naturally-born eternal lifeforms only possessed the strength of fourth-stage Sovereigns at birth. Through constant cultivation and growth, they would gradually reach the peak third-stage Overlord level.

Then, they would enter a period of growth, spending vast ages with the hope of crossing into the Perennial stage.

The peak fourth-stage Overlord level was equivalent to the Threshold Perennial level.

The fifth-stage Overlord level rivaled the Peak Perennial level.

My body refiner self’s overall strength is at the absolute pinnacle of the Perennial stage, with physical defenses that can rival many Dao Pioneer Eternals. Wu Yuan pondered. My ether body’s combat power is equivalent to a peak Perennial.

As for his qi refiner self and mana body? They were somewhat weaker.

This level of strength meant little in the Outer Region, where numerous True Saint Eternals and Dao Pioneer Eternals roamed and battled. They could annihilate Wu Yuan with a mere wave of their hands.

However, in the Heartland region, Wu Yuan was considered extremely powerful. As long as he was careful, he usually wouldn’t be in mortal danger.

After all, multitudes of Sovereigns and Overlords from the Abyss traversed the Heartland and made it back alive.

…

The years went by. As Wu Yuan continued his journey through the passage, he felt the River of Universes growing ever more distant, his connection to it becoming increasingly faint.

In the sixty-third year.

“Ming Jian, look there. If you head in that direction, you will reach the Azure Saint Tomb,” Saint Zuo Zai suddenly pointed to a distant spacetime expanse in the void.

“The Azure Saint Tomb is said to be the burial place of a supreme being known as the Azure Saint. It’s also the most dangerous exploration site in the Heartland region.

“Legend has it that many True Saints have fallen there. It’s incredibly perilous, and one must possess a token to enter.”

The Azure Saint Tomb? Wu Yuan tried to sense it, but it was too far away. Being inside the spacetime passage, his perception was obscured as well. He could only faintly detect that something in that direction seemed to be absorbing an endless stream of Xiantian spiritual qi.

Soon after, the two left the vicinity of the Azure Saint Tomb.

Nearly thirty more years passed.

“Overlord Ming Jian, we’re about to reach the Saint Realm,” Saint Zuo Zai said with a smile. “When I descended into the universe, the True Saint expended a sliver of the Saint Realm’s essence, allowing me to arrive in an instant. The return journey has been quite lengthy in comparison.”

Whoosh~ Before his words faded, Wu Yuan felt a slight ripple in spacetime, and suddenly found himself within a vast and boundless realm.

He immediately understood that they had arrived at the Taiyuan Saint Realm.

1. dat flex ☜

2. headquarters of Taiyuan Divine Court (physical world) ☜

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