Yuan's Ascension

Chapter 658: A Small Matter (3)

This Old Loach, has he truly gone mad? As long as his mana body lives, he’ll save ten thousand years of effort cultivating a new one, isn't that good enough? Astral Lord Huo Long's expression shifted slightly. Or is he bluffing? Trying to force me to agree to his terms?

However, Astral Lord Huo Long was equally ruthless. Having declared he wanted everything, he naturally wouldn't fear Astral Lord Long Xing's threats.

And so, the two battled fiercely. Astral Lord Long Xing repeatedly brute-forced his way into the higher spatial dimension, heading for that dark region at astonishing speed.

The moment Astral Lord Long Xing entered that region, he seemed to be caught by an immense force, pulling him ever deeper into the dark region.

“Ahh!!” Even as he screamed, his voice could barely penetrate the higher spatial dimension.

Black Devil Planet did not only exist in the Material Spatial Layer, its power also permeated into higher spatial dimensions. Even if one passed through this area via higher spatial dimensions, one would still be caught, falling in.

This old dragon is truly stubborn. If he had just begged for mercy, his mana body could have survived. Right to the end, he wouldn't yield an inch. Astral Lord Huo Long halted, not daring to approach further.

He hadn't expected this old dragon, known for his caution and fear of death, to actually dare enter Black Devil Planet.

Although the fall of a mana body wasn't fatal, it would take at least ten thousand years to cultivate another one without precious treasures or medicinal pills.

He extended his immortal consciousness, sensing that his flames were eroded away the moment they entered the dark region.

That terrifying power made his heart tremble. Black Devil Planet truly lived up to its reputation!

Hmph! If I can't get those treasures, so be it. Astral Lord Huo Long muttered to himself, his eyes cold. But I've seriously offended this old dragon now. I'll have to be more careful next time.

Some super powerhouses could destroy their opponents’ true selves through their mana body or ether body via karma. But normally, in battles between equals, it was extremely difficult to truly kill an Astral Lord who shared the same lifespan as heaven and earth.

Seventh Tribulation Archimmortals and Eighth Tribulation Archimmortals would live for a hundred million years at most if they did not attempt the Ninth Immortal Tribulation. But Astral Lords, having passed all nine Immortal Tribulations, truly coexisted with the Dao essence of heaven and earth.

Therefore, unless necessary, many powerhouses were unwilling to form mortal grudges with Astral Lords, as they could easily last for tens of millions of years.

Time passed.

Only after confirming that Astral Lord Long Xing had completely fallen into Black Devil Planet did Astral Lord Huo Long choose to leave.

...

Damn it! Curse that Huo Long. Within the Greenridge Macrocosm was an unremarkable stretch of outer space.

No one could have imagined that beneath this expanse of space lurked a powerful array, concealing within it a world spanning roughly a million li.

This was the true lair of Astral Lord Long Xing. Far removed from any immortal continent or mainland, its existence remained unknown.

As for the Dragon Star Immortal Sect? He rarely visited, and even when he did, it was only his mana body.

As for his true self, since building this lair, he had not left it for countless eons, save for a few exceptional occasions. Thus he managed to weather numerous calamities, surviving to this day.

I lost the gamble. The massive form of Astral Lord Long Xing's true self coiled atop the mountain range at the center of the world.

He had intended to use the threat of death to force Archimmortal Huo Long to agree to split the treasures evenly. He never imagined he would fail.

The dangers of Black Devil Planet far exceeded his expectations, dragging him in before he could react.

This treasure is my greatest harvest in millions of years. Astral Lord Long Xing gritted his teeth. I can't let it end like this. I must find a way to save myself.

For ordinary dangers, the loss of a mana body was acceptable. At most, he would just lie low for another hundred thousand years.

He had experienced similar situations dozens of times before, repeatedly risking life and limb, his mana body perishing on numerous occasions.

But this time, things were different.

My mana body can probably hold out for six days. Astral Lord Long Xing estimated.

Though Black Devil Planet teemed with danger, it wasn't perilous enough to instantly annihilate an Astral Lord of his caliber.

Swiftly, Astral Lord Long Xing began reaching out to his friends through the Eternal Sun Immortal Voidrealm, seeking aid. Though a loose cultivator, he had forged many friendships over hundreds of millions of years.

Soon, responses flooded in.

"Sorry, Long Xing, Black Devil Planet is too dangerous. I can't save you."

"Long Xing, it's beyond my abilities."

"My apologies..." Each rejection eroded Astral Lord Long Xing's hopes a little more.

Most of his acquaintances were Astral Lords, and ordinary Astral Lords were incapable of rescuing someone from Black Devil Planet.

"Long Xing, I can request an Astral Monarch to intervene and save you from Black Devil Planet, but you know the rules. For one such favor, the cost would be..." Astral Lord Long Xing's heart flickered with hope, only to quickly gutter out.

Too steep! The price was far too exorbitant. It exceeded the value of the treasures he had acquired, making the request hardly worth it.

However, Astral Lord Long Xing understood the reason. The gap in status between Astral Lords and Astral Monarchs was as vast as the gap between heaven and earth.

Take the Redmoon Immortal Continent, for instance. It was a relatively prosperous immortal continent, yet ordinary Archimmortals perished upon reaching the end of their lifespans. Thus, over long ages, the entire continent struggled to maintain even a hundred Archimmortals.

Astral Lords, however, possessed eternal lifespans. Over countless eons, the continent had accumulated six of them.

Across the thousands of immortal continents in the Silvermist Immortal Nation, after numerous generations, how many Astral Lords were there in the entire immortal nation? A quick calculation revealed the answer: tens of thousands.

But Astral Monarchs? There were only thirteen!

If Astral Monarchs were called upon to rescue Astral Lords at the slightest hint of danger, the Astral Monarchs would be overwhelmed with requests.

Most Astral Monarchs devoted themselves to cultivation, each striving to become Sovereigns of the macrocosm. Therefore, unless they shared an extremely close relationship or the compensation was enormous, Astral Monarchs usually didn’t bother to intervene.

After all, in most cases, it was only the death of a mana body. Moreover, in the eyes of Astral Monarchs, with their numerous subordinate Astral Lords, the occasional permanent loss of one or two was quite normal.

I must find a solution. But I'm not particularly close to any Astral Monarchs. As Astral Lord Long Xing pondered, two names suddenly flashed through his mind: Ming Jian! Li Xia!

Before Sword Immortal Dong Yang departed, he had arranged a meeting between himself, the abbot of Dragon Star, and Wu Yuan, but it was just that one encounter. In the centuries since, there had been little interaction between them.

Thus, he and Abbot Wu were well aware that Li Xia was none other than the renowned peerless genius Ming Jian, whose name echoed throughout the macrocosm. However, this information was confidential, and they were forbidden from revealing it.

Li Xia must hold an extremely high position in the Bei You faction by now. Perhaps he could persuade an Astral Monarch to help me. Astral Lord Long Xing mused.

Though an Astral Lord himself, he wasn't privy to the inner workings of the faction, so he remained uncertain of Wu Yuan's true standing within the Bei You lineage. But one could glean much from the fact that Wu Yuan had conquered level one hundred of the two-star tower.

But Dong Yang is currently absent from the sect. Astral Lord Long Xing hesitated. If I approach Li Xia directly, will he be willing to help me?

Even if he's willing, can he actually sway an Astral Monarch? In his view, though Wu Yuan possessed extraordinary talent, he was likely still far from an Astral Monarch in status. He might not even be acquainted with any Astral Monarchs yet.

Moreover, from Astral Lord Long Xing's perspective, Wu Yuan had only cultivated at the Dragon Star Immortal Sect for a few decades, hardly long enough to develop deep feelings for the sect. If he harbored any attachment, it would be solely towards Sword Immortal Dong Yang.

Before leaving, Dong Yang did ask me to look after him.

Ah well. Even if it’s embarrassing, so be it. Astral Lord Long Xing sighed inwardly. If he can help me, I'll find a way to repay him later.

He wasn't one to hesitate for long. With a thought, he sent a meeting request to ‘Ming Jian’ through the Eternal Sun Immortal Voidrealm.

Please agree to meet me. I only have six days. Astral Lord Long Xing's heart pounded with anxiety.

But contrary to Astral Lord Long Xing's expectations, Wu Yuan responded to his message in just ten breaths—he agreed to the meeting.

...

Within the Eternal Sun Immortal Voidrealm was a vast and majestic hall – Astral Lord Long Xing's personal hall.

A swirl of light coalesced, materializing into a figure clad in white robes.

"Li Xia." Astral Lord Long Xing, now in the form of an elderly man in azure robes, forced a smile.

But inwardly, he was startled.

In the voidrealm, one couldn't discern the specific cultivation level of an individual. But the aura of one's soul could reveal much.

Wu Yuan's soul aura had grown immeasurably stronger from the last time they met several hundred years ago. It seemed no weaker than that of many High Immortals. This rate of growth left Astral Lord Long Xing astounded.

"Immortal Ancestor, you have an urgent matter?" Wu Yuan smiled.

He vividly remembered Master Dong Yang's instructions to assist the Dragon Star Immortal Sect whenever possible.

Moreover, though the aid provided by the Dragon Star Immortal Sect for his cultivation journey wasn’t immense, it was far from insignificant. The help received during one's weakest moments held particular importance.

"I'm ashamed! If it weren't absolutely necessary, I wouldn't dream of seeking your help." Astral Lord Long Xing's face flushed with embarrassment. "But I've been driven to desperation. None of my Astral Lord friends can help me.

In the end, I had no choice but to turn to you." Astral Lord Long Xing explained.

"Oh?" Wu Yuan immediately grasped that Astral Lord Long Xing must be in dire straits.