Yuan's Ascension

Chapter 573: Greetings, Childe Shadow Blade (2)

Once I leave the eldritch world, I’ll have to depend entirely on my own abilities to tread the path ahead. Wu Yuan thought to himself. The Greenridge Immortal World is teeming with powerhouses. As a mere Shambhala cultivator, despite being called a monstrous prodigy, my strength is still quite weak in the grand scheme of things. Even a moderately powerful High Immortal could easily annihilate me.

Everything will hinge on my own capabilities. I must exercise utmost caution.

This journey is unlike the Heaven and Earth Tournament or Dragon Star Tournament, which posed no real danger. Nor is it like the Eldritch-Immortal Battlefield or Bloodforge World, with their various restrictions and rules in place. Wu Yuan reminded himself silently.

Perhaps he might encounter a super powerhouse in a foul mood, who could obliterate billions of lives with a mere wave of their hand, and Wu Yuan would be unlucky enough to be in his range.

Or he might face an Amethyst Cradle or Void Refiner enemy with astonishing trump cards, wielding talismans or divine crystal weapons capable of slaying Earth Immortals. This was a true expedition with his life on the line.

If I die on this journey, my qi refiner self won't be able to cultivate a new body refiner self.

Unlike his ether body or mana body, once his true self perished, it could not be brought back to life.

With a massive saber strapped to his back, bald head, and beast hide garments, Wu Yuan cut an imposing figure as he strode into the super-large teleportation array amidst the flow of people.

Whoosh! As a dazzling pillar of light rose, Wu Yuan was transported to the spacetime territory of the Greenridge Immortal World.

...

Six days later.

White Sea Immortal Continent, Longstar City.

As the main city of one of the six major sects of this immortal continent, it was a bustling place home to trillions of immortal cultivators.

Void Refiner and Elysian Field powerhouses, rarely seen elsewhere on the immortal continent, could occasionally be spotted walking along the streets here.

In terms of scale and prosperity, Longstar City was only slightly inferior to Redmoon City of the Redmoon Immortal Continent.

In the southern region of Longstar City, a massive cluster of floating halls spanning hundreds of li in radius hovered ten thousand li high. Occasionally, immortal cultivators could be seen coming and going.

Whoosh! A black streak of light flashed by and came to a stop.

After more than ten teleportation transfers and six days of travel, I've finally arrived. Wu Yuan halted, his gaze sweeping over the nearby hall. Then, he flew directly towards the main gate.

Though the enormous hall complex appeared to allow anyone to enter and exit, even a cursory probe revealed layer upon layer of security arrays. This was clearly a place of great importance.

Numerous guards could be seen patrolling the perimeter of the halls. Of course, these were mainly Spiritual Body/Golden Core cultivators. Amethyst Cradle/Shambhala cultivators were considered elites on any immortal continent, enjoying respectable status.

"Daoist, please halt!"

"Stop right there." Two cold voices rang out in succession.

The guard captains at the gate were both Amethyst Cradle cultivators. Though only at the second or third stage of the Amethyst Cradle phase, they showed no fear upon sensing Wu Yuan's ninth-stage Shambhala phase strength.

"Please inform your superiors that someone from Autumn Lake Hall has arrived," Wu Yuan said calmly.

Autumn Lake Hall was the background of Wu Yuan's fabricated identity. It was a fairly renowned faction in the Greenridge Immortal World, ruled by an Astral Monarch.

"Autumn Lake Hall?" The two guard captains exchanged glances, having never heard of it.

"One moment." One of the captains entered the hall complex.

Swiftly, a white-robed elderly man at the Void Refiner phase flew out from the main gate, a smile already on his face before he arrived, "Might you be Childe Shadow Blade from Autumn Lake Hall? My deepest apologies for failing to greet you properly. Please forgive me, Childe Shadow Blade."

The two Amethyst Cradle captains were taken aback by the sight. Who could this visitor be to warrant such courtesy from a Protectorate?

"Senior, you may simply address me by name," said Wu Yuan.

"Haha, how could I dare to address the noble Childe Shadow Blade so casually?" The white-robed elderly man smiled.

In his eyes, Autumn Lake Hall was a power beyond the imagination of the Longstar Immortal Sect. Even an ordinary disciple there held extremely high status in the external world.

"Senior, I've come to the Longstar Immortal Sect merely to participate in the Thunder Marsh trial. My status is unimportant," Wu Yuan shook his head. "You may simply call me Shadow Blade."

"Very well. This way please, Childe Shadow Blade," the white-robed elderly man agreed verbally, though his form of address remained unchanged. "This Thunder Marsh expedition will be led by an Earth Immortal. I am the Protectorate commander of Team 3. Childe, you shall accompany my group."

"Alright," Wu Yuan had no objections and casually asked, "May I inquire as to Senior's name?"

As long as he could enter the Thunder Marsh world, the specific team he joined was irrelevant.

"Chi Chang," replied the white-robed elderly man.

Whoosh! Whoosh! The two of them flew through the hall complex.

Before long, they arrived at an area with numerous courtyards separated by walls. The scenery was serene, with gently flowing streams, giving the place the atmosphere of an immortal's abode.

"Childe Shadow Blade, besides yourself, my team will also include trial participants from other immortal continents," Chi Chang smiled. "We shall officially depart in three days. Please make yourself comfortable at the Hundred Jades Courtyard for now. I'll notify you when it is time for the team to assemble."

"This is the token key for the residence. Please keep it safe, Childe," Chi Chang produced an access token and handed it to Wu Yuan.

"With this token, you may freely enter and exit Frostlight Hall. Feel free to explore the city, Childe. Our Longstar City has its own unique culture.

I'll send detailed information about the Thunder Marsh world via the immortal voidrealm. You can peruse it at your leisure."

"Mm." Wu Yuan nodded.

Soon after showing Wu Yuan to his residence, Chi Chang departed. Wu Yuan used the token to enter the residence.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Two white-robed figures flew over from afar, arriving at the residence next to Wu Yuan's. It was a man and a woman, both stunningly good-looking.

Both Void Refiners? Around the third or fourth-stage Void Refiner phase? With his immensely powerful soul, Wu Yuan easily sensed their auras.

Such cultivation levels were already quite exceptional within an immortal continent.

Are they trial participants from other immortal continents? Wu Yuan speculated silently.

From appearances alone, he could only discern their approximate mana cultivation phase. As for true strength? That was harder to judge.

Wu Yuan entered the courtyard house.

"Shambhala phase?"

"Staying at Hundred Jades Courtyard, also a foreign trial participant?" The two Void Refiner Eminences naturally sensed Wu Yuan's aura as well, feeling rather surprised.

If he were a native disciple of the Longstar Immortal Sect, he wouldn't be staying at Hundred Jade Courtyard, but living within the sect itself.

But he was from another immortal continent, yet only at the Shambhala phase? That was quite rare.

"He must be from a powerful faction," the two Void Refiner Eminences instantly concluded, committing Wu Yuan's soul aura to memory.

...

The environment here is decent. Wu Yuan mused to himself as he settled into the meditation chamber of his residence and began cultivating quietly.

...

Time flowed on, and in the blink of an eye, two days had passed.

Inside an immortal city within the Longstar Sect. In a large hall.

"Elder Chi, can't we kick out that bastard Nie Le? I feel sick just looking at him," a young woman in green robes frowned.

"Young Mistress, he's the son of a veteran elder. He specifically requested to join Team 3 this time. We can't refuse," the white-robed Chi Chang said with a bitter smile. "Actually, Young Mistress, becoming Dao companions with him might not be such a bad..."

"Elder Chi, please don't try to persuade me anymore." The green-robed young woman shook her head. "My Dao companion must be a true powerhouse or genius. Otherwise, how does it benefit me?

Nie Le? If he weren't the son of a veteran elder, forget about cultivating to the sixth-stage Amethyst Cradle phase, he'd probably struggle to get to the Amethyst Cradle phase at all," a hint of disgust flashed in the green-robed young woman's eyes. "He'll never reach the Void Refiner phase in this lifetime."

Chi Chang couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

"Elder Chi, do we have the information on all six foreign trial participants?" inquired the young woman in green robes.

"Indeed, we do." Chi Chang waved his hand, conjuring a floating light screen projection displaying names and cultivation descriptions.

"All Void Refiner phase... wait, why is there a ninth-stage Shambhala cultivator? Shadow Blade?" The green-robed woman's eyes flickered with confusion as she scanned the list.

"Young Mistress. Don't underestimate this Shadow Blade. He's an official member of Autumn Lake Hall, the most influential among the six foreign participants." Chi Chang smiled. "His personal strength may be lacking, but he likely possesses trump cards capable of obliterating Void Refiner cultivators."

"Autumn Lake Hall?" The green-robed woman was clearly unfamiliar with the name.

"It's a massive faction on par with the Ling Huan Immortal Nation," Chi Chang reminded her.

A flicker of astonishment crossed the green-robed woman's eyes. She knew of the Ling Huan Immortal Nation, a force hundreds or thousands of times mightier than the Longstar Immortal Sect.

"Such a formidable background?" the green-robed woman mused to herself.

After a moment's contemplation, she asked, "Elder Chi, tonight when the group assembles, will there be a banquet at Frostlight Hall for all disciples and Protectorates?"

"Correct," Chi Chang nodded.

"I see." The green-robed woman nodded slightly with a thoughtful expression.

...

Frostlight Hall, a key location for Longstar Hall to host foreign visitors, was equipped with various entertainment facilities. Today, the grand banquet hall was lively, filled with hundreds of immortal cultivators.

Upon arriving at the banquet pavilion, Wu Yuan found it already teeming with immortal cultivators. The vast majority were Amethyst Cradle or Shambhala cultivators.

"This way, Childe Shadow Blade," a maidservant respectfully guided Wu Yuan to the VIP section at the front of the hall.

Several immortal cultivators were already seated there. Apart from one green-robed youth at the Amethyst Cradle phase, the rest were all Void Refiner cultivators.

"Who is he?"

"Never seen him before."

"He must be from another immortal continent, here for the Thunder Marsh trial. But he’s only at the Shambhala phase?" Many Amethyst Cradle disciples of the Longstar Immortal Sect whispered among themselves. They were all rather curious.

"Daoist Shadow Blade, we meet again," smiled the white-robed, otherworldly young man beside him.

"You must be Daoist Yun Ya," Wu Yuan replied with a smile.

The six foreign trial participants had all received each other’s profiles. Wu Yuan, as the sole Shambhala cultivator, was the easiest to identify.

"This is my Dao companion, Yun Ling," the white-robed young man introduced the woman in white beside him.

As time passed, the six gradually conversed and grew familiar with one another.

Yun Ya, Yun Ling, and the others didn't look down on Wu Yuan for being the weakest. Instead, they treated him with considerable respect, convinced that he must have some powerful background.

Meanwhile, more and more people gathered in the hall.

"The six of us are all foreign trial participants. Who is that teal-robed youth?" Wu Yuan's gaze swept over the figure in the opposite corner.

There were seven people in the VIP area. Wu Yuan was the only Shambhala cultivator, while the teal-robed youth's vital aura seemed even weaker than Wu Yuan's, despite him deliberately suppressing his aura.

Suddenly, two figures entered the hall. The leading figure was Chi Chang, a ninth-stage Void Refiner. Following closely behind was a beautiful woman in purple robes with an enchanting figure. Beneath her pure exterior lay an alluring charm.

"It's Fairy Mu Xin."

"Mu Xin has arrived." The hall quickly fell silent as hundreds of Amethyst Cradle cultivators turned their gaze to the purple-robed woman. Clearly, Mu Xin was quite well-known within the Longstar Immortal Sect.

"Haha, Mu Xin, you've finally come. Do you know how long we've been..." The teal-robed youth, who had been sitting silently to one side, stood up with a beaming smile and stepped forward to greet her.

But to everyone's surprise, the beautiful purple-robed woman named Mu Xin merely nodded calmly before walking directly to Wu Yuan.

With a smile, she said, "Greetings, Childe Shadow Blade. Elder Chi has spoken of you often. Today, I finally have the pleasure of meeting you in person."