Yuan's Ascension-Chapter 988: Rescue

At the dawn of this samsara cycle, as the many macrocosms gradually took form, each one birthed countless primordial beings who vied for supremacy as they evolved.

At that time, True Saints descended into the river of space and time, each establishing a Saintdom and gradually conquering the various macrocosms. Yet many of these macrocosms remained unnamed.

Some were named by the Overlords who led the conquests to seize the realm. Others took the name of a super powerhouse far surpassing the other Sovereigns of that macrocosm.

The Greenridge Macrocosm was one such example. Sovereign Qing Ling had risen from humble beginnings, cultivating tirelessly without relying on the backing of any major faction. His strength was unquestionable - for eons, he was universally acknowledged as the most powerful figure in the Greenridge Macrocosm. The Greenridge Immortal World he established was the number one faction in the macrocosm.

Of course, nowadays, most factions in the Greenridge Macrocosm believed Ming Jian and Wu Yuan would surpass him in the future, perhaps even becoming Overlords. But for now, they were likely still no match for Sovereign Qing Ling.

Sovereign Shi Qing and Sovereign Zhen Guang had each occupied a region of outer space, facing off from afar.

"Qing Ling, I didn't expect you to come," Sovereign Zhen Guang's voice held a note of wariness.

Earlier, he had calculated a 30% likelihood that no Sovereigns from other factions would appear.

There was a 70% chance other Sovereigns would come, but they would all be slower than him. After all, the Sacred Flame Ravine was within the borders of the Eternal Sun Immortal World, not far from the Ming Jian Realm.

This was why Sovereign Zhen Guang dared to attempt to claim everything for himself. As long as he arrived first and set up arrays, he had hope of monopolizing all the treasures if no Sovereigns from other factions came.

And if other Sovereigns did come? In theory, he could hold off even top Sovereigns like Sovereign Voltari or Sovereign Cang Feng for a long time with his arrays, enough to delay until Ming Jian and Bei You arrived. After all, Sovereigns of Space traversing the Spacetime Intersection Layer could move thousands of times faster than ordinary Sovereigns in the Vacuum Spatial Layer.

"Why wouldn't I come? Zhen Guang, a mere early-stage Sovereign like you can't protect an essence stone ore mountain." The indifferent voice echoed through the infinite void, followed by a figure in cerulean robes materializing atop an auroral bridge.

His aura was boundless and elusive, exuding a subtle sense of supremacy beyond heaven and earth. Streams of auroral lights blossomed, spreading in all directions as the middle-aged man in cerulean robes strode through the void. Each step seemed to make tens of light-years of space tremble.

Not good, retreat! Sovereign Shi Qing's eyes flashed with alarm as he withdrew. Being a qi refiner Sovereign, he focused his will and summoned an azure river. It encircled his body to ward off the encroaching auroral lights.

As the auroral lights blossomed, they exerted overwhelming pressure, forcing Sovereign Shi Qing to retreat repeatedly. Even the entire river was set churning, as if it might overturn at any moment.

Qing Ling isn’t trying to kill me? A flicker of confusion passed through Sovereign Shi Qing’s mind. He could tell that the Divine Aurora Chart—the famed top-grade Dao Instrument wielded by Immortal Sovereign Qing Ling—wasn’t being pushed to its full power against him.

I see... The one currently occupying the treasure is Zhen Guang, not me. Sovereign Shi Qing mused, glancing toward the distant void as if sensing something. Still, for Sovereign Qing Ling to bring out the top-grade Dao Instrument he’s known for... he must be extremely confident. I wonder if this is his mana body or his true self.

Within this macrocosm, Sovereign Qing Ling regarded himself as invincible. Even if foreign Overlords descended, their power would be forcibly suppressed to the level of a seventh-stage Sovereign. Naturally, he feared nothing and dared to bring out his greatest weapon without hesitation.

As Sovereign Qing Ling strode through the void, radiant streams of divine light bloomed from the ethereal bridge beneath his feet.

Boom! Boom! Boom! The auroral radiance surged outward like a tidal wave, crashing into the vast arrays Sovereign Zhen Guang had painstakingly set up. Terrifying Law fluctuations clashed violently, shattering countless ordinary arrays at the periphery.

In mere moments, the spacetime under Sovereign Zhen Guang’s control had shrunk drastically—from a diameter of ten-light-year to barely three. He was just barely holding his ground.

This region was the core of Zhen Guang’s array setup, the only place strong enough to withstand Sovereign Qing Ling’s domain oppression.

So this is the legendary Divine Aurora Chart... A fiery gleam flashed in Sovereign Shi Qing’s eyes. A truly formidable top-grade Dao Instrument.

Late-stage Sovereigns typically possessed at least one or two top-grade Dao Instruments, but Sovereign Shi Qing had none. Seeing such power firsthand, he naturally felt envious

In the Voltari Temple Voidrealm, within the highest Sovereign temple.

Within the grand hall, Sovereign Shi Qing’s mana body stood before two enormous light screens.

One screen displayed a blurry, distant projection of the ore mountain celestial body. The other captured the ongoing clash between Sovereign Zhen Guang and Sovereign Qing Ling.

At this moment, the avatars of four Sovereign powerhouses stood beside Sovereign Shi Qing's avatar, including Sovereign Voltari and Sovereign Sha Fan. All five Sovereigns of the Voltari Temple had gathered.

The moment Sovereign Shi Qing sensed Sovereign Qing Ling’s arrival, he knew there was no chance of claiming the treasure alone. If they wanted to seize it, the full power of Voltari Temple had to be mobilized.

“One of my Archdeity subordinates was exploring the Sacred Flame Ravine, which lies at the border between the territories of the Eternal Sun Immortal World and the Greenridge Immortal World,” Sovereign Shi Qing explained without hesitation.

“The moment I received word, I rushed here immediately. My mana body has just arrived—I haven’t yet seen the treasure with my own eyes. But based on my Archdeity’s report and Zhen Guang’s actions, I can confidently infer... this is likely a massive essence stone ore mountain that has formed an essence.”

"An essence stone ore mountain... ten thousand li high?"

Sovereign Voltari, Sovereign Sha Fan, and the others felt their breathing quicken. Their eyes burned with unconcealed greed.

None of them found it strange that Sovereign Shi Qing had waited until now to inform them. In his place, they would have done the same. Even a master and disciple could turn against each other over a treasure of this magnitude—let alone them. It was a gamble worth taking. If they could claim it for themselves, they would strike it rich.

"Won't we be too late if we leave now?" Sovereign Sha Fan couldn't help but ask. "It'll take us two days to get there."

The Voltari Temple’s domain was quite far from the Sacred Flame Ravine.

"We won’t be too late," Sovereign Voltari said in a low voice. "An ore mountain of this scale, possessing an essence, cannot simply be moved by Sovereigns. Transporting it in its entirety would require Overlord-level strength at the very least.

"In other words, this treasure—worth hundreds of high-grade Dao Instruments, perhaps even more—won’t disappear overnight. It will need to be excavated slowly."

The other Sovereigns nodded in agreement.

"Besides," Sovereign Voltari continued with a faint smile, "Shi Qing already told us that Zhen Guang has set up arrays. Even if hastily constructed, they must be formidable. Qing Ling may be powerful, but dismantling them could take anywhere from half an hour to several days."

"Half an hour?" Sovereign Sang Cheng, a long-haired man, frowned. "By the time we arrive, won't the battle between Qing Ling and Zhen Guang be long over? With Sovereign Qing Ling’s strength, if he secures the area and lays down more arrays, we’ll have no hope of breaching them."

The others nodded grimly.

In a direct battle, they at least had a fighting chance. But if Qing Ling entrenched himself with powerful arrays? Even an Overlord might struggle to defeat him swiftly.

"We may not make it in time for this battle," Sovereign Voltari said calmly, "but that doesn’t mean the Eternal Sun Immortal World can’t. They have two Sovereigns of Space, and Sovereign Ming Jian even possesses a Xiantian artifact.

"Now, it all depends on how the great battle between Sovereign Qing Ling and the Eternal Sun Immortal World unfolds."

The Sovereigns exchanged knowing smiles.

Indeed! While their arrival would be delayed, the Sovereigns of the Eternal Sun Immortal World could arrive much sooner to provide aid. And with both sides locked in battle, this wouldn’t end anytime soon.

"Moreover," Sovereign Voltari’s eyes narrowed slightly, "relying on our own strength alone, our chances of defeating Sovereign Qing Ling are slim.

"I have already reported this to the Overlord and invited many allies to send their mana or ether bodies to the Greenridge Macrocosm. They will join us in seizing the ore mountain in one decisive strike, as well as holding it."

"Allies?"

Sovereign Shi Qing, Sovereign Sha Fan, and the others were momentarily taken aback.

But after thinking it through, they realized Sovereign Voltari had made the right call.

They had already lost the initiative; monopolizing the treasure was no longer an option. A massive free-for-all was inevitable. In such a chaotic struggle, their strength alone wouldn’t be enough. They needed reinforcements.

"How many powerhouses did you invite?" Sovereign Shi Qing asked. "If we bring in too many, our share of the treasure will shrink significantly."

"Rest assured, my brothers." Sovereign Voltari spoke with calm authority. "Each of them will swear Great Dao Oaths, ensuring they only receive fixed rewards. If we fail, each participant gets twenty mid-grade Dao Instruments. If we succeed, they’ll receive one high-grade Dao Instrument."

He paused before adding, "And all of them are late-stage Sovereigns."

The others exchanged glances. Late-stage Sovereigns—even when suppressed by the macrocosm’s essence—could still unleash fourth-stage Sovereign combat power.

"With their strength, once they form an array to support us, we should be able to subdue Sovereign Qing Ling," Sovereign Voltari said gravely.

The Sovereigns of the Voltari Temple nodded in agreement. The price was fair.

If they failed, they would have to pay the recruitment cost themselves—nearly a thousand mid-grade Dao Instruments. While not a small sum, it was still less than the value of ten high-grade Dao Instruments, something they could manage.

But if they succeeded?

Giving away a few dozen high-grade Dao Instruments was nothing compared to the vast fortune they stood to gain.

"Let’s move. We’ll head there first and wait for reinforcements from the Saintdom."

"Agreed. Let’s go!"

Without hesitation, the five Sovereigns of the Voltari Temple gathered and rushed toward the Sacred Flame Ravine.

Sovereign Shi Qing’s mana body had already arrived, so his true self remained behind.

Sovereign Sha Fan, on the other hand, had lost his mana body in battle and had yet to cultivate a new one. Left with no other option, he sent his true self—after all, if he didn’t contribute now, how could he justify claiming a share of the treasure later?

The other two Sovereigns, including Sang Cheng, dispatched their ether bodies or mana bodies.

Sovereign Voltari, however, took no chances. He sent both his true self and his ether body, utterly confident that no one in the macrocosm could kill him.

That two Sovereigns of the Voltari Temple had committed their true selves to battle was a testament to both their desperation and overwhelming desire.

But it was understandable.

Even the most powerful beings valued their lives. Yet when faced with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—one that could redefine their destiny—they were willing to risk everything.

...

As the Sovereigns of the Voltari Temple mobilized and headed toward the Sacred Flame Ravine...

In the highest temple of the Eternal Sun Plane within the Taiyuan Voidrealm, Wu Yuan, Sovereign Bei You, Sovereign Heng Yang, Sovereign Zhu Yue, and the others quickly gathered upon receiving Sovereign Zhen Guang’s urgent message.

"Everyone, here’s the situation." Sovereign Zhen Guang’s voice carried a rare urgency. "This is clearly our Eternal Sun Immortal World’s territory. Upon learning of this treasure, I rushed here immediately and set up defensive arrays. Yet, Sovereign Qing Ling acted with complete disregard for us, making his move right within our domain!"

His gaze swept across his fellow Sovereigns. "Brothers, I implore you to come quickly. This treasure is undoubtedly on par with a Xiantian artifact. If we can claim it, it will be an unparalleled stroke of fortune!"

Wu Yuan, Sovereign Bei You, and Sovereign Heng Yang were momentarily stunned.

An ore vein comparable to a Xiantian artifact?

Sovereign Heng Yang broke into laughter. "Haha! Well done, Zhen Guang! Hold on—we’re coming as fast as we can!" He turned toward Wu Yuan and Sovereign Bei You. "Ming Jian, Bei You, what do you think?"

"Of course, we’ll go," Sovereign Bei You said with a confident smile.

"Let's go," Wu Yuan uttered, his voice calm yet decisive.

The Sovereigns broke into smiles. They all understood—without Wu Yuan, their chances of contending with Sovereign Qing Ling were far too slim.

Just then, Wu Yuan’s gaze sharpened slightly. "Brother Zhen Guang, earlier you mentioned that Shi Qing from the Voltari Temple is also there?"

"Yes." Sovereign Zhen Guang nodded. "But for now, Shi Qing doesn’t dare interfere. He’s withdrawn to the side. Even if the other Sovereigns from the Voltari Temple come, it will take them at least a day or two."

In the Greenridge Macrocosm, there had once been only a single Sovereign of Space. Now, there were just two.

Shi Qing... Wu Yuan mused silently, his expression unreadable.

Then, with a slight nod, he spoke. "Brother Zhen Guang, hold on a little longer. My grandmaster, Brother Heng Yang, and I will arrive at the Sacred Flame Ravine in two breaths."

Two breaths—twelve seconds.

Enough time for Wu Yuan to carry multiple Sovereigns across a staggering three billion light-years.