Chapter 183: Dao Debate (1)
“100,000 years? Who are you?" Wu Yuan's mind reeled, his eyes darting around the majestic hall before him, his mind on high alert.
This bronze temple was honestly a complete enigma to him, and the abilities of the Chu-Jiang Immortal Realm defied all common sense! Whether it was the sheer size of this realm, the redsoil assassins, tree demons, or other supernatural entities, it all served to showcase the mind-boggling capabilities of its owner.
Apart from true immortals and devils, Wu Yuan couldn’t think of anyone else capable of such feats.
And now, they claimed they’d been waiting for 100,000 years? It sounded utterly preposterous!
No one’s there? Wu Yuan's gaze scoured the towering, completely enclosed hall, but failed to find the source of the voice.
Suddenly, a multitude of vibrant hues materialized in the air, swiftly coalescing at the center of the hall to form a phantom throne, towering several meters high and nearly ten meters wide.
The ethereal throne gradually unveiled a phantom form seated upon it, emanating a chilling aura that caused Wu Yuan to freeze.
This is... a holographic projection? Wu Yuan's pupils contracted.
A virtual giant loomed before him, towering over ten meters in height, adorned in finely crafted black metal armor that exuded an air of grandeur, leaving only his head and palms exposed. With each resounding step of his metallic boot in the air, Wu Yuan felt as if his heart was being crushed beneath his feet, rattling him to the core.
What is he? Even a Heavenly Ranker would be no match for him. An ancient qi refiner? Wu Yuan found it difficult to breathe, and the compulsion to kneel and surrender nearly overwhelmed him. This wasn’t because Wu Yuan possessed a feeble will, but rather due to the insurmountable disparity between them – that between a lower-order existence encountering a higher-order being. It was unfathomably terrifying!
It was important to note that this black armored giant was not present in the flesh, but rather a mere projection! Logically speaking, it should not possess such a formidable aura.
I must remain vigilant and exercise utmost caution! Wu Yuan reigned in his soul sense, exerting every ounce of his willpower to suppress the surging fear and inclination to kneel. He looked down, refusing to meet the piercing gaze of the giant.
"Junior Wu Yuan greets Senior!" Suppressing the urge to act on his instincts, he just managed to bow before the towering figure clad in black armor. An inkling arose within him, linking the voice he had just heard to this black armored giant.
"Haha!" The giant in black armor erupted into booming laughter that shook the ground.
"Indeed, you are the one for whom I have waited for 100,000 years. The fact that you possess such indomitable will at the mere age of seventeen and can resist the weight of my aura is truly impressive." His voice echoed throughout the temple.
Seventeen? Wu Yuan knew that his strong will was a culmination of his previous lifetime’s experiences along with his current one. However, he couldn't exactly say it.
"Wu Yuan, raise your head," the black armored giant commanded.
Wu Yuan complied obediently, and in an instant, he noticed that the immense aura previously emanating from the giant had vanished, leaving no trace.
Observing the black-armor giant once more, it appeared to be a mere projection, imposing only due to its sheer size, but lacking genuine strength.
Wu Yuan was just about to speak when the black armored giant interjected, "You need not say anything; simply listen to my words." Though ethereal in nature, his voice resonated through the hall.
Wu Yuan had no choice but to remain silent and listen intently.
"I am aware that your mind is filled with questions. I shall answer them one by one," the black armored giant spoke slowly. "The Fourth Eldritch Realm is a world created by a powerful eldritch called Hou Feng. It may be considered a grotto-heaven in a loose sense. Its primary purpose is to select suitable mortals to learn the teachings of eldritch cultivation, who will then go on to become new eldritch cultivators of the Hou Feng Tribe."
Eldritch, Hou Feng, grotto-heaven, new eldritch cultivators? Wu Yuan blinked, grappling with these unfamiliar terms.
Soon, he began to grasp a vague idea of what was going on. So, the Chu-Jiang Immortal Realm, or rather, this Fourth Eldritch Realm, served as a training base for new eldritches?
"The Fourth Eldritch Realm was established over 100,000 years ago and has witnessed the rise of numerous mighty eldritches," the black-armored giant stated calmly. "As for me, I am the spirit of this realm, known as the realm master."
More than 100,000 years? Wu Yuan did a double take. Whether in his previous life or this one, the concept of such an immense span of time was beyond his comprehension. In his previous life on the Blue Planet, civilizations only endured for 5000-6000 years. Even in this life, where the Martial King had divided the world into thirteen continents, it had only been a little over three thousand years since the inception of human civilization.
“Greetings, Realm Master,” Wu Yuan respectfully changed the way he addressed the figure before him. From the title alone, one could deduce that the mysterious individual controlling the Fourth Eldritch Realm all this time was none other than this black-armored giant.
"I'm sure you're curious. Who is Hou Feng, what are eldritches, and what tribe? After 100,000 years, they have all vanished from history." A faint smile played on the lips of the black-armored giant. "You may also be wondering why I still remain here."
Wu Yuan nodded. In the external world, eldritches, immortals, and devils had become extinct. Could it be that the realm master had lived over 100,000 years?
"I am not a living being," the black armored giant said, his tone indifferent. "I am a spirit, created by Eldritch Hou Feng. Though I possess intelligence and the ability to think, I am bound by my limitations and cannot break free like a true living creature."
“Spirit?” Wu Yuan was taken aback by this revelation.
It seemed similar to the concept of the ideal artificial intelligence that countless scientists in his previous life had attempted to create. Unfortunately, even before his transmigration, the Human Federation had yet to overcome this hurdle.
"When the Fourth Eldritch Realm was first established, it played a crucial role for the Hou Feng Tribe," the black-armored giant sighed. "Unfortunately, about 100,000 years ago, a war of unprecedented scale erupted in the Greenridge Macrocosm!"
"The war swept through more than half of the macrocosm, with numerous ancient existences making their appearances. Countless qi refiners, eldritches, devils, and demons perished, and I believe the flourishing cultivation civilization suffered a heavy blow."
"During the great war, the Hou Feng Tribe was wiped out. At that time, I left the Greenridge Macrocosm, descending to the Summerpeak World. As a result, I am unaware of the final outcome of the war." The armored giant's voice carried a note of sorrow. "However, judging by the destruction that has befallen more than half of the Summerpeak World, I assume that the ending was far from pleasant."
Wu Yuan couldn't help but shudder. The Greenridge Macrocosm? The Summerpeak World? Was that how ancient qi refiners and eldritches referred to the world of the Middle Land?
"The Summerpeak World is indeed the world you are currently living in," the armored giant confirmed. "However, while it may pale in comparison to the Greenridge Macrocosm, it is still a vast expanse for mortal beings. The Middle Land you inhabit is but a mere fraction of the Summerpeak World."
"The Middle Land is just a small part of the entire Summerpeak World?" Wu Yuan couldn’t hide his astonishment.
He recalled that one had to travel 100,000 li southeast to reach the Xin Continent. But how big was the Xin Continent? What lay beyond the Xin Continent? Was it the very edge of the world? These questions remained unanswered.
The armored giant's voice softened as he spoke, "I can only sense what happens within a few hundred li radius of the Fourth Eldritch Realm, and my knowledge of the Summerpeak World is limited. I am afraid I cannot provide you with further information."
It continued, "As for the information I know, it probably wouldn't be much use to you at this point. Around 100,000 years ago, a cataclysmic battle in the Greenridge Macrocosm wreaked havoc on various dimensional planes, severely damaging the entire Summerpeak World. The area where your Middle Land now stands was left in ruins, with nearly all life forms eradicated."
"It is only in the past few thousand years, as the universal laws slowly mended the world and it regained its vitality, that some qi refiners emerged and prosperity gradually returned," the armored giant elaborated calmly.
Realization dawned on Wu Yuan. The reason why the Middle Land had a history of just 3000 years and contained countless immortal relics while lacking any traces of the previous qi refiners was now clear to him. It appeared that the qi refining civilization in the world of the Middle Land had been decimated by the devastating war 100,000 years ago.
This realization sent shivers down Wu Yuan's spine. Just the residual aftershocks of the war were enough to devastate the vast Summerpeak World. The sheer scale and power of those beings who actually fought in the great war itself was unimaginable. Was this the might of the immortals and devils?
"It was a close call," the armored giant revealed with a sigh. "Despite the annihilation of the Hou Feng Tribe, I have always adhered to their primary directive – to raise new eldritches."
"After my descent here, I endured the world's spiritual qi upheaval twice, slowly restored the Fourth Eldritch Realm, then went into hibernation."
"And so, I have patiently waited. Tens of thousands of years ago, humanity repopulated the Middle Land. A few thousand years ago, martial arts finally resurfaced."
"These few thousand years, I made countless attempts to search for potential candidates to join the ranks of eldritch cultivators, such as directly recruiting individuals within my perception range to enter the Fourth Eldritch Realm, or inciting fierce competition among different factions by distributing artifacts, all in the hopes that talented individuals would enter the realm."
"Alas, not one caught my attention. The Summerpeak World is but a worldlet, and no qi refiners were born for a long time. The bloodlines of Middle Land's creatures have deteriorated, far inferior to those of the macrocosms. To truly nurture a genuine eldritch proves exceedingly challenging." The armored giant seemed lost in his memories.
Wu Yuan stood stupefied. Heavens! Even without any training, the humans of the Middle Land could effortlessly exert a force of several thousand catties once they reached adulthood. And this was considered a deteriorated bloodline? How formidable must the creatures from the macrocosms be?
"If I had enough time, I would wait patiently until the Summerpeak World regained its former glory, when countless qi refiners and martial artists thrived. Then, I would have a wider selection pool to choose from for nurturing new eldritches."
"Sadly, time is not on my side. But fortunately, Wu Yuan, you arrived!" The armored giant's gaze landed on Wu Yuan, a glimmer of hope shining in his eyes. "Perhaps the heavens have taken pity on me, gifting the Middle Land with a prodigious talent like yourself!"
“Your aptitude may not surpass that of some elite, ground-breaking prodigies in the Greenridge Macrocosm, but it is still above average." The armored giant said sincerely, "Even during the prime of the Summerpeak World, it would likely take several decades, if not a century, for a talent like you to emerge."
"I am running out of time. You are my best choice."
Wu Yuan’s heart thumped. His talent was only above average? He couldn't help but wonder about the countless cultivation prodigies that once lived during the prime of the Summerpeak World. As for the Greenridge Macrocosm, it surely surpassed the Summerpeak World by who knew how many times. It was only normal that there were prodigies with greater talent and strength than him.
"This is your talent evaluation," the black armored giant announced. As he pointed, a myriad of glowing particles converged.
Wu Yuan looked over.
Age: seventeen.
Soul level: Soul Perception
Soul talent: average first-class.
Qi refining talent initial assessment: lower first-class.
Body refining talent: exceptional.
Wu Yuan felt slightly confused, and he turned toward the black-armored giant. Though he could read the words individually, he couldn’t understand what they meant as a whole.
"Realm Master, what does Soul Perception of soul level mean?" Wu Yuan asked.
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