Yuan's Ascension-Chapter 998: Gu Nian? Who Do You Think You Are? (2)

"Haha, what a joke, killing Sovereign Qing Ling without reason?" Wu Yuan laughed, his laughter utterly nonchalant: "He dared to invade my Eternal Sun Immortal World's territory to contest for treasures, so he should have been prepared to die. I spared him twice, but he kept courting death. Don't blame me."

Wu Yuan looked down at Sovereign Hai Xuan, Sovereign Jin Xu, and the other four, speaking coldly: "Qing Ling is dead, but as he was the leader of the Greenridge Immortal World, I naturally must settle accounts with the Greenridge Immortal World.

“My demands are simple.

“First, you six Sovereigns will swear Great Dao Oaths to hand over all your artifacts.

“Second, all six of you will swear oaths to serve me as your master, acting as my followers for one billion years. After one billion years, I'll set you free.

“Third, the entire spacetime territory of the Greenridge Immortal World will surrender and join my Taiyuan Divine Court faction. The Faith of all living beings will be converted to True Saint Taiyuan." Wu Yuan's voice was indifferent.

"If these three points are met, I can spare the Greenridge Immortal World. If not, today, all living beings in the Greenridge continent shall be exterminated, and the Greenridge Immortal World shall be destroyed."

Wu Yuan's voice, tyrannical and cold, echoed throughout heaven and earth.

His words left all the powerhouses in the entire Greenridge Macrocosm dumbfounded.

Surrender? Become lackeys? Give up all territory? What humiliating demands these were.

Sovereign Hai Xuan, Sovereign Jin Xu, and the other four Sovereigns nearly spat fire from their eyes, burning with rage.

In their view, Wu Yuan's demands were too excessive. Giving up territory was one thing. But handing over all their treasures? Serving him for one billion years? Naturally, they couldn't accept this.

Unbeknownst to Sovereign Hai Xuan and the others, if the grudge was only over Sovereign Qing Ling’s death, Wu Yuan would at most demand they swear Great Dao Oaths to abandon their vengeance and cede their territory.

But their choice to side with the Immortal Court was what truly aroused Wu Yuan's killing intent. Rather than let them leave and strengthen the Immortal Court, it was better to take this chance to slaughter them all, exterminating them completely to prevent future troubles.

"Ming Jian." Sovereign Hai Xuan's eyes tinged slightly red as he stared fixedly at Wu Yuan: "Your conditions are impossible for us to accept. We can agree not to seek revenge and can give up the Immortal World’s territory, but we absolutely cannot submit.

“Absolutely not!" Sovereign Hai Xuan growled.

"Right, we will never submit."

"We'd rather die than submit." Sovereign Jin Xu and the other Sovereigns all roared in anger.

Freedom! It was what all super powerhouses valued most, and it was what supported the inner self of almost all powerhouses. For most powerhouses, if they joined a certain faction, they would take up responsibilities in exchange for rights. The greater the benefits enjoyed, the greater the responsibilities. However, they wouldn't completely lose their freedom.

Previously, Sovereign Hai Xuan and the others weren't completely subservient to Sovereign Qing Ling either, they could leave at any time. But Wu Yuan's demand that they swear Great Dao Oaths meant that they would practically become servants. This was something no Sovereign powerhouse would easily accept.

"Absolutely not?" Wu Yuan coldly smiled.

He wasn't too concerned. If six Sovereigns could be made to surrender with just a few threats, that would be abnormal.

So-called control usually involved controlling the soul. However, directly enslaving a Sovereign in that manner was nearly impossible—not even Overlords were capable of doing so.

Controlling a large number of Astral Monarchs in the hopes that a few might eventually break through and become Sovereigns? The odds of that strategy succeeding were incredibly slim.

Normally, out of ten thousand Astral Monarchs, perhaps one would break through to become a Sovereign. But for powerhouses under soul-control, once they became servants, their inner self would be distorted over long years, with no possibility of a breakthrough.

Among soul-controlled Astral Monarchs, breakthroughs were fewer than one in a hundred thousand.

"I've given you the chance to live," Wu Yuan's voice was cold, echoing through heaven and earth: "Since you're unwilling, then you can all die.

“The Greenridge Immortal World shall cease to exist today."

Hum~ The aura around Wu Yuan's qi refiner self expanded, sword qi billowing, as he prepared to strike.

"Ready."

"Kill!" The six Sovereigns of the Greenridge Immortal World were also extremely tense, prepared to fully activate the defense arrays.

Just then, a gentle voice resounded through heaven and earth. "Young friend Ming Jian, please wait."

Following that, countless lights converged, and a white-robed figure appeared in the void, standing in front of Sovereign Hai Xuan, Sovereign Jin Xu, and the others, facing Wu Yuan from afar.

Although the white-robed elderly man was just a projection, his aura was ethereal and quite extraordinary.

"Overlord."

"Greetings, Overlord." Sovereign Hai Xuan, Sovereign Jin Xu, and the other Sovereigns hurriedly bowed, their hearts filled with joy.

"Overlord?"

"A legendary Overlord?"

"Even Sovereigns bow to him?" The many Astral Monarchs on the Greenridge continent held their breath as they witnessed this.

Today, their horizons had been properly broadened. Not only had so many Sovereigns gathered, but even a legendary Overlord had descended.

Of course, the vast majority of Astral Monarchs were extremely worried. If a great battle erupted, they would likely all perish if caught in the crossfire.

"Overlord Gu Nian?" Wu Yuan frowned slightly.

He hadn't expected this Overlord Gu Nian to appear so suddenly. He was likely using some secret treasure. Otherwise, it would be impossible to project an incarnation across such a span of spacetime.

"I've long heard of young friend Ming Jian's name, and seeing you today, your reputation is indeed well-deserved. The Taiyuan Divine Court has gained another world-class hero," Overlord Gu Nian smiled. His smile was amiable, involuntarily evoking goodwill in others, as if he were a kindly neighborhood grandfather.

"Overlord Gu Nian." Wu Yuan's voice remained cold: "Are you here to stop me?"

"I wouldn't say stop, just to resolve a dispute and avoid the suffering of innocents." Overlord Gu Nian's face was etched with a profound sympathy for all living beings as he let out a deep sigh. "Sovereign Qing Ling's death was of his own making, but what crime have the countless living beings of the Greenridge Immortal World committed?

“I can represent Sovereign Hai Xuan and the others in ceding the Immortal World’s territory and assist the Taiyuan Divine Court in taking control. What do you think?" Overlord Gu Nian looked at Wu Yuan: "If the takeover proceeds smoothly without conflict, it will save the Divine Court much effort.

“Otherwise, once war breaks out and grudges are formed, even if young friend Ming Jian occupies the Greenridge Immortal World territory, it might take hundreds of millions of years to stabilize your rule. Why go through all that unnecessary effort?

“I can also promise to have Hai Xuan and the others hand over ten high-grade Dao Instruments as compensation." Overlord Gu Nian looked at Wu Yuan: "I hope young friend Ming Jian can let go of this grudge for my sake. What do you say?"

Sovereign Hai Xuan, Sovereign Jin Xu, and the others remained silent.

They naturally felt reluctant about the conditions Overlord Gu Nian proposed, as ten high-grade Dao Instruments was no small matter to them. But they all understood that the situation was beyond their control.

At present, being able to safely leave the Greenridge continent was the right course of action; losing some treasures wasn't important. Otherwise, even if they could hold on to the Greenridge continent, they might never be able to leave again.

"For your sake?" Wu Yuan's face broke into a smile as he looked at Overlord Gu Nian.

"Yes, my sake," Overlord Gu Nian nodded.

"Hahaha!" Wu Yuan laughed involuntarily, his mirth bright.

Just as Overlord Gu Nian thought Wu Yuan was about to agree...Wu Yuan's smile suddenly vanished, replaced by icy indifference. "Gu Nian, who do you think you are?"

Silence!

Utter silence!

Overlord Gu Nian's smile froze. Sovereign Hai Xuan, Sovereign Jin Xu, and the others were stunned.

Thousands of Astral Monarchs across the Greenridge continent stood dumbfounded.

In the Taiyuan Voidrealm and Immortal Court Voidrealm, Sovereign Heng Yang, Sovereign Zhen Guang, Sovereign Zhu Yue, Sovereign Voltari, Sovereign Sha Fan, and the rest were all slack-jawed with disbelief.

None had imagined Ming Jian would be so audacious, so disrespectful.

Gu Nian was an Overlord! And not just any Overlord, but an Overlord of the Immortal Court!

True, Ming Jian was an unparalleled monstrous prodigy, but he wasn't an Overlord yet. The Taiyuan Divine Court was far from the Immortal Court’s match.

"Ming Jian. I don't want to offend you. I can even overlook your earlier destruction of Sovereign Shi Qing's mana body." Overlord Gu Nian's smile faded, his gaze turning cold. "But you've gone too far. You are indeed a peerless genius, but do you realize what you're provoking?

“I respect True Saint Taiyuan." Overlord Gu Nian stared icily at Wu Yuan. "I'll give you one last chance. My offer stands unchanged. If you agree, I'll pretend you never uttered those words just now.

“Otherwise, you're not just challenging me. You're challenging the Immortal Court! Challenging the greatest power in the megaverse!

“If you're seeking death, I can oblige you." Overlord Gu Nian fixed his gaze on Wu Yuan’s qi refiner self, as if looking at a dead man.

He truly didn't want to offend Ming Jian. As a future Overlord who would very likely become a peak existence among Overlords, he could cause endless trouble for the Immortal Court.

But Overlord Gu Nian had never known fear. What kind of faction was the Immortal Court? It had witnessed innumerable monstrous prodigies through countless samsara cycles of heaven and earth.

A mere Saintcrest Prodigy? Even if he was rumored to be a first-grade Saintcrest Prodigy, so what? Who in history had ever made the Immortal Court budge?

"Me? Challenging the Immortal Court?" Wu Yuan sneered. "Gu Nian, don't pin such grand labels on me. I have no intention of challenging the Immortal Court, but remember this: within the Greenridge Macrocosm, I call the shots! If you've got the guts, invade Greenridge and face me in battle.

“Today, the Greenridge Immortal World falls. No one can stop it. Whoever stands in my way, I'll slay them," Wu Yuan declared coldly.

"Ming Jian, you truly intend to..." Overlord Gu Nian was now genuinely angered.

"You're as noisy as Shi Qing. Begone!!" Wu Yuan suddenly roared.

Whoosh! As the last word left his mouth, a terrifying strand of sword qi shot forth, slicing through the endless void.

Poof~ Overlord Gu Nian's projection was sliced into two, dissipating.

"Time to send you off." Wu Yuan's icy gaze fell upon the now-stunned Sovereign Hai Xuan, Sovereign Jin Xu, and the others in the distance.

Wu Yuan couldn't be bothered to waste any more words.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Nine lifebound flying swords shot forth simultaneously, unleashing a sky-blanketing storm of sword lights. An immense sword domain surged outward in all directions, its might vast and magnificent.

Rumble~ The spacetime within hundreds of li of the Greenridge Macrocosm began to quake instantly.

The shockwave's pressure alone caused countless temples and halls to crumble and the continent to rupture.

"Arrays, activate!"

"Kill!" Sovereign Hai Xuan, Sovereign Jin Xu, and the other four Sovereigns roared in anguish and fury, simultaneously triggering the arrays and barriers throughout the continent as they charged towards Wu Yuan.

The great battle erupted in full force.