Yuan's Ascension

Chapter 192: Fang Xia Pays Respects To Young Master (2)

Teng Snake? In his previous life, it was a legendary creature from ancient myth, also known as a Flying Serpent. The Teng Snake was a powerful immortal beast and divine beast, capable of riding the clouds.

"Each cultivation ideology possesses its own unique lifebound treasures," the black armored giant explained. "Qi refiners have lifebound talismans, lifebound immortal arrays, lifebound flying swords, lifebound medicinal cauldrons, lifebound divine pills, and many more. Among the countless worlds, all sorts of mysterious and bizarre treasures exist and qi refiners each have their own specialization of classes, so you must be cautious."

"Our eldritch lineage, on the other hand, primarily uses lifebound gu," the black-armored giant continued. "Eldritch mages utilize these, while eldritch warriors rely on lifebound eldritch beasts. The Teng Snake is one of the ancient Devil Deities, and the first Devil Deity Teng Snake was a follower of Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu, which eventually became her lifebound eldritch beast." The black-armored giant turned to the nearby portrait of the Eldritch Progenitor.

Understanding dawned on Wu Yuan. So the giant snake held by Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu in the portrait was the progenitor of the Teng Snake race, explaining its ferocious aura.

"Your lifebound eldritch beast can be chosen from a variety of options. It could be a blade of grass, a rabbit, or even a dog. But while the bloodline of your lifebound beast is important, subsequent nurturing is crucial," the armored giant continued.

The Teng Snake is one of the top eldritch beasts when it comes to bloodline. You should already possess the corresponding eldritch beast cultivation method, so I won't delve further into that. Just remember, even though you may train other spirit beasts, your lifebound beast will be your lifelong companion, fighting alongside you. The two of you will grow, live, and die together. Treat it well, nurture it, and in the future, when you become a powerhouse, the Teng Snake will not disappoint."

Understood, Wu Yuan nodded solemnly. After receiving the inheritance memories, he had a deep understanding of the importance of ones lifebound eldritch beast. It was an inseparable part of an eldritch warrior. For a sword immortal to attain the level where one slash shatters all laws, their lifebound flying sword played an extremely important role. For an eldritch warrior, the eldritch beast was equally vital.

"Stow away the Teng Snake egg. When you unlock your soul chamber, use it to nurture and hatch the egg," commanded the black-armored giant.

Wu Yuan nodded in agreement and stored the Teng Snake egg with a wave of his hand.

"The fourth treasure is knowledge," declared the armored giant while summoning several cylindrical, crystal-clear jade stones from the void.

This? Wu Yuan voiced his confusion.

You possess inheritance memories, so I am not worried about your cultivation methodology," the giant spoke gravely. "However, your sect lacks basic cultivation knowledge. Here are eight immortal slips. Probe them with your Soul Force, and the information contained inside will be revealed. Besides the two slips that contain cultivation teachings, the rest are filled with common cultivation knowledge, as well as information about the Greenridge Macrocosm."

Information about the Greenridge Macrocosm? Wu Yuan blinked. 100,000 years had gone by, would the information still be relevant?

"Dont worry," the black-armored giant assured him, as if reading Wu Yuan's thoughts. "The Greenridge Macrocosm has stood for countless billions of years. Though the great war was devastating, it had little impact on the macrocosm itself. Many nations and factions have endured for billions of years. Much of the information from 100,000 years ago is still relevant."

"Mm," Wu Yuan nodded, swiftly receiving the eight immortal slips. Though he had no immediate use for them, the knowledge they contained was invaluable.

"Luminous Immortal Soil, eldritch battle armor, lifebound eldritch beast, immortal slips. These are all the treasures Ive prepared for the Communion phase of your cultivation," said the black-armored giant softly. "The rest is up to your own efforts."

The black-armored giant still possessed a surplus of valuable treasures, such as etherstone and spirit equipment for various cultivation paths. However, he was unwilling to provide Wu Yuan with any more gifts, not until Wu Yuan reached the Spiritual Body phase, at least. Having trained numerous new eldritch cultivators, the giant understood that giving too many treasures at once could quash an individual's drive and ambition. Powerhouses were not born solely through the investment of material treasures, but rather forged through life-and-death struggles! At the end of the day, Wu Yuan had to rely on himself to overcome the challenges of cultivation.

"Mm, Disciple understands," Wu Yuan responded with a solemn nod. Though the black-armored giant did not grant him many treasures, their total worth was immeasurable. Each one was a priceless treasure. For the current Wu Yuan, it was enough.

After hesitating for a moment, the black-armored giant spoke once more. "Wu Yuan, you are still too weak. And from what I have observed, your enemies are very strong."

"Enemies?" Wu Yuan was taken aback.

"The qi refiners of the Great Jin Empire are not to be underestimated," the black-armored giant replied slowly. "I do not wish for you to meet an untimely demise. Thats why, Ive prepared a bodyguard for you. The black armored giant waved his hand.

Whoosh~ Numerous light particles coalesced into a light screen.

What is this? It resembles a screen from a movie theater. A hint of confusion clouded Wu Yuans expression.

On the light screen, a moderately sized hall could be seen. At its center sat a naked, middle-aged man in the lotus position, seemingly immersed in cultivation.

Wu Yuan stared at the black-armored giant, confused.

This individual has been trapped in the Fourth Eldritch Realm for over a century, initially intended to be put to death, the black-armored giant explained. However, his talent is not too bad. After taking him under my wing, he has now become an eldritch mage.

"Eldritch mage?" Wu Yuan gasped. Over a century? Was this man from the Chu-Jiang royal family?

"He has reached the eighth-stage qi sea phase," the black armored giant stated, his gaze fixed on Wu Yuan. Although not overwhelmingly powerful, he possesses sufficient strength to safeguard you during the most dangerous period of your cultivation journey.

Eighth-stage Qi Sea phase? Wu Yuan's pupils constricted. Among the numerous worlds, a qi refiner with this level of cultivation might not be considered exceptional. However, in the Middle Land, such a cultivator was incredibly strong.

"Realm Master, if he is truly so powerful, will he heed my commands once he leaves this realm?" Wu Yuan expressed his concerns, shaking his head in doubt.

"Hmph," the black-armored giant scoffed. "Bound by eldritch gu arts and taking an oath in the name of the Eldritch Progenitor, his obedience is not a matter of choice. Theres nothing to fear."

A spark of anticipation flickered in Wu Yuan's eyes. With an eldritch mage by his side, Great Jin was no longer that dangerous a threat.

"I shall summon him," the black-armored giant declared, waving his hand.

Swish~ A streak of light crossed the air. The naked figure on the screen vanished in an instant. And just as quickly, he reappeared before Wu Yuan and the giant. Standing at a height of 1.8 meters, he possessed a lean physique, with a head full of luscious hair.

Momentarily taken aback, the man's face flushed with a tinge of embarrassment as white robes materialized around him. He seemed to have just woken up.

"Fang Xia pays his respects to Realm Master," the man in white robes bowed respectfully.

"Mm," the black-armored giant responded indifferently with a slight nod.

On the other hand, Wu Yuans expression was a sight to behold. Fang Xia? What a familiar name.

Fang Xia. As explained earlier, this is Wu Yuan, your charge for the next 50 years. The black-armored giant addressed Fang Xia with a cold voice. 50 years later, return here. I will naturally remove the eldritch gu art and grant you freedom.

Fang Xia thanks Realm Master for your generosity, A surge of excitement flickered in Fang Xia's eyes. Finally, after over a century of waiting, this moment had arrived.

Fang Xia, the middle-aged man in white robes, bowed to Wu Yuan. Fang Xia pays his respects to Young Master. Young Master may rest assured. If Young Master orders me to go East, I, Fang Xia will never go West. If Young Master wants a 28-year-old woman, I, Fang Xia, will definitely not bring you an eighteen-year-old woman! He declared with utmost seriousness.

This declaration caused the armored giant and Wu Yuan to fall silent. A moment passed before Wu Yuan's voice broke the stillness. Senior Fang Xia, are you the same Grandmaster Fang Xia who vanished from the Cloudstride Sect over a hundred years ago?

Exactly! Is the Cloudstide Sect still around? Has Young Master heard of me? Fang Xia nodded with enthusiasm.

Wu Yuan fell silent once more. It actually turned out to be the case! But if one actually thought about it, it wasnt too big a stretch considering the low probability of someone else with the exact same name being acknowledged by the black-armored giant for having a not bad level of talent.

And yet, the white-robed middle-aged man standing before Wu Yuan bore little resemblance to the image he had conjured of the legendary Grandmaster Fang Xia.

"You do not need to address me as Young Master, Wu Yuan will suffice," Wu Yuan said, shaking his head slightly.

Fang Xia opened his mouth to speak, but the black-armored giant cut him off. "Just do as Wu Yuan says. He wishes to treat you as an equal, not as a servant. Are you saying you object to this?"

"I dare not object," Fang Xia shook his head furiously. "I will listen to whatever you say!"

"Very well. Fang Xia, I will send you back first. Once Wu Yuan is ready to leave the Fourth Eldritch Realm, I will transport both of you out together," the armored giant said in a cold tone.

"No, please, Realm Master, let us discuss" Fang Xia began. But with a wave of the giant's hand, Fang Xia vanished from sight.

"Wu Yuan, dont worry too much about him. Hes been held captive for far too long, and tends to become excitable around others," the armored giant stated, shaking his head. "He was more composed when he first arrived. I suspect he will return to normal once he leaves with you."

Wu Yuan nodded, understanding the situation. According to the historical accounts of the Cloudstride Sect, Ancestor Fang Xia had mysteriously disappeared in his 60s. So it turned out he was imprisoned within the Fourth Eldritch Realm for over a century. Under such circumstances, it was hardly surprising that his personality had undergone significant changes.

"There is no need to worry about his strength. He has already established a sixth-degree immortal root, indicating a decent foundation. I believe he will be a valuable asset to you," the armored giant reassured Wu Yuan. "In 50 years' time, I expect you to have acquired enough power to protect yourself."

Wu Yuan nodded.

The eighth-stage Qi Sea phase, given a sixth-degree immortal root, rivaled even some ninth-stage Qi Sea cultivators with weaker immortal roots. Even if he lacked proficiency in arcane arts or battle experience, he should have no problems dealing with fourth or fifth-stage Qi Sea cultivators.

"Wu Yuan, I have given you all the necessary treasures," the armored giant stated softly. "How far you go in the future will depend on yourself. For now, would you like to continue staying in the Fourth Eldritch Realm, or do you prefer to leave?"

"Leave?" Wu Yuan shook his head. "Realm Master, what about the companions who entered the Eldritch Chamber with me? Can you tell me how they are doing?"

"None of them were able to pass my test and have all departed from the Eldritch Chamber," replied the black-armored giant. "You may observe those who entered the Fourth Eldritch Realm alongside you."

With a wave of his hand, numerous light screens materialized in mid-air, each displaying a different person. Bu Yu, Li Yan, Song Guang... Gu Wang, Zhang Changsheng... and experts from Great Jin, such as Jin Qing and Yue Shanzhong, among others.

Some were resting, while others were looking for treasures. Unbeknownst to them, Wu Yuan and the black-armored giant silently observed their activities.

"Hmm? Chang Dong and Tie Tuo are absent?" Wu Yuan furrowed his brow.

"The two you mentioned have already been found and killed by the quasi-qi refiner of Great Jin, Jin Qing," said the black-armored giant indifferently.

Wu Yuan's expression shifted. Chang Dong was dead? It seemed Yuanhu Villa was done for. And Tie Tuo, that bold, brash king from the grassland, also died?

"You've spent more than two days in the Eldritch Chamber condensing your eldritch tattoos, the black-armored giant shook his head. "During this period, these martial artists have left the Eldritch Chamber to hunt for treasures in the Fourth Eldritch Realm, inevitably clashing with one another."

"I cannot be bothered to manage such affairs. Furthermore, it would be inappropriate for me to intervene," the black-armored giant stated nonchalantly.

Wu Yuan sighed inwardly. The realm master was a spirit who adhered to its specific operating procedures and only concerned himself with Wu Yuan. As for the other martial artists, he simply went by the book.

Given that he had been monitoring the Fourth Eldritch Realm constantly, he shouldnt have been oblivious to the connection between Wu Yuan and Fang Xia, yet he remained indifferent.

"It appears that Jin Qing and his two subordinates are on the brink of encountering the female Grandmaster who shares a close association with you." The black-armored giant pointed towards two of the light screens and remarked, "Her name is Bu Yu, correct?"

"What?" Wu Yuan's expression changed.