Yuan's Ascension

Chapter 823: The Perfect Imprint Bearer

The three Sovereign Custodians stood within the temple, their senses reaching out to perceive Wu Yuan, who was seated in lotus position amidst the clouds.

"Throughout countless ages, many of those Dao Master Imprint bearers have managed to accumulate forty thousand points," the red-robed demonic Sovereign smiled. "Yet once they undertake the inheritance trial, most fall at the first hurdle."

"Indeed. Those the Dao Master selects are destined to possess astonishing aptitude in the Spacetime Dao," the black-armored Sovereign's voice resonated through the temple.

"Historically, though many of those Dao Master Imprint bearers possessed overwhelming power, mostly only dabbled in the Space Dao. Few specialized in Space, let alone touched upon the Law of Time.

It’s extremely difficult to pass the first trial by relying solely on the Law of Space," the black-armored Sovereign stated.

The two Sovereign Custodians conversed.

Other Sovereigns of the Dao Realm might not be aware, but as Sovereign Custodians who took turns overseeing Spacetime Island and were the Dao Master’s most trusted subordinates, they were naturally familiar with this information.

Those who could become successors of the Dao Master had astounding accomplishments in the Law of Space at the very least, and were ideally versed in both Space and Time. However, mastery of both Space and Time was exceedingly rare.

"We know a thing or two about Ming Jian's situation," the red-robed demonic Sovereign smiled. "He should pass the initial trials without much difficulty, it's just a matter of how much time it takes."

"I reckon it should take at least a year," the black-armored Sovereign said.

"A year?" Sovereign Lan Yan smiled, saying no more.

These two Sovereign Custodians did not stay on the Spacetime Island long term; she had asked them to come here temporarily. Thus, they were unaware of Wu Yuan's true capabilities.

...

Clouds? Spacetime Dao patterns? Wu Yuan observed continuously, pondering and analyzing.

Time flowed on.

As he continued to comprehend the patterns, he gradually perceived the profundities within.

The countless Spacetime Dao patterns were combined in an incredibly profound manner. Strands of seemingly basic Law patterns, when slightly combined, revealed inconceivable power. And countless Spacetime Dao patterns, intertwining with each other, formed a sea of clouds spanning millions of li. It was both stable and serene.

Wu Yuan's conscious perception gradually extended, penetrating deeper into the sea of clouds. Soon, he gained a deeper understanding of the entire structure of the sea of clouds.

A whole! Flawless and perfect. This is a unified entity, a world of Spacetime Dao patterns constructed from countless fundamental units. Wu Yuan's heart surged with overwhelming awe. ȒАƝő₿ÊS

Historically, the vast majority of imprint bearers who arrived here did not fully grasp this point, but Wu Yuan already understood it.

First, he had already progressed far along the Great Dao of Spacetime.

Second, his body refiner self had been constantly analyzing the fundamental nature of all things and beings, and his ability to make such rapid breakthroughs in the Great Dao of Creation was inextricably linked to the Laws of Time and Space.

Spacetime was the source of everything. Whether it was the Great Dao of Creation, the Great Dao of Destruction, the Great Dao of Five Elements, and so on, they were all essentially extensions of the Great Dao of Spacetime.

Therefore, in the process of analyzing the fundamental nature of all things and beings, Wu Yuan had unknowingly gained a deep understanding of the fundamental profundities of the Great Dao of Spacetime, which was why he had progressed so rapidly.

It was also for this reason that his qi refiner self hadn't fallen completely behind his body refiner self.

These clouds are actually the combination of all the fundamental profundities of the Laws of Space and Time. Though each strand of Dao patterns seems basic, it interprets the nature of Spacetime. Wu Yuan's heart trembled with awe.

They pointed directly to the nature of a Great Dao.

If one fully analyzed all 5.5 million basic units of life, they would not be far from completely comprehending the Law of Life. Similarly, if one thoroughly comprehended and understood this entire sea of clouds, I estimate they would not be far from fully comprehending the Laws of Space and Time. Wu Yuan shook his head inwardly.

But it was too distant. Wu Yuan felt his understanding of the Great Dao of Spacetime was decent in the past, but he now realized that he still had a long way to go.

Even Sovereigns or Overlords probably couldn't create this vast sea of clouds. Wu Yuan thought to himself. It must be the Dao Master, only such a supreme being could establish this.

Wu Yuan brushed aside other thoughts and distractions, silently contemplating and cultivating.

If he had a thousand or ten thousand years, he would naturally be willing to cultivate patiently. Unfortunately, he only had ten years. So, Wu Yuan had to grasp the operational principles of the sea of clouds as quickly as he could.

So that's how it is! Wu Yuan discovered a trace of coherence in the chaos.

The clouds were all composed of the Laws of Time and Space. Some Dao patterns intertwined and merged in seemingly identical ways, yet the profundity and power they formed were worlds apart. The possible combination methods of each strand of Dao patterns numbered in the thousands and tens of thousands.

Truly inconceivable. These Dao patterns, once fully comprehended, could be used to create combat secret arts. That would mean thousands upon thousands of combat secret arts. Wu Yuan marveled inwardly.

He finally understood why there were so many secret arts in the ‘Spacetime Secret Codex’. Countless combat secret arts were fundamentally the same.

And that is...?

Not far away in space, a small, beast-like figure sat in the lotus position. It resembled an exquisite feline, with purple eyes that sparkled with wisdom, and a bell adorning its neck.

Most astonishing of all was the miniature three-tiered tower it carried on its head, the tower's peak seemingly forged from metal.

This cat-like creature stared at Wu Yuan, its vital aura seemingly on par with his own. Yet its form appeared somewhat illusory, as if it existed in another realm entirely.

However, what truly captured Wu Yuan's attention were the three objects behind this small beast.

The first object was a sword, its tip pointing towards the void, as if poised to pierce the very fabric of heaven and earth.

The second object was a sheet of paper.

The paper was small, no larger than a palm, but when Wu Yuan focused upon it, his vision began to shift dramatically. The paper seemed to expand wildly, transforming into a continent, a world, a vast and boundless universe, a truly infinite expanse of heaven and earth... When Wu Yuan shifted his gaze, observing it from the corner of his eye, the paper returned to its normal state, as if it were just an ordinary sheet.

The final object was a piece of wood, rectangular in shape and jet black in color.

At first glance, this black wooden block appeared unremarkable. But as Wu Yuan observed it carefully from afar, he was shocked to discover that this piece of wood had perfectly precise proportions. Its length, width, and height were exactly in a ratio of two to one to one.

No matter how minutely Wu Yuan examined it, down to the Material Spatial Layer and the most fundamental particle level, the ratio of its dimensions remained utterly unchanged. Its precision was breathtaking. At the same time, Wu Yuan realized he couldn't understand this black wooden block at all.

How bizarre. Wu Yuan thought to himself.

Though it seemed a lengthy process, in truth, Wu Yuan had completed his sensory exploration of the surroundings in less than half a breath.

Whoosh! The cat-like creature stood up, the miniature tower still perched atop its head, and took a graceful step. As if teleporting, it appeared directly before Wu Yuan.

Its eyes, brimming with wisdom, regarded Wu Yuan with a rather peculiar gaze.

"Senior?" Wu Yuan cautiously inquired.

"Call me Zi Kong," the cat-like creature suddenly spoke, its voice unexpectedly deep and incongruous with its appearance. "I am the guardian of the Spacetime Island, tasked by the Dao Master to oversee the inheritance grounds.”

"Senior Zi Kong," Wu Yuan greeted respectfully.

"Mm, your name is Wu Yuan, isn't it?" The beast Zi Kong glanced at Wu Yuan. "You are indeed extraordinary. No wonder those youngsters like Lan Yan hold you in such high regard."

"You know my name?" Wu Yuan's pupils constricted slightly, his heart pounding with shock.

"Don't be surprised. Those Sovereigns may not see through you, but you can't hide from me. I've been aware of your situation since you first arrived on the Spacetime Island. When it comes to deductive abilities, I'm a match for many supreme beings," Zi Kong said with a toothy grin.

Wu Yuan was secretly amazed. As expected of the Dao Master’s pet.

Moreover, Wu Yuan also noticed that even Sovereign Lan Yan and the others seemed to be considered juniors compared to Zi Kong.

"The fact that you can see me means you're just one step away from becoming a successor of the Dao Master," Zi Kong looked at Wu Yuan. "You've already passed the first four basic trials."

"The first four trials? Wasn't it just the first one?" Wu Yuan asked, bewildered.

"The first trial posed some challenge for you, so you were tested," Zi Kong shook his head. "The second trial assesses the spirit and willpower of the imprint bearer.

The third trial tests for the potential of an Apotheosis Yuan Soul.

The fourth trial examines whether one possesses the potential for an Apotheosis root.

After all, to become a supreme being, one must not only fully comprehend a Great Dao, but also meet extremely high standards in various aspects such as Yuan Soul, immortal root, spirit, and willpower," Zi Kong remarked with a sigh.

He looked at Wu Yuan, "Other imprint bearers had flaws to varying degrees, but you are the most perfect imprint bearer I've ever seen. In every aspect, you are flawless.

In terms of spirit and willpower, you rival an Astral Monarch after just over ten thousand years of cultivation. Your Yuan Soul and immortal root have both reached the Apotheosis level. Naturally, no further tests were needed," Zi Kong shook his head.

"You're too perfect. So perfect it almost seems unreal. In terms of potential and talent, you are indeed the top candidate in history. The previous successors pale in comparison to you," Zi Kong stated.

Wu Yuan listened attentively.

The top? He wasn't surprised.

"However, whether you can succeed in this final step depends not only on your innate potential but also on your luck," Zi Kong said, pointing to the three objects in the distance.

"It will be up to them to choose you."