"One day?" Emperor Dong Pan and Daoist Wan Xing exchanged glances.
Typically, even if Qi Sea and Communion phase cultivators completely depleted their mana, they only required two or three days to fully recover their mana via refining spiritual qi. Should they choose to absorb the spiritual qi in etherstone to replenish their mana, this process would take even less time.
"Daoist Dong Pan, Daoist Wan Xing, I believe Wu Yuan has a good reason for requesting a day of rest." Fang Xia interjected. "You can't be thinking that he’s afraid of death, right?"
This statement evoked laughter from everyone. Wu Yuan had more than proven his strength and courage. How could anyone think that he was scared?
"Daoist Wu Yuan, please accept our apologies. We were too impatient," Daoist Wan Xing said sincerely. "It’s just that at the rate the devil soldiers are growing, I’m worried there might be unforeseen changes."
"Daoist Wan Xing, there’s no need for apologies, when it comes to safeguarding the Middle Land, our priorities align," Wu Yuan replied in a deep voice. "The truth is, my recurrent battles against the devil soldiers have granted me some insights, especially after I faced the Spiritual Body devil soldier. I believe a period of meditation will allow me to apply these insights, and perhaps amplify my strength."
"Oh?" Fang Xia, Daoist Wan Xing, and Emperor Dong Pan perked up.
Wu Yuan was only 21 years old. From his age alone, everyone understood that his strength must have developed at a mind-boggling rate. His talent surpassed their comprehension.
Treading the perilous line between life and death over numerous battles invariably drew out a person's latent potential. Therefore, when Wu Yuan claimed that he had gained some insights, no one had a reason to doubt him.
"A rise in strength is always a welcome development. There’s no rush," the Arctic King nodded. "Daoist Wu Yuan, your immortal root must be incredibly strong."
Emperor Dong Pan, Daoist Wan Xing, and the others couldn't help but direct their gazes towards Wu Yuan. Even though Qiong Sea King was Wu Yuan's spirit beast, there were some details that his master did not share with him either. A flicker of curiosity crossed the jiaolong’s eyes.
"Forgive me for my curiosity. If my question is inconvenient, please disregard it," the Arctic King shook his head.
This was definitely a sensitive question among cultivators.
"It's not a big secret," Wu Yuan responded. "Furthermore, I believe Fellow Daoists will all come to know it in due time. I established a fourth-degree immortal root."
"A fourth-degree immortal root, That must be the reason for your rapid progress," Daoist Wan Xing and Emperor Dong Pan exclaimed in awe.
They had long suspected that he had established a strong immortal root. A fourth-degree immortal root was within their expectations.
A fourth-degree immortal root...even in the Greenridge Macrocosm, a cultivator with such an immortal root would be deemed a prodigal talent. Such talents would even be considered core members of most immortal sects.
One had to understand that numerous Amethyst Cradle and Shambhala cultivators were only able to establish sixth or seventh-degree immortal roots.
Revealing a fraction of his strength on occasion wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Furthermore, while Daoist Wan Xing, Emperor Dong Pan, and the Arctic King appeared to be in high spirits, Wu Yuan understood that deep down, a trace of despair wormed its way into their hearts.
The worm devil was far too strong. Just a few swarms of devil soldiers were enough to coerce the cultivators of the Middle Land into evacuating the devil zone. The cultivators hadn’t even begun to infiltrate the devil's lair.
"A fourth-degree immortal root."
"Unbelievable. From all the records I’ve read, such prodigies are scarce, even during the prime of the Summerpeak World," Daoist Wan Xing said emotionally. "Daoist Wu Yuan has most likely reached the fourth or fifth stage of the Communion phase, and isn’t much weaker than us."
“It’s a pity,” Emperor Dong Pan shook his head slightly. "Given Wu Yuan's rate of progress, he could reach the ninth-stage Communion phase in just a few decades. By then, he’ll be able to defeat a Spiritual Body devil soldier in a one-on-one battle."
"But there’s no time for Wu Yuan to develop to his full potential," Fang Xia lamented.
Fang Xia, more than anyone, understood how shocking Wu Yuan's progress was.
All devil soldiers had ninth-degree immortal roots, and were much weaker than experts of the same phase. However, when it came to first-stage Spiritual Body devil soldiers, their raw base strength equaled that of a ninth-stage Communion cultivator with a third-degree immortal root.
Throughout the Middle Land, few dared to confront the Spiritual Body devil soldiers head-on. As for defeating them? After understanding their combat power through the projections, Fang Xia didn’t have a single ounce of confidence.
"Wu Yuan, focus on cultivating," Daoist Wan Xing said. "During the decisive battle with the worm devil, the two arrays will be our main forces. But you and Daoist Qiong Hai will play equally crucial roles. The arrays are estimated to arrive in the Huang Continent within two or three days."
"Alright," Wu Yuan nodded.
The Huang Continent, while often deemed a barbaric and miasmic region of the Middle Land, housed nearly 100 million inhabitants.
North Huang City, the third largest city in the Huang Continent, had a population of more than a million people.
But now, chaos reigned.
"A terrifying devilish beast has emerged in the South."
"The temple has been laid to waste, and it’s rumored that Deity Huang has fallen."
"Heavenly Rankers from the world's various factions have rushed to the Huang Continent, but they’re struggling to defeat the devilish beast."
"Escape! Flee to the Nan Continent!" Countless rumors spread like wildfire throughout North Huang City—some mere speculation, while others were true.
After all, the Huang Temple had indeed been reduced to ruins. The so-called devil zone, originally the core stronghold of the Huang Temple, had been embroiled in fierce battles for the past two days. Subsequently, many powerful martial artists escaped to the Huang Continental City.
With the sudden appearance of numerous Heavenly Rankers, including the gigantic Qiong Sea King, Mountain Devil King, and other imposing Archdemons, rumors instantly began spreading, causing a wave of panic to sweep through the city's nobility and common folk alike. In a desperate attempt to escape the disaster, families fled to the Xi, Holy, and Nan Continents.
Amidst the turmoil, Sang Gu and Black Jiao King took action, utilizing the last vestiges of power the Huang Temple still held to quell the unrest. Meanwhile, other Heavenly Rankers observed from the sidelines.
Sigh, the people are always the victims of change. Wu Yuan perched atop a lofty mountain situated roughly ten li from North Huang City. He surveyed the entire city, witnessing the disorder that had taken hold. A weighty burden settled on his heart.
So far, North Huang City was better off than most other places since the devil soldiers had yet to reach this area. Meanwhile, within the devil soldier-infested regions in the devil zone, the casualties were immeasurable.
“Master, if we eradicate the worm devil, peace will naturally return to the Huang Continent,” Qiong Sea King coiled itself beside Wu Yuan, his voice rumbling, “But failure to win the decisive battle would seal the fate of these ordinary humans, regardless of where they flee.”
Wu Yuan sighed inwardly. What did the Heavenly Rankers fight with such desperation? Selflessness? Of course not. They were simply left without alternatives. Even surrender wasn’t an option. When pushed to such dire straits, fighting to the death became their only option.
"Qiong Sea, we must keep our connection a secret," Wu Yuan instructed telepathically. "Guard me while I focus on my cultivation."
Both of them had already disabled the hall jade's projection function. They also blocked the hall jade, ensuring Emperor Dong Pan could not spy on them through it.
Qiong Sea King laughed, "Master, rest assured. Even if Spiritual Body devil soldiers arrive, I can hold them off. Besides, with Black Snake King and Sang Gu controlling the array, no one will ambush us."
Wu Yuan nodded in agreement. The Huang Temple had laid an array over the North Huang City. Devil soldiers usually stayed within a range of 10,000 li from the devil’s lair, but with the rapid growth of the worm devil, who knew if this norm would be broken?
More than 40 Heavenly Rankers either meditated or toured the city, enjoying the last moments of calm before the storm.
Meanwhile, Wu Yuan dug out a cave on the barren mountain and began cultivating.
Teng Snake egg! Wu Yuan sensed silently.
Streams of blood-red mist surged into his soul chamber, infusing the Teng Snake egg with vital ether. Over the course of a year, the egg gradually turned crystal clear and somewhat transparent, revealing the lifeform curled up inside.
“Master...Master...I...” Faint ripples of energy were released from the egg
Wu Yuan's soul phantom felt a surge of warmth. Lifebound eldritch beasts were not puppets devoid of consciousness. Instead, they possessed self-awareness, as though the soul chamber was giving birth to life. This distinction set them apart from lifebound equipment such as flying swords and diagram arrays.
Soon. Wu Yuan patiently waited. Meanwhile, he silently attuned himself with the vast expanse of the land below him, feeling wave after wave of comforting warmth nourishing his heart.
The Land, the nurturer of all life.
He understood that progress was built upon accumulation. Each time, he comprehended a little more. Then one day, his efforts would bear fruit and he would reach the Domain stage.