On the plaza before the Qiankun Divine Stele, over a thousand immortal cultivators stared at Wu Yuan, their eyes wide with astonishment.
Just moments earlier, they had dismissed his talent, believing him to be an Earth Immortal or perhaps a High Immortal.
But now, everything had changed. An Amethyst Cradle cultivator, with only a century of cultivation, grasping the Space Dao? Even though his understanding was shallow, it spoke of an inconceivable aptitude.
At the very least, among the thousand-plus cultivators present, 99% were immortals. Less than ten were at the Void Refiner/Elysian Field phase. As for those at the Amethyst Cradle phase? Not a single one.
One had to understand that these cultivators were considered to possess a first-rate aptitude for the Space Dao across the vast macrocosm.
For a moment, the plaza fell silent.
“Ming Jian.” Astral Monarch Gu Lai nodded with satisfaction before turning to Wu Yuan with a smile. “Come, let me show you the other areas.”
Wu Yuan nodded in agreement.
In a flash, the two figures vanished from the plaza, heading deeper into the Immortal Belvedere. Only then did hushed discussions erupt among the cultivators.
“So that’s Ming Jian?”
“I’ve never heard of him.”
“I think I’ve heard rumors. They say he’s invincible on the entry-level Eldritch-Immortal Battlefields, with power rivaling an Earth Immortal. I didn’t expect him to be from our Bei You lineage.”
“He’s universally acknowledged as one of the top ten monstrous prodigies below the Archimmortal phase in the entire macrocosm.”
“It’s him!”
“Only a hundred years of cultivation? Terrifying.” The cultivators exchanged information, quickly explaining Wu Yuan’s achievements to those who weren’t aware.
Soon, they all understood just what kind of figure Wu Yuan was. Even without knowing his accomplishments, the mere fact that he was a ‘third-generation disciple acknowledged by the Immortal Sovereign’ was enough to inspire awe in these disciples.
Throughout endless ages, countless disciples had joined the Bei You lineage. Tens of thousands of Archimmortals had emerged from them, yet those who gained the Immortal Sovereign’s acknowledgment and became formal disciples numbered fewer than a thousand among those still living.
In the eyes of these thousand cultivators, though Wu Yuan was only at the Amethyst Cradle phase, his status was comparable to an Astral Lord, if not higher.
…
“Junior Nephew, don’t worry too much,” Astral Monarch Gu Lai said with a gentle smile.
“The Divine Stele Test purely evaluates one’s comprehension of the Law of Space. You didn’t clear the first level because you’ve only just stepped through the initiate threshold.
At your age, simply crossing the threshold of the Space Dao is already incredibly impressive.” Gu Lai chuckled, patting his belly.
“In the millions of years I’ve managed the Immortal Belvedere, fewer than ten Amethyst Cradle cultivators have been sent here. You’re the youngest among them and the only third-generation disciple.
Of the other Amethyst Cradle cultivators sent here, most were eventually taken as disciples by Master.”
Wu Yuan smiled in response.
“Typically, disciples who are permitted to cultivate at the Immortal Belvedere are Earth Immortals or High Immortals who have cultivated for thousands or tens of thousands of years,” Gu Lai explained.
“Are there any who have cultivated for hundreds of thousands of years?” Wu Yuan asked curiously.
“Not at present.” Gu Lai shook his head. “Generally speaking, one’s aptitude for the Space Dao becomes apparent upon reaching the Divided Soul or Dharma Body phase. They are then gradually selected and sent to the Immortal Belvedere, where they can stay for a maximum period of three thousand years.
It’s virtually unheard of for someone to cultivate for hundreds of thousands of years before showing affinity for the Space Dao and being sent here.”
Wu Yuan nodded in understanding. So that was how it worked.
“Senior Uncle, how many levels does the Divine Stele Test have?” Wu Yuan asked curiously.
“The Divine Stele Test consists of forty levels in total,” Gu Lai replied. “To pass level ten, one must comprehend a Lesser Law to the ninth-level Domain stage.
To pass level twenty, one must comprehend a Lesser Law to the ninth-level True Intent stage.
To pass level thirty, one must comprehend a Lesser Law to the ninth-level Dao Field stage.
Passing level thirty-one requires completely mastering one Lesser Law.
Passing level forty requires completely mastering an Intermediate Law.”
Wu Yuan nodded slightly.
The tests set by various major factions were largely similar. This Divine Stele Test was akin to the Eldritch Deity Tower in the eldritch world, with comparable difficulty at equivalent levels.
The main difference was that the Immortal Belvedere’s Divine Stele Test only allowed the use of the Law of Space.
“The Divine Stele Test offers two major benefits. First is combat experience. Your opponent will be tailored to your Dao comprehension, engaging you in combat to help you address your weaknesses and progress faster,” Gu Lai explained. “Second, the higher the level you reach, the better the rewards you’ll receive when you leave the Immortal Belvedere.”
Rewards? Wu Yuan mused silently. No one had mentioned that to him before.
Still, it would be at least three thousand years before he’d need to worry about that.
“Senior Uncle, what’s the highest level of the Divine Stele Test that cultivators here typically reach?” Wu Yuan inquired.
“Most are able to pass level ten. Those who can pass level twenty are rare,” Gu Lai replied. “After all, they’ve only cultivated for a few thousand years.”
“That low?” Wu Yuan was puzzled.
In the Second Origin Eldritch Field, peerless geniuses who had cultivated for a few thousand years could generally pass level twenty-seven of the Eldritch Deity Tower. Senior Brother Chang Hong had even passed level thirty.
“Junior Nephew, the Law of Space is different from ordinary Laws like Metal, Wood, Water, and Fire. It’s extremely difficult to comprehend and incredibly powerful. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be only one Sovereign of Space in the entire macrocosm,” Gu Lai explained with a smile.
“Of course, monstrous prodigies like you might be able to fully master an Intermediate Space Law after cultivating for hundreds of thousands of years.”
Wu Yuan nodded slightly, his understanding deepening.
Whoosh! After passing through a series of interconnected pavilions, Wu Yuan finally followed Gu Lai to another plaza. Here stood row upon row of massive stone walls.
With Wu Yuan’s keen eyesight and vast experience, he quickly discerned that these were no ordinary stone walls. They were made of an incredibly precious ore, likely one of the materials used in forging celestial equipment. The stone walls alone were worth a fortune.
However, what truly caught Wu Yuan’s eye were the countless cryptic patterns etched into the face of each stone wall. They seemed profoundly mysterious. Over a thousand stone walls stood in neat rows.
Several hundred cultivators were presently gathered in this plaza.
Wu Yuan and Gu Lai didn’t approach, so they naturally didn’t attract much attention.
“This is the Immortal Belvedere’s second treasure site after the Qiankun Divine Stele – the Space Law Ground,” Gu Lai said, pointing at the stone walls. He smiled and added, “Junior Nephew, take a look and see if you can spot any differences.”
Wu Yuan obliged, studying the stone walls.
Though his comprehension of the Space Dao was still shallow, all Daos were interconnected. With Wu Yuan’s Dao comprehension rivaling that of a High Immortal, he could still detect some clues.
Soon enough, he spoke. “Each stone wall seems to be inscribed with a Space secret art. And the difficulty appears to increase as I go further.”
Observing the closest stone walls, Wu Yuan merely found them profound. But as his gaze traveled further, even looking from afar made his mind reel and his vision blur. Clearly, the level of profundity far exceeded his imagination.
At the same time, the vast majority of those studying the stone walls were concentrated in the front half of the grounds.
“You’re correct. These cryptic pattern stone walls are divided into three stages. The first stage consists of 330 stone walls,” Gu Lai explained with a smile. “They all expound upon the six Lesser Laws of Space.
The second stage consists of 165 stone walls, explaining the three Intermediate Laws of Space.
The third stage consists of 55 stone walls. Each one of these stone walls explains an application of the complete Space Dao.
Every stone wall contains secret arts personally collected or created by the Immortal Sovereign. They are incredibly precious and represent the culmination of his efforts.
The secret arts contained within aren’t combat-oriented, but they’re extremely suitable for guiding one through the comprehension of Space’s profundities.
Different secret arts are suitable for cultivators with different temperaments and combat styles, even with the same level of Dao comprehension.
You may study any of these secret arts from the stone walls, but don’t be greedy. Find two or three that best suit you,” Gu Lai advised.
Wu Yuan nodded.
He understood the principle of not biting off more than he could chew. Moreover, many of these secret arts weren’t meant for combat, but for guiding his Dao comprehension.
“With the guidance of the Qiankun Divine Stele, the stone walls’ secret arts, and the special environment of the Immortal Belvedere conducive for comprehending the Space Dao, the Immortal Belvedere has ultimately become one of the sacred cultivation grounds of the macrocosm.” Gu Lai continued.
Wu Yuan nodded slightly, silently marveling.
As expected of a place established by an Immortal Sovereign. There were many complementary aspects that maximized the cultivation potential of the disciples under his tutelage.
“Junior Nephew, I’ve shown you the essential areas of the Immortal Belvedere. For the rest, I’ll provide you with a voidrealm immortal slip. Study it at your leisure. Inform me once you’ve chosen your residence.
Henceforth, I’ll deliver a portion of Fire Divine Gorge Brew to you monthly, for a hundred times, to support your cultivation.
Wu Yuan’s eyes widened in surprise. “Monthly? Wasn’t it supposed to be just a single portion?”
He was certain he hadn’t misheard what the Immortal Sovereign had said.
Astral Monarch Gu Lai’s deep, rumbling laughter echoed through the hall, like the resonance of distant stars. “That’s one portion by an Immortal Sovereign’s standards. Its potency far exceeds what you can absorb at once. It must be divided into a hundred portions, allowing your body and soul to evolve steadily. Slow absorption yields far better results.”
Wu Yuan’s expression shifted as realization dawned.
“Junior Nephew, the Immortal Sovereign has high hopes for you. Don’t disappoint him.” Astral Monarch Gu Lai’s tone softened, a warm smile gracing his face. “I’ll take my leave now.”
“Thank you, Senior Uncle,” Wu Yuan replied respectfully
With a nod, Astral Monarch Gu Lai turned and departed.
Typically, the routine orientation of new disciples every hundred years was a task managed by several Archimmortals.
As an esteemed Astral Monarch, he wouldn’t have personally received a third-generation disciple if not for Immortal Sovereign Bei You’s specific instructions.
…
Once Astral Monarch Gu Lai left, Wu Yuan wasted no time. He accessed the voidrealm immortal slip within the immortal voidrealm, gaining a deeper understanding of the Immortal Belvedere.
After careful consideration, he selected a spacious residence. While it lacked servants, it was otherwise similar to the Origin Eldritch Field. In particular, the jade platform in the meditation chamber stood out for its impressive efficacy.
Settling into his new role within the Eternal Sun Immortal Voidrealm, Wu Yuan’s thoughts wandered to the identities he now juggled.
So, I am known as ‘Ming Jian’ here in the Eternal Sun Immortal Voidrealm, in addition to ‘Li Xia’? Wu Yuan mused. Was this arranged by Ancestral Master Bei You?
Speculation had long swirled among various factions, with some believing that Ming Jian and Li Xia were the same person. However, none had confirmed it. Even within Bei You’s faction, only a select few Astral Monarchs were aware of the truth. Publicly, he remained Ming Jian.
This works in my favor. Wu Yuan thought, a smile creeping onto his face. I can use my ‘Ming Jian’ identity to challenge the Seven Star Luminaries Tower within the Eternal Sun Immortal Voidrealm.
Of course, he had no intention of making the attempt just yet.
If I were to attempt it now, I’m confident I could reach level eighty. Wu Yuan thought to himself. However, besides drawing unwanted attention, it wouldn’t achieve much.
Generally, comprehending a Lesser Law to the third-level Dao Field stage was enough to reach level eighty of the one-star tower.
But to reach level ninety? That required comprehension of a Lesser Law to at least the sixth-level Dao Field stage.
And as for the level one hundred? Only those who had comprehended a Lesser Law to the ninth-level Dao Field stage could hope to achieve that.
This was the main reason why Immortal Sovereign Bei You held Wu Yuan in such high regard. The talent he displayed was even more extraordinary than the legendary Luo Gu in the past.
If I were to focus solely on comprehending the Celestial Body Dao and Longevity Dao, I might reach level ninety of the one-star tower before turning a hundred. Wu Yuan wondered.
But there wasn’t much meaning in that.
In the future, whether I pursue the Space Dao or the Life Dao, I must comprehend the True Spatial Domain.
Before making significant progress in the Space Dao, the deeper he comprehended the two Intermediate Laws, the harder it would be to fuse them into a complete Greater Law in the future.
Perhaps for ordinary immortal cultivators, thoroughly comprehending one Intermediate Law would be cause for great joy. After all, how many geniuses throughout history had become Astral Monarchs?
But Wu Yuan, supported by not one but two Immortal Sovereigns and possessing extraordinary natural talent, aimed far higher.
Greater Law! Master Dong Yang was able to comprehend the Life Dao to the seventh-level Dao Field stage in mere hundreds of thousands of years. I mustn’t fall behind.
In the coming years, my qi refiner self will temporarily cease comprehending the Longevity Dao. Wu Yuan decided.
Within the Immortal Belvedere, it was impossible to further his understanding of the Longevity Dao anyway.
My body refiner self will continue to study the profundities of the Celestial Body while simultaneously deciphering the cryptic patterns of Life within the silver sphere.
I’ll strive to integrate my comprehension of True Domain, Longevity, and Celestial Body. Wu Yuan thought. I must enter the threshold of the Life Dao as soon as possible.
For now, my body refiner self will go on to receive the True Spatial Domain Tome’s inheritance.