Cultivation Online

When Yuan heard this voice, he immediately delved into his mind, as this voice seemed more than just his imagination. Within his consciousness, he sensed that a fragment of the Saaruk’s power had transformed into a kind of link, forging a connection between them. It functioned much like a communication jade slip, allowing their minds to intertwine and exchange words directly.

”Hm? Wait a second… this presence… you’re not an Eternal!” Saaruk’s voice returned before Yuan could respond to it.

”A mortal! How dare a mere mortal attempt to covet the power of the mighty Saaruk!” the voice roared, its fury intensifying as it realized its own strength was being refined by a human.

”And what are you going to do about it?” Yuan responded in a provocative tone.

”This mighty Saaruk has memorized your scent! The moment you leave the safe zone, this mighty Saaruk will devour you!”

”Hahaha!” Yuan burst into laughter. ”You, who was driven back by a mere mortal while trying to steal the Spirit Tree, think you can devour me? You Eternals truly have wild imaginations!”

For a moment, the voice fell silent. When it returned, it dripped with malice. ”You are but an insignificant insect—one who cannot even begin to comprehend the magnitude of our power. Were it not for the Absolute Power’s interference, your pitiful existence would have long since been erased.”

”When this mighty Saaruk attempted to covet the Spirit Tree, this mighty Saaruk had only been using a single percent of their true power while severely underestimating their opponent. However, it will not happen a second time.”

”If you’re truly so powerful and mighty, then why do you need the Spirit Tree—something planted by the very mortals you so disdain?” Yuan asked calmly.

”This mighty Saaruk has no intention to entertain a mortal’s curiosity. Leave the safe zone if you dare… This mighty Saaruk will be waiting for you…”

The voice gradually faded, and the link between them was abruptly severed. Though their exchange had lasted only a few brief sentences, several days had passed in the real world, and Yuan had refined half of Saaruk’s power from Xiao Cangming.

Once he returned to his senses, Yuan ramped up the speed he absorbed Saaruk’s power, and after a few more hours, he completely devoured it.

Yuan lifted his sweat-soaked palms from Xiao Cangming’s back and drew a deep breath. ”It’s done,” he said softly.

Xiao Cangming stared at his hands in awe. ”The invisible weight that’s always pressed down on me is gone.”

Ever since Saaruk’s power took hold, his body had always felt sluggish and burdened, but now, that sensation had completely disappeared.

He turned around to face Yuan, who was utterly drenched in sweat, and asked, ”Are you okay, my lord?”

Yuan nodded, ”Despite my appearance, I am actually overflowing with energy.”

He turned to look at Mu Xuelian and said, ”I spoke with Saaruk.”

Shiva instantly took over Mu Xuelian’s body and responded, ”What did you talk about?”

”Nothing much. They only threatened to devour me the moment I leave the Nine Heavens.”

Shiva laughed, ”I can’t say I’m surprised. You should prepare yourself.”

Yuan raised an eyebrow and asked, ”What do you mean?”

”Even amongst the Eternals, Saaruk is considered very powerful—around the top 20.”

”You guys have a ranking? How many Eternals are out there?”

”Before I was sealed in the Nine Heavens, there were a total of 76 Eternals. Although more may have been born since then, it won’t be more than a handful.”

”76 Eternals, huh? Then where do you rank?” Yuan asked.

”Somewhere in the middle, I guess.”

Yuan was surprised to hear this.

Shiva frowned at Yuan’s expression. ”How dare you look at me like that? Are you mocking me for my ranking? Yes, there’s a ranking among us, but the difference in prowess isn’t as vast as you think. Saaruk may rank above me, but that’s only because the order is based on the quantity of our Essence. In terms of strength, the gap isn’t that great. If we fought seriously, there’s no telling who will win.”

”You misunderstood. I wasn’t looking down on you.” Yuan calmly shook his head but refused to elaborate further.

”Anyway, I have a question,” Yuan said. ”The Primordial Realm lies at the edge of the Nine Heavens, so it should still be within the safe zone. Yet Saaruk still managed to attack Cangming. I thought the Eternals weren’t allowed to intervene because of this Absolute Power?”

”The Absolute Power’s influence weakens the farther you are from its center,” Shiva explained. ”So while we can’t touch the Nine Heavens, we’re still able to intervene through other methods. However, even then, it’s not easy and requires a lot of energy.”

”Is that why Saaruk hasn’t returned since he failed to covet the Spirit Tree?” Yuan mumbled to himself.

After a moment of silence, Yuan asked Shiva, ”What are the chances of me defeating Saaruk right now?”

Shiva sneered in disdain, ”With your current level of Eternal Essence, you won’t be able to touch him, let alone defeat him.”

”Is that so?” Yuan didn’t inquire further.

Sometime later, Xiao Cangming said, ”Now that my illness is gone, I feel far more confident about our chances of success.”

He looked at Li Zhenwu and asked, ”How are your preparations going?” ”I will be ready to begin tomorrow,” she confidently replied.

While they continued to prepare, Yuan went to take a bath.

Time passed quickly, and after a full day of preparation, it was time to create Xiao Hua’s new vessel.

”My lord, before we begin, there’s something I must warn you about,” Xiao Cangming said to Yuan.

”What is it?”

”Once we transfer Xiao Hua’s soul into her new vessel, it may take some time for her to adjust. During that period, her memories could regress, and it will take some time for them to return.”