Chapter 996 : A Millennium's Farewell and Ascension

As A Millennium Has Passed [a span of one thousand years], the myriad scenes of bygone days converged before their eyes.

Now, as the two of them looked back, their gazes met in a silence that held no words.

Eldrin Chen gazed deeply at her for a long moment, yet in the end, he left not a single word behind. He turned and strode eastward, his departure final.

"Eldrin..."

Silas Chen stood rooted to the spot, silently watching his receding figure. A thousand words and ten thousand thoughts swirled within her heart, yet in the end, they could only remain buried deep within.

She could only stand there, spiritless and vacant, as if her very soul had departed.

"Ah, such a foolish child!"

It was at this moment that Old Patriarch stepped forward, having arrived at some unnoticed time.

He looked upon the Silas Chen before him, sighed, and shook his head. Then he spoke: "He has Ascended to Immortality [achieved the Dao and ascended to the Immortal Realm]. The bonds of the mortal world must be severed completely."

"That you could accompany him for several Millennium [a span of one thousand years] is already a rare and precious karmic fortune. Now, you are separated by the chasm between immortal and mortal. I fear the only day you may meet again is if you, too, Ascend to Immortality." Find thousands of chapters at audio~novel.com.

"Since our worldly ties have reached their end, it is better to devote oneself to cultivation. Perhaps in the days to come, within the Immortal Domain [the celestial realm where immortals reside], we may yet reunite and rekindle our bond."

As the Old Patriarch spoke with gentle persuasion, Silas Chen felt a faint tremor within his heart.

"Worldly ties have reached their end... worldly ties have reached their end!"

She gathered the melancholy within her heart, and as she murmured to herself, her gaze gradually solidified with resolve. "The Ancient Ancestor speaks wisdom. Since our worldly ties have ended, then we shall meet again in the Immortal Realm [the realm of the immortals] in the days to come!"

Eldrin Chen journeyed eastward, and before long, he arrived at the Cosmic Star Archipelago.

Contrary to expectations, beyond the Cosmic Star Archipelago now gathered countless millions upon millions of cultivators.

Tens of thousands of Treasure Ship [enchanted vessels used for travel and warfare] lay anchored across the heavens and earth. The innumerable cultivators, watching his approach in unison, each wore expressions of profound reverence.

At the heart of this vast multitude, Eldrin Chen beheld many familiar faces.

There was the Violet Radiance Thunder Dragon Avatar [a divine manifestation in the form of a thunder dragon] of Dorian, the Sage Lord, the Demon-Subduing Divine Monk from the Western Pole Tranquil Spirit Temple, the Purple Realm's Foremost Sword CultivatorLin Tianqi, and also the supreme powerhouse of the Demonic Tribe, Peng the Roc Demon Sage.

The Nascent Soul Dao Lord [powerful cultivators who have formed their Nascent Soul] of the Purple Realm had all gathered here, each and every one gazing upon him with eyes full of awe and respect.

Eldrin Chen understood clearly that this was Beings of the Purple Realm seeing him off, respectfully sending him forth to wage war in the Demonic Abyss and slay the Extraterrestrial Demon God.

With this thought, he swept his sleeve, gently raising the crowd to their feet, and spoke in a temperate voice, "My young friends, your courtesy is most gracious."

"We pay our respects to the Immortal [a being who has transcended mortality and attained immortality]."

Countless cultivators prostrated themselves upon the ground, each one burning with fervent passion, their eyes alight with fanaticism and exhilaration.

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod, offering no further words. He merely gazed towards the Demon Abyss Heavenly Scar and declared, "The Demonic Abyss lies just before us. There is no need for you to accompany me further."

"We are not here merely to see you off."

Suddenly, a voice rang out from among the multitude.

The speaker was Lin Tianqi. Grasping his Peerless Immortal Sword, he declared with a voice ringing like steel, "I have come to follow the Immortal [a being who has transcended mortality and attained immortality] and slay that Extraterrestrial Demon God which brings calamity upon the world."

"Follow me..."

Eldrin Chen's expression shifted subtly, his gaze sweeping over the assembled crowd.

Behold, across the expanse of the heavens, tens of thousands of Treasure Ship vessels lay anchored in the Firmament, a vast celestial Ronan [a fleet named after the legendary figure Ronan] that blotted out the very Boundless Void [the infinite, starless expanse beyond the known realms].

And upon the decks of these Treasure Ship stood a multitude of cultivators, their numbers beyond counting.

Their cultivation realms varied greatly. There were minor adepts at the Qi Refinement stage, seasoned veterans of the Purple Mansion and Golden Core Realm, and even peerless powerhouses who had attained the Nascent Soul and Primordial Spirit Realm [the spiritual core of a cultivator, representing a profound level of power and longevity].

Each one gripped Spiritual Object [objects imbued with spiritual energy] and held aloft Magical Treasure [enchanted artifacts used by cultivators] shaped like war halberds. Their bearing was not that of a farewell party, but of an army ready for battle.

"What is the meaning of this…?"

In that fleeting moment, Eldrin Chen felt a tremor in his heart. Join our community of readers at audio-novel-dot-com.

As he feared, the countless millions of cultivators knelt as one, their voices thundering with fervent resolve: "We have come to follow the Immortal [a being who has transcended mortality and attained immortality]! To quell the cataclysm at its very source!"

"Preposterous!"

Eldrin Chen's face darkened with stern anger as he rebuked them. "The war between Immortals and Demons is fraught with peril beyond measure! You are but cultivators of the mortal realm—how dare you presume to intervene?"

"Eldrin!"

At that very moment, several figures emerged from the void, treading upon the air itself. The one leading them was none other than Kael Chen.

Clad in robes as dark as ink, Kael Chen spoke, for once addressing Eldrin Chen by name directly.

He gazed deeply at Eldrin Chen and declared, "The calamity befalling the Purple Realm is not yours to bear alone."

"We who follow you to quell this cataclysm do not seek merely to lend you our strength. We seek to act with a clear conscience, to answer the call within our own hearts."

"Do you not see? This is the plea of all beings under the Violet Heavens, the shared will burning within the hearts of countless cultivators."

"If you doubt it, look upon them!"

With those words, Kael Chen swept his sleeve, gesturing towards the myriad cultivators gathered between heaven and earth.

Eldrin Chen's heart trembled at his words. He could not help but turn his gaze upon that vast assembly.

With but a single glance, Eldrin Chen fell into a profound silence.

Before him stood cultivators who had journeyed from the farthest corners of the realm, each bearing the marks of hardship and the winds of countless trials upon their souls.

Among these cultivators were ascetic monks from the Western Pole Eternal Sands Domain, clad in nothing but a simple kasaya robe and a string of prayer beads. They had journeyed on foot all the way to the Cosmic Star Archipelago, driven solely by the purpose of personally subduing a member of the Demon Race.

There were also aged cultivators from the Southern Sea Cultivation World who, having endured countless hardships to reach this place, found their life force and blood essence utterly withered, retaining only enough strength for one final strike.

And then there were those like the Spiritual Root [a sentient plant or mineral awakened by spiritual energy] that had been enlightened by the immortal radiance when Eldrin Chen achieved Ascending to Immortality. Setting out from its youth, it had cultivated all the way to the Golden Core Realm, spending nearly a Millennium on its long and arduous pilgrimage to this destination.

Among this multitude were the heaven-favored prodigies of the younger generation, regional overlords at the peak of their vitality, and elderly cultivators on the verge of exhausting their allotted lifespan.

Yet the vast majority were ordinary and unremarkable, minor cultivators who had been trapped their entire lives within the realms of Qi Refinement [the initial stage of cultivation, focusing on refining one's vital energy], Foundation Establishment [the stage of solidifying one's cultivation foundation], or Purple Mansion [the stage of opening one's spiritual sea, often visualized as a purple palace].

These individuals were all different, sharing but one common trait: each burned with fervent passion and a resolve to march unto death, desiring to contribute their part to quelling the great cataclysm.

"Do you see them?"

At that moment, Ancestor Black Tortoise stepped through the air to arrive. His own long-dormant and weary blood began to stir once more as he spoke with a tone of liberated laughter, "The great cataclysm of the Purple Realm has stretched across tens of thousands of years. The Demonic Tribulation [a calamitous epoch of demonic invasion] is not a trial for you to bear alone."

"A calamity of this magnitude should not rest upon the shoulders of a single person!"

"Our purpose in coming here is to follow in your footsteps. Though our strength may be insignificant, if we can but slay a single member of the Demon Race, it will count as our contribution to ending this cataclysm!"

The Glazed Palace Master also nodded, stroking his long beard as he said, "Having now received the senior's Immortal Mark [a profound imprint of an immortal's power or legacy], I can undergo the Reincarnation Tribulation [a trial of death and rebirth to shed one's mortal shell] three times while retaining my memories. Even if I fall in this battle, I shall have no regrets in this life."

Eldrin Chen listened to their words, standing silently in the void, a complex tide of emotions stirring within his heart.

After a long while, he ceased his internal struggle and spoke, "Your willingness to march to a battle of certain death shows you are not unworthy of the nurturing karma bestowed by the Purple Realm."

"However, the legacies of your various schools and lineages are hard-won. Each must leave behind at least one Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and highest essence of a cultivator, representing a major stage of power]."

As he spoke to this point, his gaze turned to the Demon-Subduing Divine Monk. "A Millennium ago, the Tribulation Transcending Divine Monk fell protecting my path to enlightenment. His reincarnated self has not yet regained its memories."

"Now, the Tranquil Spirit Temple has only one Primordial Spirit, Late Stage. You must not participate in this battle."

"This—!"

The Demon-Subduing Divine Monk's expression shifted, a protest forming on his lips, but he was cut off by Eldrin Chen. Support the author by reading on audio . novel . com.