Chapter 929 : Treasures of the Ascendant Path

"With the few Divine Abilities I possess, I am already invincible within the Mortal Realm. These three treasures would likely have no chance to be used if they remained in my hands. My ladies, please take them for your protection."

Upon hearing this, Exquisite Jiang raised an eyebrow and immediately accepted the Five-Colored Divine Whip.

She was a cultivator of the Great Encompassing Foundation [the foundational stage of cultivation where one's spiritual foundation is perfected], and her cultivation had broken through to the Primordial Spirit 5th Tier [the fifth level of the Primordial Spirit realm] in recent years. Her spiritual energy reserves were the most profound among them, allowing her to barely manage the simultaneous refinement of both the Demon-Slayer Furnace and the Five-Colored Divine Whip.

After obtaining this item, Exquisite Jiang now possessed two Near-Immortal Treasures [artifacts of immense power, just a step below true Immortal-grade treasures]. While her combat prowess might not yet rival a Demigod Patriarch, it was sufficient to suppress and slay even a Primordial Spirit 9th Tier cultivator.

Verdant Consort did not hesitate for long. She promptly took the whisk-like treasure. The final Primordial One Gold Bracelet, then, fell into the hands of Nyssa Qu, whose spiritual energy reserves were the most formidable.

Nyssa Qu possessed a foundation at the level of a Mythical Immortal Seed [a legendary potential that signifies one is destined for immortality]. Since beginning dual cultivation with Eldrin Chen, her progress had been immense. Furthermore, after obtaining rare resources like the Spiritual Peach [a mystical fruit that greatly enhances cultivation], her cultivation had already broken through to the Primordial Spirit 6th Tier.

Judging by her current pace, it likely would not be long before she broke through to the Primordial Spirit Late Stage. At that point, her spiritual energy would roughly rival that of an Primordial Spirit 8th Tier cultivator, allowing her to unleash most of the Primordial One Gold Bracelet's formidable power.

After distributing the treasures, Eldrin Chen did not linger. He set off directly for the Eastern Region Great Wasteland. However, he did not immediately return to Myriad Ruins Province, instead diverting his path towards the Netherworld Sea.

"..."

A thousand years prior, when Eldrin Chen was breaking through to the Primordial Spirit realm, an Outer Realm Demon God [a powerful demonic entity from beyond this world] had sacrificed a Primordial Spirit 9th Tier Netherworld Phoenix [a mythical phoenix creature from the underworld] to unleash a single, devastating strike capable of sundering heaven and extinguishing earth. Find this and other novels at https://audio-novel.com.

The force of that strike was evaded by Vast Righteousness Path Lord through a substitution technique, redirecting its fury into the depths of the Netherworld Sea [the vast, newly formed inland sea born from the cataclysm].

Thereafter, the immense Vast Sea was pierced through. The colossal power bored through the crust of the Eastern Region Great Wasteland, connecting it to the Water Vein [a subterranean channel of immense spiritual water energy] that had slumbered beneath the Eastern Barrens for countless eons.

Thus, over the span of a thousand years, the entire Netherworld Sea has undergone a transformation as profound as the sea turning into mulberry fields.

The present-day Netherworld Sea has expanded more than threefold. It now dwarfs the entire Three Veins Ancient Domain by over five times, claiming nearly two-tenths of the territory of the Eastern Region Great Wasteland.

At this point, the Netherworld Sea can rightfully be called the greatest lake within the Purple Seal Realm, having even transcended the definition of a lake to be considered a true sea.

It stands as the fifth great wonder of the waters, following the four great seas: the Eastern Sea, the Southern Sea, the Northern Sea, and the Western Sea.

"The Netherworld [the former land] sinks, the earth's crust tilts."

"Diverting the waters of the four seas into the Netherworld... Could it be that the Netherworld Patriarch seeks to forge a new Water Vein approaching immortal-grade power?"

Eldrin Chen stood at the edge of the Netherworld Sea, gazing upon the boundless expanse of the Netherworld's waters. A shadow of solemn contemplation settled upon his brow.

The waters of the Netherworld Sea held a chill that seeped into the very marrow. Wisps of frigid mist coiled upwards, sending a shiver of cold even through Eldrin Chen.

"So it is Fellow Cultivator Eldrin. Since you have come, please enter."

At that very moment, a voice echoed from the void, belonging to Netherworld Patriarch.

Eldrin Chen's expression remained unchanged. With the leisurely pace of one strolling through a garden, he stepped onto Netherworld Island.

The island was covered in frost-bitten, withered trees, with a few solitary crows perched upon their branches. A black-robed elder, holding a bamboo fishing rod, sat cross-legged before a deep pool, seemingly angling for something.

"I have waited for you for nearly a thousand years. You have finally come."

Netherworld Patriarch spoke calmly, lifting his fishing rod to reveal a shimmering silver-scaled dragon fish caught on the line.

After casually placing the fish into a wicker basket, Netherworld Patriarch handed a Treasure Box to Eldrin Chen.

Eldrin Chen opened it. Inside lay an Immortal Sword of unparalleled majesty. It blazed like the sun, radiating an immense and utterly righteous Vast Righteous Energy [a powerful aura of pure, unyielding virtue and justice].

"The Vast Righteousness Heaven Sword."

Eldrin Chen's hands trembled, nearly losing his grip on the Immortal Sword. He could do nothing but close his eyes in anguish.

Only after a long while did he finally open his eyes and speak. "Did Senior Vast Righteousness [the venerable senior known for his immense virtue] leave any final words?"

"Final words…"

The Netherworld Patriarch [the ancient ruler of the underworld] sighed softly before replying. "He asked me to tell you this: to perish facing a direct strike from a Demon God [a supreme entity of the demonic race]—his life was not lived in vain."

Eldrin Chen stood silently in place, the weight of grief settling deep within his heart, a burden he could not easily release.

The Netherworld Patriarch did not press further. After a considerable pause, he finally spoke. "I have already surmised your purpose in coming. However, if you wish for my aid in obtaining the Eastern Sovereign's Physical Body [the preserved corporeal form of the legendary Eastern Sovereign], you must accomplish a task for me."

"What task?" Experience the full epic at @udio-novel.com.

Suppressing the anguish within, Eldrin Chen drew a deep breath and asked.

"For you, it may not be a difficult matter." A faint, knowing smile touched the lips of the Netherworld Patriarch. "I require you to slay the Black Lotus Demonic Embryo [the malignant seed of the Black Lotus demon] and deliver the Black Lotus [the sinister sentient lotus artifact] to me."

"Slay the Black Lotus?"

Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed. He shook his head. "That Black Lotus and I share a feud unto death. If I had the means to destroy it, I would have done so already."

"However, he is currently concealed within the Purple Seal Realm [a specific cultivation world], making locating his position exceedingly difficult."

"This Black Lotus [a malevolent, sentient demonic entity] is a grave threat to our very core."

The Netherworld Patriarch [a powerful patriarch associated with the underworld] furrowed his brow with immense gravity before speaking. "Using the Heaven Deduction Tome [a mystical artifact capable of profound divination and calculation], I have deduced that the Black Lotus Demonic Embryo [the embryonic form of the Black Lotus entity] is one of the key contingency plans laid by the Outer Realm Demon God [a supreme demonic deity from beyond this realm]."

"It has now taken root deep beneath the Purple Seal Realm, solely to absorb the Netherworld Depths [the profound, foundational energies of the underworld]."

"Once it fully assimilates that Netherworld Energy [the primordial energy of the underworld], it will likely ascend to the realm of a True Demon [a perfected, ultimate form of demonic existence]. We must eradicate it swiftly."

At this point, the Netherworld Patriarch drew a deep breath. "To be perfectly candid," he continued, "that Black Lotus is also the key to my own path to enlightenment."

"My request is this: once you locate and slay it, please deliver the Black Lotus to me."

After the Netherworld Patriarch finished explaining the situation in detail, he added with a calm demeanor, "The Black Lotus drifts within the Netherworld Depths, making its location fiendishly difficult to pinpoint."

"I can entrust you with the Heaven Deduction Tome. With it, you may forge a supreme treasure surpassing even the Heaven Observation Mirror [a legendary mirror for observing heavenly phenomena], which might allow you to divine its whereabouts."

After listening, Eldrin Chen [the protagonist, a powerful cultivator] frowned slightly, a crease forming between his brows.

He was also acutely aware that to completely lock down the backup plans of such an Outer Realm Demon God would inevitably demand a tremendous price.

Given the cunning of an Outer Realm Demon God, it was likely that even the power of the Heaven Observation Mirror would be insufficient to divine the location of the Black Lotus.

After all, the three Celestial Mechanism Supreme Treasure of the Purple Seal Realm—the 'Heaven Observation Mirror', the 'Heavenly Pattern Armor', and the 'Heaven Deduction Tome'—had long been thoroughly understood and accounted for by the Outer Realm Demon God.

To find it, one would undoubtedly need to forge a supreme treasure surpassing the Heaven Observation Mirror to have any hope of completely deducing its whereabouts.

Thinking this, Eldrin Chen pondered inwardly, "Judging by the backup plans of the Outer Realm Demon God, to locate its Black Lotus would likely require means that transcend the Mortal Realm."

"Perhaps I need to use Sixth Rank Primordial Solar Spiritual Material to reforge a more powerful Great Deduction Star Plate and Star Observation Tower, and then coordinate them with the three Celestial Mechanism Supreme Treasure, to have a chance of calculating its location."

Holding this thought, Eldrin Chen nodded and said, "The Black Lotus, which gathers the power of the Netherworld, holds little practical use for me."

"Forging a more powerful Celestial Mechanism Supreme Treasure will also require considerable time. The Eight Trigrams Immortal Refining Formation [a legendary formation that uses the principles of the Eight Trigrams to refine and purify immortal beings] likely cannot be completed in time."

"Although this old man is no longer aligned with the righteous path, I know that you, Eldrin the Path Master, have always been a man of your word."

The Netherworld Patriarch revealed a faint smile, stood up, and handed the Heaven Deduction Tome to him. "This old man will enter the formation to suppress the evil fiends. I entrust this Heaven Deduction Tome to you." This chapter appears courtesy of audio-novel . com.