Chapter 985. Leaving Seclusion, Leaving Seclusion

, Traversing the Path of Eternal Prosperity Yet their life souls had been seized, leaving them no control over their own bodies. The 3 Ninth-Level Nascent Soul demons charged forward first, engaging in a desperate, bloody battle against Kael (Person Name).

This battle, with Kael standing alone against many, was destined to be an extraordinarily brutal and bloody confrontation.

Yet even as he held off the myriad heavenly demons, despair began to creep into the hearts of all present.

Deep within the void, an elder robed in black strode through the air, his 5 Poisons God-Slaying Sword hurtling toward Eldrin’s secluded cultivation chamber.

Unbeknownst to all, the 5 Venoms Ancestor had long fallen under the control of an Outer Realm Demon God, his soul bound as 1 of its hidden pawns.

This came as a complete surprise to Zi Jie, something even Eldrin (Person Name) had never anticipated.

Because the 5 Poisons Patriarch had given his all in every major battle, no 1 expected him to turn his blade against them at this critical moment. It was clear the Outer God had concealed his schemes far too deeply.

Eldrin was in secluded cultivation deep within the earth. Should this land become contaminated by the poison of the 5 Venoms God-Slaying Sword, it would follow the flow of 5 elements energy and be inhaled directly into Eldrin's liver, utterly destroying his path to the Great Perfection of the Primordial Indestructible Body.

In such a moment of urgency, a youthful figure stepped forward.

"You dare harm my master?!"

Everyone looked up and saw that the newcomer was none other than Ye Qingfeng (Person Name).

At this moment, Ye Qingfeng stood blocking the 5 Poisons Patriarch's path, raising his sword to strike at the ancient fiend.

"You dare block my path, junior? How presumptuous."

The 5 Poisons Patriarch roared in fury as the 5 Poisons Immortal-Slaying Sword tore through the void, aiming to strike down Ye Qingfeng.

Yet, Ye Qingfeng's strength defied his expectations, actually managing to block this strike of his.

Ye Qingfeng, possessing the 5 Spirit Roots and the Pure Yang Dao Body, had experienced a meteoric rise in his cultivation after making his great vow. Unbeknownst to him, he had already advanced to the Primordial Spirit, Late Stage (Cultivation Realm).

Though he had yet to establish a Primordial Chaos foundation, he had already comprehended 4 types of Primordial Chaos arcane forces.

He faced off against the 5 Poisons Patriarch, his Pure Yang Immortal Sword soaring through the air to strike down. In a stunning move, he traded injury for injury, piercing through the 5 Poisons Patriarch's chest with the radiant blade.

"Ah—"

The 5 Poisons Patriarch let out a miserable shriek as he desperately tried to retreat and flee for his life.

Yet, under the dominion of the Outer Realm Demon God, he had no choice at all. Forced to act, he merged the 5 Poisons God-Slaying Swords into 1, transforming them into a 5-colored blade of light that descended and pierced through Ye Qingfeng’s body.

Slay them—

5 deadly poisons invaded his body, wracking him with unbearable agony. Ye Qingfeng felt dizzy and his vision blurred, yet he gritted his teeth against the pain and swung his sword upward in a decisive slash.

In that instant, he seemed to embody the long-lost Emperor Jiang himself. The 4 secret energies within him surged to their absolute limits, pouring into the immortal sword. A blinding sword intent pierced through the heavens, shredding the 5 Poisons Patriarch into countless fragments.

"Who else... dares harm my master!"

With a desperate strike that slew the 5 Poisons Patriarch, Ye Qingfeng planted his sword into the ground, his face contorted in a savage roar.

The horde of attacking Primordial Spirit Heavenly Demons was aghast. As they watched his faltering figure, a flicker of retreat actually stirred within them for a moment.

But with their life souls under control, the fiends had no choice. A trace of darkness flashed through their pupils as they lunged forward with cold, merciless killing intent.

"Kill... kill... kill..."

A brutal battle raged on for 7 days and 7 nights.

7 days later, when Ye Qingfeng slew the last foe before him, he discovered that the Pure Yang Immortal Sword in his hand had snapped into 2 pieces, and not a trace of spiritual power remained within him.

He could no longer suppress the 5 supreme poisons within his body. Even his internal organs and primordial spirit had been contaminated by the extreme toxins, leaving not a single trace of vitality remaining.

Ye Qingfeng stood frozen in place for a long while before stumbling forward, his steps carrying him deeper into the earth's depths.

He arrived before the gates of Eldrin's seclusion chamber and knelt heavily upon the ground, kowtowing with deep reverence. "Master, this disciple has never forgotten your teachings."

"A man may refuse to kneel before heaven and earth, disdain to bow to immortals and demons, and reject submission to power—yet he must never fail to understand gratitude."

"Grandfather once told me, a drop of kindness deserves a fountain in return, but a debt of enlightenment must be repaid even with blood and tears. Today, this disciple has fulfilled this."

Ye Qingfeng’s face was ashen, bearing a pain beyond mortal comprehension.

Yet he remained utterly composed, gazing at the cave abode as he continued, "Master, this disciple must depart now. To have served at your side in this lifetime has been more than enough. There is little I cannot let go of."

"My only regret is that I never witnessed my master ascend as an immortal, never followed him in slaying the demon god to avenge my parents."

"Today, this disciple repays your grace with blood. Since fate no longer permits me to attend by your side, I can only offer 3 bows to convey my wishes for your eternal prosperity, Master."

Ye Qingfeng murmured to himself, then kowtowed heavily upon the ground.

"First bow, may our Master and Mistress remain united in heart for all eternity."

"Second kowtow, may our Master attain the Great Dao, ascend in feathered transcendence, and achieve immortality."

3 times he kowtowed, praying that his master would quell the great calamity and fulfill the aspiration held for thousands of years in his heart.

Ye Qingfeng kowtowed heavily to the ground, his voice gradually fading into nothingness. Like a stone statue, he remained prostrated in that position without uttering another sound.

"Tap—"

Within the seclusion chamber, a single tear traced its way down Eldrin's cheek.

He remained in deep seclusion, not truly awakened, yet an inexplicable and heart-wrenching sorrow gripped him.

As if spurred by this stimulus, the 5 organs within his body began to operate at an astonishing rate. An indescribable flow of the 5 Elements' energy surged into him ceaselessly—centuries of cultivation had finally culminated in this moment of flawless perfection.

Eldrin (Person Name) opened his eyes, gazing at the kneeling Ye Qingfeng before him, and for a moment, his mind grew distant.

In the blink of an eye, the celestial events of hundreds of years and the karmic bonds between master and disciple spanning thousands of years all surged through his mind.

"What is your name?"

"My name is Ye Qingfeng. Grandfather said he hoped I would be like a 3-foot Qingfeng sword, possessing unyielding pride that would rather break than bend."

"Do you have any family left?"

"I still have my parents. Grandfather said they went to a faraway place—they were great heroes who vanquished demons and eradicated evil."

"When the day comes that the human race has fought its way back to the distant seas, Mother and Father will return to see me."

"Then you shall follow me from now on, until your parents return for you."

"Your disciple, Ye Qingfeng (Person Name), pays respects to the Master."

Qing Feng, Ye Qingfeng...

"Ah—"

A heart-wrenching roar of utmost grief and fury shook the heavens and the earth. Eldrin's eyes were completely bloodshot as he gathered Ye Qingfeng into his embrace.

In an instant, the heavens and earth shifted hues, winds and clouds surged with abrupt transformation.

Vast and boundless spiritual energy of heaven and earth converged and surged into the seclusion chamber.

Eldrin seized the creation of heaven and earth, drawing upon the primordial qi of the 9 Heavens and 10 Realms, transforming it into a heaven-shaking, earth-shattering immortal essence that surged into Ye Qingfeng's body, striving to reclaim a thread of life for him.

Yet there are limits to human strength, and even immortals have their bounds.

Even as a mortal-world immortal, Eldrin (Person Name) could not transcend the boundary between life and death, no matter how desperately he strove.

He refined all the extreme toxins within Ye Qingfeng's body and restored the severely damaged physical form, yet ultimately could not salvage the Pure Yang Primordial Spirit that had dissolved into pus.

Moments later, Eldrin strode out carrying Ye Qingfeng, his hair now as white as frost and snow.

He made it!

In the blink of an eye, the Outer Realm Demons on the battlefield all revealed expressions of utter despair.

Eldrin's expression remained impassive, yet in the span of a single breath, not a single occurrence across tens of millions of li of mountains and rivers could escape his divine sense.

He saw Kael, fighting with a thirst for blood; he saw the old clan leader, battling on with only half his body remaining; and he saw 1 Daoist master after another, locked in desperate and grueling combat.

Facing it all, he remained expressionless, yet within his crimson eyes bloomed an indelible hatred and killing intent.

"Qing Feng, your master has come to avenge you..."

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Chapter 1: A Tribute to Those Who Have Ascended