Chapter 1007 : Ascension's Mortal Crucible

He then pointed towards the North Sea of Darkness [a vast, perilous northern ocean], took a deep breath, and said, "The Kunpeng Demon Sage possesses extraordinary talent. Although the trials of the Mortal Realm [the world of mortals and cultivators] may not be enough to guarantee his ascension to immortality, he has been tempered through the great calamities."

"In my view, his chances of achieving immortality in the future should be no less than fifty percent."

The Lord of the Path Palace listened quietly. Seeing Eldrin Chen name three great powers of the Demon Race in succession, he couldn't help but ask with concern, "Of the three great powers of the Demon Race, two are almost certain to ascend, and one has a fifty percent chance."

"I wonder, among our Human Race, which ones have the hope of achieving immortality?"

"Our Human Race..."

"There should be no shortage of individuals within the Human Race with the potential to ascend to immortality."

Eldrin Chen picked up his cup of fragrant tea and took a slow, deliberate sip.

He set it down unhurriedly before offering a faint smile. "Of the five domains and four seas of this world, our Human Race holds the majority. Talented heroes and outstanding individuals emerge in endless succession."

"Billowing Waves of the Eastern Sea has a twenty percent chance of ascension. Heaven Abandoned Lin of the Eastern Barrens [a vast, untamed eastern wilderness] has also weathered great calamities; his chances of achieving immortality are likely no less than fifty percent."

"The Demon-Subduing Divine Monk of the Western Desert [a harsh, arid western region] could walk the path of physical body ascension. If the Tribulation Transcending Divine Monk can recover his memories, his chance of ascension is also no less than fifty percent." Support the author by reading on audio-novel . com.

"The Northern Plains Mistress of Drifting Snow Palace, the Mistress of the Southern Sea Glazed Palace, the Southern Desolation Master of Solar Fire Palace, the Master of Stellar Palace, and even your lineage's Path Master Mingyuan—all possess a measure of potential to ascend to immortality."

"Although the Netherworld Patriarch treads the Demonic Path, with the fall of the Outer Realm Demon God, his path to cultivating a True Demon [a demon who has achieved a state of true, perfected demonic power] is now unobstructed."

Eldrin Chen spoke eloquently, naming several paragons in succession, all of whom were supreme powerhouses among the Human Race.

These individuals, having weathered countless trials, had each forged a sliver of Immortal Energy [the foundational energy required for ascension to immortality] within their souls. While their ultimate success was not guaranteed, they at least held a tangible possibility.

This outcome was, in truth, to be expected. What cultivator who could reach the Primordial Spirit 9th Tier was not a prodigy of rare, epoch-defining caliber?

Moreover, these survivors had endured relentless warfare, emerging unscathed from a cataclysmic demonic tribulation of terrifying scale. Their methods and prowess were nothing short of extraordinary.

Setting aside seeds of Great Encompassing [the legendary realm beyond immortality] like Eldrin Chen, even when compared to true Immortal [beings who have transcended mortality] of the same realm, they would likely not be found wanting.

By Eldrin Chen's estimation, it was plausible that one or two true Immortal might indeed emerge from among their ranks.

After speaking of these others, Eldrin Chen continued, "Within my own lineage, my clan brother Kael Chen, who masters the essences of the Buddhist, Daoist, and Demonic paths, may very well not halt his progress at the mere Ascendant Immortal Realm."

"My nephew Ethan has comprehended the Arcane Power of life and death. Should he succeed in grasping the Life and Death Path Principles [the fundamental laws governing existence and cessation], his future ascension to immortality would be all but assured."

"Among my disciples, the eldest, Verdant Edge, has entered the Eastern Barrens Blood Spring [a perilous cultivation ground]. With the power of his Primordial Solar Path Body [a constitution aligned with the purest solar energies], he will achieve perfect cultivation results within tens of thousands of years, and attaining immortality will be a foregone conclusion for him by then."

"My second disciple, Literature Abyss Lu, possesses the Four Symbols Path Body [a constitution harmonized with the four cardinal symbols], and his foundation is quite solid. He has about a thirty percent chance of achieving immortality."

"As for the remaining disciples, such as Support Revive Chen and Withering Liana Gu, they have all received my careful guidance. There is hope that they, too, may one day ascend to immortality."

Hearing Eldrin Chen recount this, the Lord of the Path Palace realized that within the Purple Seal Realm [a specific cultivation world], there were quite a few qualified to glimpse the immortal realm, and his heart was filled with longing.

He shook his head and, after a long while, sighed, "If only our old comrades, like Great Abyss and the Master of Great Mystery Hall, had not perished, they might have cultivated to the Demigod [a powerful cultivation stage] by now, possessing a sliver of hope to directly perceive the realms of immortals and demons."

"Great Abyss, Great Mystery…"

Upon hearing these names, Eldrin Chen could not help but let out a soft sigh.

It was not just Great Abyss and Great Mystery. Did not the former Master of the Horizon Pavilion also possess the potential for immortality?

"This parting from the Mortal Dust [the mortal world] is vast, the date of return unknown."

"I can only hope that after a thousand, ten thousand lifetimes, I may see you again in the Immortal Realm, or perhaps meet you once more amidst the Mortal Dust."

"Perhaps by that time, we shall still recognize one another and sit together to discourse upon the Path [the fundamental principle and way of cultivation]."

He still remembered the poignant words left behind by the Master of the Horizon Pavilion at the moment of his Nirvana [a state of final liberation and dissolution of the mortal form, often achieved by high-level cultivators]. A pang of sorrow stirred within Eldrin Chen's heart.

Had the Master of the Horizon Pavilion survived, with his heaven-defying, immortal-startling talent, tempered further by the great tribulation, his chances of achieving Immortal [a being who has transcended mortality through cultivation] status would likely have been no less than thirty percent.

"Words spoken in years past, unforgettable for a lifetime."

His heart heavy, Eldrin Chen could bear to speak no more on the matter.

He glanced at the Lord of the Path Palace, then drew a deep breath and said, "The lineage of the Path Palace [a major sect or organization dedicated to the study and practice of cultivation paths] has been passed down through Extraordinary. Over the vast span of more than a million years, it has successively produced seventeen Immortal Patriarchs." Immerse yourself in the complete world at audio–novel.com.

"Now that you have reclaimed your memories, it is akin to a Nirvana rebirth, allowing you to advance that final, crucial step. It seems you are destined to become the eighteenth Immortal Patriarch [a founding or leading elder of a major sect or clan] enshrined by the Path Palace."

Upon hearing this, the Lord of the Path Palace remained remarkably calm, giving only a slight nod.

Then, points of radiant light coalesced in his palm, materializing into a Path Principles Embryo [the nascent, conceptual form of a cultivator's unique understanding of the Dao, the foundational step towards creating one's own cultivation path].

Although this Path Principles Embryo was minuscule and would require considerable time to fully solidify from its conceptual state, the critical step of transitioning from the intangible to the tangible had already been crossed.

From this point onward, the Lord of the Path Palace merely needed to gradually refine his Path Principles Embryo [the nascent core of his unique cultivation philosophy], and he would be able to summon the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [the celestial trial of lightning that marks the ascension to immortality] and ascend to become an Immortal.

In truth, the reason Eldrin Chen had come to the Path Palace Sacred Land and personally sought out the Lord of the Path Palace was precisely because he had sensed the emergence of this very Path Principles Embryo within the Lord.

"After more than twenty-six thousand years of arduous cultivation and enduring twenty great tribulations, taking this final step is truly no easy feat," Eldrin remarked.

The Lord of the Path Palace spoke with measured grace. While his journey through tribulations to reach this point had been long, compared to many Immortal [beings who have transcended mortality] throughout the ages, his achievement could still be considered a triumph of late-blooming perseverance.

This was because most Immortal were prodigies of unparalleled talent, typically forging their own unique path to immortality within their very first lifetime.

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod of acknowledgment before inquiring, "When do you plan to undergo your ascension? If it is within the next millennium, I can leave behind certain preparations to lend you my aid."

"That will not be necessary,"

the Lord of the Path Palace replied, shaking his head. Yet, a faint, resolute light gleamed deep within his pupils.

His gaze turned toward the boundless Heavenly Vault [the celestial dome of the sky], his eyes reflecting the eternal dance of clouds and the vast, shifting tapestry of time itself.

After a long silence, he drew a deep breath, his expression softening with a trace of quiet pride. "Our Path Palace lineage has successively produced seventeen Immortal. Among them, only a single Patriarch managed to cultivate two distinct paths to immortality. That very Patriarch became our lineage's sole Earth Immortal Patriarch [a Patriarch who achieved immortality while remaining anchored to the mortal world]."

"Though my innate talent may not rival the dazzling brilliance of past generations of Patriarchs, nor can I match the transcendent comprehension of the many sages who came before,"

"the path of cultivation is not solely determined by astonishing comprehension or dazzling talent. I believe immense perseverance and unyielding resolve may be even more crucial."

The Lord of the Path Palace spoke earnestly, and after a long while, he sighed, "Regardless, I still wish to try, to see if I can walk a little further, to become the second Earth Immortal Patriarch of our Path Palace lineage."

"Comprehension, talent, perseverance, resolve."

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, then after a long silence, nodded and said, "You are right. Among the prodigies of ancient and modern times, how many with stunning talent and comprehension failed to attain the Dao and ascend as immortals?"

"Conversely, it was often those with immense perseverance and unyielding resolve, relying on their enduring fortitude, who cultivated the Immortal Ascension Path Fruit and were thus able to Ascendant Immortal and depart."

He spoke thoughtfully, affirming the Lord of the Path Palace's Dao heart [the cultivator's fundamental will and spiritual core].

After another long pause, he pondered briefly before speaking, "Within the Purple Seal Realm, there are quite a few with the potential to achieve immortality. A single divine fruit from the Purple Seal Divine Fruit Tree every three thousand years will likely be insufficient."

"After we part, I shall journey to the Central Ancestral Domain to restore the Purple Seal Divine Tree for you all. Consider it my contribution to your path towards immortality." Original English translation available at audio-novel`com.