Chapter 1151 : The Grand Formation's Celestial Awakening

Though he now possessed the Ancient Stellar Furnace, Eldrin Chen did not immediately begin constructing the grand formation.

The time for his second sermon on the Dao was approaching. He ascended Green Chariot Mountain and resumed his discourse, imparting wisdom to all living beings.

Only after concluding this second sermon did Eldrin Chen finally turn his attention to laying down the Heaven and Earth Grand Formation.

With the Ancient Stellar Furnace as its core and the Immortal Realm Formation Diagram as its foundation, he used three thousand six hundred Formation Flag as the Formation Eye [the critical nodes that anchor and power a formation], weaving a peerless immortal formation of unprecedented scale across the heavens and the earth.

This immortal formation reached the Upper Grade Immortal Rank [the highest tier of immortal-grade formations]. Once activated, it could withstand assaults from foes as powerful as those at the Ascendant Immortal 9th Tier [the peak of the Ascendant Immortal realm].

Furthermore, it could amplify the power of the Ancient Stellar Furnace, dramatically increasing the furnace's rate of converting energy into spiritual essence.

As Eldrin Chen activated the grand formation, the Ancient Stellar Furnace began ceaselessly drawing upon the boundless energies of the void, transforming them into a near-limitless flow of heaven and earth spiritual energy that suffused the world.

In the span of a single Sixty-Year Cycle [a complete cycle of sixty years], the density of spiritual energy within the Purple Seal Realm had already increased more than threefold.

With this surge in spiritual energy, cultivators across the Purple Seal Realm felt a significant acceleration in their cultivation speed. The birth of Spiritual Object [objects naturally imbued with spiritual energy] throughout the world also began to multiply.

Most crucially, the two Immortal Root [plants of divine origin with profound spiritual properties]—the Purple Seal Divine Tree and the Ancient Enlightenment Tea Tree—grew increasingly wondrous. They actually began to produce faint traces of Immortal Spirit Essence [a supremely pure and potent spiritual energy used by high-level immortals]. Immerse yourself in the complete world at audi novel.com.

"It is finally complete."

Sensing the changes within the Purple Seal Realm, Eldrin Chen felt a surge of joy in his heart.

With the Heaven and Earth Primordial Energy [the fundamental spiritual energy of heaven and earth] of the Purple Seal Realm greatly increased, future cultivation would undoubtedly proceed much more smoothly.

The Will of Heaven and Earth [the sentient consciousness of the world itself] also perceived this change. It conveyed a rare sense of delight, yet with a trace of solemnity, saying:

"I have a vague premonition. Based on the limits of the world's grand formation and its foundational essence, the maximum concentration of spiritual energy the Purple Seal Realm can ultimately sustain will be approximately ten times its previous level."

"At that point, I will no longer be able to suppress it. The Great Tribulation [a cataclysmic heavenly trial for the world's ascension] will inevitably arrive."

Eldrin Chen nodded. A tenfold increase in spiritual energy, while still far from matching an Immortal Domain, would barely cross the threshold into an immortal-grade realm.

However, the mention of the Heaven and Earth Ascension [the tribulation for a world to ascend to a higher plane] filled Eldrin with gravity. His gaze turned profound as he asked, "Approximately how much time remains?"

"Within three hundred years, my transformation will be complete."

"I understand."

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod and said no more.

At that very moment, Eldrin Chen's gaze suddenly sharpened, turning towards the direction of the Southern Ridge Cultivation World.

There, above the Path Palace Sacred Land which had stood for a million years, a Tribulation Cloud vast enough to blot out the sky and sun had silently begun to coalesce.

"He is about to ascend to immortality."

Eldrin Chen murmured, watching as a figure clad in Daoist robes soared into the heavens from within the Path Palace Sacred Land.

Having cultivated diligently for thirty-six thousand years, the Lord of the Path Palace had perfected his Immortal Path Principles and forged his Path Fruit. Now, seizing the opportunity presented by the sudden surge in Heaven and Earth Primordial Energy, he was finally prepared to take that ultimate step.

"BOOM—"

Heaven and earth roared; all creation trembled.

Upon the vast expanse of the Path Palace Sacred Land, the Lord of the Path Palace ascended, the Eight Trigrams Plate held firmly in his hand.

Bathing in the torrential downpour of Thunderclap, he withstood six successive strikes of the Immortal Ascension Heavenly Thunder Tribulation single-handedly, emerging from the ordeal completely unscathed.

"It seems that this time, his Ascendant Immortal [the final tribulation to ascend to true immortality] should pass with danger but no disaster."

The Will of Heaven and Earth [the sentient consciousness of the world itself] spoke, its tone revealing a trace of paternal affection.

With the foundation of the Lord of the Path Palace, if he had a suitable Immortal Treasure [a treasure forged by or for an immortal] in hand, passing the Immortal Ascension Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [the cataclysmic thunder tribulation required to ascend to immortality] would not be overly difficult.

After the battle at Verdant Spirit Ancient Star, Eldrin Chen had obtained several Low-Grade Immortal Treasure [the most basic tier of immortal-grade treasures]. The Lord of the Path Palace had borrowed one of them, a Ninefold Tower [a defensive pagoda-type treasure with nine layers of power].

Now, the Lord of the Path Palace wielded the Ninefold Tower to withstand the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [the divine punishment of heavenly thunder], ultimately blocking the final three strikes of the Immortal Ascension Heavenly Thunder Tribulation.

"He has succeeded." Enjoyed this chapter? Read more at audio-novel . com.

Having weathered the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation, the Lord of the Path Palace had no time to bask in the adoration of all living beings. Instead, he immediately cupped his hands in salute towards Eldrin Chen, who stood above the Heavenly Vault [the celestial dome of the sky], and said, "I thank you, Fellow Daoist, for your grace in aiding my path to completion."

The Ninefold Tower shot skyward and landed back in the hand of Eldrin Chen.

Eldrin Chen did not put it away. With a flick of his sleeve, he sent it back, saying, "In three hundred years, for the Heaven and Earth Ascension [a tribulation involving the fusion of one's being with heaven and earth] calamity, I will still require your assistance."

"You would do better to consolidate your cultivation and refine this treasure for now. You may return it to me after the Tribulation [a great cosmic calamity or trial] has passed; there is no hurry."

"This..."

Lord of the Path Palace was momentarily taken aback, then cupped his hands in salute. "My thanks."

With those words, Lord of the Path Palace said no more and began his secluded cultivation to refine the power of Immortal Essence [the purest energy of an immortal].

"RUMBLE—"

Just after Lord of the Path Palace successfully weathered his tribulation, two more overwhelmingly powerful auras surged forth from within the Purple Seal Realm.

One was Kael Chen, the other was Earth Mystery Path Venerable. Their accumulations were sufficient, and sensing the arrival of the Immortal Ascension Tribulation [the heavenly trial to ascend to immortality], they immediately began their assault on the Immortal Ascension Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [the thunder tribulation marking the final step to immortality].

Eldrin Chen paid them no further mind. With both possessing Merit [accumulated good karma and virtuous deeds] to their names, their Immortal Ascension Heavenly Thunder Tribulation would not bring calamities of unbearable ferocity.

Coupled with the treasures he had gifted them, the likelihood of their failure was slim.

Now that the Ancient Stellar Furnace [a primordial furnace capable of forging stars] was successfully forged, Eldrin Chen did not return to the distant end of the boundless Heavenly Vault [the celestial dome of the heavens]. Instead, he turned his steps eastward.

For an Immortal, descending to the mortal dust was but a step away from a Mortal Realm.

Eldrin Chen took but a few steps and arrived before the Horizon Pavilion Holy Land.

"Through the long, slow march of ages, the Mortal Realm [the world of mortals] changes without cease."

"Returning to this old haunt, I find the place remains, but the people are all gone."

Standing before the Horizon Abode, Eldrin Chen felt a swell of emotion in his heart—nostalgia tinged with profound sorrow.

This was still the Horizon Pavilion, yet all the old friends who once lived upon these Immortal Isles [islands inhabited by immortals] were no more.

Eldrin Chen remembered that day, within this very abode, when the Master of the Horizon Pavilion had entrusted him with his final wishes on his deathbed.

That venerable senior had shed his last drop of blood for the Purple Seal Realm, buying Eldrin Chen the precious space and time he needed to grow.

Had it not been for that sacrifice, whether Eldrin Chen could have reached his current heights would remain an unanswered question.

"The Horizon Pavilion has fallen into decline."

"Alas!"

Eldrin Chen heaved a sigh, his heart filled with sorrow and a profound sense of desolation.

The once-majestic and boundless Eastern Sea's premier holy land had shed far too much blood in its defense against the Fiend Race [a race of malevolent, demonic beings].

For eighty thousand years, this lineage had stood as the first line of defense for the Purple Seal Realm against the Fiend Race, its successive generations of Master of the Horizon Pavilion and Primordial Spirit Patriarch [a patriarch who has attained the Primordial Spirit cultivation realm] meeting almost no peaceful end.

When the older generation was nearly wiped out, the middle generation stepped forward; when the middle generation turned to bleached bones, the younger generation took their place within the Horizon Pavilion, desperately holding back the onslaught of the Fiend Race.

By the end, the losses suffered by this lineage could almost be described as annihilation.

Before Eldrin Chen's ascension, the once-vast premier holy land of the Eastern Sea was left with only a handful of survivors, barely supported by a newly-advanced Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core cultivation realm] cultivator whom Eldrin Chen had nurtured.

Such devastating losses could not be mended even after ten thousand years.

Even in the current Golden Prosperous Age, the Horizon Pavilion possesses only a single Primordial Spirit Path Lord [a Path Lord at the Primordial Spirit realm], its strength no longer ranking within the top ten among the Human Race holy lands of the Eastern Sea.

"Senior Horizon..."

Eldrin Chen sighed again, his heart heavy with a deep sense of remorse.

In his lifetime, Master of the Horizon Pavilion never failed the Eastern Sea, never failed the Human Race, and never failed the Purple Seal Realm. Yet, he failed only this Horizon Pavilion [the sect he founded and led].

On his deathbed, he entrusted the Horizon Pavilion to me. Yet, after quelling the demonic tribulation, I ascended in haste and likewise failed to find the most suitable successor for the Horizon Pavilion. For uninterrupted reading, go to audio—novel.com.