Chapter 1169 : The Thunderous Voice of Enlightenment
"Worthy Pursuit Chen!"
The moment he clearly saw the newcomer, Crimson Dragon Crown Prince's expression shifted slightly.
Worthy Verdancy Chen also looked up, gazing at the man who shielded her, and couldn't help but speak out: "Elder Brother."
"It is I!"
Worthy Pursuit Chen nodded, then turned his gaze to Crimson Dragon Crown Prince and spoke calmly: "Perhaps you may also call me, Great Thunderous Voice Tathagata."
During his journey to Empty Clarity Temple, Worthy Pursuit Chen had cultivated for over several thousand years, achieving the foremost among the ten great Buddha Path Fruit—the 'Thus Come One' Buddha Fruit [the supreme enlightenment and state of a Buddha].
Furthermore, his innate Great Power Heavenly Dragon Constitution [a legendary physique granting immense strength and dragon-like power] had been fully cultivated, culminating in the Great Power Heavenly Dragon Golden Body [an indestructible golden body forged from the power of a heavenly dragon].
In addition to his Path Fruit [the fruit of one's cultivation path, representing a major achievement] and his Immortal Body [a perfected physical form transcending mortality], Worthy Pursuit Chen had also comprehended the Thunderclap Path Principles [the fundamental truths of the path of thunder and enlightenment]. One could say his three Path Fruit were all perfected to completion.
With this peerless foundation, Worthy Pursuit Chen attained the fruit of 'Great Thunderous Voice Tathagata Buddha' [the Buddha of the Great Majestic Thunderous Voice, a supreme enlightened state].
"The Thus Come One Fruit!" The story continues at audio-novel dot com.
Hearing Worthy Pursuit Chen say this, Crimson Dragon Crown Prince felt an inexplicable lurch in his heart.
The Thus Come One Fruit [the supreme fruit of enlightenment, the highest rank among Buddha attainments] stands as the foremost among all Buddha fruits, a peerless attainment. Within the entire Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea, those who have attained this fruit number no more than the fingers on one hand, and each possesses the Great Encompassing Potential [a constitution signifying boundless potential for enlightenment].
Since Worthy Pursuit Chen had attained such a fruit, his strength was likely far beyond what he had anticipated.
Thinking this, Crimson Dragon Crown Prince immediately sought to withdraw his Crimson Gold War Spear and flee, yet found he could not budge it an inch.
"Hmph—"
But Worthy Pursuit Chen's expression turned icy. With a sudden, powerful wrench, he tore the war spear free. With a metallic *shing*, he reversed its momentum and thrust it forth, impaling Crimson Dragon Crown Prince on the spot.
"Agh—!"
Struck by this grievous wound, Crimson Dragon Crown Prince coughed blood and was sent flying. He unleashed a barrage of Divine Ability [supernatural powers derived from profound cultivation] towards Worthy Pursuit Chen, then tried to pull back and flee into the distance.
Yet Worthy Pursuit Chen, facing this onslaught head-on, showed not a trace of fear. Golden light of Immortality [the power of indestructibility and eternal life] coiled around his form.
It was the protective power of the Great Power Heavenly Dragon [the divine ability of the mighty Heavenly Dragon] and the Primordial Era Desolate Dragon [an ancient, primordial dragon of desolate power], capable of warding off assaults from all manner of Divine Ability and magical arts. It rendered him impervious, allowing the barrage of Divine Ability to strike his body without causing the slightest harm.
With a single explosive motion, he burst through the Divine Ability [a supernatural power cultivated through esoteric arts] that sought to bar his way. His gaze fixed upon the fleeing Crimson Dragon Crown Prince, his expression became one of unyielding righteousness and blazing fury. "You vile serpent!" he thundered. "Dare you act with such arrogance before this Buddha?!"
"You shall not escape!"
"Great Power Heavenly Dragon [a divine technique manifesting a dragon of immense power], Nine Heavens [the highest celestial realms] Thunderclap [a heaven-shaking thunderous strike], descend with me and subdue this demon!"
With a roar that shook the very air, the draconic patterns within Worthy Pursuit Chen's body whirled and danced. They coalesced, spiraling into the form of a majestic Great Power Heavenly Dragon that descended from on high.
From the Nine Heavens Above, a world-shaking Thunderclap crashed down. Billions of thunderous divine chains, manifestations of the Thunderclap, drowned everything in their blinding, deafening fury.
When the cataclysm finally subsided and the light faded, the Crimson Dragon Crown Prince lay slain, his head severed from his body.
It had all happened with shocking suddenness. The fall of the Crimson Dragon Crown Prince had taken every witness completely by surprise.
Worthy Pursuit Chen's power was truly staggering. He had only just stepped into the Ascendant Immortal [the realm of a true immortal, transcending mortality] realm, yet he already possessed combat prowess rivaling the fourth or even fifth level of that realm. Unleashing his full might, he had slain the Crimson Dragon Crown Prince in mere exchanges.
"Aaaaagh! You shall pay for this!"
The Crimson Dragon Child's eyes burned crimson with rage. Brandishing his Crimson Dragon World-Startling Halberd [a halberd of such power it could startle the world], he seemed to forget Exquisite Jiang entirely. Transforming into a streak of searing Immortal Radiance [the brilliant, divine light emitted by powerful immortals], he shot like a blazing comet straight towards Worthy Verdancy Chen.
With that single strike from an Ascendant Immortal 9th Tier, Worthy Verdancy Chen found himself with no avenue for escape, forced to watch helplessly as the lethal blow descended upon him.
"Alas!"
Witnessing this scene, Worthy Pursuit Chen could not help but let out a soft sigh.
He understood that Crimson Dragon Child's attack was truly aimed at him. However, because he was an Immortal [a being who has transcended mortality through cultivation], slaying him would be no easy feat. Therefore, the strike was directed at Worthy Verdancy Chen instead, forcing Worthy Pursuit Chen to intervene and rescue him.
If he did not save him, Worthy Verdancy Chen would undoubtedly perish. If he chose to save him, he would have to face Crimson Dragon Child's strike head-on.
Without a moment's hesitation, without even the luxury of contemplation, Worthy Pursuit Chen ultimately took a step forward and ascended into the sky. Support the author by reading on audio-novel-dot-com.
With a sweep of his sleeve, he strode forward, positioning himself as a shield before Worthy Verdancy Chen.
"Kasaya!"
With a furious shout, the kasaya [a Buddhist monastic robe] upon Worthy Verdancy Chen's body flew up, erupting with a dazzling Immortal Radiance as it interposed itself before Crimson Dragon Child's devastating strike.
This kasaya was named the Purple Gold Kasaya [a Buddhist treasure robe woven with threads of purple gold], a supreme treasure gifted by the Empty Clarity Temple. It was a Buddhist artifact comparable in power to a High-Grade Immortal Treasure [a top-tier enchanted artifact used by powerful Immortals].
However, Worthy Pursuit Chen's spiritual power was insufficient. Even with such a supreme treasure guarding him, he could not unleash its full might.
But as the Crimson Dragon World-Startling Halberd cleaved down with earth-sundering force, it instantly sent the kasaya [a Buddhist monk's outer robe] flying. Its residual power, undiminished, swept across and struck Worthy Pursuit Chen with a brutal impact.
"Aaaargh—!"
Worthy Pursuit Chen's Great Power Heavenly Dragon Constitution [a supreme physical body forged from the power of heavenly dragons] was born from the Supreme-Grade Immortal Artifact Heavenly Dragon Relic and further tempered by fusing with the Primordial Era Desolate Dragon Counter-Scale [a legendary scale from an ancient desolate dragon, embodying ultimate defiance and resilience]. One could say his golden body had achieved a state akin to Immortality [a legendary level of physical indestructibility].
Yet, even he could not withstand such a blow. His Buddha Golden Body [a radiant, diamond-like body cultivated through Buddhist arts] cracked like fine porcelain, a web of fissures spreading across its surface.
"Eldest Brother!"
Witnessing this, Lila cried out in alarm, desperate to aid him but fiercely blocked by her own opponent.
Worthy Verdancy Chen saw the scene, and his mind seemed to reverberate with a deafening roar. For a moment, he could not comprehend what had just transpired.
"Perish now!"
Having dealt a grievous wound to Worthy Pursuit Chen, Crimson Dragon Child let out a triumphant roar.
He saw the figure gripping the crimson halberd, cleaving down with a force that carried a terrifying Immortal Radiance [a divine light of immense power] cascading from the Nine Heavens [the highest celestial realm], continuing its deadly arc towards Worthy Verdancy Chen.
"Run! Now!"
Seeing Worthy Verdancy Chen still frozen in place, Worthy Pursuit Chen roared, shoving her aside before gathering his own true power to meet the crimson halberd's descent.
Yet the might of the Crimson Dragon World-Startling Halberd [a legendary halberd imbued with the power of a crimson dragon] was world-shaking. Even a cultivator at the Late Ascendant Immortal Realm [the advanced stage of the Ascendant Immortal cultivation realm] would not dare receive such a blow head-on, let alone Worthy Pursuit Chen, who had only just entered the Ascendant Immortal [a high-level immortal cultivation realm].
The halberd's strike severed one of Worthy Pursuit Chen's arms in a single motion. Its residual force pierced through the void and struck true, embedding itself in the center of Worthy Verdancy Chen's brow.
"*Hummm—*"
Worthy Verdancy Chen felt a piercing, heart-rending pain. An immortal talisman [a powerful magical scroll or charm] upon her physical form detonated, and in that moment, her flesh and her soul seemed to tear asunder.
She looked back, witnessing with her own eyes the Crimson Dragon World-Startling Halberd piercing through her brow, its dreadful Path Principles Power [the fundamental power derived from comprehending the laws of the universe] grinding everything to nothingness.
"It was the immortal talisman Father bestowed... it protected my soul."
A flash of understanding dawned upon Worthy Verdancy Chen. She lifted her gaze to see her elder brother's severed arm flung through the air, his physical body on the verge of complete disintegration.
High in the sky, the several aunts also had faces pale as ash, each grievously wounded in the bitter struggle.
From the distant void, terrifying auras clashed—the Nine Heavens Celestial Immortal Deities were locked in their own decisive confrontation.
"Elder Brother... Mother..."
"Was I truly wrong?"
Worthy Verdancy Chen murmured to herself, her mind growing hazy and her consciousness beginning to drift.
Just as her awareness was about to slip into slumber, she faintly sensed an overwhelmingly powerful aura surging from the horizon's edge.
Before she could react, she felt herself enveloped by a protective energy. Unable to hold on any longer, she sank into a deep, boundless sleep.
Dimly, she heard the Crimson Dragon Child roar, "That upstart Eldrin, your timing is impeccable. Today, we settle this once and for all!"
"BOOM!"
The heavens thundered, the very world trembled, and an even more cataclysmic, world-shaking duel erupted.
"..."
Above the Endless Sea, thunder roared and lightning flashed as a terrifying clash of Immortal Path [the supreme cultivation method of the Immortal Court] erupted.
Eldrin Chen strode forward, ascending into the heavens. With a sweep of his sleeve, he deflected the Crimson Dragon World-Startling Halberd, and in the same fluid motion, gathered the soul of Worthy Verdancy Chen into his palm, protecting the True Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator, a higher state of being]. Then, his gaze swept over all those present. This chapter is part of a larger work available at audio–novel.com.