Chapter 1187 : A Talisman and a True Dragon

At this moment, the Middle-aged Man held the Horizon-in-a-Step Talisman [a talisman that allows one to traverse vast distances in a single step] between his fingers and said with a smile, "The Dragon Clan values this little dragon quite highly, to be willing to part with this Horizon-in-a-Step Talisman."

"If we hadn't passed by today, he might very well have escaped."

The old man also nodded, speaking with a gentle smile, "Within the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea, the Divine Clan possesses the Western Essence Grotto-Heaven [a blessed realm of profound spiritual energy], and our Human Race holds the Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven. Only the Demon Race lacks a Grotto-Heaven to anchor their Fortune [the metaphysical concept of destiny and luck]."

"A Ascendant Immortal True Dragon [a dragon with the potential to ascend to immortality] possessing Great Encompassing [a foundational cultivation realm of immense potential] aptitude is indeed worthy of their attention."

The Refined Man gave a slight nod, his gaze turning to the battlefield below. "The talents of these individuals are all Extraordinary," he inquired, "and several possess a Great Encompassing Foundation [a foundation of immense potential within the Great Encompassing realm]. Could they be true inheritors of the Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven?"

"Not so."

The old man shook his head. "I have met all Thirty-six True Inheritors of the Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven. These faces are unfamiliar; their backgrounds do not seem particularly prominent."

The Refined Man's eyes gleamed. "Then they are worth nurturing carefully," he could not help but say.

"Oh?" The old man's eyes flickered. "Do you intend to recruit them?"

The Refined Man nodded calmly. "Having just arrived in the Vast Azure Immortal Domain to oversee the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea Celestial Palace of Immortal Towers, my retinue is indeed somewhat lacking," he stated. This chapter is provided by www . audio-novel.com. Support the original.

"Hmm."

The old man nodded, then spent a few moments calculating with his fingers before pointing at Worthy Path Chen and saying, "This child was born with the Heavenly Eye [a mystical third eye that grants profound insight], and he excels at training Path Soldiers [elite soldiers cultivated within a specific Daoist tradition]."

"With his aid, you would be like a tiger that grows wings. Within a span of less than a million years, you could forge a legion of Celestial Soldiers and Generals [heavenly troops and commanders] capable of shaking the very foundations of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain."

"Is that truly so?"

The Refined Man's eyes lit up, gazing at Worthy Path Chen as if he had discovered a priceless treasure. "A pity his cultivation is still somewhat low. I shall leave behind an avatar to personally instruct him."

"Once he ascends to immortality, I will take him to the Celestial Palace of Immortal Towers to serve as a Heavenly General."

The old man stroked his beard with a smile. "With the formidable reputation of the Heavenly Halberd Demon-Slaying True Lord, you command respect across a vast region even within the Primordial Immortal Domain, and many Celestial Immortal Great Power [powerful Celestial Immortals] hold you in awe."

"For you to personally guide a mere mortal is a stroke of immense fortune for this child."

At this point, the old man expressed his puzzlement. "I wonder why the Immortal Lords of the Immortal Court dispatched you to this remote frontier Immortal Domain."

The Heavenly Halberd Demon-Slaying True Lord fell silent for a moment before speaking. "A great power within the Immortal Court performed a divination. It was foretold that the Fortune [cosmic destiny or auspicious energy] of this Vast Azure Immortal Domain is extraordinary, and that the next era should see the emergence of a Great Encompassing Immortal Lord [an Immortal Lord of the highest, all-encompassing tier]."

"This is no absolute secret," he said. "The Divine Court, the Demon Court, and the Immortal Court have all made their moves. I am merely one piece among many."

"Oh?"

The old man's expression shifted slightly. He couldn't help but take a deep breath and ask, "Could it be that among those few Ancient Immortal [powerful beings who have transcended countless tribulations], someone is about to take that final step?"

The Heavenly Halberd Demon-Slaying True Lord did not answer directly. Instead, he spoke with an air of profound mystery, "Achieving the Great Encompassing [the ultimate realm of cultivation, representing omnipotence and unity with the cosmos] is no simple feat."

"Within this Vast Azure Immortal Domain, those with the potential for Great Encompassing Potential [an innate constitution signifying the potential to reach the Great Encompassing Realm] number not in the hundreds, but in the thousands upon thousands. Yet, the majority remain trapped at the Earth Immortal or Celestial Immortal Realm [advanced but not ultimate stages of cultivation], squandering their latent potential until it is utterly exhausted."

"Though those few Ancient Immortal possess unfathomable power, taking that final step will likely prove exceedingly difficult for them as well."

Having said this, the Heavenly Halberd Demon-Slaying True Lord drew a deep breath and continued, "Consider the individuals before us now. Their talent and foundation appear heaven-defying, seemingly possessing the makings of a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a perfected being within the ultimate realm]."

"Yet, if they fail to achieve perfection when forging their inner world [the foundational act of creating a personal cosmos within], they will waste that precious foundation. In the future, they may never even break through to the Celestial Immortal realm, let alone catch a glimpse of the Great Encompassing Realm."

The old man nodded in agreement. As the former master of the Celestial Palace of Immortal Towers within the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea, he naturally understood these principles all too well.

Within the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea, the number of Immortal [beings who have ascended to immortality] far exceeds a million. Among them, there are always those who stand out—seeds of the Great Encompassing who have cultivated Three Path Fruits [the pinnacle achievement representing mastery over three fundamental cosmic laws]. If not thousands, there are certainly hundreds of such individuals.

Yet most of these individuals ultimately stall at the Earth Immortal Realm [the foundational stage of true immortality], and those who manage to break through to the Celestial Immortal [a higher, more ethereal state of immortal being] are exceedingly rare. For innate talent is merely potential—a single thread of possibility—and does not guarantee final achievement.

Contemplating this, the old man sighed and said, "Nevertheless, these are seeds of our Human Race Great Encompassing [the vast, unified organization representing humanity's interests]. Having encountered them, it is only right to offer some guidance."

"Before this old man departs, I still have some leisure. You may summon them to the Celestial Palace of Immortal Towers [a grand celestial palace complex], and I shall personally expound upon the World-Opening Path [a profound cultivation method focused on creation and genesis] for them."

Heavenly Halberd Demon-Slaying True Lord [a title meaning 'True Lord who wields a Heavenly Halberd to slay demons'] nodded slightly, a smile gracing his features. "Agreed. Let this be a bond of goodwill you forge."

"..."

The exchange taking place high above in the Heavenly Vault [the highest, most profound layer of the heavens] remained unknown to Eldrin Chen. Read the full novel exclusively on audio-novel dot com.

He only had a vague sense that a senior had intervened on his behalf, and so he offered a respectful bow towards the Heavenly Vault.

Receiving no direct response from the senior, Eldrin Chen turned to the assembled group, a smile spreading across his face. "This victory is complete, thanks to the invaluable aid of all present."

Star Consort [a title meaning 'Consort of the Stars'], one of the three who contributed most to the effort, offered a faint smile and shook her head. "We were paid, and we performed the task. It is a simple transaction."

Heaven Wind Path Master [a title meaning 'Master of the Path of Heavenly Winds'] also nodded, his expression warm. "My congratulations, Fellow Daoist. You have finally secured the esteemed position of master over the Crimson Dragon Sea [a vast, dragon-infested sea region]."

"Hahaha..."

Six Stars Immortal let out a hearty laugh, stroking his beard as he said, "From now on, the Crimson Dragon Sea should be renamed the Returning Abyss Sea."

Eldrin Chen also revealed a smile, rising to his feet. "Everyone, follow me," he said.

The group thoroughly searched Crimson Dragon Island, then gathered within the Great Hall.

After taking stock of the treasures, they realized their haul this time was unprecedented.

The Crimson Dragon Clan had dominated the Crimson Dragon Sea for a million years and was once the Path-Field of a Half-Step Earth Immortal [a cultivator halfway to becoming an Earth Immortal]. The wealth it had accumulated was truly staggering.

After their resounding victory, the number of captured Immortal Artifact [enchanted artifacts of immortal grade] alone numbered nearly one hundred. Among them, there were four Supreme-Grade Immortal Artifact [the highest grade of immortal artifact].

These were: the Crimson Dragon Sky-Scorching Sword, the Crimson Flame Golden Scale Armor, the Supreme-Grade Crimson Flame Dragon Pearl, and a stalk of Supreme Grade Immortal Herbs known as the Soul-Returning Herb.

Furthermore, there was also a High-Grade Acquired Spiritual Root [a high-quality spiritual root formed after the world's creation] called the 'Fire Phoenix Parasol Tree', whose value was in no way inferior to those four Supreme-Grade Immortal Artifact.

The Fire Phoenix Parasol Tree is one of the supreme treasures for World-Opening [the act of creating a new world]. Using it as one of the Four Extremities Celestial Pillars [spiritual roots that support the heavens and earth] to stabilize a world can nurture a World-Opening True Spirit [a primordial spirit born from world creation]—a Fire Phoenix—to guard the Earth Immortal World [a world created and sustained by an Earth Immortal].

For a Half-Step Earth Immortal [a cultivator on the very cusp of attaining true Earth Immortal status], among the five treasures, the Fire Phoenix Parasol Tree [a legendary tree whose wood is imbued with the essence of the fire phoenix, a supreme material for crafting world-opening artifacts] was the most precious supreme treasure of all.

Back then, the Crimson Dragon Patriarch had expended immense resources to obtain this tree, precisely for the purpose of World-Opening [the critical process of creating one's own inner world to ascend to Earth Immortal] and breaking through to the Earth Immortal [a major realm where a cultivator becomes a true immortal anchored to the earth, possessing their own inner world] realm. Now, however, it had conveniently fallen into the hands of Eldrin Chen.

Among the five treasures, the Soul-Returning Herb [a rare spiritual herb capable of mending and restoring a damaged soul] was something the Ancient Ruins Divine Lord had already claimed. The Fire Phoenix Parasol Tree was a World-Opening Supreme Treasure [a treasure of the highest grade, essential for successfully undergoing the World-Opening tribulation], so Eldrin Chen stored both away.

The remaining items—the Blazing Flame Sky-Scorching Sword [a sword blazing with celestial fire], the Crimson Flame Golden Scale Armor [armor forged from golden scales and enchanted with crimson flames], and the Dragon Pearl [a condensed pearl of pure draconic essence and spiritual power]—were all Supreme-Grade Immortal Artifact [the pinnacle grade of immortal artifacts, possessing immense power], their value likewise beyond measure.

After a moment of contemplation, Eldrin Chen turned to the Heaven Wind Path Master and said, "Brother Heaven Wind contributed greatly to this battle. You may choose one of these three treasures."

The Heaven Wind Path Master also coveted the Fire Phoenix Parasol Tree immensely, but he understood that Eldrin Chen would never part with it.

He glanced over the three remaining treasures, his gaze finally settling on the Dragon Pearl. "The Ancient Starry Firmament Bell [an ancient bell that can be used for both offense and defense, its power echoing the starry heavens] serves for both attack and defense," he stated. "With it in hand, this old man need not fear even a Half-Step Earth Immortal."

"The only regret is my insufficient spiritual energy reserves; I cannot sustain a full-powered assault for long. Therefore, I shall use this Dragon Pearl to refine an External Elixir [a special type of pill that acts as an external reservoir of spiritual energy, supplementing the cultivator's own reserves]." Find thousands of chapters at audi novel.com.