Chapter 1172 What Is Great Compassion?

Chen Xianzhu's moment of enlightenment was brief. By the time he emerged from his epiphany, he discovered Eldrin still waiting before him.

He looked at Eldrin and smiled faintly, saying, "Thank you, Father, for safeguarding my cultivation." Eldrin nodded, letting out a sigh of relief as he replied:

"You have comprehended a glimmer of life, and now may gradually undergo nirvana. All the immortal origin treasures and rare wonders you require, I shall have your mother deliver to you." Chen Xianzhu did not reply. He gazed up at the drifting clouds along the horizon and sighed softly. "Your child has attained Buddhahood, yet finds himself somewhat lost. I beg you, Father, to resolve my confusion."

"Oh?"

"Let's hear it." Eldrin (Person Name) settled cross-legged on the ground, gazing at the sea of clouds beside his eldest son.

"Father, you must understand that I am of an obstinate nature. When I witness the wickedness of this world, I cannot endure it, and thus I always resort to ruthless measures."

"Elder Kongming always advised this child, saying: 'The Buddha loves all living beings. 1 should deliver all from suffering, and soothe the world's pains and scars. You must not act with such overbearing dominance.'" At this point, Chen Xianzhu sighed and said, "When my master came to see me this time, he told me that this tribulation I face is precisely the karmic consequence of my relentless actions—a calamity born from accumulated karma."

"My child's heart is filled with doubt. Have I truly erred?" Eldrin listened quietly to his eldest son's words. After a long while, he slowly opened his eyes, studied Chen Xianzhu intently for a moment, then finally shook his head with serene composure.

Gazing at the billowing sea of clouds, he let out a soft sigh and murmured, "The Ancient Buddha of Emptiness has attained the half-step Earth Immortal realm. With his profound mastery of Buddhist doctrines, his words surely carry profound wisdom."

"But you must understand, his path may not be the 1 you are meant to walk."

"His path..." Upon hearing these words, Chen Xianzhu fell into deep contemplation.

"Yes." Eldrin nodded, speaking with detached calm. "What you should do is follow your true heart."

"By eliminating wicked foes with thunderous means, 1 has already saved all living beings in the world. Is this not a form of universal deliverance?" Mentioning this, Eldrin still spoke with a gentle smile: "To kill is to protect life, to sever karma is not to slay people. By following your heart and using Buddhist teachings to vanquish demons, you embody great compassion!" Chen Xianzhu experienced a sudden revelation, his eyes gleaming brilliantly as he said: "There are tens of thousands of paths in this world, and each person should walk their own road."

"He walks his own path, and I shall walk mine."

"I understand now, Father." Chen Xianzhu seemed to have attained profound enlightenment, finally declaring with unwavering determination: "If 1 day I can prove my Dao and attain enlightenment, I shall eradicate all malevolent spirits across the heavens and cleanse the filth that defiles this universe. Only thus may we deliver the world from its suffering."

"If 1 can cross over all suffering and tribulation, what does it matter if karmic obstacles arise?"

"You have found your path." Eldrin nodded, finally rising to his feet. "Be it mortal or immortal, every being must eventually understand what they are meant to do in this life."

"Otherwise, even if 1's cultivation reaches heaven-defying heights, they would merely become a puppet of their own practice."

"You have comprehended the Way, and I can finally rest assured about you."

"Go. From here on, you must walk the path alone."

“…” As Chen Xianzhu’s injuries healed, Eldrin finally breathed a sigh of relief. He summoned several immortals from Verdant Chariot Mountain to the main hall of Verdant Chariot Mountain Palace, where he began recounting his experiences during his recent journey to the mortal realm.

When they heard of the great battle upon the Ancient Cangling Star, their faces clouded with concern. Yet as he went on to speak of the Purple Realm's ascension, smiles bloomed upon their lips.

Yan Ziqi could not help but laugh as she said, "With the advancement of the Purple Realm, there will be more and more cultivators in the world from now on. It seems we’ll witness an immortal ascending to the heavens every few 1000 years." Hearing this, everyone nodded slightly in agreement.

In ordinary great worlds, it might take hundreds of thousands of years for a single cultivator to attain immortality. Yet the Violet Realm had produced a Great Luo Golden Immortal, and its hidden destiny was truly extraordinary. As early as the Abyssal Cataclysm, it produced 1 immortal on average every 12,000 to 20,000 years.

Lyra, Qing Ji, Kael, and others were all top-tier geniuses in the immortal realm, yet each had been nurtured from the Violet Realm—a testament to their astounding fortune.

Now that the Violet Realm has evolved into an immortal-grade realm, it is evident that the number of cultivators who will attain immortality in the future is unlikely to be small.

At this thought, Lyra spoke again, "In a few 100 years, 8 immortals including Kael and the master of the Dao Palace will undergo their heavenly ascension. I fear our immortal mountains may become somewhat insufficient." Qing Ji also nodded and said, "After we eradicated the Crimson Dragon Clan, we gained control of 4 out of the 5 immortal islands they possessed, excluding Crimson Dragon Island itself."

"Thus, the immortal islands remain sufficient, yet the Starlit Glaze Realm likely cannot sustain so many immortals." Upon hearing this, everyone's gaze flickered subtly.

The Starlight Sojourn Realm was the Chen Clan's most vital foundation. It could triple a cultivator's training speed, an effect comparable to a lower-grade Terran Blessed Land.

However, the stellar energy gathered by the Stellar Glazed Realm was limited, allowing only up to 9 immortals to cultivate at most—far too scarce for the Chen Clan.

Within the Chen Immortal Clan (Organization) today, the core lineage alone boasts 6 Immortals: Eldrin (Person Name), Lyra (Person Name), Yan Purple Princess, Lila (Person Name), Qing Princess, Seraphina Qu (Person Name), and Chen Xianzhu.

Even without Seraphina Qu (Person Name), and despite Chen Xianzhu's impending descent from the mountain for cultivation after his recovery, they still possessed the protection of 4 immortals.

Including the clan guardian immortal ‘Li Huang’, the Ancient Black Tortoise Patriarch, and the Palace Master of Drifting Snow, there were 7 in total. Once the 8 Purple Immortals all arrived, that would make a full 15 immortals.

This did not even account for the fact that among the 10 ascension candidates Eldrin brought along, individuals like Chen Ethan, Chen Fusu, Lu Wenyuan, and Gu Lanshan all possessed the potential to attain immortality.

If nothing unexpected happens, all of these individuals would be able to ascend to immortality over the next several 1000 years. By this calculation, within the next 10 1000 years, the Chen Clan would likely have over 20 immortals. The Starlit Glazed Realm would undoubtedly be far from sufficient.

"The Starlit Glazed Realm is indeed no longer sufficient." Eldrin nodded slightly, pondering for a moment before drawing 3 1000 Starlit Pearls from his sleeve. "These 3 1000 pearls can channel the power of the celestial constellations—they are truly exceptional immortal treasures rarely seen in this world."

"I intend to refine this object into the Stellar Paradise to enhance the stellar energy within the Stellar Glazed Realm."

"This..." Everyone's expressions shifted upon hearing this, and Lila (Person Name) couldn't help but advise, "This object is a supreme immortal treasure, 1 of your most precious trump cards. Are you truly going to use it to merge with the Stellar Glazed Realm?"

"My mind is set." Eldrin nodded resolutely and declared, "Though treasures are fine, if used merely as protective magic tools, they will inevitably become obsolete 1 day."

"Only by refining it into the Stellar Glaze Realm to enhance our cultivation speed can this be considered a long-term solution." Hearing this, the group understood that Eldrin's decision was final and ceased their attempts to persuade him.

Eldrin gazed at the 3,000 shimmering stars, a faint smile gracing his lips. "I have a premonition," he murmured, "that after refining this artifact into the Stellar Glaze Realm, its profound utility shall be enhanced by yet another significant measure."

"By then, it will easily accommodate over 20 Immortals with room to spare. Even the 6 Stars Immortal and several other allied elders, along with some of the clan's Demigod Ancestor (Cultivation Realm), could be granted permission to enter and cultivate within."