Chapter 1302 : A Fleet of Shadows and Omens

After long and thorough preparations, the day of departure for the great army had finally arrived.

On this day, beyond the Abyssal Sea Region, a thousand sails raced and a hundred vessels vied, as great ships spanning thousands of Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] continuously soared across the skies.

Eldrin Chen stood upon the deck of the Dusk Sun Celestial Ark, silently watching the countless Treasure Ship [enchanted vessels used for transport and warfare] pass by like a school of fish crossing a river. Yet, contrary to the anticipated surge of heroic spirit, a strange sense of oppressive weight settled in his heart.

Noticing the change in his expression, Lyra Jiang inquired, "Husband, what is the matter?"

Eldrin Chen pondered for a long moment before replying, "In recent times, I have been constantly deducing the strategic layout of the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas. For some reason, I cannot shake the feeling that the path ahead is fraught with unpredictable and profound danger."

"How could that be?"

Lyra Jiang's brow furrowed slightly as she asked, "With our level of preparation, we are more than capable of surrounding and slaying several Earth Immortal Progenitor [powerful demonic beings who have attained a profound level of cultivation]. Where could the danger possibly lie?"

"That is precisely what feels amiss to me."

Eldrin Chen nodded, his expression growing increasingly grave. "Could it be that there is some aspect of this battle I have overlooked?"

Contemplating this, Eldrin Chen shook his head. He was utterly convinced that given the current situation at Thousand Dragons Lake, it was impossible for them to muster significant additional forces to oppose their advance. Access the full story on audio-novel .c om.

Moreover, they held the advantage of striking with intent against an unprepared foe. By all logic, they should have seized the initiative, catching Thousand Dragons Lake off guard and dealing them a swift, disorienting blow.

"Unless..."

Eldrin Chen suddenly murmured to himself, his expression shifting dramatically as a look of profound shock dawned upon his face. Seeing this, Lyra Jiang inquired, "Husband, what have you realized?"

Eldrin Chen remained silent for a long moment, lost in contemplation, before finally speaking. "Perhaps... we have underestimated Lord of Thousand Dragon Lake."

"You mean to say..."

Lyra Jiang spoke hesitantly, her eyes widening with dawning comprehension.

Eldrin Chen nodded, his expression calm yet grave. "The Flowing Stream Hundred Seas are now a maelstrom of relentless battle, a realm of utter chaos. Even a Nine Heavens Immortal [an immortal who has ascended through nine heavenly tribulations] would find it difficult to pierce the veil and glimpse a single thread of Heavenly Secrets [the hidden workings of fate and destiny]."

"Yet, there are always those sages of profound foresight, those who can survey the world from a lofty vantage, comprehending the grand tides of destiny and perceiving every shift and turn within the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas."

"For you and I, the only path to break this deadlock is to take the offensive. Only by continuously striking at the forces of the Demonic Tribe and the Heaven's Malignance Tribe can we hope to gain even the slightest leverage to shift the balance of power in the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas."

"And Lord of Thousand Dragon Lake, as the master of the Thousand Dragons Lake Blessed Land [a place of immense natural spiritual power and fortune] for tens of millions of years, is surely a man of vast strategic vision, one whose mind contains entire worlds. How could such a being possibly fail to anticipate this?"

Lyra Jiang's countenance shifted abruptly, and she could not help but exclaim, "If that is the case, then Thousand Dragons Lake [a vast and ancient lake domain inhabited by powerful dragonkin] must have long anticipated that we would target the Celestial Demon Sea?"

"In fact, they may have begun laying the groundwork for this conflict several Millennium ago." "Indeed."

Eldrin Chen gave a solemn nod, his expression grave.

Seeing this, the Verdant Consort [a powerful and ancient demonic entity] seated nearby could no longer remain still. She rose to her feet and declared, "If that is so, then we must abandon this campaign."

"No. This battle must proceed."

Eldrin Chen spoke, his voice resolute and unwavering.

All present turned their gazes toward him upon hearing his words.

They saw Eldrin Chen rise to his full height, standing calmly upon the deck of the Treasure Ship [a magnificent vessel imbued with powerful enchantments]. His eyes, serene and profound, surveyed the boundless expanse of heaven and earth as he stated with quiet finality, "This conflict is our war for survival, our struggle to shatter the deadlock. Retreat is not an option."

"I did not foresee their schemes against us, yet Thousand Dragons Lake likely never imagined we would dare to plot against Netherus. Now, the arrow is nocked upon the bowstring; it must be loosed."

At this point, Eldrin Chen's gaze turned icy cold. "We have no other choice. This may be our only chance to break the stalemate."

"As the saying goes, on a narrow path, victory favors the brave. As long as we exert our full strength, we are confident we can righteously and decisively crush Thousand Dragons Lake, thereby dealing a powerful blow to the heroes of the Demonic Tribe and truly becoming a participant in the Great Tribulation [the grand cosmic calamity that reshapes the world]."

Upon hearing this, all the Immortals nodded slightly in agreement.

They understood clearly that with their current power, within the Great Tribulation, they were at best mere pawns. Even within the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas, they were insignificant, merely slightly larger cannon fodder.

If they won this battle, Eldrin Chen could step into the realm of a Ninth Tribulation Immortal [an immortal who has survived nine heavenly tribulations]. Only with the stature of a Ninth Tribulation Immortal would he barely have the qualification to influence the situation of the Great Tribulation.

He would become a player like the Heaven's Malignancy Clan Patriarch, but also a force not to be underestimated.

Thinking of this, all the Immortals nodded inwardly in approval. Qiyuan Chen then declared, "If that is the case, then let us decide the fate of the world with this single battle." This chapter is part of a larger work available at audio-novel .c om.

Their confidence restored, having gained a clearer expectation of the Demonic Tribe's strength, they resolved to settle the fate of the world in one decisive clash.

A million Treasure Ship [massive enchanted vessels used for war and transport] continued their majestic advance across the skies. Unnoticed, they had already entered the Celestial Demon Sea. And within the Celestial Demon Sea, a great war had already raged for several Millennium.

Outside the Empty Enlightenment Ancient Temple, two great Heavenly Demon [powerful celestial demons] of the Celestial Demon Sea had besieged the Empty Enlightenment Ancient Temple for many years. However, the temple had been established for millions of years and was guarded by the Ancient Buddha Kongming, a Half-Step Earth Immortal [a cultivator on the verge of becoming an Earth Immortal].

Although the Celestial Demon Race possessed formidable strength, even after besieging the temple for several Millennium, they had consistently failed to breach its defenses.

Today, reinforcements from the Abyssal Sea Region arrived. Sensing the impending doom, the forces of the Celestial Demon Sea could no longer continue their assault on the Empty Enlightenment Ancient Temple and swiftly withdrew, contracting their defenses within the core archipelago of the Celestial Demon Sea.

Eldrin Chen ordered the encirclement of the Celestial Demon Archipelago. Gazing upon the formidable Demonic Tribe grand formation before him, a trace of solemn contemplation settled between his brows.

At that very moment, the Heavenly Secrets blossomed, filling the sky with radiant Buddha Radiance. An ancient Buddha [an enlightened being who has attained the highest state of spiritual awakening] approached with measured steps. Upon seeing the newcomer, Eldrin Chen immediately offered a respectful salute. "I pay my respects to the Ancient Buddha."

"May blessings be upon you, benefactor."

Ancient Buddha Kongming returned a slight bow, then turned his gaze towards the Formation [a structured arrangement of energy and power, often used for defense or attack] encircling the Celestial Demon Archipelago. "This is the Celestial Demon Immortal-Burial Grand Formation," he stated. "It draws upon the power of more than half the Celestial Demon Sea. Even an Early Stage Earth Immortal [a cultivator who has ascended to the first major stage of terrestrial immortality] would find it exceedingly difficult to breach."

"If you intend to confront it, you must proceed with great caution."

He continued, "Fortunately, our Empty Enlightenment Ancient Temple controls thirty percent of the Earth Vein [dragon lines or ley lines of spiritual energy that flow through the earth] within this Celestial Demon Sea. Otherwise, this Heavenly Demon [a powerful, celestial-class demon] grand formation, fueled by the complete might of the sea, would undergo a qualitative transformation in its potency."

Eldrin Chen nodded in acknowledgment. "This formation is indeed extraordinary," he conceded, "but breaching it should not pose an insurmountable challenge for our combined methods."

With those words, Eldrin Chen wasted no further time. With a sweep of his sleeve, he summoned the Dusk Sun Celestial Ark into the sky, commanding it to surge forward and assault the Celestial Demon Immortal-Burial Grand Formation.

Though the Celestial Demon Immortal-Burial Grand Formation possessed formidable power, it paled in comparison to the Zhou Heavenly Stars Grand Formation. Under the suppressive might of the Dusk Sun Celestial Ark, a million Ancient Vessel [ancient, magically-powered ships or vehicles] unleashed their combined assault simultaneously. For a moment, the formation's radiant glow dimmed significantly under the overwhelming pressure.

"Damnation!"

Seeing the situation turn dire, the two Heavenly Demon [powerful demonic beings of celestial origin] above the Celestial Demon Sea [a vast, demon-infested ocean] changed their expressions.

The Celestial Demon King, seeing the Formation [a defensive or offensive energy array] teetering on the brink of collapse, immediately spoke: "Elder Brother, this formation likely cannot hold for long. If we do not flee for our lives now, it will be too late."

The Celestial Demon Emperor's expression also flickered slightly, yet he replied with forced calm: "Do not worry. Hold on for just a moment longer. I have a method to break this deadlock."

As his words fell, a thunderous roar shook heaven and earth. The power of the Dusk Sun Celestial Ark [a mighty flying vessel imbued with the essence of the setting sun] proved formidable indeed, striking the Heavenly Demon grand formation with such force that it was left trembling and on the verge of shattering. Enjoyed this chapter? Read more at audio—novel.com.