Chapter 1255 : Heavenly Tribulation and the Path of Renewal

"If this continues indefinitely, even with the vastness of the Immortal Domain [a realm of immortals], the Heaven and Earth Primordial Energy [the foundational spiritual energy of heaven and earth] will gradually deplete, ultimately leading to an Age of Dharma Decline. The entire Immortal Domain could even face Oblivion [complete annihilation and return to nothingness] within the Chaos Torrent [the primordial, formless currents of chaos] due to the exhaustion of its primordial essence."

"Thus, the Great Tribulation [a cataclysmic, world-shaking calamity ordained by heaven and earth] is born. This is the Great Path of Heavenly and Earthly Cycles [the grand cosmic principle of cyclical renewal], and it is also the Opportunity and Fortune [a pivotal moment of both peril and potential] for the succession of the myriad immortals across the boundless Immortal Domain."

"It seems you are a man of understanding."

The Glazed Divine Lord nodded in satisfaction and then spoke: "The Great Tribulation is the great momentum of the Heavenly Path [the Way of Heaven, the natural order]. It cannot be altered, nor can it be obstructed."

"Whether it is the Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace or the Celestial Prison Clan Patriarch, by instigating this Great Tribulation, they have become the Child of Tribulation [a key figure destined to be at the heart of the calamity] for this Great Tribulation in the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea. They are thus one of the principal actors in this Tribulation [the unfolding calamity itself]."

"Therefore, the great powers from the two Grotto-Heaven [a higher-level blessed realm] of Western Essence and Divine Abyss, and even the Celestial Immortal [a high-ranking immortal] True Lord [a title for powerful cultivators] of the Immortal Court [the celestial bureaucracy], cannot personally move against them. To do so would be to defy the Heavenly Path. Do you understand this point?"

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen felt a profound shock within his heart.

Only now did he understand why the Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace and the Celestial Prison Clan Patriarch dared to instigate the Great Tribulation.

Whether it was the covert support from the Myriad Demons Ancestral Domain or the backing from the hundred clans of the Heavenly Domain, these were ultimately secondary factors for them.

So, their status as protagonists of the Great Tribulation was their true Protective Talisman [a talisman that wards off harm]. As key figures in this Great Tribulation, by unleashing this boundless calamity, they were acting as agents of heaven, executing the cyclical Great Path [the grand principle of cosmic renewal]. Read the full novel exclusively on @udio-novel.com.

Aside from those destined to face the tribulation, the Celestial Immortal Great Powers of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain are forbidden from acting against them. Should they dare, the Heavenly Path of the Boundless Immortal Domain would be incensed, and even a Celestial Immortal Great Power would likely face utter annihilation, their body perishing and their Dao extinguished.

Contemplating this, Eldrin Chen nodded and said, "Thank you for the guidance, Senior. This junior understands."

"Understanding is good."

Glazed Divine Lord nodded in return, then sighed meaningfully. "Throughout the ages, how many peerless talents have ascended to the realm of Great Encompassing Golden Immortal precisely by leveraging their status as a Kalpa Tribulation Protagonist? Not even an Immortal Court Imperial Lord or a Demon Race Great Emperor would dare intervene to obstruct such a path."

"With your innate gifts..."

At this point, Glazed Divine Lord's words trailed off.

She did not continue that line of thought. Instead, she glanced once more at Eldrin Chen and added, "As for the Opportunity and Fortune within the Great Tribulation, that is intrinsically linked to those destined to face it."

"Do you know what happens once an Immortal enters the tribulation and ultimately falls?"

"Falls while facing the tribulation?"

Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered with momentary contemplation. After a brief silence, his gaze turned resolute as he stated with certainty, "They return their Dao to the heavens!"

"Indeed, returning the Path to Heaven [the fundamental laws and principles of the cosmos]!"

Glazed Divine Lord nodded, his expression tinged with melancholy as he said, "During the Great Tribulation, when an Immortal meets their fate and is slain, their Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] undergoes a martial dissolution and enters the cycle of Reincarnation. Meanwhile, the Path Fruit [the culmination of one's cultivation and enlightenment] and cultivation base they spent a lifetime amassing will dissolve back into the Great Path [return to the fundamental laws of the universe]."

"Furthermore, their lifetime of comprehension regarding the Path Principles of Heaven and Earth will merge with a wisp of Source Energy [primordial foundational energy] bestowed by the Heavenly Path [the cosmic law or way of heaven], ultimately transforming into a portion of 'Path Source'."

At this point, Glazed Divine Lord spoke with utmost gravity, "This Path Source is precisely the Opportunity and Fortune within the Great Tribulation, and it is also the reward bestowed by the Heavenly Path upon those who execute the great cycle of the Great Path [the fundamental cosmic order]."

"Path Source."

Eldrin Chen murmured to himself, a trace of confusion appearing between his brows.

Seeming to understand that Eldrin Chen was unfamiliar with this concept, Glazed Divine Lord immediately explained, "Heavenly Path Source Energy is a supreme form of energy that only Celestial Immortal [a high-level immortal being] can cultivate."

"It is analogous to the Immortal Essence [the refined energy core of an immortal] within your body, or the World-Opening Power [the power to create or shape worlds] within my own, yet it is a thousandfold more profound and mysterious."

"Generally speaking, if a Celestial Immortal Great Power can cultivate one thousand strands of Heavenly Path Source Energy, they are considered to have firmly established their footing within the Celestial Immortal Realm."

"Those who can cultivate three thousand strands are formidable enough to dominate within that realm. As for those who can cultivate over ten thousand strands... they are likely peerless existences at the ninth level of the Celestial Immortal realm or beyond."

"The Heavenly Path Source Energy [a primordial energy bestowed by the Heavenly Path itself] granted, though merely a single wisp—requiring three thousand such wisps to coalesce into a complete strand—is nonetheless a supremely profound substance. For you, it can be considered a peerless treasure."

Glazed Divine Lord spoke eloquently, a trace of emotion coloring her expression.

That Heavenly Path Source Energy was boundlessly profound. Even she possessed little of it, typically reserving it solely for enlightenment and meditation, reluctant to refine it for mere cultivation advancement.

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen began to grasp the preciousness of this 'Path Source' [a condensed essence containing the insights and energy of a fallen cultivator].

That Path Source contained not only a wisp of Heavenly Path Source Energy, but also the deceased tribulation-taker's comprehension of the Great Path of Heaven and Earth [the fundamental laws governing the cosmos].

If an Immortal [a being who has ascended to immortality] were to ingest and refine it, even grasping only a fraction of its insights, it would undoubtedly greatly enhance their own foundation. Access the full story on https://audio-novel.com.

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen could not help but remark, "No wonder those who enter the tribulation and slay their opponents to pass the Great Tribulation [a cataclysmic trial of fate] experience such a dramatic surge in power."

"Indeed."

Glazed Divine Lord nodded, continuing her explanation, "This Path Source is supremely profound, yet it too is divided into grades of quality."

"Based on the cultivation level of the slain—from the Early Ascendant Immortal Realm [the initial stage of immortal ascension] to the Half-Step Earth Immortal [a realm just shy of becoming an Earth Immortal]—the condensed Path Source is classified as Low-Grade, Mid-Grade, High-Grade, and Supreme-Grade."

"Path Sources [the condensed essence of a cultivator's cultivation path] below the supreme-grade can only increase an Immortal's cultivation base and their comprehension of the Great Path's Path Principles. However, 'Path Source' of supreme-grade and above possess profound and wondrous properties. Once refined, they can partially mend the foundation of an Immortal's Path Fruit [the core fruit of one's cultivation path]."

"The more Tribulation [heavenly trials] one endures, and the greater one's innate talent and strength, the more profound and wondrous the 'Path Source' condensed by that Immortal will be."

"Even an Immortal with a single Path Fruit could, by enduring nine successive Great Tribulation and refining multiple Supreme-Grade Path Source, mend their own foundational flaws and Path Fruit, forging a Great Encompassing Foundation [the ultimate foundational realm] to break through to the Earth Immortal Realm."

"I see."

Eldrin Chen nodded, then suddenly remembered something and could not help but ask, "If that is the case, would an Earth Immortal Patriarch not hesitate to hunt down a Half-Step Earth Immortal at any cost?"

Glazed Divine Lord shook her head and calmly stated, "For someone like you, Path Source below the Supreme-Grade Path Source would have little to no effect."

"For an Earth Immortal Patriarch, even a Supreme-Grade Path Source is useless."

"That is a relief."

Eldrin Chen nodded again, then said thoughtfully, "But what if an Earth Immortal Patriarch were to personally act, slaying a Half-Step Earth Immortal to plunder their 'Path Source' to mend the foundation of a junior in their own lineage?"

Unexpectedly, this time Glazed Divine Lord fell silent.

She remained silent for a long while before finally speaking. "Whether one is an Immortal [a being who has ascended to immortality] or an Earth Immortal [an immortal anchored to the mortal world], once you enter the tribulation, you must struggle to cross it within the Great Tribulation [a cataclysmic era of conflict and destiny]."

"Therefore, within the Immortal Domain [the realm of the immortals], an unwritten rule has long been established: when the Great Tribulation descends, the Grotto-Heaven Blessed Land [paradisiacal realms and hidden sanctuaries] seal their mountains and do not venture forth."

"If an Earth Immortal truly intervenes, they are considered to have entered the tribulation. While hunting others, they must also be prepared for their own fall, even the utter destruction of their lineage."

"Throughout the successive Great Tribulation eras of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain [a vast realm within the immortal domains], it has never been uncommon for Earth Immortal or Celestial Immortal [a higher tier of immortal] to enter the fray for the sake of their disciples, ultimately unleashing True Flame [primordial, world-consuming fires] that lead to the complete annihilation of an entire Blessed Land."

"Alas."

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen finally grasped the true nature of the Great Tribulation.

He sighed deeply, then bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your guidance, Senior."

Glazed Divine Lord [a title for a powerful immortal lord] gave a slight nod. "There is no need for thanks. In this coming Great Tribulation, the Sun Consort, the Moon Consort, and the Star Consort [powerful immortal consorts representing celestial bodies] will all enter the conflict."

"I must enter seclusion and cannot emerge. Therefore, I will need you to lend them your strength." Visit audi0-n0vel.c0m to enjoy the complete series.