Chapter 1302 : A Fleet of Shadows and Foreboding

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

On this day, beyond the Returning Abyss Sea Region [the vast, treacherous sea bordering the human territories], 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 took to the skies.

Eldrin Chen stood upon the deck of the Lingering Sun Heavenly Ark [a massive, enchanted flying vessel], quietly watching the countless Treasure Ship [enchanted vessels used for transport and war by cultivators] pass by like a school of fish crossing a river. Yet, instead of the anticipated surge of heroic spirit, a strange sense of oppressive foreboding weighed upon his heart.

Exquisite Jiang, noticing his troubled expression, inquired, "My lord husband, what is the matter?"

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

"How could that be?"

Exquisite Jiang frowned slightly, unable to hold back her question. "With our preparations, we are more than capable of surrounding and slaying several Earth Immortal Patriarch [powerful cultivators who have ascended to the Earth Immortal realm]. How could there be such peril?"

"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?"

Considering this, Eldrin Chen shook his head. He was utterly certain that given the current situation at Thousand Dragon Lake [a major stronghold of the demonic forces], it was impossible for them to muster significant additional forces against their expedition. Immerse yourself in the complete world at audio–novel.com.

Moreover, they held the advantage of striking with intent against an unprepared foe. By all logic, they should have seized the initiative, catching the forces of Thousand Dragon Lake completely off guard.

"Unless..."

Eldrin Chen suddenly murmured to himself. His expression shifted dramatically, revealing a flicker of profound shock.

Seeing this, Exquisite Jiang inquired, "Husband, what have you realized?"

Eldrin Chen remained silent for a long moment, lost in thought. Finally, he spoke, "Perhaps... we have underestimated Lord of Thousand Dragon Lake."

"You mean to say..."

Exquisite Jiang hesitated, her eyes widening slightly as she spoke.

Eldrin Chen nodded, his expression calm yet grave. "The Flowing Stream Hundred Seas are now a maelstrom of war, a realm of utter chaos. Even a Nine Heavens Celestial Immortal [an immortal who has ascended through nine heavenly tribulations] would struggle to discern a single thread of Celestial Mechanism [the underlying principles and fate of heaven and earth] within it."

"Yet, there are always those sages of profound foresight, capable of gazing down upon the world from a lofty vantage, comprehending the grand tides of destiny and perceiving every shift and change within the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas."

"For you and me, the only path to break this deadlock is to take the offensive. Only by relentlessly striking at the forces of the Demon Race and the Celestial Prison Clan 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 Blessed Land Lord who has presided over Thousand Dragon Lake for tens of millions of years, must be a man of profound vision and deep wisdom. How could he possibly fail to foresee this?"

Exquisite Jiang's expression shifted dramatically, and she could not help but exclaim, "If that is so, then Thousand Dragon Lake must have long guessed we would target Heavenly Demon Sea?"

"They may have even begun laying the groundwork for this conflict thousands of years ago."

"Indeed."

Eldrin Chen nodded, his face etched with solemn gravity.

Seeing this, Verdant Consort, who had been seated nearby, could no longer remain still. She rose to her feet and declared, "If that is the case, then we must abandon this campaign."

"No. This battle must be fought."

Eldrin Chen spoke, his voice resolute and unwavering.

All eyes turned towards him at his words.

They saw Eldrin Chen rise to his full height, standing calmly upon the deck of the Treasure Ship. His gaze swept across the boundless, vast expanse of heaven and earth, his eyes holding a profound stillness as he spoke, "This battle is our war for establishing our footing, our war to shatter the deadlock. Retreat is not an option."

"I did not anticipate that they would scheme against us," he said, "but I suspect Thousand Dragon Lake [a vast and treacherous demonic territory] also did not foresee that we would dare to scheme against Nether Grand Austerity. Now, the arrow is nocked upon the bowstring; we cannot turn back."

His gaze turned icy as Eldrin Chen continued, "We have no other choice. This may be our only chance to break the deadlock."

"As the saying goes, when two meet on a narrow path, victory favors the bold. If we commit ourselves fully, we have the means to defeat Thousand Dragon Lake in open battle. By doing so, we can deal a severe blow to the heroes of the Demon Race [a powerful and ancient race of malevolent beings] and truly become a participant in the Great Tribulation [a cataclysmic cosmic conflict that reshapes the heavens]."

The assembled immortals listened and gave slight nods of agreement.

They understood all too well that with their current strength, within the Great Tribulation, they were at best a mere pawn. Even within the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas [a chaotic and contested region of the immortal realms], they were insignificant—slightly larger cannon fodder, nothing more.

If they won this battle, Eldrin Chen would step into the realm of a Nine Tribulations Immortal [an immortal who has survived nine heavenly tribulations, a mark of immense power and resilience]. Only with the stature of a Nine Tribulations Immortal would he barely have the qualification to influence the tides of the Great Tribulation. Find thousands of chapters at http://www . audio-novel.com.

He might not become a master player like the Celestial Prison Clan Patriarch, but he would become a force not to be underestimated.

Considering this, the immortals all inwardly affirmed the plan. Energy Abyss Chen spoke decisively, "If that is the case, then let us settle heaven and earth with this single battle."

"..."

Their confidence restored, the group now had a clearer expectation of the Demon Race's power. Their resolve was firm: they would determine the fate of all with this one decisive clash.

The Million Treasure Ship [a legendary vessel capable of traversing vast distances] continued its journey across the void, and before long, it arrived within the Heavenly Demon Sea [a vast and perilous sea domain ruled by powerful demonic beings]. There, a great battle had already raged for millennia.

Outside the Ancient Temple of Empty Clarity [an ancient Buddhist sanctuary], two great Heavenly Demon [powerful celestial demon lords] had besieged the temple for many years. However, the Ancient Temple of Empty Clarity had been fortified over millions of years and was guarded by the Ancient Buddha Empty Brightness [an ancient enlightened being], a Half-Step Earth Immortal [a cultivator on the very cusp of attaining the Earth Immortal realm].

Although the Heavenly Demon race possessed formidable strength, even after thousands of years of relentless assault, they had failed to breach the temple's defenses.

Today, with reinforcements from the Returning Abyss Sea Region [a distant sea region] arriving, the forces within the Heavenly Demon Sea finally sensed the impending danger. They immediately ceased their attack on the Ancient Temple of Empty Clarity and withdrew, consolidating their forces within the core archipelago of the Heavenly Demon Sea.

Eldrin Chen ordered his forces to surround the Heavenly Demon Archipelago [the central island chain of the Heavenly Demon Sea]. Gazing at the formidable Demon Race [the collective forces of demonic cultivators] defensive formation before him, a trace of solemn contemplation furrowed his brow.

At that very moment, the Celestial Mechanism [a profound cosmic principle or artifact] radiated with a brilliant, all-encompassing Buddhist light. An ancient Buddha [an enlightened being who has attained Buddhahood] emerged, walking forward with measured steps.

Upon seeing the newcomer, Eldrin Chen immediately offered a respectful salute. "I pay my respects to the Ancient Buddha," he said.

"May blessings be upon you, Benefactor," the Buddha replied.

Ancient Buddha Empty Brightness returned a slight bow, then turned his gaze toward the Formation [a structured arrangement of energy and power for defense or attack] encircling the Heavenly Demon Archipelago. "This is the Heavenly Demon Immortal-Burial Grand Formation [a grand formation designed to trap and slay even immortal beings]," he explained. "It draws power from over half of the Heavenly Demon Sea. Even an Early-stage Earth Immortal [a cultivator who has recently ascended to the Earth Immortal realm] would find it exceedingly difficult to breach."

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

Speaking to this point, he added, "Fortunately, those three-tenths of the Earth Vein [the spiritual arteries of the land] within the Heavenly Demon Sea are under the control of our Ancient Temple of Empty Clarity. Otherwise, the Heavenly Demon Grand Formation [a grand defensive array], drawing upon the complete power of the sea region, would undergo a qualitative leap in its might."

Eldrin Chen nodded, then spoke, "This array is indeed Extraordinary, but breaking it is not difficult with our methods."

As his words fell, Eldrin Chen wasted no time. With a flick of his sleeve, he summoned the Lingering Sun Heavenly Ark [a colossal flying vessel] into the sky, sending it charging towards the Heavenly Demon Immortal-Burial Grand Formation [the grand demonic array].

The power of the Heavenly Demon Immortal-Burial Grand Formation was Extraordinary, yet it paled in comparison to the Cosmic Stellar Formation [a legendary star-based formation]. Suppressed by the Lingering Sun Heavenly Ark, and assaulted by a million ancient ships unleashing their power in unison, the formation's radiance visibly dimmed in an instant.

"Damnation!"

Seeing the situation turn dire, the two Heavenly Demon [powerful demonic beings] stationed above the Heavenly Demon Sea changed countenance.

The Heavenly Demon King, witnessing the Formation [the defensive array] teetering on the brink of collapse, immediately spoke, "Elder Brother, this formation likely cannot hold for long. If we do not flee now, it will be too late."

The Heavenly Demon Emperor's expression also flickered slightly, yet he replied with forced calm, "Do not worry. Hold for just a few moments more. I have a method to turn the tide."

As his words faded, a deafening roar shook heaven and earth. The Lingering Sun Heavenly Ark proved its might was indeed Extraordinary, striking the Heavenly Demon Grand Formation with such force that it began to tremble and waver precariously. Continue reading this story at AUDIO-NOVEL.COM.