Chapter 1312 : A Pact Forged in Shadow

The Lord of Thousand Dragon Lake cut him off, his expression turning grave as he said, "After the fall of Nether Grand Austerity, the Path Source [a primordial source of spiritual energy and enlightenment] held by Old Path Master Verdant Mystery is of no further use to our Thousand Dragon Lake."

"Exchanging it for the Celestial Prison Clan's intervention to annihilate the Verdant Stream Ancient Sect is a profitable bargain."

Upon hearing this, the gathered Earth Immortal Patriarchs [patriarchs who have attained the Earth Immortal realm] all experienced a subtle shift in their expressions.

After a moment of contemplation, the Frigid Ice Chi Dragon Patriarch exchanged glances with the others and inquired, "Who will the Celestial Prison Clan dispatch? The Verdant Stream Ancient Sect is not a fortress easily breached."

The Lord of Thousand Dragon Lake rose to his feet, his gaze turning distant and profound as it settled upon the Verdant Stream Ancient Sect. "The Sixth Elder of Celestial Prison Clan," he declared, his voice low, "the Blaze Lord of Heaven's Prison. Will that suffice?"

"Hmm—"

His words struck the others like a thunderclap, their faces registering profound shock and disbelief.

The Celestial Prison Clan, as the foremost among the Hundred Races Immortal Spirits [a coalition of immortal spirits from a hundred different races] of the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea and one of the instigators of this Great Tribulation [a cataclysmic era of conflict ordained by fate], possessed a foundation of unfathomable depth and power.

This lineage boasted a staggering forty-three Earth Immortal Patriarchs. Among them, six held the esteemed rank of Elder and had attained the Late Stage Earth Immortal realm.

Of these six, the Grand Elder of the Celestial Prison Clan was a Ninth Level Earth Immortal. The Second Elder, Third Elder, and Fourth Elder were all existences at the Eighth Level Earth Immortal. Even the Fifth Elder and the Sixth Elder had reached the formidable Seventh Level Earth Immortal. Original English translation available at audio novel.com.

In this great war, the Western Abyss Dragon Palace [a powerful faction of the Dragon Race], as the designated tribulation-bearers for the Demon Race [a collective term for non-human, often malevolent, spiritual beings], must directly face the pressure from the Human and Divine Races [the allied forces of humanity and celestial beings]. Consequently, they have allied with the Celestial Prison Clan [a formidable clan known for its mastery over spatial confinement and punishment].

The Celestial Prison Clan's Ninth Level Earth Immortal [a cultivator who has reached the ninth and penultimate stage of the Earth Immortal realm] Grand Elder, along with its Second Elder, Third Elder, and Fourth Elder—all of whom are Eighth Level Earth Immortal [cultivators at the eighth stage of the Earth Immortal realm]—have all gone to the Demon Race's territory to aid the Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace [the sovereign ruler of the Western Abyss Dragon Palace].

Only the Fifth Elder and the Sixth Elder, both Seventh Level Earth Immortal [cultivators at the seventh stage of the Earth Immortal realm], have remained within the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas [a vast and treacherous region of interconnected seas and waterways] to assist the Heavenly Fiend Clan Patriarch [the leader of the Heavenly Fiend Race] in annihilating the Flowing Fire Star Palace [a celestial sect associated with flowing flames and stellar arts].

In truth, the reason the Thousand Dragon Lake [a domain ruled by a multitude of dragon clans] launched its assault on the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas was not only due to their proximity but also as part of an exchange between the Western Abyss Dragon Palace and the Heavenly Fiend Race.

They traded a powerful Blessed Land [a region of exceptionally dense spiritual energy and natural fortune] for the aid of four top-tier Earth Immortal [powerful cultivators who have transcended mortality but not yet ascended to full Celestial Immortality], to be used against the three Half-Step Celestial Immortal [cultivators who stand on the very threshold of true Celestial Immortality] from the Human and Divine Races, such as the Divine Lord of Ye Ruins.

Under these circumstances, the fact that the Celestial Prison Clan also dispatched the Blaze Lord of Heaven's Prison [a title for a powerful elder specializing in fiery confinement techniques], a Seventh Level Earth Immortal, demonstrates their considerable investment in this matter.

The several True Dragon [the most noble and powerful lineage of dragons] Patriarchs were also rather astonished by this development.

The Blazing Austerity Patriarch could not help but rise to his feet, declaring, "With the assistance of the Blaze Lord of Heaven's Prison, even if the Verdant Stream Ancient Sect [an ancient sect of nature-aligned cultivators] exhausts all its hidden reserves, it can hold out for at most three thousand years."

"However, with him drawn away, will the pressure on the Flowing Fire Star Palace front remain manageable?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present nodded slightly, their expressions tinged with uncertainty.

As the overlord of Flowing Stream Hundred Seas, the Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace is an existence at the Half-Step Celestial Immortal Realm [a state of cultivation just one step below the true Celestial Immortal realm].

Even if the Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace's strength is considered the weakest among Half-Step Celestial Immortal [cultivators at the half-step Celestial Immortal stage], he is still a powerhouse of the Half-Step Celestial Immortal Realm, and thus cannot be underestimated.

The Heavenly Fiend Clan Patriarch might be able to suppress him, but with the backing of an entire Blessed Land [a land imbued with potent spiritual energy and natural blessings], it is uncertain if he could truly be kept in check.

The Lord of Thousand Dragon Lake, understanding everyone's doubts, spoke with a grave expression: "The Western Abyss Dragon Palace possesses two Half-Step Celestial Immortal experts, making it the foremost Demon Race [a race of powerful, often shape-shifting, demonic beings] power in the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea."

"Should they advance a single step further, they would be capable of establishing a True Dragon Grotto-Heaven [a pocket realm or paradise founded by a True Dragon]. However, the Human and Divine Races Sovereign [a supreme ruler or overlord] of the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea would naturally not sit idly by and watch the Western Abyss Dragon Palace rise."

"It seems the Divine Lord of Ye Ruins and the two Divine Spirits [powerful spiritual beings born from natural phenomena or faith] of the Divine Clan have the covert support of two Grotto-Heaven [a superior form of blessed land, a self-contained paradise realm]. The Western Abyss Dragon Palace is now embroiled in a bitter struggle."

"Not long ago, the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Fiend Race was severely wounded. For this reason, the Heavenly Fiend Clan Patriarch is unwilling to delay, intending to swiftly conclude the battle in the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas to provide aid to the Western Abyss Dragon Palace."

Upon hearing this, the several True Dragon [a supreme class of dragon, often possessing immense power and wisdom] Patriarch all wore expressions of deep concern.

In this Great Tribulation [a cataclysmic, era-defining conflict ordained by fate], the Human Race, the Demon Race, and the Divine Clan each have two protagonists of the Great Tribulation at the Half-Step Celestial Immortal Realm drawn into the calamity. Adding the Heavenly Fiend Clan Patriarch makes a total of seven principal figures of this Great Tribulation.

They are: the Heavenly Fiend Clan Patriarch, the Profound Heart Divine Spirit, the Blazing Radiance Divine Spirit, the Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace, the Western Abyss Dragon King, the Western Abyss Dragon Palace Crown Prince, and the Divine Lord of Ye Ruins—seven beings at the Half-Step Celestial Immortal Realm.

Among the seven, the Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace and the Divine Lord of Ye Ruins were the most formidable.

At the very heart of the current Great Tribulation, the Western Abyss Dragon Palace stood alone against three Half-Step Celestial Immortal: Profound Heart, Vast Flame, and the Divine Lord of Ye Ruins. Facing three with only two, their pressure was undeniably immense.

The four top-tier Earth Immortal from the Heavenly Fiend Race, each at the eighth or ninth level of that realm, had gone to the Western Abyss Dragon Palace precisely to form a battle formation capable of confronting a single Half-Step Celestial Immortal.

However, with the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Fiend Race now severely wounded, the Heavenly Fiend Clan Patriarch, fearing the loss of these four key lieutenants, was also preparing to swiftly conclude the battle at the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas through Tribulation [a decisive, often cataclysmic, confrontation].

To this end, he did not hesitate to deploy his clan's foundational reserves, intending to suppress any counterattack from the Flowing Fire Star Palace and thereby free up the Blaze Lord of Heaven's Prison, a Seventh Level Earth Immortal.

His plan was to use this powerful Seventh Level Earth Immortal to annihilate the Verdant Stream Ancient Sect, and then combine forces with Thousand Dragon Lake to utterly destroy the Flowing Fire Star Palace. Official source: audio~novel.com. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

"The Flowing Fire Star Palace is not an easy foe to handle. With the hidden cards the Celestial Prison Clan Patriarch has prepared, he can at most suppress them for five thousand years."

"If we cannot reinforce the Heavenly Fiend Race within those five thousand years, they will surely suffer grievous losses under the Flowing Fire Star Palace's counteroffensive. Even the Heavenly Fiend Clan Patriarch himself might be severely wounded."

"Should the situation shift like that, I fear the Heavenly Fiend Race would lose all capacity to eradicate the Flowing Fire Star Palace."

Upon hearing this, the several Patriarch present nodded slightly, a glint of confidence appearing in their eyes.

The Blazing Austerity Patriarch stroked his long beard and said with a smile, "We do not need five thousand years. Now that the Verdant Stream Ancient Sect has lost most of its foundation, we can annihilate them in just three thousand years."

"With the remaining two thousand years, we would have more than enough time to wipe out the Returning Abyss Sea Region as well."

"Indeed." The Patriarch clad in gilded battle armor also revealed a smile, speaking with full confidence, "Once we destroy the Verdant Stream Ancient Sect, we can then proceed to annihilate the Returning Abyss Blessed Land and, riding that momentum, crush the Flowing Fire Star Palace."

"If all goes smoothly, we can then join forces with the Western Abyss Dragon Palace and sweep across the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea with overwhelming force, using the endless blood of the Human and Divine Races to finally bring this boundless Great Tribulation to an end."

At the head of the gathering, the Lord of Thousand Dragon Lake listened quietly to their words, his expression remaining utterly inscrutable.

As the master of a major power, his vision reached farther. The Great Tribulation had now raged for six thousand years. Across the entire Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea, great wars stretched on without end, and the overall situation remained locked in a grinding stalemate.

But even if everything proceeded perfectly, it would likely still take them ten thousand years to completely overrun the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas.

Given the current state of the Western Abyss Dragon Palace, whether they could afford to wait another ten thousand years for him was a question still shrouded in uncertainty.

"For the sake of the Path Source [the foundational source of one's cultivation path] belonging to his old rival, the Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace, the Heavenly Fiend Clan Patriarch forcibly dragged him into this calamity, thereby gaining an additional opponent at the Half-Step Celestial Immortal Realm."

"Now it seems that while the Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace's strength is indeed not great among Half-Step Celestial Immortal [cultivators who have nearly ascended to the Celestial Immortal realm], and the Flowing Fire Star Palace is indeed weaker among the top-tier Blessed Land [realms of exceptional spiritual abundance], he is still not an opponent so easily eradicated."

Deep in contemplation, Lord of Thousand Dragon Lake could not help but reveal a trace of worry in the depths of his eyes.

"Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace, is an unparalleled powerhouse ranked thirty-fifth on the World-Opening Ranking of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain. Let us hope he can withstand this pressure." Read the full novel exclusively on audio-novel.com.