Chapter 1351 : A Pact of Heavenly Ascension

Considering this, Heaven Abyss Path Master [a powerful cultivator who has mastered profound mysteries of the heavenly abyss] declared, "I intend to recuperate for one Sixty-Year Cycle [a complete cycle of sixty years, significant in celestial calculations]. Once my condition is restored to its peak, I shall attempt the breakthrough to the World-Opening Realm [the legendary realm where a cultivator opens their own inner world, a pinnacle of power]."

"At that time, Fellow Daoist, you may come to witness the ceremony. It would serve as valuable preparation for your own future World-Opening [the act of opening one's inner world]."

"Very well."

Eldrin Chen [the protagonist, a formidable cultivator from the Chen clan] nodded in agreement. Observing another open their Ninefold Heaven [the nine-layered celestial realm within a cultivator, representing the ultimate inner world] could provide immense inspiration and insight for oneself.

At the very least, it would allow one to gauge the difficulty of forging a Ninefold Heaven [the highest form of inner world], thereby extrapolating the challenges of one's own World-Opening [the perilous ascension process]. This foresight was crucial to avoid the catastrophic fate of failure—where one's cultivation dissipates and life is extinguished.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen replied with a faint smile, "When the time comes, I shall certainly attend to witness the grandeur of your Ninefold Heaven [the magnificent inner world you will create]."

Having reached this understanding, the two spoke no further on the matter.

Eldrin Chen then lent the Primal Shadow Heaven-Slaying Sword [a legendary sword imbued with the power of primordial shadows to slay celestial beings] to Heaven Abyss Path Master, allowing him to refine and wield it for his impending World-Opening [the ultimate breakthrough attempt].

After this arrangement, Heaven Abyss Path Master departed for secluded cultivation, while Eldrin Chen made his way to the Returning Abyss Blessed Land [a sacred land of profound spiritual energy, named for its connection to the cosmic abyss].

Upon his arrival, he found that Exquisite Jiang [his wife, a cultivator of peerless grace and power] and Verdant Consort [a powerful female cultivator associated with life and nature] had both concluded their own periods of seclusion. Their gains from cultivation were described as nothing short of monumental. For the best reading experience, visit audio-novel.com (official site).

Between the two of them, Verdant Consort had already successfully cultivated her 'Polarity Verdant Lotus Path'. This Path Principle [a fundamental cosmic law or rule comprehended and wielded by a cultivator] was a grand trinity rule formed from the fusion of three distinct principles: the Ultimate Yin, the Ultimate Yang, and the Verdant Lotus [a mythical lotus plant symbolizing purity, rebirth, and profound spiritual power].

The convergence of these three principles contained a power of truly staggering magnitude.

Its potency even surpassed Eldrin Chen's Primordial Solar Heavenly Flame and Primordial One Ancient Metal principles by a slight margin, and was only half a step inferior to the combined power of the Buddhist, Daoist, and Demonic Path Fruit [a tangible, powerful fruit of cultivation representing the consolidation of one's path insights] cultivated by Kael Chen.

Most crucially, the Polarity Verdant Lotus Path's complete ascension into the realm of Path Principles signified that Verdant Consort had truly forged her own unique Cultivation Path [the unique spiritual and philosophical journey undertaken by a cultivator].

With the Polarity Verdant Lotus Path alone, Verdant Consort's combat prowess had already brushed against the threshold of the Nine Tribulations Domain. Though she had not yet fully stepped across, she stood poised at the very precipice.

Furthermore, her World-Opening True Body and Verdant Lotus Immortal Body resonated with perfect harmony with the Polarity Verdant Lotus Path Path Principle. The Verdant Lotus essence within her constitution and the Path Principle of her art reflected and amplified each other, catalyzing a profound qualitative transformation in both.

Her Verdant Lotus Immortal Body now brimmed with the Rule Power [the fundamental power derived from comprehending and wielding a cosmic law or principle] of the Verdant Lotus, while the Polarity Verdant Lotus Path Path Principle was deeply rooted within her Immortal Body [a cultivator's body that has transcended mortality and is infused with immortal essence]. This symbiotic fusion ultimately triggered a qualitative leap in Verdant Consort's foundational potential.

"The Nine Tribulations Domain!"

Observing Verdant Consort before him, he spoke with heartfelt satisfaction, "You have not yet attained Path Fruit Attainment [the stage of consolidating one's cultivation insights into a tangible, powerful fruit of the path], yet you already tread upon the borders of the Nine Tribulations Domain [a legendary realm of power accessible only to those who have transcended nine great heavenly tribulations]."

"If, in the future, you succeed in cultivating a World-Opening Path Fruit [a supreme Path Fruit representing the power to cleave open a new world or reality], and achieve the perfect fusion of your physical body, your Path Principles, and your Path Fruit—unifying your Vital Essence, Energy, and Spirit [the three foundational treasures of a cultivator: physical vitality, spiritual energy, and primordial spirit] into one—you will undoubtedly step firmly into the Forbidden Domain [a realm of power so profound it defies conventional understanding and is forbidden to ordinary cultivators]."

Verdant Consort [a title for a powerful female cultivator] heard this but shook her head, sighing softly as she spoke: "Achieving Trinity Unity [a state of perfect fusion of the three foundational energies of Vital Essence, Energy, and Spirit] would be enough to cause a qualitative transformation within me, allowing me to step into the Forbidden Domain [a legendary and supremely difficult-to-reach cultivation realm]."

"However, the Path Fruit [the condensed essence of a cultivator's lifelong cultivation and achievements] is formed by the condensation of one's lifelong cultivation foundation. The more powerful the foundation, the more difficult it becomes to cultivate the World-Opening Path Fruit [the ultimate Path Fruit representing the power to open a new world or reality]."

"In contrast, ordinary Immortal [a cultivator who has ascended to immortality] who have not cultivated Path Principles [the fundamental laws and truths of the cultivation path] or an Immortal Body [a body refined to an immortal level of durability], find it somewhat simpler to condense a World-Opening Path Fruit."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen [the protagonist, a powerful cultivator] couldn't help but slightly furrow his brow.

In his heart, he understood that Verdant Consort was not mistaken. The more powerful a cultivator's World-Opening Foundation [the foundational power required to attempt World-Opening cultivation], the more difficult it becomes to fuse it all into a single, unified whole.

The more indestructible an Immortal's World-Opening True Body [a perfected immortal body capable of withstanding world-opening forces] is, and the more vast and mighty their Rule Power [the power to command and manipulate cosmic laws], the more arduous the task of condensing a Leakless Path Fruit [a perfect, flawless Path Fruit with no weaknesses] for World-Opening [the realm of creating one's own world] becomes.

It is akin to shaping an object. Clay can be molded into form with ease, while stone requires carving and chiseling with blade and axe, and Mystic Iron [a legendary, incredibly durable metal] demands a thousand hammer strikes and a hundred refinements.

Of course, once shaped, the objects are not equal. The clay shatters with a single fall, the stone can endure the wind and rain for a thousand years, and the Mystic Iron can be forged into a giant cauldron capable of suppressing mountains and rivers.

For the clay is loose and scattered, the stone is tenacious, and the Mystic Iron possesses a firmness that approaches Immortality [a state of supreme durability and permanence]. The three are simply incomparable.

In Eldrin Chen's view, the foundation of an ordinary Half-Step Earth Immortal [a cultivator halfway to becoming an Earth Immortal] with a single Path Fruit is like loose, scattered clay. Even if they were to condense a World-Opening Path Fruit, it would be utterly fragile and unable to withstand a single blow.

Some who have cultivated the World-Opening True Body [a divine physique capable of withstanding the forces of world creation], or condensed the World-Opening Rule [a fundamental law governing the act of creation], if they further coalesce a World-Opening Path Fruit [a foundational Dao fruit representing the power to open worlds], become as unshakable as a great mountain or a steadfast boulder. Such a foundation is sufficient to tread into the Seven Tribulations [the realm of seven heavenly tribulations] and even the Eight Tribulations Realm [the realm of eight heavenly tribulations].

For those possessing this dual World-Opening Foundation [a foundation built upon two aspects of world-opening power], their future prospects within the Earth Immortal [the realm of terrestrial immortals] are not poor. They possess a sliver of a chance to step into the Celestial Immortal [the realm of heavenly immortals], but that would require encountering a truly heaven-defying Opportunity and Fortune [a monumental stroke of destiny and luck].

Only those who have cultivated the Three Path Fruits [a foundation built upon three distinct Dao fruits] can have a foundation worthy of being called Immortality [the quality of being indestructible and eternal] Mystic Iron [a legendary, nearly indestructible spiritual metal].

For such beings, with the dual World-Opening Foundation of Path Principles [the fundamental truths of the Dao] and physical body, their foundation can already be considered as solid and unyielding as Immortality.

If one can take these two foundational pillars and, through a thousand refinements and a hundred temperings, forge them into perfect form, coalescing a flawless and impeccable Leakless Path Fruit [a Dao fruit with no flaws or weaknesses], it becomes as tenacious as hundred-times refined Mystic Iron, possessing an Immortality resilience sufficient to enter the realm of a Nine Tribulations Immortal [an immortal who has survived nine heavenly tribulations].

It is evident that both Heaven Abyss Path Master and Ancient Ruins Nether Lord were figures of this caliber. Continue reading this story at audio-novel . com.

They seized the Great Tribulation [a cataclysmic heavenly trial] as their Opportunity and Fortune, using its immense pressure to forge their indestructible Mystic Iron foundations into perfect shape. They coalesced a foundation of Trinity Unity [the perfect union of three into one], ultimately achieving the status of flawless and impeccable Nine Tribulations Immortals.

In comparison, the foundations of Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang were even more profound. Verdant Consort had also cultivated the Polarity Verdant Lotus Path [a supreme cultivation art of opposing verdant forces], placing her already beyond this domain.

Their foundations had perhaps transcended the realm of Immortality Mystic Iron. One might call them Nine Heavenly God [a realm of divine power] Iron without exaggeration, making the forging process naturally far more arduous.

Even with Exquisite Jiang's prodigious talent, in her original estimation, after cultivating both the Supreme Lunar Immortal Body [a peerless immortal physique aligned with the supreme moon] and the Great Five Elements Limitless Rule [the supreme law governing the boundless cycle of the five elements], it would still require at least several hundred thousand years to possibly coalesce a Leakless Path Fruit.

However, at this moment, having obtained the Path Source [the foundational essence of a cultivator's path] of a Nine Tribulations Immortal [an immortal who has survived nine heavenly tribulations], it is only by borrowing the power within this Path Source that she has the confidence to attempt condensing her Path Fruit [the ultimate crystallization of a cultivator's Dao, representing their mastery over a specific path].

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen felt a slight heaviness in his heart. He sighed and said, "Your foundation is overwhelmingly profound. To condense a flawless World-Opening Path Fruit [the highest grade of Path Fruit, signifying the potential to open one's own inner world] is indeed an endeavor of immense difficulty."

"Without external aid, it would likely require at least several hundred thousand, if not a million years to have any hope of success."

"And as for the external forces that could assist..."

Eldrin Chen paused, then continued with a sigh, "...there is really only the Nine Tribulations Path Source [the condensed path essence of a Nine Tribulations Immortal, an artifact of immense power and rarity]."

"A Nine Tribulations Path Source."

Hearing this, Verdant Consort could not help but reveal a bitter smile.

How exceedingly rare was a Nine Tribulations Immortal? Within the entire Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea [a vast and perilous sea region in the immortal realms], such beings were dazzling, peerless prodigies who stood above the masses.

Before the outbreak of this current Great Tribulation [a cataclysmic era of conflict and heavenly retribution], there were only slightly over a hundred Eight Tribulations Immortal [immortals who have survived eight heavenly tribulations], and the number of Nine Tribulations Immortal could be counted on one hand.

Generally speaking, unless they lacked the complete set of World-Opening Spiritual Root [a specific, rare type of spiritual root required for the highest cultivation breakthroughs], a Nine Tribulations Immortal would not remain at this realm for long.

This is because the Nine Tribulations state represents the Great Encompassing Potential. As long as one survives to the Half-Step Celestial Immortal Realm, the chance of breaking through to Celestial Immortal is at least twenty percent or higher. If one manages to open the Ninefold Heaven [the highest tier of internal spiritual worlds a cultivator can create], that chance soars to forty or fifty percent.

Such existences are thorns in the side of many. While Celestial Immortal Great Power [powerful cultivators who have ascended to the Celestial Immortal realm] might not stoop to personally intervene, adversaries at the Late Stage Earth Immortal or even Ninth Level Earth Immortal level would certainly not pass up such a golden opportunity.

The reason is that a Nine Tribulations Immortal has not yet undergone World-Opening [the critical process of creating one's internal world]. Their internal spiritual energy reserves are insufficient, leaving them utterly powerless against opponents whose combat strength surpasses the Late Stage Earth Immortal level.

However, once they break through to the World-Opening Realm, their internal spiritual energy multiplies severalfold, even nearing a tenfold increase. At that point, a Late Stage Earth Immortal would find it far more difficult to kill them.

At the very least, those who have opened eight layers of the Ninefold Heaven possess considerable self-preservation capabilities when facing a Late Stage Earth Immortal. Enjoyed this chapter? Read more at audio—novel.com.