Chapter 1354 : Vigil Beyond the Flaming Palace
Regarding this, Eldrin Chen was actually supportive as well.
However, considering the inherent risks, Eldrin Chen still stated: "Leave the various Demon Race factions within the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas to you all. I will venture beyond the Flowing Fire Star Palace to monitor the movements of the Celestial Prison Clan."
"Very well."
Upon hearing this, Ancient Ruins Nether Lord nodded in agreement.
Everyone understood clearly that the true formidable enemies within the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas at present were all located outside the Flowing Fire Star Palace.
Aside from the Flowing Fire Star Palace, the remaining Demon Race forces, while not weak, no longer posed a significant threat to the coalition from the Returning Abyss Sea Region.
Their sole concern was that the Celestial Prison Clan might intervene against them while they were cleansing the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas.
It must be understood that the strength of the Celestial Prison Clan was unfathomably deep. Even disregarding their several dozen Earth Immortal Patriarch [powerful cultivators who have attained the Earth Immortal realm], the power of the Celestial Prison Clan Patriarch alone was sufficient to utterly annihilate the Returning Abyss Immortal Alliance.
Therefore, the success of cleansing the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas truly hinged on whether they could keep the Celestial Prison Clan under surveillance.
Eldrin Chen, possessing the Polarity Void Mirror [a mystical artifact capable of traversing the void], was the ideal candidate to monitor the Celestial Prison Clan, able to move freely and undetected through the void.
Having grasped this point, none of them voiced any objections.
Seeing this, Eldrin Chen spoke up, "Then you all should prepare the army for battle. I will go to the area outside the Flowing Fire Star Palace to see how the situation of the war there stands now."
"..."
True to his word, Eldrin Chen wasted no time and immediately flew towards the Returning Abyss Sea Region.
He traversed the Boundless Sea Region and, before he knew it, arrived at the periphery of the Flowing Fire Star Palace. However, the moment he reached the area outside the star palace, he sensed something was amiss.
Logically, the area outside the Flowing Fire Star Palace should have been tightly besieged by the Celestial Prison Clan. Yet, at present, there was not a single member of the Celestial Prison Clan to be seen around the Flowing Fire Star Palace.
Instead, numerous cultivators of the Human Race were busily working, seemingly repairing the Mountain Protection Formation of the Flowing Fire Star Palace.
Even beyond the palace grounds, quite a few cultivators were scavenging for spoils of war.
"This isn't right,"
he murmured. "Could it be... the Celestial Prison Clan has withdrawn its forces?"
Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, a flicker of surprise coloring his expression.
After observing the area thoroughly once more, confirming that no forces of the Celestial Prison Clan [a powerful clan known for its ruthless and oppressive nature] remained outside the Flowing Fire Star Palace, he finally concealed his aura and stepped out.
He located a middle-aged cultivator who was still scavenging the battlefield and immediately inquired, "Young friend, might I ask why the forces of the Celestial Prison Clan are no longer to be found outside the Flowing Fire Star Palace?"
The middle-aged cultivator's cultivation was merely at the Infant Soul Realm [the stage where a cultivator's nascent soul is formed]. Unable to perceive Eldrin Chen's true depth, he replied respectfully, "Senior, have you come to lend your aid as an Immortal [a being who has transcended mortality through cultivation]?"
"Hmm."
Eldrin Chen offered no further reply, tacitly confirming the assumption.
Seeing this, the middle-aged cultivator grew animated. "Three months ago, the Celestial Prison Clan was relentlessly assaulting the Mountain Protection Formation [a defensive barrier array]. Then, for reasons unknown, they suddenly withdrew."
"The Immortal of the Star Palace were uncertain if it was a ruse. They waited a full three months before allowing us to emerge, declaring that the Celestial Prison Clan had truly retreated."
Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod. After a few more clarifying questions, he confirmed that the Celestial Prison Clan had indeed withdrawn. Only then did he step forward fully and release the full weight of his own aura.
The moment his presence washed over the area, it swiftly drew the attention of the Flowing Fire Star Palace.
Not long after, three figures emerged from within the Flowing Fire Star Palace.
Eldrin Chen cast a glance and saw that all three were Patriarch of the Earth Immortal Realm. The leader, whose cultivation was at the sixth level of Earth Immortal, was a voluptuous and graceful female immortal.
Upon seeing Eldrin Chen, the woman immediately smiled and inquired, "Might our visitor be Fellow Cultivator Eldrin?"
"Indeed, it is I."
Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod, exchanging polite greetings with the group.
Perhaps aware of Eldrin Chen's formidable reputation, the Flowing Fire Star Palace did not show any discourtesy. They promptly escorted Eldrin Chen to the Guest Reception Isle.
On that isle, they sat facing one another. After introductions were made, Eldrin Chen gained a general understanding of their identities.
The three individuals before him were the Grand Elder, the Fifth Elder, and the Seventh Elder of the Flowing Fire Star Palace.
The Grand Elder was precisely that female immortal of the Sixth Level Earth Immortal realm. Her daoist title was Immortal Maiden Flowing Flame. She had opened a Sixfold Heaven [a personal inner world formed at the Earth Immortal stage, representing one's cultivation foundation], ranking her among the notable powerhouses of the current Flowing Fire Star Palace.
At this moment, Immortal Maiden Flowing Flame was exceedingly courteous. Her beautiful eyes rested on Eldrin Chen as she said with a smile, "We have heard, Fellow Daoist, that you slew the Lord of Thousand Dragon Lake and, in a single battle, laid waste to the Thousand Dragon Lake."
"Such an achievement is truly rare throughout the ages. I am deeply impressed," she said.
"You are too kind. This victory was achieved with the aid of all our fellow cultivators; it is not my merit alone," he replied modestly.
Eldrin Chen spoke courteously, unwilling to dwell on the topic. He inquired instead, "I have heard that the Celestial Prison Clan has withdrawn its forces. Is this true?"
"If you had not come today, I was planning to inform you of this matter," she said.
Upon his question, Immortal Maiden Flowing Flame began to explain. "In recent days, the Celestial Prison Clan has indeed retreated."
Hearing this, Eldrin Chen felt a slight sinking in his heart and immediately asked, "Do you know where the Celestial Prison Clan has gone?"
"They have gone to the Leaf Ruins Divine Sea, to reinforce the Western Abyss Dragon Palace," she stated.
Immortal Maiden Flowing Flame then proceeded to narrate the entire sequence of events in detail.
As her story unfolded, Eldrin Chen gradually understood the cause and effect of the situation.
It turned out the reason for the Celestial Prison Clan's withdrawal was a turning point in the war between the Western Abyss Dragon Palace and the Leaf Ruins Divine Sea.
The conflict between the Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace and the Divine Lord of Ye Ruins lies at the very heart of the Great Tribulation unfolding within the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea.
Among the Human, Demon, and Divine races, a full five Half-Step Celestial Immortal are locked in fierce contention there.
The Celestial Prison Clan and the Western Abyss Dragon Palace had joined forces to initiate this Great Tribulation, intending first to shatter the Flowing Fire Star Palace before turning their aid to the Western Abyss Dragon Palace.
Yet, to their utter astonishment, the war in the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas has consistently turned against them.
In this conflict, the Thousand Dragon Lake was the Celestial Prison Clan's greatest asset. Unfathomably, within the Heavenly Demon Sea, the forces of Thousand Dragon Lake were lured into a trap by the Returning Abyss Immortal Alliance and hundreds of their Immortal were slain.
Subsequently, the entire might of Thousand Dragon Lake was shattered within the Returning Abyss Sea Region. With their greatest ally lost, the Celestial Prison Clan found their assault on the Flowing Fire Star Palace perpetually stalled.
This setback alone might not have been fatal. Given another few thousand years, the Celestial Prison Clan, bolstered by the power of their World-Opening Ancient Ship, could still have breached the Cosmic Stellar Formation and utterly annihilated the Flowing Fire Star Palace.
But the tides of war grant no such luxury of time.
For not long ago, in the great war between the Western Abyss Dragon Palace and the Divine Clan, the Profound Heart Divine Spirit finally broke the stalemate.
In that pivotal battle, the Profound Heart Divine Spirit deployed a trump card obtained from the Western Essence Grotto-Heaven—a single, immeasurably precious Ninth Rank Ancient Talisman.
Relying on this trump card, the Profound Heart Divine Spirit shattered the grand formation of the Demon Race and, in a single decisive strike, slew three top-tier Ninth Level Earth Immortal [powerful cultivators who have ascended to the ninth and penultimate stage of the Earth Immortal realm] and seven Eighth Level Earth Immortal [powerful cultivators at the eighth stage of the Earth Immortal realm].
After this battle, the tide of war in the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea reversed. The two Half-Step Celestial Immortal [cultivators on the very cusp of ascending to the Celestial Immortal realm] of the Western Abyss Dragon Palace found themselves besieged and, within a few short years, were forced to retreat from several sea regions.
Among the fallen top-tier Earth Immortal were two Elder from the Celestial Prison Clan.
Faced with such a dire situation, continuing the fight risked a complete rout for the Western Abyss Dragon Palace. Naturally, the Celestial Prison Clan Patriarch dared not prolong the grueling war against the Flowing Fire Star Palace any further.
Thus, almost overnight, the Celestial Prison Clan Patriarch led his great army to reinforce the Western Abyss Dragon Palace.