Chapter 1355 : A Modest Refusal Amidst Shifting Tides

Understanding the cause and effect, Eldrin Chen felt a slight sense of relief settle in his heart.

With the departure of this top-tier Blessed Land of the Celestial Prison Clan, the power dynamics of the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas were destined for a complete reversal, and the pressure faced by the Returning Abyss Immortal Alliance would be significantly reduced.

Noting the change in Eldrin Chen's expression, Immortal Maiden Flowing Flame offered a gentle smile. "Now that the Celestial Prison Clan has withdrawn, the Demon Race forces in the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas will surely scatter like birds and beasts, no longer a cause for concern."

"Before long, our Flowing Fire Star Palace may intervene in the conflict at the Western Abyss Dragon Palace, to bring this calamity to a definitive end."

Here, Immortal Maiden Flowing Flame paused briefly before continuing. "You possess the means to slay a Late Stage Earth Immortal. Why not lend us your strength to quell this disaster once and for all?"

"This..."

Eldrin Chen's expression shifted slightly, yet he replied with a wry smile. "To be perfectly honest, I have not yet set foot into the Earth Immortal Realm. My methods and foundation are ultimately limited."

"My ability to kill the Lord of Thousand Dragon Lake was largely due to the power of the Formation, with the rest being the merit of the Immortal Alliance immortals and Verdant River Ancient Progenitor. How could I possibly claim the credit for slaying a Late Stage Earth Immortal?"

"With such capabilities, recklessly inserting myself into the heart of the Great Tribulation would be nothing but a quest for my own demise."

Hearing this, Immortal Maiden Flowing Flame's eyes flickered with a thoughtful light.

She did not press the matter, merely smiling as she said, "You are too modest, Fellow Daoist. With your ten-tribulation [having transcended ten heavenly tribulations] potential, it is entirely possible that in the future you may become only the second Celestial Immortal Great Power ever born from the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas."

"With your talent, in another ten million years, I might very well be the one calling you 'Senior'."

"You flatter me, Immortal Maiden."

Eldrin Chen replied with a slight smile.

With that, the purpose of Eldrin Chen's visit was fulfilled. However, an opportunity to converse with the Flowing Fire Star Palace was rare, and he wished to learn more about the Great Tribulation [a cataclysmic heavenly calamity that reshapes the cosmos].

After a moment of contemplation, he inquired, "Regarding this Great Tribulation, there is one matter I do not fully understand. Might I seek your insight, Immortal Maiden?"

"Oh?" Immortal Maiden Flowing Flame was momentarily surprised, then smiled. "Please, speak freely."

Seeing her assent, Eldrin Chen asked, "The forces of the Western Abyss Dragon Palace and the Celestial Prison Clan are, in truth, nearly evenly matched against the Leaf Ruins Divine Sea and the two Divine Spirits, Profound Heart and Vast Flame."

"Why then would they move against your sect, needlessly complicating the Tribulation [heavenly calamity]?"

"I thought you might ask about this."

Immortal Maiden Flowing Flame nodded slightly and spoke with a calm demeanor, "Because of the two Grotto-Heaven: Western Essence and Divine Abyss."

"This?"

Eldrin Chen was momentarily taken aback and couldn't help but ask, "Please enlighten me."

Immortal Maiden Flowing Flame offered a faint smile. As she casually poured a cup of tea, she said, "Fellow Daoist, you must also understand that the reason the Great Tribulation erupts within the Immortal Domain is a derivation of the Great Path of Heavenly and Earthly Cycles [the cosmic principle governing the endless cycle of creation and destruction]."

"Once the Great Tribulation erupts, besides countless Immortal [beings who have ascended to immortality] needing to face their tribulation, several key protagonists of the tribulation must also step forth to resolve it."

"Among the key protagonists of this tribulation, one side consists of the two Half-Step Celestial Immortal [cultivators on the verge of becoming Celestial Immortals] True Dragon [primordial dragon beings] from the Western Abyss Dragon Palace and the Heavenly Fiend Race. The opposing side is formed by the two Half-Step Celestial Immortal from the Divine Clan: Profound Heart and Vast Flame."

"In principle, with both sides balanced, they would clash endlessly within the Great Tribulation, until innumerable Immortal perish in the tribulation and the vital energy of the Immortal Domain is restored. This would achieve the purpose of the heavenly and earthly cycles."

"This is the great momentum of heaven and earth, the Great Path of Heavenly and Earthly Cycles, which not even a Celestial Immortal Great Power [a supreme being who has ascended to the Celestial Immortal realm] can defy."

Immortal Maiden Flowing Flame paused briefly, her eyes gleaming with a sharp light as she continued, "However, while the great momentum of the Heavenly Path [the supreme, ineffable law of the cosmos] cannot be altered, minor currents within it can indeed be reversed."

"Within the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea, the Divine Clan's Western Essence Grotto-Heaven [a blessed, self-contained paradise realm] resides aloft in the Nine Heavens [the highest celestial realms], while the Human Race's Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven lies hidden deep within the Divine Abyss."

"They have reigned supreme, gazing down upon the Mortal Dust for countless eons. Naturally, they are loath to see another True Dragon Grotto-Heaven arise within the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea, or to witness the emergence of a Heaven's Prison Grotto-Heaven."

She spoke with measured grace, her expression growing solemn. "A Celestial Immortal Great Power whose presence illuminates the Myriad Heavens stands as the most supreme existence within the Immortal Domain."

"Although they cannot yet directly defy the Heavenly Path and intervene personally, they have grasped a portion of the Heavenly Path Authority over the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea. This allows them to alter the minor currents of fate within this stretch of heaven and earth."

"Alter the minor currents?"

"Indeed." Immortal Maiden Flowing Flame gave a slight nod before continuing. "By paying a certain price, they can cause a Half-Step Celestial Immortal to be drawn into the tribulation, thereby adding another opponent for the Western Abyss Dragon Palace and the Celestial Prison Clan."

"For instance, they could compel a top-tier Earth Immortal Blessed Land that possesses a Half-Step Celestial Immortal to intervene, or even directly dispatch such a being themselves."

"Of course, considering the balance of the Heavenly Path, and under the influence of two Grotto-Heaven, introducing one existence at the level of a Half-Step Celestial Immortal is already the limit."

"Otherwise, Grotto-Heaven from the Demon Race outside the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea would also find an opportunity to meddle in the Great Tribulation, allowing more Demon Race Half-Step Celestial Immortal to interfere."

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

At this moment, he finally understood why the Celestial Prison Clan and the Western Abyss Dragon Palace had sought to drag the Flowing Fire Star Palace into the tribulation.

This was truly a move born of desperation, for the two Grotto-Heaven [a higher-dimensional realm of profound spiritual energy and laws], Western Essence and Divine Abyss, would never sit idly by and watch the Demon Race and the Celestial Prison Clan rise to power; they would inevitably intervene in the unfolding Great Tribulation [a cataclysmic era of conflict ordained by fate].

If they did not drag the Flowing Fire Star Palace into the tribulation, the formidable foe they would face now would likely be a Half-Step Celestial Immortal [a cultivator on the very cusp of ascending to the Celestial Immortal realm] who had opened a Ninefold Heaven [a supreme-grade Grotto-Heaven realm].

After all, the two Grotto-Heaven, Western Essence and Divine Abyss, would not speak of fairness with them. Once they intervened, they would surely act with their full might, aiming to strangle the nascent True Dragon Grotto-Heaven and Heaven's Prison Grotto-Heaven in their cradles.

Contemplating this, Eldrin Chen began to understand the helplessness felt by the Western Abyss Dragon Palace and the Celestial Prison Clan Patriarch.

They too did not wish for another adversary, but with the two Grotto-Heaven of the Human Race and the Divine Clan [a race of beings born with divine power] looming above them, they truly had no choice.

Under such circumstances, pulling the Flowing Fire Star Palace into the tribulation early—adding a relatively weaker Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace as an opponent—was far preferable to facing a top-tier Half-Step Celestial Immortal who had opened a Ninefold Heaven.

With these thoughts, Eldrin Chen offered a bitter smile. "Our Human Race and the Divine Clan hold the mandate of heaven and earth. It seems that within the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea, for the Demon Race and the Hundred Immortal Spirit Races [a collective term for numerous spirit races with immortal potential] to rise, the path is fraught with ten thousand hardships."

"It is only because the two Supreme Grotto-Heaven [the highest grade of Grotto-Heaven realms] have sealed their mountains and withdrawn from the world during the outbreak of the Great Tribulation that the Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace's attempt to charge into the Celestial Immortal Realm [the realm of true celestial beings] is not simply a fool's errand leading to certain death."

"It is precisely so,"

Immortal Maiden Flowing Flame nodded in agreement before speaking. "Even with the abundance of the Immortal Domain [the overarching realm where immortals dwell], the resources of heaven and earth have their limits. Moreover, the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea is one of the most spiritually barren great domains within the Vast Azure Immortal Domain."

"For the two Grotto-Heaven realms of Western Essence and Divine Abyss, it was only natural they would be unwilling to let others take a share of the spoils."

Speaking of this, Immortal Maiden Flowing Flame gave a bitter laugh. "It's not just the Western Abyss Dragon Palace and the Celestial Prison Clan. Even our own Flowing Fire Star Palace, if we wished to see a newly ascended Supreme Grotto-Heaven emerge, it's likely those two Grotto-Heaven would be less than pleased."

"At the very least, Western Essence Grotto-Heaven would certainly intervene. Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven, being of the same Human Race as us, might not actively obstruct the path, but they would most likely stand by and watch with cold indifference."

At this point, Immortal Maiden Flowing Flame couldn't help but glance at Eldrin Chen, her gaze holding a flicker of shared understanding and mutual plight.