Chapter 1399 : Across the Nether Abyss Sea

On the opposite shore of the Divine Abyss Sea lay a stretch of sea of profound and absolute darkness.

Within its depths, molten rock and malevolent miasma were rampant, staining the very waters a pitch-black hue.

"One of the Seven Seas of the Azure Firmament Immortal Domain, the Nether Abyss Purgatory Sea?"

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, a pensive gleam flashing in his eyes. It was said the Nether Abyss Purgatory Sea was dominated by Demonic Cultivator [cultivators who follow unorthodox, often cruel and blood-based paths to power], its cultivation environment even more brutal, yet also more bountiful than the Western Qi Divine Abyss Sea. Correspondingly, the number of powerful beings within the Nether Abyss Purgatory Sea was also greater.

To his knowledge, the Nether Abyss Purgatory Sea boasted a full Seven Great Grotto-Heavens [profound spiritual realms, often semi-independent paradises or powerful sects' headquarters]. Among them were Demonic CultivatorGrotto-Heaven, Unorthodox [practitioners of heterodox, non-standard cultivation arts]Grotto-Heaven, and even heretical sect Grotto-Heaven.

Zenyu the Prison-Keeper, whom Eldrin Chen had befriended in the past, was a disciple of the Purgatory Grotto-Heaven, the second-ranked among the Seven Great Grotto-Heavens of the Nether Abyss Purgatory Sea.

The Sky Abyss Daoist beside him noticed Eldrin Chen's expression and followed his gaze.

Seeing him look towards the Nether Abyss Purgatory Sea, he frowned slightly and said, "In recent years, the Nether Abyss Purgatory Sea has grown increasingly chaotic, and its power has swelled accordingly."

"I've heard that the Seven Great Grotto-Heavens of the Nether Abyss Purgatory Sea actually joined forces to expel the Demon Court [a powerful alliance or empire of demonic beings], the Divine Court [a pantheon or alliance of divine beings and their followers], and the Celestial Court [the heavenly bureaucracy of orthodox immortals] from their domain."

"Such lawlessness... I fear it may become a great calamity for the entire Azure Firmament Immortal Domain in the future." Support the author by reading on www . audio-novel.com.

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen could not help but frown slightly, a crease forming between his brows.

That Nether Abyss Purgatory Sea [one of the Thirty-Three Heavens, now a demonic wasteland] was the place where an Ancient Demon [a primordial entity of immense power] had fallen. Legend held that the strength of that Ancient Demon back then had nearly placed half a foot into the Great Luo Golden Immortal Realm [the supreme realm of immortality].

It was said that Ancient Demon had already weathered eight Calamity Tribulation [cosmic trials of immense destructive power], lacking only the final step to truly set foot into the Great Luo Golden Immortal Realm.

It was said that, in its quest to break through to the Great Luo Golden Immortal Realm, that Ancient Demon had infiltrated the Azure Firmament Immortal Domain [a vast and prosperous region of the immortal world] to covet the Immortal Domain's Primordial Source [the foundational, primordial energy of creation].

The result was a collective defense mounted by the Azure Firmament Immortal Domain. Several Ancient Immortals [immortal beings who have existed since antiquity] of great power joined forces, leading a siege by hundreds of Heavenly Immortal Paragon [peak-level Heavenly Immortals] before they finally managed to slay it.

Yet the price of that battle was immeasurably steep. Afterwards, the Azure Firmament Immortal Domain's Deep-Seated Foundation [its accumulated reserves of power and fortune] was nearly halved, with over three hundred Heavenly Immortal Paragon perishing.

Even among the seven Ancient Immortals who participated in the siege, four met their end. After the Ancient Demon's death, the Great Dao Power [power imbued with fundamental cosmic laws] within its body corrupted the Nether Abyss Purgatory Sea, transforming a once-sacred paradise into a hellish purgatory for Demonic Cultivator [cultivators who follow a path of demonic or malevolent energy].

The Nether Abyss Purgatory Sea, one of the Thirty-Three Heavens, broke free from the control of the Immortal Domain's Heavenly Dao [the cosmic law and order of the immortal world], becoming a haven for Demonic Cultivator and practitioners of Unorthodox Path [heretical or forbidden cultivation arts].

Even the entire western region of the Azure Firmament Immortal Domain, encompassing six heavenly domains, was profoundly affected.

The once exceedingly prosperous Sixfold Heavens [the collective name for those six western domains] saw their cultivation environment deteriorate significantly, with the ambient Primordial Essence Power [the primordial spiritual energy of heaven and earth] dropping by more than half compared to ancient times. "Even the Heavenly Dao power of the Immortal Domain cannot control the Nether Abyss Purgatory Sea." "Was that Ancient Demon of yore truly so formidable?"

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, his eyes flickering with a trace of solemnity. As they conversed, they had unknowingly flown to the outskirts of the Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen set aside his thoughts and spoke: "Let us first enter the Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven and see what this Barter Convention has to offer."

This auction was not held within the depths of the Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven, but rather within the Divine Abyss Immortal City.

Above the Divine Abyss Sea, three thousand Immortal Island floated suspended in the Firmament, their interiors dense with immortal palaces and divine pavilions stretching into the distance, resembling the Ancient Celestial Court from Myth.

The Divine Abyss Immortal City was situated at the heart of these three thousand Immortal Island, serving as the public face of the Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven and one of the largest immortal cities within the Western Qi Divine Abyss Sea.

Upon arriving at the Divine Abyss Immortal City, they discovered that the Barter Convention was still three hundred years from commencing. Yet, even now, the city had already gathered several thousand Earth Immortal Progenitor.

Those at the Ascension to Immortality Realm, the true Immortal, numbered over one hundred thousand, while cultivators below the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] were beyond counting.

"What a magnificent immortal city," Lyra Jiang could not help but sigh in admiration. "If one owned a shop here, selling even the simplest of goods could likely sustain an entire Earth Immortal Blessed Land."

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen nodded in agreement.

Since embarking on his cultivation path, Eldrin Chen had witnessed countless marketplaces and trading hubs.

In his memories, cultivators were always a rare sight. Often, an entire day could pass in a market without a single one being seen.

In some markets frequented by those at the Immortal Rank [a realm of cultivation transcending mortality] and above, there were shops that might not make a single sale for centuries.

Although Eldrin Chen had established a market within the Abyssal Sea Region, true Immortal [a cultivator who has ascended to immortality] figures were still a rare sight within it.

While the Immortal Alliance now boasted over two hundred Immortal, these beings would often enter secluded cultivation for hundreds or even a Millennium [a period of one thousand years]. It was common for several Millennium to pass without them visiting a market even once.

Thus, in the Abyssal Ruins Immortal Market, an Immortal might arrive only once every few years, or even a dozen years. Their presence was not something one could expect to see on an ordinary day. In contrast, shops catering to Golden Core [the third major realm of cultivation, where one forms a golden spiritual core] and Nascent Soul Realm [the fourth major realm, where the cultivator's soul takes nascent form] cultivators bustled with a constant stream of visitors.

The sight before him in Divine Abyss Immortal City was utterly unexpected for Eldrin Chen. Here, Earth Immortal [an immortal whose power is deeply tied to the earthly realm] and Immortal cultivators were as numerous as the stars, beyond counting. Original English translation available at @udio-novel.com.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen could not help but ask, "After the Great Tribulation [a cataclysmic heavenly calamity that tests cultivators], seven or eight out of every ten Immortal in the Western Qi Divine Abyss Sea were supposed to have perished. How can there still be so many?"

"Most are from the Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven [a secluded paradise realm, a pocket dimension of immense spiritual richness]," replied Sky Abyss Daoist with a hint of envy.

"A single Supreme Grotto-Heaven [the highest class of grotto-heaven, a near-perfect independent realm] can shelter at least one hundred thousand Immortal from the tribulation's grasp," he continued.

"It is said that within this Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven, there are over a million Immortal," he concluded, "and they are all ancient immortals who have lived for hundreds of thousands, even millions of years."

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

A single Grotto-Heaven [a superior realm of existence, a paradise for cultivators] could shelter over a million Immortal [beings who have transcended mortality and attained immortality]. These ancient immortals had lived for hundreds of thousands, even tens of millions of years.

Even if they had not entered the great tribulations and their own strength progressed slowly, after tens of millions of years of cultivation, even a pig would have reached the Ninth Level of Ascension to Immortality [the pinnacle of the Immortal Realm, just one step below the Earth Immortal stage]. "Over a million beings at the Ninth Level of Ascension to Immortality."

Eldrin Chen drew a deep breath. By this reckoning, did it not mean that the power of a single Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven alone surpassed that of all the countless Immortal born across the entire Western Qi Divine Abyss Sea?

He made a rough estimate. If one set aside the various Blessed Land [realms of spiritual abundance, lesser than Grotto-Heavens], the strength of this Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven truly seemed sufficient to eclipse the Immortal produced over a million years within the Western Qi Divine Abyss Sea.

"It seems these Grotto-Heaven and Abode of Bliss [the highest tiers of cultivator realms and sanctuaries] are the true Deep-Seated Foundation [the profound, enduring bedrock of power] within each Immortal Domain [a region or world inhabited by immortals]."

"In comparison, low-tier Rogue Cultivator [cultivators without a sect or clan] who are Immortal face tribulations every million years; most do not live to see a second million."

"Only by breaking through to Earth Immortal [an immortal who has fused with a small world, gaining immense longevity and power] and relying on the shelter of an Earth Immortal World [the personal small world of an Earth Immortal] can one's disciples enjoy peace for tens of millions of years."

Eldrin Chen sighed, a wave of profound reflection washing over him.

He did not dwell on it further. Gazing at the immortal city, he said, "Since the Barter Convention [a grand gathering for the exchange of rare cultivation resources] is still some time away, let us first explore this Divine Abyss Immortal City."

As they spoke, the group began to tour the Divine Abyss Immortal City [a legendary city of cultivators, vast and filled with wonders].

The Divine Abyss Immortal City was immeasurably vast, a place where one could purchase the vast majority of Immortal Rank Rare Treasures [precious items and materials of the highest grade, coveted by powerful cultivators].

Eldrin Chen, finding a rare moment of leisure, strolled idly through the city's grand avenues. Yet, before long, a subtle tremor passed between his brows, and his footsteps faltered.

Noticing this, Lyra Jiang asked with surprise, "Husband, what is it?"

Eldrin Chen did not answer immediately. With a flick of his sleeve, a single, ancient-looking Verdant Leaf Flying Sword [a sword that can be controlled by spiritual will to fly and attack] flew forth.

The moment the Verdant Leaf Immortal Sword appeared, it emitted a faint, peculiar glow and began to fly of its own accord into the distance. Dive deeper into the Dao at audio novel.com.