Chapter 1370 : Seeking the Cosmic Flame Nexus

"Great Tribulation Flame [the purifying cosmic fire that marks the end of an era], Netherworld Energy [the primordial, chaotic essence of the underworld]."

Exquisite Jiang murmured inwardly, a contemplative expression settling upon her features.

After a moment of silent thought, she spoke. "An ordinary Great Tribulation Flame will likely prove insufficient. We must locate the crucial nexus point."

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod, his voice calm and measured. "Within the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea, the very heart of the Great Tribulation—where its power is most concentrated—is where the Great Tribulation Flame burns brightest."

"Deep beneath the Western Abyss Dragon Palace, at the boundary where the two realms of the Netherworld converge... that should be the most suitable nexus."

He continued, "However, to lay down the grand formation, my strength alone will not suffice. I shall require the aid of our fellow Daoists from the Immortal Alliance."

Exquisite Jiang inclined her head in agreement. "Then let us first return to the Returning Abyss Sea Region."

"…"

With those words, they delayed no further, setting their course directly for the Returning Abyss Sea Region.

The journey from Gale Wind Valley to the Returning Abyss Sea Region was vast, yet aided by the Polarity Void Mirror, they traversed the immense distance in a mere three years, arriving once more within its familiar waters.

After returning to the Returning Abyss Sea Region, Eldrin Chen immediately summoned all the Immortals of the Immortal Alliance to the Great Hall.

He informed them of the situation and then spoke, "To deploy this Heaven and Earth Furnace, we require one hundred and eight Immortal Treasure [enchanted artifacts of immense power wielded by Immortals] and six World-Opening Treasure [legendary treasures capable of shaping nascent worlds] to serve as the Formation Eye [the core anchors of a grand formation]."

"I am not lacking in these Immortal Treasure, but we also need the aid of one hundred and eight Immortal [beings who have transcended mortality] and six combatants with the power of Earth Immortal [a high-tier Immortal realm]. Therefore, I ask for your assistance in this endeavor."

The assembled Immortals nodded in understanding. Verdant Consort spoke with a gentle smile, "It has been over seven thousand years since the fall of Thousand Dragon Lake."

"In these seven millennia, the Immortal Alliance has welcomed one hundred and thirteen newly ascended Immortal. We certainly have sufficient personnel."

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen felt a wave of relief and allowed a smile to grace his features.

After the destruction of Thousand Dragon Lake, the Immortal Alliance had seized over five hundred Path Source [rare spiritual objects that can aid in comprehending the Dao and advancing one's cultivation]. As the existing Immortal within the Alliance could not fully utilize them all, Eldrin Chen had allocated three hundred of these to the Alliance's Primordial Spirit Path Lord [cultivators at the peak of the Primordial Spirit realm, on the cusp of Immortal ascension].

Benefiting from this, in recent years, the Immortal Alliance witnessed a Primordial Spirit Path Lord breaking through to the Ascendant Immortal Realm [the foundational realm of true Immortality] every few decades. The strength of the Alliance had surged forward with astonishing speed.

Now, the number of Immortal within the Returning Abyss Sea Region had reached one hundred and sixty-eight.

And of these one hundred and sixty-eight Immortal, the Chen Immortal Clan alone accounted for seventy-three.

The remaining newly ascended Immortal [a being who has transcended mortality through cultivation] were mostly disciples and followers of the various Immortal from the Purple Seal Realm, many of whom were descendants of those Immortal who had fallen in battle.

For the descendants of those fallen Immortal, Eldrin Chen showed no lack of generosity. The descendants of the Earth Mystery Path Venerable [a title for a venerable master of the Earth Mystery cultivation path], as well as the direct successors of the Stellar Palace and the Glazed Palace, each received several Path Source [a rare spiritual resource that aids in cultivation and path comprehension] as compensation for their loss.

Now, within the Returning Abyss Blessed Land, the Stellar Palace boasted seven Immortal, and the Glazed Palace also had six Ascendant Immortal [an immortal who has ascended to a higher state of being] Patriarch. Such strength was considered quite formidable even among Seventh Rank Immortal Sect [a sect of cultivators who have achieved immortality].

Furthermore, as members of the Returning Abyss Immortal Alliance, these sects leaned upon the mighty mountain that was the Alliance itself, granting them a status and prestige within the surrounding seas that was truly extraordinary.

"A clan with seventy-three Immortals. Today's Chen Immortal Clan is in no way inferior to the Lingering Sun Blessed Land of old," Eldrin Chen mused silently.

Having ascended for less than eighty thousand years, he had already amassed such a magnificent legacy. He suspected that even the distant ancestors of the Chen Clan would never have dared to dream of such an achievement.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen declared, "Since we have sufficient personnel, let us first mobilize an adequate force."

Given Eldrin Chen's prestige, no Immortal within the Immortal Alliance had any reason to refuse. Soon, the roster of one hundred and eight Immortal was finalized.

These Immortal were the finest chosen from among the multitude, including several who had reached the Half-Step Earth Immortal Realm [a transitional state just below the full Earth Immortal realm].

With this step complete, Eldrin Chen turned his gaze to Sun Consort, the Heaven Wind Path Master [a master of the Heaven Wind cultivation path], and the two Earth Immortal [an immortal whose power is deeply connected to the earth] from the Verdant Stream Ancient Sect. "I must trouble you all," he said respectfully. "I request your assistance in this endeavor."

"It is only right."

Upon hearing this, the several individuals all nodded. The Sun Consort then spoke, "For these final two Earth Immortal [powerful cultivators who have ascended to a terrestrial immortal state] to anchor the formation's core, how do you plan to arrange them?"

Eldrin Chen heard this, and a subtle light flickered in his eyes.

Ever since learning of the Celestial Prison Clan's retreat, figures like Heaven Abyss Path Master, Ancient Ruins Nether Lord, and Earth Spring Patriarch had already departed.

Within the current Returning Abyss Sea Region, aside from the immortals of the Returning Abyss Immortal Alliance, only those from the Glazed Blessed Land and the Verdant Stream Ancient Sect remained.

However, the Patriarch of Verdant Stream Ancient Sect had failed in his attempt to break through to the Late Stage Earth Immortal realm and was now in secluded meditation to heal his wounds, clearly unable to take action.

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen spoke, "We still lack two Earth Immortal. Exquisite can count as one, and the Verdant Consort can also count as one. For the final person, however, I wish to invite the Ancient Ruins Nether Lord."

The Sun Consort nodded upon hearing this and said, "The Ancient Ruins Nether Lord is a Netherworld Earth Immortal [an Earth Immortal whose power is attuned to the realms of the dead]. With him taking action, inscribing the formation patterns within the Netherworld Realm [the spiritual plane of ghosts and underworld energies] might enhance its efficacy even further."

"Since that is the case, let the matter be settled thus," declared Eldrin Chen, before adding, "I will send word to the Ancient Ruins Nether Lord, requesting his aid in this endeavor."

With that discussion concluded, the matter was sealed. The assembled immortals then took their leave one by one.

After the others had departed, Eldrin Chen retained five individuals: Kael Chen, Energy Abyss Chen, Alistair Ye, Literature Abyss Lu, and Fate Birth.

Gazing upon the figures before him, Eldrin Chen felt a measure of reassurance settle in his heart, and a faint smile touched his lips.

During the five millennia Eldrin Chen had been absent from the Returning Abyss Sea Region, the cultivators within the Immortal Alliance had all experienced varying degrees of advancement in their cultivation. The five present now represented those who had made the most significant strides.

Among them, both Kael Chen and Energy Abyss Chen had recently ventured beyond the Returning Abyss Sea Region, each slaying a Half-Step Earth Immortal [a cultivator on the verge of attaining the Earth Immortal realm]. Consequently, their combat prowess had seen substantial improvement.

Energy Abyss Chen had long ago cultivated both the Indestructibility Golden Body [an ultimate defensive physique] and the Solar Rule [a supreme yang-attribute divine ability]. Even before Eldrin Chen's departure, his foundation had already reached the level of Seven Tribulations [capable of withstanding seven heavenly tribulations].

Having now refined a Supreme-Grade Path Source [a pinnacle-grade source of primordial path energy], both of his World-Opening Foundation [the foundational cultivation bases required to open one's inner world] had been perfected. His combat strength had already entered the domain of the Eight Tribulations, lacking only the final step of condensing a Leakless Path Fruit [a flawless, self-contained cultivation core] to officially step into the Nine Tribulations Realm.

As for Kael Chen, his Demonic Buddha Path Fruit [a cultivation core merging demonic and Buddhist principles] had reached perfection, elevating his combat power into the Eight Tribulations Realm. Furthermore, his Path Fruit of the Daoist Tradition [a cultivation core based on orthodox Daoist methods] had also taken initial form.

Now, he too was but a single step away. He needed only to cultivate all three of his Path Fruit [cultivation cores representing different paths] to the World-Opening Realm, then fuse them into one, transforming them into a single Primordial Path Fruit [the primordial, unified cultivation core], to ascend to the Nine Tribulations Realm.

Contemplating this, Eldrin Chen looked at the two practitioners of the Mortal Path [a cultivation path that refines the mortal self] and remarked, "The Ancient Progenitor's foundation is nearly complete, and Elder Brother is also just one step away."

"Yet, since ancient times, how many prodigies who cultivated Three Path Fruits ultimately failed to set foot in the Nine Tribulations Realm?"

"It is evident that to cultivate the Great Encompassing Foundation [the foundational stage of cultivation], relying solely on arduous meditation is insufficient."

Eldrin Chen spoke slowly, then continued, "The 'Heaven and Earth as the Crucible' method I pioneered may also be of use to the two of you."

"However, this method is far too perilous; even a Nine Tribulations Immortal [an immortal who has survived nine heavenly tribulations] might be refined into tribulation ashes. It is not suitable for you."

Speaking to this point, Eldrin Chen retrieved a jade slip and said, "This method is my own esoteric art. You may simplify it, reducing its danger. Perhaps within tens of thousands of years, you could step into the Nine Tribulations Realm [the realm of an immortal who has endured nine heavenly tribulations]."