Chapter 1378 : Forging the World-Opening Blade

The two treasures in his hands were the Infernal Prison War Halberd and the Primal Radiance Heaven-Entombing Blade, both formidable High-Grade World-Opening Treasure [powerful artifacts used to assist in the creation of a new world or realm].

"Both of these treasures are supreme implements of Slaughter [a divine ability or concept centered on destruction and killing]. Which one do you think I should infuse?"

Gazing at the two artifacts, Eldrin Chen spoke up.

As the time for World-Opening [the monumental act of creating one's own inner world or domain] drew near, Eldrin Chen had spent the recent years in meticulous preparation.

To increase the certainty of success for such a grand endeavor, a superior World-Opening Treasure was essential. Thus, Eldrin Chen sought to further enhance the power of both the Infernal Prison War Halberd and the Primal Radiance Heaven-Entombing Blade.

In his possession was the Blazing Fiend Energy [a condensed, malevolent energy left behind by a powerful demonic entity] derived from the Blaze Lord of Heaven's Prison. By using the Primordial Unity Weapon Refining Path [an esoteric art for refining and empowering magical weapons] to fuse this energy into a World-Opening Treasure, its potency could be increased by half.

Both the Infernal Prison War Halberd and the Primal Radiance Heaven-Entombing Blade were aligned with the fire element, making them suitable vessels for this Blazing Fiend Energy.

Exquisite Jiang pondered for a moment before replying, "If the power of a High-Grade World-Opening Treasure were increased by another half, its might would likely reach seventy percent of a true World-Opening Supreme Treasure [the pinnacle grade of artifacts used for world creation]."

"Both the Primal Radiance Heaven-Entombing Blade and the Infernal Prison War Halberd are suitable. However, since this Blazing Fiend Energy and the Infernal Prison War Halberd share their origin with the Blaze Lord of Heaven's Prison, the fusion might yield results beyond our expectations."

"A sound point," Eldrin Chen agreed.

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen nodded in agreement, finding Exquisite Jiang's reasoning sound.

Having made his choice, he immediately channeled the Blazing Fiend Energy [a potent and malevolent energy source], infusing it into the Infernal Prison War Halberd using the Primordial Unity Weapon Refining Path [an ancient art for tempering and empowering weapons].

Unbeknownst to him, a powerful Fiendish Energy [a corrupt and destructive form of spiritual power] gradually took root within this High-Grade World-Opening Treasure [a top-tier artifact capable of shaping nascent worlds], its might steadily growing.

Only after a long while, when the Infernal Prison War Halberd had been tempered to its absolute limit, did Eldrin Chen discover its power had increased by half.

"A fine treasure indeed,"

Eldrin Chen murmured, testing its weight with a few practice swings. The Infernal Prison War Halberd felt perfectly balanced in his grip. Combined with the strength of his Primordial Chaos Indestructibility Body [a legendary physique of unyielding resilience], its power far surpassed that of an ordinary high-grade World-Opening Supreme Treasure.

"With this weapon in hand, should I encounter Blaze Lord of Heaven's Prison again, thirty moves would be more than enough to finish him."

Feeling the war halberd's formidable aura, Eldrin Chen could not help but voice his delight.

Watching him, Exquisite Jiang smiled and said, "By my reckoning, those two Spiritual Root [rare plants of immense spiritual value] of yours should be nearing maturity."

"Indeed," Eldrin Chen replied, his gaze turning inward. "The time for World-Opening [the profound act of creating one's own inner world, a major milestone in cultivation] is almost upon me."

Eldrin Chen murmured, a long-unfelt smile flickering in his heart.

He returned to the Returning Abyss Blessed Land and discovered that among the two Spiritual Root plants, the Primordial Chaos Ancient Maple had already successfully advanced, and the North Sea Great Toon was also at a critical moment of transformation.

The two waited another three hundred years, finally witnessing the North Sea Great Toon complete its advancement.

"The day has finally come."

Eldrin Chen whispered softly, gathering all the World-Opening Spiritual Root plants, and then stepped out of the Returning Abyss Blessed Land.

Within the Returning Abyss Sea Region, many Immortal cultivators sensed something and looked up towards Eldrin Chen.

They wished to witness the ceremony, but as Eldrin Chen had not invited them, their gazes held a questioning intent.

Eldrin Chen shook his head. Given his foundation, the outcome of his World-Opening [the act of opening one's inner world to become a World-Opening Patriarch] would undoubtedly be earth-shattering. To prevent the news from leaking, the fewer who knew, the better.

Therefore, Eldrin Chen shook his head again and spoke, "Today, I undertake my World-Opening, and it is not convenient for others to observe. I hope you do not take offense."

"Go forth, Honored One. We shall await good news in silence."

The assembled immortals were momentarily taken aback, then quickly grasped the likely reason. They nodded in unison.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod. He immediately stepped into the void, heading towards the location of the Dimensional Void.

Only a select few of his closest kin, such as Exquisite Jiang and Verdant Consort, followed him into the Dimensional Void to witness the ceremony.

"..."

Upon entering the boundless Dimensional Void, Eldrin Chen felt as though he had appeared within a singular point of origin, a place where Primordial Chaos [the primeval state before the separation of heaven and earth] had yet to be parted.

Heaven and earth remained undivided in Primordial Chaos. The void was a swirling mass of Chaos [the formless, primordial state of existence], where neither space nor time held any meaning.

It was oppressive, stifling, utterly silent, and pure Chaos.

"So this," Eldrin murmured, "is the place before Chaos was parted."

Eldrin Chen opened his eyes, attempting to draw a deep breath, only to find this space devoid of everything—including air itself.

Within this extreme, suffocating stillness, Eldrin Chen's eyes blazed with golden light. He gripped the Prison Flame War Halberd firmly.

"Since all is naught, I shall be the one to forge it anew!"

"BOOM!"

In that instant, the Prison Flame War Halberd swept out with a devastating horizontal strike. A torrent of immeasurable force surged through the Six Harmonies and the Eight Desolations, cleaving open the endless layers of void and dimension.

In a flash, countless billions of Li-lengths of void were sundered and given form. Layer upon layer of nascent heavens manifested before their eyes.

The First Heaven.

The Second Heaven.

The Third Heaven.

Until, finally, the Sixfold Heaven itself was rent asunder.

With a single blow—a strike powered solely by the might of his Primordial One Indestructibility Body channeled through the Prison Flame War Halberd, without even expending a wisp of his own spiritual energy—Eldrin Chen had shattered the Sixfold Heaven.

"So this," he mused, a flicker of disdain in his gaze, "is the legendary World-Opening."

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, a serene light flickering in his eyes.

Successively opening the Sixfold Heaven would likely be the limit for an ordinary Earth Immortal [a cultivator who has attained the Earth Immortal realm, a major milestone in the path to immortality].

Without the aid of various World-Opening Treasure [powerful artifacts specifically designed to assist in the creation of new worlds], it would be impossible to withstand the immense pressure relying solely on the power of the World-Opening True Body [a divine physique forged for the purpose of world creation].

Yet for Eldrin Chen, this was no longer a significant challenge.

His current Primordial One Indestructibility Body [a legendary physique of unparalleled resilience and power] had long since transcended the ultimate limits of the World-Opening True Body. Bearing the pressure of the Sixfold Heaven felt as trivial to him as a mortal donning a heavy cloak.

"Then let us continue," he declared.

Eldrin Chen spoke calmly. Relying on his physical strength alone, he grasped the Prison Flame War Halberd and swept through the Six Harmonies [a powerful spatial formation], cleaving through the boundless, misty void. Layer after layer of nascent heavens was sundered by his might.

The Seventh Heaven, the Eighth Heaven, the Ninefold Heaven [a legendary realm of nine layered heavens], and even the Ten-Layered Heaven were each split asunder, one after another.

After successively cleaving through the Ten-Layered Heaven, Eldrin Chen finally let out a slow, measured breath, feeling only a slight weariness.

The Ten-Layered Heaven, a realm unattainable for even a Nine Tribulations Immortal [an immortal who has survived nine heavenly tribulations], was, in the eyes of Eldrin Chen, nothing more than a minor obstacle.

During the moment of World-Opening [the act of creating one's own inner world], one must not only muster their full power to World-Opening, but also withstand the immense pressure of the heavens and earth converging upon them.

An ordinary Nine Tribulations Immortal [an immortal who has survived nine heavenly tribulations] lacks a sufficiently robust physical body. After opening a Ninefold Heaven [a nine-layered inner celestial realm], they feel as if bearing a colossal mountain. Even if they still possess spiritual power and a World-Opening Treasure [a specialized artifact used to stabilize the creation of an inner world], they have no remaining strength to continue the World-Opening process.

However, for Eldrin Chen, bearing the weight of a Ten-Layered Heaven [a ten-layered inner celestial realm] and earth was not a significant burden.

His physical body alone had already stepped into the Forbidden Domain [a legendary realm of physical prowess beyond normal limits]. Moreover, after condensing his Path Fruit [the crystallized essence of one's cultivated Dao], his bodily strength had increased even further.

While a Ten-Layered Heaven and earth may seem astonishing, in reality, it is merely one layer more than a Ninefold Heaven and earth, increasing the pressure borne by only ten percent.

And how could Eldrin Chen's Primordial One Indestructibility Body [a legendary physique of unbreakable unity and resilience] be merely twice as strong as that of an ordinary Nine Tribulations Immortal? It was far more powerful.

With such a formidable Primordial One Indestructibility Body, bearing a Ten-Layered Heaven and earth was trivial; it would have been sufficient to bear ten layers of Eighth Heaven and Earth [an eight-layered inner celestial realm].

Precisely because of this, Eldrin Chen, relying solely on the power of his physical body, had already succeeded in opening a Ten-Layered Heaven and earth.

At this moment, Eldrin Chen had a premonition. Perhaps the ultimate limit of the world he could open would not be determined by how many layers of heaven and earth he could bear, but rather by the insufficiency of his spiritual power and the inability of his World-Opening Spiritual Root [the foundational spiritual organ used to anchor and sustain an inner world] to provide adequate support.