Chapter 1384 : The Dragon Lord's Hidden Gambit

Even as Eldrin Chen stood guard over Gale Wind Valley, a subtle yet pivotal shift was already unfolding deep within the heart of the Great Tribulation [a cataclysmic event of immense scale and karmic consequence].

Within the Western Abyss Dragon Palace, the Dragon Palace Crown Prince had already suffered repeated, grievous wounds amidst the turmoil of the Great Tribulation.

On this day, witnessing the protective power of the Mountain Protection Formation [a grand defensive array] gradually wane, he could no longer remain seated. He sought out the Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace and spoke.

"Father, defeat is now certain. The defenses outside are on the verge of collapse."

"Should we not break out and fight our way through before the grand formation is completely breached?"

The Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace remained unperturbed, his expression unchanged. He drew a slow, deep breath, gathering and refining his own condition to its peak state.

Then, with a serene smile, he spoke. "Do not be hasty, my son. Your father has his own means to shatter the enemy."

"Truly?"

Seeing such confidence from the Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace, the Dragon Palace Crown Prince's face lit with hope. He immediately pressed, "What hidden card do you hold, Father? Why not deploy it swiftly?"

"All in good time."

The smile of the Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace was tinged with coldness as he looked at the Dragon Palace Crown Prince and said, "Once I break through to the Celestial Immortal Realm [the realm of true celestial beings], all those wretches outside will be nothing more than clay chickens and straw dogs."

"Break through to Celestial Immortal?"

The Dragon Palace Crown Prince revealed a look of wild joy, immediately exclaiming in surprise, "Father, are you truly confident of breaking through to the Celestial Immortal Realm?"

"Hmm, the accumulation for the Great Tribulation [the ultimate heavenly trial for ascension] has reached this point; only the final step remains."

The Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace spoke indifferently, then looked at the Dragon Palace Crown Prince and said, "However, I need one thing from you, my child, to have a greater certainty of success in my breakthrough."

Hearing this, the Dragon Palace Crown Prince felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding. He instinctively took a step back and said, "Whatever Father desires, this child will fetch it for you immediately."

"It is too late to leave now."

In that fleeting moment, the Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace activated three strange orbs to press down—they were none other than his Lifebound Supreme Treasure [a cultivator's most powerful artifact, bound to their very life force], the Triad Wonder Pearls.

The Dragon Palace Crown Prince tried to flee for his life but found he could scarcely muster his magical power. He instantly realized he had fallen victim to his father's scheme.

At this life-or-death juncture, the Dragon Palace Crown Prince cried out in terror, "Father! I am your own flesh and blood! Could you truly be so heartless?"

"Thud—"

With a resounding crash as he collapsed, the Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace activated the Triad Wonder Pearls to pulp him into a bloody paste, then sneered coldly, "This king has over thirty thousand direct sons. If one dies, I can simply sire more."

"That you could aid your father in attaining the Dao [the ultimate truth and path of cultivation] is not a waste of my years of nurturing you."

As his words fell, the Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace retrieved this Half-Step Celestial Immortal Realm Path Source [the condensed essence of a cultivator's cultivation path and life force] and produced three dazzling pieces of Fortune Path Gold [a rare metal imbued with the power of destiny and fortune, used in high-level cultivation], his gaze icy as he spoke.

"One Path Source from one who cultivated the Primordial Unity Path Fruit [a supreme cultivation achievement representing the unity of one's primal essence], plus three pieces of Fortune Path Gold, is sufficient for this sovereign to attempt the breakthrough to the Celestial Immortal Realm [a transcendent realm of immortality]."

"A pity. Before I was fully prepared, that old thing from the Celestial Prison Clan fled."

"Otherwise, had I obtained his Path Source, I might have had a chance to condense a third Primordial Unity Foundation [the foundational essence for cultivating the Primordial Unity Path Fruit]."

With these final words, the Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace swallowed the Path Source and began refining the Incense Offering Celestial Silver [a sacred, purified silver used in celestial rituals and high-level cultivation], commencing his assault on the Celestial Immortal Realm.

"..."

Eldrin Chen guarded Gale Wind Valley for three hundred years. He did not wait for an Eight Tribulations Demon Immortal [a demonic immortal who has survived eight heavenly tribulations] from the Dark Great Roc Lineage to emerge. Instead, he awaited—and received—news of earth-shattering, heaven-rending magnitude.

The Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace slew his own son to seize the Path Source [a primordial source of power tied to one's cultivation path], then refined the three Fortune Path Gold [a rare metal imbued with destiny-altering properties] proffered by the Demon Court. With boundless Fortune Power [the metaphysical force of luck and destiny] and a supreme-grade World-Opening Path Source [a source of power capable of initiating the creation of a new world], he launched his assault on the Celestial Immortal Realm.

The Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace possessed an exceptionally profound foundation, originally holding a four or five in ten chance of breaking through to the Celestial Immortal Realm. This final, all-or-nothing attempt, with no path of retreat, ultimately succeeded, allowing the Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace to achieve his breakthrough.

The moment the Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace ascended to become a Celestial Immortal, the situation on the battlefield was instantly and utterly reversed.

The five Half-Step Celestial Immortal [cultivators on the very cusp of the Celestial Immortal realm] from the Human Race and the Divine Clan clashed with the newly ascended Celestial Immortal of the Demon Race in a cataclysmic battle just beyond the Western Abyss Dragon Palace.

The conflict raged for three days and three nights, concluding with the utter defeat of the Human and Divine Races.

Among the Divine Clan, the Profound Heart Divine Spirit fell in battle. Vast Flame's World-Opening True Body [a divine physique capable of withstanding the forces of world creation] was shattered, and his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a high-level cultivator] only escaped by relying on a Void Treasure. The newly ascended Extinction Thunder God also fled, grievously wounded.

From the Human Race, the Divine Lord of Ye Ruins was also severely injured and forced to retreat. The Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace suffered heavy wounds as well, narrowly preserving his life by utilizing a Void Spiritual Treasure [a treasure capable of manipulating the void for escape or defense].

In this titanic struggle, however, the Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace himself did not emerge unscathed.

After all, he was a newly ascended Celestial Immortal, his foundation still unsteady, when he faced the combined assault of five Half-Step Celestial Immortal.

Among the five, the Divine Lord of Ye Ruins wielded the Primordial Unity Immortal Weapon known as the Primordial Unity Ruins Heaven Sword. Both the Vast Flame Divine Lord and the Profound Heart Divine Spirit also possessed Primordial Unity Ancient Talisman [powerful talismans from the dawn of creation], gifts from the Western Essence Grotto-Heaven.

Relying on such means at the Celestial Immortal level, they inflicted significant injuries upon the Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace.

Yet, that was the extent of their achievement. A Celestial Immortal Great Power remained a Celestial Immortal Great Power. Even with five Half-Step Celestial Immortal besieging him while wielding Primordial Unity Immortal Weapon and Ancient Talisman, their only path was ultimately one of defeat and retreat.

Facing five alone, the Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace forcefully slew one Profound Heart Divine Spirit amidst the encirclement. The remaining four instantly understood the tide had turned, scattering in all directions within moments.

It is said that after the five Half-Step Celestial Immortal fled in defeat, the Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace unleashed a great slaughter upon the Human and Divine Races.

Within the Hundred Demons Archipelago, he single-handedly slaughtered over one hundred Earth Immortal Patriarch and tens of thousands of Immortal from the Human and Divine Races.

This toll was only kept from being higher because many Earth Immortal Patriarch, sensing the dire turn, swiftly scattered and fled. Otherwise, all three hundred Earth Immortal from the Human and Divine Races present might have been utterly massacred.

And it did not end there. The Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace issued the Myriad Demons Conscription Decree, rallying the Demon Race of the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea to counterattack. He sought to turn the tide against the Human and Divine Races in the final millennium of the Great Tribulation, to wash away the hatred of this battle with blood.

"Great chaos has descended,"

murmured Eldrin Chen as he read the intelligence report in his hand, his heart instantly seized by profound shock.

He sighed, the weight of this news lingering in his mind, a burden he found difficult to release.

In that moment, he finally understood the true terror of a Celestial Immortal Great Power [a supreme cultivator who has ascended to the celestial realm]. A battle that had seemed nearly predetermined was utterly reversed in such a manner.

All schemes, calculations, hidden reserves, and grand momentum were rendered mere jokes before absolute power.

It was merely a single, newly ascended Celestial Immortal Great Power. Yet, the instant he broke through, everything was overturned.

From this day forth, he would gain the right to speak as an equal with the two great Grotto-Heaven [a blessed realm of profound spiritual energy] powers: Western Essence and Divine Abyss.

As for figures like Divine Lord of Ye Ruins, Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace, Blazing Radiance Divine Spirit, and Extinction Thunder God, they were no longer on the same level.

Unless they themselves stepped into the Celestial Immortal Realm, they would be nothing more than insects to be crushed.

Yet, judging by the immense difficulty of Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace's breakthrough this time, how arduous must the path to the Celestial Immortal Realm truly be?

It was not merely the uncertainty of one's own success; the true horror lay in the dreadful External Tribulation [a heavenly trial of immense power that tests a cultivator's worthiness]. Those who walked the path first would never wish to see others diminish their hard-won glory.

"Without becoming a Celestial Immortal, one remains but an ant."

Eldrin Chen sighed inwardly. He immediately decided to abandon his vigil for the Eight Tribulations Demon Immortal [a demonic cultivator who has survived eight heavenly tribulations] of the Dark Great Roc Bird Clan and prepared to return to the Returning Abyss Sea Region as a precaution.

Yet on this very day, within the confines of Gale Wind Valley, the Void Treasure [a legendary artifact capable of manipulating spatial forces] stirred. A figure of blinding radiance, clutching the supreme treasure, emerged and hastened with urgent purpose towards the direction of the Leaf Ruins Divine Sea.