Chapter 1408 : A Wounded Star and Hidden Blades

"While this is partly due to the Eightfold Heavenly Dragon Diagram [a legendary defensive treasure depicting eight celestial dragons], it also clearly shows that Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace is gravely wounded, his strength far from its peak."

Upon hearing this, the several women nodded, smiles gracing their features.

A Half-Step Celestial Immortal [a cultivator who has partially transcended the Earth Immortal realm] wielding the power of the Primordial Unity Foundation [a supreme cultivation art representing the foundational unity of all creation] possesses combat prowess that far exceeds the limits of an Earth Immortal [an immortal whose power is anchored to the mortal world].

Logically, the might of such a supreme being should allow him to defeat even ten Earth Immortal Great Perfection [an Earth Immortal who has reached the pinnacle of their realm] in a joint assault, picking them off one by one.

Yet now, even with the aid of three other Earth Immortal Great Perfection, he could not slay Seven Mystery Path Master. While the Eightfold Heavenly Dragon Diagram played a part, it is evident his combat strength has indeed declined severely.

"Master of Flowing Fire's strength is likely only five or six-tenths of what it once was,"

Eldrin Chen murmured softly before speaking aloud, "Perhaps three to five Earth Immortal Great Perfection joining forces could barely manage to stand against him."

"Mm." Exquisite Jiang nodded, then shook her head. "With our current combined strength, the four of us can at most rival a single Earth Immortal Great Perfection. We are still far from being able to confront him."

Nyssa Qu also inclined her head in agreement and asked, "We concealed our presence in this battle. I wonder if they discovered any trace of us."

Verdant Consort pondered for a moment before replying, "The Infernal Prison War Halberd [a formidable polearm weapon imbued with the power of a hellish prison] we unleashed... those who know this treasure fell into our hands can be counted on one hand, and they are trusted friends."

"Back then, they joined forces with us to slay Blaze Lord of Heaven's Prison [a powerful lord of the Celestial Prison Clan], thereby thwarting the schemes of Celestial Prison Clan Patriarch. To avoid being purged in retaliation by Celestial Prison Clan Patriarch, they would certainly never let that news spread."

"Furthermore, Celestial Prison Clan has now lost the majority of its high-end combat power. To prevent others from perceiving their weakness, they surely would not proactively announce the death of Blaze Lord of Heaven's Prison either."

Eldrin Chen nodded, then spoke, "If that is the case, their primary suspicion should logically fall upon Celestial Prison Clan."

"After all, Celestial Prison Clan holds a deep-seated grudge against Flowing Fire Star Palace. Sabotaging the machinations of Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace would be perfectly within reason for them."

Seeing this, Exquisite Jiang immediately spoke up, "Regardless, we have now offended three cultivators at the Earth Immortal Great Perfection [the pinnacle stage of the Earth Immortal realm]."

"To prevent them from suspecting us, we must return swiftly to the Returning Abyss Sea Region."

"Agreed."

Eldrin Chen gave a firm nod and immediately led the group towards the Returning Abyss Blessed Land.

Thus, time flowed like a swift river. In the blink of an eye, over a year had passed, and they finally arrived back within the Returning Abyss Blessed Land.

Upon returning to the Blessed Land [a land imbued with potent spiritual energy], Eldrin Chen wasted no time. He first produced all two hundred plus Spiritual Root [rare plants that channel and concentrate spiritual energy], then began the task of distributing them.

Gazing upon these Spiritual Root [rare plants that serve as the foundation of spiritual energy in a region], he spoke, "Within the worlds we have opened, it is best for each layer of heaven to be planted with a Spiritual Root whose attributes align with its World's Origin [the fundamental source energy from which a world is born]."

Upon hearing this, Exquisite Jiang spoke, "You choose first."

Eldrin Chen nodded without further comment, then fell into contemplation as he looked at the two hundred Spiritual Root before him. These two hundred-plus Spiritual Root encompassed nearly every attribute of the Polarity [the fundamental forces of Yin and Yang], the Three Anomalies [the three rare and powerful spiritual anomalies], and the Five Elements [the foundational elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth].

"Simply select them one by one, following the principles of the Six Heavens and Seven Realms [the cosmological structure of the universe]."

Eldrin Chen murmured to himself, then turned his gaze to the six heavens within his Earth Immortal World [a self-contained world created and governed by an Earth Immortal cultivator].

Within the world he had opened, the six heavens were divided into the Grotto Abyss Heaven, the Primordial Solar Heaven, the Stellar Heaven, the Void Cosmos Heaven, the Aurora Heaven, and the Longevity Heaven.

After a moment's thought, Eldrin Chen selected a 'Thalion Ancient Tree' for the Grotto Abyss Heaven.

That Thalion Ancient Tree was an ancient tree of dual Water and Yin attributes, simultaneously imbued with the power of Water Essence Power [a divine ability to control and manifest the essence of water] and encompassing the mysteries of pure Yin.

This tree absorbed the essence of heaven and earth, capable of nurturing the Spirit Fruit [a fruit imbued with potent spiritual energy] known as the 'Thalion Ancient Apricot'. It was said this apricot could nourish the Primordial Spirit Immortal Embryo [the nascent spiritual form of an immortal], making it a precious treasure for advancing Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a high-level cultivator] cultivation.

For the Primordial Solar Heaven, Eldrin Chen chose a 'Primordial Solar Ancient Sword Tree'. This tree was a Spiritual Root of Metal-Fire Dual Attribute [possessing the combined properties of the Metal and Fire elements].

This Spiritual Root draws upon the power of heaven and earth's Primordial Solar [the supreme yang energy of the cosmos] to nurture and give birth to a single, astoundingly powerful Primordial Solar Heaven Sword [a divine sword forged from the essence of the primordial sun]. It is said this blade is the very sword of Slaughter [the divine principle of absolute destruction] within the Primordial Solar.

It can grow continuously alongside the Primordial Solar Ancient Sword Tree, making it the natural bane of Demonic Cultivator [practitioners of unorthodox and malevolent cultivation arts] throughout the Myriad Heavens [the countless realms and dimensions of existence].

Legend holds that once it ascends to the level of an Innate Ancient Treasure [a supreme-grade Innate Treasure [a treasure born from the primal chaos of creation]], it could even pose a threat to peerless Demon Monarch [supreme rulers of demonkind] who have reached the realm of Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [the pinnacle of immortal cultivation].

Within Stellar Heaven [the Celestial Realm of Stars], Eldrin Chen planted a 'Stellar Ancient Tree' [an ancient arboreal wonder that channels stellar energies]. That Stellar Ancient Tree contains the Power of the Nine Heavens Stellar [the condensed essence of celestial starlight], bearing fruit in the form of one colossal star after another.

It is said that once this tree advances to the stage of a World-Opening Treasure [a treasure capable of shaping and sustaining a world], it can give birth to three thousand primordial stars.

Each of these Three Thousand Major Stars would be comparable to a major world in power. United, the three thousand stars form a single World-Opening Treasure, its might ranking among the very pinnacle of treasures within its tier.

Void Cosmos Heaven [the Heaven of the Formless Cosmos] needs little explanation. There, Eldrin Chen planted a top-tier special Spiritual Root, the Void Heaven Wood [a tree that embodies the principles of emptiness and the firmament]. Once this tree reaches the domain of a World-Opening Spiritual Root [a spiritual root of world-creating potency], it can bear a single Void Profound Method Fruit [a fruit containing insights into the profound laws of void and space] every one hundred thousand years.

This fruit can assist Eldrin Chen in comprehending the power of Void Space Rule [the fundamental laws governing emptiness and spatial dimensions]. Even if Eldrin Chen does not use it personally, it can be given to the clan's Immortal [cultivators who have ascended to immortality].

The Spiritual Root within Aurora Heaven [the Heaven of Celestial Auroras] is named the Two Polarities Celestial Light Tree [the Tree of Boreal and Austral Radiance]. The fruit it bears contains the profound mysteries of the Two Polarities Celestial Light Tree, and consuming it allows one to gain insights into the wonders of the aurora.

Among the six heavens, within the final Longevity Heaven [the Heaven of Eternal Life], Eldrin Chen planted a Longevity Fruit Tree [a tree whose fruit bestows longevity].

The Longevity Immortal Fruit [a legendary fruit that grants immense longevity] borne by this tree possesses wondrous effects that vary with its grade. A Seventh Rank fruit can allow a mortal to live for over a million years. An eighth-rank fruit can grant a mortal a lifespan of one Path Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of one hundred twenty-nine thousand six hundred years]. A Ninth Rank fruit can bestow a lifespan of one Kalpa Tribulation [an immense cosmic cycle in Buddhist cosmology, often billions of years].

Should the fruit advance to the Innate Spiritual Root [the highest grade of spiritual root, possessing innate spiritual nature] realm, then any mortal who consumes it would attain Longevity [eternal life] and become deathless.

Beyond the Six Heavens, Eldrin Chen also planted seven Spiritual Root [a plant of immense spiritual power and rarity] within the Seven Realms.

These seven Spiritual Root were, respectively, the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo [a bamboo that draws nourishment from heavenly thunder], the Frost Soul Immortal Pear Tree [a pear tree imbued with the essence of frost and soul], the Gale Wind Gourd Vine [a vine that bears gourds containing gale winds], the Fire Jade Immortal Marrow Tree [a tree whose marrow is like fiery jade], the Northern Dark Cold Mist Tree [a tree shrouded in the cold mists of the northern darkness], the Ancient Enlightenment Tea Tree [an ancient tea tree that aids in enlightenment], and the Immortal Peach Ancient Tree [an ancient peach tree of immortality].

These Spiritual Root corresponded to the Thunder Abyss Realm [a realm of thunder and abyssal depths], the Frost Soul Realm [a realm of frost and soul], the Gale Wind Realm [a realm of relentless gales], the Southern Blaze Realm [a realm of southern flames], the Northern Dark Realm [a realm of northern darkness], the Western Pole Realm [the western polar realm], and the Eastern Splendor Realm [the eastern realm of splendor].

Among these Spiritual Root, the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo was born from bathing in Thunderclap [the clap of heavenly thunder]. Each time it advanced in rank, it would undergo Nirvana [a rebirth through fiery purification]. With every Nirvana, it would shed its past form entirely and grow a new section of bamboo.

The shed old bamboo from this process became an excellent and rare Immortal Artifact [a treasure forged by or for immortals]. Possessing dual attributes of thunder and wood, it was a supreme-grade immortal material and rare treasure.

The fruit borne by the Frost Soul Immortal Pear Tree contained Frost Soul [the essence of frost that can chill the soul] Path Principles Power [the power of fundamental cosmic laws]. It was a treasure dreamt of by any Immortal [a being who has ascended to immortality] cultivating ice-attribute Path Principles [the fundamental laws that govern reality and cultivation].

Once this tree advanced to become a World-Opening Spiritual Root [a spiritual root of such power it could help open a new world], Lila's future cultivation would undoubtedly proceed with smooth sailing.

The Gale Wind Gourd Vine was a special type of Spiritual Root. The Gale Wind Ancient Gourd [an ancient gourd containing gale winds] it produced could unleash a Gale Wind [a powerful, cutting wind] force capable of shearing metal and shattering bone. Furthermore, it could nurture and temper Immortal Sword [a sword wielded by immortals] and flying dagger [a dagger controlled from a distance], making it a rare and peerless treasure of Slaughter [the divine ability of mass destruction].

The Fire Jade Immortal Marrow Tree [a legendary tree that produces a fiery, marrow-like essence] can grow Fire Jade Immortal Marrow [a fiery, jade-like marrow essence of immense spiritual value]. The wondrous properties of this substance are remarkably similar to those of the Frost Soul Immortal Pear Tree [a tree bearing pears that nourish the soul with frost energy], making it a treasure coveted by all Fire Spiritual Root [a cultivator's innate affinity for the fire element] Immortal [a being who has achieved immortality through cultivation].

The Northern Dark Cold Mist Tree [a tree that condenses and transforms frigid mist energy] can convert cold mist energy, making it one of the finest materials for refining magical treasure [an enchanted artifact used by cultivators] designed to harness mist or smoke.

As for the remaining Ancient Enlightenment Tea Tree [a tea tree whose leaves can induce profound states of enlightenment] and the Immortal Peach Ancient Tree [an ancient peach tree bearing fruit that grants longevity], which Eldrin Chen has cultivated for many years, their marvelous uses require no further elaboration.

Among these thirteen Spiritual Root [the foundational spiritual affinity of a cultivator], the Ancient Enlightenment Tea Tree and the Immortal Peach Ancient Tree have already had their shackles unlocked by Eldrin Chen.