Chapter 1422 : Alchemy's Enlightenment and Forged Ambition

With one successful batch under his belt, Eldrin Chen felt a sudden, profound enlightenment when he began alchemy again. At this point, refining the Dragon Transformation Immortal Pill proceeded much more smoothly.

After a long while, he successfully refined the Dragon Transformation Immortal Pill, ultimately producing a single Precious Pill of Eighth Rank High-Grade quality.

"Success."

Reaching this step, Eldrin Chen felt a slight sense of relief settle within him.

He had a feeling that his alchemical skill was now firmly anchored at the Eighth Rank High-Grade level. From now on, when refining such Superior Grade Immortal Pill of the eighth rank, he should be able to maintain at least a ten percent success rate for producing a finished pill.

If he could break through to the Third Level Earth Immortal or even the Middle Stage Earth Immortal realm, and his spiritual power grew a bit more profound, his success rate would likely reach twenty or even thirty percent.

After refining the Precious Pill, Eldrin Chen then took out the Dragon Horn and other materials from the Dragon Lord of Wei Sea and attempted to forge a High-Grade World-Opening Treasure.

Yet this first attempt at forging also ended in failure. Using the Dragon Horn and the Counter-Scale to forge a sword, Eldrin Chen only managed to create a World-Opening Celestial Immortal Sword of Eighth Rank Mid-Grade quality.

Fortunately, Eldrin Chen had prepared for this. He dissolved the World-Opening Celestial Immortal Sword back into its pure, fundamental materials.

Although this process wasted about thirty percent of the materials, a significant portion remained. While these remaining materials were insufficient to serve as the primary component for an Eighth Rank High-Grade treasure, they were more than adequate as supplementary materials.

He refined the bones of several Earth Immortals [powerful cultivators who have attained a profound connection with the earth] from the early and middle stages into their fundamental essence, fusing it into these materials. Through repeated repairs and adjustments, he once again began the forging process.

After repeating this cycle three times, Eldrin Chen's skills in artifact forging and the art of inscribing formation patterns [magical arrays] had finally achieved a monumental breakthrough, elevating this World-Opening Celestial Immortal Sword to the Eighth Rank High-Grade level.

"Not bad."

Seeing that he had successfully forged the Counter-Scale Dragon-Slaying Sword to the Eighth Rank High-Grade level, a sense of quiet satisfaction settled within Eldrin Chen's heart.

Forging this Upper Grade World-Opening Celestial Immortal Sword not only signified a tremendous leap in Eldrin Chen's artifact-crafting prowess but also marked a significant advancement in his mastery of the Formation Dao [the Path of magical arrays and formations].

With this achievement as his foundation, once Eldrin Chen broke through to the mid-stage of the World-Opening realm, he would be confident in elevating all five of his Lifebound Supreme Treasures [personal magical artifacts bound to one's life force] to the rank of High-Grade World-Opening Treasures.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen gathered his focus. After briefly reviewing the details of the previous forging session, he proceeded to craft the final treasure.

Time seemed to lose its meaning. Eventually, using the Dragon Scales of the Dragon Lord of Wei Sea as the core material and incorporating a vast quantity of Immortal Metal Divine Objects [divine-grade ores imbued with immortal properties], he forged a suit of armor of unyielding resilience.

This treasure was a High-Grade World-Opening Treasure. Its defensive capabilities were considered Extraordinary even among treasures of its rank, capable of withstanding attacks from a Late Stage Earth Immortal. Most importantly, its consumption of spiritual energy was minimal, making it a rare and invaluable artifact.

After completing this task, Eldrin Chen noticed he still had some leftover materials. Without wasting them, he casually forged a few talismanic treasures [single-use magical items sealed within talismans].

These Talisman Treasures [enchanted talismans that can be unleashed like a spell] are similar to Precious Talismans [single-use, high-power talismans]; once activated, their strike rivals a blow from an Earth Immortal Realm [the realm of cultivators who have become terrestrial immortals] expert. However, they can be used consecutively three to nine times, making them an excellent choice to leave for the younger generation of the clan to use during their travels.

After refining these treasures, Eldrin Chen finally achieved his wish. Satisfied, he emerged from his Seclusion Chamber [a chamber for isolated cultivation], only to find that the Violet Flame Immortal Maiden [the Immortal Maiden of the Violet Flame] had been waiting for him for some time.

Seeing Eldrin Chen, she smiled and asked, "Fellow Daoist, how were the gains from this seclusion?"

Eldrin Chen offered a slight smile, understanding that the Violet Flame Divine Lord [the Divine Lord of the Violet Flame] had been waiting for a long time, intending to begin refining the Dragon-Phoenix Ascension Pill [a legendary pill said to grant a transformative ascension] once he departed.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen replied, "Thanks to the nourishment of the Divine Lord's Blessed Land [a land blessed with abundant spiritual energy], my gains this time were quite satisfactory."

"That is good."

The Violet Flame Divine Lord smiled slightly and said nothing more.

She escorted Eldrin Chen all the way until his departure. Only after his figure had completely vanished did she speak to the Heaven Flame Patriarch [the Patriarch of Heavenly Flame], saying, "This Eldrin the Divine Lord possesses a bearing that is truly Extraordinary. If he can survive his next Path Tribulation [a heavenly trial that tests a cultivator's Dao], he will likely secure a place for himself within the entire Vast Azure Immortal Domain [the Immortal Domain of the Vast Azure]."

The Heaven Flame Patriarch also nodded and could not help but remark, "It is said this person has opened at least a Ninefold Heaven [a supreme level of inner world foundation]. Barring unforeseen circumstances, he will likely become at least a second Western Abyss Dragon King."

"If he can advance one step further and break free from the schemes of those two Grotto-Heavens [self-contained pocket realms of immense spiritual power], he might even transcend beyond them."

"It is difficult to say," Violet Flame Divine Lord shook his head and then spoke, "The next Path Tribulation [a grand, world-shaping trial of fate and destiny] is certain to be tumultuous and vast. The entire Western Pole Sixfold Heavenly Domain may well converge into a single, central crucible for that Path Tribulation."

"At that time, what he will face is likely not merely the schemes of a couple of Grotto-Heaven [a transcendent realm or paradise for high-level cultivators], but the pawns held by more than thirty such Grotto-Heaven."

"Indeed," Heaven Flame Patriarch nodded, his expression grave. "If it were not so, why would Lord of Western Abyss Dragon Palace and Divine Lord of Ye Ruins have rushed to make their breakthroughs on the eve of the Great Tribulation [a cataclysmic era of conflict and upheaval]?"

Violet Flame Divine Lord spoke methodically, then sighed. "Whether it is the Great Tribulation or a Path Tribulation, it may appear as if the fated protagonists are the ones stirring the winds and clouds. Yet, in essence, it is the various Supreme Grotto-Heaven [the most powerful and ancient of the transcendent realms] placing their pieces upon the board."

"The Grotto-Heaven make their moves, the Primordial Unity [a supreme cultivation realm] cultivators pursue their paths. Within that Path Tribulation, you and I are merely souls struggling to cross the torrent. Only by setting foot into the Primordial Unity Realm does one gain the right to contend for the Opportunity and Fortune [the pivotal chances and destiny] within the Path Tribulation."

Speaking to this point, Violet Flame Divine Lord's gaze grew distant. "This truth, you and I can see clearly. That Returning Abyss Path Master surely understands it in his heart as well. The pity is, he has no other choice."

"If one must blame something, blame that he was born at the wrong time."

"Had he been born a few million years earlier, or even a mere hundred thousand years later, with his innate talent, he would undoubtedly have been a leading protagonist of a Great Tribulation."

"But now..." Heaven Flame Patriarch sighed, shaking his head. "His Celestial Immortal [a high-ranking immortal] cultivation and his Great Encompassing Potential [a legendary, all-encompassing innate constitution] have instead made him the target of all. How could crossing the Path Tribulation be easy for him now?"

"..."

Eldrin Chen paid little heed to the conversation between the two individuals.

He journeyed directly towards the Returning Abyss Sea Region, returning to his clan's abode not long after.

Upon his return, Eldrin Chen handed the Primal Radiance Heaven-Entombing Blade over to Violet Consort Yan and presented the Wei Sea Dragon Scale Armor to Lila.

These two treasures, one aligned with fire and the other with water, resonated well with the Rule Power [the fundamental laws of reality harnessed by high-level cultivators] cultivated by the two women, making them suitable, if not perfect, choices.

As for the Counter-Scale Dragon-Slaying Sword, Eldrin Chen kept it for himself, replacing the Primal Radiance Heaven-Entombing Blade, an Immortal Sword [a divine blade wielded by celestial beings] he had wielded for many years.

With these treasures distributed, every Earth Immortal [a cultivator who has ascended to the terrestrial immortal stage] within the clan now possessed a High-Grade World-Opening Treasure [a supreme artifact capable of shaping nascent worlds], significantly bolstering their combat prowess.

From that point onward, Eldrin Chen once again settled into a period of quiet and focused cultivation.

In the ensuing years, both the clan and the various Immortal [celestial beings who have transcended mortality] within the Immortal Alliance achieved notable gains.

The first batch of several dozen Immortal who had participated in the Great Tribulation [a cataclysmic heavenly trial] alongside the Immortal Alliance steadily progressed to the Ascendant Immortal 9th Tier [the ninth and pinnacle tier of the Ascendant Immortal realm], with many among them already stepping into the Half-Step Earth Immortal Realm [a transitional state on the cusp of becoming a true Earth Immortal].

Ten thousand years later, both Void-Refining Immortal and Heavenly Feather Immortal broke through to the Earth Immortal Realm, and with the aid of External Elixir [a miraculous pill that aids in realm advancement], each successfully opened four layers within their nascent inner heavens.

Twenty thousand years later, Kael Chen returned from his travels, having cultivated three World-Opening Path Fruit [the foundational fruits of power that allow one to open a new world]. With the support of Eldrin Chen, he broke through to the Earth Immortal Realm [a profound realm of immortality tied to the earth] and opened up a Ninefold Heaven [a legendary, multi-layered heavenly domain].

Thirty thousand years later, Eastern Sovereign [a title for a supreme ruler of the east], harnessing the power of the Heavenly Vault Grand Formation [a grand celestial defensive array], condensed the Great Sun Mysterious Brightness Path Fruit [a Path Fruit embodying the profound radiance of the great sun]. He too broke through to the Earth Immortal Realm and opened up his own Ninefold Heaven.