Chapter 1460 : The Price of Immortal Ascension

Zixuan the Daoist spoke with measured deliberation, finally concluding,

"In this way, a Demonic Cultivator's [a practitioner who cultivates power through malevolent or destructive means] chances of breaking through to the Heaven Immortal Realm [the realm of Celestial Immortals, a transcendent state of being] would increase by twenty to thirty percent for no reason, becoming significantly greater than those on the Immortal Path."

"Sacrifice an Earth Immortal World [a lower world inhabited by Earth Immortals, a foundational realm in the cultivation hierarchy]?"

Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly. If sacrificing an Earth Immortal World could truly increase one's chances of a Heaven Immortal Realm breakthrough, then many beings trapped at the Half-Step Celestial Immortal [the pinnacle stage just below becoming a true Celestial Immortal] would undoubtedly resort to such a method.

Seeing his expression, Zixuan the Daoist nodded and said, "The Demonic Path's [the collective term for demonic cultivation sects and practitioners] method of world sacrifice is, in essence, an exchange of a world's Primordial Source [the fundamental, life-giving energy and essence from which a world is born] for the possibility of one's own advancement. It is not a practice exclusive to the Demonic Path."

"Since ancient times, many Ancient Ancestors [venerable, ancient progenitors of cultivation lineages] at the Half-Step Celestial Immortal stage have ultimately taken this step."

"Oh?" Eldrin Chen's brow creased further, and he could not help but ask, "What were their outcomes?"

Zixuan the Daoist let out a cold laugh before replying, "Some became so entangled in Karmic Malignancy [the negative spiritual debt and misfortune accrued from evil deeds] that even after breaking through to the Heaven Immortal Realm, they became pariahs, hunted and reviled by all within the Demonic Path itself."

"Others ascended to reside within lofty Grotto-Heavens [paradisiacal pocket dimensions and sacred realms of immense spiritual density], revered as mighty Ancient Ancestors of those very sanctuaries."

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen finally understood. Read the full novel exclusively on audi novel.com.

Those without a proper lineage or foundation, even if they achieve a breakthrough, will inevitably become Demonic Cultivator [practitioners who cultivate using demonic or unorthodox methods, often at great moral cost].

Conversely, those with powerful backing, even if shrouded in Karmic Malignancy [a profound accumulation of negative karma and ill fate], need only guard within the Chaos Abyssal Cavern for tens of millions of years. There, they can use the Merit's Pure Radiance [the luminous power generated by virtuous deeds and accumulated merit] to suppress the Karmic Malignancy Power [the corrupting influence and power of accumulated negative karma].

By that time, even if the world were to perish, they—having stepped into the Heaven Immortal Realm [the realm of celestial immortals, beings of immense power and longevity]—would be Supreme Ancient Ancestor [venerable progenitors of supreme power] fully capable of presiding over and stabilizing an entire Grotto-Heaven [a blessed, self-contained paradise realm, often a pocket dimension of immense spiritual density].

Of course, such Heavenly Immortal Paragon [peerless champions among celestial immortals] would be limited to cultivating ancient methods. The depth and potency of their Mana [the refined spiritual energy used to power spells and cultivation] would be notably inferior to that of a Heaven Immortal who had successfully elevated their Minor Universe [a personal, nascent cosmos cultivated within a supreme expert].

Contemplating this, Eldrin Chen recalled another matter and could not help but inquire, "Brother, do you know if the Dragon King of the Western Abyss achieved his Dao [the ultimate path and principle of cultivation] through this very method?"

Upon hearing this, Zixuan the Daoist furrowed his brow slightly in thought. After a moment, he replied, "I have heard that after the Dragon King of the Western Abyss made his breakthrough, a Karmic Malignancy Light [a baleful, visible manifestation of profound negative karma] blotted out the heavens and earth for hundreds of millions of Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters]."

"If my conjecture is correct, he most likely also took this very step."

Speaking to this point, Zixuan the Daoist sighed once more and said, "An Earth Immortal [an immortal whose power and existence are anchored to a specific world or land] who possesses dual Great Unity Dao Fruit [the supreme fruit of cultivation representing unity with the Great Dao], without sufficient destiny-altering fortune, will most likely have to sacrifice their Earth Immortal Great World to advance."

"This is also one of the primary reasons why most beings with a dual Primordial Foundation [an exceptionally pure and potent foundational stage of cultivation] remain stalled at the early stages of the Heaven Immortal realm."

In the time that followed, Zixuan the Daoist shared much more with him, all of it comprising closely guarded secrets and arcane knowledge unknown to most.

As Eldrin Chen conversed with him, he discovered their temperaments were remarkably compatible, giving rise to a feeling of regret that they had not met sooner.

After a long while, as the group prepared to part ways, Zixuan the Daoist, just before leaving, bid farewell to Eldrin Chen once more, saying, "This journey has yielded me no small gains."

"I leave this item for you, my worthy brother, as recompense for your aid in resolving that earlier predicament."

So saying, Zixuan the Daoist handed a Treasure Box to Eldrin Chen.

Eldrin Chen accepted the treasure without demur, simply stating, "My thanks, Brother Daoist."

After bidding farewell to Zixuan the Daoist, Eldrin Chen led his companions towards the Abyssal Sea Region. Along the way, he opened the Storage Treasure Box and found it contained a considerable number of rare treasures. Their combined value was likely around two million units of Immortal Source [a highly refined and potent form of spiritual energy used by high-level cultivators].

Seeing this, Lyra Jiang sighed, "To casually part with two million units of Immortal Source, such is the magnanimity of a great power at the Earth Immortal Great Perfection [the pinnacle stage of the Earth Immortal realm]."

Eldrin Chen nodded with a smile. "It seems at the next Barter Convention, we should be able to purchase a sufficient quantity of Galaxy Star-Sand Pill [a precious cultivation pill refined from the essence of celestial stars and sand]."

With that, Eldrin Chen soon returned to the heart of the Abyssal Sea Region.

Upon his return to the clan, Eldrin Chen immediately summoned Lila and Yvonne the Violet Consort, among others, and inquired, "During our years of absence, has anything of import occurred within the clan?"

"Nothing of great import,"

Lila replied, yet her expression grew heavy as she continued, "However, in recent years, our clan has had some conflicts with the Flowing Fire Star Palace."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly, a flicker of gravity passing through his eyes.

As the saying goes, one mountain cannot shelter two tigers; the Flowing Stream Hundred Seas likewise could not accommodate two supreme Earth Immortal Blessed Land [a sacred land imbued with the energy of an Earth Immortal, ideal for cultivation and establishing a lineage].

In truth, Eldrin Chen had long foreseen that as the Chen Immortal Clan gradually rose to prominence, conflict with the Flowing Fire Star Palace was inevitable. Yet, he had not anticipated it would arrive so swiftly.

After careful consideration, Eldrin Chen finally declared, "The enemy is strong, we are weak. For now, we must continue to bide our time and lie low." This content originates from AUDIO-NOVEL.COM. Please respect copyright.

"Issue the order: our clansmen must be strictly restrained. Avoid provoking open conflict with the Flowing Fire Star Palace at all costs."

Nyssa Qu nodded in agreement. "Understood. I will see to it."

Currently, the mortals and lower-ranked cultivators within the clan were primarily from the lineage of Caelan Chen, most being descendants of Eldrin Chen and Nyssa Qu. The Immortal [a cultivator who has transcended mortality and achieved immortality] managing affairs were largely grandchildren of Nyssa Qu and Eldrin Chen.

Thus, having Nyssa Qu personally oversee these arrangements was indeed the most fitting course.

After confirming that no major events had occurred within the clan, Eldrin Chen spoke, "Now that the Merit's Pure Radiance [a state of spiritual clarity and purity achieved through accumulating virtuous merit] is sufficient, we shall enter seclusion for cultivation, seizing the time to break through to the Middle Stage Earth Immortal [the intermediate level of the Earth Immortal cultivation realm] as soon as possible."

With those words, Eldrin Chen resumed his life of secluded cultivation.

He first secretly planted the Taiyi Immortal Fruit [a legendary fruit of profound spiritual power] within the Abyssal Abode of Bliss [a blessed realm of cultivation], then returned to his usual cultivation routine.

In the years that followed, Eldrin Chen discovered that within the Earth Immortal World [the internal world cultivated by an Earth Immortal] belonging to myself and Lyra Jiang among others, many of the Immortal Fruit [fruits imbued with immortal spiritual essence] grown from the planted World-Opening Spiritual Root [a spiritual root with the power to shape nascent worlds] had ripened.

He harvested these Immortal Fruit one by one. After refining the special ones, he began researching Pill Formula [recipes for crafting spiritual pills] and created several types of Cloud-Patterned Immortal Pill [pills marked with cloud-like patterns that enhance cultivation base], which imperceptibly accelerated the growth of his cultivation.

Thus, time flowed on, and fifty thousand years passed in the blink of an eye.

Then, on a certain day fifty millennia later, Eldrin Chen awoke within his Seclusion Chamber [a chamber dedicated to deep meditation and cultivation] and revealed a faint smile.

"Two hundred thousand years have passed since surviving the Great Tribulation [a cataclysmic heavenly trial], and I have finally stepped into the Third Level Earth Immortal [the third tier of the Earth Immortal realm]."

Sensing the World's Primordial Qi [the primordial energy that forms the foundation of a cultivator's internal world] within myself's internal world, Eldrin Chen could not help but let out a soft sigh of relief.

To be honest, after breaking through to Earth Immortal [a realm where one cultivates an internal world], advancing one's Immortal [Immortal realm] cultivation had become increasingly and profoundly slow.

He had previously refined various spiritual treasures and Dao Source [the primordial source of the Dao, the fundamental essence of all cultivation], spending seventy thousand years to break through from the First Layer Earth Immortal [the initial stage of the Earth Immortal realm, marking one's ascension beyond mortality] to the Second Level Earth Immortal [the second major stage within the Earth Immortal realm].

Now, with no shortage of resources, it still took him one hundred thirty thousand years to break through to the Third Level Earth Immortal [the third major stage within the Earth Immortal realm]. To cultivate to the peak of the Third Level Earth Immortal would likely require another one hundred thirty thousand years.

"Relying solely on arduous cultivation seems insufficient to meet the timeline," he mused. "I will need the aid of pills like the Galaxy Star-Sand Pill [a high-grade immortal pill refined from cosmic star-sand, greatly enhancing cultivation] and other Cloud-Patterned Immortal Pill [immortal pills marked with natural cloud-like patterns, signifying supreme quality]."

With these thoughts, Eldrin Chen emerged from his Seclusion Chamber [a specially prepared chamber for deep, undisturbed meditation and cultivation].

Upon exiting seclusion, Eldrin Chen found Lyra Jiang had been waiting for him for some time.

Seeing him, Lyra Jiang spoke with a warm smile, "Congratulations, Husband. With this breakthrough to the Third Level Earth Immortal, your Mana [the cultivated spiritual energy or life force wielded by cultivators] has grown yet again."

Eldrin Chen nodded, a genuine smile gracing his features.

This breakthrough to the Third Level Earth Immortal had increased his Mana reserves by more than thirty percent. While the quality of his Mana saw little change, the sheer volume significantly enhanced his endurance and staying power in prolonged engagements.

Considering this, Eldrin Chen replied with a gentle smile, "It is merely a minor realm advancement, a step taken in due course. Have you not also achieved a breakthrough, my wife?" Read the full novel exclusively on audio~novel.com.