Chapter 1441 : Veils of Fortune and Forbidden Realms

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen let out a slight sigh of relief.

At present, his greatest concern was the exposure of his foundation in having opened the Thirteenfold Heaven. It now seemed that Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven had still not fully discerned his true hand.

Of course, this outcome was somewhat within expectations. Eldrin Chen did not know if the Primordial Chaos Scripture could conceal his Fortune [the metaphysical destiny and luck of a being].

However, as early as when he first attained immortality, Glazed Divine Lord had remarked that his fate was unusual, making it difficult even for a Celestial Immortal Great Power to deduce his circumstances.

Moreover, now that Eldrin Chen had refined the Innate Spiritual Treasure known as the Returning Abyss Pearl, with this supreme treasure suppressing his Fortune, it was likely that not even a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal could necessarily trace his whereabouts.

With this thought, he turned his gaze to the information regarding Exquisite Jiang and the others.

The evaluation for Exquisite Jiang stated that she was suspected of having stepped into the Forbidden Domain [a legendary and immensely difficult cultivation realm], having opened at least the Ninefold Heaven.

As for Verdant Consort, the information suggested she had cultivated three types of World-Opening Foundation [a supreme foundational cultivation method], indicating she had opened at least the Eighth Heaven or higher.

The assessment for Nyssa Qu was the most accurate, noting her possession of Nine-Colored Immortal Shell lineage. It was concluded she had likely opened the Ninefold Heaven and possessed the potential to reach the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal realm.

The remaining individuals, Lila and Violet Consort Yan, were marked as having dual World-Opening Foundation, estimated to have opened around the Sixfold Heaven.

Ethan Chen, Kael Chen, and Energy Abyss Chen were also individuals of particular note, deemed highly likely to have opened Sixfold Heaven or higher.

The reason Divine Abyss Blessed Land did not believe these individuals could open Seventh Heaven was not only because they hadn't anticipated these cultivators achieving three types of World-Opening Path Fruit, but also because they didn't believe the Chen Immortal Clan possessed so many World-Opening Spiritual Root.

Overall, the evaluation given by Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven for Returning Abyss Blessed Land was that it was reputed to have a not insignificant possibility of opening a Grotto-Heaven.

Yet, they believed these cultivators were born at an inopportune time, thinking it unlikely they could cultivate to the Late Stage Earth Immortal realm before the Path Tribulation [the great cosmic calamity that periodically reshapes the heavens], and that they would likely be among the first powers to fall during the Path Tribulation.

"This third set of intelligence is remarkably accurate in its estimates of the numbers of Immortal [beings who have transcended mortality] and Earth Immortal [immortals anchored to the earthly realm], but it ultimately failed to see through our true hand,"

Eldrin Chen remarked, setting down the documents in his hand with a faint smile.

The others also breathed a sigh of relief. Exquisite Jiang smiled and said, "In all these years, aside from our closest allies, everyone who has witnessed our true strength has perished."

"Although Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven is powerful, completely unraveling our secrets is likely not so easy for them either."

Energy Abyss Chen nodded in agreement, his gaze thoughtful. "Within the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea, the number of Immortal reaches into the millions, and there are over twenty thousand Earth Immortal Patriarch [venerable masters of the Earth Immortal realm]."

"In such a vast sea, nearly every millennium sees a multitude of newly ascended Immortal and a significant number of Earth Immortal Patriarch achieving breakthroughs. The strength of the various Blessed Land [realms of concentrated spiritual fortune] waxes and wanes, constantly in flux."

"This map can serve as a reference, but if you treat it as reliable intelligence, its accuracy must be heavily discounted."

Eldrin Chen nodded upon hearing this and casually opened the dossier on the Glazed Blessed Land.

The Glazed Blessed Land appeared to be a force of particular focus for the Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven, as it had been specially marked.

This dossier asserted that the Glazed Divine Lord had cultivated the Primordial Unity Immortal Body [a legendary physique representing the perfect fusion of one's being with the primordial forces of creation] and was ranked among the top thirty Half-Step Celestial Immortal [cultivators who have transcended the Earth Immortal realm and stand on the very threshold of becoming true Celestial Immortals] within the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen glanced at the map of the Flowing Fire Star Palace.

The Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven also paid close attention to the Flowing Fire Star Palace. This intelligence estimated the palace's forces at three thousand Immortal [beings who have ascended to immortality, possessing immense power and longevity] and a further eighteen Earth Immortal Patriarch [venerable patriarchs who have attained the Earth Immortal realm, a major stage of power beyond the Primordial Spirit realm].

Among these eighteen Earth Immortal Patriarch, the breakdown was: one Half-Step Celestial Immortal, one Late Stage Earth Immortal [a cultivator in the final, most powerful phase of the Earth Immortal realm], six Middle Stage Earth Immortal [cultivators in the intermediate phase of the Earth Immortal realm], and ten Early-stage Earth Immortal [cultivators in the initial phase of the Earth Immortal realm].

Furthermore, there were two guardian True Spirit [a powerful, innate spiritual being, often a divine beast or elemental entity]—an Azure Luan and Fire Phoenix—both of whom had reached the Middle Stage Earth Immortal level of power.

Eldrin Chen also noted that the Late Stage Earth Immortal individual was none other than the Immortal Maiden Flowing Flame, who seemed to have advanced to this stage only after the recent Great Tribulation [a cataclysmic, world-shaking event of immense karmic and cosmic significance].

The map also provided a detailed description of the power wielded by the Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace.

That Master of Flowing Fire was a Half-Step Celestial Immortal who had cultivated the Primordial Unity Path Principle. Among the more than thirty Half-Step Celestial Immortal cultivators within the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea, his cultivation and combat prowess were considered merely average.

His combat strength was roughly equivalent to one who had survived four Path Tribulation. Without external aid, his chances of successfully cultivating a second Primordial Unity Foundation were, at most, no more than one in ten.

The Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven assessed that unless the Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace encountered greater Opportunity and Fortune, even if by some chance he managed to cultivate two Primordial Unity Foundation, his likelihood of successfully reversing his Innate nature and breaking through to the Celestial Immortal Realm would not exceed three in ten.

Most crucially, the Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven believed the Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace had been severely wounded by the Western Abyss Dragon King, and his injuries were continuously worsening.

Without an Eighth Rank Supreme Grade or higher supreme-grade Healing Immortal Pill [a miraculous pill capable of mending severe injuries and restoring vitality], or a fire-attribute World-Opening Supreme Treasure [a supreme treasure of immense power, often used to refine or suppress elemental forces] to refine the Water Element Path Principle [the profound power of the Water Element] force within his body, his condition would gradually deteriorate.

In at most another one hundred sixty to one hundred seventy thousand years, the Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace would be unable to suppress his injuries, which would likely damage his very foundation, utterly extinguishing any hope of reaching the Celestial Immortal Realm.

"At most, he has one hundred sixty to one hundred seventy thousand years left. If he finds no other solution by then, I fear he will be unable to restrain himself from acting against us."

Reading this, Exquisite Jiang spoke with an expression of utmost gravity.

Hearing her words, everyone's brows furrowed deeply. Eldrin Chen's eyes darkened as he said, "I doubt he will wait that long. If I were the master of the Flowing Fire Star, I would not risk waiting until the final moment."

"If my estimation is correct, he is waiting for the Crimson Dragon World-Suppressing Cauldron to recover. The moment that treasure is restored, he will most likely strike immediately."

Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged glances, their expressions a mixture of gravity and uncertainty.

Kael Chen drew a deep breath and spoke, "The Crimson Dragon World-Suppressing Cauldron will be fully restored in one hundred fifty thousand years. That means we have only that long to prepare."

Verdant Consort nodded, her gaze solemn. "We must at least break through to the Middle Stage Earth Immortal realm [the fourth major stage of Earth Immortal cultivation] to stand even a chance against him in battle."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly.

He knew Verdant Consort's calculation was correct. Though severely wounded, the Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace still possessed combat power equivalent to three or four cultivators at the Earth Immortal Great Perfection stage [the peak of the Earth Immortal realm].

If he were to disregard his injuries and unleash his full might, he could likely deliver a blow capable of slaying a Earth Immortal Great Perfection expert. Their current strength was far from sufficient to confront him.

Under such circumstances, they indeed needed to reach at least the Middle Stage Earth Immortal realm to have a fighting chance.

For Immortals like them, who had opened Ninefold Heaven [a supreme-grade immortal foundation] or higher foundations, breaking through to Middle Stage Earth Immortal would bring a monumental leap in power.

At that time, within the Chen Immortal Clan, each of its nine Earth Immortal Patriarch [a clan elder who has attained the Earth Immortal realm] would possess combat strength rivaling a Late Stage Earth Immortal [the fifth major stage of Earth Immortal cultivation].

And Eldrin Chen's own power would advance even further, sufficient to match some Earth Immortal Great Perfection experts who had opened foundations of the sixth or Seventh Heaven [a high-grade immortal foundation].

With such combat prowess, although it still falls far short of an Earth Immortal Great Perfection cultivator who has refined three types of World-Opening Foundation and opened the Eighth Heaven or higher, they are at least no longer utterly defenseless.

Similar to Eldrin Chen, if Exquisite Jiang were to break through to the Middle Stage Earth Immortal realm, her combat power might also approach the threshold of an Earth Immortal Great Perfection.