Chapter 1443 : Veil of Merit and Perilous Passage
Of course, the Nether Abyss Purgatory Sea [a legendary and perilous sea of torment in the nether realms] is exceedingly perilous, yet it also holds immense Opportunity and Fortune [the potential for great rewards and advancement].
Ordinary Immortal [a being who has ascended to immortality] and Earth Immortal [an immortal whose power is anchored to the mortal world] are not Celestial Immortal [a higher-tier immortal whose power is celestial in nature]. By using a special method to conceal their Pure Light of Merit [a radiant aura representing accumulated virtuous deeds and karma], and then sneaking in through a particular passageway, they can avoid drawing the attention of the fallen Heavenly Path Will [the corrupted consciousness or law of the Heavenly Dao].
That passage lies between the Polarity Two Realms [the two opposing fundamental realms of existence], within an exceptionally unique Forbidden Land [a region forbidden or inaccessible due to extreme danger]. It is a blind spot in the perception of the Nether Abyss Purgatory Sea.
However, this Forbidden Land is fraught with extreme danger. Even an Earth Immortal Patriarch [a patriarch-level Earth Immortal] who steps into it often faces the risk of perishing.
Therefore, most Immortal and Earth Immortal who venture there generally form teams to travel together. Only by doing so can they have a greater chance of successfully traversing the Forbidden Land.
If Eldrin Chen and his five companions were to rely solely on themselves to navigate that perilous Forbidden Land, it would still be far too dangerous.
More importantly, the Demon-Slaying Hall [a hall or organization dedicated to slaying demons] possesses a special technique for concealing the Pure Light of Merit. This technique is the key to their safe entry into the Nether Abyss Purgatory Sea.
Understanding this, Eldrin Chen resolved to make a journey to the Demon-Slaying Hall.
Once the decision to go to the Demon-Slaying Hall was made, the group secluded themselves on a desolate island for three months of cultivation. When the appointed date arrived, they made their way to the Demon-Slaying Hall.
The Demon-Slaying Hall was situated on an Immortal Isles [a floating island imbued with immortal energies] located just beyond the Divine Abyss Immortal City [the Celestial City of the Divine Abyss]. When Eldrin Chen arrived, he found that the Great Hall [the main hall of the establishment] already held a considerable number of Immortal.
Among them were roughly over eight hundred Immortals [powerful beings who have transcended mortality] and more than twenty Earth Immortal Patriarchs [patriarchs who have attained the Earth Immortal realm].
These Immortals were all existences at the late stage of the Ascendant Immortal Realm [the realm just below Earth Immortal], while the cultivation of the Earth Immortals [immortals anchored to the earthly realm] was mostly at the Middle Stage Earth Immortal. Surprisingly, there were not many at the Early-stage Earth Immortal.
After observing for a moment, Exquisite Jiang beside him transmitted her voice, saying, "Most are those who primarily cultivate the path of Fleshly Body Sanctification [the art of refining one's physical body to an immortal state], or individuals of a fierce and slaughter-oriented nature."
"Mm."
Eldrin Chen nodded; he had anticipated this outcome.
Within heaven and earth, there are many methods to obtain the Pure Light of Merit [a radiant manifestation of accumulated virtuous karma]. For instance, suppressing volcanic Earth Veins [dragon lines of terrestrial energy], balancing Heaven and Earth Primordial Energy [the primordial energy of the cosmos], or sheltering countless living beings—all can grant the power of Merit [positive karmic credit].
These methods accumulate Merit slowly, but their advantage lies in being long-lasting, stable, and carrying little danger.
Ordinary Immortals who focus on cultivating Path Principles [the fundamental laws of their chosen Dao] and Path Fruit [the culmination of one's cultivation path] do not have such immense demands on the resources of heaven and earth. As long as they avoid slaying those bearing great Merit, they seldom find themselves driven to the point of needing to condense the Pure Light of Merit.
It is primarily those of an overbearing nature who disregard propriety to slay individuals of great Merit, or practitioners of Fleshly Body Sanctification who need to refine the Spiritual Veins [concentrated lines of spiritual energy within the earth] of heaven and earth, who find it necessary to venture into the Nether Abyss Purgatory Sea [a sea of purgatory within the Nether Abyss] to slay Demonic Cultivators [cultivators who follow demonic or heretical paths].
Among the several thousand people present now, most bore a significant amount of Karmic Sin Power [the negative karmic energy from sinful deeds]. For many, their Karmic Sin Power even faintly surpassed their Pure Light of Merit, which was precisely why they had decided to make this journey into the demonic realm.
Seeing this, Eldrin Chen spoke up, "This place is a den of mixed company, with many individuals of great and violent temper. We must remain cautious."
"Remember to conceal your auras and do not reveal your identities."
Upon hearing his words, everyone nodded slightly and waited quietly for the one in charge to arrive.
As time passed, more and more Immortal [powerful cultivators who have transcended mortality] gathered within the Demon-Slaying Hall, their numbers unknowingly surpassing one thousand. Furthermore, nearly thirty Earth Immortal Patriarch [patriarchs who have attained the Earth Immortal realm] had arrived.
Including Eldrin Chen and his five companions, the number of Earth Immortal [cultivators of the Earth Immortal realm] even exceeded forty.
Ordinary Immortal did not catch Eldrin Chen's eye, but the strength of these Earth Immortal was not to be underestimated.
Their cultivation bases were essentially all at the Middle Stage Earth Immortal level or above, with nine even at the Late Stage Earth Immortal level. Among them, four individuals drew Eldrin Chen's particular attention.
They were: an old man in black robes, a valiant-looking man clad in five-colored Glazed Armor [a suit of magical armor with a crystalline, glazed appearance], a woman of peerless beauty wearing light gauze, and a Daoist priest adorned in a Purple Ribbon Immortal Robe [an immortal's robe decorated with purple ribbons].
Among these few, the aura of the black-robed elder was unfathomably deep, yet his identity was concealed. Even Eldrin Chen found it difficult to discern his origins.
However, this person gave Eldrin Chen an immense sense of threat. Therefore, Eldrin Chen estimated this individual's cultivation to be extremely high, at the very least a practitioner who had reached Earth Immortal Great Perfection [the pinnacle stage of the Earth Immortal realm].
The valiant man had heard some whispers of Eldrin Chen. This man was known as 'Breaker the True Lord', and was said to be a Ninth Level Earth Immortal who had opened his Seventh Heaven. His strength was considered formidable even among those at the Earth Immortal Great Perfection level.
The beautiful woman was also unknown to Eldrin Chen. She appeared delicate and frail, yet she radiated an intensely potent Fiendish Energy. Clearly, the power of her karmic malevolence overshadowed any Merit she possessed, marking her as someone not to be trifled with.
The man clad in the Purple Ribbon Immortal Robe was none other than the legendary Violet Mystery Path Master.
Within the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea, those who possessed the Purple Ribbon Immortal Robe were invariably the most supreme Earth Immortal Patriarch. This robe was the most exalted of immortal garments, a symbol of the highest status and prestige.
Eldrin Chen himself owned one, a special dispensation from the Immortal Court granted in recognition of his Great Encompassing Potential.
The Violet Mystery Path Master was also extraordinary. Not only had his cultivation reached the Ninth Level Earth Immortal realm, but he had also opened his Eighth Heaven, giving him immense hope of one day breaking through to the Celestial Immortal Realm.
"Violet Mystery Path Master,"
Gazing at the Violet Mystery Path Master, Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, his expression turning profoundly grave.
The higher one's cultivation realm, the smaller the gap in foundational potential between individuals becomes. Consequently, the disparity between minor cultivation stages grows larger. By the time one reaches the Late Stage Earth Immortal level, overcoming a realm gap in battle becomes exceedingly difficult.
Generally speaking, an ordinary Eighth Level Earth Immortal possesses combat power roughly equivalent to one and a half Seventh Level Earth Immortal cultivators.
Even the weakest cultivator at the Earth Immortal Great Perfection [the pinnacle stage of the Earth Immortal realm] could single-handedly contend against two cultivators at the Eighth Level Earth Immortal [the eighth tier of the Earth Immortal realm], or withstand the combined assault of four Seventh Level Earth Immortal [seventh-tier Earth Immortals].
Furthermore, an Earth Immortal Great Perfection cultivator who has opened the Eighth Heaven [the eighth foundational heaven within their inner world] stands on a level far beyond what any ordinary Earth Immortal Great Perfection could ever hope to match.
Such an existence has forged three distinct World-Opening Foundation [the foundational principles used to create one's inner world]. Their power undergoes a qualitative transformation compared to an Earth Immortal Great Perfection who has only forged two.
Generally speaking, even if two or three ordinary Earth Immortal Great Perfection cultivators joined forces, they would likely still be unable to defeat a single Earth Immortal Great Perfection who has opened the Eighth Heaven.
According to Eldrin Chen's estimation, the Violet Mystery Path Master alone would be sufficient to withstand the combined siege of over a dozen Seventh Level Earth Immortal cultivators.
Although there were currently a full forty Patriarch [a title for a powerful senior cultivator, often the head of a clan or sect] within the Demon-Slaying Hall [a hall dedicated to slaying demons], all of them at the Middle Stage Earth Immortal [the middle phase of the Earth Immortal realm] or higher...
...Eldrin Chen estimated that if the three Earth Immortal Great Perfection cultivators—the black-robed elder, Breaker the True Lord [a Daoist title meaning 'One Who Breaks'], and the Black-Skirted Woman—did not take action...
...then the remaining thirty-plus cultivators, even if they all attacked together, would most likely still be unable to defeat the Violet Mystery Path Master.
"The gap in power is simply too vast," he mused. "No wonder the steward from the Divine Abyss Pavilion [a powerful organization or sect] mentioned this matter and stated outright that having the Violet Mystery Path Master lead the team was the key."
"The fact that so many Immortal [a general term for celestial beings and powerful cultivators] and Earth Immortal [immortals anchored to the earthly realm] have gathered here today clearly shows that the reputation of the Violet Mystery Path Master is the most crucial factor."
Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, his gaze meeting that of Exquisite Jiang and the others.
Though the six of them were all prodigies of heaven-defying talent, their cultivation bases were ultimately still too low. Even combined, their strength was only comparable to a single Earth Immortal Great Perfection cultivator.
Furthermore, their defensive capabilities were insufficient. Without an equivalent force to withstand the main pressure, they risked being picked off one by one by an Earth Immortal Great Perfection opponent.
Under such circumstances, facing an opponent like Violet Mystery Path Master would leave them utterly powerless to resist. Fleeing for their lives would be their only option, with no chance for a true battle.
"If I cannot even contend with Violet Mystery Path Master, then the even more formidable Master of Flowing Fire Star Palace is completely beyond my reach."