Chapter 1508 : The Celestial Pillar of Kunwu

"My thanks."

Eldrin Chen stowed away the Ancient Talisman [a powerful, time-worn enchanted artifact], offered his gratitude to Glazed Divine Lord, and then set his course for the Immortal Domain [a higher realm of existence where immortals dwell].

After a journey whose length he could not precisely measure, he arrived within the Western Pole Heavenly Domain and reached the very fringes of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain.

At this westernmost extremity of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain, where the membrane of the Boundless Immortal Domain met the void, Eldrin Chen beheld a single, awe-inspiring Sky-Supporting Ancient Tree [a primordial tree of mythic proportions said to hold up the heavens].

It stood rooted at the very terminus of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain, where the Immortal Domain met the Western Pole [the western axis of the cosmos]. Its colossal form was more vast and towering than an entire Heavenly Domain.

It upheld the expanse of heaven and earth, every leaf and branch bathed in a golden radiance, brimming with an unprecedented, divine splendor.

And at the very apex of this ancient tree, Eldrin Chen could perceive with perfect clarity a single, blindingly brilliant golden light that illuminated the Myriad Heavens [the countless celestial realms].

"The Celestial Pillar of the Western Pole, one of the Four Divine Spirits anchoring the Immortal Domain."

"Kunwu!"

Eldrin Chen murmured the name, his expression turning profoundly solemn.

Throughout his cultivation journey, as his cultivation base gradually advanced, Eldrin Chen gained an ever-deepening understanding of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain.

From what he knew, within this Vast Azure Immortal Domain, there existed the Thirty-Threefold Heavenly Domain. Among them, the Eastern Pole, Western Pole, Southern Pole, and Northern Pole Heavenly Domains each nurtured one of four ancient World-Creating Trees.

These four Spiritual Root were known as the Eastern, Southern, Western, and Northern Four Extremities Ancient Tree. Together, they formed the Innate Spiritual Root Four Extremities Ancient Tree.

These four ancient trees supported the Vast Azure Immortal Domain, merging with the Immortal Domain's Four Extremities Earth Vein [the spiritual arteries of the world] to give birth to four supremely ancient Immortal Domain True Spirit [primordial spirits born from the essence of the immortal domain itself], known collectively as the Four Divine Spirits of the Immortal Domain.

These Four Divine Spirits were, respectively, the Eastern Pole True Spirit Feathered Grace, the Southern Pole True Spirit Crimson Crow, the Northern Pole True Spirit Candle Nether, and the Western Pole True Spirit Kunwu.

Among the Four Divine Spirits, Feathered Grace was the primordial True Spirit [a being of pure spiritual essence, the highest form of elemental spirit], the most ancient avian being within the Vast Azure Immortal Domain.

The ancient text, the Huainanzi [a classical Chinese philosophical and cosmological work], once stated: "From Feathered Grace came the Flying Dragon, from the Flying Dragon came the Phoenix, from the Phoenix came the Luan Bird [a mythical auspicious bird], and from the Luan Bird came all common birds. Thus, all feathered creatures are born from the common bird."

Therefore, this Feathered Grace True Spirit was often spoken of as the Progenitor of All Avians within the Vast Azure Immortal Domain.

Of course, the claims of such ancient texts were not necessarily absolute truth. Across the Three Thousand Immortal Domains and countless Universe, the most ancient beings within each Immortal Domain varied greatly.

In the Origin Immortal Domain, there existed a theory that Heaven and Earth divided into Polarity [the fundamental opposing forces of Yin and Yang], and that these Polarity forces separately gave rise to the Primordial Phoenix and the Candle Dragon [a mythical dragon deity that controls day and night].

Yet it is undeniable that Feathered Grace is indeed one of the most ancient living beings within the Vast Azure Immortal Domain.

Besides Feathered Grace, the Southern Pole True Spirit Crimson Crow is also an avian True Spirit [a primordial spirit-being of immense power and ancient lineage]. It is said this Crimson Crow is a variant of the Golden Crow [the legendary three-legged sun crow], sharing the same bloodline origin, born from the southern Crimson Crow fire of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain.

The Candle Nether is an ancient Black Dragon [a powerful draconic creature], a manifestation of the ultimate cold Great Path [a supreme principle of cultivation], and it has been suppressing the Northern Pole Heavenly Domain [a celestial region] ever since.

The remaining Kunwu is an ancient divine beast from the Primordial Era [the epoch of creation]. It is a manifestation of the Innate Metal Great Path [the supreme principle of innate metal], and has been suppressing the Western Pole Heavenly Domain of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain to this day, having weathered who knows how many Kalpa Tribulation [cosmic cycles of destruction and rebirth].

"The Four Divine Spirits of the Immortal Domain [the four guardian spirits of the immortal realm] are the bulwark of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain."

"They guard the Four Extremities [the four cardinal directions] of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain, and throughout the ages, they have blocked countless dangers from the Depths of Chaos [the primordial, formless void beyond creation]."

"Such existences are merged with the power of the Immortal Domain's Great Path. Their combat prowess is likely far greater than even that of an Ancient Immortal [an immortal who has survived for eons]."

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, not daring to gaze directly at the Dao Gold [a radiant, golden-hued energy representing the pinnacle of the Dao] colored radiance emanating from the summit of the ancient tree in the Western Pole.

Strictly speaking, the location of that Small Universe [a self-contained pocket dimension] is not within the Vast Azure Immortal Domain itself. It resembles a bubble within the endless void of dimensions, attached to the Primordial Chaos Membrane [the boundary membrane separating order from the primordial chaos] that lies outside the Vast Azure Immortal Domain.

For the group to travel from the Immortal Domain to the location of the Small Universe, they must first reach the edge of the Western Pole Heavenly Domain within the Vast Azure Immortal Domain. Then, a Celestial Immortal Great Power [a mighty immortal of celestial rank] must act to tear open a rift into the Small Universe.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen did not hesitate further. He simply continued westward, and before he knew it, he had arrived at the border of the Western Pole Heavenly Domain.

"This is the place."

When Eldrin Chen reached the edge of the Western Pole Heavenly Domain, he found that a considerable number of Immortal [powerful beings who have transcended mortality] had already gathered there.

Within that expanse of heaven and earth, more than three thousand Earth Immortal Patriarch [powerful patriarchs who have attained the Earth Immortal realm] had converged, hailing from the Human Race, the Demon Race, the Divine Clan, and a hundred other races.

These Earth Immortal Patriarch were all figures of Extraordinary combat prowess, with cultivation bases at the very least at the Middle Stage Earth Immortal level.

Among them, a full thousand were at the Late Stage Earth Immortal level, and those who had reached Earth Immortal Great Perfection already numbered over three hundred.

Among this crowd, Eldrin Chen recognized several familiar faces, including Breaker the True Lord and the Soul-Snatching Immortal Maiden, as well as the Blazeflame Divine Lord. However, the vast majority were strangers to him.

Clearly, most of these Earth Immortal Patriarch came from beyond the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea, being natives of the Six Heavenly Domains of the Western Pole.

Some, a small minority, even hailed from outside the Western Pole Heavenly Domain entirely. Evidently, a Small Universe [a self-contained, miniature cosmos] on the verge of Oblivion [complete annihilation and return to primordial chaos] held immense allure for all these Earth Immortal.

And besides these three thousand Earth Immortal, the Heavenly Vault [the celestial firmament above] was also occupied by a number of majestic Half-Step Celestial Immortal [beings who have half-stepped into the Celestial Immortal realm].

Eldrin Chen swept his gaze across the scene and discovered a full thirty-seven Half-Step Celestial Immortals [cultivators who have partially transcended mortality but not yet fully ascended to the Celestial Immortal realm] gathered before him.

He recognized few of these Half-Step Celestial Immortals, yet he spotted several notable figures among them: Myriad Spirit Patriarch, Extinction Thunder God, Western Metal Patriarch, Heavenly Fiend Clan Patriarch, and a handful of others.

"Thirty-seven Half-Step Celestial Immortals have already arrived, and the opening has not yet commenced," he murmured to himself.

Observing these figures, a subtle furrow of concern etched itself upon Eldrin Chen's brow.

Concealed within the distant void, he watched the assembled Earth Immortal Patriarchs [patriarchs who have attained the Earth Immortal realm] with intense gravity, his expression one of profound solemnity.

The greater the number of Half-Step Celestial Immortals who entered the Small Universe [a self-contained pocket dimension or microcosm], the slimmer Eldrin Chen's chances of securing the Innate Treasure [a treasure born of primordial chaos, possessing immense natural power] became.

The participants this time would likely exceed forty or even fifty Half-Step Celestial Immortals, a prospect that seeded a thread of unease within Eldrin Chen's heart.

As the moment of the Small Universe's opening drew ever nearer, Immortals [beings who have achieved immortality through cultivation] continued to arrive in a steady stream.

The count of Half-Step Celestial Immortals gradually swelled, imperceptibly reaching forty-seven.

Though their cultivation bases varied, Eldrin Chen could vaguely discern the identities of the most formidable few among this gathering of Half-Step Celestial Immortals.

After synthesizing the information in his hands, Eldrin Chen had gained a rough understanding of the strength of the most powerful contenders. Seeing that the opening of the Small Universe was now less than a millennium away, and that all who were likely to come had probably arrived, he prepared to depart.

However, just before he left, a dazzling Immortal Sword pierced through the void, arriving with several figures in tow, who appeared within the Immortal Domain.

Eldrin Chen glanced over and couldn't help but frown slightly, a look of surprise flickering across his brow.

"Void Grotto-Heaven."

Upon the Heavenly Vault, the moment the newcomers were seen, all the Half-Step Celestial Immortal present revealed expressions of astonishment.

Even the several Celestial Immortal Great Power hidden deep within the void could no longer remain seated. From within the Void Heaven, ten figures emerged in succession.

Eldrin Chen observed that among these figures were supreme great powers from the True Dragon Grotto-Heaven, peerless Immortal Phoenix from the Immortal Phoenix Grotto-Heaven, and also great powers from the White Tiger Clan of the White Tiger Grotto-Heaven.

From the Human Race, there were Patriarch figures from the Buddhist Sect of the Great Desert Celestial Sands Domain, Sword Immortal great powers from the Venus Grotto-Heaven, and also a Patriarch from the Primordial Solar Grotto-Heaven.

The Divine Clan was not to be outdone. Eldrin Chen saw the Golden Radiance Heavenly God whose golden brilliance illuminated the Myriad Heavens, the supreme Sovereign from the Western Essence Grotto-Heaven, and also an Innate Divine Spirit with wings upon its back.

Yet at this moment, these beings who commanded awe across the Myriad Heavens, upon seeing the figure upon that Immortal Sword, all revealed expressions of utmost gravity.