Chapter 1625 : Veiled Strength Before the Storm

"A few matters caused some delay." Eldrin Chen offered a faint smile, then carefully observed the group. He noticed they still appeared to be at the Single Taiyi Foundation [the foundational stage of the Taiyi realm, representing the initial consolidation of one's spiritual core].

Yet, Eldrin Chen had an indistinct sense that their auras were profoundly concealed, as if they were using a Heaven-Deceiving Secret Art [a mystical technique designed to obscure one's true cultivation level from divine perception] to mask their actual cultivation.

Meeting his gaze, the group all gave slight, understanding nods.

Zixuan the Daoist transmitted his voice privately, "We thank you for your assistance, Fellow Daoist. We have successfully cultivated the Dual Taiyi Foundation [an advanced foundational stage where the spiritual core achieves a state of dual harmony, significantly more potent than the Single Foundation]."

Only then did Eldrin Chen understand. Apart from Sky Abyss Daoist, both Separated Flame Deity and Zixuan the Daoist had broken through to the Dual Taiyi Foundation.

However, with the Dao Tribulation [a celestial trial or calamity faced by cultivators at key junctures of their path] imminent, they had all concealed their true strength to prevent being specifically targeted by adversaries.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen also nodded slightly. The nine Earth Immortal [cultivators who have transcended mortality and attained an immortal body rooted in the earth] of the Chen Immortal Clan were doing the very same, merely displaying the cultivation level of the Initial Entry [the first, introductory stage] into the Earth Immortal Nine Layers [the ninth and penultimate tier within the Earth Immortal realm]. Of course, even the cultivation level Eldrin Chen chose to reveal was astonishing enough.

Given their age, for Eldrin Chen and his companions to have cultivated to the Earth Immortal Nine Layers in such a short span of time was itself a staggering achievement.

In the eyes of the outside world's Immortal [beings who have ascended to a true immortal state], Eldrin Chen, as an Immortal who had opened the Twelfth Heaven [a legendary and supremely difficult tier of immortal ascension], yet lacked a powerful patron's support, managing to reach the Earth Immortal Nine Layers so swiftly would already be considered a shocking feat.

As for him hiding his cultivation, to outsiders, such a possibility seemed inconceivable. Discover more cultivation stories at audio novel.com.

Because Eldrin Chen made his breakthrough within the Five Elements Microcosm [a miniature world embodying the five elements], outsiders remained completely unaware that he had ascended to the Half-Step Celestial Immortal [a quasi-immortal state just below true Celestial Immortality].

Of course, Zixuan the Daoist and the others had a strong suspicion that both Eldrin Chen and Lyra Jiang had broken through to the Half-Step Celestial Immortal [a quasi-immortal state just below true Celestial Immortality].

For if myself had not yet achieved the Half-Step Celestial Immortal [a quasi-immortal state just below true Celestial Immortality], why would Eldrin Chen have given them the Yin-Yang Enlightenment Pill [a pill that harmonizes opposing forces to grant profound insight] and the Primordial Unity Golden Body Pill [a pill that forges an indestructible golden physique] instead of using them for myself own breakthrough? Contemplating this, Divine Lord Glaze spoke, "The trading grounds for the Barter Convention [a grand gathering for the exchange of rare cultivation resources] have opened. This is a grand assembly jointly hosted by the three great races—Human, Demon God [a powerful demonic entity], and others. The mightiest experts from each race, those at the Earth Immortal Nine Layers [the ninth and pinnacle stage of the Earth Immortal realm], will all be in attendance."

"I shall introduce you and let you witness the most elite Half-Step Celestial Immortal [quasi-immortals just below true Celestial Immortality] within the entire Azure Firmament Immortal Domain [the vast realm of immortal cultivation]."

So saying, Divine Lord Glaze led Eldrin Chen into the depths of the immortal city.

Soon, they arrived before a majestic complex of divine palaces.

Upon entering, Eldrin Chen realized this divine complex contained a Grotto-Heaven [a blessed, self-contained pocket dimension], its grandeur rivaling that of a Great Thousand Universe [a vast and complete cosmos].

Within this Cosmos [the ordered universe], countless stars drifted upon the Void Heaven [the boundless, empty expanse of the heavens]. Each star held a regal divine throne, upon which sat at least one cultivator who had reached Earth Immortal Great Perfection [the flawless and complete mastery of the Earth Immortal realm].

And within this expanse of Void Heaven [the boundless, empty expanse of the heavens], there were precisely nineteen thousand such stars. "Nineteen thousand Earth Immortal Great Perfection [cultivators who have flawlessly mastered the Earth Immortal realm]."

Witnessing this spectacle, Eldrin Chen felt a tremor in his heart, his eyes reflecting profound astonishment.

It must be understood that within the entire Western Qi Divine Abyss Sea [a vast and spiritually rich ocean realm], those at the Earth Immortal Nine Layers [the ninth and final stage of the Earth Immortal realm, representing the pinnacle of power before ascending to the Celestial Immortal realm] are considered apex powerhouses. Across the immense expanse of the Western Qi Divine Abyss Sea, excluding the three Grotto-Heaven [self-contained pocket paradises with superior spiritual energy and unique laws], the total number of Earth Immortal Nine Layers cultivators does not exceed a little over one hundred.

To think that within this Grand Hall, nearly twenty thousand Earth Immortal Great Perfection [cultivators who have reached the absolute limit of the Earth Immortal realm, a state of flawless cultivation foundation] powerhouses had gathered. This truly surpassed Eldrin Chen's expectations.

As for Lyra Jiang's astonishment, Glaze Qu had anticipated it long ago.

Her expression remained serene as she summoned several beams of starlight to guide the group upward. She then spoke calmly, "The Western Qi Divine Abyss Sea is relatively barren; its Earth Immortal Great Perfection cultivators number only a little over one hundred."

"Beyond the Western Qi Divine Abyss Sea, within the Six Celestial Domains of the Western Pole [a collective term for six major celestial regions in the western part of the immortal domain], a single Celestial Domain often boasts more than three hundred Earth Immortal Great Perfection cultivators." She continued, "The seven Celestial Domains of the Central Realm [the central and most prosperous region], the Eastern Pole, the Six Heavens Domain, and other such prosperous lands harbor even greater numbers of Earth Immortal Great Perfection powerhouses."

"More importantly, the Azure Firmament Immortal Domain [the overarching immortal realm where the story takes place] contains over two hundred Grotto-Heaven. The Earth Immortal [the cultivation realm above the Nascent Soul stage, where one begins to comprehend and embody the Dao] cultivators within them do not need to undergo the Dao Tribulation [a heavenly trial that tests a cultivator's comprehension of the Dao and their accumulated karma]. Over ninety million years of continuous accumulation, no one knows how profound their Deep-Seated Foundation [the depth and solidity of a cultivator's spiritual and physical foundation, crucial for future advancement] has become."

Divine Lord Glaze spoke slowly, her expression turning exceedingly grave. "From what I know, a single Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven alone, through ninety million years of accumulation, possesses at least ten thousand Earth Immortal cultivators."

"Among these Earth Immortal cultivators, the majority are only at the Middle Stage Earth Immortal [the middle phase of the Earth Immortal realm]. However, those at the Late Stage Earth Immortal [the late phase of the Earth Immortal realm] number over three thousand. As for those at the Earth Immortal Great Perfection..."

Divine Lord Glaze's words paused briefly before she concluded, "I believe their number likely exceeds three hundred."

Upon hearing this, the complexions of everyone present paled slightly.

That a single Upper Grade Grotto-Heaven [a self-contained pocket dimension of immense spiritual richness] alone could harbor so many Earth Immortal Progenitor [powerful cultivators who have transcended mortality and attained a profound connection with the earth's essence] was utterly beyond their expectations. With such a multitude of Earth Immortal Progenitor, one could say that the Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven alone possessed strength rivaling over half of the entire Western Qi Divine Abyss Sea [a vast and perilous sea region within the immortal domain].

Yet within the Azure Firmament Immortal Domain [the overarching realm of heavens and immortals], there existed over two hundred such Grotto-Heaven. If each possessed comparable might, would that not mean there were millions of Earth Immortal Progenitor?

"There is no need for such astonishment,"

Divine Lord Glaze spoke calmly, informing them. "Since its founding, the Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven has stood for over two hundred million years, having weathered two Calamity Tribulation [cosmic trials that reshape realms and test the fate of all within]. It is a renowned Upper Grade Grotto-Heaven that commands respect across the Azure Firmament Immortal Domain, ranking forty-ninth among its two hundred plus peers."

"In contrast, the vast majority of Grotto-Heaven are of Middle or Lower Grade, their power far inferior."

Divine Lord Glaze continued, explaining that aside from those top-tier Grotto-Heaven which housed cultivators at the Great Perfection Celestial Immortal Realm [the pinnacle of celestial immortal attainment], the Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven stood among the very crest of that mighty wave. Continue reading this story at audio - novel . com.

Within the Azure Firmament Immortal Domain, the number of top-tier Grotto-Heaven possessing Great Perfection Celestial Immortal Realm cultivators totaled fewer than thirty. Excluding the few held by the Hundred Clans of Immortal Spirits [a powerful alliance of various spirit races], and divided among the Human, Demon God [a powerful demonic cultivation realm], and other major races, each race averaged merely seven or eight such supreme Grotto-Heaven.

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen gave a slight, understanding nod.

The Zephyr Grotto-Heaven, for instance, had also accumulated power for eighty million years, yet it housed only several hundred Divine Spirits [powerful spiritual entities often equivalent to Earth Immortals] of the Earth Immortal Realm. Its foundational strength was not even one-tenth that of the Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven, starkly illustrating the chasm between an Upper Grade and a Lower Grade Grotto-Heaven.

According to Divine Lord Glaze's account, a Lower Grade Grotto-Heaven could shelter at most one thousand Earth Immortal from the Dao Tribulation [the heavenly tribulation that tests one's comprehension of the Dao]. A Middle Grade could harbor three thousand, while an Upper Grade could protect over ten thousand Earth Immortal from that fate.

Furthermore, these Earth Immortal [cultivators who have attained a profound, earth-bound immortal state] who do not enter the Dao Tribulation [the supreme heavenly trial that tests a cultivator's Dao-heart and grants true enlightenment], though they can continue their cultivation within a Grotto-Heaven [a blessed, self-contained pocket dimension of immense spiritual density], will find their progress in cultivation exceedingly slow due to the lack of tempering through tribulation.

Lacking the courage to face the Great Tribulation [a cataclysmic heavenly trial] and Dao Tribulation [the supreme heavenly trial that tests a cultivator's Dao-heart and grants true enlightenment], a flaw is etched upon their Dao-heart [the core of a cultivator's will and understanding], stripping them of that relentless, forward-driving momentum.

Once such individuals encounter a cultivation bottleneck, the difficulty of breaking through is many times greater than for an Earth Immortal [cultivator who has attained a profound, earth-bound immortal state] who has weathered the Dao Tribulation [the supreme heavenly trial that tests a cultivator's Dao-heart and grants true enlightenment]. They often remain trapped at a single realm for tens of millions of years, their future prospects bleak and uncertain. Therefore, for true seeds of Heaven Immortal [a celestial immortal, a higher state of being], such as figures at the level of Holy Sons [designated heirs of supreme talent within major sects or clans], the Grotto-Heaven and Abode of Bliss [the collective term for the highest-tier blessed realms and paradises] generally require them to personally undergo the Dao Tribulation [the supreme heavenly trial that tests a cultivator's Dao-heart and grants true enlightenment].

Should they be unwilling to brave the Dao Tribulation [the supreme heavenly trial that tests a cultivator's Dao-heart and grants true enlightenment], they typically forfeit their esteemed position as a Holy Son [designated heir of supreme talent within a major sect or clan].

Having grasped the concept of the Deep-Seated Foundation [the profound, hidden reserves of strength and resources accumulated over generations] possessed by a Grotto-Heaven [a blessed, self-contained pocket dimension of immense spiritual density], Eldrin Chen fell into deep contemplation, his heart growing ever more solemn.

Vaguely, he seemed to glimpse the eruption of the Calamity Tribulation [a world-shaking cataclysm of fate and heavenly retribution]. He envisioned the immense impact when powerful Grotto-Heaven [blessed, self-contained pocket dimensions of immense spiritual density] like the Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven and the Western Qi Grotto-Heaven threw their entire strength into the Calamity Tribulation [a world-shaking cataclysm of fate and heavenly retribution].

The struggle for the Dao [the fundamental principle or path] among Grotto-Heaven [blessed, self-contained pocket dimensions of immense spiritual density], the boundless chaos of the Calamity Tribulation [a world-shaking cataclysm of fate and heavenly retribution]—the clash of such titanic forces would undoubtedly unleash waves of conflict vast enough to sweep across the entire world. This chapter is provided by audio-novel`com. Support the original.