Chapter 1525 : A Universe of Stellar Ambition

"It seems the remaining forces within the Small Universe are all tough nuts to crack."

Having grasped the shifting dynamics within the Small Universe, Eldrin Chen fell into contemplative silence.

Within the current Small Universe, aside from a few superpowers that were difficult to subdue, what remained were countless Myriad Stellar. Those myriad stars [celestial bodies imbued with spiritual essence] represented an exceedingly rich trove of resources.

After careful consideration, however, Eldrin Chen spoke up: "There are still quite a few Myriad Stellar within the Netherworld Small Universe at present."

"But we have just broken through to the Late Stage Earth Immortal [a high level of cultivation where one's power is deeply rooted in the earth's essence]. Our strength still has significant room for improvement. Rather than scrambling for those scattered stars, it would be wiser to focus on consolidating our gains and biding our time for the inevitable clashes with the major powers."

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded slightly in agreement.

Exquisite Jiang gazed towards the Depths of the Starry Sky and said thoughtfully, "Indeed. The true trial will come once most of the stars within the Small Universe have been claimed."

Violet Mystery Path Master, however, remained composed. He stated calmly, "You all stay within the Netherworld Small Universe to solidify your cultivation bases. This old man will make a trip into the Solar Realm Small Universe."

Glazed Divine Lord also nodded, replying with similar detachment, "I shall make the journey as well."

Eldrin Chen understood their intent: they aimed to seize the opportunity to gather more Myriad Stellar from the Solar Realm Small Universe to refine into Galaxy Star Sand Pill [a powerful cultivation elixir condensed from stellar essence].

After all, the resources of the Stellar [the celestial bodies and cosmic energies used in cultivation] scattered across the heavens were countless. With their combined strength, as long as they seized the greatest opportunities, obtaining several thousand Stellar in one fell swoop might not be beyond their reach.

As long as they did not assault the few super Blessed Land [a land of profound spiritual fortune and natural power], self-preservation should be more than sufficient.

Thinking this, Eldrin Chen cupped his hands and said, "Since that is the case, I bid you both to take care."

"I shall."

Glazed Divine Lord nodded, speaking with calm composure.

After the two departed, the group remained within the Netherworld Small Universe [a pocket dimension connected to the underworld], resuming their lives of secluded cultivation.

In the time that followed, the various Earth Immortal [an immortal whose power is anchored to the earth] of the Chen Immortal Clan all began to consolidate their newly attained cultivation bases.

Although their breakthrough to the Late Stage Earth Immortal had granted them a foundation of spiritual power rivaling that of a Ninth Level Earth Immortal, their Immortal Treasure [a treasure forged by and bound to an immortal] and Divine Ability [a supernatural power or technique mastered through cultivation] were not yet perfected.

The true, large-scale conflict within the Small Universe [a self-contained pocket dimension or microcosm] had not yet erupted. This was precisely the time for them to solidify their cultivation and hone their techniques.

Cultivating Divine Ability and refining their Lifebound Immortal Treasure [an immortal treasure intrinsically linked to its wielder's life force] required consuming precious resources and vast quantities of materials. Fortunately, the immortals of the present Chen Clan were not lacking in resources.

Since the Great Tribulation began, the Earth Immortal [powerful immortals who have transcended the mortal realm] of the Chen Immortal Clan have successively participated in the campaign against the Nether Abyss Purgatory Sea, the assault on the Flowing Fire Star Palace, the attack on the Netherworld Small Universe, and the battle of the Solar Realm Small Universe.

In these several wars, the Earth Immortal of the Chen Immortal Clan have successively slain numerous enemies, establishing truly monumental merit.

Take the previous battle of the Ice Phoenix Ancient Star for instance; the Earth Immortal of the Chen Immortal Clan contributed immensely, with each person slaying at least a dozen or more demon sages.

It can be said that merely from the spoils of the Ice Phoenix Ancient Star, the resources they exchanged and distributed using their accumulated Merits [a metaphysical currency representing virtuous deeds and karma] were more than sufficient to support their cultivation all the way to the Earth Immortal Great Perfection.

Therefore, at present, they lack no resources for advancing their Lifebound Immortal Treasure [a magical artifact intimately bound to a cultivator's life force] or cultivating their Divine Ability [a supreme supernatural power mastered through profound cultivation].

Even Eldrin Chen had already gathered all the resources needed to cultivate his Innate Divine Ability [a supreme power inherent to one's nature or bloodline] to its Great Completion.

With such an abundance of resources, their capabilities advanced by leaps and bounds, and they almost immediately succeeded in advancing both their Lifebound Immortal Treasure and their Divine Ability.

And Eldrin Chen was no exception. He spent a mere thousand years to cultivate his Innate Divine Ability, 'Primordial One Energy' [the primordial, undifferentiated energy from which all things originate], to the Great Perfection Realm.

After another three thousand years, the Great Five Elements Primordial Solar Divine Thunder and the Great Five Elements Primordial Solar Divine Light successively reached the Great Perfection Realm.

With these three Mysterious Grade Divine Ability [divine abilities of the highest and most profound grade] perfected, Eldrin Chen's combat power underwent an even greater metamorphosis.

Taking the Primordial One Energy [the foundational, undifferentiated energy of creation] as an example, the defensive power of the Primordial One Energy True Aura [a divine shield formed from Primordial One Energy] was now comparable to a World-Opening Supreme Treasure [a supreme artifact of legendary power, said to have been used to cleave the heavens and earth at the dawn of creation]. Similarly, the Primordial One Energy Grasping Hand [a divine technique manifesting a giant hand of Primordial One Energy] now packed a force sufficient to rival a single strike from a Half-Step Celestial Immortal [a cultivator who has transcended the Earth Immortal realm and taken the first, partial step into the Celestial Immortal domain].

The Slaughter [the annihilating, destructive aspect] power contained within the Great Five Elements Primordial Solar Divine Thunder [a supreme thunder technique born from the fusion of the Five Elements and the Primordial Sun] had also reached a level comparable to the Innate Divine Ability [a supreme, heaven-defying technique innate to a being's very nature] of a Half-Step Celestial Immortal. As for the Great Five Elements Primordial Solar Divine Light [a divine radiance technique of the Five Elements and Primordial Sun], its power was now sufficient to restrain even a World-Opening Supreme Treasure.

"With my Divine Ability [supreme mystical techniques] having reached their Great Perfection, my current combat strength, while still far inferior to those who have laid a Dual Primordial Unity Foundation [a legendary, near-mythical foundation for cultivation, said to be the pinnacle of potential], should now allow me to contend on equal footing with a figure like the Glazed Divine Lord [a title for a powerful divine lord]," Eldrin Chen murmured to himself.

The immense leap in power granted by mastering such profound Divine Ability had dramatically elevated Eldrin Chen's combat prowess. He estimated his current strength now placed him among the more formidable Half-Step Celestial Immortal.

However, because the scope of his Earth Immortal World [the internal miniature world within an Earth Immortal cultivator] was not as vast as that of a true Half-Step Celestial Immortal, Eldrin Chen would still be at a disadvantage in a prolonged battle of attrition against one.

Fortunately, he possessed the True Dragon External Elixir [a supreme treasure that stores vast amounts of spiritual energy, akin to an external energy core], a treasure of World-Opening Supreme Treasure grade. It could store a reservoir of spiritual energy comparable to that of an Earth Immortal Great Perfection [the pinnacle stage of the Earth Immortal realm] cultivator, effectively solving this critical weakness.

Having roughly gauged his newfound strength, a sense of calm assurance settled within Eldrin Chen's heart.

Having reached this stage, Eldrin Chen realized his combat power had hit a plateau.

After achieving the Late Stage Earth Immortal realm, further progress in cultivation would be agonizingly slow. It was impossible for Eldrin Chen to break through to the Eighth Level Earth Immortal [a specific advanced tier within the Earth Immortal realm] in the short term.

Furthermore, his comprehension of the Dao's rules, his physical body, and his Path Fruit [the condensed essence and achievement of a cultivator's chosen Dao Path] had all reached their pinnacle of perfection within the Earth Immortal framework. The next step forward would be to ascend into the Primordial Unity Realm [a legendary realm representing the return to and mastery of the primordial, unified state of existence]—a leap of unimaginable difficulty.

With the aid of Primordial Chaos Source Essence [the foundational essence from which all creation springs], his Lifebound Immortal Treasure [a magical treasure bound to a cultivator's life force] could indeed advance a step further. However, for a Lifebound Immortal Treasure to reach the level of a World-Opening Supreme Treasure [a supreme treasure capable of cleaving open a new world], it would require the integration of a top-grade World-Opening Celestial Immortal Artifact [a celestial immortal artifact of world-opening grade] to enhance its fundamental material.

After much contemplation, Eldrin Chen realized he could make no further progress in the short term.

Thus, he settled his mind and activated his mastery-level Primordial One Limitless Rule [the supreme law of boundless unity], beginning to temper and refine his five Lifebound Supreme Treasure [supreme treasures bound to his life force].

Another thousand years passed in this manner, during which he meticulously polished away all the impure and chaotic Dao patterns [the fundamental laws and principles of reality] within his Lifebound Immortal Treasure.

Having completed this step, Eldrin Chen saw that the others were still immersed in cultivating their Divine Ability [supernatural powers granted by profound cultivation] and refining their Immortal Treasure [treasures of immortal grade]. Feeling restless from prolonged stillness, he stepped into the Solar Realm Small Universe [a miniature cosmos centered on a solar realm].

This time, his primary purpose for entering the Solar Realm Small Universe was not to gather Myriad Stellar [the countless stars], but to fulfill a promise.

Long ago, Eldrin Chen had promised Myriad Spirit Patriarch that he would offer sanctuary within the Netherworld Small Universe [a miniature cosmos of the underworld] to some members of the Spirit Race [a race of spiritual beings]. Over the years, he had already taken in a few.

However, as this was merely a secondary task undertaken while gathering resources, the number of Spirit Race he had rescued was not great.

Now that Eldrin Chen finally had time, he ventured into the boundless Small Universe [miniature cosmoses] and began guiding members of the Human Race and the Spirit Race to safety.

In the time that followed, Eldrin Chen traversed the endless Small Universe, continuously guiding beings from the Human Race and the Spirit Race. Thus, several thousand years slipped by in the blink of an eye.

Over these past several thousand years, he had traversed dozens of galactic systems, guiding and receiving a multitude numbering in the billions upon billions of the Human Race [the collective term for humanity in the cultivation world]. Among them were even several dozen members of the Spirit Race [a race of beings born from sentient spiritual roots or natural phenomena].

The Spirit Race are born from the manifestation of sentient Spiritual Root [a rare, sentient plant or mineral with inherent spiritual power]. Such beings are exceedingly rare; within the entire Small Universe [a smaller, self-contained cosmos within the greater universe], their number is merely in the thousands. Furthermore, the majority are concentrated within the Spirit Race Star Domain [a specific region of space dominated by the Spirit Race].

For Eldrin Chen to have received several dozen Spirit Race members at once without even venturing into the Spirit Race Star Domain, he reckoned this achievement should be sufficient to provide a satisfactory account to the Myriad Spirit Patriarch.

On this day, as Eldrin Chen departed from a certain star domain, he noticed the starlight within the Small Universe had grown noticeably dimmer. It was clear that vast quantities of Stellar [the condensed essence and spiritual power of stars] had already been harvested and taken away.

And as this boundless Stellar was plundered, it seemed the calamitous aura [a pervasive energy signifying impending disaster or tribulation] within the Universe grew ever more dense and oppressive.