Chapter 1557 : A Prodigy's Audience

When this message arrived, Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang were in secluded cultivation at Green Chariot Mountain.

He was in the midst of refining a Galaxy Star Sand Pill. Hearing Exquisite Jiang recount the matter, he could not help but sigh softly, "It seems the Celestial Prison Clan Patriarch has also gained significant harvests within the Small Universe."

Exquisite Jiang nodded slightly, yet she showed little concern. "Although the Celestial Prison Clan Patriarch has broken through to the Dual Primordial Unity Foundation [a profound cultivation foundation merging two primordial essences into one], given our current strength, we need not fear him overly much."

"That is true."

Eldrin Chen nodded in agreement. He was about to speak further when he suddenly paused.

He glanced towards the distant void, then withdrew his gaze and said, "Fuqu, enter."

As Eldrin Chen's words fell, a maiden clad in white robes ascended the steps. She bowed respectfully to the pair and said, "Fuqu pays her respects to the two Patriarchs of the clan."

"Hmm."

Eldrin Chen nodded again, a warm smile gracing his features as he regarded the young woman before him.

This maiden was named Support Channel Chen. Her age was a mere eighty thousand years, yet her cultivation had already reached the level of Great Perfection of the Ascendant Immortal Realm.

Most crucially, this young woman had cultivated three Ascendant Immortal Path Fruit [the foundational achievements of an immortal, representing mastery over specific cosmic laws], granting her combat prowess comparable to a Half-Step Earth Immortal Realm [a cultivator who has partially transcended the mortal realm but not fully ascended to the Earth Immortal stage] existence. She was considered one of the most outstanding talents among the younger generation of the Chen Clan, and thus was deeply cherished by Eldrin Chen.

It could be said that the innate talent and potential of Support Channel Chen placed her among the most exceptional figures, even when measured against the tens of thousands of Immortal [beings who have transcended mortality through cultivation] within the Hundred Seas of Returning Abyss.

Within the current Chen Immortal Clan, there were four juniors of Support Channel Chen's caliber. They were collectively hailed as The Four Immortals of the Chen Clan [a title for the four most prodigious young immortals of the Chen Clan], each a pinnacle genius who had cultivated three Ascendant Immortal Path Fruit.

The other three were Extraordinary Chen, Thinking Past Chen, and Rising Swan Chen.

Among these four, Extraordinary Chen had initially ascended to immortality with only a Dual Path Fruits [mastery over two cosmic laws]. However, after arriving in the Immortal Realm [the higher plane of existence where immortals reside], he encountered a rare opportunity.

Just a few years prior, Extraordinary Chen had fortuitously obtained a secret technique left behind by the ancient Crimson Dragon Patriarch. At the cost of reincarnating and restarting his cultivation journey, he used this method to mend the flaws in his foundation, ultimately achieving three Ascendant Immortal Foundation [a perfect, triple-layered foundation for immortal cultivation].

As for Thinking Past Chen, he was the direct grandson of Eldrin Chen. His father was the third son, Worthy Longevity Chen, and his mother was a descendant of the Violet Mystery Path Master.

Although he was the one hundred and eighth child of Worthy Longevity Chen, his mother's noble lineage proved decisive. She specially sought out a supreme-grade fetal-nurturing treasure, which endowed Thinking Past Chen with astonishing innate talent from birth.

It was said that Thinking Past Chen's natural gifts rivaled those of a juvenile Celestial Immortal [a high-ranking immortal born with celestial grace]. His path was remarkably smooth, allowing him to cultivate all the way to three Ascendant Immortal Foundation with scarcely any significant bottlenecks.

The last of the four, Rising Swan Chen, was the eldest in terms of age.

That Rising Swan Chen could be considered a senior figure of the Chen Immortal Clan. Long ago, when the Chen Immortal Clan was still merely an Infant Soul Immortal Clan [a clan whose patriarch has reached the Infant Soul cultivation realm] in the lower realm, Rising Swan Chen had already begun to distinguish himself.

However, because the Chen Immortal Clan was teeming with prodigies in those days, and the Purple Seal Realm [a specific cultivation world] was a veritable cradle of talent, he never managed to carve out a truly legendary reputation for himself.

This Rising Swan Chen possessed the Supple Wood Path Body [a special constitution aligned with the Wood element, granting enhanced vitality and longevity], granting him a lifespan more than double that of cultivators at his same level.

Later, during the Demonic Abyss Cataclysm [a great calamity involving a demonic invasion], Rising Swan Chen encountered a great Opportunity and Fortune [a rare chance for advancement or gain]. His Supple Wood Path Body [a special constitution aligned with the Wood element, granting enhanced vitality and longevity] evolved into the supreme-grade constitution known as the 'Supple Wood Longevity Physique' [an ultimate Wood-aligned constitution that grants extraordinary longevity], multiplying his lifespan to a staggering five times that of his peers.

A Primordial Spirit Cultivator [a cultivator whose spiritual core has fully formed] typically lives for ten thousand years in one lifetime, yet Rising Swan Chen could live for a full fifty thousand years.

Relying on this immense longevity, Rising Swan Chen cultivated slowly and steadily in the lower realm. Though his progress in cultivation was not swift, he advanced with unwavering, deliberate steps.

When Eldrin Chen descended to the lower realm, he bestowed astonishing Opportunity and Fortune [rare chances for advancement or gain] for achieving immortality. This led to dozens of Immortal [beings who have transcended mortality through cultivation] ascending from the Purple Seal Realm [a specific cultivation world] in rapid succession.

The ascension of these Immortal [beings who have transcended mortality through cultivation] severely depleted the realm's Heaven and Earth Primordial Energy [the foundational spiritual energy of heaven and earth].

Furthermore, some Immortal [beings who have transcended mortality through cultivation] chose to remain entrenched in the Purple Seal Realm [a specific cultivation world]. They utilized the Heaven and Earth Ascension [a divine ability that allows one to draw upon the spiritual essence of heaven and earth] to cultivate their Immortal Spirit Essence [the refined spiritual essence of an immortal] without ascending, which stifled the realm's spiritual recovery. Consequently, for tens of thousands of years thereafter, very few succeeded in ascending to immortality.

Yet, Rising Swan Chen remained unhurried and unperturbed. With a cultivation at the Great Perfection of the Primordial Spirit [the fully formed spiritual core of a cultivator] realm, he lived for a staggering fifty-three thousand years. His peers from the Purple Seal Realm [a specific cultivation world] had either passed away from old age or had long since ascended to immortality.

Afterwards, Rising Swan Chen consumed the Nirvana Immortal Apricot [a legendary fruit said to grant a cultivator a second life] and lived a second lifetime. This life spanned a full sixty thousand years, yet Rising Swan Chen was still unable to achieve a breakthrough.

The root cause was that several Immortal [beings who have ascended to immortality], fearing the Great Tribulation [a cataclysmic heavenly trial faced by cultivators seeking ascension] of the Immortal Domain [the higher realm where immortals reside], had entrenched themselves within the Purple Seal Realm [the mortal world where the story begins] and dared not ascend. These Immortal monopolized eighty percent of the Purple Seal Realm's Heaven and Earth Primordial Energy [the fundamental spiritual energy of creation that permeates the world], thereby blocking the path to immortality for all others.

It was not until one hundred thousand years later, when Eldrin Chen transcended the Great Tribulation and stepped into the Earth Immortal Realm [the first major realm of true immortality], that he learned of the multiple Immortal entrenched within the Purple Seal Realm, barring the path to ascension for later generations.

Thus, Eldrin Chen issued an edict, forbidding Immortal from lingering in the Mortal Realm [another term for the world of mortals] and commanding them to repay their Karma [the spiritual debt or consequence of one's actions] to the Purple Seal Realm and immediately ascend to the Immortal Domain.

Therefore, during his third lifetime, Rising Swan Chen finally saw a glimmer of hope for a turnaround.

He lived to the venerable age of over one hundred thousand years, successfully comprehended the Immortal Path Principles [the fundamental laws governing the path to immortality], and not long after, cultivated his Supple Wood Longevity Physique [a special body constitution associated with wood element and extreme longevity] to the immortal-grade realm.

Once the Supple Wood Longevity Physique transformed into an Immortal Body [a body refined to an immortal state], Rising Swan Chen's lifespan for that single lifetime exceeded one million years.

He still did not ascend to immortality. Instead, he remained within the Purple Seal Realm, cultivating arduously for another three hundred and sixty thousand years. Through sheer persistence and the passage of eons, he painstakingly forged his Ascendant Immortal Path Fruit [the condensed essence of one's cultivation path, a prerequisite for higher immortality].

Having reached this stage, Rising Swan Chen still refused to undergo the Great Tribulation to become an immortal, wishing to remain within the Purple Seal Realm to continue his cultivation.

It is said that within the Purple Seal Realm, he earned a peculiar title, revered by countless cultivators as the 'Turtle Great Immortal'—a figure even more renowned in his time than the legendary Black Tortoise Patriarch.

This fellow stubbornly suppressed his cultivation, refusing to ascend to the Immortal [a being who has transcended mortality through cultivation] realm. While he appeared not to have broken through, the amount of Heaven and Earth Primordial Energy [the fundamental, primordial energy of creation that permeates the world] he absorbed far surpassed that of a typical Immortal. For ages, the countless Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core stage of a cultivator] Great Perfection cultivators and Demigod [a cultivator who has partially transcended mortality but not fully ascended] in the Purple Seal Realm had suffered bitterly because of this.

In the end, the multitude of cultivators could bear it no longer. They went so far as to ignite 'Immortal Trace Incense' [a rare incense used to send messages or summon aid from the immortal realms] to lodge a formal complaint with the patriarchs in the Immortal Realm.

The Lord of the Path Palace and the Master of Stellar Palace, among others, personally sought out Eldrin Chen, finally disturbing him from his secluded cultivation.

Once roused, Eldrin Chen found the situation both amusing and exasperating. He had established the rule forbidding Immortal from lingering precisely to encourage the Purple Seal Realm to produce more Immortal.

Yet, he never could have imagined that Rising Swan Chen would stubbornly suppress his cultivation, refusing to break through and vowing never to become an Immortal, remaining instead within the Mortal Dust [the mortal world, realm of dust and desire].

With no other choice, Eldrin Chen had to personally issue a decree, summoning Rising Swan Chen to the Immortal Realm.

Rising Swan Chen's accumulated foundation was profoundly deep. Merely three years after his ascension, he broke through to the Mid Ascendant Immortal Realm [the middle stage of the Ascendant Immortal realm], making him quite the eccentric figure even within the illustrious Chen Immortal Clan.

"Patriarch, for what matter have you summoned me?"

Just as Eldrin Chen was lost in thought, Finnian Chen spoke up to inquire.

Eldrin Chen returned to the present, recalling the reason for his summons. A faint smile touched his lips as he said, "In a few moments, honored guests from the Glazed Blessed Land will arrive."

"However, I am currently in the midst of cultivation and cannot go out to receive guests. You may bring them to see me."

"As you command."

Support Channel Chen's heart stirred slightly. He bowed respectfully and departed at once.

Not long after, Support Channel Chen returned, leading Sun Consort, Moon Consort, and Star Consort into the chamber.

At that moment, Eldrin Chen had just concluded his cultivation session. Seeing the three, he smiled faintly and said, "I heard some time ago of your breakthrough to the Seventh Level Earth Immortal [the seventh major stage of cultivation for an Earth Immortal]. I regret that I could not attend to offer my congratulations in person. I hope you will forgive my absence."

Upon hearing this, Sun Consort could not help but smile gently. "My breakthrough was achieved entirely thanks to your assistance, Fellow Daoist. How could I possibly hold any grievance against you?"