Chapter 1656 : A Foundation of Deceit

"Eldrin, the Junior [a derogatory term for Eldrin Chen], you possess eighteen Half-Step Celestial Immortals [cultivators who have nearly ascended to the Celestial Immortal realm], along with the Super Killing Formation [an extremely lethal and powerful array] and an Innate Treasure [a supreme treasure born from the primordial chaos of heaven and earth]. This is sufficient foundation for you to become the eighth major power in the Western Qi Divine Abyss Sea [a vast and perilous sea region in the immortal domain] during this tribulation."

The Third Divine Son [the third-ranked Divine Son of a major power] from Western Qi Grotto-Heaven [a blessed realm and major power in the Western Qi region] grew increasingly livid, his expression darkening as he spoke with difficulty: "With such a Deep-Seated Foundation [a profound and unshakable cultivation base], to resort to such underhanded schemes... truly, you are no gentleman!"

Eldrin Chen merely sneered in response. "I'll return your own words to you: I enjoy the sight of your impotent rage." "You—!"

Upon hearing this, the Third Divine Son was so enraged that smoke seemed to rise from his seven orifices [a Chinese idiom for extreme fury]. Recalling Eldrin's earlier taunts, his face grew even more thunderous.

The others also wore grim expressions. They remembered how Eldrin Chen had appeared utterly humiliated and furiously impotent just before they had charged into his Formation [a structured array of power, often for defense or attack]. Now, a flush of shame burned their cheeks.

In hindsight, they realized that while Eldrin Chen had watched their arrogant assault, he had likely already been calculating how to divide their Dao Source [the condensed essence of a cultivator's cultivation and life force, a supremely valuable resource].

Thinking of this, the Second Holy Son [the second-ranked Holy Son of a major power] spoke with urgent anxiety: "This junior has concealed his true strength, which means his ambitions are vast. We absolutely cannot perish here. We must get word out."

In an instant, the others grasped the implication, and their expressions turned from grim to gravely solemn.

Meanwhile, the Netherfire Ancient Ancestor [an ancient and powerful cultivator associated with netherworld flames], straining to fend off the attacks from Divine Lord Glaze, spoke with a dark countenance: "Given the circumstances, we must unite our efforts if we are to fight our way out of this!"

The Third Divine Son nodded, his face a mask of gloom and suppressed fury. "We join forces now. Bring out every last trump card you've been holding back." The Second Holy Son declared immediately, "Then I shall hold them off." Dive deeper into the Dao at audio novel.com.

As the words of the Second Holy Son fell, the seven-tiered pagoda above his head spun incessantly, releasing tens of thousands of figures in succession.

The lowest cultivation base among these figures was the Ascension to Immortality Realm [the realm just before becoming a true Immortal], and among them were many Earth Immortal Progenitor [powerful cultivators who have merged their essence with a world], and even three beings at the Half-Step Celestial Immortal Realm [a quasi-immortal state approaching true celestial immortality]. This pagoda was named the Seven Treasures Immortal-Suppressing Pagoda [a legendary pagoda capable of suppressing Immortals], a Grand Unity Immortal Treasure [a supreme-grade immortal artifact of the highest order] that suppressed Immortal [a being who has ascended to true immortality] to serve as puppets.

The Second Holy Son had attained the Dao for tens of millions of years. Over these eons, he had continuously suppressed his foes, capturing Immortal [a being who has ascended to true immortality] and refining them one by one into this pagoda, transforming them into its puppet guardians.

Now, unleashed suddenly, tens of thousands of Immortal [beings who have ascended to true immortality] surged forth together, desperately trying to block the advancing group.

Seeing this, the others also released the Divine Spirits [powerful spiritual entities born from a world's essence] and Imperial Lord [a title for a supreme ruler of a realm] from within their Earth Immortal World [a personal miniature world cultivated by an Earth Immortal]. In an instant, a horde of Divine Spirits and Imperial Lord charged out, fighting with their lives on the line to hinder the group.

The Divine Spirits [powerful spiritual entities born from a world's essence] of an Earth Immortal World [a personal miniature world cultivated by an Earth Immortal] are manifestations of its Heaven and Earth Origin [the primordial source energy of creation within a world]. Each one that perishes outside its world drains the Heaven and Earth Origin Power [the foundational life-force of a world], which is why Earth Immortal Progenitor [powerful cultivators who have merged their essence with a world] generally avoid deploying their Divine Spirits for battles where they face overwhelming odds.

However, at this moment, standing at the precipice of Life and Death [a state of ultimate peril between survival and oblivion], they had no choice but to use this desperate measure to buy time.

With so many Immortal [beings who have ascended to true immortality] swarming forth, even though everyone present was a Half-Step Celestial Immortal [a quasi-immortal state approaching true celestial immortality], they could be delayed for a crucial moment, providing the fleeing group a chance to break through.

"Overestimating your strength."

High upon the Nine Firmaments [the nine layers of heaven in cosmological lore], Lyra Jiang witnessed this scene, and a flicker of cold light passed through her eyes.

With a mere flick of his sleeve, he summoned forth the Innate Gale Ancient Gourd [a primordial treasure born of heaven and earth]. In an instant, it was activated, unleashing a tempest of supreme, innate Wind [a fundamental force of nature, here refined into a weaponized gale]. The gale swept across hundreds of millions of Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] of the Ronan mountains and heavens, scouring all in its path.

Wherever this Wind passed, Immortal [a cultivator who has ascended to immortality] were obliterated to dust and ashes in the blink of an eye. Even Earth Immortal [an immortal whose power is anchored to the mortal world] could not withstand it for more than a few breaths.

In mere moments, countless Divine Spirits [powerful spiritual beings] and Imperial Lord [a title for a ruler among immortals] had their souls scattered and forms destroyed. All that remained were flesh and blood scattered across the sky, Mana [the spiritual energy cultivated and used by practitioners] essences, and the faintest wisp of source Qi [the vital energy that flows through all living things] from the Heavenly Dao [the Heavenly Way, the fundamental order of the cosmos]. These remnants resonated with each other, coalescing into thousands upon thousands of Dao Source [crystallized fragments of profound Dao principles] left behind on the battlefield.

"Pfft—"

The instantaneous annihilation of thousands of Divine Spirits and Imperial Lord meant the seventeen Half-Step Celestial Immortal [cultivators on the very cusp of true celestial immortality] suffered a catastrophic backlash as the Divine Spirits within their inner worlds were utterly depleted. Their combat prowess was instantly diminished by several degrees, stripping them of any remaining capacity for resistance.

"The Innate Gale Ancient Gourd,"

Ancestor Western Geng let out a bitter, wretched laugh. "The companion treasure born alongside Zephyr, the Celestial God in the primordial era. To think it has fallen into your hands."

In that moment, despair gripped the hearts of the invading Half-Step Celestial Immortal. They realized that not even they, and likely not even an entire Grotto-Heaven [a blessed realm, a paradise for cultivation] launching a full assault, could hope to overcome the Abyssal Immortal Alliance.

Even Divine Lord Glaze and Zixuan the Daoist could not help but cast a deep, meaningful glance at Eldrin Chen upon witnessing this scene.

A single clan with twelve Half-Step Celestial Immortal, possessing not only supreme Formation Flags [enchanted banners used to set up powerful formations] like the Eight Trigrams Formation Flags [a formation based on the eight trigrams of the I Ching], but also wielding the Innate Gale Ancient Gourd. In this battle, the Chen Clan Immortal Clan [a clan whose members have achieved immortality] had revealed a Deep-Seated Foundation [profound and unshakable foundational strength] and foundational power so terrifying it defied belief.

Moreover, a subtle suspicion lingered in their hearts: the true strength of the Chen Immortal Clan likely far surpassed what they had just witnessed.

After all, from what they knew, the Chen Immortal Clan possessed at least two more Innate Treasure [a supreme magical treasure born from the primordial chaos]: the Innate Yin-Yang Dao Union Pot and that enigmatic Primordial Qian-Kun Primordial Qi Vase. "Esteemed allies, this battle is concluded!"

Lyra Jiang retrieved the Innate Gale Ancient Gourd, then activated the Eight Trigrams Formation Flags to press down upon the foes. Within moments, all seventeen Half-Step Celestial Immortal [a cultivator who has transcended the Nascent Soul realm but has not yet fully ascended to true immortality] were completely subdued, though she refrained from delivering the final blow immediately.

"It is done."

Witnessing this, everyone present let out a faint sigh of relief.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod and declared, "Allies, let us continue to perform this act." Original publication: *audio-novel.com* - The source of this chapter.

After a breath of stillness, fierce combat erupted once more within the Eight Seas of the Abyss [a legendary expanse of eight profound and bitter seas], causing the entire grand formation to tremble violently. In an instant, thunderbolts danced wildly, Celestial Fire [a divine flame of heavenly origin] scorched the heavens, and waves of power capable of shaking the immortal firmament swept across all directions.

Deafening roars shook the very foundations of heaven and earth. Boundless Laws of the Dao [the fundamental principles governing reality], Rule [a specific, codified manifestation of a Dao principle], and Dao Principles [the core truths underlying cultivation arts] clashed in a maelstrom of power. Colossal True Body [the ultimate physical manifestation of a powerful being's essence], towering tens of thousands of Zhang-lengths [one Zhang-length equals three point three three meters], engaged in titanic duels. Countless terrifying forces collided violently within the confines of the Formation [a structured array of power, often for defense, attack, or confinement].

To those observing from outside, the details within remained obscured, glimpsed only vaguely.

They saw the heavens tilt and the earth crumble, mountains and rivers collapsing, and Immortal Island [floating islands imbued with immortal energy] shattering one after another. Floating Immortal Island plummeted from the sky, gouging fissures thousands of Zhang-lengths deep. Fragments of celestial palaces and broken spears were hurled beyond the Formation's boundary, their impact sinking entire ancient continents beneath the waves.

Through the faintly visible cracks in the barrier, they seemed to witness the Abyssal Daoist [a title for Eldrin Chen, the Abyssal Daoist] fighting a bloody battle. His arm was torn by some supreme force, and half of a long spear was driven through his chest, leaving an indelible wound.

"What a brutal and tragic battle,"

Outside, observing Immortals [beings who have ascended to a higher state of existence beyond mortality] whispered amongst themselves, all intelligence agents from various major powers.

Someone nodded, picking up the broken half of the spear with a grave expression, and said, "This is the Celestial Prison Spear [a supreme-grade spear artifact] of the Patriarch of the Celestial Prison Clan. It is a top-tier Heaven-Opening Supreme Treasure [an artifact of the highest grade, capable of cleaving the heavens], powerful enough to rend the flesh of a Supreme Unity Immortal Physique [a legendary, near-indestructible physical constitution achieved through supreme cultivation]."

"The Abyssal Daoist is merely at the Earth Immortal Nine Layers [the ninth and final stage of the Earth Immortal realm], yet he managed to shatter a spear of World-Opening Supreme Treasure Grade [a grade denoting artifacts capable of splitting worlds]. Truly, he lives up to being one of the top three prodigious talents the Human Race has seen in hundreds of millions of years."

"In that desperate, blood-soaked battle where he burned his very soul to its limit, the Abyssal Daoist displayed unparalleled valor, but even that was not enough to turn the tide. It seems the Chen Immortal Clan [the Chen Clan, an immortal cultivation family] is finished."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the others shifted. Someone sighed, "A pity. Even the mightiest fists cannot prevail against four hands. Such a once-in-an-era genius, before he could truly rise, has fallen to the coordinated hunt of the transcendent powers."

Another nodded, a look of regret on his face, and said, "Since ancient times, prodigies who step into the Forbidden Realm [a legendary and perilous state of cultivation that defies conventional limits], if they lack the backing of a Grotto-Heaven Ancient Sect [an ancient and powerful sect residing in a blessed, independent realm], nine times out of ten meet an early demise in the hunts launched by these transcendent forces."

"The various Ancient Sects and Grotto-Heavens [blessed, independent realms often occupied by powerful sects] would never permit a new power to rise and place itself above them. Even if they harbor grudges amongst themselves, they will unite in advance to snuff out such a threat in its cradle." Immerse yourself in the complete world at audio-novel . com.