Chapter 1571 : A Palm That Shatters Ancient Ships

It was an immense fleet, a full eight World-Opening Ancient Ship [ancient vessels capable of traversing the void between worlds] cleaving through the void. Upon them surged the auras of several dozen beings comparable to Earth Immortal Patriarch [a patriarch who has attained the Earth Immortal realm], and among them, three auras even brushed against the threshold of the Earth Immortal Great Perfection [the pinnacle stage of the Earth Immortal realm].

"At least forty-some Earth Immortal [an immortal whose power is anchored to the mortal world] realm Fiend Race [a race of malevolent beings that feed on chaos and corruption] fiends, and among them, three have reached Earth Immortal Great Perfection," he assessed grimly.

Lord of the Great Wasteland Path Palace [the supreme ruler of the Great Wasteland, a major power in the demonic path] furrowed his brow slightly, then turned to Eldrin Chen and asked, "Their strength is not insignificant. Should we delay further? There should still be many Immortal [beings who have transcended mortality and attained immortality] from the upper realms who have yet to descend."

"If a few more Late Stage Earth Immortal [an Earth Immortal in the advanced stages of their cultivation] could descend, our chances would undoubtedly increase."

"There is no need for such trouble."

Eldrin Chen spoke with detached calm. With a mere flick of his sleeve, a palm descended to suppress the heavens.

In that Ksana-time [an infinitesimal unit of time], boundless Chaos Mist [the primordial, formless essence from which all creation emerged] converged, coalescing into a heaven-shrouding, sun-eclipsing hand that seized one of the World-Opening Ancient Ship.

"BOOM—"

A deafening, world-shaking roar echoed as the ancient vessel shattered instantly.

Upon that ship, several Earth Immortal Patriarch roared and struggled in defiance, yet they could not withstand even a single Xi-time [the duration of one breath]. In an instant, they were utterly annihilated, reduced to nothing but drifting ashes of the tribulation.

Eldrin Chen's sudden assault sent a tremor of shock through both sides. None could have anticipated that his power would be so formidable.

"How dare you!"

Though caught off guard, the Starry Sky Fiend Race [a powerful race of celestial demons] reacted swiftly.

In the blink of an eye, several dozen Earth Immortal [immortals who have attained a profound connection with the earth's spiritual essence] from the Fiend Race surged forth, their killing intent converging on Eldrin Chen.

Yet Eldrin Chen stepped forward to meet them. With a single palm strike, he faced three opponents at once, not yielding an inch of ground.

"Incredible..."

Witnessing this, the Lord of the Great Wasteland Path Palace could not help but draw a sharp, cold breath.

A flicker of astonishment crossed his face as he murmured, "The tales said that even at the Middle Stage Earth Immortal [the intermediate phase of the Earth Immortal realm], he could contend with those at Earth Immortal Great Perfection [the pinnacle of the Earth Immortal realm]. I dismissed it as mere exaggeration."

"To think that now, having stepped into the Late Stage Earth Immortal [the advanced phase of the Earth Immortal realm], his combat prowess has grown even more terrifying."

"To face three cultivators at Earth Immortal Great Perfection with the cultivation of the Eighth Level Earth Immortal [the eighth tier within the Earth Immortal realm]... Truly, he is a peerless prodigy who has stepped into the Forbidden Domain [a legendary realm of power that defies conventional cultivation limits]."

"Slay them all!"

After a moment of stunned silence, the assembled cultivators surged into action.

The moment they moved, everyone was startled anew, for the combat prowess displayed by the ten Earth Immortals of the Returning Abyss Immortal Alliance far exceeded their expectations.

Although they had long known the members of the Returning Abyss Immortal Alliance were formidable, the instant they unleashed their power, it still left the onlookers utterly astounded.

They saw Verdant Consort and Nyssa Qu instantly step into the void, charging towards the strongest batch of Late Stage Earth Immortals among the several dozen evil Fiend Race Earth Immortals.

Though they were only two, they held back nearly ten Late Stage Earth Immortals, even gaining a decisive upper hand.

Meanwhile, Violet Consort Yan and Lila flanked the battle, sealing the escape routes of the evil Fiend Race to prevent their flight. Yet, these two also displayed combat strength rivaling a Ninth Level Earth Immortal, effortlessly cutting down several Earth Immortal Patriarchs.

As for Heaven Abandoned Lin, the Void-Refining Immortal, the Demon-Subduing Divine Monk, the Lord of the Path Palace, and Dorian Ji—though their strength was somewhat lesser, their prowess still ranked among the peak of Middle Stage Earth Immortals, granting them overwhelming advantages against the evil Fiend Race.

Watching this, the Lord of the Great Wasteland Path Palace felt a tremor of awe in his heart. He sensed dimly that even if he faced Violet Consort Yan or Lila alone, he would likely stand no chance of victory.

"The Returning Abyss Immortal Alliance... their foundational strength and reserves are actually this profound."

"They have all opened at least six Seventh Heaven [the seventh of the nine foundational heavens within a cultivator's dantian], and several have even opened eight Ninefold Heaven [the ninth and highest foundational heaven]. Could they be disciples from some supreme orthodox lineage?"

"That must be it. Aside from such a supreme lineage, what other force could nurture so many top-tier prodigies all at once?"

The Lord of the Great Wasteland Path Palace was utterly shaken. He dared not hesitate for a moment and immediately began unleashing his power to slay the formidable foes.

The three Earth Immortal Great Perfection [the pinnacle stage of the Earth Immortal realm] evil Fiend Race [a race of malevolent, demonic beings] were suppressed by Eldrin Chen, and although the remaining fiends were numerous, they had completely fallen into a disadvantageous position.

On the side of the Frontier Star Domain, there were a full five combatants with Earth Immortal Great Perfection strength. Such a vast numerical disparity rendered this conflict utterly one-sided.

Not long after the great battle commenced, the evil Fiend Race began to fall in great numbers.

They attempted to flee, but with Eldrin Chen's Polarity Void Mirror [a mystical mirror capable of sealing space] covertly suppressing the area, they had not the slightest chance of escape.

Thus, in a mere few Shichen-time [one Shichen-time equals two hours], over forty Earth Immortal Realm [the realm of cultivation beyond the Primordial Spirit] demons had been utterly annihilated.

"Ah, I dare not!"

"Kaya Flow has doomed me!"

Seeing the tide of battle turn irrevocably against them, the remaining Earth Immortal Great Perfection [the pinnacle of the Earth Immortal cultivation stage] Fiend Race [a race of malevolent, demonic beings] warrior roared in despair, his voice thick with hopelessness.

In truth, prior to launching their assault, the Starry Sky Fiend Race [a powerful faction of fiends from the starry void] had conducted reconnaissance on the Frontier Star Domain [a remote stellar territory on the fringes of the civilized realms].

Initially, the vanguard force of the Starry Sky Fiend Race had dispatched only a single Earth Immortal [a cultivator who has ascended to the Earth Immortal realm, achieving a profound connection with the world's essence] level fiend. This cautious approach served a dual purpose: to minimize potential losses and to gather intelligence on the Upper Realm Immortals [powerful immortals who reside in the higher, more spiritually rich planes of existence] stationed within the Frontier Star Domain.

After their initial probe, the Starry Sky Fiends [the demonic warriors of the Starry Sky Fiend Race] vanguard concluded that this remote Frontier Star Domain likely harbored no more than one or two Upper Realm Immortals at the Earth Immortal Great Perfection level.

Furthermore, they doubted that the Upper Realm Immortals from the Great Wasteland Path Palace [a major sect or organization from the higher realms] would dare descend to the mortal plane to confront the impending cataclysm.

Thus emboldened, the Starry Sky Fiend Race mustered a significant force, deploying three Earth Immortal Great Perfection commanders and even committing a Heavy Treasure [a category of immensely powerful and rare enchanted artifacts] for the assault, believing their victory was assured.

They had deemed their strategy foolproof, yet they could never have anticipated the terrifying strength concealed within the Frontier Star Domain.

By all logic, such a minor star domain should have been fortunate to host even a single Earth Immortal Great Perfection Upper Realm Immortals; two would have been considered an extraordinary blessing.

Yet, defying all expectations, six combatants possessing strength equivalent to the Ninth Level Earth Immortal [the ninth and penultimate stage within the Earth Immortal realm] had descended, accompanied by Eldrin Chen, whose power alone rivaled that of at least three Earth Immortal Great Perfection experts. This completely shattered the Starry Sky Fiend Race's carefully laid plans.

"You have disrupted the Demon Sovereign's [a title for a supremely powerful demonic ruler] grand design! For this, you all must die!"

Amidst shock and fury, the Earth Immortal Great Perfection [the pinnacle stage of the Earth Immortal realm] fiendish Fiend Race [a race of malevolent, demonic beings] went berserk.

With a furious roar, he drew a blood-red demonic sword from his back.

The sword seethed with boundless Fiendish Energy [a malevolent and corrupt form of spiritual power]. As it was unsheathed, an endless Sea of Blood [a metaphysical realm or manifestation of accumulated bloodshed and slaughter] surged upwards, its overwhelming Karmic Sin Light [a baleful radiance born from immense negative karma and evil deeds] engulfing the vast Starry Sky Great Universe [the boundless cosmos filled with stars and celestial bodies].

In that instant, a terrifying vision materialized across the starry void: a sky filled with a Sea of Blood, the corpses of myriad beings strewn about, and the mournful wails of countless specters.

"Trouble!"

Alarmed, Lord of the Great Wasteland Path Palace cried out in warning, "Be careful, fellow Daoist! That is the Demonic Path [a cultivation path that embraces malevolence, slaughter, and corrupt power] World-Opening Supreme Treasure [a legendary artifact of immense power, capable of shaping reality itself] known as the 'Blood Demon Soul-Slaying Sword' [a supremely evil sword that devours souls]!"

"What a vile blade,"

Eldrin Chen felt a chill pierce his brow. The moment the sword appeared, even he sensed a palpable threat.

Legend held that the Blood Demon Soul-Slaying Sword was the most sinister weapon of the Demonic Path. Its forging required 'the blood of countless millions of living beings,' 'the spiritual essence of ten thousand races,' and 'the souls of a hundred vengeful ghosts' fused together.

Once completed, the sword could steal the heart and soul of its victims; its Slaughter [a divine ability or power focused purely on destruction and killing] was potent enough to slaughter even immortals and gods. Yet, such an abominable weapon also bore a great flaw.

Legends whisper that this blade devours its wielder; only those of indomitable will and unshakable mind can hope to master it.

Otherwise, one's consciousness is stolen by the wicked sword, becoming a mere sword-slave to the Blood Demon Soul-Slaying Sword [a malevolent blade that feasts on souls and demonic essence].

Behold, the vile Fiend Race [a race of malevolent beings aligned with demonic forces] warrior, now gripping the Blood Demon Soul-Slaying Sword, his pupils instantly flooding with a crimson hue—a clear sign his sanity had been utterly usurped.

"You forced my hand!"

Roaring in fury, the Starry Sky Fiend Race [a specific clan or faction within the Fiend Race] unleashed a tide of Celestial Slaughter [a profound, heaven-defying intent focused on absolute destruction] that blotted the firmament, cleaving downward with devastating force toward Eldrin Chen.