Chapter 1596 : A Patriarch's Priceless Gift

After expressing his gratitude thrice more, Eldrin Chen accepted the Ancient Firmament Gold [a legendary metal forged from the essence of the primordial heavens].

He pondered for a moment, then retrieved a fragment shimmering with the flow of time and said, "The Ancient Firmament Gold is precious. I offer this item from my possession in exchange, Senior."

"A Fragment of Chronos [a sliver of solidified time, a treasure of immense rarity and power].

Myriad Spirit Patriarch gazed at the treasure in Eldrin Chen's hand, a faint smile gracing his features. "The Fragment of Chronos is a treasure of Time itself, its value beyond measure," he remarked.

"Should you ascend to the Celestial Immortal Realm [the realm of true celestial beings], integrating this fragment into your Stellar Glazed Boundary [a powerful defensive formation] would undoubtedly enhance its profound utility."

"Therefore, I advise you to keep it."

"This..."

Eldrin Chen was momentarily taken aback, a flicker of hesitation crossing his mind.

Perceiving Eldrin Chen's desire to repay the favor, Myriad Spirit Patriarch offered a gentle smile. "My hope is for your swift ascension to the Celestial Immortal Realm," he said, "so that you may lend your support to my child, Serene."

"I understand."

Eldrin Chen nodded, then spoke, "Should I ascend to the Celestial Immortal Realm [the realm of true celestial beings], I will certainly support Serene Disciple and seek out Innate Energy [the primordial energy of creation] to aid his transformation into Innate Serene Bamboo [a legendary spiritual plant of supreme purity]."

"Then my heart is at ease."

The Myriad Spirit Patriarch gave a slight nod of his head, his expression growing even more benevolent as he continued, "I observe your aura is harmonious and complete, suggesting your cultivation has progressed swiftly these years. Yet remember, the path of cultivation requires both exertion and rest; you must still diligently temper your foundation."

As he spoke, he withdrew from his sleeve a verdant jade Ancient Pearl [an ancient magical pearl] and offered it to Eldrin Chen.

Eldrin Chen took it and examined it. The treasure brimmed with vibrant vitality, capable of nourishing a cultivator's physical body. If one channeled their spiritual power into it, it also possessed the wondrous function of refining and purifying that power.

"This is the Primordial Unity Rare Treasure [a rare treasure born from a state of primordial unity] known as the 'Ancient Myriad Spirit Pearl'. I crafted it from the wooden core that sloughed off when I condensed my own Triple Primordial Unity Foundation [a supreme foundational cultivation art focusing on triple primordial unity]."

"This treasure holds no offensive or defensive capabilities. Instead, its wonder lies in condensing spiritual power and tempering one's own foundational roots."

"Take it for now. You may return it to me after your Path Tribulation [a pivotal trial on one's cultivation path]."

The Myriad Spirit Patriarch spoke gently, his eyes and brows radiating warmth and kindness.

Eldrin Chen listened quietly, a growing warmth filling his heart. While his cultivation had advanced rapidly in recent years, the foundation of his spiritual power had indeed become somewhat unstable.

Even with four World-Opening Supreme Treasure [supreme artifacts used to forge and refine one's foundational cultivation] to temper his foundation, it was impossible to completely refine and perfect his spiritual power [the energy cultivated and wielded by practitioners] in a short span of time.

Although once the Polarity Void Mirror [a mystical mirror artifact] successfully advanced in grade, using an Innate Treasure [a treasure born from the primordial chaos of heaven and earth, possessing innate laws] to refine spiritual power would yield superior results, the members of his clan urgently needed this item.

One could say that with this item in hand, the cultivation bases of clan members like Exquisite Jiang and Verdant Consort would be swiftly consolidated, saving them several hundred thousand years of time spent painstakingly tempering their spiritual power.

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen immediately rose and bowed respectfully, saying, "This junior will forever remember Senior's care and this great favor."

"Hahaha."

Myriad Spirit Patriarch laughed heartily, neither confirming nor denying, and said, "For a senior to look after those who come after is simply the proper way of things."

"And have you not also shown great care and guidance to your own disciples and juniors?"

"Go now. This old man has high hopes for you."

"..."

After expressing his gratitude repeatedly, Eldrin Chen took his leave from Myriad Spirit Patriarch.

He traversed the Boundless Void and returned to the Returning Abyss Sea Region. From there, he diverted his path to the Returning Abyss Blessed Land. Within the confines of the Returning Abyss Blessed Land, Eldrin Chen encountered Kael Chen, who had just returned to the clan.

Having not seen each other for many years, Kael Chen's cultivation had already reached the Earth Immortal Great Perfection. Moreover, his Opportunity and Fortune [the confluence of chance encounters and inherent destiny that shapes a cultivator's path] seemed exceptionally profound, for he had already cultivated the Buddha Path Fruit [the condensed essence and enlightenment of the Buddhist cultivation path] of the Primordial Unity Realm.

This development took Eldrin Chen somewhat by surprise. He could not help but remark, "Elder Brother, with your Buddha Path Fruit already formed, it seems you will not require the Primordial Unity Golden Body Pill [a legendary pill said to forge a perfect golden-body foundation] to step into the Half-Step Celestial Immortal Realm."

"My return this time is precisely for the purpose of breaking through to Half-Step Celestial Immortal," Kael Chen replied with a nod.

He then retrieved a Treasure Box from his sleeve and handed it to Eldrin Chen, saying, "During my journey to the Great Desert Celestial Sands Domain, I visited the Ancient Buddha Ruins and found several rather remarkable treasures."

"This item, I believe, may be of some use to you."

"Oh?"

Eldrin Chen's eyes gleamed with interest. He immediately opened the Treasure Box to look inside.

There, within the Treasure Box, lay a Nine-Grade Lotus Throne [a sacred seat for meditation and enlightenment, often associated with high-level Buddhist cultivators], shimmering with a golden radiance of Merit [the metaphysical accumulation of positive karma from virtuous deeds].

"A Nine-Petaled Merit Golden Lotus!"

The moment he saw the golden lotus, Eldrin Chen's gaze flickered with a trace of surprise. "A Merit Golden Lotus," he remarked, his voice tinged with astonishment.

The Merit Golden Lotus is a rare type of Lotus Throne Magical Treasure. It contains boundless Merit [a metaphysical "currency" representing good karma or virtuous deeds] power, possessing the profound ability to ward off Inner Demon [demonic influences born from within a cultivator's own heart and mind] and protect one's Dao-heart [the core of a cultivator's will and spiritual foundation].

Beneath the Great Encompassing [a supreme cultivation realm], Merit Golden Lotus are graded by their number of petals, each tier representing a distinct level of power. The one before him possessed nine tiers of petals, making it the exceedingly rare Ninth Rank Primordial Unity Merit Golden Lotus.

Such a Primordial Unity Rare Treasure [a treasure of the Primordial Unity realm, exceptionally powerful and hard to find] is an incredibly scarce supreme treasure. Even Eldrin Chen possessed very few of them. He never expected that Kael Chen would also have one in his possession.

Thinking this, Eldrin Chen couldn't help but smile. "This treasure is precisely what Exquisite urgently needs. I shall accept it with gratitude."

As he spoke, he retrieved the Three Demons Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation and handed it to Kael Chen. "Of course, I cannot let my elder clan brother suffer a loss. Take this in exchange."

"An excellent Sword Formation [a coordinated array of flying swords that unleashes powerful collective attacks]!"

The moment he laid eyes on the Sword Formation, Kael Chen's eyes lit up with keen interest.

He accepted the Three Demons Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation and said with a smile, "For me, this is likely more potent than a single Primordial Unity Immortal Weapon [a weapon forged for cultivators at the Primordial Unity realm]."

Having acquired a Primordial Unity Immortal Artifact [an immortal-grade treasure of the Primordial Unity realm] for Exquisite Jiang, Eldrin Chen felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

He brought Kael Chen into the Five Elements Small Universe [a miniature cosmos governed by the principles of the five elements], allowing him to select a Supreme Grade Blessed Land [a land of supreme spiritual fortune] for his breakthrough. Afterwards, he sought out Exquisite Jiang, who was cultivating a Divine Ability [a supreme supernatural power], and gave her the Merit Golden Lotus [a sacred lotus born from accumulated virtue and merit].

Having obtained the Merit Golden Lotus, her Lifebound Supreme Treasure [a cultivator's ultimate treasure bound to their life and soul], the Merit Golden Lotus Throne, now had the potential to ascend to the Primordial Unity Immortal Treasure [the highest grade of immortal artifact, embodying primordial oneness]. Exquisite Jiang felt a surge of pleasant surprise in her heart and could not help but smile as she said, "For Elder Brother Kael to have found such an item, it seems his gains from this venture were not small."

"It would seem so."

Eldrin Chen also nodded. A single Merit Golden Lotus could be divided into several wondrous treasures—the Lotus Throne [the seat of the lotus], Lotus Leaf [the leaf of the lotus], Lotus Seed [the seed of the lotus], and Lotus Root [the root of the lotus]. Even if most did not reach the Primordial Unity Realm [the realm of primordial unity and perfection], they would undoubtedly be among the most supreme treasures.

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen spoke, "With Elder Brother Kael having obtained this fateful opportunity, our strength for the coming Path Tribulation [a great calamity testing one's cultivation path] should be increased by several degrees."

With these words, Exquisite Jiang departed to refine the Primordial Unity Rare Treasure [a rare treasure of the Primordial Unity grade] and promote her Lifebound Supreme Treasure.

Meanwhile, Eldrin Chen sought out the Heavenly Path Will [the sentient will of the Heavenly Dao, the cosmic order] and stated, "I intend to promote an Innate Treasure [a treasure born from the primal chaos of creation] and would ask for your assistance."

Understanding that Eldrin Chen wished to promote the Polarity Void Mirror, the Heavenly Path Will pondered briefly before saying, "To elevate this Innate Treasure will consume a vast quantity of Five Metals Essence [refined spiritual essence of the five sacred metals] and Polarity Dual Energy [the fundamental energy of opposing polarities, like yin and yang]."

"Once the promotion is complete, it will likely consume a portion of the World's Origin [the foundational life-force and spiritual essence of a world]."

Eldrin Chen nodded and replied, "I will have the Enlightenment Tea Tree [a mystical tree whose leaves aid in meditation and enlightenment] take root in this Universe for an additional one million years."

"Deal."

The Heavenly Path Will [the sentient will governing the cosmic order] agreed decisively. Given the efficiency of converting Primordial Chaos Energy [the primordial, formless energy from which all creation springs] through an Innate Spiritual Root [a supreme-grade spiritual root born from the world's essence], a span of one million years was already a considerable gain for this Universe.

For Eldrin Chen, this transaction was far from a loss.

After all, the resources required to elevate a single Innate Treasure [a supreme magical treasure born from the primal forces of the cosmos] were truly astronomical. If such an ascension were attempted within the Immortal Domain, it would undoubtedly alert the Celestial Immortal Great Power [powerful beings who have ascended to the Celestial Immortal realm] of the various Grotto-Heaven [self-contained paradisiacal realms].

In the past, Path Ruins Jiang had succeeded in elevating the Innate Ruins Path Sword only because he was backed by the Great Void Holy Land. Furthermore, within a Small Universe on the verge of Oblivion [complete cosmic dissolution and return to nothingness], billions of stars could be consumed as fuel to empower the Immortal Sword. Only under such extraordinary circumstances had the ascension been possible.