Chapter 1624 : Alchemy's Zenith and the Forging of Unity

Eldrin Chen murmured softly to himself, a faint smile of satisfaction touching his lips.

Having already produced six pills from one batch, he still possessed the materials for seven more cauldrons of the Pill of Polarity Enlightenment [a rare pill that aids in comprehending the fundamental principles of Yin and Yang]. If he succeeded in refining them all, would that not yield over forty more of these precious pills?

A full forty-plus Pill of Polarity Enlightenment! Even if Eldrin Chen sought to comprehend five distinct Primordial Unity Path Principle [the foundational laws governing the unity of opposing forces like Yin and Yang], it seemed this would be more than sufficient.

With this resource to aid her cultivation, Exquisite Jiang's chances of grasping five Primordial Unity Path Principle and successfully cultivating the Dual Primordial Unity Foundation [an exceptionally stable and powerful foundational cultivation stage] would undoubtedly see a significant increase.

At this thought, a surge of excitement welled up within Eldrin Chen's heart.

However, he did not continue refining the Pill of Polarity Enlightenment. The Barter Convention [a grand gathering where cultivators trade rare resources] was drawing ever nearer.

His priority was to refine two more batches of Ninth Rank Pill [the highest grade of immortal pill] before his impending Path Tribulation [a heavenly trial faced by cultivators at major breakthroughs], thereby further solidifying his alchemical mastery.

Having broken through to Ninth Rank Alchemy [the pinnacle of alchemical skill], Eldrin Chen's success rate in refining Ninth RankImmortal Pill had improved, albeit slightly.

Aided by the Small Universe [a pocket dimension or personal realm], his speed in pill refinement had also seen considerable advancement.

Roughly two millennia later, Eldrin Chen had successively completed the refinement of both the Primordial Unity Soul-Returning Pill [a pill for healing and restoring the soul] and the Primordial Unity Wind-Soul Pill [a pill attuning the soul to the element of wind].

Among these, the Primordial Unity Wind-Soul Pill [a pill that harmonizes the soul with the essence of wind] was more obscure and considerably more difficult to refine. Eldrin Chen succeeded in crafting only two of them. The Primordial Unity Soul-Returning Pill [a pill that returns and stabilizes the soul's essence] presented a moderate challenge, and he managed to produce a full three of those.

These two types of pills were not only more difficult to refine but also commanded a significantly higher price on the market.

"With my current alchemical skill," Eldrin Chen murmured to himself, "I only need to refine a few more Eighth-Rank Pill [a high-grade cultivation pill] to consolidate my foundation. After that, my success rate for crafting Ninth Rank Lower Grade Pill [a top-tier, near-immortal grade pill] should stabilize at no less than forty percent."

Gazing at the five successfully forged Immortal Pill [pills of legendary quality that aid immortal cultivation], a faint smile touched the corners of Eldrin Chen's eyes.

He carefully stored the Immortal Pill and emerged from his Seclusion Chamber [a specially prepared room for undisturbed meditation and cultivation]. To his surprise, he found Exquisite Jiang had been waiting for him for some time.

Seeing him, Exquisite Jiang spoke up, "The Barter Convention [a grand gathering where cultivators trade rare treasures and resources] commences in another hundred years."

"If you hadn't emerged soon, we were prepared to set out ahead of you."

Eldrin Chen offered a slight smile, his gaze lingering on the Immortal Pill in his hand. "The delay was not without its rewards," he said. "With these additional assets, we may be able to acquire a few more rare treasures."

Exquisite Jiang glanced at the pills, her eyes brightening with understanding.

"Your breakthrough in alchemy is a tremendous boon for our clan," she said, her voice filled with genuine warmth.

"..."

Having successfully refined the Ninth Rank Immortal Pill [a supreme elixir of immortality], Eldrin Chen did not delay any further.

To conceal their true strength, this time Eldrin Chen took only Exquisite Jiang with him to the Barter Convention [a grand gathering for cultivators to trade rare treasures]. The others remained within the Five Elements Small Universe [a pocket dimension governed by the five elemental forces] to keep their collective power hidden.

They arrived at the Flowing Fire Blessed Land [a land of blessing imbued with flowing fire essence] and then, utilizing a Void Gate [a portal artifact capable of traversing vast distances through the void], swiftly traversed the boundless heavens and earth to reach the heart of the Central Heavenly Domain.

As the Central seat of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain, the Central Heavenly Domain had always been the most prosperous and bustling territory within that vast realm.

This immense Central Heavenly Domain was further divided into seven major Heavenly Domain [vast celestial territories]: the Purple Tenuity Heavenly Domain, the Green Sun Divine Domain, the Great Brightness Ancient Domain, the Great Mystery Path Domain, the Azure Ruins Ancient Domain, the Bifang Fire Domain, and the Central Myriad Demons Sea.

Within these seven Heavenly Domain, the combined number of large and small Grotto-Heaven [paradisiacal realms and hidden sanctuaries] amounted to several dozen. Yet, each Heavenly Domain was anchored by at least one power of Sovereign [the realm of a supreme ruler] level.

Within the Purple Tenuity Heavenly Domain, the Sovereign power was the Human Race's Purple Tenuity Path Palace. This lineage was a branch of the Great Encompassing Ancient Sect known as the 'Purple Tenuity Ancient Sect' from the Primordial Immortal Domain. It was said the sect master of the Purple Tenuity Path Palace possessed unfathomable cultivation, having reached the Great Perfection Celestial Immortal Realm [the pinnacle stage of the Celestial Immortal realm].

The Green Sun Divine Domain was the territory of the Verdant Sun Ancient God, a lineage that was also a branch of the Divine Clan under the Great Encompassing Imperial Lord. Its Sovereign, the Verdant Sun Heavenly God, had cultivated to the Ancient Immortal Realm and served as the Sea-Calmer [a metaphorical pillar of immense stability] for the Divine Clan.

Within the Great Brightness Ancient Domain and the Azure Ruins Ancient Domain, the most powerful Grotto-Heaven belonged to factions among the Hundred Immortal Spirit Races [a collective term for one hundred powerful immortal spirit lineages]. The Azure Ruins Clan ranked thirty-seventh among these races, while the Great Brightness Ancient Clan held an even more prestigious position at ninth.

Both Grotto-Heaven [a self-contained pocket realm of immense spiritual energy] are branches of the Hundred Clans, yet their respective Grotto-Heaven Lords are both counted among the Vast Azure Immortal Domain's notable Great Perfection Celestial Immortal Realm [the pinnacle stage of the Celestial Immortal cultivation path] powerhouses.

The Great Mystery Path Domain was founded by the indigenous Human Race of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain, while the Bifang Demon Domain is ruled by the supreme Demon Race [a race of powerful, often bestial, spiritual beings] clan, the Bifang.

The Central Myriad Demons Sea, however, is jointly governed by five Demon Race Upper Grade Grotto-Heaven [a top-tier classification of Grotto-Heavens]. These five Grotto-Heaven possess truly formidable Force Extreme [a state of reaching the absolute limit of one's power or cultivation], each garrisoned by an existence at the Late Celestial Immortal Realm [the advanced stage of the Celestial Immortal realm]. United, even a Great Perfection Celestial Immortal Realm expert would find them difficult to subdue.

"Within the Central Ancient Domain, aside from these top-tier Grotto-Heaven, the more numerous ordinary Grotto-Heaven are comparatively insignificant and not a major concern."

Recalling the intelligence concerning the Central Seven Heavenly Domains, a trace of solemn contemplation surfaced within Eldrin Chen's gaze.

From what he knew, the strength of the Central Seven Heavenly Domains was unfathomably deep. Those Sovereign [a supreme cultivation realm, ruler of vast domains] -level powers not only possessed at least one Great Perfection Celestial Immortal Realm powerhouse openly, but likely harbored even more terrifying, hidden foundations in the shadows.

As Eldrin Chen understood it, during the campaign to exterminate the Ancient Demon [a primordial and immensely powerful type of demon], an Ancient Immortal Great Power [an immensely powerful cultivator from the Ancient Immortal realm] from within the Purple Tenuity Path Palace had once taken action.

Although that Patriarch [the founding or leading elder of a clan or sect] of the Purple Tenuity Path Palace had later passed away, Eldrin Chen suspected that such an existence, even in death, would have undoubtedly left behind astonishing contingencies for their lineage.

"This upcoming Path Tribulation [a cataclysmic, era-defining calamity that tests the Heavenly Path] is the final one before the Hundred Tribulations Rebirth [a legendary rebirth after enduring a hundred great tribulations]. I wonder if these powers have already begun laying their schemes."

With these thoughts churning within him, Eldrin Chen continued his flight deeper into the void.

Within the Vast Azure Immortal Domain [a vast realm of cultivation and immortal beings], there are currently five great powers who ascended to the Ancient Immortal Realm [a profound state of immortality achieved through long cultivation] from within its borders. They are: the Primordial Solar Patriarch from the Human Race's Primordial Solar Grotto-Heaven [a secluded paradise realm]; the Eternal Verdancy Ancient Immortal from the Spirit Race's Evergreen Ancient Domain [an ancient land of eternal spring]; and the Golden Crow Patriarch from the lineage of the Demon Race Heavenly Emperor [the supreme ruler of the demon race].

Furthermore, the Divine Clan [a clan of beings with innate divine power] possesses the most formidable strength, with two Ancient God [primordial deities of immense age and power] overseeing the cycles of Kalpa Tribulation [cosmic cycles of destruction and renewal]. They are the Verdant Sun Ancient God and the Frost Soul Ancient God.

As one of the only five Ancient Immortal Realm great powers within the Vast Azure Immortal Domain today, aside from the Four Extremities True Spirits [the primordial guardian spirits of the four cardinal directions], the domain where the Verdant Sun Ancient God resides, the Green Sun Divine Domain, is the very heart of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain.

This time, the Barter Convention [a grand gathering for the exchange of rare treasures and knowledge] is being convened within the Green Sun Divine Domain.

"We have arrived."

Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang concealed their auras and flew all the way to the Green Sun Divine Domain, soon arriving before a majestic ancient city.

It was a city of staggering grandeur, seemingly forged entirely from azure-gold. Every brick and tile was cast from divine metal and inscribed with Innate Path Patterns [natural formations of cosmic law and power].

Eldrin Chen even had the feeling that even if he struck with his full power, he might not be able to damage a single brick or tile of this ancient citadel.

Just as Eldrin Chen was feeling astonished, a voice came over: "I've heard this Green Sun Ancient City has an ancient lineage, constructed dozens of Kalpa Tribulation cycles ago."

"Rising again from the ashes of inheritance, it has changed hands over a dozen times. Through generations of city lords continuously reinforcing and expanding it, this ancient city has long become utterly impregnable."

"Even an Ancient Immortal Great Power [a supreme being who has transcended mortality and cultivated for countless eons] would find it exceedingly difficult to destroy."

Eldrin Chen looked up at the voice and saw it was none other than the Violet Mystery Path Master who had spoken.

He was not the only one waiting. The Heaven Abyss Path Master, the Glazed Divine Lord [a title for a powerful immortal lord], and the Blazeflame Divine Spirit [a divine entity born of primordial flame] had also been waiting for some time.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen quickly clasped his hands in greeting. "My apologies for the delay. You have all been kept waiting."

Upon hearing this, a flicker of amusement shone in the eyes of the Blazeflame Divine Spirit. "Had you been any later, the Barter Convention [a grand gathering where cultivators trade rare treasures and resources] would likely have already commenced."