Chapter 1636 : A Prodigy's Defiance

"Aaaargh—"

Heaven Sun was utterly enraged, yet he understood he was no match for Worthy Path Chen.

He could not afford to retrieve his shattered war chariot left in the Returning Abyss Sea Region. Casting a final glance brimming with boundless hatred towards him, he hastily fled the Returning Abyss Sea Region.

Witnessing this scene, Eldrin Chen's gaze grew slightly solemn.

He knew Worthy Path Chen was avenging the slight against him, but the prospect of offending the Longevity Ancient Clan still filled him with some apprehension.

Seeing this, Worthy Path Chen merely shook his head slightly, his expression devoid of any trace of fear.

At the same time, from high upon the Heavenly Vault, Unfettered Great Center turned his gaze towards Worthy Path Chen, a flicker of astonishment passing through his eyes.

He offered a light, formal salute and spoke, "I have long heard that you are the foremost prodigy of the Vast Azure Immortal Court. Seeing you today, the rumors do not do you justice."

"So it is a scion of the Taiyang Clan,"

Worthy Path Chen stated calmly, his tone even. "Have you, sir, also come to offer birthday felicitations to my father?"

Unfettered Great Center offered a faint smile and immediately cupped his hands in a respectful salute.

The moment Worthy Path Chen arrived, he understood he could no longer rely on his imposing presence to pressure others. He could only say, "Today is Eldrin the Divine Lord's longevity celebration. I have been overly talkative."

With these words, he saluted Eldrin Chen once more with cupped hands, preparing to transform into a streak of light and depart through the skies.

"Your treasure."

Before his departure, Eldrin Chen returned the jade box to him.

"..."

After Unfettered Great Center departed, he strolled leisurely upon the Heavenly Vault.

Behind him, a white-haired man of exceptional bearing and grace had appeared without anyone noticing.

"Well?"

Unfettered Great Center inquired, his expression grave and solemn.

The white-haired man shook his head, his gaze growing slightly somber as he said, "The aura of Celestial Mechanism [a profound and elusive cultivation concept related to cosmic principles] surrounding Returning Abyss Path Master is obscure and hidden; even I cannot see through it."

Unfettered Great Center's eyes flickered slightly, and then he spoke, "If even you cannot see through him, it seems highly likely that a Great Encompassing Ancient Sect [a primordial and immensely powerful sect from the dawn of time] stands behind this person."

"Perhaps." The white-haired man nodded, then asked, "Do you still intend to enter the Path Tribulation [a cataclysmic trial faced by cultivators seeking to advance their cultivation path] within the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea?"

"No."

Unfettered Great Center shook his head, his expression turning grave. "The Returning Abyss Path Master once defeated a Late Stage Earth Immortal [a cultivator at the advanced stage of the Earth Immortal realm] while possessing only the cultivation of an Early-stage Earth Immortal [a cultivator at the initial stage of the Earth Immortal realm]. With such profound foundation and latent potential, he must be a Peerless Prodigy who has opened the Twelve-Layered Heaven [the legendary and supreme foundation for cultivation, representing twelve layers of perfected spiritual attainment]."

"Even within the vast expanse of the Three Thousand Immortal Domains, those capable of opening the Twelve-Layered Heaven are as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns—truly peerless geniuses. Since the Primordial Era [the mythical first age of creation], our Taiyang Clan has produced only seven individuals who could rival such a feat."

"And of those seven, apart from two who perished prematurely, the remaining five have all ascended to become figures of Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [the supreme realm of Golden Immortal cultivation, representing ultimate comprehension and power] stature."

Unfettered Great Center spoke slowly, a trace of wariness flickering in his eyes. "Such a person is undoubtedly one whose Fortune [destiny, luck, and cosmic favor] shakes the heavens. Once he enters the Path Tribulation, he could very well soar to unimaginable heights."

"Kings do not meet kings. Even if I were to contend with him, that battle should be the ultimate clash at the very end of the Great Encompassing [the pinnacle of cultivation realms]. The time for such a confrontation has not yet arrived."

The white-haired man inclined his head in agreement, accepting Unfettered Great Center's reasoning.

Although he could not fully perceive the depths of Eldrin Chen, he vaguely sensed that Eldrin Chen was profoundly unfathomable. He even had a feeling that if he were to strike, he might not necessarily be able to subdue him.

Having said this, the two of them ceased discussing the topic any further.

After a moment of contemplation, Unfettered Great Center asked again, "And what of the origins of this Worthy Path Chen?"

The white-haired man pondered briefly before speaking, "Worthy Path Chen serves under the banner of the Heavenly Halberd Demon-Slaying Divine Lord. It is said he has mastered the Nine Revolutions Heavenly Art and has already caught the eye of that Imperial Lord within the Immortal Court."

"Is that true?!"

Upon hearing this, Unfettered Great Center's expression changed dramatically.

As a direct descendant of a Primordial Era Immortal Clan from the Primordial Immortal Domain, he understood well the background of the Heavenly Halberd Demon-Slaying True Lord.

That individual was also a rare genius of the Immortal Court, a direct disciple of a certain Imperial Lord within the Court, making his status and origins extraordinary.

For Worthy Path Chen to have entered the service of the Heavenly Halberd Demon-Slaying True Lord meant his status was equivalent to that of a third-generation direct disciple of a Great Encompassing Ancient Sect.

If that were all, it might be one thing. But the most crucial point was that Worthy Path Chen had also mastered the Nine Revolutions Heavenly Art. This cultivation art was one of the Nine Fundamental Arts of the Human Race Immortal Court, and the only method among them dedicated to Fleshly Body Sanctification [the process of refining and purifying the physical body to an immortal state].

Cultivating such a cultivation art is an immensely arduous endeavor, yet its ultimate end can point directly to the realm of a Path Ancestor Immortal Sage [a supreme being who has mastered a fundamental cosmic principle and attained sagehood]. Even many Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [Golden Immortals who have attained the Great Encompassing stage] may not necessarily succeed in mastering it.

That Worthy Path Chen was able to cultivate this method likely means he has long since entered the attention of an Immortal Court Imperial Lord [a high-ranking lord within the celestial bureaucracy]. And those Immortal Court Imperial Lord are existences of at least the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal Great Perfection [the pinnacle stage of a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal] level.

Thinking of this, Unfettered Great Center said, "No wonder he dared to deal with Heaven Sun. Even the Sun Clan's Celestial Immortal Great Power [a powerful Celestial Immortal] did not intervene to stop him."

"Indeed."

The white-haired man nodded, a bitter smile on his face. "The Heavenly Halberd Demon-Slaying True Lord once clashed with an Ancient Immortal [an immortal from a bygone era] and did not suffer defeat. He is an invincible presence within the Celestial Immortal Realm. As long as he remains, who within the Vast Azure Immortal Domain would dare to move against this Worthy Path Chen?"

"..."

Upon the Immortal Isles, the farcical spectacle concluded with a whimper rather than a bang.

At this longevity celebration, aside from the gathered fellow Daoists, four of Eldrin Chen's five children had returned, all except the fifth son who had left the Immortal Domain.

It was a rare occasion for Eldrin Chen to celebrate such a grand birthday. With fellow Daoists gathered and his children returned, his heart swelled with ever-deepening joy.

Over the years, Eldrin Chen's children had ventured through the Immortal Domain, each walking a different path, yet their cultivation progress had surged forward with astonishing speed.

The second son, Worthy Path Chen, backed by the towering edifice of the Immortal Court and with a master at the Great Perfection Celestial Immortal Realm, naturally needs no further elaboration.

The eldest son, Worthy Pursuit Chen, has spent these years wielding the Immortal Iron Staff to challenge the world. He has slain Nine Heavens Celestial Immortal Spirit and vanquished Nine Nether Abyssal Demon God, and has ventured into the Shattered Small Universe, carving out a formidable reputation for himself across the vast expanse of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain.

Yet, with this fame came near-ceaseless pursuit. More than one Half-Step Celestial Immortal has hunted him, forcing him to flee into the Great Desert Celestial Sands Domain. It was only under the shelter of a Buddhist Sect Grotto-Heaven that he finally found respite.

Not long ago, Worthy Pursuit Chen broke through to the Half-Step Celestial Immortal Realm. Upon emerging from seclusion, he immediately hunted down and slaughtered the Half-Step Celestial Immortal realm True Dragon that had pursued him, dragging its blood-soaked carcass back to offer as a birthday tribute to his parents.

The third son, Worthy Longevity Chen, is far more low-key. Though driven out by Eldrin Chen to temper himself through experience, he returns home to visit his parents every ten thousand years, often lingering at Green Chariot Mountain and refusing to leave.

However, nourished by the thirty-three Vast Sea Divine Pearl, his current cultivation has become unfathomably profound.

According to Eldrin Chen's estimation, Worthy Longevity Chen has refined at least twenty-four of the Sea-Calmer Divine Pearl and elevated them all to the level of High-Grade World-Opening Treasure.

In the past, the Lord of Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven, having refined merely twelve Vast Sea Divine Pearl, relied on them to dominate the realm beneath the Celestial Immortal with near-invincibility, ultimately breaking through to the Celestial Immortal Realm with a perfect foundation.

While this was partly due to the support of the Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven, Worthy Longevity Chen's twenty-four Vast Sea Divine Pearl undoubtedly far surpass the foundation that the Lord of Divine Abyss Grotto-Heaven once possessed.

"The day Worthy Longevity fully refines the Thirty-Three Sea-Calmer Divine Pearls will surely be the day he ascends to the Celestial Immortal realm."

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, then turned his gaze to his only daughter.

Ever since her Innocent Stubborn Heart [a unique, pure-hearted destiny] transformed into a Alchemy Heart [a core of unwavering resolve and purity], Worthy Verdancy Chen's innate talent and potential had soared to astonishing heights.

Those with such a pure and unadulterated nature cultivate without being troubled by distracting thoughts, free from the worries of Inner Demons [malevolent spiritual entities born from a cultivator's own negative emotions and flaws], and find it remarkably easy to enter states of sudden enlightenment.

Now, after many years of wandering the world, Worthy Verdancy Chen, though she kept a low profile, had created seven Mysterious Grade Divine Abilities [profound supernatural techniques of the highest mystery tier]. She named them the 'Verdant Lotus Seven Wonders Art' [a divine art encompassing seven wondrous techniques of the verdant lotus]. Her comprehension of Divine Abilities [supernatural techniques powered by spiritual energy and profound laws] had already surpassed that of Exquisite Jiang.