Chapter 1642 : The Leviathan's Wrath

"Boom—"

In a single Ksana-time [an infinitesimal unit of time], the heavens shook and the earth trembled, the entire Small Universe [a pocket dimension created and controlled by a powerful cultivator] quaking violently.

Exquisite Jiang, who had been in secluded cultivation, and the others were all startled awake. They flew to Eldrin Chen's side, their expressions grave as they gazed upon the Primordial Era [the ancient, chaotic epoch before the current ordered cosmos] whale.

"It is a Chaos Ancient Beast [a primordial monster born from the formless energies of chaos], a Chaos Leviathan [a titanic, whale-like beast of primordial chaos]."

Energy Abyss Chen recognized the origin of this Chaos Leviathan, his face turning exceptionally solemn as he spoke.

Seeing this, Exquisite Jiang also explained to Eldrin Chen, "When you went into seclusion to cultivate the Primordial Chaos Indestructibility Body [a legendary physique that grants near-absolute resilience by harmonizing with primordial chaos], the Innate Chaos Ancient Beast [a chaos beast born with its power, not evolved] we encountered was this very Chaos Leviathan."

"For over a hundred thousand years we suffered no assault from it. We thought it had given up. Never did we imagine it would return with such fury today."

As the others recounted the tale, Eldrin Chen grasped the approximate strength of this Chaos Ancient Beast.

The combat power of this Chaos Leviathan was roughly comparable to an Immortal [a being who has ascended to a higher state of existence through cultivation] at the Early Celestial Immortal Realm [the first major stage of true immortality], its true battle prowess lying within the domain of the Second Heaven Celestial Immortal Realm [the second tier of the Celestial Immortal realm].

Back then, even with Exquisite Jiang and seven other top-tier Half-Step Celestial Immortal [cultivators on the very cusp of breaking through to the Celestial Immortal realm] joining forces, bolstered by the power of the Small Universe, they had only been able to hold their own against this Chaos Leviathan. This was a stark testament to its terrifying might.

Had it not been for the Small Universe [a self-contained pocket dimension] receiving a significant boost in spatial stability from the Innate Ancient Tree [a primordial tree of immense spiritual power], it is highly likely the Five Elements Small Universe [a pocket dimension governed by the five elemental forces] would have already been Oblivion [utterly annihilated, erased from existence] by this Chaos [the primordial, formless state before creation] behemoth.

"This Chaos Ancient Beast [a primordial monster born from the formless Chaos] possesses extraordinary power. Even a Celestial Immortal Great Power [a mighty cultivator who has ascended to the Celestial Immortal realm] would find it difficult to slay,"

"I fear that even if we face it today, defeating it will be a formidable challenge."

Verdant Consort spoke slowly, a note of helplessness in her voice.

Eldrin Chen pondered for a moment before replying, "For this Chaos Ancient Beast to return here, it has likely set its sights firmly upon the Five Elements Small Universe."

"If we cannot resolve this threat, then when the Path Tribulation [a cataclysmic heavenly trial faced by cultivators] descends and we are fully occupied, it will become a major problem for us."

Hearing this, Nyssa Qu inquired, "Then what do you plan to do?"

Eldrin Chen considered briefly, then declared, "We meet it with our full strength. Let us see if we can end its threat here and now."

"Agreed."

Exquisite Jiang gave a slight nod and added, "However, we need not rush. Let it exhaust its strength by battering against the Small Universe. Once its power is greatly diminished, we shall strike with our full force to achieve victory in a single decisive battle."

"Very well."

Eldrin Chen gave a nod, allowing the ancient beast to continue its relentless assault upon the Five Elements Small Universe.

With the might of an Innate Chaos Ancient Beast, each collision carried the power to shatter heavens and extinguish earths. Fortunately, the Five ElementsUniverse was still in its youth, its internal energy and foundational essence brimming with vitality.

Despite the ceaseless battering from the Chaos Leviathan, this Small Universe showed no sign of imminent rupture.

The intellect of a Chaos Ancient Beast is not profound. Though this Chaos Leviathan possessed formidable strength, its spiritual wisdom remained shallow.

It continued to ram against the World Membrane [the dimensional barrier separating a world from the void]. Three millennia passed in this manner. When the beast had finally battered itself into a state of severe depletion, Eldrin Chen seized his fleeting opportunity.

"I shall strike first. You two, lend your strength when the moment is right."

Suddenly, Eldrin Chen spoke.

In an instant, he stepped forth from the Five Elements Small Universe, manifesting his Innate True Body [a cultivator's primordial, perfected physical form] that towered for billions of Zhang-lengths [one Zhang-length equals three point three three meters]. From the Chaos Origin [primordial chaos energy] within him, he condensed a Primordial Chaos Sword and cleaved it down upon the Chaos Leviathan with overwhelming force.

Caught off guard, the Chaos Leviathan suffered a grievous blow, a deep gash torn open by Eldrin Chen's sword. It let out a deafening roar of fury and pain, immediately locking in a fierce battle with Eldrin Chen.

A colossal battle erupted in an instant. The World-Opening True Body [a divine form capable of cleaving open worlds], spanning billions of Zhang-lengths [one Zhang-length equals three point three three meters], clashed with the awe-inspiring Chaos Ancient Beast [a primordial monster born from the formless chaos] at the fringes of the Five Elements Small Universe [a miniature cosmos governed by the five fundamental elements].

The conflict was vast and boundless, plunging into a deadlock from the very outset. Neither side could decisively overcome the other.

Meanwhile, Exquisite Jiang and her companions seized the opportunity to engage several Chaos Ancient Beast whose power rivaled that of Half-Step Celestial Immortal [a cultivator on the very cusp of ascending to true celestial immortality]. They swiftly gained the upper hand, suppressing the ancient beasts.

The strength of the Chen Clan members far surpassed their past prowess. With the aid of Worthy Longevity Chen and Worthy Verdancy Chen, subduing a few ancient beasts at the Half-Step Celestial Immortal Realm was a task accomplished with ease.

In less than one hundred exchanges, three of the Half-Step Celestial Immortal Realm ancient beasts were slain. The survivors retreated into the depths of the Endless Chaos [the primordial, formless void from which all creation emerged].

Seeing this, the Innate Chaos Ancient Beast [a Chaos Ancient Beast of unparalleled, innate power] immediately sought to seize the chance and flee.

Fortunately, Eldrin Chen had long been prepared. He channeled his power fully into the Primordial One Energy Grasping Hand [a divine technique that manifests a giant hand of primordial unity energy], firmly pinning down the Chaos Leviathan [a titanic beast of the primordial chaos].

By now, both Eldrin Chen's Primordial One Energy [the fundamental, undifferentiated energy from which all things originate] and his Great Five Elements Primordial Solar Divine Thunder [a supreme thunder technique fusing the five elements and the primal sun] had been cultivated to the Half-Step Patriarch Realm [a realm just shy of becoming a founding patriarch of a cultivation lineage]. When unleashed, they possessed the cataclysmic power to shatter heavens and extinguish earth.

Even the immense strength of the Chaos Ancient Beast struggled to break free from his grasp, at least for a time.

"Now!" he commanded.

Seeing the fleeting opportunity, the group hastily channeled their Primordial Unity Immortal Weapon [the highest tier of immortal weapons, forged from primordial chaos] and unleashed their Divine Ability [a supreme supernatural power or technique] in a relentless assault upon the Innate Chaos Ancient Beast's [a primordial beast born from chaos] physical form. Yet, they found the wounds inflicted upon the Chaos Leviathan [a colossal, whale-like beast of primordial chaos] to be mere scratches, failing to cause any substantial harm.

Not only did they fail to grievously wound it, but their attacks succeeded only in provoking its fury to its absolute peak.

"Such formidable physical resilience,"

Witnessing this, Worthy Verdancy Chen felt a jolt of alarm, his gaze filled with awe as he murmured.

Exquisite Jiang had anticipated this, her expression turning profoundly grave. "These Chaos Ancient Beast [ancient beasts born from the primordial chaos] possess neither Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] nor spiritual energy. Their entire combat prowess stems solely from their Immortality [the state of being deathless and eternal] and their Indestructibility [the quality of being unbreakable and impervious to damage] physical bodies," she explained.

"Bodies such as these, tempered day and night by the grinding forces of Primordial Chaos Energy [the primordial, formless energy from which all creation emerged], have long since become nigh-impenetrable. Even a lower-grade Primordial Unity Immortal Weapon cannot inflict true, lasting damage upon them."

"Then allow me to test its mettle."

Energy Abyss Chen spoke up. Gripping the Gale Soul-Chasing Bow [a divine bow that fires arrows swift as the gale], he drew the string and released a single, blindingly brilliant arrow of Slaughter [a divine ability focused on absolute destruction and killing] light.

A thunderous boom echoed as the Gale Wind Sun-Pursuing Arrow [the arrow fired from the Gale Soul-Chasing Bow, said to be swift enough to chase the sun] pierced through the Chaos [the primordial state of formless potential] and tore a gaping, bloody chasm into the Chaos Leviathan's flesh.

"ROOOAARR—!"

Suddenly wounded and in pain, the Chaos Ancient Beast [a primordial creature born from the formless chaos] went berserk on the spot.

Yet, Eldrin Chen remained utterly unmoved. He unleashed the power of his Primordial One Indestructibility Body [a legendary physique said to be unbreakable and eternal] to its absolute limit, barely managing to suppress the Chaos Leviathan.

Seeing this, Exquisite Jiang, Verdant Consort, Nyssa Qu, and the others immediately brought out their most treasured, trump-card abilities.

However, against such a physically formidable Chaos [referring to the primordial, formless state from which all things emerged] behemoth, techniques like Kael Chen's Three Demons Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation [a lethal sword array designed to slay immortal-level beings] and Nyssa Qu's Seven Extremities Spirit-Slaying Sword Formation [a sword formation targeting the very spirit of an opponent] proved of limited use, merely inflicting numerous superficial wounds.

In contrast, the moment Verdant Consort's Crimson-Azure Twin Dragon Swords [a pair of sentient swords, one crimson and one azure, embodying dragon spirits] merged into one, their combined might was devastatingly potent, fully capable of delivering significant harm.

Witnessing this, Eldrin Chen also attacked with relentless, full-force strikes.

The Polarity Void Mirror's [a mystical mirror that manipulates the fundamental forces of attraction and repulsion] Polarity Primordial Magnetism Annihilation Divine Radiance [a divine light born from the mirror's power, capable of utter annihilation], his Mysterious Grade Divine Ability [a classification for divine abilities of profound and obscure power], and the Primordial Unity Void Cosmos Sword Energy [sword energy that embodies the unity of the primordial void and the cosmos] all rained down upon the Chaos Leviathan's colossal form.

This relentless, coordinated assault caused the Chaos Leviathan's injuries to accumulate, growing ever more severe until it could no longer endure.

Gathering the chaotic energies of the Boundless Chaos [the infinite, primordial void from which reality formed], it braced itself to take a direct hit from one of Eldrin Chen's Great Five Elements Primordial Solar Divine Thunder [a supreme divine thunder technique combining the power of the five elements and the primordial sun], using the impact to propel itself in a desperate flight toward the Depths of Chaos.

"Do we pursue?"

Watching the Chaos Leviathan flee, Lila could not help but ask with a face full of unwillingness.

Having finally managed to severely wound the Chaos Ancient Beast through their combined efforts, yet failing to slay it completely, left everyone feeling a deep sense of dissatisfaction.

Eldrin Chen pondered for a moment before speaking. "It was struck by my Great Five Elements Primordial Solar Divine Thunder, and further wounded by the Primordial Unity Void Cosmos Sword Energy and the Polarity Void Mirror."

"The wounds inflicted by such profound Divine Ability [a supreme supernatural power] and an Innate Treasure [a treasure born from the cosmos itself] carry the lingering power of their foundational Path Principle [the fundamental laws of reality]. If this power cannot be dispelled, the injuries will only worsen with time."

"I will pursue it alone. Once it has weakened sufficiently, I will find the opportunity to deliver the final blow."