Chapter 1648 : Seeds of Enlightenment and Destiny

"There are a total of nine Enlightenment Lotus Seeds [seeds of a legendary plant that can grant profound insights]. Let each of the clan's nine Half-Step Celestial Immortals [cultivators on the verge of ascending to the Celestial Immortal realm] who have cultivated the Dual Primordial Unity Foundation [a supreme foundational cultivation art] take one."

Eldrin Chen spoke calmly, then distributed the Enlightenment Lotus Seeds among them.

Since each person could only benefit from consuming a single Lotus Seed, the remaining ones could only be used to nurture other clan members.

In principle, these Lotus Seeds were treasures of immense value, meant to be stored within the Clan Treasury [the clan's central repository for valuable resources] and exchanged by clan members using their accumulated Merits [a metaphysical currency representing virtuous deeds and contributions].

But now, with the Path Tribulation [a great calamity testing the clan's destiny] looming, hoarding treasures instead of using them to bolster their strength would be folly. Once the tide of fate turned against them, such treasures would only end up enriching their enemies.

Eldrin Chen, ever decisive and bold, would naturally never commit such a foolish act.

He kept one seed for himself but did not immediately refine it. It was clear he intended to use it later, after comprehending his fourth Primordial Unity Path Principle [a fundamental law of existence and cultivation], to aid his assault on the fifth.

The others, having received their Immortal Lotus Seeds [another term for the Enlightenment Lotus Seeds], also felt a surge of joy.

Among the current nine Immortals of the Chen Immortal Clan, aside from Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang, the rest had already comprehended their Primordial Unity Path Principles and achieved the Dual Primordial Unity Foundation realm.

While the Enlightenment Immortal Lotus seeds could no longer aid them in grasping new Path Principles, they could still assist in deducing and perfecting their Mysterious Grade Divine Abilities [powerful, esoteric supernatural techniques].

According to Eldrin Chen's estimation, after refining this Immortal Lotus Seed [a legendary seed that grants profound enlightenment], the several cultivators within the Chen Immortal Clan who had attained the Dual Primordial Unity Foundation [a high-level cultivation foundation state] would all be able to advance their Divine Ability [a supreme supernatural power] to the Mysterious and Wondrous Realm, resulting in a tremendous surge in their combat prowess.

Each of the clan's nine Half-Step Celestial Immortal [cultivators on the verge of becoming true Celestial Immortals] Patriarch received one Enlightenment Lotus Seeds [seeds that accelerate comprehension of the Dao].

As for Worthy Verdancy Chen and Worthy Longevity Chen, their cultivation had only recently broken through to the Single Primordial Unity Foundation [the first stage of the Primordial Unity Foundation]. For their future breakthrough to Dual Primordial Unity Foundation, the Innate Enlightenment Tea [a spiritual tea that aids in sudden realizations] and Pill of Polarity Enlightenment [an elixir for understanding the principles of duality] would suffice for now; such a precious item was not yet needed.

"My thanks."

Energy Abyss Chen accepted the Immortal Lotus Seed with evident delight, then sighed. "My reserves of Merits [a metaphysical currency representing accumulated good karma and virtuous deeds] are insufficient. The Merits I owe the clan will have to wait until the Path Tribulation [a cataclysmic trial faced when advancing one's cultivation path] to be repaid to you."

Eldrin Chen offered a faint smile. "Once the Patriarch refines the Enlightenment Lotus Seeds, their combat strength is certain to increase dramatically. If they can slay a few more formidable enemies during the Path Tribulation, this investment will have paid for itself."

Hearing this, everyone present nodded in agreement.

After the members of the Chen Immortal Clan broke through to the Dual Primordial Unity Foundation, their combat power was already considered formidable among peers at that level.

Subsequently, after acquiring divine materials to upgrade their Lifebound Immortal Treasure [a magical artifact bound to a cultivator's life and soul] and each obtaining their own Primordial Unity Immortal Weapon [a weapon forged in harmony with one's Primordial Unity Foundation], everyone's combat capabilities saw a further significant leap.

If their Divine Ability advanced another step, their power would soar to even greater heights. By then, even facing two Dual Primordial Unity Foundation cultivators working in tandem, they would likely handle the situation with ease and to spare.

Returning to the main narrative, after the treasures were divided, everyone resumed their secluded cultivation.

Eldrin Chen planted the seeds of the two precious lotuses once more, then proceeded deep into the Primordial Solar Flame Vein. Separating a portion of his consciousness, he communicated with the Heavenly Path [the supreme cultivation art embodying the principles of the cosmos], saying, "I wish to advance my life-bound Lotus Throne [a spiritual seat formed from a lotus, representing enlightenment and purity], and I humbly request your assistance."

"Agreed."

The will of the Heavenly Path responded, not refusing Eldrin Chen's request.

If, at the beginning, the Heavenly Path aiding Eldrin Chen in advancing the Polarity Void Mirror was merely a transaction, its current reason for following Eldrin Chen was that it now regarded him as its own Protective Talisman [a powerful artifact that wards off misfortune and evil].

In this battle, Eldrin Chen had slain the Chaos Leviathan [a primordial beast of immense chaos and destruction], resolving a critical threat to the Five Elements Small Universe [a miniature cosmos governed by the five fundamental elements]. This single act of merit was more than sufficient reason for the Heavenly Path to lend its full support.

With the assistance of the Heavenly Path Will [the conscious intent of the Heavenly Path cultivation art], Eldrin Chen's advancement of his Positive Water Verdant Lotus Throne [a lotus throne imbued with the harmonizing essence of positive water] proceeded with remarkable speed.

This time, after a mere six thousand years, he successfully elevated the Positive Water Verdant Lotus Throne, allowing it to metamorphose into the Innate Enlightenment Purple Lotus Throne [a magical lotus throne symbolizing innate wisdom and supreme enlightenment].

The Innate Enlightenment Purple Lotus Throne possessed extraordinary and profound functions. After Eldrin Chen ingested it into his dantian [the core energy center within a cultivator's body], he immediately discovered that his spiritual power was continuously being drawn into the throne.

After undergoing multiple cycles of refinement and transformation within it, the energy emerged as a stream of supremely pure and pristine Innate Dharmic Power [the fundamental, untainted spiritual energy that forms the basis of all cultivation].

"Innate Dharmic Power [the primordial, foundational energy that existed before the world's creation, vastly superior to any acquired energy]."

The moment he saw the Innate Enlightenment Lotus Throne, Eldrin Chen's heart jolted with shock, immediately giving way to a look of ecstatic joy.

It turned out that after the Positive Water Verdant Lotus Throne had advanced to become the Innate Enlightenment Purple Lotus Throne, it had gained the wondrous ability to transform Innate Dharmic Power.

Although it took ten portions of Acquired Dharmic Power to convert into a single portion of Innate Dharmic Power, and after the Lotus Throne's conversion, Eldrin Chen's spiritual energy was reduced to merely one-tenth of its original volume, he could still feel a qualitative transformation in his power.

If before this, Eldrin Chen's spiritual energy could at most fuel two or three full-powered strikes from a Low-Grade Innate Treasure, now he could unleash at least thirty such strikes.

"Merely thirty strikes... while it still cannot compare to the Innate Dharmic Power of a Celestial Immortal Great Power, it should be roughly thirty percent of what a first-level Celestial Immortal possesses."

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, a ripple of emotion shimmering in his gaze.

Not only that, Eldrin Chen also discovered through experimentation that when fueled by Innate Dharmic Power, his Innate Divine Ability techniques underwent a similar qualitative leap.

Previously, when Eldrin Chen used Acquired Dharmic Power to drive his Mysterious Grade Divine Ability, their unleashed power was only comparable to that of a lower-grade Primordial Unity Immortal Weapon.

But now, powered by Innate Dharmic Power, the profound mysteries of his various Divine Ability techniques could unleash power reaching eighty percent of a Low-Grade Innate Treasure's might.

Though still not quite matching the might of an Innate Treasure [a supreme treasure born from the primordial laws of heaven and earth], its power was already remarkably close. The fundamental reason lay in Eldrin Chen's cultivation realm, which was still insufficient; he had not yet stepped into the domain of Dual Primordial Unity Foundation [a profound cultivation stage where one's dual foundational energies achieve perfect primordial unity].

Once his cultivation advanced a step further, truly entering the Dual Primordial Unity Foundation domain and his Dharmic Power [the cultivated energy of an immortal] surged another fold, then channeling a Mysterious Grade Divine Ability [a supreme-grade divine technique of profound mystery] would allow him to unleash at least ninety percent of its true power.

"Let me test a Half-Step Patriarch Level Divine Ability [a divine technique of power that approaches the level of a Patriarch, a supreme cultivator]," he murmured.

Eldrin Chen whispered inwardly, then immediately departed from the Five Elements Small Universe [a miniature cosmos governed by the five elemental forces]. With a flick of his sleeve, he unleashed the Great Five Elements Primordial Solar Divine Thunder [a divine thunder technique born from the fusion of the five elements and the primordial sun].

In that instant, boundless Primordial Chaos [the formless, primordial state before creation] filled the heavens and earth. A five-colored thunderbolt, akin to the wrath that ends worlds, blasted forth, piercing through the entire expanse of the Chaos Void [the formless, turbulent space of primordial chaos].

In a fleeting vision, Eldrin Chen witnessed a scene of Primordial Chaos Unfolding [the primordial act of creation, where chaos gives birth to cosmos]. A Small Universe [a self-contained cosmos, smaller than a major universe] spanning millions of light-years was birthed by this single strike, only to be swept away by endless Chaos Torrent [a torrential flow of destructive chaotic energy] and collapse back into Chaos [the primordial state of undifferentiated existence].

"The power of that strike..."

Eldrin Chen drew a sharp breath, his pupils contracting slightly.

This was the first time he had channeled a Half-Step Patriarch Level Divine Ability using Innate Dharmic Power [the pure, primordial power inherent to one's being, superior to cultivated Dharmic Power]. The destructive might it displayed was truly staggering.

One must understand that a Universe [a complete, self-contained cosmos] painstakingly opened by an Early Celestial Immortal Realm [the initial stage of the Celestial Immortal realm] cultivator exhausting all their Dharmic Power and means was typically only about ten million light-years in size. Did this mean his single strike could obliterate the greater part of such a universe?

"Even a Third Heaven Celestial Immortal Realm [the third major stage of the Celestial Immortal cultivation path] great power, if struck directly, could be annihilated in a single blow."

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, his face turning slightly pale.

Coming back to his senses, he realized his internal Dharmic Power [the cultivated energy used by immortals to perform miracles] was utterly depleted, and his physical body was on the verge of complete exhaustion.

"The Innate Dharmic Power [the primordial, foundational energy required to activate an Innate Treasure] that could fuel thirty uses of a profound Divine Ability [a supernatural power or technique mastered by a cultivator] or an Innate Treasure [a treasure born from the primordial chaos of creation, possessing immense power] was completely drained after unleashing just one technique."

"It seems this can only be used as a final, desperate trump card."

Eldrin Chen's face remained ashen, a profound sense of depletion lingering in his channels.

The might of a Half-Step Patriarch Level Divine Ability [a divine ability whose power approaches that of a Patriarch-level cultivator] far exceeded his expectations. He even sensed that the true potential of the Great Five Elements Primordial Solar Divine Thunder [a supreme thunder technique born from the fusion of the Five Elements and the Primal Sun] had not been fully unleashed.

His own Dharmic Power was simply insufficient to manifest its complete, devastating glory.

To truly unleash the ultimate destructive force of the Great Five Elements Primordial Solar Divine Thunder, one would need Dharmic Power comparable to a cultivator of the Late Celestial Immortal Realm [the advanced stage of the Celestial Immortal cultivation path].