Chapter 1656 : Veiled Ambitions Unleashed

"That upstart Eldrin, you possess eighteen Half-Step Celestial Immortal [cultivators on the verge of ascending to the Celestial Immortal realm] and wield both the Super Slaughter Formation [a formation of immense destructive power] and an Innate Treasure [a supreme treasure born from the primal chaos of creation]. This is more than enough for you to become the eighth major power of this tribulation within the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea."

The Third Divine Scion of the Western Essence Grotto-Heaven grew increasingly grim, his expression darkening as he spoke with difficulty, "With such a foundation and heritage, to resort to such underhanded schemes... you are truly unworthy of being called a cultivator!"

Eldrin Chen merely sneered in response. "I'll return your own words to you: I enjoy watching you rage in your impotence."

"Ah—!"

Upon hearing this, the Third Divine Scion was so enraged that smoke seemed to rise from his seven orifices [a traditional Chinese idiom for extreme fury]. Recalling his own earlier words, his face grew even more thunderous.

The others also wore somber expressions. Remembering how Eldrin Chen had appeared utterly humiliated and helplessly furious before they had charged into his Formation [a structured arrangement of energy used for defense or attack], they now felt a flush of shame heat their cheeks.

Looking back, it was clear that while Eldrin Chen had watched their arrogant display, he had likely already been calculating how to divide their Path Source [the condensed essence of a cultivator's cultivation path, a priceless resource].

Realizing this, the Second Holy Scion spoke with urgent anxiety, "This whelp has concealed his true strength, which means his ambitions are vast. We absolutely cannot perish here. We must get word out!"

In an instant, the others grasped the implication, and their expressions turned grave.

Meanwhile, the Netherfire Patriarch, straining to fend off the assaults of the Glazed Divine Lord, declared with a dark countenance, "The die is cast. Our only hope of breaking out lies in uniting our strength!"

The Third Divine Scion nodded, his expression grim. "Let us join forces," he declared. "Hold nothing back—unleash every last trump card you possess."

"Then I shall hold them off," the Second Holy Scion responded without hesitation.

As his words fell, the seven-tiered pagoda above his head began to spin. From its depths, tens of thousands of figures descended in succession.

The weakest among these figures were at the Ascendant Immortal Realm [the foundational stage for true immortals]. Their ranks included numerous Earth Immortal Patriarch [patriarchs who have fused their essence with a world], and even three beings who had reached the Half-Step Celestial Immortal Realm [the threshold of the celestial immortal realm].

This pagoda was known as the Seven Treasures Immortal-Suppressing Pagoda [a pagoda that subdues and imprisons immortals]. It was a Primordial Unity Immortal Treasure [a supreme treasure born from primordial chaos] specifically designed to suppress and enslave Immortal [beings who have attained immortality] as puppets.

The Second Holy Scion had established his path tens of millions of years ago. Over the eons, he had continuously subdued his foes, capturing Immortal and refining them into his pagoda, transforming them into mindless puppets bound to its will.

Now, unleashed in a sudden tide, tens of thousands of these Immortal surged forth, throwing themselves into a desperate, frenzied assault to block the advancing group.

Seeing this, the others also released the Divine Spirits [spiritual avatars of a world's laws] and Imperial Lord [lords who command imperial authority] from within their Earth Immortal World [a world fused with an earth immortal's essence]. In an instant, a host of Divine Spirits and Imperial Lord joined the fray, fighting with suicidal desperation to buy time.

The Divine Spirits of an Earth Immortal World are manifestations of its World's Origin [the foundational spiritual essence of a world]. Each one that perishes outside its home realm drains this vital World's Origin power. Therefore, Earth Immortal Patriarch typically refrain from deploying their Divine Spirits in battles they are likely to lose.

Yet, at this moment of life and death, they had no other choice. This was their only means to seize a precious sliver of time.

With so many Immortal [powerful beings who have transcended mortality] surging forth, even though all present were Half-Step Celestial Immortal [cultivators on the very cusp of ascending to the Celestial Immortal realm], they could be held back for a time, creating an opportunity for the others to fight their way out.

"Overestimating your strength."

High above in the Nine Heavens [the nine celestial realms], Exquisite Jiang witnessed this scene, her gaze instantly turning frosty.

With a flick of her sleeve, she summoned the Innate Gale Gourd [a primordial treasure that commands the primal winds]. Instantly activating it, an immensely powerful Innate [primordial, of the highest order] Gale [a tempest of devastating force] swept forth, scouring the mountains, rivers, and heavens for millions of Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters].

Wherever this Gale passed, Immortal were reduced to dust in the blink of an eye. Even Earth Immortal [immortals anchored to the earthly realm] could not withstand it for more than a few breaths.

In mere moments, countless Divine Spirits [powerful spiritual entities] and Imperial Lord [mighty lords who command vast territories] had their souls scattered, leaving behind only a sky filled with the condensed essence of their flesh, blood, and cultivation power. This essence resonated with the faintest wisp of Heavenly Path [the Dao of Heaven, the fundamental law of the cosmos] source energy, coalescing into tens of thousands of Path Source [crystallized droplets of pure Dao essence] that remained suspended in the air.

"*Cough*—"

In that instant, with the fall of tens of thousands of Divine Spirits and Imperial Lord, the seventeen Half-Step Celestial Immortal found the Divine Spirits within their inner worlds utterly depleted. They immediately suffered a violent backlash.

Their combat prowess plummeted by several degrees in an instant, stripping them of any remaining capacity to resist.

"The Innate Gale Gourd."

The Western Metal Patriarch let out a bitter, utterly desolate laugh. "The Companion Supreme Treasure [a supreme treasure that grows and evolves alongside its master] of the late Gale Heavenly God... to think it ended up in your hands."

At that moment, despair gripped the hearts of the invading Half-Step Celestial Immortal [cultivators who have ascended beyond the Earth Immortal realm but have not yet fully consolidated their Celestial Immortal foundation]. They realized that not only were they outmatched, but even if an entire Grotto-Heaven [a self-contained pocket realm of immense spiritual power, often the seat of a major power] were to attack personally, it might very well fail to overcome the Returning Abyss Immortal Alliance.

Even Glazed Divine Lord and Violet Mystery Path Master could not help but cast a profound, searching glance at Eldrin Chen upon witnessing this scene.

A single clan with twelve Half-Step Celestial Immortal [cultivators who have ascended beyond the Earth Immortal realm but have not yet fully consolidated their Celestial Immortal foundation], possessing not only supreme Formation Flag [a banner used as a core component to set up and power a formation] like the Eight Trigrams Formation Flags, but also wielding the Innate Gale Gourd [a gourd-shaped treasure born from primordial chaos, containing the power of the celestial gales].

The depth of foundation and hidden strength the Chen Immortal Clan revealed in this battle was truly staggering.

Furthermore, a chilling suspicion took root in their minds: the true power of the Chen Immortal Clan likely ran far deeper than what was shown.

After all, as far as they knew, the clan possessed at least two other Innate Treasure [a treasure born from the primordial chaos of creation, possessing supreme power and laws]: the Innate Polarity Path Union Gourd and that mysterious Innate Primordial Energy Vase of Heaven and Earth.

"Esteemed guests," Eldrin Chen's voice rang out, calm yet final. "This battle is concluded."

Exquisite Jiang retrieved the Innate Gale Gourd [a gourd-shaped treasure born from primordial chaos, containing the power of the celestial gales]. Then, with a wave of her hand, she activated the Eight Trigrams Formation Flags, their power descending like a celestial net. In mere moments, the seventeen Half-Step Celestial Immortal [cultivators who have ascended beyond the Earth Immortal realm but have not yet fully consolidated their Celestial Immortal foundation] were completely suppressed, though not immediately slain.

"It is done."

Witnessing this scene, everyone present let out a slight sigh of relief.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen also gave a slight nod and said, "Esteemed colleagues, let us continue to perform this act."

After a moment of eerie calm, fierce battles erupted once more within the Eight Seas of the Returning Abyss, causing the entire grand formation to tremble violently.

In an instant, Thunderclap [a powerful thunder-based divine ability] danced wildly, Heavenly Flame [a celestial fire of immense power] scorched the heavens, and wave after wave of force capable of shaking the immortal firmament swept through the Six Harmonies [a powerful defensive and offensive formation].

Deafening roars erupted, boundless Path Principles [the fundamental laws and truths of cultivation], rules, and Path Principle [a divine ability manifesting a cultivator's understanding of their Path] clashed within the Six Harmonies. Colossal divine and demonic true forms, tens of thousands of Zhang-lengths tall, dueled, and countless terrifying forces collided violently inside the Formation [a structured arrangement of energy for defense, attack, or other purposes].

Those outside could not see the details within clearly, only catching glimpses through the chaos.

Heaven and earth seemed to tilt and collapse, mountains and rivers crumbled, Immortal Isles shattered, and one floating Immortal Isles after another plummeted downward, stirring up waves a hundred million Zhang-lengths high.

Even fragments of immortal palaces and broken spears were sent flying out from the Formation, forcefully sinking an entire Ancient Continent.

Through fleeting cracks in the formation's veil, they seemed to catch sight of the awe-inspiring Returning Abyss Path Master fighting while drenched in blood. His arm was torn open by some supreme force, and half of a spear was seen piercing through his chest, leaving a wound that seemed indelible.

"What a brutally fierce battle," someone murmured.

Beyond the battlefield, observing Immortals [powerful beings who have transcended mortality through cultivation] whispered amongst themselves, all of them intelligence agents dispatched by various major powers.

One figure nodded gravely, picking up a broken half of a spear, his expression solemn as he stated, "This is the Heaven's Prison Spear [a legendary weapon of immense power] belonging to the Celestial Prison Clan Patriarch. It is a supreme-grade World-Opening Supreme Treasure [an artifact of the highest order, capable of shaping reality itself], powerful enough to rend the flesh of even a Primordial Unity Immortal Body [a legendary physique said to be one with the primordial forces of creation]."

"Yet Returning Abyss Path Master [a title meaning 'Master of the Path to the Returning Abyss'], merely at the Ninth Level Earth Immortal [the pinnacle stage of the Earth Immortal realm], managed to shatter a spear of World-Opening Supreme Treasure grade. Truly, he lives up to being hailed as one of the top three peerless prodigies the Human Race has produced in hundreds of millions of years."

"In that final, desperate battle where he fought drenched in blood and burned his very soul, Returning Abyss Path Master displayed unparalleled valor. But even that heroic effort could not turn the tide. It seems the Chen Immortal Clan [the Chen family of cultivators] is finished."

Upon hearing this, the complexions of the other observers shifted. One sighed with regret, "A pity. Even the mightiest fists cannot fend off four hands. Such a once-in-an-era genius, cut down before he could truly ascend, slain in the coordinated hunt by these transcendent powers."

Another nodded in agreement, his face etched with sorrow. "Since ancient times, prodigies who step into the Forbidden Domain [a realm of power so great it is forbidden or taboo], if they lack the backing of an ancient Grotto-Heaven [a transcendent sect or paradise], nine times out of ten meet an early end, hunted down by these very powers."

"The various ancient Grotto-Heaven sects would never permit a new power to rise and place itself above them. Even if they harbor grudges amongst themselves, they will unite in advance to snuff out any such threat in its cradle."