Chapter 1663 : Halberd of Chaos Shatters the Void

With such a vast disparity in foundational strength, Eldrin Chen relying solely on his physical might and an indestructible Chaos War Halberd, utterly cleaved his foe upon the Void Heaven.

"Boom!"

The fall of a Celestial Immortal Great Power was a cataclysm. His flesh and Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] dissolved under the rules of the Great Path [the fundamental laws of the cosmos], transforming into a torrent of blazing energy that dissipated between heaven and earth.

The onlookers raised their heads, witnessing countless threads of Great Path rules descend. A searingly intense Heavenly Path Origin [the primordial essence of a heavenly law] fell, ultimately intertwining with the Primordial Spirit essence of the Western Abyss Dragon King. They coalesced, forming a single, dazzlingly brilliant Path Source [a condensed crystallization of a cultivator's understanding of a Great Path].

"A Ninth Rank Path Source,"

Eldrin Chen stated calmly, then stored the precious Path Source away.

The value of a Ninth Rank Path Source was staggering. Even for an existence at the Early Celestial Immortal Realm, it would be considered a significant treasure.

However, Eldrin Chen's foundation was too profound, making the difficulty of condensing a Path Fruit [the ultimate fruit of comprehending a Great Path] immense. This Path Source would likely be of limited use to him.

Yet, Eldrin Chen felt that if given to Exquisite Jiang, it might prove far more beneficial.

With the fall of the Western Abyss Dragon King, the battle drew to its close. Though the remaining Demon Immortal [immortals of demonic origin] were numerous, under the combined assault of the group, they possessed no power to Heaven-Defying Fate Alteration [perform a miracle to reverse their doomed fate].

This time, from the moment the Western Abyss Dragon King invaded the Eight Seas of the Returning Abyss, to their utter annihilation, the great battle lasted for less than a single Sixty-Year Cycle.

By the time the conflict was decisively concluded, Eldrin Chen observed that aside from a handful of Demon Immortal and Demon Race forces lingering on the periphery, over ninety percent of the Demon Race had perished beyond the borders of the Returning Abyss Sea Region.

"The Demon Race of the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea has been grievously wounded, its vital energy greatly depleted."

After briefly surveying the Path Source, Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered with insight, and he spoke.

The others present nodded slightly in agreement.

After accumulating over ten million years, the total number of Demon Immortal across all the Immortal Isles, Blessed Lands, and Grotto-Heavens within the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea was likely around six hundred thousand.

This battle had cost them nearly three hundred thousand—a staggering loss.

If it were merely Immortals, it would be one thing. Within the vast expanse of the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea, new Demon Immortal ascended from the lower realms every year, and the local Demon Race also underwent Ethereal Ascension [the process of transcending mortality to become an immortal being].

The loss of several hundred thousand Demon Immortal could be replenished within a mere million years.

However, the thousands of fallen Earth Immortal Patriarchs and the twenty-seven lost Half-Step Celestial Immortals were not losses that could be recovered in a day.

According to Eldrin Chen's estimation, for the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea to naturally give birth to so many Earth Immortal Patriarchs [powerful cultivators who have attained the Earth Immortal realm] and Half-Step Celestial Immortals [cultivators on the cusp of the Celestial Immortal realm] again would normally require at least thirty million years.

It can be foreseen that during the next three cycles of Path Tribulation [cosmic cycles of great upheaval and tribulation], unless the Human Race suffers another devastating blow, the Demon Race within the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea will find little opportunity to rise again.

As the ruling powers of the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea, the Divine Clan and the Human Race would certainly not sit idly by and watch the Demon Race gradually recover its strength.

Returning to the main point, after securing the treasures, Eldrin Chen immediately set about re-establishing the Eight Trigrams Immortal Formation, deploying personnel to repair the various Formation Eyes [the core nodes that power a formation] and Immortal Isles.

Once the Eight Trigrams Immortal Formation was hastily repaired and restored to half its potency, Eldrin Chen entrusted the ongoing work to Lior Chen to oversee.

He himself then entered the Stellar Glazed Boundary [a defensive barrier shimmering like stars in glazed ceramic], standing shoulder-to-shoulder with several Half-Step Celestial Immortals. A faint smile touched the corners of his eyes.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Eastern Sovereign [a title meaning 'Ruler of the East'], on your breakthrough in the Triple Primordial Unity Foundation [a profound cultivation art]. The Great Encompassing Realm [a supreme cultivation stage] is now within sight."

Within the Great Hall, all the Immortals present wore smiles, first offering their congratulations to Energy Abyss Chen.

Clad in a robe of golden hue, Energy Abyss Chen also wore a pleased expression.

While all were at the Great Encompassing Foundation [the foundational stage of the Great Encompassing Realm], the true substance and power contained within each progressive stage of this foundation varied immensely.

Like the Triple Ascendant Immortal Foundation within the Ascendant Immortal Realm, which is also hailed as possessing Great Encompassing Potential, yet within the vast expanse of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain, cultivators who have laid such a Great Encompassing Foundation at this stage are far from rare.

Not to mention the entire Vast Azure Immortal Domain, even within just the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea alone, on average, one Immortal who has achieved the Triple Ascendant Immortal Foundation ascends every ten thousand years.

Throughout the Vast Azure Immortal Domain, the number of Ascendant Immortal cultivators with a Great Encompassing Foundation often reaches tens of thousands, yet the vast majority of them ultimately fade into obscurity, reaching their limit upon breaking through to the Earth Immortal Realm.

Only a select few manage to stand out, capable of cultivating the Triple World-Opening Foundation. Such existences can open up eight Ninefold Heaven and nine earths [a metaphor for creating a vast and stable inner world], truly qualifying as Celestial Immortal Seed [a cultivator with the potential to reach the Celestial Immortal realm]. Only then can they be considered truly gifted.

Such individuals, while not guaranteed to break through to the Great Encompassing Realm, possess a very high likelihood of cultivating into a Celestial Immortal with a Dual Primordial Unity Foundation.

Generally speaking, within a single sea region, those capable of cultivating the Triple World-Opening Foundation number no more than thirty in an entire era, averaging only a handful every million years.

Among those present, aside from the Seven Mystery Path Master, the rest are all existences who have achieved the Triple World-Opening Foundation. They are the elite accumulated over tens of millions of years within the Vast Azure Immortal Domain.

Yet even this does not necessarily qualify them as the most peerlessly brilliant prodigies within the Vast Azure Immortal Domain.

Only those who cultivate three types of Primordial Unity Foundation and forge a flawless, perfected Celestial Immortal Foundation can be considered truly stunning talents that captivate the Vast Azure Immortal Domain.

Within the Great Encompassing Path Lineage, disciples are categorized into second-generation direct disciples and third-generation true disciples, each status representing an extraordinary potential.

The existence of the Triple Primordial Unity Foundation [a legendary and supremely stable foundation for cultivation, representing the perfect harmony of spirit, energy, and body] means that once one breaks through to the Celestial Immortal Realm [the realm of celestial immortals, beings who have transcended mortality], they are qualified to become a disciple of a Great Encompassing Immortal Lord [an immortal lord of immense power and authority who has mastered vast cosmic principles] and be accepted as a second-generation direct-line successor.

Within the vast expanse of the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea [a legendary and spiritually rich sea region in the western realms], on average, only one cultivator attains the Triple Primordial Unity Foundation every ten million years.

In ages past, those who managed to take this step were all figures of peerless brilliance and grace, such as the Abyss Halting Path Master, the Myriad Spirit Patriarch, and the Lingering Sun Heavenly God.

That Energy Abyss Chen had forged such a foundation meant he had, for the time being, surpassed the direct descendants of the Sun Clan of the Longevity Ancient Clan [an ancient clan renowned for its longevity and profound heritage] and even the elite disciples of the Great Encompassing Ancient Sect [a prestigious and immensely powerful ancient sect]. He could be considered the first such talent in ten million years within the Western Essence Divine Abyss Sea.

Thinking of this, Energy Abyss Chen felt a surge of excitement in his heart. Yet, he did not become complacent. He merely nodded with a faint smile and said to the others, "With the innate talent all of you possess, breaking through to the Triple Primordial Unity Foundation should undoubtedly be well within your grasp."

Upon hearing his words, everyone present revealed smiles of varying degrees.

The Glazed Divine Lord [a title for a divine lord known for his clarity of spirit and formidable power] flickered his gaze, then shook his head with a bitter laugh. "Attaining the Triple Primordial Unity Foundation is far more difficult than breaking through to become a Celestial Immortal Great Power [a celestial immortal of significant might and influence]," he said. "With my talent, which allowed me to open only the Eighth Heaven [the eighth of the foundational cultivation heavens, representing a high but not supreme starting point], I fear it would be as difficult as scaling the heavens themselves."

The Violet Mystery Path Master also nodded in agreement, then sighed softly. "Even with my foundation from opening the Eighth Heaven, and even with the aid of a Primordial Unity Immortal Pill [a rare and potent pill that aids in unifying one's foundational energies to achieve a higher state], my chances of achieving the Triple Primordial Unity Foundation would not exceed two in ten," he admitted.

"This recent harvest has been substantial. I am already considering whether to seize this opportunity to attempt my breakthrough into the Celestial Immortal Realm."

As he spoke, the Violet Mystery Path Master's eyes revealed a trace of contemplation and resolve.

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen's gaze flickered with a subtle shift.

He pondered silently for a moment. The individuals before him were his close confidants and friends of many years. If they were to achieve only the Flawed Celestial Immortal [a flawed state of immortality with limited potential] realm, it would be a profound and lasting regret.

After all, the chasm between a Flawed Celestial Immortal and an Immaculate Celestial Immortal [a perfected state of immortality with boundless potential] was truly vast and insurmountable.

Moreover, and more crucially, a Flawed Celestial Immortal was often doomed to remain forever at the Third Heaven Celestial Immortal Realm [the third and lowest tier of the Celestial Immortal realm]. Even with heaven-defying Opportunity and Fortune [a confluence of chance and destiny] allowing a breakthrough to the Mid Celestial Immortal Realm [the middle tier of the Celestial Immortal realm], the path forward would be forever sealed, with no possibility of further advancement.