Chapter 1827 : Clash of Ancient Treasures

"Boom—"

With a violent roar, the Immortal Spear [a divine weapon wielded by powerful immortals] in Eccentric Jiang's hand shattered, and a surge of Chaos [the primordial, formless state before creation] energy shot forth. It carried a force capable of sundering all things, violently shaking the Six Harmonies [a powerful defensive formation based on the harmony of six directions].

Horizon Patriarch's expression darkened. He channeled all his power into the Myriad Abyss Ancient Cauldron [an ancient cauldron artifact of immense defensive power] to block the attack, then shouted urgently, "Flee, now!"

"Do you think you can escape?"

At that moment, Eccentric Jiang cast a cold glance at the three figures and sneered, "Did you truly believe fleeing to the Sea of Chaos [a vast, turbulent realm of primordial chaos] would save your lives?"

"Let me be clear," he declared, his voice dripping with malice. "This very Chaos Shoal [a treacherous shallows within the Sea of Chaos] shall be your burial ground today."

"BOOM—"

As his words faded, a colossal Immortal Pagoda [a towering, multi-storied tower imbued with immortal power] blotted out the sky, descending to suppress them with overwhelming force.

This was the infamous Immortal-Suppressing Pagoda [a legendary tower artifact renowned for its power to subdue even immortals], a mighty Innate Ancient Treasure [a primordial treasure born from the cosmos itself] bearing eighteen divine patterns. It possessed the power to capture all things and suppress the void and Chaos [the primordial, formless state before creation]. Even Ancient Immortals [powerful immortals who have survived for eons] who had weathered four or five heavenly tribulations would not dare take it lightly.

"Beware! The Immortal-Suppressing Pagoda is Immortal-Suppressing Patriarch's signature technique!" Discover more cultivation stories at audio-novel . com.

The Celestial Maiden [a title for a beautiful and powerful female immortal] paled, wanting to flee for her life, but discovered the pagoda was emitting a tremendous suction force, attempting to draw them in.

In that very instant, Eldrin Chen grabbed the Celestial Maiden and, with a flick of his sleeve, unleashed a Five-Colored Divine Light [a divine radiance containing the power of the five elements] that tore through the Chaos [the primordial, formless state before creation] and enveloped the Immortal-Suppressing Pagoda [a pagoda artifact designed to capture and suppress immortals].

"Oh no!"

The Immortal-Suppressing Patriarch [a patriarch known for his pagoda that suppresses immortals] paled drastically and tried to recall his Immortal-Suppressing Pagoda, but he was a moment too late.

For the Five-Colored Divine Light could capture anything. In a flash, it transformed into a heaven-shaking vortex of suction, snatching the Immortal-Suppressing Pagoda away and delivering it into Eldrin Chen's hand.

"Hahaha! Old thief, this treasure is quite nice. It's mine now!"

Eldrin Chen laughed heartily and immediately fled towards the Depths of Chaos [the deeper, more turbulent regions of the primordial Chaos].

Watching his signature treasure being stolen, the Immortal-Suppressing Patriarch was first shocked, then utterly enraged. He gave chase, roaring, "You cur! Return my treasure!"

The others, astonished by Eldrin Chen's methods, were momentarily stunned.

Eccentric Jiang [an eccentric cultivator surnamed Jiang] took a deep breath and said, "The old man from Immortal-Suppressing Patriarch has been burning his vital essence all this way. He's already severely depleted, and his momentary carelessness cost him his treasure."

"Rest assured, as long as you are cautious, he will not be able to take your prized treasures [the most valuable and protective artifacts a cultivator possesses]."

As the words fell, Eccentric Jiang was the second to give chase.

Seeing this, the others had no choice but to decisively tear through the void in pursuit.

However, they had not chased for long when they suddenly sensed a surge of overwhelming divine power [power of a heavenly deity] erupting from within the Chaos [the primordial, formless state before creation], and a sense of foreboding gripped them.

"This is bad!"

Eccentric Jiang's heart lurched. He immediately summoned his protective treasure [a magical item used for defense] to flee, but alas, it was already too late.

For in the four directions of the Chaos, arrays of formation patterns [magical runes that power formations] tore through the void, and five dazzling ancient treasures [artifacts from a bygone era] cleaved through the Void Cosmos as they arrived.

"The Innate Five Elements Gourd [a legendary gourd treasure born with the power of the five primal elements]! We've fallen into a trap!"

Eccentric Jiang's expression shifted dramatically. Gripping his immortal spear, he struck out to disperse the Chaos, seeking to carve a bloody path of escape before the Formation [a structured arrangement of power, often for trapping or defense] could fully encircle them.

But in that very instant, a Chaos Heaven Halberd [a halberd imbued with the power of primordial chaos] stained with Primordial Chaos Energy [the raw, unformed energy of creation] shot through the void and slammed directly into the immortal spear.

Eccentric Jiang felt an indescribable force slam into his Immortal Spear [a divine weapon wielded by powerful immortals]. He was instantly sent flying backward, nearly losing his grip on the spear itself.

Struggling to steady himself, he looked up into the Chaos [the primordial, formless void from which all things emerged]. There, a figure of immense majesty strode forward, a Chaos Heaven Halberd [a halberd forged from the essence of primordial chaos] gleaming with a blade-edge sharp enough to slay gods in his hand.

"It's you!"

Eccentric Jiang's heart sank. He had never imagined that the seemingly unremarkable Eldrin Chen possessed such astonishing combat prowess, far exceeding his expectations.

His gaze swept the surroundings. He saw Horizon Patriarch channeling the Innate Five Elements Grand Formation [a supreme formation harnessing the primordial powers of the five elements], using the might of five Innate Ancient Treasure [artifacts born from the primal forces of creation] to completely seal off this pocket of Chaos.

"A clever trap." Find this and other novels at audio-novel-dot-com.

In that moment, a profound dread settled in Eccentric Jiang's heart.

With Horizon Patriarch's cultivation level fueling it, the Innate Five Elements Grand Formation could unleash the five Innate Ancient Gourd [gourd-shaped treasures containing innate elemental power] to their absolute limit.

The power of such an Innate Ancient Formation was nearly equivalent to five Ancient Immortal [immortals who have survived for countless eons] striking in perfect unison, a force of truly terrifying magnitude.

In the outside world, he might have stood a chance against the Innate Five Elements Grand Formation. But here, within the Chaos Shoal [a treacherous region within the Sea of Chaos], his power suppressed by the Sea of Chaos [the boundless, turbulent expanse of primordial chaos], he had little confidence of breaking free from this formation.

More importantly, Eldrin Chen and Celestial Maiden were watching like tigers, ready to pounce, and would never give him a chance to break the formation.

Thinking of this, Eccentric Jiang said with a grim expression, "What a formidable junior. Truly, the waves behind drive on those before."

"But there are six of us Ancient Immortal Patriarch. Do you truly believe you can devour us all?"

Eldrin Chen remained utterly calm. His gaze swept over Immortal-Suppressing Patriarch and the others before he spoke with detached certainty. "Five Triple Tribulation Ancient Immortal are indeed a formidable force. Combined with you, they could even challenge a Five Tribulations Ancient Immortal."

"But now, after burning their vital essence and suffering such severe depletion, what fraction of their true power remains?"

"BOOM—"

In that very instant, Eldrin Chen's Chaos Heaven Halberd tore through the void, carrying the power to annihilate all things as it struck horizontally towards Eccentric Jiang.

In this battle, Eldrin Chen fought with his full might, determined to grant Eccentric Jiang not a single moment's respite.

Under Eldrin Chen's full assault, Eccentric Jiang was immediately forced onto the defensive. As a Four Tribulations Ancient Immortal, Eccentric Jiang's combat prowess was formidable indeed.

Had they been outside the Chaos Shoal, Eldrin Chen would likely have had no choice but to flee for his life upon encountering such an opponent.

Yet within the Chaos Shoal, the Patriarch was suppressed by the Chaos Water [the primordial, formless waters of chaos], barely able to muster the combat power of a Triple Tribulation Ancient Immortal. How could he possibly be a match for Eldrin Chen?

After merely a few exchanges, Eccentric Jiang was already faintly falling into a disadvantageous position.

Seeing this, Immortal-Suppressing Patriarch, Luo Heaven Patriarch, and the other Ancient Immortals immediately joined the fray to assist. However, Horizon Patriarch and the Celestial Maiden did not stand idly by either.

Behold, Horizon Patriarch activated the Innate Five Elements Gourd Grand Formation, causing each gourd to unleash combat power rivaling that of a Chaos Beast King. They clashed fiercely with the five, locking them in battle and rendering them utterly incapable of intervening elsewhere.

Not only that, Horizon Patriarch still had enough strength to spare to command the Horizon Sea's Edge Twin Swords, sending slashes of sword light cleaving towards these five Ancient Immortal Patriarchs.

The Celestial Maiden was not idle either. She wielded the Frost Soul Immortal Ribbon and the Innate Frost Soul Sword, engaging the five Ancient Immortals in a deadly dance. For a time, she suppressed them, forcing them into a steady retreat.

Thus, Eldrin Chen was able to concentrate his full attention on dealing with Eccentric Jiang. Unconsciously, thousands of moves had already been exchanged between them.

It must be acknowledged that a Four Tribulations Ancient Immortal, having broken through the Mana Heavenly Pass [a critical bottleneck in cultivation], was no ordinary foe. Even suppressed by the Chaos Water, Patriarch Jiang could still unleash sixty percent of his combat power.

In moments of extreme exertion, he could even briefly tap into eighty percent, managing to suppress Eldrin Chen to a certain degree.

Yet Eldrin Chen had long since shattered his own Mana Heavenly Pass. In his hands were not only the Chaos Heaven Halberd, but also five of his own Innate Ancient Treasures [treasures born with the cultivator, sharing a deep spiritual bond]. He further commanded divine abilities like the Primordial One Energy Grasping Hand and the Great Five Elements Primordial Solar Divine Thunder—each a Half-Step Patriarch Level Divine Ability in its own right.

Such astonishing methods, even when compared to a Five Tribulations Ancient Immortal [an ancient immortal who has survived five heavenly tribulations], were not the least bit inferior, and were certainly not something an ordinary Triple Tribulation Ancient Immortal [an ancient immortal who has survived three heavenly tribulations] could hope to rival.

Even though Eccentric Jiang briefly erupted with eighty percent of his true power, such a state could not be sustained. He ultimately found it impossible to completely suppress Eldrin Chen, and thus had no means to break through the Formation [a structured array of power used for defense, attack, or confinement] to make his escape.

After more than a thousand years of such fierce battle, it was ultimately Horizon Patriarch who broke the stalemate. He activated the Innate Five Elements Gourd [a primordial treasure that harnesses the fundamental powers of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth] to trap the four opponents. Then, joining forces with the Celestial Maiden [a title for a powerful female immortal], he unleashed a combined strike, wielding the Horizon Sea's Edge Twin Swords to slay the Immortal-Suppressing Patriarch.

Those five had been pursuing them while burning their vital essence the entire way. Already severely depleted and weakened, with one of their number now fallen, how could the remaining four possibly withstand this Innate Five Elements Gourd Grand Formation [a grand formation powered by the innate five elements gourd]?

Not long after, a second Ancient Immortal [a cultivator who has ascended to immortality in ancient times and possesses immense power] was slain, and the tide of battle turned irrevocably.

Within a mere thousand years, all five Ancient Immortal had been successively exterminated by the Celestial Maiden and Horizon Patriarch. Finally free to act, the two turned their full attention to dealing with Eccentric Jiang.

"My fate ends here!"

Watching the situation collapse utterly, a deathly pallor spread across Eccentric Jiang's face.

In that moment, filled with boundless despair and resentment, he glared at Eldrin Chen and cried out, "You have already broken through the Mana Heavenly Pass [a critical bottleneck in a cultivator's advancement, representing a qualitative leap in power] to become a Four Tribulations Ancient Immortal, yet you disguised yourself as a mere Eighth Heaven Celestial Immortal [a celestial immortal at the eighth level of the celestial immortal realm]!"

"With such underhanded and vicious tactics... this old man's defeat is not unjust."

Speaking to this point, Eccentric Jiang could not help but ask, "Who exactly are you? Why, with the power of a Four Tribulations Ancient Immortal, can you flawlessly disguise yourself as an Eighth Heaven Celestial Immortal [a powerful immortal who has ascended to the eighth of the nine celestial heavens]?"

"Why should the dead know so much?"

Eldrin Chen did not answer. Matters concerning his trump cards were naturally not something he would reveal to others—that his cultivation base truly was only at the Eighth Heaven Celestial Immortal [a powerful immortal who has ascended to the eighth of the nine celestial heavens] realm, having merely broken through the Mana Heavenly Pass [a critical bottleneck in cultivation that separates Celestial Immortals from Ancient Immortals] ahead of time.

The present Eldrin Chen could, in fact, be called an Ancient Immortal [an immortal who has transcended the Celestial Immortal realm and weathered multiple heavenly tribulations], since he had already shattered the Mana Heavenly Pass [a critical bottleneck in cultivation that separates Celestial Immortals from Ancient Immortals]. Yet this did not negate the truth that his actual realm was that of an Eighth Heaven Celestial Immortal [a powerful immortal who has ascended to the eighth of the nine celestial heavens].

With this thought, Eldrin Chen's Chaos Heaven Halberd [a divine weapon forged from primordial chaos] swept aside the immortal spear and brutally pierced through Eccentric Jiang's brow, shattering his physical form amidst this expanse of Chaos [the primordial, formless state from which all creation emerged].

"Aaaargh—!"

The instant his physical body was destroyed, Eccentric Jiang's Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and true essence of a cultivator] flew out, still struggling desperately.

Eldrin Chen was about to pursue and strike, but he halted abruptly. Instead, he merely activated his Five-Colored Divine Light [a supreme divine ability that manifests as a radiant light of five colors, capable of capturing and suppressing almost anything] to seize the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and true essence of a cultivator] for a fleeting moment.

"*Clang!*"

In that very instant, two dazzling sword beams cleaved through the void, instantly annihilating Eccentric Jiang's Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and true essence of a cultivator].

At the same moment, Horizon Patriarch retrieved his Horizon Sea's Edge Twin Swords and turned his gaze towards Eldrin Chen. "My thanks," he said.

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod, offering no further words.

Allowing Horizon Patriarch to personally slay Eccentric Jiang and thus settle the score for that ambush from years past was merely a matter of going with the flow.

Just then, the Celestial Maiden approached, unable to resist looking at Eldrin Chen. "Fellow Daoist's strength is truly beyond expectation," she remarked.

Horizon Patriarch also nodded, a trace of astonishment coloring his expression.

The combat prowess Eldrin Chen had displayed in this battle was simply staggering. Horizon Patriarch estimated that even if they were back in the Immortal Domain, let alone here in the Chaos, he and the Celestial Maiden combined might still fail to defeat Eldrin Chen.

This was already the combat power of a top-tier Triple Tribulation Ancient Immortal; one could almost call it that of a Four Tribulations Ancient Immortal in all but name.

In comparison, the reason Horizon Patriarch and the Celestial Maiden had so easily defeated the five Ancient Immortals was only one-tenth due to those opponents' depleted vitality, six-tenths due to the Innate Five Elements Gourd Grand Formation, with the remaining three-tenths being their own contribution.

Thinking of this, Horizon Patriarch could not help but sigh. "It seems if we do not make a breakthrough soon, we will be of little help to you before long."

A faint smile touched Eldrin Chen's lips as he took Eccentric Jiang's Polarity Gourd. "With the aid of this Polarity Gourd," he said, "your breakthrough to the Four Tribulations Ancient Immortal realm is now within reach."

Upon hearing this, both of them smiled faintly, their expressions alight with excitement. With these two gourds in hand, they could finally begin cultivating their Seven-Colors Immortal Refinement Scripture.

Next, the trio gathered the treasures left behind by the six Ancient Immortal [powerful beings who have transcended mortality and attained immense age and power]. Each of them wore a look of profound satisfaction.

After thoroughly looting all the valuable artifacts, Eldrin Chen inquired, "Should we continue to explore the Chaos Shoal [a perilous, ever-shifting region at the edge of the primordial chaos]?"

Horizon Patriarch pondered for a moment before replying, "Our gains from this battle are extraordinary. There is no need to court further danger."

"It would be wiser to return, achieve a breakthrough to the Four Tribulations Ancient Immortal [the realm of an Ancient Immortal who has survived four Heavenly Tribulations], and then return to explore the depths of the Chaos [the formless, primordial state from which all existence emerged]."

Celestial Maiden [a title for a powerful and esteemed female immortal] could scarcely contain her eagerness either. She added with a smile, "I agree. Sharpening the axe does not delay the chopping of wood. Our breakthrough should take precedence."

"Very well," Eldrin Chen conceded.

With a nod, Eldrin Chen led the three of them back towards the Violet Sun Immortal Domain.

They journeyed for several thousand years before finally reaching the Violet Sun Immortal Domain. There, they rented a Grotto-Heaven [a secluded, spiritually rich pocket dimension often used for secluded cultivation] and the four of them began to take stock of their spoils from the battle.

"The harvest from this single conflict is truly staggering," one of them remarked, awe coloring their voice.

Gazing upon the treasures before him, Horizon Patriarch could not help but smile faintly, a glimmer of delight coloring his expression.

The spoils from this battle thus far were nothing short of astonishing. After a thorough inventory, they discovered they had obtained a total of eight Innate Ancient Treasure [treasures born of the primordial chaos, containing innate laws], five portions of Supreme Grade Innate Rare Treasure [the highest grade of primordial spiritual materials], and over two hundred and thirty strands of Innate Energy [the pure, foundational energy of creation].

Among these eight Innate Ancient Treasure, four were relatively common Twelve-Rune Innate Ancient Treasure [treasures inscribed with twelve primordial runes], each valued at roughly fifty strands of Innate Energy.

However, four were extraordinary: the Immortal-Suppressing Pagoda, the Luo Tian Net, the Immortal-Slaying Ancient Spear, and the Five Treasures Glazed Armor.

Among these four treasures, the Immortal-Suppressing Pagoda and the Luo Tian Net were both Eighteen-Rune Innate Ancient Treasure [treasures inscribed with eighteen primordial runes]. The Immortal-Slaying Ancient Spear was a Twenty-Two Rune Innate Treasure [a treasure inscribed with twenty-two primordial runes], and the Five Treasures Glazed Armor was also a Twenty-Rune Innate Ancient Treasure [a treasure inscribed with twenty primordial runes].

Furthermore, among the five portions of Supreme Grade Innate Rare Treasure, one Primal Shadow Soul-Condensing Pearl [a pearl that condenses and refines the soul's shadow essence] and one Nine Revolutions Limit-Breaking Pill [a legendary pill that can shatter cultivation bottlenecks through nine cycles of refinement] were exceptionally precious. The remaining three were more common Supreme Grade Innate Rare Treasure.

These more common Innate Rare Treasure could not significantly enhance their power, so they could only be sold to exchange for Innate Energy.

Eldrin Chen retrieved the Immortal-Suppressing Pagoda, the Luo Tian Net, the Immortal-Slaying Ancient Spear, and the Five Treasures Glazed Armor. He then separately took out the Primal Shadow Soul-Condensing Pearl and the Nine Revolutions Limit-Breaking Pill, stating, "These treasures are of Extraordinary value. We should keep them."

"Let's convert the rest into Innate Energy before dividing it."

Hearing this, the other two both nodded in agreement.

The treasures selected by Eldrin Chen were naturally anything but ordinary.

Among these several treasures, the Immortal-Suppressing Pagoda [a pagoda capable of capturing powerful foes] could subdue formidable enemies, while the Luo Tian Net [a supreme treasure for entrapping foes] was a paramount tool for confinement, both proving immensely useful within the Chaos [the primordial, formless expanse beyond ordered realms].

It must be understood that Chaos Beast King [monarch-level beasts native to the Chaos] within the Chaos possess astonishingly swift flight and escape capabilities; defeating them is one thing, but slaying them is a far greater challenge.

Do not assume Chaos Beast King are easy to kill just because they previously managed to slay the Chaos Devouring Heaven Roc [a legendary roc that devours heavens within the Chaos]. That was only because the Chaos Devouring Heaven Roc was cornered Within the Chaos Lair [deep inside a beast's den in the Chaos] with no path for escape and was ambushed by the group.

Otherwise, attempting to hunt down a Three Tribulations Chaos Beast King [a Chaos Beast King that has survived three heavenly tribulations] like the Chaos Devouring Heaven Roc within the vast Sea of Chaos [the endless, turbulent expanse of primordial Chaos] would give even a Five Tribulations Ancient Immortal [an Ancient Immortal who has weathered five heavenly tribulations] merely a thirty to forty percent chance of success.

Some Six Tribulations Ancient Immortal [Ancient Immortals of the sixth tribulation] who lack proficiency in speed might not even be able to catch up to a Chaos Devouring Heaven Roc.

However, with the Luo Tian Net and the Immortal-Suppressing Pagoda, there exists a tangible possibility of entrapping even a fourth or fifth tribulation Chaos Beast King, severing its chance to flee.

The Immortal-Slaying Ancient Spear [an ancient spear famed for slaying immortals] and the Five Treasures Glazed Armor [armor forged from five precious treasures into a glazed form] require little elaboration. The Immortal-Slaying Ancient Spear managed to grievously wound the Horizon Patriarch with a single strike; its power ranks among the upper echelons even amidst Innate Ancient Treasure [treasures born from the primordial chaos of creation]. As for the Five Treasures Glazed Armor, it stands as a paramount defensive treasure. The complete novel can be found at @udio-novel.com.