Chapter 1881 : The Forging of a True Spirit

After giving instructions to the others, Eldrin Chen returned to the summit of the Soul-Extinction Ancient Land.

He casually carved out a cave abode and prepared to enter seclusion for cultivation.

However, before beginning his secluded cultivation, Eldrin Chen focused his senses inward to examine his Primordial Chaos Indestructible Body. A glimmer of light flickered in the depths of his eyes.

With this breakthrough, Eldrin Chen had successfully forged a True Spirit Physique. Similar to the True Spirit Primordial Spirit, his Chaos Indestructible Physique was exceptionally powerful, and it had attracted a far greater number of True Spirit Imprint [mystical seals containing the essence of a True Spirit] than the True Spirit Physique of Aurelius, the Little Celestial Emperor.

This abundance of True Spirit Imprint had not only completely transformed his Chaos Indestructible Body into a True Spirit Physique, but had also left a surplus—fully twice the amount needed—unused.

Gazing upon this excess of True Spirit Imprint, Eldrin Chen fell into deep contemplation.

This surplus True Spirit Imprint could not be integrated into his other foundational aspects. However, it could be channeled into his Innate Acupoints [the body's natural energy nodes, which can be awakened and empowered through cultivation arts] to catalyze their evolution.

Furthermore, this extra True Spirit Imprint could also be used to nurture a Bloodline Innate Divine Ability [a supernatural power inherent to one's bloodline, awakened at birth] of True Spirit [a being of pure, primordial spiritual essence] grade.

While a Bloodline Divine Ability could vastly increase one's physical combat prowess, it possessed an extremely exclusive nature. Not only would it conflict with Innate Divine Abilities [supernatural powers one is born with, distinct from those learned], but it would also suppress the operation of the Dao Laws [the fundamental principles of reality] within one's body.

Therefore, after careful consideration, Eldrin Chen decided to select one of his Innate Acupoints and use the imprint to facilitate its metamorphosis.

"Which Innate Divine Ability [a cultivator's unique, heaven-bestowed power] should I Ascension [elevate to a higher, more profound level]?"

Eldrin Chen murmured to himself, a slight frown creasing his brow.

After a long while of contemplation, Eldrin Chen finally made his decision, choosing the Primordial Chaos Divine Thunder [a divine thunder technique born from the primal chaos].

Among his several Innate Divine Abilities, the Five-Colored Divine Light [a divine light capable of capturing and sealing all things] could subdue all creation; the Primordial Chaos Soldier Derivation Art [an art to manifest soldiers from chaos, peerless in group combat] was unmatched in mass battles; the Boundless Cosmos Sword [a sword technique of infinite cosmos, supreme for ambush] was the foremost for surprise attacks; the Primordial Chaos Divine Thunder possessed the greatest destructive power; and the Great Deduction of Yin-Yang and Stars [a divine ability for profound divination based on Yin-Yang and stellar principles] was a supreme art of divination.

One could say each of these divine abilities held immense potential. However, since they were still within the Kalpa Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of calamity and renewal], combat prowess naturally took precedence.

Having made his choice, Eldrin Chen channeled all the True Spirit Imprint [the spiritual essence imprints left by a True Spirit] into the Innate Acupoints [the innate spiritual apertures within a cultivator's body] that housed the Primordial Chaos Divine Thunder.

In a single Ksana-time [an infinitesimal unit of time], that acupoint began to transform, its hue shifting until it settled into a radiant violet-gold.

"*Hummm—*"

The moment the acupoint's transformation completed, Eldrin Chen felt a sudden resonance. Within his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and true self of a cultivator], two True Spirit Aperture [the spiritual apertures of a True Spirit realm cultivator] erupted with dazzling immortal light, their radiance intertwining and harmonizing in a profound symphony.

As the resonance faded and tranquility returned, a look of astonishment dawned on Eldrin Chen's face.

He could distinctly sense the two True Spirit Aperture resonating in harmony, their combined power amplifying each other slightly.

Even more astonishing was that, bolstered by the True Spirit Aperture, Eldrin Chen's True Spirit Primordial Spirit—which had already reached its theoretical limit—had its potency enhanced by another twenty percent.

One must understand that a True Spirit Primordial Spirit represents the absolute pinnacle of that realm. In theory, no further advancement should be possible without a breakthrough to the Great Luo Realm.

Yet, Eldrin Chen's True Spirit Primordial Spirit had achieved significant progress from this already supreme foundation. How could this not be utterly shocking?

Contemplating this, Eldrin Chen immediately closed his eyes to meditate upon his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and highest essence of a cultivator's being]. Before long, he finally glimpsed the profound mysteries within the True Spirit Primordial Spirit.

"So that's how it is,"

Eldrin Chen murmured in revelation as he opened his eyes.

He realized that the True Spirit Primordial Spirit was not the final destination of the Primordial Spirit path. Within it, each of the nine Innate Acupoints [the foundational spiritual nodes within a cultivator's soul] could potentially undergo a metamorphosis into a True Spirit Aperture.

If the day ever came when all nine of Eldrin Chen's Innate Acupoints were ignited and transformed into True Spirit Aperture, then the sheer power of his Primordial Spirit alone would qualify him to assail the realm of the Chaos Celestial Emperor.

In principle, any single True Spirit Divine Ability is the embryonic form of a supreme Chaos Rank divine art. Furthermore, the ignition of a True Spirit Aperture is a feat that only a Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch could barely hope to touch.

Eldrin Chen had cultivated a True Spirit Primordial Spirit [the highest form of spiritual core attainable by a cultivator] at this realm, and possessed surplus True Spirit Imprint [a spiritual seal used to activate a True Spirit Aperture] to ignite a second True Spirit Aperture [a profound spiritual node within the Primordial Spirit]. News of this would be enough to shake the Three Thousand Immortal Domains [the collective name for the myriad realms of cultivation] to their very foundations.

Yet it was undeniable that the power bestowed by a True Spirit Aperture was astonishingly immense. Theoretically, starting from the second aperture, each new True Spirit Aperture opened would cause the wielder's Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] power to surge dramatically.

By opening his second True Spirit Aperture, Eldrin Chen had increased the potency of his Primordial Spirit by approximately twenty percent.

If one could open a third True Spirit Aperture, causing the three apertures to resonate in harmony, the Primordial Spirit power would surge by another thirty percent on top of the foundation of two apertures.

Extrapolating from this, an existence that had opened eight True Spirit Aperture could transform them into a single innate Formation [a mystical array or pattern that channels and amplifies power] of the Eight Trigrams, increasing their power by eighty percent beyond the foundation of seven apertures.

Should one succeed in opening a ninth True Spirit Aperture, the Primordial Spirit would undergo an unprecedented qualitative transformation under the amplification of the True Spirit Aperture Formation.

At that point, by obtaining a wisp of Chaos Primordial Qi [the primordial energy from which all creation emerged], one could, even after discarding their physical body, mana, and all other foundations, rely solely on the Primordial Spirit to prove their Dao and attain the realm of a Chaos Celestial Emperor [a supreme sovereign who has mastered the primordial chaos].

Such a Chaos Celestial Emperor would be a Soul Path Celestial Emperor [a Celestial Emperor whose path to power is centered entirely on the soul and spirit]. For them, their own Primordial Spirit *is* the Great Dao; there is no need to seize and refine a Chaos Great Dao [a fundamental principle or law of the primordial chaos].

Furthermore, because they have ignited nine True Spirit Aperture, Soul Path Chaos Rank [the rank of power equivalent to a Chaos Celestial Emperor] powerhouses possess nine Chaos Rank divine abilities. This renders their combat prowess even more unpredictable and esoteric, placing them among the most formidable and troublesome top-tier combatants even amidst other Chaos Celestial Emperor, their strength not inferior to those who attained Sainthood through the Flesh [a path to supreme power focused on perfecting the physical body].

"So it is possible to prove one's Dao and reach the realm of a Chaos Celestial Emperor relying solely on the Primordial Spirit?"

Having grasped the mysteries of the True Spirit Primordial Spirit [the highest state of spiritual cultivation, where one's primordial soul achieves true enlightenment], Eldrin Chen fell into deep contemplation.

In that moment, he vaguely understood that a Soul Path Celestial Emperor [a Celestial Emperor who ascended by mastering the path of the soul] must be exceedingly rare. Such an individual would require prodigious innate talent in the Primordial Spirit [the foundational spiritual core of a being] and would need to survive countless brushes with death, repeatedly breaking through their limits to achieve this state.

Among the seven Chaos Rank [the rank of a Chaos Celestial Emperor] powerhouses of the Three Thousand Immortal Domains, the Primordial Beginning Dao Ancestor [the Progenitor of the Dao] created the laws and mastered the Great Dao. The Sage-King of the Grand Abyss mastered the Dao through his body of a Primordial Chaos Spiritual Root [a spiritual root born from Primordial Chaos]. As for figures like the Primordial Beginning Divine Emperor and the Purple Tenuity Divine Emperor, they possessed the innate foundation of Chaos Divine Emperor [a Divine Emperor born from Chaos] and did not specialize in the path of the Primordial Spirit.

The three Demon Race Celestial Emperor—Grand Yang [the Great Sun], Candle Dragon, and Primordial Phoenix—most likely followed the orthodox method of mastering the Chaos [the primordial state of existence] through the Great Dao, having little to do with this path of the Primordial Spirit.

From this, it was evident that igniting all nine True Spirit Aperture [the spiritual apertures within the True Spirit Primordial Spirit] and using the Primordial Spirit to prove one's Dao and become a Chaos Celestial Emperor [a Celestial Emperor who rules over Chaos] must be a path of unimaginable difficulty.

If Eldrin Chen's conjecture was correct, among the seven Chaos Celestial Emperor of the Three Poles Origin Domain, at most they had likely ignited two or three True Spirit Aperture, and it was even more probable that they had only ignited a single one.

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen suddenly recalled the Primordial Earth Soul Scripture [the ancient scripture of the Earth Soul]. Legend stated that this Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme treasure born alongside heaven and earth], the Earth Soul Scripture, was formed from the division of the Primordial Chaos Three Souls Scripture [the Primordial Chaos Scripture of the Three Souls].

And the Primordial Chaos Three Souls Scripture was the companion treasure of the 'Netherworld Progenitor' [the Progenitor of the Netherworld] from the Primordial Immortal Domain [the first and most ancient of the Immortal Domains]. In theory, it carried the status and authority of a Chaos Celestial Emperor.

Yet, for reasons unknown, at the dawn of the Primordial Immortal Domain, the Netherworld Progenitor suddenly perished. The Primordial Chaos Three Souls Scripture thus split into three, transforming into the Heaven Soul, Earth Soul, and Human Soul scriptures.

The Human Soul Scripture vanished into the Depths of Chaos [the unfathomable depths of primordial Chaos] as early as the beginning of the Primordial Era, leaving not a single trace behind to this day.

"Had the Netherworld Progenitor not perished, he would likely have presided over the Primordial Immortal Domain's Netherworld Realm, attaining the Chaos Celestial Emperor realm through the Dao of the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator], would he not?"

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, his thoughts drifting to the Six Netherworld Treasures of the Primordial Immortal Domain.

Legend held that at the dawn of the Primordial Immortal Domain, there existed the Six Netherworld Treasures: the Soul-Gathering Bell, the Soul-Cleansing Pool, the Reincarnation Well, the Book of Life and Death, the Judge's Brush, and the Mirror of Past Lives. Each of these six treasures was an Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme artifact born from the primordial chaos itself], embodying the authority over the Netherworld Realm within the Primordial Immortal Domain.

Each represented the pinnacle status of a Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord [a supreme cultivation realm representing mastery over primordial chaos]. Yet, for reasons lost to time, the most crucial among them, the Mirror of Past Lives, had vanished even as the Primordial Immortal Domain's Chaos first coalesced.

Ever since, the Netherworld Hell of the Primordial Immortal Domain had fragmented into disarray. The Grand Nether Emperor Lord and the other Eighteen Netherworld Emperor Lords each ruled over separate Eighteen Layers of Hell, yet none could achieve its complete unification.

"It seems the history behind the Depths of the Netherworld in the Primordial Immortal Domain holds an ancient tale,"

Eldrin Chen sighed faintly, then swiftly set the thought aside.

The story behind the Three Poles Origin Domain held little direct relevance to him. What truly filled him with elation was his newfound comprehension of the method to grasp the Dao through the Primordial Spirit.

Although Eldrin Chen would not dedicate himself solely to a single path, this method of illuminating the nine great True Spirit Aperture [the spiritual gateways within one's soul] to glimpse the realm of the Soul Path Chaos Celestial Emperor [a supreme emperor who has mastered the Dao through the soul's path] still represented a transcendent great Dao, illuminating the path forward in his cultivation.

"The method of the Primordial Spirit allows one to attain the Dao through the nine great True Spirit Aperture."

"I wonder how the method of Sainthood through the Flesh [a path to divinity through physical cultivation] attains the Chaos Celestial Emperor [the supreme ruler of primordial chaos]?"

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, then shook his head, dismissing the thought.

He slowly withdrew his consciousness from his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] and roughly estimated that, given his current Primordial Spirit strength, it would take six hundred thousand years for the Primordial Chaos Divine Thunder [a divine ability born from primordial chaos] to evolve into a True Spirit Divine Ability [a divine ability of the highest order]. By that time, the Kalpa Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of destruction and renewal] would likely be nearing its end.

However, Eldrin Chen was not anxious. He had not yet mastered the Great Dao of the True Spirit [the ultimate spiritual essence]. Once he succeeded in cultivating this True Spirit Great Dao, he could significantly shorten the time required for the Ascension [the process of elevating a divine ability] of his True Spirit Divine Ability.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen decisively retrieved the Dao Source [the condensed essence of a cultivator's Dao] of the North Sea Mystic Turtle [an ancient and profound turtle demon from the northern seas] and began refining it.

In life, this North Sea Mystic Turtle had cultivated four Indestructible Foundation [foundational realms of unbreakable durability], making its Dao Source a pinnacle-grade Eight Tribulations Dao Source [a Dao Source tempered through eight heavenly tribulations].

Furthermore, the North Sea Mystic Turtle had mastered two Great Dao Laws: the Northern Abyss True Water [the True Water of the Northern Abyss] and the Source of All Things Earth [the Earthly Source of All Things], both cultivated to their perfect, consummate state.

The Source of All Things Earth aligned perfectly with Eldrin Chen's own Earth-attribute Great Dao, making its refinement a process of astonishingly swift progress.

Merely a few decades later, having refined only a small portion of this Dao Source, Eldrin Chen had successfully cultivated the Great Dao Embryo [the embryonic form of a Great Dao ability] of the Source of All Things Earth.

"*Hummm—*"

At the very moment the fifth Great Dao Embryo was perfected, the five Great Dao Embryo within Eldrin Chen's body slowly rotated and finally coalesced into one, transforming into a vast and boundless Chaos Great Dao [the supreme, primordial law governing all existence].

"The Chaos Great Dao Embryo [the embryonic form of the supreme Chaos Dao], has it finally been achieved?"

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, a faint smile gracing his lips.

Yet this was merely the beginning. Eldrin Chen continued refining the Dao Source [the condensed essence of a being's comprehension of the Dao] from the North Sea Mystic Turtle. A full century later, accompanied by a thunderous roar of the Great Dao, the Source of All Things Earth [the foundational Dao principle of nurturing and giving birth to all things] finally took complete form, no longer remaining a mere Great Dao Embryo.

"A complete Great Dao?"

Eldrin Chen opened his eyes. Sensing the Source of All Things Earth Dao, a look of profound understanding dawned upon him.

He discovered that the complete Source of All Things Earth Dao, true to its reputation as a Primordial-Grade Great Dao [a supreme-grade Dao path] that pointed directly toward the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [the sovereign realm of the primordial chaos], had, upon its initial formation, already reached the indestructible state of the Eleventh Limit [the eleventh and ultimate theoretical limit of a cultivation realm].

"Legends speak of the Source of All Things Earth Dao possessing the potential to evolve into a Chaos Great Dao. It seems those tales hold truth."

Eldrin Chen spoke calmly. As the saying goes, Daos are divided into three grades: the Primordial Chaos [the state of undifferentiated existence before creation], the Chaos [the state of formless potential], and the Innate Daos.

Among them, a Primordial Great Dao [a foundational Dao of the primordial era] can lead one to prove their Dao and attain the Grand Luo [a supreme immortal realm]. This is the level of the vast majority of Great Daos. However, to prove one's Dao and reach the Chaos realm, one requires a genuine Chaos Great Dao.

Chaos Great Dao [the supreme and fundamental principles of existence within the Chaos] are divided into two kinds. The first are those that are innate, such as the Primordial Beginning [the Dao of the First Genesis], the Primordial Genesis [the Dao of Creation's Dawn], the Primordial Five Ultimates [the Dao of the Five Primal Extremes], and so forth. These Great Daos are immensely powerful, yet exceedingly rare, and are generally impossible to cultivate to completion through later effort.

The other kind involves pushing a Primordial Great Dao [a foundational Great Dao born from the Primordial Chaos] to its absolute limit, ultimately causing it to transcend its boundaries and metamorphose into a Chaos Great Dao. This is the most common method for Ascension [breaking through to a higher realm] into the Chaos [the primordial, formless state before creation] realm.

To refine a Primordial Great Dao to the point of metamorphosis, one must first cultivate a Dao that is sufficiently potent. Secondly, one must grasp all the authority and dominion inherent to that Dao. Only then can one finally take that ultimate step.

However, if the Dao itself is not powerful enough, then even if one masters the authority of a Primordial Great Dao, a forced Ascension into the Chaos realm will most likely result in the Dao's destruction and the cultivator's demise.

To ensure a Dao is sufficiently powerful, the best method is for Grand Luo Golden Immortal [immortals who have attained the Grand Luo Golden Immortal realm] to continuously perfect and refine it.

Therefore, for any given Primordial Great Dao, the more Grand Luo Golden Immortal who cultivate it, the greater the possibility of Ascension into a Chaos Great Dao becomes.

This also means that the more powerful a Primordial Great Dao is, the more fiercely contested and difficult it becomes to seize its Heavenly Dao authority.

The Great Daos cultivated by Eldrin Chen, such as the Pure Yang Heavenly Fire [the Dao of Celestial Yang Flames] and the Profound Nether True Water [the Dao of Abyssal Yin Waters], each have vast numbers of Grand Luo Golden Immortal practicing them. They have long been qualified to metamorphose into Chaos Great Dao.

Yet, precisely because so many Grand Luo Golden Immortal cultivate them—including not a few supreme Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [Emperor Monarchs of the Primordial Chaos] and even figures of the Chaos Celestial Emperor [Celestial Emperor of Chaos] level who practice them concurrently—the competition is far too intense. No one can decisively defeat all their rivals, and thus they have all fallen into a protracted stalemate.

The Source of All Things Earth [the Dao of the Primordial Soil from which All Things Spring] was the same. The moment Eldrin Chen mastered it, he instantly sensed that upon this Great Dao, a multitude of Grand Luo Golden Immortal already held portions of its authority.

At the very end of that Great Dao, several indescribable figures even stood poised in the air, locked in a stalemate with one another.

"The Chaos Celestial Emperor?"

Eldrin Chen murmured, a trace of solemnity coloring his expression.

In that moment, he finally understood why the Great Dao of the Source of All Things Earth [the foundational principle governing the genesis and sustenance of all matter] was actually being cultivated concurrently by several Chaos Celestial Emperor.

"They have already stepped into the realm of Chaos Celestial Emperor, so why would they still covet the authority over the Source of All Things Earth Great Dao?"

Eldrin Chen whispered to himself, a flicker of surprise crossing his features, yet the reason remained elusive.

He performed a brief divination with his fingers, and a sliver of enlightenment dawned upon him. It turned out that for a Chaos Celestial Emperor to break through to the second stage of Chaos cultivation, known as the 'Dao Union Realm' [the Realm of Dao Unification], one needed to master several highly compatible Chaos Great Dao [supreme principles born from primordial chaos] and fuse them into one.

These Chaos Celestial Emperor cultivated the Source of All Things Earth Great Dao alongside their own, harboring the ambition to one day seize its sovereign authority.

After all, the Source of All Things Earth Great Dao was one of the most formidable Primordial Great Dao [the original, foundational cosmic principles]. Across the boundless Chaos, the Grand Luo Golden Immortal [Golden Immortals of the Grand Luo, a high immortal realm] who cultivated this path numbered in the tens of thousands, and each one of them contributed to strengthening this Great Dao.

Furthermore, through the relentless refinement by these countless Grand Luo Golden Immortal and Chaos Celestial Emperor, this Great Dao had already reached, even surpassed, the limits of a typical Primordial Great Dao. Whoever could obtain its complete authority would, in an instant, undergo a metamorphosis into a true Chaos Great Dao.

"It seems I have found myself a great trouble," he murmured, a sigh escaping his lips.

Eldrin Chen spoke slowly, unable to suppress a faint sigh.

He had chosen five supreme Great Daos precisely to point directly toward the realm of Chaos [the primordial, undifferentiated state from which all existence emerged], yet unknowingly, he had long aligned with the cultivation path of the Dao-Unification Realm.

Theoretically, if Eldrin Chen were to fully master all five of his innate Great Daos and fuse them into one, cultivating the Chaos Limitless Great Dao [the Boundless Dao of Primordial Chaos], he would directly step into the second stage of the Chaos realm—the Dao-Unification Realm.

However, choosing five Daos of such immense power had also drawn far too many formidable enemies to his doorstep.

To wrest the authority of the Heavenly Dao from the hands of the Chaos Celestial Emperor [the supreme ruler born of Primordial Chaos] was nearly a fool's dream; only schemes from existences of the same level could possibly succeed in the end.

Of course, cultivating this Dao also had its benefits. Precisely because so many Grand Luo Golden Immortals [immortals who have attained the pinnacle of the Golden Immortal realm] cultivated this path, the latent potential of the Source of All Things Earth [the Earthly Dao that is the Origin of All Things] was terrifyingly vast. Once it transformed into a Chaos Great Dao [a supreme Dao law born of Primordial Chaos], it would likely immediately reach the pinnacle level among all Chaos Great Daos.

Contemplating this, Eldrin Chen fell into a brief, thoughtful silence, his gaze growing distant and profound. "It seems," he finally said, his voice carrying a quiet resolve, "my only path forward is to first attain the Chaos Celestial Emperor realm through physical body refinement, or cultivate to become a Soul Path Celestial Emperor [a Celestial Emperor who attained the realm through Primordial Spirit cultivation]. Only then can I plan the method of mastering a Dao to achieve sainthood."

Eldrin Chen whispered to himself, a ripple of determination stirring within the depths of his eyes.

Ascending to the Chaos Celestial Emperor realm through physical body or Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and true essence of a cultivator] cultivation, though arduous, involved one's own sublimation and transformation. It did not require contending with others for the authority of a Great Dao. As long as the conditions were met and one possessed either Chaos Primordial Qi [the foundational energy of Primordial Chaos] or Primordial Chaos Qi [the primordial energy preceding the differentiation of Chaos], one could directly prove the Dao and enter the Chaos Celestial Emperor realm.

First, cultivate the physical body and the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator]. Then, after attaining the Celestial Emperor realm, contend for the authority over the Great Dao. This might be the only method for Eldrin Chen to cultivate the 'Chaos Great Dao' to the realm of Chaos [the primordial state of undifferentiated existence].

Of course, this offers only a sliver of hope for Eldrin Chen, because whether one attains the Celestial Emperor realm through Sainthood through the Flesh [the path of supreme physical cultivation] or through the Primordial Spirit, it requires talent that astounds Chaos itself.

For a single individual to successfully walk even one of these paths would already be considered a peerless genius across the ages. That Eldrin Chen could cultivate both paths simultaneously is utterly unheard of.

To possess such astounding talent for the Great Dao while also attaining the Chaos Celestial Emperor realm through both body and Primordial Spirit is something even a Chaos Celestial Emperor would scarcely dare believe.

Even if the Primordial Beginning Divine Emperor [the primordial deity of creation] heard of it, he would likely dismiss it with a wave of his hand, scoffing that it was the deluded dream of a fool.

In truth, even for the present Eldrin Chen, this remains a distant, almost unreachable dream. He cannot be certain of success until he actually walks that path.

"Enough. I shall take one step and see the next," Eldrin Chen murmured to himself.

He lowered his gaze and resumed the work of perfecting his Great Dao.

With the completion of the Source of All Things Earth Great Dao, Eldrin Chen began to cultivate the Profound Nether True Water Great Dao.

Long ago, after refining the Dao Source [the fundamental essence of a cultivator's Dao] of the Nether Emperor, Eldrin Chen had already comprehended the Profound Nether True Water Great Dao. However, as his Primordial Boundless Great Dao was not yet complete at that time, he had not manifested it into cultivation.

Now that the moment had arrived, Eldrin Chen cultivating the Profound Nether True Water [a divine ability manifesting the power of profound, abyssal water] was as natural as water flowing downhill.

During this process, the Source of All Things Earth [the Great Dao representing the foundational, nurturing essence of earth] exhibited an intense repulsive force, striving to prevent the Profound Nether True Water Great Dao [the Great Dao of profound, abyssal water] from taking form.

Fortunately, Eldrin Chen's True Spirit Primordial Spirit [the ultimate spiritual core of a cultivator, representing true enlightenment] was immensely powerful. How could a mere Great Dao of the Eleventh Limit [the eleventh stage of cultivation foundation] possibly contend against a True Spirit Primordial Spirit? With effortless ease, he seized complete control over the Source of All Things Earth Great Dao within his body, allowing the Profound Nether True Water Great Dao to solidify completely.

After accomplishing this step, Eldrin Chen proceeded to refine a second Dao Source [a crystallized essence containing the profound insights of a Great Dao]. This particular Dao Source was obtained from a prodigy of Imperial Scion caliber who cultivated the Great Dao of Wood. That prodigy had only achieved a single Indestructible Foundation [an unbreakable foundational cultivation stage], making his strength relatively unremarkable among the many geniuses of the Demon Race.

However, his Indestructible Foundation was based on the Indestructible Great Dao [the Great Dao of unbreakable durability], specifically its wood-attribute aspect of Vitality, which aligned perfectly with Eldrin Chen's own Life Great Dao [the Great Dao representing the essence of life and vitality].

Using this as his foundation, Eldrin Chen continuously contemplated its mysteries. Finally, after ten thousand years, he succeeded in mastering the Life Great Dao.

Thereafter, Eldrin Chen directly took the Dao Source from Kunpeng Scion and began refining it. Kunpeng Scion was a peerless prodigy who had cultivated Five Indestructible Foundations [five unbreakable foundational cultivation stages], mastering a Northern Abyss Mystic Metal Great Dao [the Great Dao of mysterious, abyssal metal from the northern depths].

Although this Great Dao was not perfectly compatible with Eldrin Chen's Primordial Ancient Metal [the Great Dao of primordial, ancient metal], its saving grace was the exceptionally high quality of the Dao Source.

With this as his base, Eldrin Chen tirelessly refined the Dao Source. In what felt like a fleeting moment, yet spanned thirty thousand years, Eldrin Chen finally succeeded in cultivating the Primordial Chaos Gold Great Dao [the Great Dao of gold born from primordial chaos].

"Only one step remains."

Eldrin Chen murmured softly. With the formation of his Primordial Chaos Gold Great Dao, only his Pure Yang Celestial Fire Great Dao remained in its nascent, embryonic state among his five core Great Daos.

This final step, the most crucial one, caused a flicker of solemnity to cross Eldrin Chen's features. He wasted no time, directly retrieving and beginning to refine the Dao Source [the condensed origin of a cultivator's Dao path] of Aurelius, the Imperial Scion.

"Boom—"

The moment the refinement began, Eldrin Chen was instantly assaulted by a cataclysmic wave of scorching, all-consuming flame.

It was a flame of immeasurable grandeur, blazing with the incandescent, world-illuminating brilliance of the Grand Yang [the supreme, primordial Yang principle], radiating a terrifying light that seemed capable of outshining the Myriad Heavens.

"The Great Sun Golden Flame,"

Eldrin Chen whispered, a ripple of understanding passing through his gaze.

The Great Sun Golden Flame was a branch of the Solar True Fire, also an upper-tier Pure Yang [pure, unadulterated Yang energy] flame. However, compared to the Pure Yang Heavenly Fire or the Solar Celestial Fire, this Great Dao was relatively more niche.

No Chaos Rank [a supreme realm of existence] being held dominion over this particular Great Dao, yet it possessed the potential to evolve into a Chaos Rank Great Dao itself. It was, by all accounts, an excellent choice.

"As expected of a direct descendant of a Celestial Emperor. His discernment in selecting a Great Dao path is truly astute and formidable,"

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, a wry smile of bitter amusement touching his lips.

Had he received proper guidance in his early years, perhaps he would not have chosen supreme Great Daos [the fundamental laws of the cosmos] such as the Pure Yang Heavenly Fire and the Profound Nether True Water as the foundation for his Chaos Great Dao.

In that case, cultivating a Dao [path/law] akin to the Great Sun Golden Flame might have significantly increased his chances of achieving a breakthrough into the realm of Chaos.

Of course, a Dao like the Great Sun Golden Flame was ultimately inferior by more than a single degree. Even if he managed to cultivate the Chaos Limitless Great Dao through such a law, Eldrin Chen's combat prowess would likely have been considerably diminished.

Not only that, but the power of his Innate Divine Abilities [powers born with one's spirit], such as the Primordial Chaos Divine Thunder and Primordial Chaos Qi, would have been greatly reduced. This chain of events would have forced Eldrin Chen to barely achieve a True Spirit Primordial Spirit [a perfected spiritual core] and a True Spirit Physique [a perfected physical body], leaving him unable to obtain more True Spirit Imprint [seals of perfected spirit essence] to enlighten his Innate Acupoints [the natural energy gates within the body].

Under such a cascade of repercussions, Eldrin Chen would likely have had no hope of enlightening all nine True Spirit Aperture [perfected spiritual apertures], nor of directly attaining Sainthood through the Flesh [ascending to a saintly realm via physical cultivation].

"Every action and its consequence are ordained by the Mandate of Heaven [the cosmic decree of fate]."

"Looking back now, though I trod the most arduous path unwittingly and without guidance, it was precisely that path which forged the unparalleled foundation I possess today."

Eldrin Chen slowly exhaled a deep breath, then immediately intensified his efforts to refine this Dao Source [a source containing profound insights into a Great Dao].

As Eldrin Chen continued his refinement, the insights gleaned from Aurelius, the Imperial Scion's experiences across more than one hundred Kalpa Tribulation [cosmic cycles of destruction and renewal] were, for the most part, absorbed and assimilated by Eldrin Chen.

Such a magnificent foundation allowed Eldrin Chen's comprehension of the Pure Yang Celestial Fire Great Dao [the supreme path of the purest solar flame] to advance by leaps and bounds each day. Even his other four Great Daos [supreme cultivation paths] progressed imperceptibly further.

In the span of mere moments, he fully grasped the Pure Yang Celestial Fire Great Dao, leaving only the final step of materializing the virtual to complete his cultivation of the Chaos Great Dao [the primordial path of undifferentiated chaos].

Yet, at this very moment, the repulsive force from the other four Great Daos also reached its zenith.

The resistance brought by four Indestructible Great Dao [paths of unbreakable essence] at the Eleventh Limit [the eleventh and ultimate stage of a cultivation realm] repelling in unison was astonishingly formidable. An ordinary cultivator would likely have seen all their efforts crumble to dust.

At this critical juncture, the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] that Eldrin Chen had previously cultivated to the True Spirit Foundation [the foundational stage of a true spirit] finally revealed its purpose. Witness as Eldrin Chen forcefully suppressed the four Great Daos with his True Spirit Primordial Spirit, allowing the Pure Yang Celestial Fire Great Dao to fully take form.

The instant the Pure Yang Celestial Fire Great Dao solidified, Eldrin Chen released his restraint on the other four paths.

"BOOM!"

In that very moment, a deafening roar reminiscent of World Creation [the divine act of cleaving chaos to form heaven and earth] echoed forth.

Behold as the five Great Daos slowly spiraled together, ultimately converging into a single, supreme Chaos Limitless Great Dao [the boundless path of primordial chaos].

And at this very moment, the firmament... cracked!