Chapter 1899 : The Price of Temporal Wounds

"Let it be. These two karmic debts shall be repaid in due time,"

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, finally withdrawing his thoughts.

He returned directly to the Abyssal Immortal Domain, and after conversing with his parents and many old acquaintances, he ultimately used the Great Luo Marvelous Method to rebuild their foundations, setting them once more upon the path of cultivation.

To rebuild their foundations, Eldrin Chen expended a considerable amount of Taiyi Rare Treasures and Great Luo Rare Treasure, even including rare treasures of the Innate Treasure grade.

Having received such an Opportunity, their innate talents were now nearly comparable to those of Innate Divine Spirit, ensuring that breaking through to the Earth Immortal Realm would pose no barrier whatsoever.

After completing all this, Eldrin Chen returned to his secluded cultivation chamber to begin healing his wounds.

Summoning everyone had also caused Eldrin Chen to suffer backlash from the Power of Time. While the injury from each individual was minuscule, the cumulative effect was a force not to be underestimated.

Wounds inflicted by this Power of Time were notoriously tenacious, nearly impossible to resolve through conventional means.

Fortunately, Eldrin Chen possessed an extraordinary foundation, and the injuries were not severe. After thirty thousand years, he finally managed to expel the temporal wounds.

The price was the consumption of several precious Healing Immortal Pill.

On this day, Eldrin Chen had fully restored his cultivation base. Emerging from his secluded meditation chamber, he discovered that Lyra Jiang had been waiting for him for quite some time.

Seeing him exit seclusion, Lyra Jiang smiled and said, "Husband, your Great Luo Immortal Banquet [a grand celestial feast] is about to begin."

Primordial Immortal Domain, Endless Heaven.

A single Origin Domain [a fundamental cosmic realm] is divided into three layers: the Upper Firmament Heaven [the highest celestial realm], the Mortal Dust Domain [the mortal world], and the Netherworld Domain [the underworld].

And 'Endless Heaven' is one of the three thousand 'Upper Firmament Heaven' within the Primordial Immortal Domain, and also one of the eight hundred Celestial Realms governed by the Human Race Immortal Court [the celestial court of the human race].

"Bong—"

"Bong—"

"Bong…"

On this day, a series of bell tolls suddenly resonated from high above in the Upper Firmament Heaven.

Throughout the vast expanse of the Primordial Immortal Domain, countless Immortals [beings who have achieved immortality through cultivation] heard these resonant chimes. They could not help but look up, their faces revealing profound astonishment.

Upon the celestial dome, a colossal golden bell spanned the horizon between heaven and earth. It resembled a peerless Immortal Treasure capable of cleaving the Chaos [the primordial, formless state before creation], effortlessly birthing a multiverse of Space-Time. A mere sliver of its tilted power could suppress a sea of worlds and rend the vast, boundless Chaos Void [the empty expanse between realms].

"It is the Human Sovereign Bell,"

someone murmured in recognition, identifying the origin of this golden bell.

The Human Sovereign Bell is the supreme treasure of the Human Race Immortal Court [the celestial governing body of humanity], its might resonating through the ages. Legend holds it bears the destiny and fortune of the entire Human Race, a power even the Demon Race Celestial Emperor views with apprehension.

Yet, the Human Sovereign Bell does not toll lightly. For any individual, to have the bell ring for them is the highest honor, for each peal signifies the birth of a new paramount powerhouse within the Human Race Immortal Court.

"BONG—"

The bell tolled nine times in succession, its lingering echoes only gradually fading into silence.

As the final echoes vanished, countless Human Race Immortal [beings who have achieved immortality through cultivation] were stirred with excitement. Beside the Endless Heaven, within another celestial domain, several figures of the Demon Race wore grim, icy expressions. One among them spoke:

"Nine tolls for an Immortal Lord [a lord among immortals], eighty-one for an Emperor Lord. The birth of a Chaos Celestial Emperor would bring three thousand six hundred successive peals."

"This time, nine tolls. A new Grand Luo Immortal Lord [a supreme immortal lord of the highest order] has been born."

Upon another celestial terrace, a different Demon Race Emperor Lord [a supreme ruler of the demonic races] mused thoughtfully, "I hear that in this Kalpa Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of destruction and rebirth], the Human Race has produced nine Grand Luo Golden Immortal [the pinnacle of immortal cultivation, beings of supreme power and enlightenment], while our Demon Race has only produced five. They have truly gained the upper hand over us."

"Hmph,"

snorted the previous speaker coldly before continuing, "This is the first to host an Immortal Banquet. By convention, this signifies he is the foremost among the Human Race's nine Grand Luo Golden Immortal."

"Come, let us summon our clan's newly ascended Grand Luo [the Grand Luo realm, a supreme state of being]. We shall go and test his mettle."

Meanwhile, as the tolling of the bells gradually faded into silence,

the Endless Heaven [a legendary celestial realm] slowly opened. From across the heavens and earth, one peerlessly elegant figure after another came soaring forth.

Some arrived astride Seven-Colored Immortal Phoenixes [mythical birds of immense beauty and power], cleaving through the void. Others came in chariots drawn by Primordial Chaos Dire Beasts [ancient, monstrous creatures from the dawn of creation]. There were also those clad in resplendent armor who made their entrance.

Each of these beings possessed an aura of supreme nobility. A mere wisp of their inclined presence seemed capable of annihilating an entire great Cosmos [a universe or realm of existence]. Even their attendants were legendary Ancient Immortals [immortals of great age and power] whose names shook the Myriad Heavens [the countless celestial realms].

Representatives from the Great Luo Ancient Sects [ancient and powerful immortal sects], the Hundred Schools of Thought [various philosophical and cultivation traditions], and the Hundred Immortal Spirit Races [numerous clans and races with immortal heritage] arrived. One peerless Grand Luo Golden Immortal after another stepped through the air. Unnoticed, the Endless Heaven had already gathered several thousand Grand Luo Golden Immortals.

Yet, for all their peerless elegance and might, these magnificent figures were still not the true protagonists of this grand banquet.

Astraea Luo's face was etched with extreme tension. She and her two senior sisters huddled cautiously in an unoccupied corner of the vast Great Luo Immortal Banquet, not daring to speak above a whisper.

This was her first time attending the Great Luo Immortal Banquet and her first glimpse of thousands of Grand Luo Golden Immortal gathered in one place. The sheer scale of it all was utterly terrifying to her.

Within this resplendent immortal realm, countless pavilions and towers floated in the heavens, each one occupied by a figure of breathtaking majesty.

Each of these beings churned the boundless Chaos with their aura, their presence alone enough to awe the Myriad Heavens and all realms. Every single one was a Grand Luo Immortal Lord.

Though most had reined in their power, the sheer, unapproachable majesty they exuded pressed down on her, threatening to shatter her very soul.

"So terrifying,"

Astraea Luo muttered under her breath. She then noticed a young girl beside her, happily partaking of the immortal delicacies and divine wines. Astraea was momentarily taken aback.

Recovering slightly, and sensing a gentle, unthreatening aura from the girl, she couldn't help but ask, "Little sister, did you also come here with a senior from your sect?"

The girl glanced at Astraea Luo, rolled her eyes, and went back to eating before mumbling, "Who are you calling 'little sister'? Lulu is clearly older than you."

Astraea Luo was momentarily speechless, but pressed on, "The Immortal Lords haven't even officially begun the feast yet. You have quite the nerve to eat and drink so freely."

Yet the young girl merely snorted and continued to mutter, "Bad person, he's a bad person. He took Lulu's treasure and won't give it back. Lulu is going to eat him poor."

"Eat him broke, eat him broke!"

Upon hearing this, Astraea Luo could not help but offer a wry smile. "All the immortal delicacies and divine wines here are paid for by the Immortal Court," she said. "No matter how much you eat, you can't possibly bankrupt him."

"Oh, right." The girl's cheeks were stuffed full. She grabbed another golden roasted leg and crammed it in, her words muffled. "Doesn't matter. But the flat peaches are so yummy, and the phoenix bird is so fragrant. Not eating them would be such a waste."

The corner of Astraea Luo's mouth twitched. "That thing in your hand... is from a Chaos Immortal Elk..." she began.

"Huh?" The girl froze for a moment, looking down at the deer leg in her hand. Almost instinctively, she gave it a tentative lick.

"Slurp... so tasty..."

Immediately after, her eyes welled up with tears, and she nearly began to cry.

"Pfft—"

Astraea Luo burst out laughing. "I was teasing you," she said. "That's an immortal lamb shank."

The young maiden finally let out a sigh of relief. She took several eager bites in succession, eating while choking back sobs and saying, "I knew it! How could venison possibly smell this good?"

A faint smile involuntarily appeared on Astraea Luo's face. The girl's guileless gaze before her extinguished any trace of wicked thought.

She stepped forward and began conversing with her once more, and time flowed on.

Unnoticed, by the time the three thousand Grand Luo [a high-level immortal realm] guests invited to the banquet had all arrived, the vast Endless Heaven [a celestial realm of infinite expanse] suddenly fell into a profound silence.

Astraea Luo lifted her head, gazing toward the boundless firmament above. Suddenly, a radiant light blossomed, illuminating all directions.

It was an ethereal, hazy mist of white immortal fog. A figure emerged from within it with measured steps, an aura radiating from them that bathed the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths [the entirety of the cosmos] in its glow.

Their form was tall and slender, draped in simple white robes, their bearing peerless and divine!

They were encircled by the three thousand Great Daos [the fundamental principles of existence]. With merely their silent, graceful advance, they eclipsed all other brilliance between heaven and earth.

In that moment, they were the very center of this cosmos.

"Is it him?"

"It truly is him!"

Astraea Luo's heart skipped a beat, her face a mask of astonishment and disbelief, revealing an expression of utter incredulity.

In a daze, her memories drifted back millions of years. At that time, she was merely a Four Tribulation Ancient Immortal [an immortal who has survived four heavenly tribulations], journeying through the Chaos Sea [a primordial, turbulent expanse between realms] near the Violet Sun Immortal Domain alongside her two senior sisters.

Back then, the man before her seemed to be only at the Late Celestial Immortal Realm [the advanced stage of the Celestial Immortal cultivation realm]. Who could have imagined that in the mere span of a few million years, he would now stand at the very center of this celestial domain, the honored protagonist of this grand Immortal Court [the celestial governing body of immortals] banquet.

"How is this possible?"

Astraea Luo could scarcely believe it, yet after a moment's careful scrutiny, her heart finally confirmed she had not mistaken his identity.

This realization caused a faint flush to rise to her cheeks, unsettling the normally serene state of mind of her Dao Heart Heavenly Pass [a profound level of spiritual enlightenment and mental fortitude].

To think, all those years ago, she had assumed Eldrin Chen was merely a scion of some Great Luo Ancient Sect [a venerable and powerful immortal sect], and had even advised him against recklessly venturing into the Chaos Sea. Little did she know that millions of years later, he would have carved his path through seas of blood, attaining the Grand Luo Golden Immortal [the pinnacle of immortal cultivation, a Golden Immortal of the Grand Luo realm] with an aura of invincibility.

There was no need to question the prestige of a Grand Luo Golden Immortal, nor to doubt his formidable power.

This Kalpa Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of cataclysm and renewal] had seen the Human Race produce nine Grand Luo Golden Immortal. Yet, he was the first among them to host such an immortal feast. The unspoken significance behind this needed no elaboration.

It must be understood that the longstanding tradition of the Immortal Court dictates that the one who first hosts the Immortal Banquet is invariably the universally acknowledged leader among the newly ascended Grand Luo [the Grand Luo Golden Immortal realm, a supreme stage of cultivation].

This status is recognized by all the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [Emperor Monarchs of the Primordial Chaos, supreme sovereigns of the cosmos] and represents the combat prowess deemed strongest by all under the Kalpa Tribulation [the cosmic cycle of destruction and renewal].

"He..."

Astraea Luo felt a tremor in her heart. Finally, she could not help but take a deep breath and murmur, "Did my eyes deceive me?"

At that very moment, Astraea Luo suddenly paused, slightly taken aback. She saw that peerlessly elegant Immortal Lord [a title for a powerful immortal] look up, meeting her gaze with a slight, knowing smile and a nod.

"That scoundrel actually knows you?"

The young maiden beside her, who had been picking at the celestial delicacies on her plate, blinked in surprise. She wrinkled her nose and muttered under her breath, "You should be careful. That scoundrel borrows things and never returns them. He's utterly wicked."

"This girl."

Hearing the voice, Eldrin Chen could not help but smile inwardly.

Ever since his breakthrough to the Grand Luo realm, this Lulu had been obsessively fixated on those three strands of Innate Indestructible Spiritual Light [a primordial, unbreakable spiritual radiance of immense power].

He had intended to bestow upon her the Primordial Indestructible Spiritual Light [a legendary, unbreakable spiritual radiance], but due to insufficient Purple Qi [a supreme form of spiritual energy], the matter was temporarily set aside. As it concerned a secret of immense importance, he could not openly discuss the Primordial Indestructible Spiritual Light, leading the girl to pout daily and call him a villain.

"Let her think I'm a villain, then,"

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly. He withdrew his gaze in an instant and stepped forward to engage with the assembled Grand Luo Golden Immortal [the pinnacle realm of immortal cultivation, representing supreme power and enlightenment].

There were more than three thousand Grand Luo Golden Immortal present. Getting to know each one would require considerable time, but fortunately, this immortal banquet was to last for over three thousand years, granting Eldrin Chen ample opportunity to interact with them all, one by one.

However, not long after Eldrin Chen's arrival, celestial music once again began to drift down from the heavens.

"His Majesty, Taiyang Emperor Lord, arrives!"

"His Majesty, Taicang Divine Emperor, arrives..."

Following these successive announcements, the expressions of everyone present shifted subtly. Eldrin Chen himself was momentarily taken aback.

Taiyang Emperor Lord was the Progenitor of the Taiyang Clan. His cultivation had reached the profound realm of Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [a sovereign ruler born from the primordial chaos, wielding power over creation itself]. He was also one of the Seventy-Two Sages of Humanity [the seventy-two legendary human sages who shaped civilization's destiny], his power unfathomably deep.

The immortal clan he founded, the Taiyang Clan, ranked as the seventh Primordial Immortal Clan [an ancient clan tracing its lineage back to the dawn of time] within the Human Race. The clan alone boasted three Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch. Such a fact spoke volumes about its immeasurable prestige, strength, and profound heritage.

And Taicang Divine Emperor was also a figure of staggering combat prowess. This individual was one of the nine great Divine Emperors of the Divine Race, his cultivation having reached the late stage of the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch realm. Even among Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch existences, he was a standout.

If Taiyang Emperor Lord's attendance at this Immortal Banquet could be attributed to solidarity as fellow members of the Human Race, then the appearance of Taicang Divine Emperor was truly unexpected.

"Taiyang Emperor Lord, Taicang Divine Emperor..."

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, largely deducing the intentions of these two figures.

Sure enough, as the words faded, two figures in succession tore through the void to arrive.

Clad in white robes, Taiyang Emperor Lord possessed an elegant and refined demeanor. Accompanied by the Imperial Scion of his lineage, Wuji Taiyang, he spoke with a gentle smile, "I heard that during your Dao Tribulation and Kalpa Tribulation, you offered significant aid to this grandson of mine."

"Coming to meet you today, I find your bearing truly peerless. It seems you are destined to walk among our ranks in the future."

The assembled Grand Luo Golden Immortal present were inwardly startled by these words, their gazes involuntarily turning towards Eldrin Chen.

Taiyang Emperor Lord was a supreme powerhouse at the late stage of Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch. To receive such high praise from him suggested that Eldrin Chen truly possessed the potential to reach the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch realm.

"You honor me too much, Senior."

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen promptly cupped his hands in a respectful salute.

Taiyang Emperor Lord smiled, glanced at the nearby Wuji Taiyang, who immediately produced a jade box and offered it forward.

"A small token for our first meeting, to congratulate you, young friend, on attaining the Dao [the fundamental principle or path in Chinese philosophy and cultivation]," he said.

Eldrin Chen accepted the jade box. Though he did not open it immediately, he could faintly perceive a surging Innate Spiritual Light [a primordial, pure radiance of spiritual energy] within, instantly understanding that a gift from a Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [a supreme ruler within the primordial chaos] was certainly no ordinary item.

On the other side, Taicang Divine Emperor waited for their pleasantries to conclude before turning his gaze to Eldrin Chen. "I have heard," he stated, "that you have taken my youngest son into your service as a Divine General."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen's heart shook violently. He had originally thought Drayan Taicang was merely an ordinary Imperial Scion of the Taicang Imperial Clan.

If he were the Divine Emperor's own son, with the wealth of Taicang Divine Emperor, it would be worth not merely a hundred times that of the Vast Azure Great God. It made no sense for such a figure to pursue the mere Opportunity [a chance or catalyst for advancement] offered by the Hundred Tribulations Rebirth [a legendary divine ability involving rebirth after enduring a hundred calamities].

As if seeing through Eldrin Chen's thoughts, Taicang Divine Emperor spoke calmly, "That Vast Azure Great God was my third disciple. I sent Drayan there to see if, after the hundred tribulations, he could be aided in his revival and return."

These words struck Eldrin Chen like a thunderclap, instantly clarifying the chain of cause and effect in his mind.

So, the Vast Azure Great God had been a disciple of Taicang Divine Emperor. He had fallen at the hands of a certain Chaos Demon Sovereign [a powerful demonic ruler within the primordial chaos] from a foreign realm, a situation so dire that even Taicang Divine Emperor dared not intervene to rescue him.

Now, as the power of that single sword strike from the Chaos Demon Sovereign [a supreme ruler of demonic beings] was nearly exhausted, the Taicang Divine Emperor [a supreme divine ruler] dispatched Drayan Taicang to undergo a trial by experience. This journey also served to observe whether, during the next occurrence of the Hundred Tribulations Rebirth [a divine ability involving rebirth through countless trials], he could assist in the revival and return of the Vast Azure Great God [a primordial and mighty deity].

Upon comprehending all of this, Eldrin Chen gained a profound sense of enlightenment.

It was no wonder Drayan Taicang dared to claim the title of True Seed of a Divine Emperor [one destined to potentially ascend to the throne of a Divine Emperor]. He cultivated the dual powers of the Great Dao of Yin and Yang [the supreme principle encompassing the complementary forces of dark and light, passive and active], and as the direct offspring of the Taicang Divine Emperor, he truly possessed the potential to forge a foundation worthy of a Divine Emperor.