Chapter 1847 : A Thousand Beasts in the Abyss

At the same time, the Golden Sun Holy Scion also slew a Chaos Beast King [a ruler among the primordial chaos-born monsters] and spoke, "This Chaos Lair [a nest or stronghold of chaos beasts] likely harbors more than one Seven Tribulations Primordial Chaos Beast King [a beast king that has weathered seven heavenly tribulations]. It seems we are in for a difficult fight."

"Should we join forces?"

Upon hearing his words, the Nether Son of Heaven let out a cold laugh and transformed into a streak of spiritual light, fleeing into the distance.

The others, seeing this, also scattered like startled birds, vanishing into the depths of the Boundless Chaos [the infinite, formless expanse of primordial disorder].

Witnessing this, Sunder Heaven Heavenly Demon Emperor nodded towards Eldrin Chen and said, "Be cautious. If the situation turns dire, seek my aid."

Eldrin Chen gave a calm nod and cupped his hands in acknowledgment. "My thanks."

With those words, Eldrin Chen cleaved through the firmament and departed. In the blink of an eye, he had vanished deep within the Ruined Abyss Ancient Realm [an ancient, shattered domain of profound depths].

This time, however, Eldrin Chen had not traveled far before he discovered a towering Chaos Lair within the Depths of Chaos [the innermost, most turbulent regions of the primordial chaos].

It was a vast and sprawling Chaos Lair, standing defiantly within the endless Depths of Chaos. Within its confines, over a thousand Chaos Ancient Beast [ancient monsters born of primordial chaos] were coiled and lurking.

"A formidable Chaos Lair indeed." Immerse yourself in the complete world at www . audio-novel.com.

Eldrin Chen murmured, a flicker of astonishment appearing in his gaze.

Having roamed the Chaos [the primordial, formless state before creation] for many years, this was the first time he had encountered a Chaos Lair [a nest or stronghold within the primordial Chaos] harboring over a thousand Chaos Ancient Beast [ancient, monstrous creatures born from the primordial Chaos].

With this thought, Eldrin Chen focused his senses slightly and discovered that Within the Chaos Lair, there were over a dozen Chaos Beast King [ruling alpha beasts among the Chaos Ancient Beasts]. These Chaos Beast King were clearly far more powerful in combat. Fortunately, none among them had reached the Seven Tribulations [a profound cultivation stage representing mastery over seven great cosmic trials] realm.

Since there was no Seven Tribulations Primordial Chaos Beast King, Eldrin Chen naturally had no reason for hesitation.

With a single step forward, Eldrin Chen propelled the Chaos Heaven Halberd [a divine halberd capable of sundering the heavens and Chaos] through the void. A deafening roar erupted as the massive Formation [a structured array of magical energy used for defense, attack, or cultivation] protecting the Chaos Lair was instantly shattered.

"ROAR—!"

The moment the Chaos Lair was breached, a swarm of Chaos Beast King roared and surged skyward.

Yet Eldrin Chen paid them no heed. The Chaos Heaven Halberd in his hand descended with world-sundering force. Wherever it passed, the Chaos itself seemed to undergo World-Opening [the primordial act of creation, separating order from chaos], cleaving through one Great Universe [a vast, self-contained cosmos] after another. With a thunderous impact, one Chaos Beast King was instantly annihilated.

In the blink of an eye, the Heavenly Halberd's lethal edge swept across everything, obliterating another Chaos Beast King in an instant.

The sheer, overwhelming power displayed in this battle was utterly terrifying. The remaining Chaos Beast King fled in abject panic, scrambling desperately toward the Depths of Chaos [the innermost, most turbulent regions of the primordial Chaos].

Eldrin Chen struck once more, slaying the mightiest of the Six Tribulations Chaos Beast Kings. Wiping his blade, he discovered the other Chaos Beast Kings and ancient beasts had already scattered and fled.

"A Six Tribulations Chaos Beast King, and yet it fell so easily?"

Eldrin Chen murmured softly to himself. After a moment of contemplation, he concluded, "It seems my current strength should be comparable to top-tier Seven Tribulations Ancient Immortals like the White Rainbow Sword Immortal or the Nether Son of Heaven."

Of course, Eldrin Chen understood this assessment held true only when he refrained from employing his Innate Spiritual Treasure. Once he unleashed such a treasure, who beneath the level of an Eight Tribulations Ancient Immortal could possibly stand against him?

The thought vanished as swiftly as it came. Eldrin Chen casually retrieved his Chaos Heaven Halberd and then stepped forward into the Chaos Lair.

Within this Chaos Lair, Eldrin Chen secured a haul of over a thousand strands of Innate Energy and several hundred Innate Rare Treasures. Even Supreme Grade Innate Rare Treasures numbered more than twenty, with a total value exceeding three thousand strands of Innate Energy.

The sole regret was that he still had not found a Tenth Rank Great Encompassing Rare Treasure.

Eldrin Chen was well aware of the extreme rarity of Great Encompassing Rare Treasures, so he felt no lingering disappointment. He quickly composed himself and continued his journey, seeking out other Supreme Grade Chaos Lairs.

As he relentlessly explored the Ruined Abyss Ancient Realm, Eldrin Chen, in an astonishingly short span of time, successfully conquered five Supreme Grade Chaos Lairs one after another.

Each of these five Supreme Grade Chaos Lairs harbored at least several Chaos Beast Kings. Throughout this campaign, Eldrin Chen amassed a vast quantity of Innate Rare Treasures, with a total value surpassing ten thousand strands of Innate Energy.

In just a few thousand years, to have obtained Rare Spiritual Wonders [precious natural treasures imbued with spiritual power] worth over ten thousand units of Innate Energy [the primordial energy that constitutes the foundation of the cosmos]—this venture was already profitable.

Eldrin Chen murmured softly to himself, a faint smile touching his lips. He quickly gathered his thoughts and continued his stride deeper into the Depths of Chaos [the primordial, formless expanse from which all things emerged].

However, as Eldrin Chen proceeded to explore several more Chaos Lair [dens or nests formed within the primordial chaos], he discovered each one was already devoid of life. Not a single beast remained, and even the pools of Innate Energy and precious Innate Rare Treasure [treasures born directly from the chaos, possessing unique properties] had been completely cleared out.

Most tellingly, these Chaos Lair bore no signs of struggle. It was evident the Chaos Beast King [powerful rulers among the primordial chaos beasts] had withdrawn of their own accord.

"It seems they have realized the threat," he concluded.

Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly, and he let out a soft sigh of resignation. Visit www . audio-novel.com to enjoy the complete series.

The Chaos Beast King possessed considerable intelligence. Upon detecting an external incursion, it was only to be expected they would consolidate their forces for a decisive confrontation.

Yet, this very consolidation prevented them from being picked off one by one—a regrettable turn of events.

But there was little to be done. Lower-tier Chaos Ancient Beast [ancient beasts native to the chaos] might be simple-minded, but the higher-tier Chaos Beast King were far from foolish. They would not simply wait to be slaughtered.

Legends spoke of Great Encompassing Rank [a supreme realm of cultivation, representing the pinnacle of power] Chaos Fiend [demonic beings born from the primordial chaos] whose intellect rivaled, or even surpassed, that of the major races within the Three Thousand Immortal Domains [the collective name for the myriad realms where immortals dwell]. They were masters of alliance and betrayal, adept at open stratagems and covert schemes, skilled in ambush and deception, and even proficient in the subtle art of manipulating hearts and minds.

In that bygone era, the fall of Sword Abyss Immortal Lord was the culmination of a scheme meticulously laid by the Chaos Fiend over many years. By feigning repeated retreats to lure their foe deeper, they succeeded in ensnaring Sword Abyss Immortal Lord within a deadly encirclement, a trap so swift that even the Primordial One Imperial Lord reinforcements from the Sword Clan could not arrive in time.

Returning to the matter at hand, having discerned the Chaos Beast King's withdrawal, Eldrin Chen saw no further purpose in lingering amidst these now-empty Chaos Lair.

He began to stride purposefully deeper into the Ruined Abyss Ancient Realm, his journey leading him, almost imperceptibly, to the very heart of that forsaken domain.

At the core of the Ruined Abyss Ancient Realm stood a mountain range of staggering immensity. Upon its highest peak grew an ancient tree of such monumental scale it defied comprehension.

The tree stood severed, only half its original form remaining, yet it soared to a height of nearly a trillion light-years. It resembled the mythic World Ancient Tree [the primordial tree said to support the cosmos], yet it had been cleaved from its roots, with only a few of its branches clinging to a faint, fading vitality.

This ancient tree was rooted at the Central of the Ruined Abyss Ancient Realm, radiating a light that seemed to part the Chaos [the primordial, formless state before creation]. It was this very tree that upheld the Ruined Abyss Ancient Realm, allowing it to stand firm in defiance of oblivion, a testament to Immortality [the state of eternal, unyielding existence].

"The Heaven-Propping Ancient Tree [the Celestial Pillar Tree] of the bygone Sword Abyss Ancient World—the Mysterious Mulberry Ancient Tree."

It was at that very moment a voice spoke, its tone measured and calm.

Eldrin Chen turned. From the Depths of Chaos emerged a figure—it was Sunder Heaven the Demon Emperor.

Gazing upon the severed ancient wood, Sunder Heaven the Demon Emperor let out a sigh heavy with memory. "In that great battle of old," he began, "Sword Abyss Immortal Lord fell upon the field. In the wake of his demise, the Sword Abyss Immortal Domain itself was assailed by the Chaos Demon God."

"When that Chaos Demon God attacked the Immortal Domain, members of the Sword Clan had already broken through the obstacles to come to its aid. To avoid being encircled and slain by a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal from the Sword Clan, He did not have time to take the complete Mysterious Mulberry Ancient Tree."

"Thus, that Chaos Demon God directly severed the Mysterious Mulberry Ancient Wood [an ancient, spiritually potent mulberry tree], taking away the most valuable part of the Mysterious Mulberry Ancient Wood and leaving behind only this half-section of stump."

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen could not help but sigh softly.

As a Heavenly Spiritual Root, the Mysterious Mulberry Ancient Wood in its complete form was an Innate Spiritual Root [a spiritual root of the highest, most primordial grade].

It was a pity it had been severed by the Chaos Demon God, leaving behind merely a small stump, less than one percent of the Ancient Wood's complete form.

Although the value of this small stump still surpassed that of the vast majority of Great Encompassing Rare Treasure [extremely rare and precious treasures], compared to a full Innate Spiritual Root, it was already considered insignificant.

"*Hum—*"

At that very moment, a rumbling sound emanated from the Depths of Chaos.

Eldrin Chen looked up to see several figures breaking through the void in succession, arriving at the core of this Chaos [a primordial, formless state of existence]. They were none other than White Rainbow Sword Immortal, Nether Son of Heaven, and Golden Sun Patriarch, among others.

The White Rainbow Sword Immortal glanced at the two of them, then shifted his gaze to the Mysterious Mulberry stump at the Central. A slight frown creased his brow as he spoke, "This place has gathered over two hundred Chaos Beast King [powerful rulers among primordial chaotic beasts], with more than one hundred thousand Chaos Ancient Beast [ancient beasts born from primordial chaos] entrenched here."

"It seems relying on the strength of a single individual will not be enough to conquer this place."

Golden Sun Holy Scion also nodded, then spoke: "Let us join forces. After we secure this place, we can discuss the distribution of the treasures."

"Distribution..." Nether Son of Heaven sneered coldly, his gaze turning shadowy as he asked, "And how, precisely, shall the treasures be distributed?"

The Golden Sun Holy Scion's eyes turned frosty, yet he maintained a smile. "Regarding treasures, of course, they belong to the capable. Once this place is ours, we shall each rely on our own means."

Seeing this, the Nether Son of Heaven said nothing more, merely letting out a sinister, low chuckle.

The others present tacitly accepted the Golden Sun Holy Scion's proposal, raising no further objections.

Eldrin Chen, however, felt a slight frown crease his brow. Throughout his life of exploring various secret realms and Opportunity and Fortune treasure grounds, the norm had always been to agree on distribution based on contributions made in battle beforehand. Only then could everyone unite their efforts and fight with their full strength.

But now, they were to rely on their own means to seize the spoils. This was not a good plan.

The logic was simple: if the final treasures were to be contested by individual prowess, then every person present would be a potential rival to the others. In battle, they would inevitably become a disorganized mob.

Furthermore, under such circumstances, if one were to exhaust all their hidden cards and trump cards in a full-force assault, they would be left vulnerable when the time came to actually seize the treasures after conquering the Chaos Lair. Would that not put them at a severe disadvantage?

"Without rules or order, each coveting the treasures for themselves alone, this battle will likely spawn unforeseen variables."

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, a glint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

In his view, if he were the Chaos Beast King, dealing with such a coalition of selfish minds would be simple; a few deft maneuvers could divide and conquer them one by one.

But these were supposed allies, ones who might stab you in the back at any moment. That was not good news.

Understanding Eldrin Chen's thoughts, Sunder Heaven the Demon Emperor sneered coldly and said to him, "Those at the Seven Tribulations level and above are all competitors to one another."

"Even if they cooperate today, who knows if they'll face a life-or-death struggle during a future Kalpa Tribulation? They would never let others dictate the distribution of treasures."

"However, the greedy often perish by their greed. In my eyes, these individuals are destined to fall victim to their avarice. I fear this battle will still give rise to unexpected twists."

Eldrin Chen nodded, then shook his head. "True enough. But having survived to this day, their means of preserving their lives are likely far from simple."

As the two conversed, the other Seven Tribulations Ancient Immortals arrived one after another outside this grove of Chaos wooden stakes.

Seeing that everyone had gathered, the White Rainbow Sword Immortal spoke up, "Since we are all here, let us prepare to act."

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded slightly and began to assault this Chaos Lair.

This Chaos Lair was the very core of the Ruined Abyss Ancient Realm, situated upon the stump of the Mysterious Mulberry Ancient Wood and fortified by a super Formation [a complex arrangement of energy channels and nodes used for defense, offense, or cultivation] laid out according to the terrain's natural energy flows.

The profound intricacies of this Formation surpassed even the lethal arrays laid by many Ancient Immortal Great Power. Furthermore, it was actively defended by a multitude of Chaos Beast King [powerful beasts born from primordial chaos], making it utterly impervious to ordinary Seven Tribulations Ancient Immortal.

Even with the combined might of the eleven present beings, each possessing the combat power of a Seven Tribulations Ancient Immortal, breaching this ancient array proved exceedingly difficult. They assaulted it relentlessly for a long time, yet found themselves unable to crack its defenses.

Witnessing this stalemate, White Rainbow Sword Immortal could no longer hold back. He decisively declared in a loud voice, "Fellow Daoists, it seems ordinary methods will not suffice to shatter this Formation. We must unleash our full strength."

The others, understanding the truth of his words, immediately began to channel their most formidable, trump-card techniques.

As his words faded, the group erupted with their full power. One after another, Great Encompassing Divine Ability [supreme techniques that harness the fundamental laws of heaven and earth] surged forth, crashing against the grand formation with cataclysmic force.

The foundation of a Seven Tribulations Ancient Immortal is extraordinary, allowing them to wield eighty to ninety percent of their power even within the Sea of Chaos. Now, with over ten such beings joining forces to unleash Patriarch Level Divine Ability [techniques of a power level befitting a founding patriarch], the combined assault instantly surpassed the absolute limit of what even a Mountain Protection Formation could withstand.

With a deafening roar of collapsing energy, the Formation shattered in an instant.

"Now!"

In that very instant, all the Immortals surged forward with elated hearts, charging into the Within the Chaos Lair.

Seeing the Formation [a defensive or offensive array created by channeling energy] shattered, the Chaos Beast Kings could no longer hold back. Over two hundred of them erupted forth, engaging the assembled Ancient Immortals in fierce combat.

Eldrin Chen was poised to join the fray when his steps faltered almost imperceptibly, causing him to hang back half a pace.

Among these two hundred-plus Chaos Beast Kings, only three had reached the Seven Tribulations [a high level of power, having survived seven heavenly tribulations] realm. Logically, the group's combined strength should have been sufficient to handle them. Yet, Eldrin Chen faintly detected a familiar and perilous aura.

That aura was obscure and immeasurable, sending a significant sense of threat even to Eldrin Chen, and it carried a peculiar, haunting familiarity.

"This aura... could it be..."

Just as this thought flickered through Eldrin Chen's mind, the ten Seven Tribulations Ancient Immortals were already locked in furious battle with the Chaos Beast Kings.

Though the Chaos Beast Kings were formidable, facing the combined might of ten Seven Tribulations Ancient Immortals, they quickly found themselves forced into a steady retreat.

Within mere thousands of exchanges, several Chaos Beast Kings were on the verge of falling. Were it not for the relentless, suicidal assaults of the lesser Chaos Ancient Beasts tangling up the Immortals, the Chaos Beast Kings would have been utterly routed in short order.

Yet, just as the tide of battle seemed irrevocably turned, an eternal sword-light capable of engulfing the Myriad Heavens [the countless realms of existence] soared into the void. A torrent of Celestial Slaughter [a concept representing ultimate, heaven-defying killing intent] intent cleaved across the Endless Chaos Sea, striking towards them.

Yet there, within the boundless void, a fractured and cracked ancient sword cleaved through the Chaos [the primordial, formless state before creation] and slashed towards the foremost Ancient Immortal Great Power.

In that instant, the expressions of the several Seven Tribulations Ancient Immortal [immortals who have survived seven heavenly tribulations] shifted dramatically, but their reactions were a fraction too slow.

One Seven Tribulations Ancient Immortal was cleaved in two by the sword stroke; only his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and true essence of a cultivator] managed to flee in haste, darting towards the Depths of Chaos.

"Trouble! It's an Innate Spiritual Treasure [a supreme treasure born from the primordial chaos, possessing innate divine power]!"

Golden Sun Holy Scion suddenly spoke, his face etched with utter horror.

The others all wore grim expressions. A single Innate Spiritual Treasure was virtually synonymous with an Eight Tribulations Ancient Immortal [an immortal who has weathered eight heavenly tribulations].

And the gulf between an Eight Tribulations Ancient Immortal and a Seven Tribulations Ancient Immortal was as vast as heaven and earth. Even if ten Seven Tribulations Ancient Immortal joined forces, they could not hope to withstand the world-shaking Slaughter [a divine ability focused on absolute destruction] of a single Eight Tribulations Ancient Immortal.

For although Patriarch Level Divine Ability [divine abilities of a power level matching that of a Patriarch] were formidable, unless one simultaneously cultivated both Eleventh Limit [the eleventh and highest theoretical limit of foundational power] or greater spiritual energy and an Embryonic Great Path [a supreme cultivation art embodying a nascent Great Dao], it was impossible for an Ancient Immortal Realm [the realm of Ancient Immortals] cultivator to unleash power rivaling that of an Innate Spiritual Treasure.

Now, this Innate Ancient Sword [an ancient sword born from primordial chaos] had launched a sneak attack, grievously wounding one Seven Tribulations Ancient Immortal in an instant and nearly shattering the morale of the others.

At this critical juncture, Sunder Heaven Heavenly Demon Emperor recognized the ancient sword's origin and urgently warned, "That is the Innate Spiritual Treasure of Sword Abyss Immortal Lord, the 'Crimson Abyss Ancient Sword'. It is now damaged and incomplete, no longer a whole Innate Spiritual Treasure." Find this and other novels at audio - novel . com.