Chapter 1864 : Echoes of a Fallen Star Deity

Having discerned the true state of the Great Universe, Eldrin Chen could not help but feel a profound sense of emotion.

He said nothing more. After conversing briefly with the consciousness of the Great Universe, he turned and departed from that place, setting his course for the Purple Seal Realm.

With a single step, he traversed the boundless Starry River and appeared before a vast expanse of Starry Abyss.

It was a magnificent Starry Abyss, formed from the convergence of countless brilliant Stellar [celestial bodies], creating an invisible field that veiled everything within.

"The Mysterious Bright Starry Abyss,"

Eldrin Chen murmured softly. After so many years, seeing this Mysterious Bright Starry Abyss once more stirred an even deeper well of emotion within his heart.

With but a glance, he understood the origin and the Karma [the cosmic principle of cause and effect] of this Mysterious Bright Starry Abyss.

This Mysterious Bright Starry Abyss was originally the Companion Innate Spiritual Treasure [a supreme treasure born alongside a being, sharing its destiny] of the Mysterious Bright Star Deity, still in the process of gestation within the endless dimensional Starry River.

The Mysterious Bright Star Deity possessed an exceptionally noble status. It was destined to be a being of innate divinity; once fully formed, it would have directly attained the Eighth Tribulation Ancient Immortal Realm. Advancing further into the realm of Great Encompassing Golden Immortal would not have posed a significant obstacle.

Alas, during the pivotal battle where the Purple Seal Immortal Lord achieved his Dao [the supreme path or principle], he slew a peerlessly powerful Imperial Lord of the Demonic Path [the cultivation path aligned with demonic forces]. A single drop of that Demonic Blood splashed into the endless dimensions, corrupting the Innate [heaven-bestowed, natural] fortune of the Mysterious Bright Star Deity. This caused its gestation to fail, transforming it instead into the Catastrophe Demon God. Your portal to cultivation novels: audio_novel.com.

This Mysterious Bright Starry Abyss [a profound and ancient starry void] has thus been tarnished like a pearl covered in dust, falling to the level of a Post-Heaven [a treasure formed after the creation of the world, inherently less potent than its Innate counterparts] treasure.

Now that the Catastrophe Demon God has been slain by Eldrin Chen, the demonic energy within the Mysterious Bright Starry Abyss has gradually dissipated, and its grade has already reached the level of an Innate Treasure [a treasure born from the primordial chaos of creation, possessing unparalleled power and potential].

However, Eldrin Chen could see clearly that within this Profound Darkness [a state of profound and absolute darkness] Starry Abyss, a single drop of Demonic Blood [blood infused with immense demonic power and will] remained deeply entrenched, nearly impossible to completely erase or purge.

"Such potent Demonic Blood," he mused. "Though merely a single drop, it possesses a near-Indestructibility [a state of being utterly unbreakable and eternal] quality."

"That Demon God [a supreme being of the demonic path] in life must have been a peerless fiend who had cultivated an Indestructibility Body [a legendary physical form that is virtually impossible to destroy]."

Sensing the Demonic Blood within the Mysterious Bright Starry Abyss, Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly.

The master of this Demonic Blood had been far too powerful in life. With his current cultivation level, it was exceedingly difficult for him to deal with this single drop of Demonic Blood.

Of course, it was not an absolute impossibility. Once his cultivation advanced to the Great Encompassing Realm [a supreme realm of cultivation where one's power encompasses all], he could naturally grind it away by leveraging the Primordial Chaos Great Path [the supreme Dao of the Primordial Chaos].

Furthermore, methods such as the Primordial Chaos Grinding Mill [a supreme divine ability that grinds all things back to their primordial essence] and the Primordial Solar Heavenly Flame [a legendary flame born from the primordial sun] also held the promise of gradually refining it away.

Yet, doing so would likely damage the Dao patterns [the fundamental laws and principles etched into a treasure] of this Innate Spiritual Treasure [a sentient treasure born from primordial chaos], requiring an immense span of time for it to recover.

Contemplating this, Eldrin Chen mused thoughtfully, "The Energy Abyss Patriarch [the patriarch who has mastered the profound energies of the abyss] fused with the remnant soul of the Mysterious Bright Star Deity [a celestial deity of enigmatic radiance]. This object can be considered the Patriarch's companion treasure from birth. Should the venerable one succeed in cultivating the Solar Great Path [the supreme Dao of the primordial sun], he might gradually refine it using the power of the Solar True Flame [the pure, primordial flame of the sun]."

Holding this thought, Eldrin Chen soon set the notion aside.

With a single step, he traversed the Mysterious Bright Starry Abyss [a vast, star-filled void of profound mystery] and arrived just beyond the Purple Seal Realm.

"I have returned."

Gazing upon the Purple Seal Realm, Eldrin Chen allowed a faint smile to touch his lips as he spoke softly.

"*Hum*—"

As if sensing his presence through the veil of reality, the Purple Seal Realm stirred and opened a spatial rift for him.

Eldrin Chen smiled serenely and stepped directly into the Purple Seal Realm, his form materializing as a man clad in robes white as snow.

This marked Eldrin Chen's third descent to the Purple Seal Realm since his ascension. Unlike his previous two visits, this time he entered the realm in his true, physical form.

With his current level of cultivation, his true body entering the Purple Seal Realm was akin to forcing an entire Universe into a single grain of sand. The slightest uncontrolled release of his power would be enough to shatter the entire Purple Seal Realm.

This was the effect of having cultivated the True Spirit Primordial Spirit [a divine ability that allows one to perfectly control their own power and essence]. Since attaining the True Spirit Primordial Spirit, Eldrin Chen had gained complete mastery over his own power. Therefore, even if his true form were to step into the Purple Seal Realm [the lower world from which he originated], it would not cause the slightest damage to that realm.

"You have returned."

Noticing his arrival, the Purple Seal Realm Heavenly Path [the sentient will of the Purple Seal Realm] slowly spoke, its voice carrying a rare tone of warmth.

Eldrin Chen nodded slowly and said, "Our homeland has changed greatly over these years."

"Indeed, all thanks to the nourishment you have provided in return."

The Purple Seal Heavenly Path [the sentient will of the Purple Seal Realm] spoke slowly, a trace of genuine emotion surfacing in its intent directed at Eldrin. Join our community of readers at audio_novel.com.

Over these tens of millions of years, as the Returning Abyss Immortal Alliance grew ever more powerful and gave birth to an increasing number of high-ranking Immortal [beings who have ascended to immortality], the nourishment they provided in return to the Purple Seal Realm had also grown immensely.

Although Eldrin Chen had not descended to the lower world for many years, he had arranged for Exquisite Jiang and others to do so, bringing down the resources and Rare Spiritual Wonders [unique spiritual treasures and phenomena] that the Returning Abyss Immortal Alliance Immortals used to nourish the Purple Seal Realm.

Nourished by these Immortals, the Purple Seal Realm had grown increasingly vast and boundless. Within it now existed nine Supreme Grade Blessed Land [regions of supreme spiritual richness], capable of accommodating dozens of Primordial Unity Realm Half-Step Celestial Immortal [cultivators on the verge of becoming true Celestial Immortals] and hundreds, even thousands, of Earth Immortal [immortals bound to the earthly realm] for their cultivation.

A world so expansive and magnificent naturally gave rise to an ever-growing number of Immortals nurtured by the Purple Seal Realm.

By this era, the Purple Seal Realm [the world where the story primarily takes place] witnesses at least one Immortal [a being who has ascended beyond mortality] ascend to the Immortal Realm [the higher realm of existence] every single century.

Eldrin Chen understood this truth well. Gazing upon the vast and magnificent expanse of the Purple Seal Realm, he could not help but voice his thoughts with a sigh, "We were born from this world, and it is our duty to nourish it in return."

He murmured these words softly to himself, then, with a final look of farewell to the Purple Seal Realm, he stepped forward onto the boundless, ancient earth.

After so many years, he had returned to this primordial land. Walking across the terrain of the Eastern Barrens [a vast region within the Purple Seal Realm], he felt the profound changes wrought upon heaven and earth more keenly than ever.

The topography of the present-day Purple Seal Realm had long since transformed beyond recognition. The once-endless Vast and Misty Marsh [a legendary marshland] had vanished without a trace, replaced by a fertile expanse of the Mortal Realm [the realm of ordinary, non-cultivating life] known as the 'Returning Abyss Path Domain' [the territory governed by the Returning Abyss Path].

The Returning Abyss Path Domain was the sacred territory of the Purple Seal Realm's foremost holy land, the 'Returning Abyss Chen Clan' [the paramount clan founded by Eldrin Chen].

It encompassed billions of provinces, great and small, each spanning millions of Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters]. Its landscape was dotted with majestic immortal mountains and clusters of Blessed Land [a land suffused with potent spiritual energy], anchored by the realm's number one spiritual nexus, the 'Returning Abyss Blessed Land' [the supreme Blessed Land of the Chen Clan], which stabilized the very Fortune [the luck and destiny] of the land.

Of course, the Purple Seal Realm itself had long since been renamed the Returning Abyss Realm.

The legends of the Purple Seal Immortal Lord [a title once held by a great ancestor] had, at some unknown point, faded into the currents of the River of Space-Time [the metaphysical flow of time and space].

To the countless mortal beings, and even to the Immortal who ascended anew, it was known only that tens of millions of years ago, the Returning Abyss Realm was merely a mundane Great Thousand World [one of the many mortal worlds in the cosmos].

Later, when Eldrin the Immortal attained the Dao and ascended to immortality, becoming a dominant power in one corner of the Immortal Domain, he was able to nurture and expand the Returning Abyss Realm through a process of reverse nourishment, leading to its current magnificent and vast expanse.

To this day, with the deliberate secrecy maintained by the various patriarchs in the Immortal Domain, even the vast majority of ascended Immortals have already forgotten the ancient designation of the Purple Seal Realm.

"Perhaps it is for the best that they do not remember. For the Purple Seal Realm, this can be considered a form of protection."

Eldrin Chen spoke slowly, understanding that the Purple Seal Realm was connected to the Purple Seal Immortal Lord. If this connection were exposed, even with his current level of cultivation, he might not be able to safeguard it.

With this thought in mind, Eldrin Chen felt a stirring of interest towards the Chen Clan within the Purple Seal Realm. He took a step forward and ascended Green Chariot Mountain.

After the passage of tens of millions of years, Green Chariot Mountain had transformed from a Second Rank Spirit Mountain into a rare and peerless immortal mountain, a change that had occurred almost imperceptibly.

It was one of the nine Supreme Grade Blessed Lands within the Purple Seal Realm, and also one of the three Supreme Grade Blessed Lands that the Chen Clan of the Immortal Domain had invested significant resources into cultivating in the mortal realm.

Upon Green Chariot Mountain, Eldrin Chen now sensed several dozen powerful auras, one of which was exceptionally formidable, its cultivation base precisely at the Half-Step Celestial Immortal Realm.

"Rising Swan Chen."

Eldrin Chen was slightly surprised. This Half-Step Celestial Immortal turned out to be the guardian Immortal of the Chen Immortal Clan, Rising Swan Chen.

Contemplating this, Eldrin Chen could not help but perform a divination with his fingers. A wry smile involuntarily surfaced on his face.

It turned out that after Rising Swan Chen ascended to the Immortal Domain [the higher realm where immortals reside], his cultivation, built upon a Triple Ascendant Immortal Foundation [an exceptionally stable and potent foundation for immortal cultivation], proceeded with remarkable smoothness. Not only did he break through to the Earth Immortal Realm [the realm of an Earth Immortal, a powerful immortal being], he even managed to open a full Ninefold Heaven [a supreme level of internal cosmos manifestation, representing immense potential].

Such an individual should have been a pillar of the clan, a key seed to be nurtured into a Celestial Immortal Great Power [a formidable expert at the Celestial Immortal level].

However, Rising Swan Chen's temperament was far too cautious, living up to his nickname of the 'Turtle Immortal [an immortal being]'. From the Early Ascendant Immortal Realm all the way to the Earth Immortal Great Perfection [the pinnacle stage of the Earth Immortal realm], despite having opened a Ninefold Heaven, he never once ventured a single step beyond the borders of the Chen Immortal Clan [the immortal clan of the Chen family] territory.

He cultivated within the Vast Azure Immortal Domain [a specific immortal domain] for millions of years. Forget about leaving the Returning Abyss Heavenly Domain [a heavenly domain within the immortal realms] to travel; he rarely even stepped out of the Returning Abyss Grotto-Heaven [his own grotto-heaven, a personal pocket dimension].

The farthest place he ever visited was actually the Violet Mystery Grotto-Heaven, one of the Nine Great Grotto-Heavens [nine renowned grotto-heavens] under the Returning Abyss Immortal Alliance [an alliance of immortals].

That someone so exceedingly cautious could cultivate to the Earth Immortal Great Perfection left the clan's higher-ups both amused and exasperated. Lior Chen and Ethan Chen were particularly frustrated, feeling he was like iron that refused to become steel.

It so happened that around that time, a great turmoil erupted in the lower realm branch of the Chen Immortal Clan. At that time, the clan members there were arrogant and overbearing, provoking the wrath of all the major Immortal Clans within the Purple Seal Realm [a specific lower realm]. The matter alarmed ancestral masters like the Lord of the Path Palace [a title for a high-ranking immortal] and other Celestial Immortal [a high level of immortal cultivation] patriarchs, eventually being brought before the Patriarchs [the supreme leaders] of the main Chen Immortal Clan.

On that occasion, it is said that Ethan Chen, who hated evil as a personal enemy, personally ordered the expulsion of several dozen Chen Clan Immortals from the clan, casting them into Reincarnation [the cycle of rebirth]. The number of Immortals implicated and punished reached into the thousands.

Seizing this opportunity, the clan finally managed to send this 'Turtle Immortal' down to the lower realm.

According to Rising Swan Chen's own words, his cultivation was merely at the Earth Immortal Great Perfection realm. With such a level of power, venturing into the Vast Azure Immortal Domain was far too perilous. He felt not a shred of security unless he reached the Ancient Immortal Realm.

After a discussion among the clan's high elders, they decided to grant his wish—allowing him to descend to the lower realms, establish his own dominion, and manage the order of the clan's affairs there.

"That boy."

Understanding the cause and effect, Eldrin Chen could not help but let out a bitter laugh.

It turned out all this had happened over three million years ago. However, Eldrin Chen had been exploring the Chaos at the time, and the clan members, unwilling to disturb his cultivation, had chosen not to inform him.

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen materialized his form and ascended to the peak of Green Chariot Mountain.

"Who goes there?"

The moment he manifested, Rising Swan Chen finally sensed his aura and immediately called out sharply.

Yet, upon recognizing Eldrin Chen, he swiftly bowed with deep respect. "This junior, Rising Swan Chen, pays his respects to the Patriarch of the clan."

"Turtle Immortal [a cultivator who has achieved immortality], have you suffered any grievances in the lower realms?"

Eldrin Chen gazed at him and, with a flick of his sleeve, gently raised him to his feet.

Rising Swan Chen was startled inwardly and hurriedly spoke: "Serving the clan is my duty. A little hardship is nothing."

"Is that so?"

Eldrin Chen's eyes held a knowing glint as he said with a faint, teasing smile, "Yet, how is it I heard that when you first descended to the lower realm, your very first words were: 'Purple Seal Realm, your grandpa is back!'"

"And those Immortal [a being who has achieved immortality through cultivation] peers from your era, they curse you behind your back, saying that once again you, the turtle who hides in its shell, got your wish, descending to squat in the latrine without ever relieving yourself."

Rising Swan Chen listened, a cold sweat breaking out on his brow. He offered an awkward smile, momentarily at a loss for words.

Eldrin Chen gave a light chuckle but said nothing more on the matter.

Instead, he lifted his gaze towards the distant Green Chariot Mountain. At its foot, he saw a staircase of pure white jade, its entire structure meticulously assembled from flawless white jade blocks and intricately inscribed with countless Immortal Path [the mystical techniques and principles of immortal cultivation] sigils.

"The Heart-Questioning Stairway,"

Eldrin Chen uttered, a note of surprise in his voice.

Rising Swan Chen seized the opportunity and promptly explained, "This is a Heart-Questioning Stairway [a mystical staircase that tests the heart and soul of cultivators] I forged. It can interrogate a cultivator's mind and spirit."

"Any practitioner with wicked intentions or an unrighteous heart will be unable to walk more than one hundred steps upon it. Should they try, heavenly thunder will descend to smite them."

"Over the years, I have established a rule: every Immortal [a being who has achieved immortality through cultivation] of the Chen Clan within the Purple Seal Realm must walk this Heart-Questioning Stairway once every ten thousand years. Those who fail are ordered to repent. Those who fail three times, or whose wicked thoughts are deemed too severe, are directly expelled from the clan."

Eldrin Chen nodded upon hearing this. "You have been thoughtful," he said.

"This junior's creation is merely inspired by the Five Heavenly Inquiries [a legendary trial of the heart and soul] of the Patriarch Sect. It is nothing truly remarkable."

Rising Swan Chen spoke with humility, then added, "I have long since decreed that a Heart-Questioning Stairway be erected upon every Spirit Mountain [a mountain rich in spiritual energy, often used as a cultivation site] of the Chen Clan ranked at the fourth tier or above."

"Their grades vary, but the lowest among them is a Golden Core Realm [the realm where a cultivator forms a solidified golden core of spiritual power] level artifact, sufficient to interrogate any cultivator below the Golden Core stage."

"Over these long years, thanks to these stairways, the moral character of our clan has improved a hundredfold compared to a million years ago."

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen gave a slight, approving nod.

He sighed, then spoke. "We Immortal... a single session of secluded cultivation can last a thousand years, ten thousand years, or even a million. Once we break through to the Great Encompassing Realm [a supreme realm of cultivation representing vast comprehension and power], it will be impossible to spare any attention for trivial mundane affairs."

"In many matters, it is impossible for us to attend to every detail. Therefore, we may not have sufficient deterrent power over clan members below the Ascendant Immortal realm. This Heart-Questioning Stairway is indeed an excellent method for purifying the clan's character."

"Since you are in charge of the family in the lower realm, remember to be fair and clear in both rewards and punishments. Once there are black sheep within the clan, you must punish them severely without leniency."

Receiving Eldrin Chen's affirmation, Rising Swan Chen could not help but let out a sigh of relief.

He was born as the direct descendant of the Primordial Spirit Immortal Clan, witnessing the family's growth all along, yet he had never experienced a truly brutal and fierce great war.

Even though he had now cultivated to the Half-Step Celestial Immortal Realm, his primary principle remained prioritizing survival and caution above all else.

For him, compared to the Immortal Domain with its immense dangers, the safety level of the Purple Seal Realm was easily a hundred times higher.

After all, with his cultivation level, he was nearly invincible within the Purple Seal Realm, and even if a star-spanning Great Tribulation erupted outside, it would be difficult to bring him true calamity.

Even if he encountered an opponent he could not defeat, he could call for reinforcements from the family in the Immortal Domain. One could say that within the Purple Seal Realm, he lived in unparalleled comfort and ease.

This time, meeting Eldrin Chen, his greatest fear was that Eldrin Chen, seeing his exceptional talent, would insist on taking him back to the Immortal Domain for cultivation.

Now, hearing Eldrin Chen approve of his conditions, he sighed in relief and said, "The Patriarch praises me too highly. Since I am the clan leader of the lower realm's Chen Clan, I will naturally spare no effort in upholding the Chen Clan's character and traditions."

"You truly are a turtle, lad," he said with a mix of scorn and grudging respect.

Eldrin Chen let out a derisive snort, then sighed. "I've seen it now. You're the type who holds splendor within, one who accumulates strength in silence before a magnificent eruption."

"Stay in the lower realms and cultivate diligently from now on. Given enough time, you might even achieve the Triple Primordial Unity Foundation [a legendary and supremely stable foundation for cultivation], and there might even be a sliver of a chance for you to step into the Forbidden Domain [a mythical realm of cultivation power that defies conventional limits]." Join our community of readers at audio~novel.com.