Chapter 1885 : The Forge of True Spirit

The group departed from the Chaos Immortal Vessel Nest and continued their journey deeper into the Depths of Chaos.

Thereafter, they traveled upon the Ancient Chaos Path, their progress a rhythm of exploration and pause as they investigated ruins and sought treasures. In the blink of an eye, tens of thousands of years slipped by.

Finally, after more than fifty thousand years, having secured another ancient site, Eldrin Chen called for a halt.

Surveying his companions, he said with a smile, "We have trodden the Chaos Heaven Abyss for over seventy thousand years. Let us enter seclusion here for a time. Once we have digested the gains from our recent endeavors, we shall press onward."

His words were met with nods of agreement from the others.

Their path had led them through dozens of Chaos ruins and over a hundred Chaos Lair of varying sizes.

Though most of these sites were dilapidated and their remaining treasures sparse, the cumulative harvest was still substantial.

They estimated that after a period of focused cultivation to assimilate these resources, their collective strength would undoubtedly see a marked increase.

Eldrin Chen's decision to enter seclusion at this juncture was prompted by the two True Spirit Divine Ability gestating within him. They had reached a critical point, teetering on the verge of taking final form.

With consensus reached, Eldrin Chen wasted no time. He immediately carved out a Seclusion Chamber and began his closed-door cultivation. Find thousands of chapters at audio-novel .c om.

Upon entering the Seclusion Chamber, Eldrin Chen immediately closed his eyes and sank his consciousness into the depths of his mind. He began to mobilize the foundational energies of his entire being to nourish and feed his two True Spirit Divine Ability [supreme innate supernatural powers].

These two True Spirit Divine Ability had already reached the critical threshold of transformation. Now, fueled by Eldrin Chen's relentless cultivation, they swiftly underwent an unprecedented qualitative leap.

After a mere thousand years, the Chaos Divine Thunder [primordial thunder of creation and destruction] was the first to complete its metamorphosis, fully evolving into a complete True Spirit Divine Ability.

Another three thousand years passed, and the Five-Colored Divine Light [radiance embodying the five fundamental elements] also achieved perfect form, becoming Eldrin Chen's third True Spirit Divine Ability.

"Success," he murmured.

Witnessing the birth of his two new True Spirit Divine Ability, a faint smile touched Eldrin Chen's lips.

He had now forged the four great True Spirit Foundation [pillars of a cultivator's ultimate potential]: his physical body, his Great Path [profound cultivation method], his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator], and his Divine Ability [innate supernatural powers]. His Divine Ability foundation alone comprised three True Spirit Divine Ability: Chaos Unity Energy [the primordial energy of unified chaos], Chaos Divine Thunder, and Five-Colored Divine Light. One could almost say he possessed six True Spirit Foundation.

Of course, the three True Spirit Divine Ability overlapped significantly. Unleashing their full combat potential required an immensely robust foundation, so the actual boost in battle prowess they provided was limited and certainly fell short of possessing six distinct True Spirit Foundation.

After all, the path of Primordial Spirit Path Attainment [cultivating the ultimate potential of one's spiritual core] dictated that power grew with each additional True Spirit Aperture [spiritual node within the Primordial Spirit] ignited. In the initial stages, the strength of a True Spirit Divine Ability could only be fully manifested with the support of one's Great Path, spiritual energy reserves, and Path Fruit [crystallized insights into a specific Dao].

If Eldrin Chen could succeed in igniting all eight True Spirit Aperture, then amplified by their combined power, the might of his Primordial Spirit alone might grant him peerless strength within his realm.

If one could illuminate Nine True Spirit Apertures [the nine supreme spiritual nodes within a cultivator's body], they would likely be an invincible figure even among Primordial One Imperial Lord [a supreme cultivation realm]. Once they attained the Chaos Heavenly Emperor [a supreme title for a ruler of primordial chaos], they would rank among the pinnacle combatants even within that exalted tier.

However, before illuminating seven or eight of these True Spirit Aperture [a supreme spiritual node], the path of Primordial Spirit Path Attainment [a cultivation art focused on refining the Primordial Spirit] relies solely on the power of the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator]. This ultimately cannot match the raw power of other True Spirit Foundation [foundational cultivation arts based on True Spirit principles], let alone rival the swift and formidable surge in combat prowess offered by the path of Fleshly Body Sanctification [the art of refining the physical body to a sacred state].

Even so, according to Eldrin Chen's estimation, his overall capabilities and strength had seen a significant increase. After all, his mana, physical body, and Great Path [his core cultivation art or Dao] were all Extraordinary [possessing exceptional quality], allowing him to fully unleash the power of his True Spirit Divine Ability [a supreme ability derived from True Spirit cultivation].

If, previously, Eldrin Chen, constrained by his realm as a mere Six Tribulations Ancient Immortal [an Ancient Immortal who has survived six heavenly tribulations] and lacking in profound cultivation, had to rely on his three True Spirit Foundation and one True Spirit Divine Ability to barely scrape by with combat power at the weaker end of the Four True Spirit Foundations [a level denoting mastery of four True Spirit Foundations] spectrum...

...then now, with the aid of three True Spirit Divine Ability, his strength had ascended to the powerful end of the Four True Spirit Foundations tier, perhaps even reaching its absolute limit.

"A pity," he murmured, "the Mana Heavenly Pass [a critical bottleneck in mana cultivation and quality] remains unbroken."

"If that barrier could be shattered, my power would undoubtedly advance by leaps and bounds."

Eldrin Chen whispered these thoughts to himself, a trace of solemn contemplation settling upon his features.

The might a True Spirit Divine Ability can manifest depends entirely on the foundational strength provided by one's Great Path, Primordial Spirit, Path Fruit [the condensed fruit of one's cultivation path], physical body, mana, and other such cornerstones.

Among these foundations that fuel a Divine Ability [a supernatural ability], mana, as the source of energy, is the most crucial. For a True Spirit Divine Ability is the embryonic form of a Chaos-Grade Divine Ability [a divine ability of primordial chaos]. In theory, it requires mana of at least the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal realm] level to be barely activated.

If Eldrin Chen could cultivate True Spirit Dharmic Power [the foundational power of a True Spirit cultivator], then his mana would reach the level of one who has just entered the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [the Golden Immortal realm]. At that time, when he channeled a True Spirit Divine Ability [a divine-level technique accessible to True Spirit cultivators], the unleashed power would undoubtedly see a monumental increase.

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen nodded slightly and said, "It is indeed time to plan the method for breaking through to True Spirit Dharmic Power."

With this thought, Eldrin Chen lowered his gaze once more, reviewing the various limit-breaking methods he had studied over the years.

Over these years, Eldrin Chen had successively obtained the Seven-Colors Immortal Refinement Scripture [a scripture detailing a seven-stage refinement process], the limit-breaking chapter of the Primordial Genesis Path Scripture [a foundational scripture of creation], and several dozen lesser and greater methods for breaking the Mana Heavenly Pass [a critical bottleneck in mana cultivation] from the Immortal Ruins Ancient Continent and the Chaos [the primordial, formless state before creation].

Although most of these methods were not of the highest grade, only capable of reaching the Ninth Limit or Tenth Limit Mana [the ninth and tenth theoretical limits of mana density], the ingenious ideas within them had greatly broadened Eldrin Chen's horizons.

The method for breaking the limits of Indestructibility Dharmic Power [a power focused on unyielding durability] within the secret scrolls of Primordial Genesis [the Dao of Primordial Creation] had been particularly enlightening for Eldrin Chen, clearing mental blockages and granting him rare and profound insights. Published by @udio-novel.com. All rights reserved.

Using this as his foundation, Eldrin Chen immediately began contemplating the method for breaking the limits of his mana.

In essence, cultivating a True Spirit Foundation [the foundational cultivation state of a True Spirit] required continuously surpassing one's own limits, pushing to the very brink where no further advancement seemed possible, and then accomplishing the final act of transcendence.

However, each foundational aspect differed. For example, the physical body needed to endure myriad tribulations to achieve Immortality [a state of eternal, unyielding existence]. The Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] required destruction and rebirth through Nirvana [a phoenix-like rebirth from ashes]. The Great Path [the supreme cultivation art] needed to be cultivated to an inconceivable, peerless realm.

For mana to break through, it required constant refinement and condensation until it was perfectly controlled as one, surpassing the inherent limits of the Immortal Domain [the realm of immortals] and completing a metamorphosis that could rival the Great Path.

Having grasped the crux of the issue, Eldrin Chen immediately conceived a path for forging his own cultivation art.

"My spiritual energy [the vital power cultivated by immortals] is not yet sufficiently refined," he mused.

"Refining one's spiritual energy has always been the most protracted process. Relying solely on my own foundation to temper it, even a hundred Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles spanning billions of years] would not suffice for success."

"To truly achieve a breakthrough, I must harness the power of my True Spirit Divine Ability [a supreme innate power born from one's spiritual core] to actively grind and polish my energy, forcing it to complete its metamorphosis."

Whispering this realization to himself, Eldrin Chen wasted no time and began crafting the new method.

First, using Primordial One Energy [the foundational, undifferentiated energy of creation] as his foundation, he condensed a Primordial Chaos Grinding Mill [a conceptual millstone of primal chaos] within his Elixir Field [the core energy center in a cultivator's lower abdomen]. He mandated that all spiritual energy circulating within him must pass through this Primordial Chaos Grinding Mill, thereby gradually enhancing its purity and potency.

Yet, even with this measure, relying solely on the power of a True Spirit Divine Ability proved insufficient to cultivate True Spirit Dharmic Power [the supremely pure and potent spiritual energy characteristic of the highest cultivation realms].

Thus, Eldrin Chen summoned his Chaos Divine Thunder [divine lightning born from primal chaos] and fused it into the Primordial Chaos Grinding Mill, allowing the thunder's purifying force to work in tandem with the millstone's grinding action. This synergy dramatically increased the efficiency of the refinement process.

Despite this significant improvement, Eldrin Chen remained unsatisfied.

Without hesitation, he then invoked his Five Elements Divine Light [a divine radiance embodying the five fundamental elements] and guided it into the great millstone, further accelerating the speed at which his spiritual energy was honed and perfected.

With the combined power of these three True Spirit Divine Ability [supreme innate powers], the effect of tempering his Dharmic Power [the fundamental energy cultivated by immortals] was amplified by more than a hundredfold. To his astonishment, his Indestructibility Dharmic Power [the Dharmic Power of the Indestructible Body Art], which had long seemed to reach its absolute limit, began visibly growing purer and more potent.

"Not enough."

Yet even with this progress, Eldrin Chen shook his head.

With the three True Spirit Divine Ability working in concert, Eldrin Chen estimated it would take several tens of millions of years to refine his Dharmic Power to the level of a True Spirit Divine Ability [a supreme innate power].

However, this process would require a constant and immense expenditure of mental focus to sustain the operation of the three Great God Ability [Great God-level abilities]. Consequently, Eldrin Chen would be forced into prolonged seclusion, causing him to miss the current Kalpa Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of destruction and renewal] and its attendant Opportunity and Fortune [chances for great advancement and destiny].

"I need the three True Spirit Divine Ability to operate autonomously, even cycling and repeating endlessly to temper the Dharmic Power."

Eldrin Chen murmured to himself, immediately embarking on another series of attempts.

As he persisted in his trials, ten thousand years passed in the blink of an eye. After more than ten millennia, within Eldrin Chen's Elixir Field [the core energy center within a cultivator's body], a Nine-Aperture Chaos Furnace [a mystical furnace with nine apertures, forged from Primordial Chaos] took form.

This Nine-Aperture Chaos Furnace was manifested from the Chaos Mist [the primordial mist of chaos] intrinsic to the Primordial Chaos Indestructibility Body [the Indestructible Body of Primordial Chaos]. Its nine apertures corresponded to the nine major Innate Acupoints [innate energy nodes within the body], divided into three internal and six external orifices.

The six external orifices, formed from the corresponding Innate Acupoints, could continuously inhale and exhale Dharmic Power, performing its initial purification and condensation.

Within, the power of the three True Spirit Divine Ability transformed into a Primordial Chaos Millstone [a conceptual grinding wheel of primordial chaos] brimming with Thunderclap [deafening peals of thunder] and Immortal Radiance [a divine, immortal light]. It rotated in an endless cycle, perpetually and repeatedly tempering the Indestructibility Dharmic Power [the dharma power of indestructibility].

Even more astonishingly, within the Nine-Aperture Chaos Furnace [a magical furnace of chaos with nine apertures], countless divine chains, manifestations of the True Spirit Great Path [the Great Path of the True Spirit], pierced through the alchemical furnace. A vast and overwhelming Chaos Limitless Great Path [the Great Path of Limitless Chaos] crushed everything in its path.

Furthermore, the True Spirit Primordial Spirit [the Primordial Spirit of the True Spirit] exerted complete control over the spiritual energy, applying pressure bit by bit to force its transformation.

"Excellent."

After a long while, Eldrin Chen gazed upon this Nine-Aperture Chaos Furnace and could not help but reveal a faint smile.

This time, his three True Spirit Foundation [the foundational arts of the True Spirit] had forged a Treasure Furnace [a furnace for refining treasures], while his three True Spirit Divine Ability served as the millstone, culminating in the creation of an unprecedented, supreme secret technique.

The power of this technique was truly formidable. It perfectly utilized the six True Spirit Foundation, enabling a day-and-night, cyclical process of tempering spiritual energy.

To Eldrin Chen's surprise, the Nine-Aperture Chaos Furnace was not merely an auxiliary technique; it was also a devastatingly powerful composite Divine Ability [a supreme supernatural ability].

It fused the power of the three True Spirit Foundation and the three True Spirit Divine Ability, achieving a state of near-perfect equilibrium. It could be said to be the ultimate condensation of Eldrin Chen's strongest powers.

Once unleashed from the body to confront an enemy, the explosive force it would release would surely be enough to shake the heavens and make ghosts weep.

After some calculations, Eldrin Chen vaguely understood that a single strike from this Chaos Furnace was terrifyingly powerful. Even a True Spirit cultivator, or one who had dared to establish a Six True Spirit Foundations, would likely face mortal danger if they tried to withstand it head-on.

Of course, as the embodiment of nearly all of Eldrin Chen's power, this Nine-Aperture Chaos Furnace became extremely unstable once removed from his body. Once deployed against an enemy, it possessed only a single strike's worth of power.

After that one strike, regardless of whether it defeated the foe, the furnace would completely disintegrate shortly thereafter. Following this, Eldrin Chen would suffer severe damage to his vital foundation [the core source of a cultivator's life force and cultivation]. Even with the aid of the Rule of Life, recovering would likely take at least several million years.

Furthermore, as his cultivation base advanced, the Nine-Aperture Chaos Furnace's power would increase, but so too would the recovery time. If he broke through to the Great Encompassing Realm, he feared he would only be able to unleash it once, at most, per Kalpa Tribulation [an immense cosmic cycle in Buddhist cosmology, often billions of years].

"This Nine-Aperture Chaos Furnace..."

Having sensed the formidable power of the Nine-Aperture Chaos Furnace, Eldrin Chen immediately began calculating with his fingers. A moment later, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes as he murmured, "It seems I have inadvertently touched upon a power of a higher order."

It turned out that this combined Divine Ability [a supreme supernatural power cultivated by immortals], forged from one's entire foundational cultivation, was also known as a Root Origin Treasure [a treasure born from and embodying a cultivator's very origin and foundation]. It represented a power that only the true pinnacle experts within the Chaos realm could hope to grasp.

Generally speaking, one needed to at least reach the Primordial One Imperial Lord realm to barely qualify for touching such power.

This was because cultivating a combined Divine Ability demanded immense control over one's own foundation. One needed to have cultivated at least two Indestructibility Foundation [foundational realms focused on achieving an unbreakable state], with one of them necessarily being the Indestructibility Primordial Spirit [a divine ability that renders the cultivator's spiritual core unbreakable], to barely gain control over such a Divine Ability.

Forging one's entire foundation into a single vessel was inherently unstable. The slightest loss of control would cause the physical body to explode instantly.

Generally speaking, those who have cultivated the Indestructibility Primordial Spirit [a state where one's spiritual core becomes nearly unbreakable] can only barely manage to fuse two Indestructibility Foundation [the foundational cultivation stage focused on achieving indestructibility] into a single Root Origin Treasure [a supreme artifact born from the cultivator's very foundation]; it can only be said they have barely scratched the surface of this profound realm.

In truth, the limit of the Indestructibility Primordial Spirit is to control one or two Indestructibility Foundation at most.

Only by achieving the True Spirit Primordial Spirit [the pinnacle state of a pure and genuine spiritual core] can one fuse multiple Indestructibility Foundation into a single entity, forging a powerful Root Origin Treasure.

Such a Root Origin Treasure possesses world-shaking might, often granting a Primordial One Imperial Lord [an Imperial Lord who has unified their foundational powers into one] the ability to challenge opponents far beyond their apparent cultivation level.

Therefore, even an existence at the early stage of Primordial One Imperial Lord, if they can fuse the power of four or five Indestructibility Foundation into a Root Origin Treasure, gains the qualification to fight for their life against mid or even late-stage Primordial One Imperial Lord.

Such is the formidable power born from fusing four or five Indestructibility Foundation.

However, the feat accomplished by Eldrin Chen, who fused three True Spirit Foundation [foundational cultivation arts focused on nurturing a True Spirit] and three True Spirit Divine Ability [divine abilities derived from a True Spirit] into one, yielded a force of truly terrifying magnitude.

That he managed to forcibly forge a Root Origin Treasure in this manner, yet was not utterly obliterated by its explosive power, can only be attributed to his heaven-defying mastery over his own strength.

"Stumbled upon by chance, yet it makes sense in its own way," he mused.

After a long while, a faint smile finally touched the lips of Eldrin Chen as he whispered these words to himself.

This time, the successful cultivation of the Root Origin Treasure [a foundational treasure born from a cultivator's own essence and path] was, upon reflection, an unexpected yet ultimately foreseeable outcome.

This was because, in his cultivation journey, apart from the Primordial Chaos Indestructibility Body [a legendary physique of unyielding resilience], he had forged his other True Spirit Foundation [the foundational cultivation art for the True Spirit Realm] almost entirely through his own power, with minimal reliance on external aids.

A True Spirit Foundation achieved through one's own strength grants a level of mastery and control far surpassing that of one cultivated with the help of external resources.

Contemplating this, Eldrin Chen once more sensed the Nine-Aperture Chaos Furnace [a mystical furnace with nine apertures, embodying primordial chaos] and spoke, "With the Root Origin Treasure now complete, it will take at most two or three hundred thousand years for me to cultivate True Spirit Dharmic Power [the profound power of the True Spirit Realm]."

"Such a Divine Ability [a supreme supernatural art] and esoteric method has now surpassed the techniques created by the Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor [the legendary progenitor of the Primordial Genesis Path] in his time. It deserves a name of its own."

Eldrin Chen murmured to himself, then after a moment, smiled and declared, "This Divine Ability is forged from the fusion of three great True Spirit Divine Ability [divine arts of the True Spirit Realm] and the Three Great Foundations [the three supreme foundational cultivation arts], and it possesses the efficacy of cyclical revolution and return. Let it henceforth be known as the 'Triune Returning Abyss Cycle Revolving True Spirit Profound Art'."

Having bestowed a name upon this profound secret art of the True Spirit [a high realm of cultivation focused on the true spiritual essence], a faint smile touched Eldrin Chen's lips.

His gaze then returned to the Nine-Aperture Chaos Furnace. After a moment of thoughtful silence, he spoke again, "As for this Root Origin Treasure, let it be named the 'Returning Abyss Furnace'."

With names duly assigned, Eldrin Chen inscribed the newly created secret art into the Returning Abyss Path Scripture [the canonical text of the Returning Abyss cultivation path]. Yet, after reviewing it briefly, he shook his head.

While the 'Triune Returning Abyss Cycle Revolving True Spirit Profound Art' was immensely powerful—its effects even exceeding the secret methods of the Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor—it was a technique Eldrin Chen had crafted specifically for himself, tailored to his unique constitution and path.

While the effects of such a method are astonishing, its prerequisites are far too stringent. It requires the cultivation of three True Spirit Foundation [a foundational cultivation art that refines the cultivator's spiritual essence] and three True Spirit Divine Ability [a divine ability derived from the True Spirit Foundation] before one can even begin to practice it. This essentially leaves no possibility for replication by others.

"So be it," he murmured. "This artifact contains both a method for breaking the limits of True Spirit Dharmic Power [the profound spiritual power cultivated at the True Spirit stage] and a path for cultivating a Root Origin Treasure [a unique, soul-bound treasure that grows with a cultivator's very essence]."

"It shall be preserved as a cornerstone of the clan's heritage, and may also serve for Exquisite and the others to study and draw inspiration from."

Eldrin Chen whispered to himself, a wave of quiet reflection washing over him once more.

Upon reaching the higher realms of cultivation, the methods left by predecessors become increasingly scarce. Moreover, each such method is typically a unique creation tailored to its originator's specific circumstances, offering little in the way of universal applicability.

In truth, even the most broadly applicable method cannot compare to one crafted specifically for oneself.

Thus, after attaining the Celestial Immortal [the immortal realm where one sheds mortality] and Great Encompassing [the realm of profound cosmic comprehension] stages, the most suitable path is to forge one's own cultivation art based on one's unique constitution and insights.

A unique Ancient Scripture [an esoteric text containing profound cultivation secrets] from a Path Ancestor [a supreme being who has mastered a fundamental cosmic principle] holds little value if one cannot meet its prerequisites for practice. It would pale in comparison to a rudimentary Celestial Immortal art of one's own creation, serving at best as a reference for contemplation and enlightenment.

It is precisely for this reason that the direct disciples of those Great Encompassing Ancient Sect [ancient sects whose teachings encompass the profound mysteries of the cosmos] are not necessarily superior to the top-tier geniuses who have forged their own path from the wilderness.

Although the direct disciples of a Great Encompassing Ancient Sect possess remarkable talent, abundant resources, and exquisite methods for cultivation, these advantages do not guarantee a perfect fit for their individual spiritual nature and destiny.

Conversely, those geniuses who followed unorthodox paths, those who managed to cultivate to the realm of an Eight Tribulations Ancient Immortal [an ancient immortal who has survived eight heavenly tribulations], were more likely to have forged their own Great Path of the Great Encompassing [a supreme cultivation path that encompasses all things], and thus possessed a greater possibility of achieving the Tenth Limit [the tenth and ultimate limit of a foundational cultivation stage] or even an Indestructibility Foundation [a foundation so perfect it is considered unbreakable].

Take Sunder Heaven Heavenly Demon Emperor, for example. Although he was hailed as a Great Encompassing Direct Successor [a direct inheritor of the Great Encompassing Path], he had first stepped into the Ancient Immortal Realm [the realm of ancient immortals] step by step. It was only after demonstrating a talent for the Tenth Limit in his physical body that he gained the attention of White Crane Immortal Lord and soared to prominence from that point on.

Returning to the main thread, after Eldrin Chen finished writing the Ancient Scripture [an ancient text containing profound cultivation knowledge], he stored it away.

He then emerged from his Seclusion Chamber [a chamber specifically designed for secluded cultivation] to find Exquisite Jiang and the others had been waiting for him for quite some time.

This period of secluded cultivation had brought gains for everyone. Exquisite Jiang had progressed further, elevating all her foundational aspects except for the Spiritual Treasure Heavenly Pass [the heavenly tribulation related to spiritual treasures] to the Indestructibility Realm [a realm signifying an unbreakable foundation].

Nether Phoenix lagged slightly behind by half a step. Although she still possessed two Indestructibility Foundation, she had managed to refine all her other foundational aspects to the Tenth Limit Realm.

The progress of the Reincarnation Body [an avatar body cultivated through reincarnation techniques] was also significant. Over these years, the cultivation of the Reincarnation Body had stabilized at the level of a Seven Tribulations Ancient Immortal [an ancient immortal who has survived seven heavenly tribulations]. Bolstered by numerous resources, the True Spirit Physique [a constitution embodying the essence of a primordial true spirit] had grown further, elevating its combat power to that of an ordinary Eight Tribulations Ancient Immortal with a single True Spirit Foundation [a foundation built upon the power of a true spirit].

Nyssa Qu showed the greatest advancement. Having refined the Nine-Colored Immortal Fruit [a mythical fruit of nine colors that replenishes one's vital essence] to replenish her foundational source, and consumed the True Spirit Water [a spiritual water containing the essence of a true spirit], she had now cultivated five Indestructibility Foundation. Only the Path Fruit [the fruit of one's cultivated path, representing a major achievement] and the Spiritual Treasure [a treasure imbued with spiritual power] related Heavenly Pass [a critical heavenly tribulation or bottleneck] remained unascended to the Eleventh Limit Realm [a legendary realm beyond the tenth limit].

The Nine-Colored Immortal Deer [a divine deer with fur of nine colors] showed no improvement. She had already cultivated six Indestructibility Foundation and had not advanced further for several hundred Kalpa Tribulation [cosmic cycles of immense duration, often involving great calamities]. Unless she encountered a fate-defying opportunity of Celestial Mechanism [the mysterious workings of heaven's will or fate], it was unlikely she would see further progress.

However, Eldrin Chen had long since made plans for this. He intended to reserve a Primordial Chaos Indestructibility Divine Spark [a divine spark of indestructibility born from primordial chaos] for the Nine-Colored Immortal Deer in the future.

For beings such as the Nine-Colored Immortal Deer [a legendary creature of immense purity and grace], which are Chaos Saint Spirit [primordial spirits born from the chaos at the dawn of creation], the Primordial Chaos Indestructibility Divine Spark [a fragment of the indestructible essence from the Primordial Chaos] possesses the power to fundamentally elevate their foundation and latent potential. Acquiring even a single spark is certain to trigger a heaven-defying metamorphosis.

"You have finally emerged from seclusion."

Seeing Eldrin Chen exit his cultivation, Exquisite Jiang, who had been guarding outside the Seclusion Chamber [a specially prepared chamber for deep meditation and cultivation breakthroughs], could not help but ask, "How did it go?"

"The transformation is complete, and the path to the Mana Heavenly Pass [a legendary and profound stage of cultivation mastery] has also become clear."

"Truly?"

Upon hearing this, Exquisite Jiang felt a surge of joy in her heart. She tightened her grip on his hand, and a look of sincere delight blossomed on her face.

Witnessing this, Nether Phoenix could not resist adding, "It seems this time, when we face those from the Northern Abyss Foreign Realm [a mysterious and hostile realm beyond the northern abyss], we will have a greater measure of confidence."

"The Northern Abyss Foreign Realm?" Gentle Deer blinked in slight confusion and asked, "Are we going to fight again?"

Eldrin Chen gave a gentle smile and patted her head. "I will take you to fight the bad people."

"Bad people?"

Eldrin Chen nodded solemnly and said with a serious expression, "Bad people are those who would take your treasures and never return them."

"Huh?"

Gentle Deer's eyes widened, and she gritted her teeth, saying, "Beat those scoundrels to death."

As she spoke, she looked at Eldrin Chen with pleading eyes and asked, "You *will* give my treasures back, won't you?"

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen could only offer an awkward smile.

Though innocent, Gentle Deer was no fool. Over the years, she had come to understand many things. She suspected Eldrin Chen had tricked her out of her treasures, but knowing she was no match for him, she could only watch him each time with a look of wounded grievance.

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen chuckled and gently rapped her on the head. "I will. I promise I'll return them."

"Ow!"

Gentle Deer cried out, clutching her head. She darted behind Nyssa Qu and shot him a glare with her bright, large eyes. "Bad guys who don't return treasures deserve a beating! Nyeh, nyeh, nyeh…"

"…"

With the addition of Gentle Deer, for the group, it felt more like having a pleasant diversion on their otherwise monotonous journey.

This young maiden was innocent and endearing, often teased by the other women along the way, yet she was always protected by Nyssa Qu. Unconsciously, her presence brought the group much closer together.

In the years that followed, the group continued their advance along the Heaven Abyss Ancient Continent. Tens of thousands of years passed in a blur, and before they knew it, they had traversed more than half the length of the Ancient Continent.

On this day, Eldrin Chen halted before the vast ruins of a Chaos-era site, a slight frown creasing his brow.

Within the ruins, two figures stood motionless. One was tall and imposing, his hand resting on a black-gold iron staff planted firmly on the ground.

The other wore robes of luxurious violet, his three thousand strands of dark hair seemingly woven with overwhelming sword energy. With just a casual glance in their direction, a peerless, sharp edge shot forth, cleaving through the air towards them.

"*Clang—*"

"What formidable Sword Intent [the conceptual will and sharpness imbued within a sword technique]," Eldrin Chen murmured.

With a flick of his sleeve, Eldrin Chen extended a single finger, shattering the incoming sword energy with a mere snap.

Yet, as he withdrew his hand, he noticed a faint trace of blood on his fingertip, which vanished into nothingness in the very next instant.

"Since I attained the True Spirit Physique [a supreme physical constitution], you are the first to have wounded me."

Eldrin Chen regarded the figure before him, a glimmer of approval flashing in his eyes.

Ever since he had forged his Primordial Chaos Indestructibility Body [a legendary body of unbreakable chaos], he had engaged in fierce battles with four other True Spirit Prodigy [peerless geniuses with supreme constitutions]: Soaring Sky, Grand Firmament, Limitless Nine Radiance Divine Lord, and Defying Heaven. Yet, not even the mightiest among them, Defying Heaven, had managed to so much as scratch him.

Yet this person before him had wounded Eldrin Chen with a mere strand of Sword Intent [the conceptual essence of a swordsman's will]. While it was true Eldrin had caught it with his bare fingertip, this feat alone demonstrated a power far surpassing that of the others.

Contemplating this, Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod. "A Chaos Spiritual Treasure Embryo [a nascent treasure born from primordial chaos] taking human form," he remarked. "Truly, there is something extraordinary about you."

The two figures before him were none other than 'Violet Radiance Sword Extreme' from the Primordial Domain of Grand Pot [the primordial realm of Panhuang], and the Chaos Imperial Extreme Ant [a primordial ant of celestial extremity] 'Heaven Punishment' from the Domain of Chaos Celestial Pole [the Domain of Chaos and Celestial Poles].

One was a reincarnated cultivator, originally a Chaos Spiritual Treasure Embryo, while the other was the young scion of the Ant Heavenly Emperor, bearing the potent bloodline of the Chaos Imperial Extreme Ant.

"Hmph."

The violet-robed youth snorted coldly, his voice flat. "We have waited for you for three thousand years. Had you not come, we were prepared to face the enemies of the Northern Abyss Foreign Realm [the hostile outer realm of the Northern Abyss] ourselves."

"My apologies for the long wait."

Eldrin Chen nodded and spoke calmly.

"The matter of the Northern Abyss Foreign Realm is not urgent for now."

At that moment, a voice sounded. Heaven Punishment approached, his gaze fixed on Eldrin Chen as he inquired, "I heard you defeated Defying Heaven in a direct confrontation, even after he had sacrificed his Path Fruit [the condensed essence of a cultivator's comprehension of their chosen Dao]?"

"That is correct," Eldrin Chen affirmed with a nod.

"Excellent—"

Heaven Punishment praised, a flicker of battle intent igniting in his eyes. "Fight me!" Discover more cultivation stories at audio-novel dot com.