Chapter 1898 : A Sacrifice for the Sect

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, his words trailing off into silence.

With his current level of cultivation, Eldrin deduced the cause and effect of the entire matter in a single moment of contemplation.

It turned out that the reason Mordecai Lin had not told him about the Karma [the cosmic principle of cause and effect] from back then was because he had already resolved not to live on alone.

Although Mordecai Lin was born into the Lin Immortal Clan, he had been sold into the Verdant Sun Sect at a young age and held almost no affection for the Lin Immortal Clan.

On the contrary, having grown up within the Verdant Sun Sect, he harbored profound feelings for it and had long been prepared to lay down his life for the sect.

In that final battle, he clearly had a chance to survive. Yet, for the sliver of hope for the Verdant Sun Sect, he chose to march to his death, intending to detonate the Underground Fire Vein [a subterranean river of potent fire energy] with his final act, aiming to grievously wound the many Violet Sanctum [the third major realm of cultivation] experts among the allied forces.

"Though his cultivation was humble, he was a man worthy of respect."

Eldrin Chen let out a soft sigh and spoke no more on the matter.

He withdrew his consciousness and followed his father's journey across the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland, watching as the man delivered his younger self back to Green Chariot Mountain.

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"Child!"

At the foot of Green Chariot Mountain, a heavy snow swirled down.

A man, drenched in blood, carried a young child on his back, staggering as he climbed the mountain path.

His vision was nearly gone. Step by laborious step, he pressed forward until, with his final breath almost spent, he finally reached the mountain gate of Green Chariot Mountain.

In his final moments, he saw the white-haired elder stride towards him, and a faint, weak smile touched the corners of his lips.

"Verdant Brightness, Verdant Brightness... what has happened to you?"

The old man's expression changed drastically. He couldn't help but reach out to support the man.

The man shook his head weakly. With immense effort, he pushed the child in his arms towards Eternal Spread Chen. Using his last breath, he gasped, "Uncle Eternal Spread... this is my child... I beg of you..."

Eternal Spread Chen checked the man's meridians [the energy channels within a cultivator's body], and his face instantly paled.

A moment later, he drew a deep breath, his eyes filled with profound sorrow. "I will take care of this child," he vowed. "Is there anything else you wish to say?"

"Do not seek vengeance... do not seek vengeance..."

Verdant Brightness Chen repeated the phrase, cast one last lingering glance at Eldrin Chen, and as his life force faded completely, he breathed his last.

Eternal Spread Chen silently closed the man's eyes, then looked down at the three-year-old child before him. He sensed an extraordinary calmness in the boy's gaze, yet it seemed to conceal a power too profound for words.

In that instant, he understood. This child remembered everything he had endured.

"Good child, what is your name?"

"..."

As Verdant Brightness Chen's aura finally dissipated, a faint wisp of his soul essence [the spiritual core of a cultivator] rose, seeking to drift towards the Reincarnation [the cycle of death and rebirth].

Yet, in that very moment, an unimaginable power traversed the River of Space-Time [the metaphysical flow connecting past, present, and future]. It traced back across vast, misty eons, carrying a distant True Spirit Imprint [the unique, indelible mark of one's spiritual essence and destiny], and merged with his fading soul.

In the blink of an eye, he felt his physical body and spiritual essence completely reforge [undergo a profound, foundational transformation], and Recovery [restore itself] to its absolute peak condition.

When he opened his eyes, he found a White-robed Man of peerless elegance, bearing a faint resemblance to him, standing calmly by his side.

The man's eyes held a faint smile as he spoke with serene calm.

"Father."

"…"

After a brief exchange with his father, Eldrin Chen continued his journey downstream along the River of Space-Time [a mystical river representing the flow of time and fate].

He wandered through the annals of time, retracing the steps of bygone days. He beheld the Grand Elder Verdant Void Chen, the Second Elder Clear River Chen, the Fourth Elder Verdant Destiny Chen, the Fifth Elder Verdant Grace Chen, and the Sixth Elder Verdant Bud Chen.

He also saw once more the older generation of Old Granduncles, such as Eternal Land Chen and Eternal Spread Chen. This chapter appears courtesy of audio-novel[dot]com.

These old comrades, whose cultivation had never reached great heights, had long since perished, their souls scattered within the River of Space-Time. Eldrin Chen journeyed along the river, gathering their True Spirit [the core spiritual essence of a cultivator] and reforgeing their souls at the very moment of their demise.

In this process, Eldrin Chen witnessed Verdant Bud Chen desperately striving for Foundation Establishment [the second major realm of cultivation]. He saw Clear River Chen, in his waning years, achieving Foundation Establishment yet refusing to use a Foundation Establishment Pill [a pill that aids in breaking through to the Foundation Establishment realm]. He saw Verdant Void Chen, in his old age, gifting his Life-Extending Treasure [a treasure that can prolong one's lifespan] to the younger generation.

And he saw, finally, the unwilling and regretful Verdant Destiny Chen.

At the precise moment of their deaths, Eldrin Chen reforged their souls.

Regrets were mended; raw courage, unwillingness, fate, Reincarnation [the cycle of death and rebirth], and all the laws of existence were reforge [reshaped and remade] in the hands of a Great Encompassing Immortal Lord [a supreme being who has transcended the limits of the immortal path].

It is worth noting that Eldrin Chen also retrieved two Violet-Striped Goose [spirit geese with distinctive purple markings] and one Azure Verdant Spirit Fish [a vibrant blue-green spiritual fish].

These two Violet-Striped Goose were the parents of the very first flock, and also the first opponent Eldrin Chen ever slew in this life.

In those early years, Eldrin Chen relied upon these Violet-Striped Goose to accumulate a crucial stockpile of cultivation resources, completing the initial capital foundation for his path.

The Azure Spirit Fish was none other than the Azure Verdant Spirit Fish King [the monarch of the Azure Verdant Spirit Fish], one of the great contributors during the nascent rise of the Chen Clan.

When a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a perfected immortal who has attained the zenith of the golden immortal realm] retrieves old comrades from the River of Space-Time [the metaphysical flow that encompasses all of time and space], the more powerful the being, the more difficult the rescue.

To resurrect a single Celestial Immortal Great Power [a mighty being who has ascended to the celestial immortal realm] who has stepped into the Forbidden Domain [a realm of power so profound it defies conventional laws], even a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal would have to pay a significant price.

Yet, merely resurrecting beings of the Vital Essence Refinement [the foundational stage of cultivation where one refines their vital life energy] and Foundation Establishment Realm [the stage where a cultivator solidifies their spiritual foundation] realms required a cost so negligible it was almost imperceptible.

For those from his early cultivation days—any who had shown him kindness, or with whom he had shared even a passing bond—Eldrin Chen chose to reforge them all, bringing them back.

Having accomplished this, Eldrin Chen continued his journey forward, and in doing so, he also rescued Mordecai Lin.

The moment Mordecai Lin was revived, he stared at Eldrin Chen in slight bewilderment. After comprehending the cause and effect, he sighed and said, "To think that the enemy of my Verdant Sun Sect turned out to be a Great Encompassing Immortal Lord from the Future."

"But the Verdant Sun Sect has already perished. What purpose is there in saving me?"

Eldrin Chen offered a faint smile and shook his head. "There are no dynasties that last forever, nor are there sects that are truly indestructible. If your loyalty to the Verdant Sun Sect is genuine, it would be better to live on and, in time, re-establish its lineage and teachings."

"Moreover, the debt you owed the Verdant Sun Sect was repaid the very moment you fell in battle."

Mordecai Lin was momentarily stunned, then sighed once more. "To think that one day, I would be revived by my sworn enemy."

"The cause of yesterday yields the fruit of today. That you have this Karma now is a consequence of a single act of kindness from long ago."

Eldrin Chen spoke softly, then continued with a smile, "Seas change into mulberry fields, mountains and rivers transform. After the passage of countless eons, to meet a respected adversary once more is, in its own way, a heartening thing."

"…"

Having rescued Mordecai Lin, Eldrin Chen continued his descent.

He journeyed downstream along the River of Space-Time, pausing here and there along the way, rescuing many old friends whose souls had been scattered and dispersed.

Until one day, Eldrin Chen traversed the vast expanse of Space-Time [the continuum of existence where past, present, and future converge] and, within a Seclusion Chamber [a specially prepared room for deep meditation and cultivation], revived a man of incomparable dignity.

The moment this man was revived, he could not help but look at Eldrin Chen with astonishment before finally speaking out, "Did you succeed?"

"Mm."

Eldrin Chen nodded, a faint smile gracing his features.

This man was none other than the Fallen God Patriarch. In the past, Eldrin Chen had been ambushed by the Catastrophe Demon God, his very foundation nearly reduced to ashes.

At that critical, life-and-death moment, the Fallen God Patriarch had used his own Primordial Solar Origin [the purest, foundational essence of the primal sun] to grant Eldrin Chen a sliver of life.

It was precisely by relying on that single breath of Primordial Solar Origin that Eldrin Chen fully mastered five types of Arcane Power [profound and esoteric supernatural abilities], thereby forging the foundation of a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal who has attained the pinnacle of the Golden Immortal realm].

The price, however, was the Fallen God Patriarch's soul scattering completely to the winds, with only a wisp of his True Spirit [the indestructible core of a being's consciousness] entering the cycle of Reincarnation [the endless cycle of death and rebirth].

Now, suddenly resurrected, the Fallen God Patriarch recalled all he had experienced and instantly guessed at the truth.

Eldrin Chen offered a gentle smile and spoke with serene calm, "I have attained the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal. This journey upstream against the current of the River of Space-Time [a metaphorical river representing the flow of time and space] is precisely to bring you all back to life and return."

Suppressing the shock in his heart, Fallen God Patriarch could not help but ask, "How fares Verdant Consort?"

"My wife has been by my side for twelve million years, has borne me a daughter, and her cultivation has reached the Ancient Immortal Realm. Naturally, she is well."

Upon hearing this, Fallen God Patriarch finally let out a sigh of relief.

He nodded slightly, a faint smile gracing his lips. "It seems the choice I made back then was not wrong."

"My wife has missed you for many years. We can speak more once we return."

With these words, Eldrin Chen continued his steady stride forward.

Not long after, he arrived within the Gale Divine Ridge and once again beheld the Old Tomb Guardian.

The Old Tomb Guardian was one of the most senior figures in the Purple Seal Realm since the Demonic Abyss Cataclysm. In life, his cultivation had reached the Demigod Realm, and he had laid the foundation for his Immortal Root by cultivating three supreme achievements: the Void Path Fruit, Pseudo Path Principles, and a Demigod Body.

This individual had lived through most of the Demonic Abyss Cataclysm era and was originally one of the most likely candidates to ascend to immortality after Void-Refining Immortal.

However, when the Demonic Abyss Cataclysm Burst, he fought a lifelong war for the Purple Seal Realm, shedding the last drop of his blood in tens of thousands of years of bloody conflict.

After the fall of Imperial Sovereign Jiang, the Old Tomb Guardian used his own Demigod blood and bones, his Path Fruit [the condensed essence of his cultivation path], and his Path Principles [the fundamental laws he comprehended] to temper and infuse the Eastern Sovereign Bell, ultimately elevating it into a true Immortal Treasure [a supreme artifact of immortal rank].

That Eldrin Chen was able to defeat the Catastrophe Demon God owed no small debt to the power of that Eastern Sovereign Bell.

It could be said that the Old Tomb Guardian was the guardian of an entire, fading era.

He witnessed the glorious finale of the entire Purple Seal Realm, and to sustain the realm until Eldrin Chen's rise, he paid an indelible price.

The cost was his very soul, his bones, and all his cultivation, completely fused into the Eastern Sovereign Bell, resulting in his utter and complete dissipation, his spirit scattered beyond recovery.

"Alas—"

Eldrin Chen let out a heavy sigh, then with a flick of his sleeve, extended a single finger.

In that Ksana-time [an infinitesimal moment], the River of Space-Time [the metaphysical flow of time and space] trembled violently. To resurrect the Old Tomb Guardian, it was necessary to extract his remnant soul from within the Eastern Sovereign Bell.

For Eldrin Chen to reach across Space-Time and act, subtly interfering with the operation of the River of Space-Time, even for a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal who encompasses all], required the payment of an immense and terrible price.

"Cough—"

Eldrin Chen coughed up blood for the first time, yet he ultimately succeeded.

That power which spanned heaven and earth, the River of Space-Time that pierced through past and present, plucked a wisp of a remnant soul from the distant Space-Time [the continuum of time and space]. Using this as a guide, it drew forth the blood, bones, and soul of the Old Tomb Guardian from the Eastern Sovereign Bell twelve million years in the future.

Using this as a foundation, it summoned a True Spirit [a powerful spiritual entity], ultimately resurrecting the Old Tomb Guardian.

"Cough, cough—"

Awakening from his slumber, the Old Tomb Guardian looked at Eldrin Chen, his first words a question: "How am I alive again?"

"Disaster! My blood sacrifice of soul and bone failed. Won't the plan for the Eastern Sovereign Bell to ascend to an Immortal Treasure [a supreme enchanted artifact] be utterly ruined?"

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen felt a pang in his heart, and his eyes grew slightly red.

He remembered that year, when the Old Tomb Guardian fought to save him, bathing in blood to uproot the Celestial Pillar [a mythical pillar supporting the heavens], confronting a killing array laid by the Catastrophe Demon God with a mortal body.

In that battle, the Old Tomb Guardian fell. His first act after falling was to instruct Eldrin Chen to scatter his flesh, blood, soul, and bones upon Eastern Sovereign Mountain, to channel the power of mountains and rivers spanning hundreds of millions of Li-lengths, allowing the Eastern Sovereign Bell to ascend to an Immortal Treasure to face the demonic tribulation.

"Old Senior."

Eldrin Chen's voice caught with emotion. Suppressing the internal backlash, he finally spoke, "Do not worry. It is all over now."

"That Catastrophe Demon God has been slain by my hand."

Only after a long while did the Old Tomb Guardian [the ancient guardian of a sacred tomb] comprehend the full sequence of events.

He stood dumbfounded for a time, then finally grasped Eldrin Chen's hand, studying it intently before breaking into a hearty, relieved laugh. "Hahaha! To have been of sufficient aid to one in the early stages of the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [the highest realm of cultivation, representing a perfected golden immortal state]—this old man's life has not been lived in vain."

"..."

Time flowed on, and the years slipped away.

After rescuing the Old Tomb Guardian, Eldrin Chen continued his descent down the river of time.

This time, he retrieved the Seven Avians Recluse [a hermit master known for his connection to seven avian spirits]. He also journeyed once more to the Cosmos Void Realm [a primordial realm of emptiness and potential], rescuing several of his six fallen nominal disciples whose souls had already been utterly scattered.

As for those whose souls had not yet dissipated completely, Eldrin Chen did not force their immediate revival. In the future, he would merely need to send word to the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal presiding over the Netherworld Realm [the underworld, realm of the dead] to have them guided back.

Thereafter, Eldrin Chen returned to the Vast Azure Immortal Domain [a vast and prosperous realm of immortals]. Once more, he traveled against the current of time to rescue the master of the Blazeflame Blessed Land [a sacred land imbued with blazing spiritual flames].

The Crimson Sun Blessed Land [a mystical realm of cultivation], was the first Blessed Land-grade [a high-tier mystical realm] ancient site that Eldrin Chen explored after ascending to the Immortal Domain [the higher realm of immortals]. The legacy left behind by the Crimson Sun Blessed Land all those years ago allowed Eldrin Chen to firmly establish his footing in the Immortal Domain. In the grand weave of fate, it could be considered a strand of Karma [the cosmic principle of cause and effect, action and consequence].

Moved by pity for the master of the Crimson Sun Blessed Land, whose soul had scattered and perished, Eldrin Chen guided that spirit back, thus settling that particular thread of Karma.

After this act, Eldrin Chen proceeded to rescue and restore several old companions who had fallen while following him through various Tribulation [cataclysmic trials imposed by heaven to test cultivators].

Having accomplished all this, Eldrin Chen finally returned to the era twelve million years after his departure. Only then did he realize he had revived over several thousand former acquaintances in one fell swoop.

"This truly embodies the saying, 'When one man attains the Dao, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven,' does it not?"

Eldrin Chen murmured to himself, a wry smile touching his lips as he shook his head.

With a sweep of his sleeve, he brought the multitude back to the Returning Abyss Immortal Domain [Eldrin Chen's immortal domain], entrusting their settlement to Exquisite Jiang and Eternal Verdancy Chen among others.

This task complete, Eldrin Chen turned his gaze once more, looking toward the distant, boundless end of Space-Time [the fabric of reality encompassing all dimensions].

After this lifetime of cultivation, Eldrin Chen still had two remaining strands of Karma left unsettled. These were the debts owed to Violet Capital Path Master and Annihilation Path Master.

However, both were supreme Ancient Immortal [immortals who have existed since antiquity], and both had perished for at least several billion years. Bringing them back would be no simple feat.

Because both individuals had perished utterly, their souls scattered to the winds after failing to break through to the Great Encompassing realm, the only way to save them was to traverse Space-Time [the continuum of past, present, and future] and retrieve them.

Yet, the price for rescuing them was immense. Taking Violet Capital Path Master as an example, for Eldrin Chen to save him, he first needed to journey back billions of years through Space-Time. Even a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal who has transcended the constraints of the cosmos] would have to pay a significant price to accomplish such a feat.

Furthermore, to retrieve a top-tier Ancient Immortal [an immortal who has weathered countless eons] like Violet Capital Path Master, one must also bear the backlash of Space-Time Power [the fundamental forces governing time and space].

For Eldrin Chen, rescuing a mere Earth Immortal [an immortal whose power is rooted to a terrestrial domain] would be a minor inconvenience. But to save an Ancient Immortal, the required sacrifice was not merely greater—it was multiplied by hundreds of millions, even billions, of times.

Therefore, for Eldrin Chen to save Violet Capital Path Master, he required a special Great Encompassing Rare Treasure [a legendary artifact of cosmic rarity] to withstand the backlash of Space-Time Power.

Annihilation Path Master was even more difficult to save. He had fallen during the Late Primordial Era [the twilight of the primordial age of creation], separated from the present era by trillions of years of Space-Time.

To reverse the flow of time across such an immense gulf was simply beyond the power of a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal. Eldrin Chen would need to advance at least to the Primordial One Imperial Lord Realm [the realm of the primordial sovereigns] before he could even hope to retrieve Annihilation Path Master. Read the full novel exclusively on audio‑novel.com.