Chapter 1887 : Flight of the Terrified Immortals

Upon hearing this, Tianxing allowed a faint, knowing smile to touch the corner of his lips, yet he refrained from speaking.

Witnessing this, Violet Glow Sword Extreme spoke up, "Since you, Fellow Daoist, have achieved your breakthrough, let us depart."

Eldrin Chen also gave a nod of agreement and immediately strode forward.

Subsequently, the group of eight continued their journey along the ancient path. Unbeknownst to them, they traversed the Vast Chaotic Void and drew near to the central region of the boundless Primordial Chaos Abyss.

By this time, they had already trodden the depths of the Chaos Abyss for over one hundred thousand years.

Just as they approached the heart of the Primordial Chaos Abyss, they encountered a group of Ancient Immortals fleeing back towards them. Each bore expressions of terror and despair, as if they had witnessed some unspeakable, overwhelming horror.

The companions exchanged glances. Violet Glow Sword Extreme stepped forward and blocked the path of one of the fleeing figures, demanding, "What has transpired ahead? Why such panic?"

The man's face was a mask of sheer terror. Recognizing Violet Glow Sword Extreme, he relaxed slightly and gasped out, "The Celestial Emperor's Altar at the center of the Primordial Chaos Abyss is about to open. The fiends from the Northern Abyss Foreign Domain have seized the initiative!"

"His Excellency Imperial Confucian led us to contest it, but he was defeated head-on by a flame-wreathed demon god from their ranks. Our losses... were grievous."

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly.

It turned out that not long before, Imperial Confucian [a title for a supremely learned and virtuous sage], Primordial Nine Radiance Divine Lord, and Sacred Demon Celestial Lord had arrived first near the Primordial Chaos Abyss [the primordial chasm where chaos and order meet]. There, upon the Ascension Platform [a legendary platform for transcending mortal realms], they had engaged in a preliminary clash with the forces of the foreign realm.

The result of that battle was that Imperial Confucian was nearly slain, and only survived thanks to the intervention of Sacred Demon Celestial Lord and the others.

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen did not hesitate. He immediately transformed into a streak of light and shot deep into the Chaos Heavenly Path [the perilous path through the heart of primordial chaos]. Seeing this, the others swiftly followed.

Their speed was immense. Before long, they had traversed the Primordial Chaos Abyss and arrived at the very heart of the boundless Chaos [the formless, primordial state of existence].

There, at the center of the Primordial Chaos Abyss, floated a vast and majestic ancient continent. Its expanse was boundless, rivaling even the Immortal Ruins Ancient Continent in size.

"This is one of the seven fragments of the Immortal Cosmos Origin Domain [the primordial realm from which all cosmos originated], and it is also the very core of the Heavenly Abyss Ancient Path [the ancient celestial pathway]," Violet Glow Sword Extreme murmured, his expression turning grave as he gazed upon the ancient land.

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod. "Let us proceed to the Celestial Emperor's Altar [the sacred altar of the supreme Celestial Emperor]," he declared.

With those words, he stepped directly into the Immortal Cosmos Origin Domain and flew straight toward the Celestial Emperor's Altar.

When Eldrin Chen arrived at the Celestial Emperor's Altar, he found its periphery occupied by a group of Foreign Ancient Immortal [immortals from realms beyond the known cosmos]. Not far off were several hundred Eight Tribulation Ancient Immortal [ancient immortals who have survived eight heavenly tribulations] from the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss.

Among these Ancient Immortal [beings who have attained immortality through cultivation], those at the forefront were Sacred Demon Celestial Lord and Primordial Nine Radiance Divine Lord, among others.

Seeing Eldrin Chen and his companions arrive, these individuals could not help but feel a slight sense of relief. The Primordial Nine Radiance Divine Lord immediately spoke up, saying, "The Celestial Emperor's Altar [a sacred platform left by a Celestial Emperor] is about to open. If you had arrived any later, this place would have been completely dominated by the other side."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow slightly. Tianxing spoke up at the opportune moment, explaining, "The so-called Celestial Emperor's Altar is the former Celestial Emperor's Dao Field [the personal cultivation ground of a Celestial Emperor] within the Immortal Cosmos Origin Domain."

"Legends say it contains Opportunity [a chance for profound advancement] left behind by the Celestial Emperor of the Immortal Cosmos Origin Domain. Although it has been picked over more than once by various Dao Progenitor [the supreme founders of cultivation paths], for the Eight Tribulation Ancient Immortal [immortals who have survived eight heavenly tribulations] present here, it remains a rare and precious cultivation site."...

"A precious cultivation site?"

Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered slightly, revealing a trace of surprise.

Violet Glow Sword Extreme also spoke, his expression grave as he said, "This place contains Celestial Emperor's Dao Essence [the condensed fundamental principles of a Celestial Emperor's path]. A destined individual who cultivates here and obtains a wisp of this Celestial Emperor's Dao Essence can undergo a complete metamorphosis."

"Even for us True Spirit Prodigies [prodigies with the potential to form a True Spirit Foundation], obtaining a wisp of Celestial Emperor's Dao Essence can slightly increase our chances of successfully cultivating a True Spirit Foundation [the foundational spiritual core of a supreme cultivator]."

At this point, Violet Glow Sword Extreme continued, "However, one must ascend the Celestial Emperor's Altar to have any chance of gaining the recognition of the Celestial Emperor's Dao Essence. Otherwise, no matter how prodigious one's talent, it is impossible to obtain it."

"Moreover, the Celestial Emperor's Dao Essence is finite. There are only one hundred and eight spots available to ascend the altar at one time."

"It seems a battle is unavoidable," he murmured, his voice carrying the weight of inevitability.

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod, his gaze calm and unwavering as it settled upon the space before the Celestial Emperor's Altar [the sacred platform where the Celestial Emperor holds court and bestows blessings].

There, arrayed before the altar, stood thousands of formidable warriors from foreign realms. Each radiated an aura of immense power, and among their ranks were not a few who had forged an Indestructible Foundation [a foundational cultivation stage renowned for its near-unbreakable resilience], making them a force that could not be taken lightly.

At the forefront of this host, twelve figures stood apart, their presence dominating the space. All had achieved the True Spirit Foundation [an exalted foundational cultivation stage where one's spiritual essence is purified and solidified into its truest form], marking them as the pinnacle of their generation.

Violet Glow Sword Extreme spoke in a low voice, addressing Eldrin Chen. "I imagine you do not know many of them. Allow me to make the introductions."

"Among these foreign domains," he began, "the True Demon Primal Domain and the Chaos Thunder Tribulation Domain are the most powerful. They have birthed the greatest number of heaven-favored prodigies; six of these twelve hail from those two lands."

"As for the Myriad Demon Primordial Domain, the Chaos Blazing Glory Domain, the Chaos Profound Chill Domain, and the Evil Spirit Primordial Domain... each boasts no more than four or five Chaos Celestial Emperor [supreme rulers who have ascended to rule over chaos-aligned celestial realms]. Their overall strength is thus a notch below."

As Violet Glow Sword Extreme continued his explanations, Eldrin Chen quickly gained a foundational understanding of these twelve foreign True Spirit Prodigies [exceptional cultivators who have mastered the True Spirit Foundation stage].

Of these Six Domains of the Northern Abyss, the True Demon Primal Domain was the strongest. This lineage was supported by a full ten Chaos Demon Sovereign [demon rulers who have attained sovereignty within the chaotic energies of the universe], its depths truly unfathomable.

The Chaos Thunder Tribulation Domain was slightly inferior, yet it still counted seven Chaos Progenitor God [primordial deities born from or ruling over fundamental chaos] among its ranks. Legend held that the Progenitor of this lineage had once, single-handedly, defeated a combined assault from four Chaos Celestial Emperor, making him an entity second only to the Foreign Realm Demon Emperor [the supreme demonic ruler of the foreign realms].

The Evil Spirit Primordial Domain [a primordial realm of chaos and malevolent spirits] ranks third, with five evil-path Chaos Celestial Emperor [supreme rulers born from primordial chaos] presiding. The Origin Domain [the primordial source realm] and the Myriad Demon Primordial Domain [a primordial realm teeming with countless demons] rank fourth, guarded by four Chaos Demon Sovereign [supreme demonic rulers of primordial chaos].

The Chaos Blazing Glory Domain [a domain of primordial chaos and radiant flame] and the Chaos Profound Chill Domain [a domain of primordial chaos and profound frost] are comparable in strength, each having only a single Chaos Progenitor God [a primordial deity who founded a lineage] suppressing their destinies and fortunes, yet the power of both should not be underestimated in the slightest.

Among the twelve prodigies from the Six Domains of the Northern Abyss [the six primordial domains located in the northern abyss] this time, four possess a single True Spirit Foundation [the foundational cultivation stage where one's true spiritual essence is solidified]. They are 'Profound Yin' and 'Demonic Sun' from the True Demon Primal Domain [the primal domain of true demons], 'Soul Refiner' from the Myriad Demon Primordial Domain, and 'Thunderfire Sacred Spirit' from the Chaos Thunder Tribulation Domain [a domain of chaos where thunder tribulations rage].

There are three with a Dual True Spirit Foundation [a rare cultivation foundation solidified with two distinct true spiritual essences]. They are 'Earth Yin' and 'Celestial Fiend' from the Evil Spirit Primordial Domain, and 'Soul Extinguisher' from the Myriad Demon Primordial Domain.

There are also four individuals with Three True Spirit Foundations [an exceedingly rare cultivation foundation solidified with three distinct true spiritual essences]. They are 'Infernal Prison Sacred Lord' from the Chaos Blazing Glory Domain, 'Frost Sparrow Sacred Spirit' from the Chaos Profound Chill Domain, 'Thunder Extreme Sacred Spirit' from the Chaos Thunder Tribulation Domain, and 'Heaven-Slaying Demon Lord' from the True Demon Primal Domain.

The strength of these eleven individuals marks them as prodigies of unprecedented, peerless talent across the ages. Yet, none could stir a tremor of astonishment within Eldrin Chen.

What truly gave Eldrin Chen pause, presenting a formidable challenge, was that final, supreme individual.

That person was clad in robes white as snow, his features so exquisitely handsome they seemed not of the Mortal Dust Realm [the mundane world of mortals]. He stood there in serene stillness, as if he were the very axis of Chaos [the formless primordial state] and Cosmos [the ordered universe].

"You have come."...

The white-robed man murmured, a faint smile gracing his lips as he regarded Eldrin Chen. "I have been waiting for you for a long time."

"It's him! Wasn't he supposed to be dead?"

The moment he saw this figure, Violet Glow Sword Extreme's expression shifted slightly, revealing a trace of shock.

Eldrin Chen frowned slightly and could not help but ask, "What is his origin?"

"During the Late Primordial Era, he was hailed as the foremost figure among the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch—the Three Souls Emperor Lord."

Violet Glow Sword Extreme spoke, his countenance changing as he explained, "Even back in the Primordial Era, he had already cultivated to the realm of Great Perfection of Primordial Emperor Lord. Legend says he was born from the artifact spirit of the Primordial Chaos Three Souls Scripture, a prodigious talent of the Primordial Spirit Lineage."

"The Grand Pot Dao Progenitor once intended to guide him onto the Dao, but he refused, stating his own ambition was to prove the Soul Path Celestial Emperor."

"Later, for reasons unknown, he vanished into the Chaos. Who would have thought he would now have fallen onto the Demonic Path [the path of cultivation that embraces demonic and destructive energies], and even reincarnated to cultivate anew, reaching the Eight Calamities Ancient Immortal Realm."

As Violet Glow Sword Extreme recounted the tale, Eldrin Chen quickly grasped the identity of the figure before them.

It turned out this being was the artifact spirit that escaped after the Primordial Chaos Three Souls Scripture split into the three books of Heaven, Earth, and Man, subsequently embarking on its own path of cultivation. Its talent in the Dao of the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] was peerless throughout the ages, allowing it to cultivate all the way to the Great Perfection of Primordial Emperor Lord realm.

Now, for reasons unknown, it had reincarnated and stepped onto the Demonic Path, crossing paths once more with Eldrin Chen.

"So, you are the reincarnation of a Primordial Chaos Spiritual Treasure Embryo [the nascent form of a supreme treasure born from primordial chaos]. No wonder you recognized this venerable one."

Having his identity revealed by Violet Glow Sword Extreme, Three Souls Emperor Lord showed no surprise. He had once been the complete artifact spirit of a Chaos Spiritual Treasure [a supreme treasure forged in primordial chaos]. Compared to him, Violet Glow Sword Extreme was but a mere child.

Yet, as Three Souls Emperor Lord gazed at Eldrin Chen, a flicker of appreciation shone in his eyes. He gave a slight nod and said, "This venerable one did not hesitate to undergo reincarnation and cultivate anew, waiting through tens of thousands of Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles spanning billions of years], and have finally found the person I sought."

"What a formidable True Spirit Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator, refined to its truest and most potent state]. You truly live up to being a heaven-defying prodigy. By devouring your Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator], the foundation for this venerable one to achieve the Soul Path Celestial Emperor [the supreme realm of a Celestial Emperor who has mastered the Dao of the Soul] shall be firmly laid."

With those words, Three Souls Emperor Lord looked at Eldrin Chen with a faint smile. With a mere flick of his sleeve, he unleashed a palm strike to suppress him.

"Not good!"

A sense of foreboding gripped Eldrin Chen's heart. He immediately channeled all his power into the Primordial Chaos Qi Grasping Hand [a divine technique that manifests a giant hand of primordial chaos energy] to block, but was sent flying by a torrent of overwhelming divine force.

This Three Souls Emperor Lord possessed talent rare since time immemorial. The combat power of his single strike surpassed the limits of the Four True Spirit Foundation [a foundational cultivation stage where one's spiritual essence is refined to its truest form], even reaching the level of the Five Great True Spirit Foundations [the legendary pinnacle of the True Spirit Foundation stage].

"Be careful!"

Witnessing this, Umbralia's expression changed drastically as she urgently warned, "The method of the Primordial Chaos Three Souls Scripture [an ancient and profound scripture detailing the manipulation of the three souls] seizes a person's Heaven, Earth, and Human souls. The Demonic Path Method [a cultivation art belonging to the demonic path] can plunder one's foundational potential. Combined, they can devour your foundational potential and accumulated essence to achieve his own ascension."

Eldrin Chen's heart quaked with profound shock. He immediately channeled the full might of his four True Spirit Foundation to resist. Primordial Chaos Divine Thunder, Primordial Chaos Qi, and Five-Colored Divine Light clashed against the onslaught in a furious, unending storm. In the span of a few breaths, they had already exchanged over thirty blows.

"Three True Spirit Aperture! Excellent, truly excellent!"

Three Souls Emperor Lord revealed a look of pleasant surprise. Using the secret method of the Primordial Chaos Three Souls Scripture, he had preserved a portion of his previous life's foundation before undergoing Samsara [the cycle of death and rebirth]. Though his current cultivation was only at the Eight Calamities Ancient Immortal Realm, he possessed a full six True Spirit Aperture and commanded Six Great True Spirit Divine Abilities.

Now, as Three Souls Emperor Lord unleashed his full power, the Six Paths True Spirit Divine Ability instantly swept across heaven and earth. Each strike carried the power to annihilate all creation, forcefully suppressing Eldrin Chen and driving him back step by step….

In less than a hundred exchanges, Eldrin Chen was forced into a continuous, desperate retreat.

"Damnation!"

Eldrin Chen's expression shifted wildly. This Three Souls Emperor Lord focused solely on his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] foundation, yet his combat prowess was terrifyingly formidable.

The Six Harmonies Formation Runes formed by his six True Spirit Aperture elevated his Primordial Spirit to more than five times the potency of a standard True Spirit Primordial Spirit. Wielding the Six Great True Spirit Divine Abilities with such immense spiritual power, he could effortlessly dominate the eight directions of the world and reign supreme across the nine heavens and ten earths, finding no equal.

"Do not fear. Once I devour your True Spirit Primordial Spirit and your three True Spirit Divine Ability, this venerable one will have hope of glimpsing the realm of the Soul Path Celestial Emperor in the future."

"To become a part of a Soul Path Celestial Emperor is an honor you can be proud of."

Three Souls Emperor Lord's eyes blazed with fervent light, each strike of his True Spirit Divine Ability piercing through the Vast Chaotic Void. Every blow carried a force capable of annihilating all things, surging forth with such might that even Eldrin Chen found it difficult to completely withstand them.

"The Six Harmonies Primordial Spirit Formation Runes [a profound formation pattern that amplifies the power of one's Primordial Spirit], quintupling the power of a True Spirit Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator who has reached the True Spirit Realm]... This is power entirely comparable to that of the Five Great True Spirit Foundations [the five supreme foundational states within the True Spirit Realm]."

"With my current strength, it is also challenging to resist head-on."

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, his gaze revealing an expression of utmost gravity.

Faced with such a qualitative disparity, even Eldrin Chen, whose foundation was hailed as peerless throughout the ages, found it momentarily difficult to confront directly.

It was not that he was not powerful enough, but rather that the Soul Path Secret Art [an esoteric cultivation method focused on the soul] of Three Souls Emperor Lord was far too astonishing. He had preserved the greater part of his foundational essence to reincarnate, even venturing willingly into the Demonic Path [a cultivation path that harnesses demonic energies, often at great risk], all for the purpose of merging the Demonic Path with Soul Path techniques to create a secret art that could plunder another's foundational essence to replenish his own Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator].

With such a profound foundation, he had waited within this Chaos Heavenly Path for tens of thousands of Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles, each spanning billions of years], all for a peerless genius possessing the potential of a Pinnacle Dao Progenitor [a cultivator who has reached the absolute zenith of the Dao Progenitor realm].

Once successful, by plundering the essence of such a formidable foe, his hope of cultivating the Nine Great True Spirit Apertures [the nine supreme spiritual apertures within the True Spirit Realm] would increase dramatically.

According to Three Souls Emperor Lord's estimation, if he could devour Eldrin Chen, he would undoubtedly succeed in cultivating the Seven True Spirit Apertures. Furthermore, the bottlenecks for later cultivating the eighth, and even the ninth, True Spirit Aperture would be significantly lowered.

"BOOM—"

Just as Eldrin Chen and Three Souls Emperor Lord were locked in their fierce duel, the other combatants present also erupted into a world-shaking battle.

A group of True Spirit Prodigies from the Northern and Southern Celestial Abyss clashed together, yet the forces from the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss found themselves at a distinct disadvantage.

For the Northern Abyss Foreign Domain still had eleven True Spirit Prodigies, while the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss only had eight True Spirit Foundation cultivators present: Violet Glow Sword Extreme, Tianxing, Grand Cosmos, Sacred Demon Celestial Lord, Primordial Nine Radiance True Lord, Imperial Confucian, Lyra Jiang, and the Reincarnation Body.

Most crucially, the Six Domains of the Northern Abyss boasted four prodigies with Three True Spirit Foundations: 'Infernal Prison Sacred Lord', 'Frost Sparrow Sacred Spirit', 'Thunder Extreme Sacred Spirit', and 'Heaven-Slaying Demon Lord'. Their top-tier combat power simply overwhelmed by too great a margin.

Thus, from the very outset of this conflict, they were plunged into an absolute disadvantage.

"This is not good,"

Eldrin Chen channeled his entire cultivation base, pushing his combat prowess to the very limits of the four True Spirit Foundation realm. Yet, under the relentless assault of the Three Souls Emperor Lord, he was still forced into a steady retreat. Seeing that resistance remained futile, a trace of urgency finally flickered across his features.

"This cannot continue. The stalemate must be broken to find even a sliver of chance for victory."

Eldrin Chen murmured, a resolute glint hardening within the depths of his eyes.

Suddenly, he unleashed a flurry of divine abilities against the Three Souls Emperor Lord, his demeanor revealing a hint of desperate, life-risking determination….

At this moment, seeing Eldrin Chen prepared to stake his life, Three Souls Emperor Lord revealed a faint smile once more.

After merely three thousand or so exchanges in this battle, he had already grasped the extent of Eldrin Chen's strength and was certain this opponent was no match for him.

This was an absolute disparity, one that could not be bridged by ordinary means unless Eldrin Chen possessed some heaven-defying, ultimate trump card held in reserve.

"It seems my long-cherished wish is finally about to be fulfilled."

Three Souls Emperor Lord murmured inwardly, a ripple of emotion stirring within the depths of his gaze.

In truth, his origins ran far deeper than anyone knew. He was originally the fated Netherworld Dao Progenitor [the destined progenitor of the Netherworld Dao path] of the Three Poles Origin Domain, whose fall was orchestrated by another's machinations while he was still in the process of gestation.

After his demise, his remnant soul fused with the artifact spirit of the Primordial Chaos Three Souls Scripture [a supreme scripture of the primordial chaos concerning the three souls], seeking a wretched chance at survival.

Alas, the one who struck was more formidable than he had imagined. That being, braving the karmic backlash from the Heavenly Dao of the Three Poles Origin, forcibly split the Primordial Chaos Three Souls Scripture into three parts, intending to utterly annihilate his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and true essence of a cultivator's being].

Later, due to the intervention of the Foreign Realm Demon Emperor, he barely managed to preserve a fragment of his Primordial Spirit and embarked once more upon the path of cultivation.

As one born from the artifact spirit of the Primordial Chaos Three Souls Scripture, and as a reincarnated cultivator who was once the Netherworld Dao Progenitor, he was a prodigious genius of the Soul Path. By all logic, he possessed the latent potential to cultivate into a Soul Path Celestial Emperor [a supreme sovereign emperor who has mastered the Dao of the Soul].

Alas, in the beginning, because the Primordial Chaos Three Souls Scripture was split into three parts, his foundation was rendered imperfect. Thus, even after cultivating arduously for over a million Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles], he was still unable to ignite the Seven True Spirit Apertures [the seven apertures of the True Spirit, a critical stage for high-level cultivators], remaining stuck at the ninth layer of the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [the ninth level of the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch realm] with no hope of a breakthrough.

This time, with the support of the Foreign Realm Demon Emperor, he had reincarnated and cultivated anew. He fused the Dao of the Three Souls with the Devouring Great Dao [the Great Dao of Devouring, a supreme law of consumption] controlled by the Foreign Realm Demon Emperor, creating a method to devour the foundations of others to mend his own deficiencies. This was precisely to remedy his inherent flaws.

"This individual's innate talent is more astonishing than that of many Chaos Celestial Emperor. Once he matures, he could become a figure akin to Primordial Genesis [the Primordial Genesis, representing the beginning of all things] or Primordial Beginning [the Primordial Beginning, the origin of creation]."

"Once I devour him, I will certainly be able to mend my foundation. My hopes of proving the Dao and attaining the Soul Path Celestial Emperor [the Celestial Emperor of the Soul Path, a supreme realm] will increase tremendously."

"This venerable one paid a great price and made significant promises to borrow a portion of the Demon Emperor's authority over the Devouring Great Dao. I have only one chance to devour a foundation. I absolutely cannot miss it this time."

Thinking this, the Three Souls Emperor Lord felt his killing intent boil over even more fiercely within his gaze. He commanded the Six Paths True Spirit Divine Ability [the Divine Ability of the Six Paths True Spirit, a supreme combat art] to press down upon Eldrin Chen.

Yet, Eldrin Chen adopted a desperate expression. After fiercely activating his three True Spirit Divine Ability [supreme abilities of the True Spirit] to resist for a mere instant, he suddenly turned and fled into the distance.

"I guessed correctly."

Watching Eldrin Chen attempt to flee, the Three Souls Emperor Lord revealed a smile.

In a flash, he transformed into a streak of light, appearing directly before Eldrin Chen. With a faint, chilling smile, he said, "You cannot escape."

"Now!"

In that very instant, Eldrin Chen suddenly made his move, summoning forth a Nine-Aperture Primordial Chaos Furnace [a legendary divine furnace said to refine chaos itself] to suppress his foe.

The moment he saw the Nine-Aperture Primordial Chaos Furnace, Three Souls Emperor Lord initially paid it little heed. Yet, upon truly discerning the nature of this divine furnace, his expression shifted dramatically into one of utter horror.

"A Root Origin Treasure [a primordial artifact of unimaginable power, born from the very foundations of creation]!"

"This is bad—"

In a flash, Three Souls Emperor Lord had no time to evade. He was struck instantly, sent flying through the air with a spray of blood. Even his Indestructible and Imperishable True Spirit Primordial Spirit [the highest, most resilient form of a cultivator's spiritual core] was nearly extinguished.

"*Cough*—"

With a pained cry, Three Souls Emperor Lord transformed into a streak of light and fled, shooting towards the distant Void [the formless, empty space between realms]. …

As he departed, he cast a look of pure hatred at Eldrin Chen, his heart filled with boundless regret.

He was the reincarnation of an Emperor Lord [a supreme ruler among cultivators], and possessed a unique secret art—the 'Six Paths Reincarnation Heavenly Art' [a supreme technique allowing one to command the power of the six paths of reincarnation]. Once activated, it could harness Six Great True Spirit Divine Abilities [six ultimate divine powers derived from the True Spirit] to sweep across the world, enough to suppress even this Root Origin Treasure.

Alas, grievously wounded as he now was, he could scarcely muster the strength to wield it. At this thought, a surge of bitter resentment filled him. "To think you have already forged a Root Origin Treasure [a foundational magical treasure of immense power, often representing a cultivator's core strength]. Truly, you are the peerless prodigy I foresaw," he uttered with immense reluctance.

"However, being wounded by your ambush was merely a moment of my own carelessness. I still possess world-suppressing arts I have yet to unleash. On the day my Restoration [a supreme divine ability focused on healing and recovery] is complete, I shall return to settle this score."

As his final words faded, Three Souls Emperor Lord had already vanished into the distant horizon.

At the same moment, Eldrin Chen summoned his Root Origin Treasure into the sky. It tore through the air and crashed down upon the Frost Sparrow Sacred Spirit who was besieging Violet Glow Sword Extreme nearby. In an instant, its physical form was utterly annihilated, its very Indestructible Primordial Spirit [the supposedly immortal spiritual core of a high-level cultivator] scattering like dust and ashes.

"Flee! Now!"

Seeing Eldrin Chen unleash such divine might, the other prodigies from the Northern Abyss Foreign Domain were struck with awe. Without hesitation, they transformed into streaks of light, vanishing toward the ends of the earth.

Only after they had all departed did the Nine-Aperture Primordial Chaos Furnace [a supreme divine ability manifesting as a chaotic furnace of creation and destruction] slowly shatter, its essence dissipating into the void between heaven and earth.

Eldrin Chen's face paled further. He staggered, his footing almost failing him, nearly collapsing to the ground.

Lyra Jiang and Nyssa Qu rushed forward immediately, catching him and shielding him behind them. Their expressions turned grave as they scanned their surroundings with utmost vigilance.

"How are you holding up?"

"Nothing too serious,"

Eldrin Chen spoke, his face pale as he said, "It's just that once the Root Origin Treasure [a cultivator's most fundamental and vital magical artifact, tied directly to their life force and cultivation base] is employed, my Primordial Essence [the foundational life energy and vitality of a cultivator] will be severely wounded. Without rare immortal treasures or spiritual medicines, it would likely take me several million years to recover."

"Try this."

The Nine-Colored Immortal Deer hurried over, took out the Nine-Colored Immortal Vase, and poured out the Nine-Colored Immortal Elixir [a legendary pill said to heal nearly any injury, even for the highest immortals] to feed to Eldrin Chen.

Eldrin Chen consumed three large mouthfuls in succession. Instantly, he felt the power of nine great Daos [fundamental cosmic principles or laws] boiling within his body, continuously mending his foundational Primordial Essence and restoring his vitality. In a short time, the greater part of his damaged Primordial Essence was recovered.

Soon, Eldrin Chen opened his eyes and spoke, "This Nine-Colored Immortal Elixir truly lives up to its reputation as a divine medicine said to restore nearly all wounds, even for a Grand Luo Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal who has attained the pinnacle of cultivation]. Its efficacy is indeed extraordinary."

"Now, most of my Primordial Essence has been restored. Unfortunately, I cannot employ the Root Origin Treasure again for some time, or it will damage my very foundation."

Upon hearing this, everyone present wore expressions of worry and distress.

The Primordial Nine Radiance Divine Lord took a deep breath and said, "That Three Souls Emperor Lord is far too powerful. If you cannot wield the Root Origin Treasure, I fear you are no match for him."

Eldrin Chen pondered for a moment before replying, "He was wounded by the Root Origin Treasure, and his injuries are far more severe than mine. Moreover, wounds to the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and consciousness of a cultivator] are the most difficult to recover from. Even if he possesses the most supreme Great Luo Immortal Medicine [medicinal herbs of the highest grade, suitable for Grand Luo immortals], it will likely take him at least one or two hundred thousand years before he regains the strength to fight."

Speaking of this, a shadow of gravity descended upon Eldrin Chen's brow.

Although he had emerged victorious from the recent battle, Eldrin Chen's triumph had been achieved through cunning and guile.

Throughout their direct confrontation, Eldrin Chen had been thoroughly suppressed. The Six Great True Spirit Divine Abilities, empowered by a True Spirit Primordial Spirit [the highest spiritual core of a cultivator], possessed a force that could almost sweep away all opposition. Any other cultivator with four True Spirit Foundation [the perfected foundational cultivation stage] would have been slain long ago.

Even Eldrin Chen himself had been utterly powerless to retaliate against such might....

Had it not been for the crippling blow dealt by his initial ambush, it was doubtful whether even the Root Origin Treasure [a primordial artifact of immense but unstable power] could have secured victory. After all, the power of such a treasure is notoriously unstable, capable of being sustained for only the briefest of moments.

Contemplating this, Eldrin Chen spoke solemnly, "Before his wounds are Restoration [restored/healed], I must achieve a breakthrough and cultivate a True Spirit Magical Power [a supreme magical power derived from the True Spirit Foundation]. Otherwise, I will stand no chance in a direct fight."

As Eldrin Chen spoke these words, his gaze turned towards the Dao Source [the condensed spiritual essence of a cultivator's cultivation path] gathered on the battlefield.

This battle had exacted a heavy toll from all present. Dozens of Ancient Immortal Great Powers [powerful cultivators who have attained the Ancient Immortal realm] from the Southern Abyss had fallen, among them those who had cultivated an Indestructible Foundation [a nearly unbreakable cultivation foundation].

The forces of the Six Domains of the Northern Abyss had also suffered significant losses. Most crucially, Frost Sparrow Sacred Spirit, who had cultivated Three True Spirit Foundations [three perfected foundational cultivation stages], had been slain by Eldrin Chen.

Eldrin Chen directly claimed the Dao Source of Frost Sparrow Sacred Spirit. This fallen foe had cultivated three great True Spirit Foundation, one of which was precisely the True Spirit Magical Power. Absorbing this essence would significantly accelerate Eldrin Chen's own progress in cultivating that same supreme power.

The others, seeing this, also set about clearing the battlefield.

"BOOM—"

Only at this moment did the Celestial Emperor's Altar begin to radiate with streams of light, gradually revealing itself before the assembled crowd.

The instant he saw the Celestial Emperor's Altar, Eldrin Chen spoke, "Do not overthink it. First, ascend the Celestial Emperor's Altar to comprehend the Celestial Emperor's Dao Essence [the profound insights left behind by a Celestial Emperor]. Every step of progress we make will increase our chances against the formidable enemies from the foreign realms."

Seeing his resolve, everyone nodded in agreement.

The Celestial Emperor's Altar had only one hundred and eight slots, yet there were over five hundred prodigies from the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss present. In the end, they decided to determine the slots by combat prowess.

Eldrin Chen naturally needed no discussion, directly claiming the first slot.

Nyssa Qu, Lyra Jiang, the Reincarnation Body [a supreme cultivation physique born from the cycle of reincarnation], and the Nine-Colored Immortal Deer all possessed a True Spirit Foundation [the pinnacle foundation for a cultivator's future path], or were geniuses who had cultivated more than five Indestructible Foundation [an exceptionally stable and powerful cultivation foundation]. Their acquisition of slots was entirely expected.

Umbralia also possessed a top-tier dual Indestructible Foundation, but her victory in this contest was actually quite narrow. She ranked only one hundred and fifth, nearly missing out on a slot.

The truth was, there were simply too many prodigies present. Nearly half of those who could ascend the platform were geniuses with three or more Indestructible Foundation. Those with only a dual foundation truly could not claim a guaranteed entry.

Returning to the main narrative, as the assembly ascended the platform, the Celestial Emperor's Altar was instantly bathed in a deluge of Celestial Immortal light [the radiant aura of a being who has ascended to the highest echelons of cultivation].

As the gathered cultivators looked out, they saw three thousand wisps of Celestial Emperor's Dao Essence [the condensed, fundamental truths of the universe left behind by a Celestial Emperor] materialize, hovering before each of them.

Without hesitation, Eldrin Chen drew in a deep breath. Instantly, nearly a thousand strands of the Celestial Emperor's Dao Essence surged toward him like moths drawn to a celestial flame.

"Hmmmm—"

As the Celestial Emperor's Dao Essence merged with his being, Eldrin Chen was struck by a deafening, resonant hum. Visions of World Creation [the primordial act of cosmic genesis] unfolded within the depths of his consciousness.