Chapter 1919 : An Imperial Lord's Unexpected Visit

Exquisite Jiang's Great Encompassing Immortal Banquet [a grand celebration marking a significant milestone in an immortal's cultivation journey] lasted for three thousand years.

After her immortal banquet concluded, the Immortal Court [the celestial governing body of the immortal realms] also hosted a Great Encompassing Immortal Banquet for Nyssa Qu and Gentle Deer.

Nyssa Qu's Great Encompassing Immortal Banquet proceeded without incident, but during Gentle Deer's celebration, a most distinguished and unexpected guest arrived.

The visitor was none other than the 'Violet Radiance Imperial Lord' of the Immortal Deer Clan [a powerful clan of immortal deer spirits], a supreme figure whose cultivation had reached the early stage of the Primordial One Imperial Lord [the first major realm among the Imperial Lord ranks, signifying immense power].

The Immortal Deer Clan boasts three Primordial One Imperial Lord. Their strongest, the Nine Luminaries Imperial Lord, is an existence at the Great Perfection Primordial One Imperial Lord [the pinnacle of the Primordial One Imperial Lord realm], with strength ranking within the top ten among the Hundred Immortal Spirit Races [a collective term for the hundred most powerful spirit beast clans].

Facing this Violet Radiance Imperial Lord, Eldrin Chen dared not show the slightest discourtesy and respectfully ushered him to the seat of highest honor.

After the immortal banquet concluded, the Violet Radiance Imperial Lord, Eldrin Chen, Gentle Deer, and others retired to a secluded immortal hall. The Imperial Lord then looked at Eldrin Chen with a smile and said, "I heard that Immortal Lord Jade Deer originates from our Immortal Deer Clan. Seeing her now, the rumor appears to be true."

Eldrin Chen offered no concealment. "Gentle Deer was transformed from a Chaos Saint Spirit [a primordial spirit born from the chaos of creation]. I discovered her long ago within the depths of the Chaos Heaven Abyss [a primordial and perilous chasm of chaotic energies]."

The Violet Radiance Imperial Lord nodded thoughtfully, then turned his gaze to Gentle Deer. "You, too, are an immortal deer who has taken human form. Would you be willing to join our Immortal Deer Clan?"

Gentle Deer heard this and glanced at Eldrin Chen before replying, "I have already sworn a binding oath [a magical pact of loyalty and service] to follow by his side and serve as the guardian sacred beast of the Returning Abyss Immortal Domain [the immortal domain ruled by Eldrin Chen]. I fear I cannot depart for the Immortal Deer Clan."

Hearing her words, Violet Radiance Imperial Lord gave a slight nod.

In truth, from the very beginning, he held little hope that his invitation for Gentle Deer to join the Immortal Deer Clan would succeed. After all, she had no prior connection to the clan, and her breakthrough to the Great Encompassing realm had been achieved without their support.

His invitation was merely a tentative attempt.

Now, seeing Gentle Deer's reluctance, Violet Radiance Imperial Lord smiled and said, "Each has their own path; I will not force the matter."

"Nevertheless, you are kin to our Immortal Deer Clan. Please accept this gift as a token of our congratulations."

Violet Radiance Imperial Lord did not press further. Before departing, he presented a generous gift to Gentle Deer as a congratulatory offering.

"..."

With the departure of Violet Radiance Imperial Lord, the Great Encompassing Immortal Banquet thus drew to a close.

The group returned to the Returning Abyss Immortal Domain and gathered within Eldrin Chen's Grotto-Heaven to take stock of the gains from their recent ascensions to the Great Encompassing realm.

With three of them having advanced, each had received valuable congratulatory gifts during the Great Encompassing Immortal Banquet.

As for Nyssa Qu, there is little need for elaboration. The Sun, Moon, and Star Divine Pearls she received were all Upper Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure [the highest tier of treasures born from the world's primal energies]. Such congratulatory gifts could be considered precious even for a Late Stage Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal who has attained the late stage of the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal realm].

Gentle Deer also received a fair number of gifts, though the vast majority were rather ordinary. Only the congratulatory gift sent by Violet Radiance Imperial Lord could be deemed truly valuable.

It was a Nine-Colored Immortal Sword, an Innate Spiritual Treasure [a treasure born from the world's primal energies] forged by the Primordial Ancestor of the Nine-Colored Immortal Deer in his early years. Although its grade was only that of a Mid-Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, its power approached the domain of an Upper Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure.

With this Rare Spiritual Wonder [an object of profound spiritual power and rarity] in hand, Gentle Deer's combat prowess would see a significant boost, granting her the ability to put up a fight, however tenuous, even against an opponent at the fourth level of Great Encompassing Golden Immortal.

As for Exquisite Jiang, the congratulatory gifts she received were nothing short of astonishing.

After a brief tally, Eldrin Chen discovered over one hundred Great Encompassing Rare Treasure [extremely rare treasures of the Great Encompassing realm], while Supreme Grade Innate Rare Treasure [the supreme grade of innate rare treasures] numbered in the tens of thousands.

Setting aside the treasures sent by the several Divine Sovereign Heavenly Emperor [supreme rulers who are both Divine Sovereigns and Heavenly Emperors], the most precious among them was a set of One to Seven Apertures Divine Stone. This was a lavish gift sent by the Primordial Qilin Ancestor.

Having inventoried these treasures, Eldrin Chen turned his gaze to the final four jade boxes. "I wonder what treasures the Divine Sovereign Heavenly Emperor have sent," he mused aloud.

"We shall see soon enough,"

Exquisite Jiang replied calmly, then proceeded to open the four jade boxes one by one.

Eldrin Chen focused his gaze and saw that what the Primordial Beginning Divine Sovereign [the Divine Sovereign representing the primordial beginning of all things] had sent was a single Lotus Seed [a seed from a sacred lotus plant, often containing immense spiritual power], while the Purple Tenuity Divine Sovereign [the Divine Sovereign of the Purple Tenuity constellation, associated with imperial authority and destiny] had sent an ancient scroll. The Great Abyss Immortal Sage [a sage of profound and unfathomable depth] had delivered a vial of Immortal Pill [a supreme elixir forged with immortal techniques], and the gift from the Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor [the Ancestor who embodies the genesis of all paths and principles] was three leaves.

"A Primordial Beginning Lotus Seed, a Purple Tenuity Ancient Scroll, a Great Path Immortal Pill, and Path Hearing Ancient Leaves."

Surveying these treasures before them, Exquisite Jiang spoke slowly, revealing their origins.

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen's heart stirred with awe. The offerings from these four Divine Sovereign Path Ancestors were truly extraordinary, each one a peerless treasure beyond compare.

Among the four treasures, the Primordial Beginning Lotus Seed was borne from the Chaos Spiritual Root [a spiritual root born from primordial chaos, the source of all creation] known as the Primordial Beginning Immortal Lotus, placing it among the ranks of Chaos Rare Treasures [objects of supreme rarity born from the primordial chaos].

It was said that a cultivator at the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal Great Perfection realm [the pinnacle of the Golden Immortal stage, where one's power encompasses all] who consumed a Primordial Beginning Lotus Seed could increase their chances of breaking through to the Primordial One Imperial Lord realm [the first and foundational stage of the Imperial Lord realm] by thirty percent.

If this Primordial Beginning Lotus Seed were planted and allowed to mature, it would transform into the Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Root [the highest grade of spiritual root, innately born with supreme potential] known as the 'World-Cleansing White Lotus'.

The Purple Tenuity Ancient Scroll sent by the Purple Tenuity Divine Sovereign was an ancient tome of the Way of Celestial Mechanism [the Dao of heavenly calculations and fate]. The Ziwei Astrology [the supreme art of stellar divination associated with the Purple Tenuity constellation] recorded within it was hailed as the foremost Celestial Mechanism Divine Ability [a supernatural power based on calculating heavenly patterns and fate] across the Three Thousand Immortal Domains [the collective name for the myriad realms of immortals]. Once mastered, it could grant glimpses into the Future [a personification or concept of what is to come], rendering its user virtually undefeatable.

The Path Hearing Ancient Leaves came from the Chaos Spiritual Root known as the Ancient Tree of Path Hearing. These leaves could enhance a cultivator's comprehension. Holding them while contemplating the Great Path [the fundamental laws and principles of the cosmos] would allow one's mastery of the Great Path to advance by leaps and bounds.

While the Great Path Immortal Pill held the lowest value among the four, it was nonetheless a top-tier treasure for cultivating the Great Path.

For a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal who has attained the pinnacle of the Great Encompassing realm], consuming a single Great Path Immortal Pill [a legendary pill that grants profound insights into the fundamental laws of existence] would cause their comprehension of the Great Path [the fundamental laws and principles that govern all of creation] to advance by leaps and bounds, saving them hundreds of millions, or even billions, of years of arduous cultivation.

For those Great Encompassing Golden Immortal who have been trapped at the third level of the realm, unable to progress even a single step further, such a pill is nothing short of a lifeline. Upon consuming it, they would very likely break through to the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal Mid Stage [the middle stage of the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal realm].

The reason White Lotus Old Mother [an ancient and powerful cultivator known by this title] had betrayed her own disciple in exchange for favor was precisely for the sake of obtaining one such Great Path Immortal Pill.

A treasure of such caliber is naturally of immense value, with a single pill worth more than five strands of Innate Indestructibility Spirit Light [a primordial and unbreakable spiritual radiance, a material of supreme rarity].

Yet, Great Abyss Immortal Sage [a venerable sage of profound power] had sent an entire vial at once, containing a full nine Great Path Immortal Pill. This would be sufficient for an ordinary Great Encompassing Golden Immortal to cultivate all the way to the late stages of the Great Encompassing [the Great Encompassing realm].

"It seems these four hold you in exceptionally high regard,"

Eldrin Chen remarked with a sigh, gazing upon the four Rare Spiritual Wonders [objects of profound spiritual power and rarity].

Although the Primordial Chaos Verdant Lotus Seed [a seed born from the primordial chaos, containing the essence of a verdant lotus] that Eldrin Chen had obtained back then was of even greater intrinsic value, it was a lifeless, dormant seed. In anyone else's hands, it would likely have been worthless.

Exquisite Jiang [Jiang the Exquisite] merely smiled. She tossed the Purple Tenuity Ancient Scroll [an ancient scroll containing profound mysteries of the Purple Tenuity constellation] and the Primordial Beginning Lotus Seed [a seed embodying the concept of the primordial beginning] to Eldrin Chen, then took one of the three Path Hearing Ancient Leaf [an ancient leaf that allows one to 'hear' or comprehend the whispers of the Great Path] and handed it to him as well. Only then did she ask, "How do you plan to distribute the remaining treasures?"

Eldrin Chen pondered for a moment before replying, "We shall each take one of the Path Hearing Ancient Leaves. The remaining one will be placed in the Clan Treasury [the repository for the clan's most valuable resources], for other clan members to use in rotation."

"Only nine Great Path Immortal Pill [a supreme-grade pill that aids in comprehending the Great Dao] remain. We shall keep them for future use when we encounter cultivation bottlenecks."

Exquisite Jiang [the matriarch of the Chen Clan, a powerful cultivator] nodded upon hearing this and, as was customary, arranged for the distribution of these resources.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen [the patriarch of the Chen Clan, a formidable sword cultivator] spoke up, "My Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator, representing a high stage of cultivation] cultivation is nearing the brink of a breakthrough. It is time for me to enter seclusion and see if I can advance both my Primordial Spirit and my overall cultivation base."

"The defense of the Three Immortal Domains [a collective term for three major immortal territories under the Chen Clan's protection] and the hunting expeditions in the new territories will require your diligent oversight."

Exquisite Jiang nodded with a smile, replying, "Focus on your breakthrough with peace of mind. We will manage the clan and the Three Immortal Domains."

"Then I am at ease."

With no further words, Eldrin Chen set his worries aside and stepped into the Seclusion Chamber [a specially constructed chamber for undisturbed meditation and cultivation].

Upon entering the Seclusion Chamber, he immediately retrieved a large quantity of Innate Soul Nourishing Wood [a rare spiritual wood that naturally nourishes and strengthens the soul] and even brought out a batch of Heaven Soul Fruit [a celestial fruit that greatly enhances spiritual power and soul essence] to refine.

With his full focus on seclusion, the rate at which he refined the Heaven Soul Fruit and the Soul Nourishing Wood [another term for Innate Soul Nourishing Wood], along with other Rare Spiritual Wonders [exceptionally rare natural treasures imbued with potent spiritual energy], increased by a significant margin.

Under these conditions, Eldrin Chen's Primordial Spirit cultivation, which had already reached its previous limits, finally began to approach a critical tipping point.

As time flowed swiftly onward, hundreds of thousands of years passed in the blink of an eye. On a certain day, Eldrin Chen's Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] finally reached its absolute limit, shattering through its original critical threshold.

"BOOM—"

A deafening roar echoed as Eldrin Chen's Primordial Spirit completed its breakthrough, ascending to the second layer of the Great Encompassing Primordial Spirit [a profound cultivation art for refining the Primordial Spirit].

After the breakthrough, Eldrin Chen felt the power of his Primordial Spirit surge by approximately fifty percent, marking another monumental leap in his strength.

"I've broken through."

Eldrin Chen murmured to himself, a faint smile gracing his lips.

He could sense that in his current state, merely channeling the Five True Spirit Divine Abilities [a set of five supreme divine abilities] with the power of his Primordial Spirit alone should grant him combat prowess comparable to a fourth-layer Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a supreme cultivation realm beyond the Primordial Spirit].

With a second-layer Great Encompassing [referring to the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal realm] physical body and Primordial Spirit, augmented by the power of the Primordial Chaos Great Path [the supreme Dao of Primordial Chaos], Eldrin Chen's strength had even surpassed the combat power of a sixth-layer Great Encompassing Golden Immortal.

Of course, the gap in power between the seventh and sixth layers of Great Encompassing Golden Immortal was immense. Eldrin Chen's base combat power likely still fell short of reaching the level of a Late Stage Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a cultivator at the peak of the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal realm].

Nevertheless, despite this progress, Eldrin Chen still did not emerge from his secluded cultivation.

He examined his own being, then spoke aloud, "The cultivation of the Great Path [a supreme cultivation art focused on comprehending the fundamental laws of existence] should also see a breakthrough."

Indeed, after over one hundred million years of arduous cultivation, Eldrin Chen's physical body and Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] had already broken through to the second layer of the Great Encompassing [the Golden Immortal realm, a stage of profound power and comprehension]. His primary cultivation art, the Great Path, was also not far from reaching its own second layer within that same realm.

The Path of Path Mastery [a cultivation art focused on mastering the fundamental principles of cultivation itself] required fewer resources. Even without significant external aids, Eldrin Chen was confident he could break through to the second layer of Great Encompassing within the next several million years.

Now, with the Path Hearing Ancient Leaf [a legendary herb that grants profound insights into the Dao] in his possession, Eldrin Chen felt a measure of certainty about achieving a breakthrough in his Great Path cultivation to the second layer.

Eldrin Chen retrieved the Path Hearing Ancient Leaf and began to use it to contemplate the mysteries of the Great Path. In an instant, he was plunged into a state of profound enlightenment.

While both were called enlightenment, the enlightenment of a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a Golden Immortal of the Great Encompassing realm] was incomparable to that of a lower-tier immortal. As Eldrin Chen's enlightenment deepened, his mastery of the Great Path advanced by leaps and bounds. In a mere several hundred thousand years, the breakthrough was complete.

"Second Layer Great Encompassing Golden Immortal,"

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, slowly awakening from his secluded cultivation.

After sensing the power now circulating within him, Eldrin Chen let out a slow, relieved breath.

He had a feeling that in his current state, if he employed all his conventional methods to their fullest, he might just barely be able to contend with a powerhouse at the Seventh Layer Great Encompassing Golden Immortal level.

If he were to unleash his Forbidden Divine Ability [a supreme, world-shaking technique often with severe consequences for the user], he would even have the potential to slay a Seventh Layer Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a cultivator at the seventh level of the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal realm]. At the very least, he could force a Late Stage Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a cultivator at the peak of the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal realm] to reveal their own Forbidden Divine Ability [a supreme, world-shaking technique often with severe consequences for the user].

"Not bad. This period of secluded cultivation has yielded significant gains."

With this thought, Eldrin Chen emerged from his Seclusion Chamber [a specially prepared chamber for undisturbed meditation and cultivation].

Beside his cave abode, Exquisite Jiang was currently immersed in deep cultivation. Seeing Eldrin Chen emerge from his seclusion, she couldn't help but smile and say, "It seems you have made a breakthrough."

"Mhm."

Eldrin Chen nodded, drawing her into his embrace. "With this cultivation breakthrough, I won't be entering seclusion again for now. From now on, I will accompany you in your daily cultivation."

Leaning against him, Exquisite Jiang enjoyed the moment of warmth before presenting a ledger to Eldrin Chen. "Recently, I tallied the assets of our clan and the Immortal Alliance [a coalition of immortal cultivators and sects]. I've found our resources still face a significant shortfall. I fear they may not be sufficient for our cultivation needs."

"I was thinking... perhaps we should temporarily set aside the cultivation of our physical bodies and Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and highest essence of a cultivator's being], and focus our resources on comprehending the Great Path [the fundamental laws and principles of the cosmos, the ultimate goal of cultivation] to concentrate resources for your breakthrough."

Eldrin Chen glanced at the ledger, a slight frown creasing his brow.

Although the current Returning Abyss Immortal Alliance now possessed the Three Immortal Domains [three vast, spiritually rich territories], expanding its hunting grounds severalfold and multiplying its resource output, it still seemed to be operating at a deficit, its income failing to cover its expenditures.

According to the ledger's calculations, within the hunting grounds of the Three Immortal Domains, each Kalpa Tribulation [a grand cosmic cycle] can yield approximately eight million strands of Innate Energy [the primordial energy of creation].

Nurturing a single Chaos Beast King [a primordial beast king born from chaos] costs roughly ten strands of Innate Energy, which can then be refined into three Ten Revolutions Immortal Pill [an immortal pill refined through ten cycles of heavenly fire].

These eight million strands of Innate Energy could theoretically produce two million four hundred thousand Ten Revolutions Immortal Pill. This number seems substantial indeed, more than sufficient for Eldrin Chen to cultivate to the third level of Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [the Golden Immortal realm of the Great Encompassing stage].

However, Innate Energy cannot be used solely for physical cultivation. A portion must also be allocated to nurture the Supreme Grade Innate Soul Nourishing Wood [a supreme-grade spiritual wood that nourishes the Primordial Spirit] required for Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] cultivation.

A single stalk of Supreme Grade Innate Soul Nourishing Wood requires twenty-four strands of Innate Energy. A single cultivation session for Eldrin Chen consumes several thousand stalks, a truly staggering expenditure.

Therefore, half of these eight million strands of Innate Energy must be reserved for cultivating the Supreme Grade Innate Soul Nourishing Wood.

Calculated this way, the output from one Kalpa Tribulation amounts to roughly one million two hundred thousand Ten Revolutions Immortal Pill, plus over one hundred sixty thousand stalks of Supreme Grade Innate Soul Nourishing Wood.

These resources would indeed be plentiful, even excessive, if allocated to Eldrin Chen alone.

Yet, the current Chen Immortal Clan boasts four Great Encompassing Golden Immortal. Averaged out, each receives a mere three hundred thousand Ten Revolutions Immortal Pill and forty thousand stalks of Supreme Grade Innate Soul Nourishing Wood.

Furthermore, cultivation at the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal level is not sustained by these two resources alone; it requires a myriad of other auxiliary cultivation materials.

Furthermore, within the Three Immortal Domains [the three primary realms of the immortal world], there are vast numbers of Immortal [beings who have ascended to immortality] who require cultivation resources, and salaries must also be disbursed to the Celestial Soldiers and Generals [the celestial army] and disciples of the Cosmos Realm [a high cultivation realm]. This necessitates a further reduction in the available amount.

Therefore, the final calculation by Exquisite Jiang revealed that the current Returning Abyss Immortal Alliance simply cannot sustain the full cultivation efforts of four Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [Golden Immortals of the Great Encompassing Realm].

"It seems the matter of cultivation resources is indeed somewhat troublesome,"

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly. After a moment's silence, he shook his head and said, "If a cultivator's foundational aspects are not maintained in balance, they will begin to suppress one another. Attempting to shore up deficiencies after breaking through to the late Great Encompassing stage would consume vastly more time and resources."

Hearing this, Exquisite Jiang could not help but frown slightly. "Yet we have no other viable solution," she inquired.

Eldrin Chen pondered briefly before speaking. "Our Great Encompassing Immortal Banquet [the grand feast celebrating their ascension] garnered many generous gifts, a significant portion of which are of little use to us."

"We should exchange Supreme Grade Innate Rare Treasure [treasures of the highest innate grade] for Innate Energy [the primordial energy of creation]. Selling off some of the unneeded Great Encompassing Rare Treasure [rare treasures of the Great Encompassing Realm] should sustain us for several tens of millions of years."

Exquisite Jiang nodded in agreement. Their ascension to the Great Encompassing realm had indeed brought a flood of congratulatory gifts.

Among them were over a million pieces of Innate Rare Treasure [treasures born of innate energy] of various grades, and several hundred portions of Great Encompassing Rare Treasure alone.

Calculating conservatively, with each portion of Great Encompassing Rare Treasure valued at a minimum of ten thousand units of Innate Energy, the total worth of these gifts alone surpassed several million units of Innate Energy.

With this thought, Exquisite Jiang could not help but look towards Eldrin Chen and inquire, "Should we elevate some Innate Spiritual Root [a plant's foundational spiritual quality, determining its potential] to prepare for unforeseen needs?"

Eldrin Chen pondered briefly. Over the one hundred and ten million years of his cultivation journey, he had accumulated eighteen strands of Innate Indestructibility Spirit Light [a primal, unbreakable spiritual radiance]. Aside from the eleven he had already used, he still possessed seven Innate Primordial Chaos Divine Spark [a divine fragment of primordial chaos, containing immense creative power].

Given the Creation [the act of bringing something into existence] power inherent in the Innate Primordial Chaos Divine Spark, it could bypass bottlenecks to elevate an Innate Spiritual Root. It was indeed worth considering nurturing a few Innate Indestructibility Spiritual Root [spiritual plants possessing innate, unbreakable qualities].

Thus, after careful deliberation, Eldrin Chen asked Exquisite Jiang, "I possess quite a few Supreme Grade Innate Ancient Tree [ancient trees of the highest innate grade]. Which ones do you think should be elevated?"

"The Enlightenment Tea Tree [a mystical tree whose leaves can induce profound insights] can grant sudden enlightenment. It is a treasure even for Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal realm] and can help Ancient Immortal Great Power [an immensely powerful ancient immortal] deepen their foundation. It should be the first priority for elevation."

Exquisite Jiang stated without hesitation.

Eldrin Chen nodded in agreement. The value of the Enlightenment Tea Tree was self-evident, a truth he understood perfectly well.

Seeing this, Exquisite Jiang continued, "The Seven Treasures Gourd Vine [a vine bearing gourds of seven different mystical properties] possesses formidable power, and the Eight Trigrams Treasure Tree [a tree embodying the eight trigrams, a source of profound divinatory power] is also a supreme treasure. They should be prioritized for elevation to Innate Spiritual Root."

Eldrin Chen nodded once more. In the past, he had promised to aid the Seven Treasures Gourd Vine in its ascension to Innate Spiritual Root. Now was indeed the time to fulfill that pledge.

At that moment, Exquisite Jiang spoke again, "As for the remainder, if you wish to elevate more, I believe the focus should be on those that primarily assist cultivation."

"Items to aid cultivation?"

Eldrin Chen pondered for a moment, beginning to consider which Spiritual Root [the foundational spiritual affinity that determines a cultivator's potential and cultivation speed] to enhance for his practice.

Within his Returning Abyss Immortal Domain [a personal pocket realm or domain created and controlled by a powerful immortal], Worldly Spiritual Root [Spiritual Roots of a lower, earthly grade] were countless, and among them, many could accelerate cultivation progress. However, the vast majority were geared towards increasing spiritual power [the raw energy used to cast spells and techniques].

Yet, Eldrin Chen's primary path forward lay in Fleshly Body Sanctification [the art of refining and strengthening the physical body to an indestructible state] and Primordial Spirit Path Attainment [the art of cultivating and elevating one's Primordial Spirit, the core of consciousness and spiritual power]. Therefore, the Spiritual Roots he chose to nurture could only be considered with these two aspects in mind.

After much deliberation, Eldrin Chen finally settled on one option: advancing the Heaven Soul Fruit Tree [a miraculous tree whose fruit nourishes and strengthens the Primordial Spirit].

The Heaven Soul Fruit Tree was a supreme treasure for Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and highest form of a cultivator's consciousness] cultivation. Once it ascended to an Innate Spiritual Root [a Spiritual Root of the highest, heaven-born grade, possessing immense natural power], it might even prove useful for a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal realm representing the pinnacle of cultivation].

As for treasures to aid physical body cultivation, Eldrin Chen ultimately found no suitable candidates. Physical cultivation emphasized Vitality [the life force and robust essence of the physical form]. It was difficult for Innate Spiritual Root, as plant-based Rare Spiritual Wonders [extraordinary natural objects imbued with potent spiritual energy], to fulfill this requirement.

The Great Encompassing Golden Bamboo Shoot [a legendary shoot from a supreme bamboo], which was the evolved form of the Primordial Unity Golden Bamboo [a primordial bamboo of unity], could indeed achieve this. However, the Great Encompassing Golden Bamboo Shoot was a Great Encompassing Rare Treasure [a treasure of the highest rarity and power, often unique]. Its effect was similar to a Ten Revolutions Immortal Pill [a supreme elixir refined through ten cycles, granting immense power], yet its value was far greater. Using it as a mere replacement for the Ten Revolutions Immortal Pill was simply not cost-effective.

"Then these five it shall be: the Seven Treasures Gourd [a gourd containing seven different magical treasures], the Eight Trigrams Treasure Tree [a tree whose form and essence embody the Eight Trigrams, a fundamental Daoist cosmological diagram], the Enlightenment Tea Tree [a tree whose leaves brew tea that aids in comprehension and spiritual insight], the Heaven Soul Fruit Tree, and finally, the Flat Peach Tree [the Peach of Immortality tree from celestial mythology]."

Eldrin Chen thought it over and, in the end, added the Flat Peach Tree to the list.

The Flat Peach produced by the Flat Peach Tree primarily enhance one's magical power [the reservoir of energy used to cast spells and techniques], which was not the most urgent need for Eldrin Chen. However, as the first Worldly Spiritual Root [a plant of profound spiritual significance that can evolve] Eldrin Chen ever obtained, this tree shared the deepest bond with him and became one of the first to ascend to the rank of Innate Spiritual Root [a primordial, heaven-born spiritual plant of supreme grade].

Having made his decision, Eldrin Chen immediately proceeded to elevate the five ancient trees.

Upon completion of their ascension, the Seven Treasures Gourd transformed into a set of Innate Spiritual Treasure [a treasure born from the primordial chaos, possessing innate laws and immense power].

Although this Seven Treasures Gourd was merely a Lower Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, its potency was nothing short of astonishing, making it the perfect treasure for cultivating the Eleventh Limit Spiritual Treasure Heavenly Pass [a legendary and nearly impossible-to-achieve stage in the refinement of spiritual treasures].

The Enlightenment Tea Tree also became an Innate Spiritual Root. According to Eldrin Chen's estimation, henceforth, the Enlightenment Tea Tree would mature once every Kalpa Tribulation [a grand cosmic cycle spanning billions of years], each time yielding over three thousand leaves.

For a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal who has comprehended the grand laws of heaven and earth], brewing a pot of this tea could sustain a prolonged state of profound enlightenment [a sudden, deep comprehension of the Dao].

However, when Eldrin Chen tried it, perhaps due to his own innate comprehension being already exceedingly high, the boost from the Enlightenment Tea Tree was only marginal for him, temporarily increasing his enlightenment aptitude by roughly thirty percent.

The Flat Peach Tree also bore fruit once per Kalpa Tribulation, yielding only nine peaches each time. Yet, each peach was a peerless immortal fruit; consuming one could equate to the magical power cultivation [the process of accumulating and refining one's core energy] achieved over an entire Kalpa Tribulation.

The Heaven Soul Fruit Tree was the same, producing nine fruits every Kalpa Tribulation. Consuming one could also advance one's Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and true essence of a high-level cultivator] cultivation by the equivalent of a Kalpa Tribulation.

With their ascension, both the Flat Peach tree and the Heaven Soul Fruit Tree had gained such divine properties, capable of saving Eldrin Chen vast amounts of cultivation time.

However, consuming them also comes with certain limitations. In the early Great Encompassing [the foundational stage of the Great Encompassing realm] stage, a cultivator can ingest at most three fruits per Kalpa Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of immense duration]. In the mid Great Encompassing stage, one can ingest six, and in the Late Stage Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [the advanced stage of the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal realm] stage, a cultivator can refine nine fruits within a single Kalpa Tribulation.

Moreover, the innate essence of both the Flat Peach [a legendary peach of immortality] tree and the Heaven Soul Fruit Tree [a divine tree bearing fruits that nourish the soul] is astonishingly profound. The power of the Upper Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure [a top-tier treasure born from primordial chaos] Primordial Energy Vase of Heaven and Earth [a vase that condenses the primordial energies of creation] was actually insufficient to accelerate the maturation of these two Innate Spiritual Root [a plant born from the primordial essence of heaven and earth].

"It seems we must elevate the Primordial Energy Vase of Heaven and Earth to the rank of a Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure [the pinnacle grade of treasures born from primordial chaos] as soon as possible," Eldrin Chen mused.

Finally, after comprehending the power contained within the five Innate Spiritual Root, a faint smile touched Eldrin Chen's lips.

He retrieved the eight Innate Primordial Essence [the fundamental, unadulterated energy of creation] fruits that had grown from the Eight Trigrams Treasure Tree [a divine tree whose structure embodies the Eight Trigrams], and turning to Exquisite Jiang, he said, "Our son, Worthy Remembrance, has been studying under the Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor [the Ancestor who embodies the Primordial Beginning of all Paths] these years. As his parents, there is little we can do to aid him directly."

"This [the eight fundamental symbols representing all phenomena in the universe] essence is a supreme treasure for his cultivation. It can even be forged into a Lifebound Supreme Treasure [a treasure intimately bound to a cultivator's life and soul]. We shall send it to the Primordial Genesis Ancestral Court [the ancestral court of the Primordial Genesis lineage] for him."

Exquisite Jiang nodded in agreement. "With this treasure, Worthy Remembrance's breakthrough to the Great Encompassing realm is assured," she affirmed.

Seeing her agreement, Eldrin Chen said no more. He took the essence, along with the two remaining strands of Innate Indestructibility Spirit Light [a primordial light embodying the concept of indestructibility] that Exquisite Jiang possessed, and departed for the Primordial Immortal Domain [the domain of the Primordial Immortals].

Upon returning to the Primordial Immortal Domain, Eldrin Chen's first act was to pay his respects to the Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor [the Great Emperor who rules over the Obsidian Abyss] and repay the two strands of Innate Indestructibility Spirit Light. Afterwards, he made his way to the Primordial Genesis Ancestral Court.

This was Eldrin Chen's first visit to the Primordial Genesis Ancestral Court, and he conducted himself with the utmost solemnity and reverence.

Within a Great Hall of the Primordial Genesis Ancestral Court, Eldrin Chen met with Worthy Remembrance Chen. He presented the Eight Trigrams Primordial Essence [the primordial source essence of the Eight Trigrams, representing the fundamental forces of the cosmos] to Worthy Remembrance Chen and only then realized that Worthy Remembrance Chen's cultivation had remained at the realm of an Eight Tribulations Ancient Immortal, yet his strength was far greater than it had been in the past.

Worthy Remembrance Chen seemed to understand Eldrin Chen's confusion and immediately said, "My teacher instructed me to temper my foundation, not to rush my breakthrough."

Eldrin Chen nodded and inquired, "Might I pay my respects to the Path Ancestor Senior?"

Worthy Remembrance Chen shook his head, however, and then spoke, "My teacher has been wandering the Chaos for many years and has not been at the Primordial Genesis Ancestral Court for a long time."

Eldrin Chen understood. Since creating the modern cultivation method, the Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor had ceaselessly traveled the Chaos to spread and establish the Immortal Domain Art.

For every cultivator who ascended to Great Encompassing using the modern method, a strand of Fortune Power [a metaphysical force representing destiny and good fortune] would, through unseen connections, flow to the Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor. This was the key to whether he could step into a higher realm.

Therefore, for these tens of thousands of Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles spanning billions of years], the Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor had rarely remained within the Primordial Immortal Domain. He had divided countless avatars to roam the Chaos and the Myriad Heavens.

Indeed, for the last several hundred Kalpa Tribulation, the Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor had spent most of his time beyond the Southern Abyss Seven Domains, solely to carry the Immortal Domain Art to more distant reaches of the Chaos.

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen could not help but speak with reverence, "To spread the Dharma throughout the Myriad Heavens and open the path of immortality for all living beings, Senior Primordial Genesis truly possesses immeasurable Merit [a metaphysical 'currency' representing good karma and virtuous deeds]."