Chapter 1978 : The Ant Emperor's Unyielding Integrity

"Ant Celestial Emperor."

Recalling the tales of Ant Celestial Emperor, Eldrin Chen felt a stirring of admiration and longing within his heart.

From a being as insignificant as an ant to the Chaos Ant Celestial Emperor who commanded awe across the Chaos Sea, this Celestial Emperor's life was a legend even within the vast annals of Chaos.

It had to be admitted that within the entire Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss, the Ant Celestial Emperor was an exceptionally unique figure.

This was not only because his combat prowess, the Force Extreme, ranked among the top five in the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss, but most crucially, because the Ant Celestial Emperor possessed immense personal charisma.

It was said that the Ant Celestial Emperor never bullied the weak; he even forbade his own descendants from using their strength to oppress others. Yet, if others tried to bully the weak with their greater power, he was always inclined to intervene and set things right.

However, if it was a fair duel between equals in realm, then even if his own direct son perished at another's hands, he would never interfere, nor would he seek revenge afterward.

Throughout the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss, all the Grand Luo Golden Immortal powers knew of the Ant Celestial Emperor's unwavering integrity and impartiality, and thus held him in the highest esteem.

Seeing this, Taiyang Emperor Lord also smiled and said, "With this Treasure Exchange Grand Assembly being held within the Ant Celestial Emperor's domain, safety should not be a significant concern."

Eldrin Chen nodded, a faint smile gracing his lips.

As they conversed, the two found themselves arriving within the Chaos Heaven Extreme Domain before they knew it.

Upon reaching the Chaos Heaven Extreme Domain, Eldrin Chen discovered that this iteration of the Treasure Exchange Grand Assembly was being held within a majestic Chaos Dao Domain.

This was a Dao Domain [a realm governed by a cultivator's profound understanding of the Dao] artificially carved from the void, vaster than even a Top-Grade Immortal Domain and possessing a status equivalent to the Daoist Abode [the personal cultivation sanctum] of a Primordial Unity Emperor Lord Level.

Stepping into the Dao Domain, Eldrin Chen realized the place was already gathered with over one hundred Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch.

"So many Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch?"

Witnessing this scene, Eldrin Chen could not help but feel a tremor in his heart.

Seeing this, Taiyang Emperor Lord smiled and explained, "Across the combined expanse of the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss, there are roughly over three thousand Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch."

"This small-scale Treasure Exchange Grand Assembly, held once per Kalpa Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of immense duration], does not attract a great number of them. At most, no more than two hundred Emperor Lord will attend."

"It is the medium-scale assemblies held once every hundred Kalpa Tribulation, or the grand-scale assemblies jointly hosted by the Seven Great Immortal Domains, that truly draw a massive congregation of Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch."

Taiyang Emperor Lord elaborated, informing Eldrin Chen that the grand-scale Treasure Exchange Grand Assembly held once every one thousand Kalpa Tribulation often saw the participation of over one thousand Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch.

By that time, even Innate Primordial Qi [the foundational energy of creation] might be offered for sale, and nearly every Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [a supreme ruler within the primordial chaos] would be able to find almost all the treasures their hearts desired.

In comparison, such small-scale Treasure Exchange Grand Assembly [a grand gathering for the trade of rare cultivation treasures] rarely feature truly priceless treasures, and often, not many Late Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord Realm [cultivators at the late stage of the Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord realm] would even participate.

Eldrin Chen listened quietly, giving a slight, thoughtful nod.

What he needed this time was a High Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure [a powerful spiritual artifact born from the world's innate energies], not the supreme-tier Primordial Unity Marvel [a wonder embodying the undivided state of primordial chaos] or a Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure [the pinnacle grade of innate spiritual artifacts]. Therefore, this Treasure Exchange Grand Assembly would be more than sufficient for his purposes.

It was at that moment Eldrin Chen noticed a figure of imposing stature, a Chaotic Fiendgod [a powerful deity born from the primordial chaos], approaching.

The figure glanced at Eldrin Chen and spoke with deference, "Might you be Eldrin, the Immortal Lord?"

"Indeed, I am."

Eldrin Chen replied, a note of curiosity in his voice. "And you are?"

The Chaotic Fiendgod did not answer directly, merely smiling. "My Imperial Scion requests your presence. Please, follow me."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen was momentarily taken aback. He exchanged a look with Taiyang Emperor Lord.

Taiyang Emperor Lord [the sovereign ruler of the Taiyang realm] observed this and transmitted a silent message, saying, "This is the Chaos Celestial Ant Clan [a powerful clan of celestial beings with ant-like attributes] from the Grand Luo [the highest realm of cultivation, representing ultimate cosmic order]. There should be no issue."

Eldrin Chen nodded. Only then did he cup his hands in salute towards Taiyang Emperor Lord, before proceeding to a pavilion. Upon arrival, he discovered a familiar figure standing within.

"Tianxing."

Eldrin Chen spoke slowly, a glimmer of understanding dawning in his eyes.

Within the Chaos Heaven Extreme Domain [a primordial and tumultuous region of the cosmos], the one who could truly be considered an acquaintance was none other than this Chaos Imperial Extreme Ant [a title for Tianxing, denoting his supreme status within the ant clan].

"It has been a long time."

As Eldrin Chen arrived, Tianxing spoke unhurriedly, then gestured with a smile for him to take a seat.

Eldrin Chen accepted this with composure. Sitting opposite Tianxing, he studied him for a moment before expressing genuine surprise. "You have already reached the Late Great Luo Golden Immortal [an advanced stage within the supreme Golden Immortal realm]. Your cultivation progress is astonishingly swift."

"Merely the legacy and favor of my forebears,"

Tianxing replied, his tone devoid of any pride.

Eldrin Chen also nodded thoughtfully. As the youngest son of the Ant Celestial Emperor, the resources Tianxing could access were likely far beyond what he himself could ever hope to match.

If one disregarded the risk of an unstable foundation, Eldrin Chen had no doubt that Tianxing could break through to the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch realm within the next seven or eight Kalpa Tribulation cycles.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen spoke, "Your foundation is solid. At this pace, it seems you will break through to the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch realm within ten Kalpa Tribulation cycles."

"You pioneered your own cultivation path, becoming a Dao-Grasping [a supreme being who has grasped and mastered a fundamental principle of the cosmos] sovereign who commands a Dao all your own. Your methods and achievements are far beyond anything I could ever hope to match."

Tianxing shook his head, a note of genuine admiration in his voice.

He sighed, then suddenly spoke as if struck by a thought, "Speaking of which, I'm afraid trouble is about to find you. You should be extra cautious in the coming days."

"Trouble?"

Eldrin Chen's expression shifted slightly, a flicker of confusion crossing his features.

Tianxing smiled, his gaze holding a meaningful glint. "Someone has been quietly contacting your Great Dao Adversary [a fated nemesis, an opponent whose destiny is fundamentally opposed to one's own]. They are all Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch. They plan to use the opening of the Celestial Emperor's Treasury as an opportunity to seal and suppress you using a special method."

"If I were you, I would likely forgo participating in this Celestial Emperor's Treasury Opportunity altogether."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen's countenance shifted subtly, a flicker of profound gravity surfacing in the depths of his gaze.

The Opportunity [a chance for significant advancement or gain] within the Celestial Emperor's Treasury was of paramount importance to him; it was intrinsically linked to the future chance for him and his Dao Companions to break through to the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch realm.

He had not anticipated that someone would have already set a trap long ago, intending to use the opening of the Celestial Emperor's Treasury as the moment to utterly suppress him and seize his Dao Authority [the authority and power over a specific Dao or cosmic principle].

At this thought, a weight settled in Eldrin Chen's heart.

He pondered for a long moment, then finally drew a deep breath and asked, "Do you know which ones are making their move?"

"There should be five Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch," Tianxing stated, then suddenly added, "Ah, right. There's also an ancient, undying Primordial Chaos Kui Ox [a primordial chaos beast resembling a mighty ox] seeking to settle a score with you."

"It is said you slew his son, utterly extinguishing his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and true essence of a cultivator]?"

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen understood the general picture.

Among the powerful foes preparing to strike, aside from his own Great Dao Adversary [a fated nemesis on the path of cultivation], there was likely also an immensely powerful Primordial Chaos Kui Ox.

That Primordial Chaos Kui Ox was a descendant of the ancient Kui Bull Celestial Emperor, its cultivation having reached the late-stage of the Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord realm. For many years, it had concealed itself within the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss [a perilous and profound region of the world], cultivating in seclusion.

And the Primordial Chaos Kui Ox that Eldrin Chen helped the Violet Ultimate Ancient Phoenix slay back in the day was a descendant of this very Primordial Chaos Kui Ox from the Primordial Chaos Realm.

"No wonder the Violet Ultimate Ancient Phoenix once said that the Primordial Chaos Kui Ox had an extraordinary background,"

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, a trace of solemnity flickering between his brows.

Seeing this, Tianxing spoke up: "If you help me by luring out that Primordial Chaos Kui Ox, I can, in turn, help you hold off those few Great Dao Adversary."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen finally understood. The Chaos Celestial Ant Clan wanted to use this opportunity to locate the hidden Primordial Chaos Kui Ox clan.

However, Eldrin Chen did not agree immediately. This matter involved the conflict between two great Chaos Celestial Emperor clans. Even though the Primordial Chaos Kui Ox clan had declined, a starved camel is still larger than a horse.

Furthermore, within the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea, there still existed a Chaos Celestial Emperor from the Primordial Chaos Kui Ox clan. Therefore, Eldrin Chen dared not lightly entangle himself in this affair.

After much deliberation, Eldrin Chen spoke thoughtfully: "This matter is of grave importance. Please allow me some time to consider it."

Tianxing understood his concerns and thus did not press the matter.

After a moment of contemplation, he presented Eldrin Chen with an ancient scripture, saying: "I have heard you are simultaneously cultivating the Great Dao and the path of Sainthood through the Flesh. Such dual cultivation must be exceedingly arduous."

"I possess here a scroll of the Flesh Sanctification Method [a profound technique for refining and purifying the physical body], which may be of some use to you."

Eldrin Chen took the ancient scripture and glanced at it, discovering to his surprise that it was actually half a volume of the Celestial Emperor Scripture [a legendary cultivation art of immense power]. His expression shifted slightly as he said, "This artifact is the Celestial Emperor's Ancient Scripture [the foundational scripture created by the Celestial Emperor], crafted by your esteemed father. Is it not far too precious a gift?"

Tianxing shook his head, replying with calm composure, "You and I have fought side by side against the demonic whelps of the Northern Abyss [a desolate and demon-infested region in the far north]. That forges a bond of comradeship between us."

"Moreover, this is merely half a volume of the ancient scripture, suitable only for reference and study. Even if you were to cultivate its principles, it would cause no great harm."

Only then did Eldrin Chen accept the scripture, clasping his hands in gratitude. "My sincere thanks," he said.

Tianxing offered no further words, rising to his feet. "The Treasure Exchange Grand Assembly [a grand gathering where cultivators trade rare artifacts and resources] is about to commence. I shall not detain you further," he stated.

"As for the matter of cooperation, I urge you to give it careful consideration."

With those final words, Tianxing vanished into the depths of the Chaos [the primordial, formless void from which all creation emerged].

After Tianxing departed, Eldrin Chen sought out Taiyang Emperor Lord to continue participating in the Treasure Exchange Grand Assembly.

Upon his return, Taiyang Emperor Lord regarded him with curiosity about his recent excursion, yet possessed the tact not to press for details with further questions.

It was precisely at this moment that the Treasure Exchange Grand Assembly [a grand gathering where cultivators trade rare treasures] finally commenced. The first to ascend the stage was a Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [a supreme cultivator who has mastered the primordial forces of chaos] from the Chaos Heaven Extreme Domain [a legendary realm of primordial chaos].

The one who took the stage possessed cultivation at the Great Perfection of Primordial Emperor Lord [the pinnacle stage of the Primordial Emperor Lord realm]. Upon his arrival, he immediately displayed several dozen treasures.

Each of these treasures was of inestimable value, the lowest among them being Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure [a top-tier treasure born from the world's innate spiritual essence] and Primordial Unity Marvel [a wondrous object containing the unified essence of primordial chaos]. Among them were even a few Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo [the nascent form of a supreme innate treasure] with around three Dao patterns. Unfortunately, there was not a single High Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure [a high-quality spiritual object of innate origin] that Eldrin Chen desired.

Eldrin Chen had anticipated this. An existence at the Great Perfection of Primordial Emperor Lord realm was unlikely to be so destitute as to bring mere Top Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure [the highest grade of innate spiritual treasure] to trade at an auction.

Eldrin Chen's true targets were those existences at the early and middle stages of the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch realm.

Soon, after this Great Perfection of Primordial Emperor Lord completed his transactions, several more at the Late Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord Realm [the late stage of the Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord realm] took the stage in succession. Once they had all descended, it was finally the turn of Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch to ascend and trade.

It was at this point that Eldrin Chen finally began to see the treasures he coveted, one after another.

Five Elements Origin Qi [the primordial source energy of the five elements], Five-Colored Aurora [a radiant phenomenon containing the essence of five colors], Five Elements Divine Thunder [heavenly thunder imbued with the power of the five elements], Space Origin [the foundational essence of spatial laws], Spoon of Time [a mystical artifact said to measure or manipulate the flow of time], Chaos Divine Stone [a divine stone born from primordial chaos], Heavenly Secrets Dao Jade [a jade containing insights into the Dao of heavenly mysteries], Yin-Yang Origin [the primordial source of the opposing yet complementary forces of Yin and Yang], Stellar Dao Essence [the concentrated essence of stellar and celestial laws]…

One after another, these rare treasures—each immensely precious to a Grand Luo Golden Immortal [a Golden Immortal of the Grand Luo realm] and of the Top Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure grade—made their appearance. Eldrin Chen immediately began transmitting secret messages to negotiate exchanges for them.

Since the vast majority of the treasures in his possession held little use for Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch, Eldrin Chen found himself compelled to pay a significant premium to secure these rarities.

Thus, by the time Eldrin Chen had fully exchanged for the treasures required for his cultivation, he discovered that his accumulated reserves of High-Grade Innate Marvel [a rare and potent spiritual anomaly of the highest innate quality] were nearly depleted.

The Fiend God Heartblood Pill [a supreme elixir refined from the essence of a Fiend God's heart], the Top Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure [a peerless artifact born of innate spiritual laws], various spiritual talismans, rare treasures, and Grand Luo [the Grand Luo Realm, a supreme stage of cultivation] relics were almost entirely exhausted.

Even this was not enough. Eldrin Chen had no choice but to supplement the exchange with over one hundred additional strands of Innate Indestructible Spiritual Light [a fundamental, unbreakable light of pure spiritual origin], finally securing the catalysts and materials needed to cultivate his divine abilities.

"Resources truly vanish like smoke," he murmured with a sigh.

After completing the exchanges, a wisp of helplessness surfaced within Eldrin Chen's heart.

This time, to procure the catalysts for cultivating the Ascension [the process of transcending to a higher state of being] Eight Innate Divine Abilities [eight supreme powers inherent to one's spiritual origin], the total value of resources he had expended surpassed five hundred strands of Innate Indestructible Spiritual Light.

Such a staggering expenditure had nearly halved the vast reservoir of resources Eldrin Chen had painstakingly accumulated.

"The might of divine abilities is profound, yet their cultivation demands resources of ever more astonishing magnitude," he reflected.

"In the future, breaking through to the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [the realm of a Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch, a sovereign of primordial disorder] will require resources tenfold, a hundredfold greater. It seems the Celestial Emperor's Treasury [the legendary vault of a Celestial Emperor] is a destiny I cannot afford to miss."

Though such thoughts occupied his mind, Eldrin Chen gathered the newly acquired treasures with a heart full of satisfaction.

After exchanging for sufficient treasures, Eldrin Chen did not linger long within the Chaos Heaven Extreme Domain. He waited until the Treasure Exchange Grand Assembly had concluded completely before departing alongside Taiyang Emperor Lord.

Perhaps truly cowed by the formidable reputation of the Ant Celestial Emperor, their journey back was uneventful, devoid of any unexpected incidents.

Upon returned to the Abyssal Immortal Domain, Eldrin Chen immediately entered a period of secluded cultivation. In the years that followed, he dedicated himself to mastering his various divine abilities, striving to advance his several Innate Divine Abilities [divine powers inherent to a cultivator's nature and cultivation path] to their Great Perfection stage as swiftly as possible.

In truth, with the necessary catalytic elixirs secured, cultivating the Ascension Innate Divine Abilities was fundamentally a matter of patient, meticulous effort—a slow grind of time and spiritual refinement.

Eldrin Chen progressed step by step in his cultivation. Roughly three million years later, he achieved a breakthrough, elevating his Primordial Chaos Qi [the divine ability to wield the fundamental, undifferentiated energy of creation] to the Great Perfection realm.

With this breakthrough, the power of Eldrin Chen's Primordial Chaos Qi had grown immensely formidable. Whether it was the Grasping Hand of Primordial Chaos, the True Aegis of Primordial Chaos, or the Chaos Primordial Qi Great Millstone, the potency of each technique had undergone a qualitative leap.

If his Primordial Chaos Qi had previously possessed power comparable to a Great Perfection stage Patriarch-Grade Divine Ability [a top-tier divine ability typically mastered by sect patriarchs or ancient ancestors], its current might now rivaled a Minor Perfection stage Primordial Unity Divine Art [a supreme art that seeks to unify with the primordial source of all things].

Wielding such divine abilities, Eldrin Chen not only matched the combat prowess of an Early Stage Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord [a sovereign who has begun to command the fundamental chaos of creation], but his arsenal of techniques was now in no way inferior to one either.

"The True Spirit Divine Ability [a divine ability born from and fused with one's true spiritual essence] is indeed profoundly powerful," he mused. "Merely reaching its Great Perfection stage grants it strength comparable to the Primordial Unity Divine Art."

"And this is merely a Great Luo Grade True Spirit Divine Ability. Once it undergoes metamorphosis into a Pseudo-Chaos Divine Ability [a divine ability on the cusp of embodying true chaos] and is cultivated to its absolute limit, would its power not be sufficient to rival an Innate Supreme Treasure [a treasure born from the cosmos itself, possessing supreme innate power]?"

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, a faint smile flickering in the depths of his gaze.

In essence, a True Spirit Divine Ability [a divine art born from and nurtured by one's own soul essence] is the nascent form of a Chaos Rank divine art; its ultimate achievement is to transform into a complete Chaos [the primordial, undifferentiated state before creation] divine art.

From his understanding, upon stepping into the realm of a Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [a supreme cultivator who has mastered the power of primordial chaos], a True Spirit Divine Ability undergoes an even more astonishing metamorphosis, evolving into a Pseudo-Chaos Divine Ability [a divine art that approaches the power of true chaos arts]-grade True Spirit Divine Ability. At that stage, its power would far surpass that of a Primordial Unity Divine Art [a supreme divine art of the highest order] of the same rank.

When that time comes, even among the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch, Eldrin Chen would be able to dominate his peers, relying on the might of this divine art.