Chapter 1940 : Chaos Formation's Desperate Gambit

Simultaneously, the Chaos Grand Formation was activated to its utmost limit, instantly mending and solidifying the breach.

"We have fallen into their trap."

The Crimson Wolf King of Chaos spoke, a flicker of apprehension surfacing in its pupils.

The Obsidian Talon Chaos Roc King gritted its teeth, took a deep breath, and said, "The die is cast. We have no choice but to stake our lives on unleashing a Forbidden Divine Ability [a supreme technique that consumes immense vitality or lifespan] and see if we can fight our way out."

"There is no fighting our way out."

At that very moment, Eldrin Chen spoke, his voice calm and measured.

He spread his arms wide, channeling the formation's surging Chaos [the primordial, formless state from which all existence emerged] patterns to weave around his form.

In an instant, the power of the Seven Great Immortal Domains poured into Eldrin Chen, amplifying his combat prowess by a full twofold.

His aura, already at the peak of the Seventh Layer Great Encompassing Golden Immortal realm, surged violently, momentarily breaching into the domain of the Eighth Heaven of the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal.

On the other flank, the six Great Encompassing Golden Immortal cultivators—including Exquisite Jiang, Verdant Consort, and the Reincarnation Body [a powerful avatar formed from one's reincarnated soul essence]—also experienced a dramatic surge in their auras under the formation's empowerment. Their cultivation and battle strength were temporarily elevated by at least one or two minor realms.

Especially the three supreme combatants at the Sixth Layer of the Great Encompassing realm—Exquisite Jiang [the peerless female immortal], Verdant Consort [the verdant consort], and the Reincarnation Body [an avatar born from the cycle of reincarnation]—have now all stepped into the threshold of the Seventh Layer of Great Encompassing.

"With the Seven Luminaries Ascension [a divine art that channels the power of the seven celestial luminaries], I am peerless!"

Eldrin Chen spoke, striking out with a single motion. Even the Crimson Wolf King of Chaos [a primordial demonic beast king], who had unleashed a Forbidden Divine Ability [a taboo technique of immense power], was sent flying, blood spraying from its maw.

This battle held no suspense. Although both the Crimson Wolf King of Chaos and the Obsidian Talon Chaos Roc King [a king among primordial rocs] were formidable combatants within the Sixth Layer Great Encompassing Golden Immortal realm, even their combined strength could scarcely match that of the Golden-Back Savage Bull King [a king of savage, golden-backed bulls].

Facing the members of the Chen Clan bolstered by the Seven Luminaries Ascension, how could they possibly defy the heavens? Trapped within the Formation [a mystical array that channels energy and restricts movement], they did not even have a chance to fight their way out.

In fact, the first phase of the entire great battle lasted less than a thousand years.

Eldrin Chen, Exquisite Jiang, and Verdant Consort had merely slain three Chaos Demon God [primordial deities of chaos] at the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal Mid Stage realm before the outcome was utterly decided.

However, they did not intervene further in the other battlefields. Instead, they left the remaining six Chaos Demon God for Lila and Violet Consort Yan [the violet consort of the Yan clan] and the others to use as sparring partners.

This second phase of ostensibly fair duels lasted for over two hundred thousand years.

Six against six, all at the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal Early Stage realm. Though it seemed a balanced contest, there was little suspense in its conclusion.

Even though these six early-stage Chaos Demon God unleashed their Forbidden Divine Ability [ultimate, self-damaging divine powers], they were ultimately powerless to change their fate when facing the Chen Clan members bolstered by the Seven Luminaries Ascension [a divine art that channels the power of the seven celestial luminaries].

The weakest among the Chen Immortal Clan, Ao Hong, was a peerless prodigy who had laid a sevenfold Indestructibility Foundation [a foundation stage cultivation realm renowned for its unbreakable durability].

Finally, as Ao Hong skewered his opponent in a direct frontal clash with his Immortality Divine Edge [a divine blade named for its connection to the concept of immortality], the curtain fell decisively on this battle.

"It is over."

After the great battle concluded, Eldrin Chen slowly let out a breath he had been holding.

He gathered the Chaos Demon God Corpse [the remains of the slain Chaos Demon Gods], then dispatched the most severely injured Ao Hong to haul the Crimson Wolf Ancient Cannon [an ancient, colossal demon beast resembling a crimson wolf] inside their defensive perimeter.

To the outside world, the great battle within the Seven Great Immortal Domains appeared to have been a fierce struggle lasting over two hundred thousand years before its conclusion.

From this perspective, the Returning Abyss Chen Clan had fought bitterly for more than two hundred millennia, only managing to slay their foes by finally leveraging the full power of their Formation [a powerful array or battle formation]. While this demonstrated formidable combat prowess, the victory seemed largely attributable to the recklessness of the Crimson Wolf King of Chaos and his allies.

Furthermore, in the eyes of the Chaos Beast King observing from outside the grand formation, the Chen Immortal Clan must have paid a steep price. The fact that Ao Hong, the only one who emerged to retrieve the Crimson Wolf Ancient Cannon, bore significant injuries suggested the others were wounded even more gravely, likely with some on the brink of death.

Eldrin Chen was fully aware of all these perceptions. He had deliberately crafted the appearance of a costly, hard-fought victory. Gathering the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [Golden Immortals who have attained a profound, all-encompassing understanding of the Dao] of his clan, he arrived at the Central region of the Seven Great Immortal Domains. Surveying the spoils of war in his hands, he declared, "This battle... we have achieved a resounding triumph."

Hearing this, everyone present revealed faint smiles.

In this single battle, they had annihilated nine Chaos Demon God [primordial beings of chaos and destruction]. The resources obtained were naturally astonishing beyond measure.

Upon taking inventory, they discovered a total of twelve Innate Spiritual Treasure [treasures born from the primordial chaos, possessing innate power]. Among these, one Upper Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure [a treasure of the highest innate grade] and one Crimson Wolf Ancient Cannon [an ancient, powerful artifact shaped like a crimson wolf] were the most precious.

However, they found only thirteen strands of Innate Indestructibility Spirit Light [a primal spiritual energy that grants near-indestructibility]. This indicated that the combined foundational wealth of these two Chaos Lair [dens or strongholds of chaos beings] was not much greater than that of the Chaos Golden Bull Nest [the lair of the Golden-Back Savage Bulls].

One must recall that the Chaos Golden Bull Nest had possessed seventeen strands of Innate Indestructibility Spirit Light and a full ten Innate Spiritual Treasure.

Eldrin Chen understood the reason well enough. It was not that these two Chaos Lair were particularly poor, but rather that they truly could not compare to the might of the Golden-Back Savage Bull King [the ruler of the savage bull demons].

That Golden-Back Savage Bull [a powerful, bull-like chaos demon] clan had boasted three members at the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal Mid Stage [the middle stage of the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal realm]. Their patriarch had once clashed with a Seventh Layer Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a cultivator at the seventh layer of the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal realm] without defeat, placing them among the very top of mid-grade Great Encompassing Nest [powerful, established demon strongholds].

Of course, even if the foundations of these nine Chaos Demon God were slightly inferior, the resources obtained once again replenished Eldrin Chen's dwindling reserves.

Eldrin Chen had previously retained thirty-six strands of Innate Indestructibility Spirit Light. Adding these thirteen new strands brought his total to forty-nine. The core resources needed for his breakthrough to the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal Mid Stage were now essentially gathered.

Considering this, Eldrin Chen could not help but smile and say, "The treasures we have seized this time are indeed plentiful. As per our custom, each of you may select one Innate Spiritual Treasure."

"As for the rest, you may exchange them using Merits [a metaphysical 'currency' representing good karma or virtuous deeds]."

Upon hearing this, expressions of joy blossomed on everyone's faces.

With the exception of Exquisite Jiang and Verdant Consort, who deemed these treasures beneath their notice, each of the others received a share of Innate Spiritual Treasure [a supreme-grade magical artifact born from the primordial chaos of heaven and earth].

Among them, Nyssa Qu claimed the pair of Heavenly Blade [celestial-grade blades of immense sharpness] that once belonged to Obsidian Talon. Both were Mid-Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure. She intended to use the Creation Cauldron [a legendary cauldron capable of reforging and merging artifacts] to melt them down and fuse their essence into her Nine Severities Spirit-Slaying Swords [a set of nine swords renowned for severing souls and spirits]. Her goal was to elevate the two primary swords representing the Polarity [the fundamental opposing forces of Yin and Yang] within her Sword Formation [a coordinated array of swords that unleashes combined power] to the rank of Mid-Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure.

Should this endeavor succeed, it would undoubtedly allow the power of her Sword Formation to rival that of an Upper Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, elevating Nyssa Qu's combat prowess by a significant margin.

Meanwhile, Ao Hong selected an Immortality Shield [a shield famed for its near-impenetrable defense]. Lila and Violet Consort Yan each chose a Mid-Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure. Gentle Deer also claimed a Spiritual Treasure [a powerful enchanted artifact]. Once fully refined, these treasures were certain to grant their wielders a marked increase in strength.

The final item, an Upper Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, was none other than the 'Crimson Peak Divine Spear' [a divine spear blazing with crimson energy] that had been wielded by the Crimson Wolf King of Chaos.

True to their reputation as a Chaos Lair [a primordial den of chaos-beasts] that possessed a large-scale Crimson Flame Immortal Gold Vein [a rich deposit of a legendary crimson-gold metal], the Chaos Crimson Wolf tribe had forged this Crimson Peak Divine Spear from top-quality Crimson Flame Immortal Gold, imbuing it with a terrifying, piercing edge.

Eldrin Chen, who possessed the Returning Abyss Seal [a seal capable of manifesting ten different supreme treasures], naturally looked down upon a mere Crimson Peak Divine Spear. He casually tossed it to his Reincarnation Body [a powerful clone or avatar formed through a profound reincarnation technique] for refinement.

With this Crimson Peak Divine Spear in hand, the combat power of his Reincarnation Body was assured to rise to a new level.

After distributing these treasures, Eldrin Chen gazed upon the remaining Crimson Wolf Ancient Cannon and declared, "This ancient cannon possesses extraordinary power. Whether used to defend our mountain gates or to assault the Chaos Lair, it is a rare and precious artifact."

Upon hearing this, a trace of solemnity settled over everyone present.

Nyssa Qu pondered for a moment before speaking, "We lack a Great Encompassing Rank Chaos Ancient Ship, so this treasure can only be used for defense."

Seeing this, Exquisite Jiang spoke directly, "Then let us deploy it Within the Chaos Lair, using the Heaven and Earth Primordial Energy [the fundamental energy that constitutes heaven and earth] and the foundational essence of the Seven Great Immortal Domains and the Chaos Golden Bull Nest to power it, as a defense against any future assaults by the Chaos Demon God."

"Agreed."

Eldrin Chen nodded and then spoke.

They wasted no time. The group immediately began constructing the formation, erecting a massive artillery platform within the Chaos Golden Bull Nest.

Once everything was in place, Eldrin Chen installed the colossal cannon upon it. After performing a series of calculations with his fingers, he smiled and said, "With this platform channeling power, the Great Encompassing Ancient Cannon can fire seven consecutive shots."

"However, after those seven shots, the cannon barrel will require at least ten thousand years to cool."

"Furthermore, such a massive cannon consumes foundational essence at a tremendous rate. It is best not to fire it more than forty-nine times within a single Kalpa Tribulation [a grand cosmic cycle]. Exceeding that would severely deplete the foundational essence of the Seven Great Immortal Domains, leading to a critical shortage of Heaven and Earth Primordial Energy."

The others nodded upon hearing this, smiles gracing their faces.

The might of the Great Encompassing Ancient Cannon [a colossal siege weapon of ancient design] is truly formidable. Even a low-grade one possesses power sufficient to annihilate a Late Stage Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a cultivator at the late stage of the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal realm]. Even a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal Great Perfection [a cultivator who has reached the pinnacle of the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal realm] would suffer grievous wounds if they dared to face its blast head-on.

A single Kalpa Tribulation [a grand cosmic cycle of destruction and renewal] allows for forty-nine firings, a capability that would give pause to many a Late Stage Great Encompassing Golden Immortal.

Seeing this, Ethan Chen could not help but chuckle. "I've heard the main force of Chaos Demon God [primordial demons born from chaos] assaulting the Thirty-Six Heavenly Constellations Immortal Domains [a coalition of thirty-six immortal realms] boasts dozens of Great Encompassing Ancient Ship [ancient, massive warships]. Should they come for us, we at least now have the means to respond."

The others also smiled faintly at his words.

In a direct artillery duel, the Crimson Wolf Ancient Cannon [an ancient cannon named for a crimson wolf demon beast], backed by the resources of the Seven Great Immortal Domains [a powerful alliance of seven major immortal realms], would undoubtedly hold the advantage.

Eldrin Chen raised a hand, signaling for quiet. "Enough. The battery is now operational. Let us waste no more time."

"You should all take shifts for secluded cultivation, digesting the gains from this battle with all haste. Instruct the Imperial Lord [a sovereign lord of an immortal domain] and Celestial Immortal [a powerful immortal who has ascended to the celestial realm] of each Immortal Domain to empower the Heavenly Path Source Artifact [a divine artifact that channels the foundational power of the Heavenly Path] and swiftly Recovery [a divine ability focused on restoration and healing] the foundational essence consumed by the Seven Great Immortal Domains in this conflict."

With nods of agreement, the assembly dispersed.

Once they had departed, Eldrin Chen made his way directly to the Returning Abyss Forbidden Land [a perilous and mysterious land known as the Returning Abyss] to begin the alchemical process of refining the Great Encompassing Immortal Pill [a supreme pill of immense power].

The blood and bones of nine Chaos Demon God yielded a vast quantity of resources. With these, Exquisite Jiang was able to tan fifty-seven sheets of Great Encompassing talisman paper, while Eldrin Chen refined nine 'Demon God Heartblood Pill' and thirty-six Great Encompassing Immortal Pill.

As for the remaining Great Encompassing Divine Bone, Eldrin Chen stored them away, intending to use them in the future to forge a Great Encompassing Ancient Ship.

The materials required to forge a Great Encompassing Ancient Ship are truly immense, starting at hundreds of times that of an Innate Spiritual Treasure of the same tier. If one could amass a large quantity of Great Encompassing Divine Bone, it could substitute for many other resource expenditures.

After processing the divine remains of the nine Chaos Demon God, Eldrin Chen delved deeper into secluded cultivation. He split his focus between refining Ten Revolutions Immortal Pill and accelerating the process of tempering his physical body.

This recent harvest of numerous Chaos Beast King would, once refined into Ten Revolutions Immortal Pill, be sufficient for Eldrin Chen to cultivate his physical body to perfection, reaching the threshold to attempt a breakthrough into the mid-stage of the Great Encompassing Physique.

However, both refining the Ten Revolutions Immortal Pill and tempering the body require a significant amount of time, so Eldrin Chen could not accomplish this overnight.

In the ensuing years, Eldrin Chen tempered his physique while simultaneously monitoring the flow of information from the Chaos.

Perhaps because the Chen Immortal Clan had displayed overwhelmingly formidable combat prowess in that battle, or perhaps because the Chaos Demon God were short on manpower, for the next several million years, no Chaos Demon God launched an assault on the Returning Abyss Immortal Domain.

Departure Flame Demi-Ancestor dispatched a Chaos Demon God at the Late Stage Great Encompassing Golden Immortal level to secretly keep watch over the Returning Abyss's Seven Immortal Domains, but took no further action.

During this period, the Chaos Demon God assembled a force three times their previous strength and engaged in a tense standoff and fierce battles with the human forces of the Eastern Departure Flame Domain across the Thirty-Six Heavenly Domains.

The great war raged on in a state of fierce deadlock. Blazeflame Imperial Lord had sent messages to Eldrin Chen, inquiring if he could dispatch forces to join the battle. However, Eldrin Chen had politely declined each time, citing the heavy toll of their pyrrhic victory and the need for extensive Recovery from their wounds.

Regarding this, Blazeflame Imperial Lord did not press the matter, merely urging him to focus on Recovery from his injuries with all haste, prioritizing safety above all else.

Yet, after the war had raged for over ten million years, Blazeflame Imperial Lord sent inquiries several more times, asking once again if participation was possible.

Moreover, as time flowed on, the tone of each subsequent inquiry grew increasingly grave and urgent.

By the time the war had Burst for fifteen million years, Blazeflame Imperial Lord even issued an imperial decree—a formal request demanding the Returning Abyss Chen Clan join the fray.

After reading this final imperial edict from Blazeflame Imperial Lord, Eldrin Chen handed it to Exquisite Jiang and spoke, "It seems the flames of war burn ever fiercer."

Eldrin Chen nodded in agreement. "This conflict has now stretched for fifteen million years, far more intense than any in recent memory. Several Great Encompassing Golden Immortal have already fallen," he stated.

"The enemy seeks a swift resolution, and the toll on the frontlines of the Thirty-Six Immortal Domains is immense."

Exquisite Jiang also nodded upon hearing this. "The Thirty-Six Immortal Domains hold the advantage of defense. If their losses are great, then the Chaos Demon God legions must be suffering no less. Now, it is a test of endurance—who will break first."

Eldrin Chen affirmed this with another nod. "The Kalpa Tribulation [the great cosmic cycle of destruction and renewal] approaches in another two million years. This war is likely to escalate into a pivotal struggle within that very Kalpa Tribulation."

"If they do not relent by then, both sides will likely descend into a frenzy of mutual slaughter."

"And if a decisive victory cannot be achieved within this Kalpa Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of immense conflict and upheaval], the intensity of the war will likely diminish afterwards, devolving into a protracted war of attrition between the two factions."

Upon hearing this, everyone present nodded in agreement.

It is not that those above the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [the pinnacle realm of immortal cultivation] cannot participate in a Kalpa Tribulation; rather, once they join such a conflict, they are bound by fate to slay an existence of equivalent cultivation realm.

This is precisely why, in times past, when Exquisite Jiang [the peerless immortal maiden Jiang] charged into the outer realm and slew thousands of peerless Ancient Immortal [immortals who have weathered countless ages], no Great Encompassing Golden Immortal intervened.

Once they take action, under the inexorable influence of the Tribulation Fortune Great Path [the supreme law governing fortune and calamity], whether they be Great Encompassing Golden Immortal, Primordial One Imperial Lord [a sovereign lord who commands a fundamental principle of existence], or even a Chaos Heavenly Emperor [an emperor who rules over primordial chaos], they must each slay a powerhouse of their own level to escape the tribulation's grasp.

Contemplating this, Verdant Consort [the Verdant Consort] spoke from the side, "It all depends on whether Departure Flame Demi-Ancestor [the Demi-Ancestor of the Departing Flame] and Blazeflame Imperial Lord [the Imperial Lord of the Blazeflame] dare to stake their very lives in a final, decisive battle within this Kalpa Tribulation."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen [the patriarch Eldrin Chen] also could not help but draw a deep breath.

In truth, many understood clearly that the Chaos War [the cataclysmic war that reshapes realms] in the Eastern Departure Flame Domain [the domain of the eastern departing flame] was, in essence, a war between Departure Flame Demi-Ancestor and Blazeflame Imperial Lord.

Whichever of the two could slay the other would break through to the Primordial One Imperial Lord Mid Stage [the mid-stage of the Primordial One Imperial Lord realm]. The loser would be stripped of their Great Path Authority [the authority over a fundamental cosmic principle] and cast into the endless cycle of Reincarnation [the cycle of death and rebirth], likely never to rise again.

As for the wars involving the other Chaos Demon God and the Great Encompassing Immortal Lord, to put it bluntly, they are merely chips on the table for the two of them to vie for victory.

However, throughout the great conflict thus far, both Departure Flame Demi-Ancestor and Blazeflame Imperial Lord have exercised considerable restraint, as neither possesses the confidence to utterly annihilate the other.

Should they truly commit to a final, decisive battle to the death, then this Kalpa Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of destruction and rebirth] would undoubtedly be settled in a single, fate-defining clash.

Conversely, if they lack the certainty to defeat one another, it is highly probable that the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [the highest echelon of immortal cultivators] from both sides will avoid direct confrontation during this Kalpa Tribulation, for once one enters the tribulation's vortex, the only escape is to slay a peer of equal cultivation realm.

The probability of perishing exceeds fifty percent—a price far too steep. With the two Imperial Lord [a sovereign-level immortal cultivator] refraining from entering the fray, what reason would the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal from either side have to risk life and limb in mortal combat, facing odds of death greater than half?

Contemplating this, Eldrin Chen spoke, "With our near-peerless strength within the same realm, we do not fear entering the tribulation at the Great Encompassing [the foundational stage of the highest immortal cultivation realm] level."

"As for whether we shall enter or not, that depends entirely on whether those two dare to stake their very existence on a final showdown."