Chapter 1995 : Clash of Primordial Emperors

The Star Abyss [a vast and boundless expanse of empty silence] stretched endlessly, a domain of profound stillness akin to an abyss, utterly devoid of any trace of Vitality [life force] or the presence of stars.

Eldrin Chen stepped directly into the Star Abyss, and as he glanced back across the eight directions, he saw his two great adversaries, the Howling Moon Celestial Kun [a mythical beast combining the aspects of the Howling Moon and the Celestial Kun], had already closed in to attack.

"Let this Emperor test your mettle!"

The Howling Moon Emperor Lord spoke, thrusting forward with the Eternal Divine Spear [a divine spear of everlasting power]. Where it passed, the Void [the fabric of space itself] congealed and shattered, forcibly cleaved apart by a supremely sharp and potent edge.

Eldrin Chen's gaze sharpened, and he dared not be negligent. With a sweep of his sleeve, he summoned the Primordial Chaos Qi Grasping Hand [a colossal hand formed from the energy of primordial chaos] to press down in suppression, resulting in a cataclysmic collision of a scale rarely seen since antiquity.

"BOOM—"

Seizing the moment, the Celestial Kun Emperor Lord also struck. Opening its maw, it expelled a radiant azure pearl that descended with crushing force.

In that instant, countless Great Dao Divine Chain [divine chains embodying the principles of the Great Dao] interlaced as they fell, imbued with the Annihilation [power of utter obliteration], seeking to completely annihilate Eldrin Chen.

"This is..." Eldrin Chen's expression shifted slightly. He immediately channeled his full power into the Primordial Chaos True Aura [a protective aura of pure primordial chaos] to defend himself, yet the impact still sent him hurtling backward.

Only then did the Celestial Kun Emperor Lord let out a cold laugh, its voice dripping with icy disdain as it spoke: "This Vast Sea Profound Pearl [Mystic Pearl of the Vast Sea] of mine is one of the nine profound pearls coalesced by the North Sea Sea Eye [the North Sea's Oceanic Vortex] during the initial opening of the Primordial Immortal Domain [the primordial realm of immortals]."

"Do you believe that because you could contend with Departing Flame Chaos Fiend, you are now a match for this sovereign?"

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen's pupils contracted slightly. So, the North Sea Profound Pearl held by Celestial Kun Emperor Lord was a three-pattern Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo [a nascent form of a supreme treasure, born from the primordial chaos and marked with patterns indicating its power and potential].

It must be understood that Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo are exceedingly rare and precious. Furthermore, Innate Primordial Qi [the fundamental, chaotic energy from which all things originate] is extremely difficult to obtain. For this reason, beings at the early or middle stages of the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch realm rarely divert their Innate Primordial Qi to refine an Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo.

Only those who have reached the Late Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord Realm possess sufficient strength to acquire surplus Innate Primordial Qi for refining an Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo to break through their cultivation.

Even so, many existences at the Great Emperor level refine Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo with only seven patterns.

The vast majority of those in the Late Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord Realm possess Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo with around four patterns, at best.

It is not particularly common for those at the middle stage of Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch to possess an Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo, and those who do can typically only refine the first three patterns.

As for those at the Early Stage Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord, they almost universally lack the surplus Innate Primordial Qi needed to refine an Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo. Therefore, an Early Stage Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord who possesses even a one-pattern Innate Supreme Treasure is an exceedingly rare sight.

Given this context, for Celestial Kun Emperor Lord to possess a three-pattern Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo was truly an extraordinary rarity.

"As expected of a direct-line Emperor Lord from the Sage Ascendant lineage of the Kunpeng Imperial Clan."

Eldrin Chen's thoughts flashed, and he instantly understood that victory in this battle was likely beyond reach.

Generally speaking, the power of an Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo is twice that of a twenty-four-patterned Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure.

On this foundation, each additional pattern increases its power by another thirty percent. A three-patterned Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo, when wielded by Celestial Kun Emperor Lord, unleashes the Eruption with a force comparable to a mid-stage Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch.

Realizing this, Eldrin Chen decisively invoked the Path of Self-Sacrifice upon himself, pushed all his cultivation to its absolute limit, and began a fighting retreat against the two Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch.

After thousands of fierce exchanges, Eldrin Chen quickly found himself at a severe disadvantage.

Fortunately, it is exceedingly difficult for Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch to decisively defeat one another. Furthermore, the three-patterned Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo consumes immense energy, making it difficult for Celestial Kun Emperor Lord to deploy it continuously. Thus, the battle descended into a stalemate.

Eldrin Chen clashed with the two formidable foes for tens of thousands of years. Though he was at an absolute disadvantage, he possessed great confidence in his ability to protect himself.

The war dragged on for hundreds of thousands of years. Estimating that Lyra Jiang and the others had retreated from the front lines, Eldrin Chen finally pierced through the firmament and vanished beyond the Star Abyss.

"He flees quite swiftly!"

Watching Eldrin Chen depart, Howling Moon Emperor Lord's gaze turned icy, a sliver of cold intent flickering within.

Seeing this, Celestial Kun Emperor Lord retrieved the North Sea Profound Pearl [a mystical pearl containing the profound essence of the northern seas] and sneered coldly, "Even if he escaped, it is of no consequence. Were it not for the risk of alerting the serpent, I could have either captured him today or at the very least inflicted grievous wounds upon him."

Howling Moon Emperor Lord nodded in agreement and spoke, "We have prepared for many years for the sake of the authority over the Southern Dipper Six Stars [a constellation of six stars in the southern sky, representing a source of immense cosmic power]. Compared to this, all other matters are insignificant."

At this point, Howling Moon Emperor Lord could not help but ask pointedly, "As the direct disciple of a Sage Ascendant [a supreme realm of cultivation, one step below the legendary Dao Progenitors], you surely know more than I do. I wonder if that rumor holds any truth?"

Celestial Kun Emperor Lord shook his head, his expression turning grave. "The matter is of utmost importance. It cannot be spoken of, it simply cannot be spoken of!"

Meanwhile, Eldrin Chen returned to the Celestial Beam Star Domain [a vast region of space governed by the Celestial Beam Star Lord] and immediately went to the star sector guarded by Lyra Jiang and the others. There, he found Lyra Jiang and her companions gathered together, each bearing wounds of varying severity.

Seeing Eldrin Chen return wounded, Lyra Jiang asked with concern, "How did it go?"

"The injuries are of no consequence," Eldrin Chen replied, his tone growing solemn. "What is your situation here?"

Verdant Consort [a powerful cultivator and close ally], standing nearby, spoke with grave concern. "The Demon Race [a powerful faction of demonic beings] has reinforced their ranks with over a hundred Grand Luo Golden Immortal [powerful immortal cultivators of the Grand Luo realm]. Our forces are stretched thin, and we suffered another concerted assault. Fortunately, no one perished."

Eldrin Chen nodded. "I will return to the Celestial Beam Imperial Star [the central, fortified star of the Celestial Beam domain] to see if I can secure reinforcements for our defense."

Upon hearing this, a flicker of hope and relief crossed the faces of those present.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen immediately returned to the Celestial Beam Imperial Star. There, he found Celestial Beam Emperor Lord, Luo River Emperor Lord, and Profound Departure Emperor Lord all gathered together.

Among the three, both Celestial Beam Emperor Lord and Luo River Emperor Lord bore visible wounds, clear signs of having endured a fierce and brutal battle.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen inquired, "What is your situation?"

"I was besieged by two Emperor Lord [a supreme title for a powerful immortal ruler]. They brought an Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo [a primordial treasure core with immense potential] specifically designed to counter me. While I escaped grave danger, the injuries I sustained are far from light,"

Celestial Beam Emperor Lord replied, his expression turning grave.

Luo River Emperor Lord also offered a bitter smile, his gaze heavy as he said, "I encountered Crimson Flame Heavenly Dragon Emperor Lord. His Crimson Flame Heavenly Fire [a divine flame of celestial origin] severely countered my own powers. In that clash, I suffered a significant defeat."

Witnessing this, Profound Departure Emperor Lord spoke up, "Just as I predicted. Had you heeded my counsel from the start, holding our ground and awaiting reinforcements would have been far less arduous."

Hearing this, Celestial Beam Emperor Lord fell into a heavy silence, offering no reply.

Eldrin Chen glanced at Profound Departure Emperor Lord but chose not to comment further. Instead, he asked, "With the Demon Race [the collective forces of demonic beings] receiving reinforcements of two new Emperor Lord and over a hundred Grand Luo Golden Immortal [immortals who have attained the Grand Luo Golden Immortal realm], they now hold an overwhelming numerical advantage."

"Our best course now is to send word back to our rear lines and request that troops be dispatched to reinforce us."

"I fear it will be exceedingly difficult."

Profound Departure Emperor Lord spoke, then continued, "This time, the Demon Race [the collective term for myriad non-human, often bestial, sentient beings] has marshaled ten thousand clans and is concentrating its forces to assault the Supreme Subtlety Enclosure. The pressure on that front is far too intense; I fear it will be difficult to divert any significant surplus strength from there."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly, a shadow of gravity darkening his expression.

He understood that Profound Departure Emperor Lord's words held truth, for the Demon Race was not only the foremost of the three great hegemonies but also the most populous race within the Primordial Immortal Domain.

It must be understood that the Demon Race was not a single, unified lineage but a vast coalition comprised of hundreds of millions of distinct clans and bloodlines.

When the Solar Celestial Emperor [a title for a supreme ruler among the heavens] first established the Demon Race, he gathered nearly every sentient race from across the Three Thousand Immortal Domains. Aside from the Hundred Immortal Spirit Races [a collective of one hundred races with strong spiritual affinity and heritage] and the Divine Race [a race of beings with innate divine power and authority], almost all others joined the Demon Race.

Even later, as the Divine Race gradually regained its strength through Restoration [a divine ability to recover or rebuild], the Hundred Immortal Spirit Races grew powerful, and the Human Race rose to prominence, they still struggled to match the staggering foundational depth of the Demon Race.

To this day, with the establishment of the Immortal Domain method [a system or law governing immortal realms], the Three Thousand Immortal Domains are home to more than eighty thousand Grand Luo Golden Immortal [the pinnacle realm of immortality, transcending the cycles of life and death]. Of these, the Demon Race alone accounts for roughly sixty percent—a full fifty thousand Grand Luo Golden Immortals.

From this perspective alone, in situations where Divine Emperor [a sovereign emperor with divine authority] and Dao Progenitor [the originator of a fundamental cosmic principle or path] do not intervene, the military might of the Demon Race already surpasses that of the combined Human and Divine Races. Even adding the strength of the Hundred Immortal Spirit Races would likely not tip the scales.

Of course, the bloodlines within the Demon Race are uneven, often shackled by their own inherent limitations. While the number of Demon Race cultivators at the Grand Luo Golden Immortal level is vast, those capable of breaking through to become Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [an emperor-monarch who commands the power of primordial chaos] are exceedingly rare.

Therefore, from the perspective of high-level Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [the supreme rulers of the Primordial Chaos realm], the combined strength of the Human and Divine Races [the collective term for humanity and allied divine beings] is not significantly weaker than that of the Demon Race [the collective term for demonic beings and monsters].

The current situation is rather awkward. In this conflict, none of the seven Chaos Celestial Emperor [the supreme emperors ruling over Chaos] have taken action, yet the Demon Race holds a numerical advantage in Grand Luo Golden Immortal [the pinnacle realm of immortal cultivation, transcending the ordinary Golden Immortal stage]. This has subtly placed immense pressure upon the Human and Divine Races.

Contemplating this, Eldrin Chen could not help but feel a sense of vexation [a thorny, difficult-to-solve problem].

The disparity in the number of Grand Luo Golden Immortal between the two sides is vast. Furthermore, the Demon Race also possesses a significantly greater number of Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch than the Human and Divine Races.

In such a collision of supreme races, even though Eldrin Chen now holds a status equivalent to an Emperor Lord [a title for a ruler of immense power and territory], he could not shake off a feeling of powerlessness.

"Alas."

Eldrin Chen let out a soft sigh, his expression turning grave as he spoke. "Once we lose the protective Formation [a mystical defensive or offensive array] of the subsidiary stars, relying solely on the grand array of the Celestial Beam Imperial Star [the primary fortress star of the Celestial Beam constellation], the Demon Race would need only dispatch a few mid-stage Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch to breach our defenses."

"Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, we must never abandon the Celestial Beam Imperial Star."

Hearing this, Luo River Emperor Lord [the sovereign ruler of the Luo River domain] furrowed his brow slightly, finding himself in agreement with Eldrin Chen's assessment.

This was because, in terms of high-level Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch, the Human and Divine Races were not outnumbered by the Demon Race; in fact, they possessed even more Great Emperors [the highest tier of Emperor Lords].

Although there remains a certain gap compared to the mid-stage Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch, they are sufficient to mobilize a number of mid-stage Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch as reserve forces.

Once the Demon Race discovers this, merely dispatching a few mid-stage Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch would be enough to breach and forcibly seize the Celestial Beam Imperial Star [the primary star of the Celestial Beam constellation]. In that case, the Celestial Beam Imperial Star would most likely be unable to hold.

After all, while the late-stage Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch are restrained by the Human and Divine Races, sending a few mid-stage Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch would still be effortless.

Considering this, Luo River Emperor Lord spoke, "We cannot abandon the subsidiary stars. Once we relinquish them, the Celestial Beam Imperial Star will surely be lost."

"If that happens, the Southern Dipper Six Stars [a constellation of six key stars] would lose one of its pillars, and the power of the Southern Dipper Six Stars Grand Formation would greatly diminish. This could very well lead to the complete fall of the entire Southern Dipper Six Stars."

Hearing this, Celestial Beam Emperor Lord also nodded in agreement.

Since both Eldrin Chen and Luo River Emperor Lord advocated for protecting the subsidiary stars, he, as the master of the Celestial Beam Imperial Star, naturally was also unwilling to abandon them.

Thus, the vote in this meeting remained three to one, rejecting the proposal put forth by Profound Departure Emperor Lord.

After the meeting concluded, the three departed one by one to tend to their wounds. Only Profound Departure Emperor Lord remained seated in the great hall. Within his smiling pupils, a trace of shadowy gloom suddenly flickered.

He sat motionless for a long while, his expression wrestling with internal conflict, before finally suppressing everything, letting it vanish without a trace.

"Enough. There is no turning back now."

After Eldrin Chenreturned to his palace, he immediately used the Restoration [a divine ability to heal wounds] to mend his injuries.

Once his wounds were healed, he strode back into the starry void to clash once more with the various Demon Race Emperor Lord [a supreme title for a ruler among cultivators].

In the years that followed, Eldrin Chen engaged in multiple earth-shattering duels with the great emperors of the Demon Race, each confrontation nearly shattering the Star Abyss [a legendary, star-filled chasm in the cosmos].

Yet, those who attained the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [the supreme realm of a Chaos Celestial Emperor] had almost all forged the Primordial Unity Indestructible Body [an ultimate physique of unbreakable unity], and many had even cultivated an Indestructible Primordial Spirit [an immortal spiritual core]. Thus, battles at this level rarely ended in death.

Amidst the stars, Eldrin Chen fought fiercely against the Emperor Lord, their clashes numbering in the dozens. At most, he was forced to retreat into the depths of the Celestial Beam Imperial Star [a celestial domain].

The Demon Race emperors did not pursue him, nor did they strike at the Human Race Grand Luo Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal of the Great Luo Realm].

After all, the Great Luo Golden Immortals of the Demon Race held an overwhelming advantage. These peerless Emperor Lord, blessed with longevity and the Imperishable [the state of being deathless] divine ability, saw no need to lose face by attacking juniors of the Great Luo Realm [a foundational realm for cultivators].

They *could* have acted, but it was unnecessary—and would have invited the ridicule of their peers.

Thus, time flowed on, and in the blink of an eye, another Kalpa Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of immense duration, often billions of years] had passed.

A single Kalpa Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of immense duration] of time, though vast and unfathomable, is not considered an overly long span for an existence at the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [the supreme sovereign realm of primordial chaos] level.

During this period, Eldrin Chen continuously clashed with formidable foes, honing himself in the crucible of battle. He also consumed another dose of Soul-Nourishing Treasure Liquid [a precious liquid that nourishes and strengthens the soul] and a Primordial Chaos Immortal Pill [a supreme pill forged from the essence of primordial chaos]. Finally, he had accumulated sufficient cultivation foundation to reach the threshold for breaking through to the Great Luo Body [the perfected physical form of a Great Luo Immortal] and the Great Luo Primordial Spirit [the perfected spiritual core of a Great Luo Immortal], specifically their eighth layer.

This time, after Eldrin Chen used his Restoration [a divine ability to heal and restore oneself] to mend his injuries, he did not immediately emerge to face his enemies. Instead, he began his assault on the realm of the Eighth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord [the eighth layer of the Primordial Unity Emperor Lord realm].

"It is time for the breakthrough," he murmured to the silent chamber.

On that fateful day, Eldrin Chen slowly retrieved his final Primordial Chaos Immortal Pill. After meticulously adjusting his state to its peak, he swallowed the pill, his cultivation firmly anchored at the Late Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord Realm [the late stage of the Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord realm].

The medicinal potency of the Primordial Chaos Immortal Pill was astonishing. It was a treasure specifically for Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch cultivating the Primordial Unity Emperor Body [an art to forge the body of a Primordial Unity Emperor]. Using it to break through a bottleneck at the Grand Luo Golden Immortal [the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm] level was, naturally, a task it could accomplish with ease.

As Eldrin Chen ingested this final pill, he immediately sensed a torrent of incredible medicinal force surging within him. Instantly, he felt the vast, heaven-shaking potential he had accumulated over the ages being ignited.

"BOOM—" A deafening roar echoed from within his very being.

With that thunderous sound, the infinite primordial source power within Eldrin Chen's body coursed through his meridians and limbs. Every single cell in his body began to radiate with the Eternal Immortal Light [a divine light symbolizing eternal immortality].

Seizing the moment, Eldrin Chen guided this cataclysmic wave of Primordial Source Power [the foundational power of primordial origin] to surge through all his acupoints and channels. It then flooded into the Chaos Cells [cells infused with the essence of primordial chaos] within him, forcing every single one to shatter its previous limits.

In a fleeting moment of clarity, Eldrin Chen felt as if every cell within his body was a Cosmos erupting into being, unleashing a surge of eternal power.

"Such formidable physical strength,"

Eldrin Chen murmured, a flicker of astonishment lighting his gaze.

He withdrew his consciousness from his cultivation, and after fully consolidating his gains, he took a moment to experience the newfound power coursing within him. A faint smile touched his lips.

This breakthrough had directly doubled his physical might, a leap that could almost be considered monumental.

It was worth noting that during the early stages of the Grand Luo Golden Immortal realm, each of Eldrin Chen's previous breakthroughs had only increased his strength by roughly twenty percent.

Even breaking through the bottleneck to the Mid Great Luo Golden Immortal realm had only yielded a fifty percent increase in physical power.