Chapter 1960 : Seeking the Primordial Sun Emperor

After a long silence, Nether Mystery Imperial Lord spoke, "The three of us cultivate the Profound Darkness [the profound principle of shadow and mystery], Mixed Metal [the art of alloying and refining metals], and Source Earth Great Path [the great path of primordial earth] respectively. We are the natural Great Path Rival [predestined adversaries on the cultivation path] of Returning Abyss Path Master."

"Since there is only advancement and no retreat on this path, we must eliminate this threat early."

The other two nodded in agreement. However, Primordial Golden Spirit furrowed his brow slightly and said, "But Returning Abyss Path Master has formed an alliance with the Four Great Imperial Courts. They will not stand idly by if we act."

Upon hearing this, the other two also frowned. The Four Great Imperial Courts were top-tier imperial courts, each guarded by at least a Primordial One Imperial Lord 6th Tier [a supreme sovereign at the sixth tier of the Primordial One realm]. They were absolutely not opponents the three of them could handle.

Thinking of this, Desolate Ape Imperial Lord could not help but say, "Are we then to simply sit back and watch Returning Abyss Path Master rise to power?"

Nether Mystery Imperial Lord pondered for a moment before speaking. "What if... we seek out the Primordial Solar Great Emperor?"

His words sent a tremor through the hearts of the other two. The Primordial Solar Great Emperor was one of the Ten Directions Great Emperors of the Demon Race, his cultivation having reached the Great Perfection Primordial One Imperial Lord [the pinnacle of the Primordial One Imperial Lord realm]. Furthermore, he wielded the Innate Supreme Treasure [a treasure born of heaven and earth, of the highest order], the 'Primordial Solar Immortal Lamp'. He was a force the Four Great Imperial Courts could not possibly contend with.

However...

Primordial Golden Spirit and Desolate Ape Imperial Lord exchanged a glance. The former could not help but voice their shared doubt, "But would He deign to intervene?"

The power of the Primordial Solar Great Emperor was truly awe-inspiring. He was one of the Sea-Calmer [a title for a supremely powerful figure who can pacify turbulent seas, metaphorically representing immense stabilizing power] divine pillars of the Demon Race. Even among all the Primordial One Imperial Lord [supreme sovereigns at the Primordial One realm] within the vast Three Thousand Immortal Domains, his strength ranked within the top ten.

Would such a figure, who has long withdrawn from worldly affairs, truly deign to intervene against a mere Great Encompassing Golden Immortal?

Nether Mystery Imperial Lord was also uncertain. Only after a long moment did he shake his head and say, "Regardless, we must make the attempt."

The other two had no objections upon hearing this.

Immediately, they departed the Imperial Court and ventured deep into the Thirty-Three Heavens to seek an audience with the Primordial Solar Great Emperor.

To their surprise, the Primordial Solar Great Emperor seemed to have been expecting them. They were granted an audience with the Primordial Solar Imperial Lord without delay.

Deep within the Primordial Solar Imperial Court, a figure of unfathomable depth sat upon the central throne of the Great Hall.

His aura was like a blazing Heavenly Flame, radiating a light that seemed to illuminate all the Myriad Heavens, its pressure so immense it left the three Imperial Lord struggling for breath.

"Hiss—"

Nether Mystery Imperial Lord drew a sharp, cold breath. Facing the Primordial Solar Imperial Lord before him, he felt with sudden clarity like an infant—utterly powerless, as if they existed on entirely different planes of existence.

If Nether Mystery Imperial Lord felt this way, the other two Imperial Lord fared even worse, their faces etched with profound shock and awe.

"Even among those of the Imperial Lord realm, there exists a chasm of difference."

Nether Mystery Imperial Lord murmured inwardly, a respectful expression surfacing on his face as he spoke, "We pay our respects to Primordial Solar Great Emperor."

In that very instant, the oppressive atmosphere within the Great Hall abruptly eased, the intangible pressure vanishing as if it had never been.

Only then did the three figures release a collective sigh of relief. Seeing this, Nether Mystery Imperial Lord promptly cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, our purpose in coming today concerns Eldrin the Immortal Lord."

"That Eldrin the Immortal Lord possesses boundless potential. In the future, I fear he may become a great calamity for us…"

Nether Mystery Imperial Lord began to recount in detail, narrating the potential and prowess of Eldrin Chen.

Primordial Solar Great Emperor listened in silence. After hearing the full account, he remarked with keen interest, "A Path-Founder, an Ancestor of a Great Path... Truly fascinating."

Seeing this, Desolate Ape Imperial Lord could not help but step forward, cupping his hands and imploring, "We beseech Your Majesty to intervene, to restrain the Four Great Imperial Courts and allow us to eliminate Eldrin the Immortal Lord."

"I fear that is not possible."

Primordial Solar Great Emperor shook his head, then tossed a scroll bearing an Imperial Lord's decree towards the group.

The three Great Emperor [the supreme rulers of the Immortal Domains] exchanged a glance, their expressions shifting subtly. This decree before them was none other than a mandate from the Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor [a Great Emperor whose power is as profound and unfathomable as a dark abyss].

The surface of the decree was utterly blank, devoid of any written words. Yet, its intended message was conveyed with crystal clarity.

"The Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor moves swiftly. By delivering this decree ahead of your own, the unspoken implication is plain for all to see," Primordial Solar Imperial Lord stated, a shadow of gravity settling upon his brow.

The Primordial Solar Great Emperor [a Great Emperor whose authority is likened to the primordial, unchanging sun] spoke slowly, his demeanor growing solemn.

The Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor was not to be compared with the Tai Cang Divine Emperor. Although the latter was also one of the nine Great Emperor of the Divine Clan [a powerful clan of divine beings], having cultivated to the realm of a Great Perfection Primordial One Imperial Lord [the pinnacle of power for an Imperial Lord, one step below a Great Emperor], he ranked only eighth among the nine Great God [another term for the supreme rulers, synonymous with Great Emperors in this context].

This was not due to any lack of strength on the part of the Tai Cang Divine Emperor, but rather because he possessed no Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme magical weapon born of heaven and earth, of unparalleled power].

It must be understood that among those at the level of Great Perfection Primordial One Imperial Lord, a Great Emperor without an Innate Supreme Treasure and one who possessed such a treasure existed on two entirely different planes of power.

The Tai Cang Divine Emperor, lacking an Innate Treasure [a powerful magical weapon of natural origin], could hardly inspire true apprehension in the Primordial Solar Imperial Lord.

However, the companion weapon of the Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor, the 'Obsidian Abyss Imperial Spear', was a different matter entirely. It was his Lifebound Treasure [a magical artifact intimately connected to a cultivator's soul and cultivation], which had undergone a metamorphosis into a True Spirit Treasure [a treasure imbued with the essence of a True Spirit, a being of immense power] and ultimately ascended to become an Innate Supreme Treasure. It was reputed to stand at the very forefront of the Ten Great Spears of the Three Thousand Immortal Domains [the collective name for the vast cosmos of immortal realms].

Legends spoke that when the Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor broke through to Great Perfection Primordial One Imperial Lord, he encountered a staggering Opportunity and Fortune [a rare and profound chance encounter or blessing that advances one's cultivation]. He refined into his spear seven times seven—forty-nine—kinds of peerless divine metals. Only through this monumental feat was his Lifebound Treasure able to advance first to a True Spirit Treasure and then transcend into an Innate Supreme Treasure.

With such profound foundations and reserves, even the Primordial Solar Great Emperor would not dare claim he could certainly surpass his opponent.

Seeing this, the expressions of the three Great Emperor Lords shifted repeatedly.

The Golden Spirit Imperial Lord took a deep breath, his face turning pale as he spoke with a chill, "Since the Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor has intervened, does that not mean we can hardly deal with this Eldrin the Immortal Lord?"

"First, take a look at this."

The Primordial Solar Great Emperor shook his head calmly and tossed a dossier to the others.

The three Great Emperor Lords were momentarily taken aback. They immediately opened the dossier to examine its contents, and their expressions changed drastically after just a single glance.

It turned out this dossier contained records on Worthy Verdancy Chen, Alistair Ye, Literature Abyss Lu, and also Serene Bamboo.

After the three had finished reading, the Primordial Solar Great Emperor stated calmly, "The Sacrificial Self Path [a radical cultivation method based on self-sacrifice and rebirth] pioneered by this Returning Abyss Path Master is truly extraordinary. Who would have thought it could give birth to four Great Encompassing [the highest realm of cultivation, signifying one who encompasses the Great Dao] in such a short time."

"Even though it consumed a vast amount of the legacy left by the Supreme Lunar Imperial Lord, it is enough to prove that this Great Path [a supreme cultivation method or philosophical system] is already quite complete."

The faces of the three darkened. The Nether Mystery Imperial Lord could not help but say, "Once the Returning Abyss Path Master cultivates nine Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [Golden Immortals who have attained the Great Encompassing realm], they will undoubtedly become a dire threat to our very hearts."

The Primordial Solar Great Emperor [a supreme sovereign embodying the power of the primordial sun] gave a nod and then spoke. "I requested the Heaven's Deduction Saint Emperor [a Saint Emperor famed for his unparalleled divination arts] from the Primordial Domain of Saint and Demon [the ancient realm where saints and demons originated] to perform a divination."

"That Returning Abyss Path Master [a master of the profound and abyssal Returning Abyss Path] paid a heavy price. He even seems to have employed an Innate Supreme Treasure [a treasure born from primordial chaos, possessing supreme power] to perform Foundation Reforging [a divine ability that reforges a cultivator's very foundation] for his nine disciples, cultivating nine Great Encompassing True Seeds [cultivators who have reached the pinnacle foundation stage of the Great Encompassing realm] of the Sacrificial Self Path [a profound and demanding cultivation art that involves sacrificing aspects of the self]."

"That treasure is most likely a legacy of the Supreme Lunar [the supreme principle of the moon, representing profound yin and mystery]. He spent such a cost merely to transform nine top-tier Ancient Immortals [immortals who have existed since ancient times] into practitioners of the Sacrificial Self Path, all to gather nine Great Encompassing [the foundational stage before achieving true divinity] practitioners of that path."

"Once these nine individuals complete their breakthrough, he could directly attain the battle prowess of a Primordial One Imperial Lord [an Imperial Lord who has unified his being into a singular, primordial state]. Therefore, our most urgent task is to prevent the remaining five from achieving the Path."

Upon hearing this, the three Great Emperors [supreme sovereigns who rule over vast domains] revealed faint smiles.

The Desolate Ape Imperial Lord [an Imperial Lord with the lineage of a primordial, desolate ape] gave a calm nod. "In the next Kalpa Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of destruction and rebirth], I will dispatch my disciples to enter the tribulation. I will even enhance their combat power at the cost of sacrificing their future potential, to thoroughly strangle these five in their cradle."

The other three Great Emperors also revealed faint smiles upon hearing this.

Just as the Returning Abyss Immortal Alliance [an alliance of immortals dedicated to the profound mysteries of the abyss] harbors heaven-defying talents like Path Ruins Jiang and Kael Chen, the courts of the three Great Emperors each conceal multiple top-tier Great Encompassing True Seeds.

Among these Great Encompassing True Seeds, many have secluded themselves in cultivation for hundreds of Kalpa Tribulations, merely to cultivate more Indestructibility Foundations [foundations of unbreakable durability] or even to strive for a True Spirit Foundation [a foundation based on one's true, primordial spirit], suppressing their breakthrough all the while.

With the profound accumulation and resources [the deep reserves of power, knowledge, and assets] of their status as Primordial One Imperial Lords, if they invest immense resources to nurture these disciples, they are destined to cultivate them into top-tier Peerless Prodigies [prodigies with no equal in their generation]. If they sacrifice potential, the results would be even more astonishing.

However, the price for this was immense, the resources consumed were even more precious than a Supreme Grade Innata Spiritual Treasure [a treasure of the highest order, born from the primal chaos of creation], so great that even a Primordial One Imperial Lord [a supreme ruler who has unified their primordial essence into a single, ultimate form] would feel a pang of loss.

Seeing that the three had been enlightened, the Primordial Solar Great Emperor [the Great Emperor embodying the primordial, untainted essence of the sun] spoke calmly, "In this Kalpa Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of destruction and rebirth], we shall ensure his schemes come to naught."

"To pay such a staggering price, even going so far as to expend a legacy of the Supreme Lunar [the supreme, primordial essence of the moon] on the level of an Innate Supreme Treasure [a treasure born from the primal chaos, possessing supreme innate power], only for it all to ultimately amount to nothing—this blow will likely be devastating for Returning Abyss Path Master as well."

"After all, the Supreme Lunar Imperial Lord [the Imperial Lord who once embodied the Supreme Lunar essence] perished in the end. How many times can the legacy left behind sustain such profligate use?"

Upon hearing this, the three Great Emperors [rulers who have attained the pinnacle of the Great Emperor realm] all revealed smiles. Golden Spirit Ancient Progenitor sneered coldly, "Once all nine of his disciples have fallen, we shall force him to surrender his Great Path Authority [the supreme authority over a fundamental aspect of the Great Dao, the cosmic law]."

"Otherwise, his Sacrificial Self Path [a profound cultivation method centered on the concept of sacrificing the self to achieve greater power] can forget about ever giving birth to another Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [an immortal who has achieved the Great Encompassing realm and attained the Golden Immortal Dao Fruit, a state of supreme perfection]."

In the view of the three Great Emperors, the fact that Eldrin Chen was able to nurture nine Great Encompassing True Seeds [individuals with the innate potential to reach the Great Encompassing realm] was not due to the Sacrificial Self Path being overwhelmingly miraculous.

Rather, it was because the Supreme Lunar legacy possessed by Eldrin Chen was far too precious, coupled with the fact that these nine top-tier Ancient Immortals [immortals who have survived for immense eons] indeed possessed extraordinary potential. Only thus could they be transformed into Great Encompassing True Seeds of the Sacrificial Self Path.

Yet, the Supreme Lunar legacy was not infinite, and top-tier Ancient Immortals of the Great Encompassing True Seed caliber were rare finds, not something one could simply seek out.

Once the Supreme Lunar legacy was exhausted and five Great Encompassing True Seeds had perished, the difficulty for Eldrin Chen to cultivate nine Great Encompassing [the realm of ultimate comprehension and unity with the cosmos] practitioners of the Sacrificial Self Path would inevitably increase a hundredfold, a thousandfold.

Under such circumstances, if those few Imperial Lord [a supreme title for a ruler of an immortal domain] were to dispatch their disciples to obstruct the path [to prevent someone from achieving a higher cultivation breakthrough], the Sacrificial Self Path [a profound cultivation method focused on self-transcendence] would almost certainly never reach its day of great completion.

Seeing that the three had all formed their intentions, Primordial Solar Imperial Lord [an Imperial Lord associated with the pure essence of the sun] spoke with calm authority, "Though this is the case, we must not be careless."

"We must not only dispatch our disciples and followers, but also seek out many allies. When the time comes, we, the Great Emperor [a sovereign ruler of immense power, often presiding over a vast territory or cosmic principle] of our respective paths, shall personally enter the fray. With absolute numerical and martial superiority, we shall hunt down these five, utterly extinguishing their hope of proving the Great Encompassing [the ultimate, all-encompassing Dao, the highest state of cultivation]."

The three Great Emperor sovereigns nodded in agreement upon hearing this, immediately deciding to return to their Path-Field [a sacred realm or territory associated with a specific cultivation path or lineage] to select disciples and make preparations for the path obstruction.

Now, the Kalpa Tribulation [a cataclysmic cosmic cycle of destruction and renewal] had only just concluded. The span of a single Kalpa Tribulation was more than sufficient for them to prepare with thorough abundance.

"..."

Meanwhile, far away in the Returning Abyss Immortal Domain, Eldrin Chen remained unaware of the machinations of the four Imperial Lord.

Within the Returning Abyss Immortal Domain, he continuously tended to his wounds. By the time his injuries had recovered to a significant degree, more than ten million years had passed.

On a certain day, millennia later, after another session of dual cultivation [a practice where two cultivators harmonize their energies for mutual benefit] with his Dao companions, Eldrin Chen felt his wounds had recovered sufficiently. He rose from the soft divan.

"What is it?"

Seeing that Eldrin Chen was preparing to emerge from seclusion, Exquisite Jiang rose from the soft couch. She wrapped her snow-white jade arms around Eldrin Chen and asked.

Eldrin Chen shook his head, a gentle smile gracing his lips as he spoke. "My injuries have Recovery by ninety percent. My cultivation in the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] realm has also accumulated sufficiently. I am preparing to enter closed-door cultivation to make the breakthrough."

Upon hearing this, a flicker of envy surfaced in Exquisite Jiang's eyes.

Ever since he had imprinted the Returning Abyss Divine Rune from within the Returning Abyss Furnace, Eldrin Chen's speed in refining various resources had doubled. The growth rate of his Primordial Spirit and physical body cultivation had also increased by nearly the same margin.

In just over one Kalpa Tribulation [an immense cosmic cycle in Buddhist cosmology], his Primordial Spirit cultivation had broken through to the fifth level of Great Encompassing Golden Immortal. This speed was enough to make her deeply envious.

Thinking of this, Exquisite Jiang spoke. "Break through here. We will guard you."

Eldrin Chen glanced at his Dao Companions beside him, a warm smile touching his lips. He said nothing more, simply stroking Exquisite Jiang's silken hair. "Alright."

With those words, Eldrin Chen began his closed-door cultivation for the breakthrough.

He directly took out the Soul Nourishing Wood and the Heaven Soul Fruit, using his Root Origin Treasure [a cultivator's foundational magical treasure, often the first and most important one] the Returning Abyss Furnace to continuously refine them.

Time flowed swiftly. Unnoticed, tens of thousands of years passed. Eldrin Chen felt his Primordial Spirit smoothly shatter the Limit-Breaker [a critical bottleneck or limit in cultivation] and break through to the fifth level of the Great Encompassing Primordial Spirit realm.

Upon completing this breakthrough, Eldrin Chen felt his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] cultivation increase by another fifty percent.

Similar to his physical cultivation, this breakthrough propelled Eldrin Chen's Primordial Spirit combat power from the initial stage of the Great Encompassing [a high-level immortal realm] seventh layer directly into the domain of a top-tier Seventh Layer Great Encompassing Golden Immortal.

Correspondingly, the combined combat power from Eldrin Chen's Three Great Foundations [his core cultivation arts] underwent another enhancement, reaching the very limit of the Eighth Heaven of the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal—an improvement of over ten percent from his previous state.

This meant that the current Eldrin Chen, even without activating the Sacrificial Self Path [a supreme cultivation art] or wielding a True Spirit Supreme Treasure [a treasure of unparalleled power], possessed strength sufficient to rival a Primal Chaos Kui Ox [a mythical beast of immense power].

If he were to wield a True Spirit Supreme Treasure, with its power comparable to a Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure [a treasure born from primal chaos], he could contend with a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal Great Perfection [the pinnacle of the Great Encompassing realm] with ease.

Furthermore, if he were to don the mantle of authority from the Sacrificial Self Path—authority comparable to a top-tier Eighth Heaven of Great Encompassing—Eldrin Chen's power would surpass even that of a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal Great Perfection by a significant margin.

The reason for this lay in Eldrin Chen's foundational cultivation, which was equivalent to the combined essence of three Seventh Layer Great Encompassing Golden Immortal and one top-tier Eighth Heaven of the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal.

When such immense power converged with the Great Path Authority [the supreme authority of a cultivation path] of the Sacrificial Self Path, the result was far greater than a simple sum; it allowed Eldrin Chen to achieve a staggering qualitative transformation.

It was a pity, however, that Eldrin Chen's Three Great Foundations had not yet stepped into the Seventh Layer Great Encompassing Golden Immortal. Had they done so, he would have directly possessed the strength to challenge an early-stage Primordial One Imperial Lord [a sovereign realm above Great Encompassing].

One must understand that the gulf between a Primordial One Imperial Lord and a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal was vast. Even a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal Great Perfection, by unleashing a Forbidden Divine Ability [a supreme, world-shaking technique], could only barely touch the fringes of that lofty domain.

Eldrin Chen was confident that he could possess such combat power even at the late stage of the Great Encompassing realm, a testament to the profound and immense depth of his foundation.

The reason for this was that once he stepped into that realm, any single one of his Three Great Foundations would be comparable to a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal Great Perfection cultivator. The convergence of all three would naturally shatter a certain ultimate limit.

Returning to the main thread, after completing his breakthrough in Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] cultivation, Eldrin Chen immediately felt his spirits soar.

He opened his eyes to find his several Dao Companions gazing up at him, and a warm smile naturally touched the corners of his eyes.

Pulling the Dao Companion beside him into his embrace, Eldrin Chen once again lost himself in the harbor of tender affection.

It must be admitted that the Great Encompassing Marvelous Art Eldrin Chen had created based on the Polarity Mutual Cultivation Path was truly extraordinary.

This Great Encompassing Marvelous Art not only healed injuries but also allowed his Dao Companions to jointly contemplate and gain insights into the Great Path [the fundamental laws of the cosmos] during the moment of Polarity [the interaction of opposing cosmic forces] communion, significantly accelerating their comprehension. It could indeed be called a peerless and marvelous technique.

Their affectionate dual cultivation continued, and before they knew it, tens of millions of years had passed. By the time Eldrin Chen felt his injuries were completely Recovery, a full thirty million years had elapsed.

It was on this day that Eldrin Chen suddenly received a letter, finally compelling him to emerge from his haven of tenderness.