Chapter 1970 : Clash of Supreme Treasures

Verdant Consort [a powerful female cultivator] wished to intervene and lend aid, but was restrained by Eldrin Chen.

Eldrin Chen simply shook his head and declared, "These five are formidable. Leave them to me alone. The rest are yours to handle."

After that brief exchange, Eldrin Chen immediately shattered the heavens and surged forward to meet them.

Without the slightest hesitation, he directly channeled the power of the Sacrificial Self Path [a profound cultivation method], fused it with the empowerment of the Ten Great Immortal Treasuries [a supreme divine ability], and Burst [unleashed] with a force that surpassed the ultimate limits of the Great Encompassing [a supreme cultivation realm].

"BOOM—"

An earth-shattering collision erupted between them in an instant. Golden Radiance Celestial Lord [a powerful celestial being] was sent flying, blood spraying from his mouth, after just the first clash, and a hairline crack even appeared on his Great Halberd [a mighty polearm].

"How can you possess such strength?"

The pupils of Violet Dawn Divine Spirit [a divine spirit] contracted with cold intent. In a flash, he shattered the firmament and charged forth. With a flip of his palm, he grasped a Solar Sun [a condensed essence of solar power] wreathed in Purple Heavenly Thunderclap [a devastating divine thunder] and brought it crashing down, seeking to utterly suppress Eldrin Chen.

This violet Solar Sun was no ordinary treasure, but a Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure [a treasure of the highest innate grade], the very Companion Supreme Treasure [a supreme treasure born with its wielder] of Violet Dawn Divine Spirit—the 'Violet Dawn Divine Sun Pearl'.

As this supreme treasure streaked across the heavens with world-ending might, suppressing all of time, even the River of Space-Time [the metaphysical flow of time and space] churned violently under the disturbance of its divine power, sending towering waves crashing through its currents.

"Hmph—"

Eldrin Chen let out a cold snort. The Returning Abyss Seal in his hand transformed into a Chaos Great Cauldron. It erupted with a power capable of annihilating Chaos [the primordial state before creation], its force clashing violently against the Six Harmonies [a powerful defensive formation], resulting in a tremendous collision.

At that very moment, the other three formidable enemies also launched their attacks simultaneously.

The Longevity Ancient Seal, the Great Roc's Golden Wing Slash, and one supreme-grade innate spiritual treasure after another descended, carrying a power that could grind the Myriad Heavens [the countless realms of existence] to dust. Their blazing radiance annihilated everything in their path.

"Argh—!"

Eldrin Chen fought with all his might against the five great foes, only to realize they were terrifyingly powerful. Even with his supreme combat prowess, he found himself at an absolute disadvantage.

With no other choice, Eldrin Chen had no choice but to unleash his full power without reservation, engaging them in a desperate, bloody battle for survival.

The power of a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal realm cultivator] was simply too immense. When unleashed fully, it was potent enough to reverse the flow of the River of Space-Time [the metaphysical river representing the flow of time and space].

The five of them fought with utter abandon. Their clash was so fierce it shattered the firmament of Chaos and caused the River of Space-Time to churn violently upstream. They were swept into an unknown, ancient stretch of the River of Space-Time itself.

They churned the River of Space-Time, their figures battling their way back along its currents toward the ancient era at the dawn of Antiquity-Tracing. Their cataclysmic struggle erupted within the prehistoric epochs of the Primordial Chaos World Sea [the boundless sea of worlds born from primordial chaos].

Unbeknownst to them, they had plunged into an era billions of years in the past. The immense power of Space-Time spanning billions of years weighed upon them, pressing down so heavily it felt difficult to breathe.

Here, Eldrin Chen, relying on the indestructible, tribulation-defying power of his Primordial One Indestructibility Body, actually withstood the combined Slaughter assault of the five opponents. He even managed to gain a faint, tenuous upper hand.

"Perish!"

Witnessing Eldrin Chen's display of power as he pressed forward, Violet Dawn Divine Spirit descended into utter, frenzied madness.

With a furious roar, he Burst forth with a forbidden technique. His cultivation blazed like an eternal, scorching sun, Burst forth with several times his normal magical power.

In that instant, a cataclysmic tide of eternal violet solar energy descended to suppress its target, striking Eldrin Chen so hard he coughed blood and was sent flying.

"Polarity Sacrificial Self!"

Eldrin Chen was also fighting with a blood-boiling fervor. He directly activated the Second Rank stage of the Sacrificial Self Path, akin to an Ultimate Sublimation that burned his Blood God soul and vital essence. His cultivation began to climb ceaselessly, ultimately shattering the ultimate barrier of the Primordial One Imperial Lord realm.

This comprehensive empowerment caused Eldrin Chen's combat strength to surge forward by leaps and bounds.

He was seen with one hand arresting the descent of the eternal violet sun, enduring a blow from Desolate Wilderness Patriarch, while his other strike shattered the physical body of Verdant Extreme Patriarch into crumbling ruin.

This single strike was potent enough to wound an early-stage Primordial One Imperial Lord [a supreme realm of cultivation]. Were an ordinary Great Encompassing Golden Immortal Great Perfection [the pinnacle of the Golden Immortal realm] to receive such a blow, they would likely perish or at the very least be left half-dead.

Unfortunately, Verdant Extreme Patriarch cultivated the Great Path of Life [a profound Dao focused on vitality and regeneration]. Even after sustaining such grievous injuries, he was visibly Recovery [healing] at a speed discernible to the naked eye.

This was the first time Eldrin Chen had witnessed how utterly vexing the Great Path of Life could be.

Enraged, he charged forth, harnessing the Battle Slaughter Art [a martial art of relentless carnage] to engage the group in fierce combat across the Heavenly Vault [the celestial dome of the sky]. He closed the distance, forcing Violet Dawn Divine Spirit into close-quarters combat.

After unleashing the Second Rank stage of the Polarity Sacrificial Self Path [an esoteric cultivation method of self-sacrifice for power], Eldrin Chen possessed combat power capable of rivaling a Primordial One Imperial Lord. Even if the others unleashed their full Burst [explosive power], they struggled to inflict truly lethal wounds upon him.

Only Violet Dawn Divine Spirit possessed the greatest combat strength. His Violet Dawn Thunderfire Great Path [a supreme cultivation art], woven from Primordial Solar Heavenly Flame [the primordial flames of the sun] and Violet Void Divine Thunder [divine thunder from the violet void], had nearly half a foot stepped into the domain of a True Spirit Great Path [a supreme path aligned with a True Spirit's nature].

The Oblivion [annihilating] nature Burst forth from such a Great Path [supreme cultivation art] was truly terrifying. Even Eldrin Chen could not afford to let him unleash his full power unchecked.

Fortunately, Eldrin Chen's physical body was peerless. Fighting at close range, he drove Violet Dawn Divine Spirit back step by step, leaving the divine spirit with scarcely any strength to spare for deploying his ultimate trump cards.

Seeing that he could barely hold his ground, Violet Dawn Divine Spirit finally lost his patience. He summoned the full power of his 'Violet Dawn Divine Sun Pearl' [a magical orb of violet dawn and solar power] to shield himself, then roared, "Will the rest of you not strike with your full might?"

"We shall lend our aid."

The Verdant Extreme Patriarch finally spoke, unable to restrain himself any longer, and unleashed a Forbidden Divine Ability. He then commanded the Longevity Ancient Seal to press down, its weight akin to an entire ancient Immortal Domain bearing down upon Eldrin Chen.

The Desolate Wilderness Patriarch, the Golden Radiance Celestial Lord, and the Golden Roc Demon Lord also dared not hold back any longer. They each unleashed their own Forbidden Divine Ability to suppress Eldrin Chen, creating an opening for the Violet Dawn Divine Spirit to exploit.

"A perfect opportunity."

Seeing Eldrin Chen momentarily restrained by the combined efforts, the Violet Dawn Divine Spirit revealed a look of savage delight.

He struck with his full power, unleashing another forbidden Slaughter Divine Ability [a supreme supernatural technique]. In that instant, a ray of Oblivion [the power of utter annihilation] thunderfire surged forth, imbued with world-ending divine might, and merged with the Violet Dawn Divine Sun Pearl.

Instantly, the power of the Violet Dawn Divine Sun Pearl multiplied, unleashing a beam of eternal Violet Dawn thunderfire capable of shattering heavens and extinguishing earth.

"Perish!"

With a furious roar, the Violet Dawn Divine Spirit brought his attack crashing down, a tide of Celestial Slaughter [a plant associated with divine execution] intent solidifying into a devastating blow that struck Eldrin Chen squarely.

In that moment, a cataclysmic tide of thunderfire energy drowned everything. An indescribable power shook the very fabric of past and present, causing the entire River of Space-Time [the metaphysical flow of time and space] to tremble violently.

Shattering, annihilation, chaos, Oblivion…

Gazing upon the shattered battlefield at the Central [the central region of the conflict], a faint smile touched the lips of the Violet Dawn Divine Spirit.

Such a world-shaking, divine power—this all-out strike—filled him with absolute confidence that it was sufficient to Oblivion [utterly annihilate] everything. Even a Primordial One Imperial Lord [a supreme cultivator at the Primordial One realm] taking the blow head-on would likely perish.

He believed this strike was enough to completely slay Eldrin Chen, and its residual power could even sweep through the River of Space-Time [the metaphysical river representing the flow of time and space]. It would be sufficient to follow the River of Space-Time and strike down once more, slaying Eldrin Chen again one hundred Kalpa Tribulation [cosmic cycles of immense duration] into the future.

At that very moment, the shattered Space-Time [the fabric of reality itself] began to reforge [mend and reshape itself], as if everything was returning to calm.

The Violet Dawn Divine Spirit was just about to claim the spoils of this battle when he suddenly sensed something amiss. If Eldrin Chen had been slain, why had he not found Eldrin Chen's portion of Great Path Authority [the supreme authority over a Great Path, a fundamental cosmic principle] within the Great Path Authority?

"No!"

The Violet Dawn Divine Spirit's expression changed drastically, but it was already too late.

From within the chaotic turmoil, deep within the shattered Space-Time, a flash of Chaos Light [primordial light of unformed creation] suddenly erupted.

It was an ancient, supremely archaic Chaos [Primordial Chaos] Immortal Furnace. It stood firm within the shattered, boundless Depths of Chaos [the unfathomable, primordial void], and with a piercing shriek, it shot forth to strike with devastating force.

"Aaaargh—!"

The Violet Dawn Divine Spirit [a divine being embodying the first light of dawn] paled drastically, hurriedly summoning his Violet Dawn Divine Sun Pearl [a radiant pearl containing the essence of the dawn sun] to block. Yet, he watched in horror as the treasure was sent flying aside in the mere blink of an eye.

The Chaos [a primordial state of undifferentiated existence] Immortal Furnace met no resistance whatsoever. In an instant, it shattered the Violet Dawn Divine Spirit's physical body. Even his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and true essence of a cultivator] was nearly extinguished in that same fleeting moment.

"No—!"

In the space of a breath, the Violet Dawn Divine Spirit had been utterly stripped of his combat power.

Only then did he realize that Eldrin Chen was stepping forth from within the Immortal Furnace, completely unscathed, without a single trace of injury upon him.

"This is…"

A look of utter despair and profound terror dawned on the face of the Violet Dawn Divine Spirit as he stammered, "That… that is a Root Origin Treasure [a legendary artifact forged from the fundamental principles of existence itself]!"

"Impossible! How could you possibly have cultivated a Root Origin Treasure?"

In that moment, shock rippled through all the surrounding enemies.

For the technique Eldrin Chen had unleashed was none other than the Root Origin Treasure, the Returning Abyss Furnace [a legendary furnace capable of refining and returning all things to their primordial state].

The Root Origin Treasure [the foundational artifact that embodies a cultivator's entire cultivation base and path] is an existence that can only be forged by those at the Primordial One Imperial Lord [the realm of a single, unified primordial origin] level. Such a Root Origin Treasure is forged by fusing one's entire foundational cultivation base; it is one of the essential foundations required for a breakthrough into the Chaos Heavenly Emperor [the title of an Emperor who commands primordial chaos] realm.

The so-called Root Origin Treasure represents the totality of a cultivator's foundation; it is also the very embodiment of their Great Path [the supreme, fundamental Dao or principle they follow].

For a Primordial One Imperial Lord to attempt a breakthrough into the 'Path Mastery' [the realm of complete mastery over a Great Path] realm, they must be able to personally bear the power of Great Path Authority [the authority and dominion inherent to a Great Path]. The Root Origin Treasure is the optimal vessel for bearing such Great Path power.

To forge a Root Origin Treasure, one must achieve complete mastery over every aspect of their own foundation, controlling every last shred of their power with absolute precision. The sheer difficulty of this alone is immense.

Generally speaking, even among Primordial One Imperial Lord cultivators, very few are capable of forging a Root Origin Treasure.

Those who accomplish this feat are almost invariably top-tier Primordial One Imperial Lord cultivators at the Primordial One Imperial Lord Late Stage [the final stage of the Primordial One Imperial Lord realm], possessing both staggering power and boundless potential.

It can be said that only those capable of forging a Root Origin Treasure possess the qualifications to break through into the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Realm [the realm of a Heavenly Emperor who commands primordial chaos].

Otherwise, even if one were to obtain all the necessary Great Path Authority, it would be impossible to fully master that authority, let alone achieve a breakthrough into the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Realm.

That Eldrin Chen had forged his Root Origin Treasure at his current realm seemed utterly inconceivable to them, akin to a mythical figure among Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [the realm of a Golden Immortal whose power encompasses all] cultivators.

In truth, had they known that Eldrin Chen had completed this monumental step as early as the Ancient Immortal Realm [the realm of an Ancient Immortal], they would likely have abandoned any thought of opposing him entirely.

This was even rarer than cultivating the seven great True Spirit Foundation. Throughout the annals of history within the Thirteen Domains of the Heaven Abyss, no one had ever achieved such a feat.

Now, witnessing Eldrin Chen summon his Root Origin Treasure [the foundational magical treasure born from a cultivator's own cultivation path], the Violet Dawn Divine Spirit felt a wave of shock, followed swiftly by a strange sense of relief.

He let out a bitter laugh before speaking. "To think you have actually cultivated a Root Origin Treasure. It seems our defeat at your hands is not without reason."

"I send you to your final rest!"

Eldrin Chen spoke with icy calm. His Returning Abyss Furnace [a mystical furnace capable of refining souls and essences] swept forth, capturing the remnant soul of the Violet Dawn Divine Spirit and utterly annihilating it in an instant.

The other four formidable foes watched this, their expressions twisting into wry, resigned smiles.

The Verdant Extreme Patriarch drew a deep breath, his voice grave as he declared, "My fellow cultivators, let us meet our end with one final, desperate struggle."

"Then let us fight to our utmost limits!"

The Golden Roc Demon Lord roared in response. He channeled his Great Roc's Golden Wing Slash [a divine ability manifesting countless razor-sharp golden feathers], its power sweeping across the Eight Desolations. A storm of feather-like Immortal Sword [swords wielded by powerful immortals] tore through the churning Chaos [the primordial, formless state before creation] and rained down with devastating force.

The Desolate Wilderness Patriarch and the Golden Radiance Celestial Lord both sighed, a sound heavy with finality. In that same moment, they too unleashed their full power, Bursting forth with divine might capable of shattering heavens and extinguishing worlds.

The four Great Encompassing Golden Immortal Great Perfection unleashed their full power, each erupting with a force capable of Burst shattering the heavens and extinguishing the earth.

It must be admitted, the combat prowess of these four was truly formidable and terrifying. After activating their Forbidden Divine Ability, each of them possessed the qualifications to challenge a Primordial One Imperial Lord.

With such a quartet joining forces, even a Primordial One Imperial Lord would have to tread carefully, needing to at least wait until their Forbidden Divine Ability subsided before being confident of victory.

Yet such power could hardly shake Eldrin Chen. At this moment, Eldrin Chen, having activated his True Spirit Forbidden Divine Ability, already possessed combat strength that had stepped into the realm of a Primordial One Imperial Lord, and he was also piloting a Root Origin Treasure like the Returning Abyss Furnace.

With such might, even if he couldn't quite match a Primordial One Imperial Lord who had also unleashed a Forbidden Divine Ability, the gap was likely not far.

The Returning Abyss Furnace pressed relentlessly across the Eight Desolations, annihilating all laws in its path. Even Upper Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure would shatter and disintegrate before it—this was an unstoppable, world-shaking divine power.

In the span of mere moments, the Great Wasteland Patriarch was drawn into the furnace and suppressed to death. Even his Great Perfection Indestructibility Body was ground to dust by the furnace's Primordial Chaos Grinding Mill.

Golden Radiance Celestial Lord roared and shot into the sky, transforming into an Innate Ancient Sword aimed at Eldrin Chen's brow. Yet the Returning Abyss Furnace shimmered slightly, unleashing the power of the Five-Colored Divine Light. In an instant, both man and sword were swept into its depths.

Golden Roc Demon Lord, piloting his Great Roc's Golden Wing Slash, fought with maddened frenzy, seeking a mutual devastation with Eldrin Chen. But the Returning Abyss Furnace devoured the heavens like a Kunpeng [a mythical giant fish-bird]. Billions of feather-swords were sucked in like a great whale drinking water, impossible to escape.

In the end, the Returning Abyss Furnace descended with crushing force, pulverizing him into paste on the spot.

It must be admitted that the Returning Abyss Furnace [a legendary furnace of immense power], empowered by the Forbidden Divine Ability [a supreme technique that defies heavenly laws], was overwhelmingly potent. Its might was nearly comparable to a Primordial One Imperial Lord [a supreme being who has unified their cultivation path] personally wielding a Root Origin Treasure [a treasure born from the primal chaos of creation].

Witnessing his three companions being effortlessly annihilated, Verdant Extreme Patriarch was driven to the brink of despair.

His eyes bloodshot, he stared at Eldrin Chen and let out a cry of utter desolation: "Why... why must it be you? Why are you my Great Path Rival [the fated nemesis who stands as the ultimate obstacle on one's cultivation journey]?"

After repeating that agonized "why" several times, Verdant Extreme Patriarch lost all will to continue the fight. He chose to end his own physical form, delivering a palm strike to his own head, forcibly releasing his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and true essence of a cultivator] from its mortal vessel.

"*Hummm—*"

Eldrin Chen guided the Returning Abyss Furnace to devour the patriarch's remains, refining and extracting the life force and Great Path Authority [the conceptual authority over a specific aspect of the Great Dao] contained within.

Without a moment's hesitation, Eldrin Chen then turned his attention to the battlefield below. In the blink of an eye, he suppressed the remaining foes, swiftly executing several of his Great Path Rival, including the Mace of Earth Immortal Lord [a title for a powerful Earth Immortal] and the Profound Darkness Ghost Ancestor.

Furthermore, Eldrin Chen showed no mercy towards the Primal Chaos Kui Ox [a primordial bovine demon beast of immense strength]. A single devastating blow left it grievously wounded, allowing the Violet Ultimate Ancient Phoenix [an ancient and supreme phoenix] to seize the opportunity and deliver the final, crushing blow.

Only then did this protracted war finally draw to a close.

Eldrin Chen performed a quick calculation with his fingers and realized, to his slight surprise, that this conflict had unknowingly raged on for thirty thousand years.

The war that spanned thirty thousand years was, at their level of existence, an exceedingly brief affair. This was primarily because, after unleashing the Forbidden Divine Ability [a supreme technique that exacts a terrible price for its immense power], the Root Origin Treasure [a foundational treasure of unparalleled might, representing the core of one's cultivation] wielded by Eldrin Chen proved overwhelmingly powerful, suppressing the four opponents with a force that bordered on absolute domination.

"Master."

By this time, Goose Startles Cold had regained consciousness. He looked at Eldrin Chen and said, "I have implicated you in this, Master."

"It is of no consequence."

Eldrin Chen shook his head, his voice calm. "Even without you, they would have found another method to ensnare me."

As he spoke, a slight frown creased Eldrin Chen's brow. He directly summoned the Returning Abyss Furnace [a legendary cauldron capable of refining and containing primordial chaos] above his head, then used it to reintegrate the severed portion of Chaos [the formless, primordial state from which all existence arises] back into the vast expanse of the Primordial Chaos World Sea [the boundless, churning ocean of unformed reality that predates creation].

Upon returning to the Primordial Chaos World Sea, Eldrin Chen's gaze grew solemn as he peered into the Depths of Chaos [the most profound and turbulent regions of the primordial sea].

Not far away, within the roiling Chaos, a man clad in magnificent violet imperial robes observed Eldrin Chen, a flicker of surprise crossing his features.

"Primordial One Imperial Lord [a sovereign who has unified the primordial forces of creation into a single, supreme principle, representing the pinnacle of power within the chaos]."

Eldrin Chen's heart clenched. After a careful assessment, he allowed himself a slight sigh of relief. "A newly ascended Primordial One Imperial Lord."

Though he was only a newly ascended Primordial One Imperial Lord [the first major stage for an Imperial Lord-level cultivator], with his current strength, he possessed sufficient power to ensure his own safety.

"There is no need for alarm, young friend."

At that very moment, the Imperial Lord [a supreme cultivator who rules over a vast domain] clad in violet imperial robes smiled and said, "Since you, young friend, have cultivated a Root Origin Treasure [a foundational treasure of immense power, tied to one's very origin], you are qualified to receive this wisp of Innate Primordial Breath [the primordial, foundational energy from which all creation springs]."

"This object, I shall not intervene."

Only then did Eldrin Chen nod, a faint smile gracing his lips as he spoke, "My gratitude, Senior. May I inquire as to your esteemed title?"

"My path-name is Violet Sun. My Path-Field [the personal domain and seat of power for a Path Ancestor or high-level cultivator] lies within the Primordial Domain of Saint and Demon [an ancient and perilous realm where forces of sanctity and demonic power clash], young friend..."

The Violet Sun Imperial Lord spoke, his words trailing off for a brief moment before continuing, "...Fellow Daoist, should you ever visit in the future, I shall surely sweep the steps clean to welcome you."

"Then I offer my thanks once more, Senior." A flicker of understanding passed through Eldrin Chen's eyes as he immediately cupped his hands in salute. "Today, we still have pressing matters to attend to and cannot linger."

As his final words faded, Eldrin Chen immediately led his companions in tearing through the fabric of space, vanishing from the depths of the Vast and Boundless Chaos [the primordial, formless expanse from which all realms are born].

"Heaven's Deduction, you old villain! How dare you plot against me!"

After Eldrin Chen departed, the countenance of Violet Sun Imperial Lord instantly darkened.

It turned out that he, Violet Sun Imperial Lord, was the third contingency arranged in the calculations of Heaven's Deduction Saint Emperor to utterly annihilate Eldrin Chen.

Back when Heaven's Deduction Saint Emperor accepted the request of his friend Primordial Solar Imperial Lord, he laid a trap to kill Eldrin Chen. To prevent Eldrin Chen from having even a sliver of a chance to survive, he specifically sought out the newly ascended Violet Sun Imperial Lord from the Primordial Domain of Saint and Demon.

Heaven's Deduction Saint Emperor did not elaborate much. He merely informed Violet Sun Imperial Lord that within the Primordial Chaos World Sea, a strand of Innate Primordial Breath [the most fundamental creative energy of the cosmos] would unexpectedly manifest and fall into the hands of a mere Ancient Immortal.

And this Ancient Immortal was backed by Eldrin Chen, a true seed of a Heavenly Emperor [a cultivator destined to reach the pinnacle of the Heavenly Emperor realm].

At the time, Violet Sun Imperial Lord did not think much of it. After all, Eldrin Chen had only recently broken through to the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal realm and was cultivating five Great Path [supreme cultivation arts] that were considered impossible to master completely.

As a Primordial One Imperial Lord himself, if he summoned his Great Path to protect his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator], even a Chaos Heavenly Emperor would find it exceedingly difficult to kill him, rendering him virtually Indestructibility. Naturally, he felt no fear towards Eldrin Chen.

In his view, Eldrin Chen would at most reach the Primordial One Imperial Lord Realm in the future.

Yet now, having witnessed Eldrin Chen's Root Origin Treasure [a treasure connected to the very foundation of one's cultivation], he suddenly comprehended the terrifying potential of Eldrin Chen.

In the eyes of the outside world, even if Eldrin Chen could cultivate to the Great Perfection Primordial One Imperial Lord realm, his chances of breaking through to become a Chaos Heavenly Emperor were less than one in a hundred.

Yet, to forge a Root Origin Treasure [a foundational treasure that embodies one's very essence and cultivation path] at this stage of cultivation, Eldrin Chen's potential was likely far more astonishing than the outside world could fathom.

Combined with the Sacrificial Self Path [a profound cultivation method focused on self-transcendence through sacrifice] he had pioneered, Violet Sun Imperial Lord even suspected that if Eldrin Chen ever obtained Chaos Genesis Energy [the primordial energy from which all creation springs], his chances of breaking through to the realm of Chaos Heavenly Emperor [a sovereign who commands the primordial chaos of creation] were likely no less than fifty percent.

Although Chaos Genesis Energy was enough to make Great Perfection Primordial One Imperial Lord [an Imperial Lord who has perfected the Primordial One realm] and even Sage Ascendant [a being who has ascended to the threshold of Sagehood] fight to the death, once it appeared, an existence like Eldrin Chen would undoubtedly be among its most formidable contenders.

At this thought, Violet Sun Imperial Lord ultimately dared not take the risk.

After all, while the Innate Primordial Breath [the innate, foundational breath of spiritual energy within a being] was precious, it was not worth offending a being whose Future [a title denoting immense future potential] held such a high likelihood of attaining Chaos Heavenly Emperor.

"That old thief, Heaven's Deduction Saint Emperor, actually dared to set me up like this."

Violet Sun Imperial Lord's expression turned grim. After a long silence, a cold glint flashed in his eyes as he murmured, "He dares to scheme against the Returning Abyss Path Master [a title for Eldrin Chen, Master of the Returning Abyss Path]. Does he truly know whether this Returning Abyss Path Master genuinely possesses the makings of a Chaos Heavenly Emperor?"

After another long pause, Violet Sun Imperial Lord shook his head, seeming to comprehend something.

Whether Heaven's Deduction Saint Emperor had foreseen it or not, he would have plotted against Eldrin Chen regardless. If he hadn't foreseen it, then Heaven's Deduction Saint Emperor would have had no fear of a Future Primordial One Imperial Lord [an Imperial Lord of the Primordial One realm].

If he *had* foreseen it, then using the commission from the Primordial Solar Imperial Lord as a pretext to eliminate a powerful contender for Chaos Genesis Energy in advance would simply be a profitable transaction.

"Ingenious. The schemes of that old thief Heaven's Deduction Path Master are truly ingenious."

"A pity. You underestimated Eldrin Chen, and you have underestimated me as well."

Violet Sun Imperial Lord spoke slowly, a glint of ice flashing within his gaze.