Chapter 2015 : The Desolate Tide Rises

"The Desolate People."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of everyone on the ship shifted subtly.

The young maiden, however, showed a flicker of curiosity and could not help but ask, "Grand Priest, are the Desolate People truly so terrifying?"

The Elder's face grew solemn, his tone grave as he replied, "Since time immemorial, any being corrupted by the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea [the primordial, chaotic sea of desolation] becomes a mindless Desolate People."

"Those Desolate People are like beasts, devoid of consciousness, becoming savage and cruel. They even crave to devour the souls of us sentient beings."

"To become one of the Desolate People is a fate worse than death. To be consumed by them means the utter dispersion of one's soul."

The maiden was taken aback. "Why would the Desolate People devour our souls?"

"Because the Desolate People, and even the Desolate Tribe [the collective tribes of the Desolate People], are mostly sentient beings who were corrupted. By consuming large numbers of our kind, they can Restoration [regain or restore] fragments of their lost intellect."

"Driven by an instinctual compulsion, since ancient times, they have periodically launched the Desolate Tribulation [the cataclysmic invasion of the Desolate People] against our Great Desolate Ancient Realm."

"Every occurrence of the Desolate Tribulation has its origins in this very cycle."

The Elder spoke in a measured tone, finally tapping his staff upon the ground. "The power of the Divine Jade is nearly spent. This is no place to linger. We must return swiftly to the Great Desolate Ancient Realm."

Upon hearing this, the cultivators aboard the ancient vessel immediately began steering it towards the Depths of Chaos.

Simultaneously, another group set about dissecting the Chaotic Leviathan, processing the greatest prize of their expedition.

The girl clad in beast-hide, lovely and spirited as she was, also took up a massive axe to help dismember the colossal whale. After an indeterminate time of labor, she suddenly felt her blade strike something unusual and cried out in surprise.

"Grand Priest, come quickly! There's a person here!"

The group rushed over and, with many hands, hauled a living being from the whale's belly. When they saw its form clearly, their expressions shifted dramatically.

Before them lay a man of peerless, towering stature. He was clad in golden battle armor, its surface scarred with countless marks from blades, spears, swords, and halberds. Yet, his divine countenance possessed a rare and breathtaking magnificence.

"A Desolate One!"

The faces of the burly men paled. They immediately summoned their weapons, blades and spears flashing, ready to cut the man down.

"Hold!"

But at that very moment, the Old Priest stopped them. After scrutinizing the figure for a long while with a deeply grave expression, he spoke solemnly, "This is not one of the Desolate People."

"His body bears no trace of the Desolate Decay Aura. He is likely an outsider from beyond our realm, one who fell into the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea by accident."

"An outsider?"

The young maiden was slightly taken aback and couldn't help but ask, "Beyond our realm? What place is that?"

The Old Priest shook his head and sighed, "Legends speak of other ancient realms existing within the Vast Chaotic Sea, beyond the borders of the Great Desolate Ancient Realm."

"Within the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea, ancient realms are occasionally born from the chaos. These realms can nurture Innate Divine Being [beings born with divine nature], who possess high intelligence from the moment of their birth."

"Alas, the Desolate Sea is boundless and fathomless, and the Desolate Decay Power [a corrupting, entropic force] within it is perilous and unpredictable. Once such a realm reaches maturity, a single colossal wave of Chaos [the primordial, formless state] crashing upon it is enough to shatter that ancient world to dust."

"After the world's destruction, under the relentless erosion of the Desolate Decay Power, these beings transform into the Desolate Tribe and Chaotic Desolate Beast."

"Yet, a rare few possess a certain resistance to the Desolate Decay Power, allowing them to retain their consciousness and will, if only for a time."

Hearing this, the maiden looked at Eldrin Chen with pity in her eyes. "Look at his wounds," she said softly. "He must have suffered attacks from many of the Desolate Tribe."

"Since he is not of the Desolate Tribe, Grand Priest, let us save him."

The Old Priest fell silent, his eyes studying Eldrin Chen intently. After a long moment, his pupils suddenly contracted.

It seemed he had discerned something. Finally, he took a deep breath and said, "Then let us bring him back with us."

Not long after being rescued, Eldrin Chen sensed the change in his surroundings and slowly awoke from his deep slumber.

"Where is this place…"

The moment he regained consciousness, Eldrin Chen's eyes narrowed slightly.

He first checked his own condition and discovered that the Chaos Divine Form [a supreme divine body technique] within him had been worn away by more than half, and his injuries had also recovered considerably.

"The Chaos Divine Form has been mostly eroded, and the wounds have healed significantly."

"If I do not aggravate the internal injuries, I should be able to exert about thirty percent of my combat power."

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, allowing himself a slight sigh of relief.

With his current strength, even if he could only exert thirty percent of his combat power, he would still be capable of suppressing an ordinary Early Stage Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord.

Coupled with the defense of the Indestructible Battle Armor, his safety finally had a sliver of assurance.

After checking his own condition, Eldrin Chen then observed his surroundings, discovering he resided within a single room.

Furthermore, this room contained no Formation or seals, seemingly not a place of danger.

His eyes flickered with thought. He immediately rose and extended his divine sense, observing the state of the ancient ship. Combined with his own deductions, he quickly ascertained his situation.

"An ancient vessel forged from the bones of a Primordial Spirit demon [the spiritual core of a cultivator]. The crafting method is exceedingly crude, and it seems to have endured warfare for a very long time, leaving the ship dilapidated and broken."

"The condition of this ship likely does not compare to thirty percent of its prime."

As these thoughts flashed through his mind, a flicker of curiosity arose within Eldrin Chen.

To his discerning eye, this ship was forged from bones at the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch level. In principle, such a feat implied the backing of a force that undoubtedly possessed experts of that same formidable tier.

For such a power, repairing an ancient ship of the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch level should not pose an overly difficult challenge.

Yet why did this entire ancient vessel give him a sense of profound Decay [a state of advanced deterioration and ruin]?

It was as if a group of cultivators of modest attainment, mere Grand Luo Golden Immortal [a high but not supreme level of immortal cultivation], had haphazardly patched together a ramshackle Chaos Ancient Ship [a vessel designed to traverse the primordial chaos] upon the skeletal frame of a Primordial Unity Ancient Ship [a legendary, foundational class of chaos vessel].

"To dare cross the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea [the boundless, turbulent sea of primordial chaos] in such a Decay-ridden ancient ship... do these people truly value their lives so little?"

As these thoughts drifted through Eldrin Chen's mind, before he could ponder further, the door creaked open and a young woman clad in animal hides entered.

The moment she pushed the door open and saw Eldrin Chen was awake, the girl exclaimed with delight, "Grand Priest [a title for a senior spiritual leader], Grand Priest, he's awake..."

Eldrin Chen paused briefly, swallowing the questions he wished to ask, and waited in silence.

Soon, the old man in animal-skin robes arrived in the room. After giving Eldrin Chen a measured look, he inquired with a smile, "You are awake."

Eldrin Chen nodded, rising to offer his thanks. "I am grateful for your rescue and kindness."

"You should thank me. I was the one who found you first," the girl in hides declared, her eyes sparkling as she studied Eldrin Chen. "Are all people from the outside world as... striking as you?"

The girl clad in animal hides stared intently, her gaze fixed on Eldrin Chen as she asked, "Are all outsiders as comely as you?"

"Amani, mind your manners."

The old man chided the young woman, then turned his gaze to Eldrin Chen and said, "It is good that you have awoken. I see your injuries have not yet fully healed. You should sit down first."

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod. He waited until the Elder had taken his seat before settling himself down nearby.

He observed them briefly. The young woman's cultivation seemed to be at the initial stage of the Great Luo Realm [the pinnacle realm of immortal cultivation, representing supreme mastery over the Dao]. The Elder's cultivation, however, was impressively high, reaching the Great Luo Golden Immortal Great Perfection [the absolute peak of the Great Luo Realm, where one's Golden Immortal essence is perfected].

Yet, the cultivation arts they practiced were somewhat peculiar. They did not seem to follow the mainstream Path of Dao Dominion [the orthodox path of cultivation focused on comprehending and mastering the fundamental principles of the Dao]. Instead, they cultivated a Flesh Sanctification Method [a cultivation path that focuses on refining and empowering the physical body to god-like resilience].

However, this particular Flesh Sanctification Method was unique. It held distinct differences from the more common variants of such body-refining arts.

Eldrin Chen could faintly perceive that their cultivation was not based on the Bloodline Divine Ability [innate supernatural powers passed down through a powerful bloodline] of the Path of Fleshly Body Sanctification. It was fueled by another, more crude and domineering type of power.

"A unique form of Flesh Sanctification Method?"

Thoughts flickered through Eldrin Chen's mind, but he quickly suppressed his contemplations.

At that moment, the Elder gestured for the young woman to leave. Once alone, he looked directly at Eldrin Chen and inquired, "How are your wounds faring?"

"Thanks to your assistance, I have recovered a great deal."

Eldrin Chen offered a faint smile and replied calmly.

The Old Priest nodded, his gaze carefully appraising Eldrin Chen before he inquired, "I can see your physical form is extraordinary, seemingly far surpassing that of the Chaotic Leviathan [a colossal, primordial beast of chaos]. How then were you devoured by it?"

"Could it be you were ambushed by the Chaos Desolate Tribe [a savage race native to the primordial chaos]?"

"The Chaos Desolate Tribe?"

Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered with a thoughtful light before he spoke. "To be frank, my descent into the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea [the vast, chaotic sea at the edge of creation] resulted from being pursued by a sworn enemy."

"My knowledge of the Chaos Desolate Tribe is limited. What exactly are they?"

"And also, what region of the cosmos is this place?"

The Old Priest paused briefly in surprise, then explained, "We are all Descendants of the Great Desolation [the surviving people of the ancient Great Desolation], dwelling within the Great Desolate Ancient Realm [the Ancient Realm of the Great Desolation]."

"This location within the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea lies approximately three Desolate Journey [a unit of immense distance used in the Desolate Realms] to the south of the Great Desolate Ancient Realm."

Eldrin Chen listened in silence, swiftly absorbing the information laid before him.

The Great Desolate Ancient Realm possessed an ancient and storied origin, having once been a flourishing Origin Domain [a primordial world of immense spiritual energy and potential]. It was not only home to numerous Innate Divine Being [beings born with a divine nature and immense power] but also hosted a great many Grand Luo Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal realm of cultivation] and Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [a supreme emperor realm born from primordial chaos].

However, during the Ancient Era [a primordial epoch of immense upheaval], the Great Desolate Ancient Realm suffered a cataclysmic tribulation, causing the entire world to Decay [enter a state of irreversible decline and spiritual entropy]. Its very cosmic rank plummeted as a consequence.

Witnessing the Great Desolate Ancient Realm's decline and its growing inability to withstand the corrosive energies of the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea [the boundless, chaotic void between worlds], the realm's most powerful beings joined forces. They forged two primordial arks and, taking the high-ranking Immortal [beings who have achieved immortality through cultivation] with them, fled far into the Chaos Sea [the vast, turbulent sea of primordial chaos].

Those Grand Luo Golden Immortal who were not powerful enough or who were unwilling to abandon their homeland remained within the Great Desolate Ancient Realm to guard it. They became what is now known as the Descendants of the Great Desolate.

The Old Priest before him was one such guardian. Having lived for tens of thousands of Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles], he stood as one of the current pillars supporting the heavens of the Great Desolate Ancient Realm.

Alas, the Great Desolate Ancient Realm lay broken, its resources long since taken by those who departed. This left him with scant means to advance his cultivation, forever trapped at the Great Luo Golden Immortal Great Perfection realm.

As for the Desolate Journey mentioned by the Old Priest, it was the most common unit of measurement used within the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea.

The distance of one Desolate Journey was defined as the distance a newly ascended Grand Luo Golden Immortal could travel at full speed through the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea in one million years.

Having grasped this intelligence, Eldrin Chen could not help but feel a flicker of doubt arise within him.

He turned his gaze toward Old Priest and could not help but inquire, "I am curious. Since the Great Desolate Ancient Realm is already shattered and broken, how is it still able to withstand the erosion of the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea?"

"Furthermore," he continued, "how is it that you are able to traverse the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea?"

Upon hearing this, Old Priest's expression shifted slightly, a trace of coldness flickering across his face.

Eldrin Chen sensed he had overstepped and promptly apologized, "My apologies, that was presumptuous of me."

Old Priest offered no further explanation. He rose to his feet and declared, "The ChaosDesolate Tribulation approaches. Within the next Kalpa Tribulation, the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea will become exceedingly perilous."

"Given your injuries, I shall not force you to depart now. Once the Desolate Tribulation has passed, you must leave of your own accord."

With those final words, Old Priest stood and vanished from the room.

After the elder departed, a flicker of understanding passed through Eldrin Chen's eyes. He grasped that, in the eyes of these people, the secret to resisting the Desolate Decay Power was far more crucial than the history of the Great Desolate Ancient Realm.

After all, the Great Desolate Ancient Realm was now a ruined husk, holding little of value to covet.

But the means to withstand the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea were the very key to their survival. Naturally, they dared not be the slightest bit careless with such knowledge.

With these thoughts, Eldrin Chen gathered his focus and turned his gaze towards the ancient jade at the center of the ancient vessel.

He saw that the ancient jade emanated a mysterious force, which actually expelled the Desolate Decay Power [a power of entropy and withering decay] beyond the confines of the ancient ship.

"A Divine Jade [a jade imbued with divine or profound spiritual properties] capable of repelling the Desolate Decay Power... this power..."

Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly as he spoke with a measure of astonishment, "Such a pure Soul [the spiritual essence of a being] force. Could this be some kind of supreme Soul treasure?"

After a moment of surprise, Eldrin Chen suppressed his thoughts.

If it could resist the Desolate Decay Power, and if this truly was a supreme Soul treasure, it would likely be priceless to any being cultivating the Primordial Spirit Dao Attainment [the path of cultivating one's primordial spiritual core].

However, Eldrin Chen had been rescued by these Descendants of the Great Desolate [the people who trace their lineage back to the ancient Great Desolate era], so he naturally would not commit the treachery of repaying kindness with malice.

Setting his mind at ease, he remained within the ancient ship and began to Restoration [a technique for healing and recuperation] his injuries.

A distance of three Desolate Journey [a unit of measurement for vast distances in the desolate wilderness] was considered quite remote within the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss.

Yet, as he traversed the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea [the vast, primordial sea of chaotic desolation], Eldrin Chen discovered that this immense expanse of the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea was almost devoid of any living beings.

This filled Eldrin Chen with a sense of dread, deepening his understanding of the sheer terror of the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea [the vast, barren, and energy-depleted expanse between realms in the primordial chaos].

The Desolate Decay Power [a corrosive force that withers all life and essence] pervading the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea was too dreadful; here, almost no blade of grass could grow, and it was nearly impossible to sustain any living beings.

Only Primordial Chaos Dire Beast [ancient, monstrous beasts native to the primordial chaos] whose cultivation had reached the level of Ancient Immortal or Grand Luo Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal realm] could survive within the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea.

Furthermore, these Primordial Chaos Dire Beast tended to cluster around Chaos Nest [pockets of concentrated chaotic energy that can sustain life], rarely wandering through the desolate expanse of the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea itself.

It was precisely for this reason that the Descendants of the Great Desolate [a tribe or clan surviving in the harsh primordial wilderness] became so exhilarated after successfully hunting a Chaotic Leviathan [a colossal chaos beast].

For if they failed to secure sufficient prey, they would be forced to venture into the perilous regions where those dangerous Chaos Nest were located to hunt.

Within the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea, Chaos Nest were birthed by the Chaos Realm Sea [the foundational sea of chaotic energy from which realms are born], which meant they always existed in dense clusters.

A single region of Chaos Nest often contained thousands upon thousands of them gathered together, among which were powerful Chaos Ancient Beast [beasts of immense age and power from the chaos] of the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [a sovereign-level realm of power] tier. For the Descendants of the Great Desolate to dare delve deep into such places would be nothing short of seeking their own demise.

Time flowed swiftly by as Eldrin Chen focused on healing his wounds and observing his surroundings. In what seemed like the blink of an eye, several hundred thousand years had passed.

"We're home, we're home!"

On that day, amidst the jubilant cheers of the beast-skin-clad maiden, the Chaos Ancient Ships finally drew near the Great Desolate Ancient Realm.

Eldrin Chen stood at the ship's prow, watching as the Chaos Ancient Ships traversed the desolate sea of the Vast Chaotic Void and, almost imperceptibly, arrived at the edge of a fragmented ancient realm.

It was a realm of staggering vastness, its diameter a hundredfold greater than any Immortal Domain Eldrin Chen had ever beheld.

In comparison, even the immense Abyssal Immortal Domain seemed but a sesame seed beside a watermelon.

Yet, a faint furrow appeared between Eldrin Chen's brows, a flicker of regret passing through his gaze.

For a Primordial Immortal Domain was not merely a thousand or ten thousand times larger in diameter than a standard Immortal Domain; the fact that this Great Desolate Ancient Realm was only of this size revealed its rank had fallen to a grievously weakened state.

"The core Origin [the foundational world-source energy] of this Origin Domain appears to have been siphoned away by some external force, causing the world's very rank to plummet,"

Eldrin Chen murmured, his brow tightening further, a cold glint entering his eyes.

Whether it was a Primordial Immortal Domain or a standard Immortal Domain, their Origin was generally a resource that could be utilized.

However, within the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss, the major powers treated the Origin of Immortal Domain and Origin Domain with extreme caution. Drawing upon it too heavily would inevitably cause the world's rank to degrade.

Generally speaking, even as a Lord of the Immortal Domain [a supreme ruler of a world of immortals], one would at most consume a small portion of the world's Primordial Source Power [the foundational, life-giving energy of a realm] at once, then quietly wait for its Restoration [a process of natural recovery and healing] to take place.

The Great Desolate Ancient Realm [an ancient and primordial world] before them, however, had not only been stripped of all its Origin [its fundamental essence and source], but its future potential had been overdrawn as well, leading to the complete and irreversible degradation of its world rank.

"To drain an Origin Domain [a primordial world capable of birthing supreme beings] of all its Primordial Source Power... what a ruthless method,"

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, a flicker of solemn gravity passing through his eyes.

The rank of an Origin Domain was exceedingly high; in theory, even the weakest among them possessed the potential to nurture a Chaos Celestial Emperor [a supreme sovereign born of primordial chaos].

And once an Origin Domain gave birth to a Chaos Celestial Emperor, that emperor, personally wielding the power of the Heavenly Dao [the supreme natural order and destiny of a world] within his own domain, would fear no confrontation, even against several other Chaos Celestial Emperor.

Yet, if no Chaos Celestial Emperor had Ascension [achieved the supreme breakthrough to that rank], then merely two or three Chaos Celestial Emperor joining forces could breach the World's Placental Membrane [the protective barrier surrounding a nascent world], plundering its Chaos Primordial Qi [the purest energy of primordial chaos] and all manner of Opportunity [chances for advancement and fortune].

Even such an act, in Eldrin Chen's view, was merely the law of the jungle—nothing more needed to be said.

But to take the Chaos Primordial Qi and then proceed to exhaust an entire Origin Domain's Primordial Source Power, draining its very potential dry... such methods were truly excessively cruel.

"Killing the goose that lays the golden eggs—this is not the way of the righteous path."

As the thought flickered through his mind, the ancient vessel arrived at the Great Desolate Ancient Realm.

"Wahoo, Amani is home!"

As soon as the Chaos Ancient Ships docked, Amani cried out in delight and excitedly stepped onto the shores of the Great Desolate Ancient Realm.

Eldrin Chen looked up and saw many Descendants of the Great Desolate within the ancient realm, craning their necks in anticipation as if they had been waiting for a long time.

The cultivation levels of these Descendants of the Great Desolate were not particularly high; most were at the Earth Immortal [a mid-level immortal realm] or Celestial Immortal [a foundational immortal realm] stage, and they all followed that unique path of Sainthood through the Flesh [a cultivation method focused on achieving divinity through physical body refinement].

Perhaps because this place was especially suited for cultivating that Flesh Sanctification Method [a body-tempering cultivation art], their physical bodies seemed exceptionally sturdy, granting them greater resistance to the energies of the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea.

Some cultivators at the Ancient Immortal Realm [a powerful immortal realm] could directly step into the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea and withstand the scouring of the Chaos Sea Waters.

Were it not for the Desolate Decay Power [a corrosive power of decay and desolation] eroding their flesh, they might even be able to wander briefly within the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea.

"This unique Flesh Sanctification Method indeed has its remarkable strengths."

"It seems I must find a way to earn their trust."

With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Eldrin Chen followed the others and ascended into the Great Desolate Ancient Realm [a primordial and desolate world steeped in ancient history and power].

Upon arriving at the Great Desolate Ancient Realm, Eldrin Chen was settled into a place of recuperation within its vast expanse by the Old Priest. However, due to his unique and somewhat ambiguous status, he was assigned quarters only on the very fringes of the ancient realm.

Fortunately, the Descendants of the Great Desolate [the indigenous people inhabiting the ancient realm] were of a simple and honest nature, imposing no harsh restrictions upon him. Apart from being barred from entering the Core Sanctuary of the Great Desolate Ancient Realm [the most sacred and restricted central area of the realm], he faced no other prohibitions and was free to roam elsewhere.