Chapter 2042 : A Pact Forged in Chaos

Indestructible Elder noticed the expression on Eldrin Chen's face and could not help but smile as he said, "You have brought two Great Emperor and seven Eighth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord to aid us."

"I cannot let you return empty-handed. It is only right that I allocate an additional Innate Supreme Treasure to your share."

As he spoke, Indestructible Elder paused thoughtfully before continuing, "To be perfectly honest, this old man has another matter to request of you."

A flicker of understanding passed through Eldrin Chen's eyes as he immediately grasped Indestructible Elder's meaning.

Without hesitation, he retrieved the Indestructible Battle Armor and said with a light smile, "Consider this a return to its rightful owner."

"This artifact is my Lifebound Treasure [a magical treasure bound to its wielder's very life force, growing in power with them and often impossible to replace], a possession I find truly difficult to part with."

Indestructible Elder rubbed his hands together somewhat awkwardly before adding, "But rest assured, I will not let you suffer a loss for your generosity."

With that, Indestructible Elder produced a jade box, his expression turning solemn as he handed it to Eldrin Chen.

Seeing his grave demeanor, Eldrin Chen could not help but inquire, "What treasure lies within this?"

"Chaos Origin [the primordial, undifferentiated essence from which all creation is said to have emerged]."

Indestructible Elder spoke with grave deliberation, slowly opening it to reveal a mass of incredibly dense Chaos Qi [the primordial, undifferentiated energy from which all things originate].

Eldrin Chen was momentarily taken aback, his expression turning profoundly solemn.

This so-called Chaos Origin is an exceedingly rare Chaos Rare Treasure, its value rivaling even that of an Innate Supreme Treasure [a treasure born from the primordial chaos, possessing supreme power].

It is said that consuming such a divine object can increase one's chances of breaking through to the Great Emperor Realm by fifty percent.

For those who walk the path of Sainthood through the Flesh [a cultivation method focused on tempering the physical body to god-like perfection], it can even be used to refine one's potential and increase the odds of shattering the limits of the flesh. Its value remains significant even for those at the Sage Ascendant realm.

"Long ago, beyond the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss, a Chaos Secret Realm manifested. Within it, even Chaos Primordial Qi [the purest essence of primordial chaos] appeared, drawing many Chaos Celestial Emperor to explore its depths."

"This old man was fortunate enough to venture there with a companion. Regrettably, my strength was insufficient at the time to obtain the Chaos Primordial Qi, securing only ten portions of Chaos Origin."

"Using these ten portions, I consumed nine to cultivate the Unique True Spirit Divine Form [a unique divine physique of unparalleled spirit]. This last portion has remained with me for over one hundred thousand Kalpa Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of immense duration, often billions of years]."

As he spoke, the Indestructible Elder pushed it towards Eldrin Chen and said, "Today, I offer it to you in exchange for this set of Indestructible Battle Armor. What say you?"

"Agreed."

Eldrin Chen nodded, expressing no objections.

The Indestructible Battle Armor could reduce damage from a Great Emperor by ninety percent, but as his cultivation advanced, its utility had gradually diminished.

This was because Eldrin Chen could now, through the Abyssal Divine Rune alone, become immune to attacks at the Great Emperor level. Even damage from the Sage Ascendant realm could be absorbed in large part by the Abyssal Divine Rune.

In other words, an ordinary Sage Ascendant would find it difficult to inflict an irresistible, fatal wound upon Eldrin Chen.

This Indestructible Battle Armor could only mitigate fifty percent of damage at the Sage Ascendant level. While still useful to Eldrin Chen, it would likely become obsolete not long after his next cultivation breakthrough.

Therefore, Eldrin Chen had decided from the outset to return the Indestructible Battle Armor to the Indestructible Elder, trading it for the elder's support, and even an alliance.

Now, having obtained his heart's desire, the Indestructible Elder handed Eldrin Chen three talismans and said, "These three communication talismans were procured by me from the Blazing Central Primordial Domain."

"They are exceedingly precious, capable of transmitting messages across the vast expanse of the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea, but each can only be used three times."

"In the future, should you truly face a moment of dire peril, use this talisman to send word to me, and transmit your spatial coordinates along with the message."

Pausing for emphasis, the Indestructible Elder spoke with utmost solemnity, "As long as your opponent's strength does not exceed the early stage of a Chaos Celestial Emperor, this old man will lend you his aid."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen immediately revealed a faint smile.

A promise from an invincible Sage Ascendant was truly invaluable. One must understand that Indestructible Elder was an existence capable of challenging a Celestial Emperor and defeating a combined force of ten Sage Ascendant.

With his assistance, Eldrin Chen felt his confidence grow by several degrees for the day he would return to the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss.

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen cupped his hands and said, "Senior, rest assured. If I, one day, can prove my Dao and attain the realm of a Chaos Celestial Emperor, I will, within my power, assist you in achieving your own Dao."

"Good."

Indestructible Elder also showed a look of pleasant surprise. Understanding Eldrin Chen's potential, he decisively declared, "In that case, why don't we forge an alliance of mutual aid and defense?"

"Then it is settled."

A gleam flashed in Eldrin Chen's eyes, and he proceeded to formalize the alliance with Indestructible Elder.

Only after the alliance was sealed did Eldrin Chen turn his gaze back to Indestructible Elder and ask, "Senior, approximately how long until your injuries are Restoration [fully healed]?"

Indestructible Elder pondered for a moment before replying, "I need to make a trip to the Blazing Central Chaos Domain first, to procure some rare treasures to Restoration [restore and heal] my wounds."

"If all proceeds smoothly, restoring all my injuries should take several hundred Kalpa-time [an immense cosmic cycle in Buddhist cosmology, often billions of years], a thousand at most."

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod and inquired, "When I passed by the Blazing Central Chaos Domain [a central, lawless hub within the primordial chaos] before, I dared not venture deep precisely because I feared the dangers within."

"There is no need for concern."

Indestructible Elder shook his head and explained, "The Blazing Central Chaos Domain is the heart of this Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea [the vast, untamed expanse of primordial chaos], conducting business with several hundred Origin Domain [domains of origin, the foundational realms from which all things spring] simultaneously. Therefore, it still maintains a certain degree of order."

"As an outsider, as long as you are not an existence that has cultivated the Seven True Spirit Apertures [the pinnacle of a specific, immensely powerful cultivation stage marked by opening seven apertures for the True Spirit], generally no one will move against you."

Eldrin Chen's gaze flickered with thought. "And if one *has* cultivated the Seven True Spirit Apertures?" he asked.

"One who has cultivated the Seven True Spirit Apertures..."

Indestructible Elder shook his head once more. "Within the Blazing Central Primordial Domain [the primordial core region of the Blazing Central Domain], there is a Chaos Celestial Emperor [a supreme ruler born of and reigning over chaos] skilled with a celestial halberd, named 'Derivation Emperor'. He long ago laid down the Chaos Heaven-Derivation Grand Formation [a grand formation of chaos that derives and monitors the workings of heaven]."

"This formation uses the Chaos Spiritual Treasure [a treasure forged from and embodying the power of primordial chaos] 'Heaven-Derivation Mirror' as its core array eye. It can monitor the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea across a span of several hundred million Desolate Journey [a unit of measure for vast distances in the desolate chaos]."

"Within this range, any being who has cultivated the Seven Great True Spirit Apertures will be detected and located."

"Then you would face the relentless pursuit of Chaos Celestial Emperor [a supreme ruler of the Chaos Realm], and even the Dao-Union Supreme [the highest sovereign who has unified all Daos] from the Blazing Central Primordial Domain [the central, most powerful region of the primordial chaos] personally hunting you down."

Indestructible Elder shook his head, sighing as he spoke: "Fortunately, you have only cultivated five True Spirit Aperture [the foundational spiritual orifices that determine a cultivator's ultimate potential]. You will not encounter too much trouble."

Eldrin Chen's expression shifted slightly, and he could not help but ask: "Can someone who has attained Primordial Spirit Dao Attainment [the legendary state of having one's Primordial Spirit perfectly aligned with the Dao] truly make even a Dao-Union Supreme wary?"

"One who has attained Primordial Spirit Dao Attainment possesses limitless, boundless potential."

Indestructible Elder shook his head once more, then continued: "I once asked Immortal Cosmos Dao Progenitor [the progenitor who founded the Dao of the Immortal Cosmos]. He stated that Primordial Spirit Dao Attainment is the supreme foundation."

"If one cultivates it to fruition, the chance of stepping into the Second Chaos Realm [the second major realm within the hierarchy of Chaos] is at least fifty percent."

Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow slightly and inquired, "Is the Second Chaos Realm truly that rare?"

"Rare. Exceedingly rare."

Indestructible Elder shook his head and elaborated: "Within this expanse of the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea [the vast, untamed sea of primordial chaos] that the Blazing Central Chaos Domain holds sway over, the total number of Origin Domain [fundamental domains that are the seeds of worlds] combined likely approaches one hundred."

"As for Chaos Celestial Emperor, their number is probably no fewer than three hundred. Among them, several dozen have even reached the Half-Step Second Realm."

"Yet, to have truly set foot upon the Second Chaos Realm [the second stage of comprehending the fundamental laws of Chaos], one who could be called a Dao-Union Supreme [a supreme being who has unified their Dao with the fundamental principles of existence], there has been only that single individual."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly. Once more, he grasped just how profoundly difficult it was to advance even a single step beyond the Chaos Realm [the realm of comprehending the fundamental laws of Chaos].

Under such circumstances, the gulf between the first and second realms of Chaos [the primordial state of undifferentiated existence] would likely be staggeringly vast. The very notion of triumphing over a foe from a higher realm would likely become an impossibility.

Consider this: if Eldrin Chen were to one day cultivate all five of his Great Dao [the supreme Paths of cultivation]—Pure Yang [the Path of Unblemished Solar Radiance], Profound Nether [the Path of the Deepest Abyss], Life [the Path of Vital Creation], Chaos Metal [the Path of Metallic Chaos], and Source Earth [the Path of Primordial Earth]—to the Chaos Realm, and then fuse them into one, the result would *still* only be the Second Chaos Realm.

If a Chaos Great Dao [a supreme Path born from the fusion of multiple Great Daos into Chaos] of such immense power merely constituted the second realm, how could those existences at the Dao Union Realm [the realm where one's Dao unifies with the cosmos] possibly be weak?

Each of their foundations was heaven-defyingly profound, and their cultivation methods were unlikely to be significantly inferior to Eldrin Chen's own. In a battle on equal footing, they might not suffer a disadvantage, let alone be defeated by someone from a lower realm.

"Once one steps into Chaos, I fear that even for me, overcoming a foe from a higher realm will become a near-impossible feat."

These thoughts flickered through Eldrin Chen's mind. He then spoke, "Since venturing to the Blazing Central Primordial Domain [the central, fiery heartland of the primordial world] holds little danger, I humbly request that you, Senior, allow this junior to accompany you when the time comes."

"You wish to...?"

The Indestructible Elder spoke, seeming to have guessed his intent.

Eldrin Chen nodded and then spoke, "I wish to exchange for one or two more suitable Innate Supreme Treasure [treasures born from the world's essence, possessing supreme power] to aid in cultivating the True Spirit Divine Form [a divine form manifested from one's True Spirit Primordial Spirit]."

"Hmm."

Seeing this, Indestructible Elder gave a slight nod of his head and said, "There is no need to rush this matter. Allow this old man a few more years of recuperation."

"You should also use this opportunity to first comprehend the Soul Refining Method [an ancient method for refining and controlling souls]."

"Very well."

Eldrin Chen nodded, saying nothing more for the moment.

Thereafter, he departed from the great hall and proceeded to a Seclusion Chamber [a specially prepared chamber for undisturbed meditation and cultivation] to begin closed-door cultivation, focusing on comprehending the ancient scripture of the Soul Refiner Great Emperor.

After a period of contemplation, Eldrin Chen immediately discerned the profound mysteries within this Ancient Soul Refining Scripture [an ancient text detailing methods of soul refinement].

This Ancient Soul Refining Scripture utilizes the power of one's True Spirit Primordial Spirit [the highest form of a cultivator's spiritual core] to refine half of a Soul Slave's [a being whose soul is completely subjugated] Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] into one's own True Spirit Aperture [the spiritual aperture within a True Spirit cultivator].

Then, through that half of the Primordial Spirit residing within the True Spirit Aperture, one gains complete control over the entire Primordial Spirit of the Soul Slave.

It was precisely for this reason that the number of Soul Slaves [beings whose souls and wills are completely enslaved to another] one could control was intrinsically linked to the number of True Spirit Apertures [profound cultivation realms where one's spiritual essence condenses into a true, independent spirit] one had cultivated. The Soul Refiner Great Emperor had forged five True Spirit Apertures, and thus could only command five Soul Slaves.

In theory, if one could cultivate nine True Spirit Apertures, one would be able to command nine Chaos [primordial, formless beings from the state from which all creation emerged], possessing combat power that would undoubtedly stand at the absolute pinnacle of the Mortal Realm [the plane of existence inhabited by mortals and lower-level cultivators].

Of course, this method harbored a significant flaw: if the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and source of a cultivator's consciousness and power] of a Soul Slave grew too powerful, it could potentially rebel and devour the master's own True Spirit Primordial Spirit [the master's own true spirit, cultivated to an advanced stage].

To suppress his five Soul Slaves, the Soul Refiner Great Emperor had perpetually worked to weaken their Primordial Spirits.

These Soul Slaves had been transformed from members of the Desolate Tribe [a powerful and ancient race of demonic beings]. Their Primordial Spirits were already feeble, then further halved during the transformation, and finally eroded by the Soul Refiner Great Emperor. Consequently, their spiritual cores were exceptionally weak.

It was precisely this profound weakness that allowed Eldrin Chen to completely subdue them all using the Human Soul Scripture [a supreme scripture focused on mastering the mysteries of the human soul].

"My Primordial Spirit is far inferior to that of the Soul Refiner Great Emperor. I fear I may not be able to control these five Soul Slaves," Eldrin Chen thought to himself.

Having grasped the underlying principles of the Soul Refiner's esoteric art, Eldrin Chen's brow unconsciously furrowed slightly.

However, after a moment, he suddenly remembered something and spoke with dawning insight: "The backlash from a Soul Slave is extremely terrifying, but I have cultivated the Human Soul Great Dao [the Great Dao or supreme path focused on the essence and mastery of the human soul]."

"Leveraging the Human Soul Great Dao's inherent supremacy over souls, I should be fully capable of mastering these five Soul Slaves."

"Even if my Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] were grievously wounded one day, I could still rely on the Human Soul Scripture [a profound scripture for soul cultivation] to suppress them all."

Once this plan solidified in his mind, Eldrin Chen finally allowed himself a sigh of relief.

He decisively requested the aid of the Indestructible Elder, asking him to extract the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] of these five Soul Slave [a being whose soul is bound in servitude] from the Primordial Spirit of the Soul Refiner Great Emperor and fuse them into his own five True Spirit Aperture [the spiritual apertures within a Great Emperor's soul].

After the fusion into his True Spirit Aperture, Eldrin Chen discovered he had gained complete mastery over the Primordial Spirit of the five Soul Slave, which settled his mind considerably.

Only then did Eldrin Chen take the time to carefully examine these five Soul Slave.

Upon closer inspection, Eldrin Chen found that all five Soul Slave specialized in the path of physical cultivation. Their Primordial Unity Emperor Body [an art for forging an indomitable emperor's physique] had all been cultivated to the Great Emperor Realm [the realm of a Great Emperor].

Furthermore, these five Soul Slave seemed to have practiced a secret technique that enhanced their physical combat prowess at the cost of their future potential. Their very flesh was inscribed with intricate arrays and patterns of power.

In terms of raw physical strength alone, these five Soul Slave were no weaklings even among other Great Emperor.

Moreover, these five Great Emperor could amplify each other's power and, by forming a specific battle formation, significantly boost their collective strength.

The sole flaw was that the potential of these five Soul Slave had been utterly exhausted, leaving no possibility for them to advance any further.

"Five standard combatants at the initial level of a Great Emperor."

After understanding the strength of the five Soul Slave [a being whose soul is bound and controlled by another], Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, letting out a slow, measured breath.

With these five Great Emperor-level Soul Slave, Eldrin Chen's power instantly received a monumental boost. He dared not claim he could now contend with a Sage Ascendant, but within the domain of Great Emperor [a supreme cultivation realm], he could now be considered a peerless powerhouse.

At this thought, a smile finally graced Eldrin Chen's lips.

Having fully refined the five Soul Slave, Eldrin Chen did not immediately end his seclusion.

He directly retrieved several vials of Chaotic Divine Liquid [a primordial liquid brimming with chaotic divine energy] and began a new phase of secluded cultivation to break through his Great Dao [the supreme cultivation path] comprehension and his foundational mana reserves.

After the protracted war spanning fifty Kalpa Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of immense duration and tribulation], Eldrin Chen's three foundational pillars had long ago, almost imperceptibly, reached a state of perfect completion.

It was only the relentless pressure of the conflict that had prevented Eldrin Chen from attempting his breakthrough earlier.

Now, after consuming over one hundred drops of Chaotic Divine Liquid, those three foundational pillars finally reached their absolute zenith.

"Boom—"

Amidst a thunderous roar, Eldrin Chen's Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] cultivation was the first to complete its breakthrough, directly stepping into the realm of the Primordial Unity Emperor Lord Fifth Layer.

His Great Dao [the cultivation of one's fundamental path or law] cultivation followed closely behind, breaking through to the Primordial Unity Emperor Lord Fifth Layer not long after.

Finally, Eldrin Chen's physical body cultivation completed its ultimate breakthrough, stepping into the realm of the Sixth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord.

"Hah—"

After the three foundational pillars completed their breakthroughs, Eldrin Chen discovered his combat prowess had risen by no small measure.

First, the physical body cultivation saw the greatest enhancement. Augmented by the eight True Spirit Divine Runes, it was now potent enough to rival the peak level of an Eighth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord.

Such a formidable physique, further empowered by the two True Spirit Divine Form [a supreme physical manifestation technique] of the Black Tortoise Shield and the Life Treasure Pearl, underwent a qualitative transformation in its combat strength.

His Great Dao [the cultivation of one's fundamental path or law], mana, and Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] also saw significant gains, reaching the peak of the seventh layer of Primordial Unity. They were not far from the Eighth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord.

Within this domain, Eldrin Chen found he could now unleash the full, tenfold potency of the Human Soul Scripture.

"My combat strength has risen once more, and not by a little."

"However, it seems a breakthrough in the near future will be difficult, and the remaining Chaotic Divine Liquid [a primordial substance used to cultivate the body and soul] is not much."

These thoughts flickered through Eldrin Chen's mind as he turned his gaze to the resources in his hand.

Over the years, to fuel his cultivation, Eldrin Chen had consumed over half of his Chaotic Divine Liquid, leaving only five hundred drops remaining.

In theory, one thousand drops of Chaotic Divine Liquid should be sufficient for a newly ascended Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [a supreme cultivator who has mastered the power of primordial chaos] to cultivate all the way to the Great Emperor Realm [the pinnacle of the emperor-monarch cultivation path].

But Eldrin Chen's foundation was profoundly deep, and he cultivated three core aspects simultaneously, consuming resources at a rate exceeding ten times that of an ordinary Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch.

Initially, Eldrin Chen had estimated that this thousand drops of Chaotic Divine Liquid would be enough to advance him to the Seventh Layer Primordial Unity Emperor Lord [the seventh major stage within the Primordial Unity Emperor Lord realm].

Yet now it appeared that the remaining supply would be utterly insufficient for Eldrin Chen to break through to the Seventh Layer Primordial Unity Emperor Lord.

For the gap in Origin [the fundamental life-force and spiritual essence of a cultivator] between the Sixth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord and the Seventh Layer Primordial Unity Emperor Lord was more than threefold. The remaining five hundred drops would, at most, allow Eldrin Chen to refine his physical body to the peak of the Sixth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord.

Furthermore, the chasm between the Sixth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord and the Seventh Layer Primordial Unity Emperor Lord was immense, and the time required for the breakthrough would be exceedingly long.

Given the profound depth of Eldrin Chen's foundation, even with ample resources, it would likely take one hundred Kalpa Tribulation [cosmic cycles of immense duration, often involving great calamity and rebirth] for him to achieve the breakthrough.

"The resources required for physical body cultivation are manageable; we can substitute Sage Ascendant Dragon Meat for the Chaotic Divine Liquid."

"However, we must still devise a method for the cultivation resources needed for the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] and the Great Dao [the supreme path of cultivation], otherwise our progress will be severely hindered."

Eldrin Chen murmured to himself, before gradually gathering his scattered thoughts.

Having settled his mind, Eldrin Chen emerged from the Seclusion Chamber [a chamber for isolated cultivation] to find Indestructible Elder had been waiting for him for some time.

"It seems your cultivation has advanced significantly."

Gazing at Eldrin Chen, Indestructible Elder spoke with a smile.

Eldrin Chen offered a slight smile in return. "Merely a minor improvement, hardly comparable to the profound foundation of a senior such as yourself."

As he spoke, he inquired further, "Are you preparing to depart, Senior?"

"The preparations are nearly complete."

Indestructible Elder nodded, then stated plainly, "My stock of healing resources is exhausted. This old man's sleeves are empty now, and my injuries will be difficult to Restoration [a divine ability focused on healing and recovery] in the short term."

"We have no choice but to head for the Blazing Central Primordial Domain to seek some treasures and swiftly restore our injuries."

Eldrin Chen gave a nod, then rose to his feet and declared, "Since that is the case, let us depart."

With those words, Eldrin Chen summoned Immortal Great Emperor and Sword Abyss Great Emperor, and also gathered all seven of his subordinate Three Talents and Four Symbols Emperor Lord to accompany him.

This journey to the Blazing Central Chaos Domain was led personally by Indestructible Elder, a Sage Ascendant, making their speed exceedingly swift. They arrived within the Blazing Central Chaos Domain after only a few Kalpa Tribulations [immense cosmic cycles spanning billions of years].

"The Blazing Central Chaos Domain... it feels like over a hundred thousand Kalpa Tribulations have passed since my last visit."

Indestructible Elder murmured softly, a wry smile touching his lips. "I wonder if the old companions from those days are still well."

With these words, he led Eldrin Chen across the Chaos [the primordial, formless state before creation] until they arrived before the borders of a magnificent Chaos Domain [a vast, stable realm formed within the primordial Chaos].

It was an expansive Origin Domain, its entirety enveloped in a radiant azure immortal light, appearing breathtakingly beautiful, like a hazy mirage within the Chaos.

"This is the Azure Phoenix Primordial Domain, the Daoist Abode belonging to the Phoenix Clan."

"The Chaos Sacred Emperor of this place, 'Azure Simurgh Sacred Emperor', was once an old friend of mine. We have come to seek treasures from him."

Indestructible Elder [a venerable figure known for his enduring existence] slowly began to speak, a faint smile gracing his lips.

At that very moment, the Azure Phoenix Primordial Domain [a celestial realm associated with the mythical Azure Phoenix] slowly opened, and several peerlessly elegant Immortal Maidens emerged.

The leader was a stunning woman clad in a violet gown. She glanced at Indestructible Elder and spoke, "Are you Senior Imperishable [a title or epithet denoting an unyielding nature]?"

"His Majesty the Sacred Emperor requests your presence. Please follow me inside."

"So it is Fellow Daoist Violet Phoenix. I did not expect you to have also stepped into the Sage Ascendant Realm [a supreme realm of cultivation just below the level of a true Sage]."

Indestructible Elder chuckled lightly before continuing, "Since you too have now attained the Sage Ascendant Realm, it is only fitting that we consider ourselves peers."

Eldrin Chen observed from the side, sensing a strangely familiar aura emanating from the Violet Phoenix Sage Ascendant [a title for a supreme cultivator associated with the Violet Phoenix].

"In that case, this Violet Phoenix shall presume to accept this peer-level association," she replied.

The Violet Phoenix Sage Ascendant smiled, her gaze shifting to Eldrin Chen. For a fleeting moment, she seemed to pause, a flicker of recognition in her eyes.

Noticing this, Indestructible Elder said with a smile, "This is a junior of my clan. He accompanies me on this journey to broaden his horizons."

Violet Phoenix Sage Ascendant gave a slight nod and then inquired, "Young friend, do you hail from the Thirteen Domains of the Heavenly Abyss?"