Chapter 1877 : Soulbane Ancient Grounds

3 True Spiritual Root (Spiritual Root) foundations.

After understanding the cause and effect, Eldrin let out a faint sigh, his heart growing ever more urgent to establish the foundation of his third True Spiritual Root.

In that moment, he understood clearly in his heart: only by cultivating 3 True Spiritual Roots could 1 truly be considered to possess the bearing of a Dao Ancestor. Such individuals, once obtaining the Primordial Chaos Qi, held immense likelihood of attaining the realm of Dao Ancestor Immortal Sage.

As for the rest, whether 1 establishes a foundation with a single True Spiritual Root (Spiritual Root) or 2 True Spiritual Roots (Spiritual Root), they merely hold a sliver of hope for success—requiring immense serendipity to grasp even a 10 to 20 percent chance.

At this thought, Eldrin no longer hesitated and turned to Youwu, asking, “To establish my True Spiritual Root foundation, I require the aid of a Great Luo Wind Vein.”

"Fellow Daoist, as a direct descendant of the Grand Abyssal Ancestral Court, do you know where in the Ancient Immortal Ruins Continent 1 might find a suitable Great Luo Wind Vein?"

Great Luo Wind Vein?

Youwu pondered slightly before speaking after a moment, "Complete Great Luo Earth Veins are exceedingly rare, and Wind Veins are even more exceptional. Fortunately, the Ancient Immortal Ruins Continent is vast and boundless—there truly exists 1 intact Great Luo Wind Vein."

At this point, his voice faltered slightly as he spoke, his gaze turning solemn. "However, the Great Luo Wind Vein is likely fraught with peril."

"Perilous?"

Eldrin's eyes flickered slightly, a trace of curiosity involuntarily surfacing in their depths.

Youwu nodded slightly before speaking, "That wind vein is called the Soul-Devouring Ancient Land, the former sacred ground of the Soul-Devouring Ancestral Court from the primordial Immortal Realm Continent."

The Soul-Annihilation Ancestral Court was founded by a Primordial Chaos Emperor from the Primordial Domain of the Immortal Cosmos. Its dao field was naturally incomparably astonishing, and even after the Primordial Domain shattered and its grade fell, it remained an immensely powerful Great Perfection Dao Field.

Youwu explained in detail, informing Eldrin that the Soul-Annihilation Ancient Land was perilous beyond measure. It had remained unconquered for over dozens of kalpas, standing as 1 of the 9 Perilous Realms within the Ancient Immortal Ruins Continent.

It had not been breached for hundreds of thousands of kalpas.

Eldrin’s brow furrowed slightly as he asked, “Who claimed it last time?”

"Elder Immortal of Unfettered Freedom." The Heaven-Rending Demon Emperor spoke at the appropriate moment, then said with considerable gravity, "Over 7 billion years ago, during a Great Epoch, the Elder Immortal of Unfettered Freedom joined forces with several dozen 8-tribulation Ancient Immortels. They fought bitterly before finally conquering the Soul-Annihilation Ancient Land."

Thanks to that stroke of fortune, the Carefree Immortal cultivated a True Spirit Divine Soul, and has now reached the late-stage of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm.

Eldrin gave a slight nod upon hearing this.

He had heard a few things about the Carefree Immortal Lord. It was said that before achieving the Great Luo realm, the Carefree Immortal Lord had not only cultivated a True Spirit Primordial Soul but had also simultaneously forged 5 Indestructible Foundations. His innate talent far surpassed that of present-day figures like Candle Yin and could even rival that of the Golden Crow Little Celestial Emperor, Lingxiao (Person Name).

Moreover, this individual had become a disciple under the Grand Abyss Immortal Sage, and was the seventh direct lineage successor under his tutelage. Possessing the bearing of a Dao Ancestor Immortal Sage, he held immense potential to ascend as a Primal Chaos Emperor in the future.

At this thought, Eldrin could not help but speak out: "Since the Carefree Emperor accomplished it, I too can surely succeed. There is no time to waste—let us act swiftly."

Youwu initially wanted to remark that the success of Carefree Immortal Lord was due to his alliance with over a dozen 8-tribulation ancient immortals. Yet, recalling Eldrin’s dual True Spiritual Root foundation, she ultimately suppressed the thought.

And so, they soared through the skies until they unwittingly arrived before an expanse of ancient, shadowy lands.

"This is the Soul-Annihilation Ancient Grounds."

Gazing at the shadowy mountain range before him, You Wu spoke with an expression of utmost gravity, "This Soul-Devouring Ancient Land is perilous beyond measure, filled with Soul-Corroding Winds and forbidden undying malevolent spirits. Even an 8-Calamity Ancient Immortal would face grave risk of annihilation when confronting them."

Eldrin did not respond. He merely gazed at the Soul-Annihilation Ancient Land, his brow faintly furrowing after a long while.

At this moment, he detected an overwhelmingly powerful Soul-Devouring Wind from the Ancient Soul-Devouring Realm—the most perilous and dreadful forbidden energy, possessing the terrifying power to scatter 1's primordial spirit.

Even an 8-Calamity Ancient Immortal, should they dare to cultivate within, might be scattered to ashes by the raging winds.

What was even more terrifying was that over the hundreds of millions of years, those 8 Tribulation Ancient Immortals who had perished here—though most had their souls scattered to the winds—the few lingering remnants of souls that endured, tempered day and night by the Soul-Annihilating Wind, had transformed into forbidden specters of unspeakable dread.

These forbidden wraiths possessed dreadful primordial spirits that could endure 10 1000 calamities without perishing. Even an 8-tribulation ancient immortal who had cultivated a True Spiritual Root foundation could, at most, severely injure them but never completely annihilate them.

Were it an ordinary 8-Calamity Ancient Immortal facing such a forbidden evil spirit alone, there would be a risk of annihilation—even wielding an Innate Spiritual Treasure would scarcely suffice to vanquish them.

"An undying and indestructible forbidden evil spirit?"

Eldrin murmured, his brow involuntarily furrowing slightly.

At this very moment, he vaguely perceived the nature of such forbidden evil spirits. Their primordial spirits resembled 11-Limit Indestructible Divine Souls, yet were even more ferocious and violent. They were truly troublesome foes to deal with.

At this thought, Eldrin smiled faintly and said, "I've heard that slaying such forbidden evil spirits yields a rare soul treasure?"

"Hmm."

Youwu nodded, then began to speak, "The Soul-Devouring Wind can scatter divine souls. Yet, they not only remained intact under its ceaseless day and night assault but even transformed into forbidden evil spirits. This very process causes a drop of Indestructible Soul Water to coalesce within them."

Legend has it that the Indestructible Soul Water is a supreme treasure of the soul path, its efficacy even surpassing that of the body cultivators' ultimate treasure, the 'Primordial Chaos Divine Nectar'. Moreover, the more formidable the forbidden evil spirit, the more potent the Indestructible Soul Water nurtured within its form.

The reason the Carefree Immortal Sovereign of yesteryear was able to cultivate a True Spirit Divine Soul was not only due to his unparalleled innate talent, but also because he had slain a forbidden evil spirit that was on the verge of stepping into the True Spirit Realm.

"So that's how it is."

Eldrin nodded, a faint smile unconsciously gracing his lips.

With sufficient Indestructible Soul Water, supplemented by the Primordial Earth Soul Scripture and Soul-Nourishing Wood, there might just be a glimmer of hope for Lila (Person Name), Yan Zi Ji, and others to cultivate an Indestructible Primordial Spirit.

Of course, whether 1 could cultivate the Indestructible Primordial Spirit hinged upon breaking through their limits, allowing the spirit to generate that wisp of indestructible divinity from within. The assistance these external aids could provide was actually quite limited.

Nevertheless, with this Soul-Stabilizing Elixir, there was at least a sliver more hope to cultivate the Indestructible Primordial Spirit.

With this thought, Eldrin (Person Name) hesitated no longer. With a single step, he shattered the firmament and strode directly into the Soul-Annihilation Ancient Grounds.

"Wahhh..."

Chapter 1 The moment Eldrin stepped into the Soul-Annihilation Ancient Grounds, he detected a low, mournful wailing sound.

Eldrin could distinctly sense a strange wind blowing toward him from all directions.

This bizarre wind seeped into every pore, relentlessly assailing both Eldrin's physical body and his primordial spirit. It carried an eerie sensation, as if determined to grind away his very flesh and soul until nothing remained.

"Soul-Devouring Wind, eroding bones and melting spirits."

Legend has it this wind could melt the flesh and bones of ancient celestial mighty ones, even utterly annihilate the primordial spirits that had shattered the Great Luo Heavenly Barrier. Now witnessing it firsthand, the tales prove utterly true.

Eldrin murmured inwardly, sensing that this Soul-Devouring Wind was exceptionally perilous.

If it were an ordinary 8-Tribulation Ancient Immortal daring to set foot in this Soul-Devouring Ancient Ground, they would be utterly annihilated by the soul-scattering winds in just a few tens of thousands of years at most.

Fortunately, Eldrin's primordial spirit was immensely powerful. Even when subjected to the relentless erosion of the Soul-Annihilating Wind day and night, it showed not the slightest sign of depletion. Instead, it seemed to be tempered by the ordeal, growing ever stronger.

"What a formidable Soul-Devouring Wind."

At the same time, the rest of the group followed inside. As they felt the soul-destroying wind, their expressions shifted slightly.

Youwu and Lyra (Person Name), being in their reincarnation bodies, managed to withstand the Soul-Annihilating Wind without much difficulty. However, the others felt considerable pressure from it.

The Heaven-Rending Demon Emperor’s face paled slightly as he couldn’t help but speak out, “I have never excelled in soul cultivation. I barely managed to break through the Soul Heavenly Barrier—I fear I won’t last long here.”

Eldrin (Person Name) pondered briefly before speaking, "As the saying goes, extremes meet. Though the Soul-Devouring Wind is perilous, it also serves as the ultimate tempering for 1's primordial spirit."

"Should you persist in this place and remain for a sufficient duration, it may prove immensely beneficial to your primordial spirit."

Upon hearing this, the Rift Sky Demon Emperor gritted his teeth and said nothing more.

Seeing this, Eldrin immediately pressed onward into the depths of the Soul-Annihilating Ancient Grounds. To his surprise, the deeper he ventured, the more powerful the Soul-Annihilating Wind became.

"Roar——"

Before long, a piercing roar echoed from the distance.

A massive black-furred ape roared as it surged into the air, charging to strike at Eldrin (Person Name).

Eldrin stood with his hands clasped behind his back, watching as the ape demon lunged toward him. Without hesitation, he struck out with a single palm strike, forcing the creature back 3 full steps with 1 decisive blow.

Yet this scene made him furrow his brow slightly, as if taken aback by the ape's formidable strength.

Primordial Demon Ape.

"Young Master Wuyou spoke up, a note of astonishment in his voice, 'Legend has it that over 1 100 million years ago, the Primordial Demon Ape Clan produced a peerless genius who not only cultivated an Indestructible Body but also achieved several 10-Limit Foundations.'"

"I had thought it would attain the Dao and become a Great Luo Golden Immortal, yet it vanished without a trace during the Tribulation. Little did I expect it to have fallen here, transforming into this undying malevolent spirit."

Eldrin (Person Name) showed a hint of surprise upon hearing this, then nodded and said, "An Indestructible Body—no wonder you could withstand my palm strike."

You must understand, although Eldrin's (Person Name) Primordial Chaos Indestructible Body had not yet stepped into the True Spirit Realm, it had already reached the absolute pinnacle of Indestructible Form, with 1 foot practically crossing the threshold of the True Spirit Realm.

This Primordial Demon Ape could exchange a single palm strike with him and only retreat 3 steps, proving that its physical body was truly extraordinary—likely ranking among the pinnacle of Indestructible Bodies.

At this thought, Eldrin couldn't help but shake his head and remark, "Though the Primordial Demon Ape possesses formidable physical strength, its primordial spirit is remarkably fragile. If my deduction is correct, it must have come to this Soul-Devouring Ancient Grounds precisely to remedy this weakness."

"Alas, he not only failed to cultivate the Indestructible Primordial Spirit, but instead lost his life here."

Eldrin murmured inwardly, his eyes in that moment seeming to pierce through all illusions with crystal clarity. He clearly perceived that the Primordial Demon Ape's primordial spirit had been shattered beyond repair, yet within its fractured soul, a wisp of indestructible divinity had been conceived—flickering as faintly as a candle flame in the wind.

"Not right..."

At that very moment, Eldrin froze for a brief instant.

He discovered that within the remnant soul of the Primeval Ape-Demon, there seemed to linger a faint trace of will. Though eroded by endless chaos, it still retained a sliver of clarity.

At that moment, You Wu seemed to sense something amiss.

After observing the Primordial Demon Ape for a moment, she could not help but remark, "It still lives, but its primordial spirit has grown too faint. Corrupted by the lingering resentment of this place, it now lingers between life and death."

"Roar!"

In the very instant the crowd was conversing, the Primordial Demon Ape brandished its black iron staff in a sweeping strike, surging with overwhelming killing intent as it sought to determine supremacy against Eldrin.

Eldrin remained expressionless as he took action. With each step, he unleashed the 9 killing techniques. In under a 100 moves, his opponent was sent sprawling, coughing blood. With a mere flick of his hand, he completely subdued them.

Witnessing the suppression of the Primeval Ape-Demon, Lyra (Person Name) could not help but inquire, "What do you intend to do with this Primeval Ape-Demon?"

Eldrin had originally intended to slay the Primeval Demonic Ape, but after a moment of contemplation, he remarked, "Had he retained even a shred of sentience, I might have struck him down. But now, devoid of all reason, I cannot bring myself to oppose 1 who is utterly defenseless."

"Very well. Considering his cultivation journey has not been an easy 1, I shall grant him a thread of hope."

As the words faded, Eldrin took a Soul-Nurturing Wood and placed it within the Primordial Demon Ape's primordial spirit.

This Soul-Nurturing Wood was like a pool of clear water, merging into the Primordial Demon Ape’s divine soul. Instantly, it breathed a sliver of vitality into the nearly withered remnant soul of the Primordial Demon Ape.

In an instant, the faint glimmer of wisdom within His divine consciousness surged to dominance, immediately suppressing that chaotic thread of killing intent. He plummeted into the Soul-Annihilating Ancient Grounds and fell into a deep slumber.

How about it?

Seeing this, the Heaven-Rending Demon Emperor could not help but ask.

Eldrin shook his head and spoke, "A single Soul-Nourishing Wood is nothing more than a bowl of water to him—at best, it can only temporarily soothe his nearly depleted divine soul."

His primordial spirit was nearly extinguished. Whether he would ultimately survive now depended entirely on his own destiny.

Seeing this, You Wu also nodded slightly and said, "Within his primordial spirit, there already exists a faint trace of indestructible divinity. Whether he can fully nurture that wisp of indestructible divinity and allow his primordial spirit to transform into an Indestructible Primordial Spirit is the true key to his survival."

A minor interlude thus came to an end.

Eldrin continued his journey toward the Soul-Annihilation Ancient Grounds, arriving at the periphery of the desolate realm before long.

When he stepped into the core region of the Soul-Annihilation Ancient Grounds, he finally encountered the forbidden wraiths dwelling there. In an instant, 20-8 of these forbidden wraiths soared into the air, their undying, overwhelming killing intent blazing as they charged toward the crowd.

"Be careful. Just help me keep some of them occupied."

Eldrin spoke slowly, his voice cutting through the oppressive silence like a honed blade. "The Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss has been dormant for a 100 years. Today, it shall taste blood once more." He raised his hand, and the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss erupted in his grasp. Crimson flames, tinged with abyssal black, coiled around the blade like awakening serpents. The air itself seemed to boil and warp under the sword's immense pressure. Without another word, he immediately engaged these forbidden fiends in fierce combat.

The moment they clashed, Eldrin realized the terrifying nature of these forbidden wraiths.

In the previous several Great Luo Earth Veins, Eldrin had also encountered the Undying Fiends. However, the primordial spirit combat prowess of those Undying Fiends ranged between that of a 7-Tribulation Ancient Immortal and an 8-Tribulation Ancient Immortal, making them not particularly formidable or powerful.

Any 8-Tribulation Ancient Immortal could confidently repel the combined assault of several Indestructible Evil Spirits.

However, each of the forbidden wraiths here possessed an indestructible primordial spirit, and they were exceptionally ferocious and powerful. Enhanced by the local ley lines and environment, even an 8-Tribulation Ancient Immortal could not guarantee victory in a 1-on-1 confrontation.

Indeed, the moment the battle commenced, Ao Hong and the Primordial Ice Phoenix could each only hold back 1 of the Forbidden Evils.

The Skyrend Demon Emperor, Seraphina Qu (Person Name), and Lyra (Person Name) were slightly more powerful, yet they only had confidence in dealing with 2 Forbidden Wraiths joining forces.

Youwu and the Reincarnation Body were even more formidable, each confronting 3 Forbidden Wraiths. Moreover, Ao Hong had unleashed the Yin-Yang Myriad Crows Vessel to engage another Forbidden Wraith.

To prevent the others from being injured or even perishing, Eldrin had no choice but to intercept the remaining 13 malevolent spirits.

Facing 13 alone, and against such terrifying forbidden evil spirits—even if it were Eldrin in this situation, he would likely have been beaten into fleeing headlong.

Fortunately, Eldrin had cultivated 2 types of True Spiritual Root foundations, granting him a qualitative difference in strength compared to ordinary 8-calamity ancient immortals.

Like ordinary children of the 8-Calamity Ancient Immortals, even if a dozen or so joined forces, they would be utterly incapable of withstanding him. Only if these individuals advanced further, cultivating 2 or 3 types of Indestructible Foundations, could they pose the slightest threat to Eldrin (Person Name).

Boom—

The 2 combatants clashed fiercely across the heavens, exchanging over 3 1000 moves in the blink of an eye.

After clashing head-on with the spectral fiends, Eldrin finally seized an opportunity to obliterate 1 of the forbidden beings with Primordial Chaos Divine Thunder.

With the first forbidden fiend slain, the tide of this war had already shifted.

Eldrin brandished the Chaos Heavenly Halberd, locked in a fierce battle against the Forbidden Wraiths across the celestial expanse. 1 by 1, he began vanquishing the undying horrors.

After such a great war had raged for over 1 1000 years, they finally vanquished the last forbidden evil spirit.

As this forbidden evil spirit was slain, Eldrin slowly let out a breath before a faint smile emerged on his face.

"The great work is complete."

A faint smile also appeared on Seraphina Qu (Person Name)'s lips as she spoke involuntarily, "With 20-8 portions of Indestructible Soul Water (Cultivation Resource), my Indestructible Primordial Spirit (Cultivation Realm) might finally be within reach."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin (Person Name) could not help but smile faintly.

Seraphina Qu (Person Name) possessed the bloodline of the Primordial Chaos Emperor, theoretically enabling her to cultivate all her foundations to the realm of indestructibility.

Although forging an Indestructible Foundation was no small feat, it was undoubtedly far simpler than the challenges faced by the likes of the Sky-Rending Demonic Emperor. Leveraging the unique environment of the Soul-Annihilation Ancient Grounds and the Indestructible Soul Water, she estimated she had at least a 50 percent chance of cultivating an Indestructible Divine Soul.

At this thought, Eldrin nodded as well and said, "In a few days, you and I shall enter seclusion here to see if we can cultivate the Indestructible Primordial Spirit."

Just as he was speaking, Eldrin’s brow furrowed slightly, and his gaze shifted toward the towering mountain deep within the Soul-Annihilation Ancient Grounds.

"You sensed it too?"

Youwu spoke, her voice calm as she stated, "After these forbidden evil spirits were slain by us, their souls transformed into the purest essence of indestructible soul origin, which was then drawn by the field here to the summit of the Soul-Devouring Mountain."

"It seems this is not yet over."

Eldrin spoke with an understated tone, "No wonder I’ve always felt that this battle was far simpler than anticipated."

With these words, he stepped onto Soul-Devouring Mountain.

Ascending Soul-Annihilation Mountain, Eldrin (Person Name) discovered that the higher he climbed, the more terrifying the soul-annihilating force became. By the time he reached the mountainside, the soul-dissolving winds had grown potent enough to erode an 8-Tribulation Ancient Immortal within 10 1000 years.

Upon reaching the mountain peak, the Soul-Annihilating Wind grew so powerful it could wither an 8-Tribulation Ancient Immortal within a mere 1 100 years.

After the group reached the mountain peak, Eldrin discovered a pitch-black storm eye atop the Soul-Devouring Peak, continuously drawing power from heaven and earth.

Endless soul-obliterating winds, carrying boundless undying soul essence, surged entirely into the eye of the storm, devouring all like a black hole.

And at the very heart of the storm's eye, an aura of near-eternal permanence was slowly awakening.

"This Soul-Annihilation Forbidden Ground was jointly constructed by the 3 great celestial courts, primarily through the methods of the esteemed Venerable Taiyuan Immortal Sage."

Gazing at the Storm's Eye before him, Youwu spoke slowly, "This Storm's Eye ceaselessly devours the primordial qi of heaven and earth and scattered soul energy day and night, all to nurture the most terrifying Eternal Malevolent Spirit."

"It is the final trial of the Soul-Annihilation Ancient Grounds. Legend has it that whoever slays it shall obtain an opportunity to impact the True Spirit Primordial Soul."

"As for whether you can succeed, that will depend on your destiny."

Eldrin nodded, finally grasping how the Carefree Immortal Sovereign had cultivated his True Spirit Primordial Soul all those years ago.

At this thought, Eldrin looked at the crowd and waved his hand dismissively. "This battle is beyond the reach of any of you."

"You may all withdraw now. Leave this place to me alone."

At this moment, everyone had turned slightly pale from the Soul-Annihilating Wind atop the mountain peak. The Sky-Rending Demon Emperor was especially ashen-faced, immediately cupping his hands in salute before withdrawing.

The others, seeing this, all descended the mountain 1 after another. Only Lyra (Person Name) remained behind.

Seeing this, Eldrin couldn't help but glance at her.

Lyra, however, smiled faintly before speaking. "You have cultivated a True Spirit Primordial Soul. If my deduction is correct, you will undoubtedly surrender what you obtained to me after this battle."

"In that case, how could I let you fight alone?"

Eldrin smiled faintly at her words and instinctively drew her into his embrace, saying nothing more.

Of course, the primary reason he agreed to let Lyra (Person Name) stay was that she had successfully cultivated the Great 5 Elements Pure Yin Divine Thunder.

Relying on this Primordial Chaos-grade divine ability, Lyra (Person Name) tempered her primordial spirit through the 5 Thunders Spirit-Forging Great Method. Although she had not yet achieved a True Spirit Primordial Soul, she was merely half a step away from that final breakthrough.

In truth, had Lyra cultivated the Primordial Chaos Divine Thunder instead of the Great 5 Elements Pure Yin Divine Thunder, she would have achieved the same success as Eldrin in refining her Primordial Spirit.

Unfortunately, the cultivation of Primordial Chaos Divine Thunder was immensely difficult, demanding exceptional comprehension and profound foundational talent. Without peerless innate aptitude, mastering it was simply impossible.

Although Lyra (Person Name) possessed extraordinary talent—particularly excelling in the Pure Yin lineage—her cultivation of the Great 5 Elements Pure Yin Divine Thunder progressed by leaps and bounds. However, comprehending the Chaos Divine Thunder would likely require 10 times the effort, with no guarantee of mastery.

After all, both the Primordial Chaos Divine Thunder and the Great 5 Elements Pure Yin Divine Thunder were divine abilities of the Chaos Origin Emperor level. The vast majority of Great Luo Golden Immortals found it exceedingly difficult to cultivate divine abilities of this caliber.

Getting back to the story, with such a powerful primordial spirit, Lyra (Person Name) had developed a strong resistance to this Soul-Devouring Wind. At the very least, she could now lend Eldrin (Person Name) a helping hand.

At this thought, Eldrin did not press further. He simply motioned for Lyra to stand aside, waiting quietly for the being within the storm's eye to awaken.

Thus time flowed slowly onward, and none could say how long had passed. Perhaps having fully absorbed the divine souls of the 20-8 forbidden fiends, the figure within the storm's eye finally began to stir awake.

But within that black tempest, devouring all like a black hole, a faint tremor rippled through the air. In that instant, a handsome man emerged—cloaked in black robes, a sword resting in his hand.

All things stood still, and the world fell silent.

In that instant, the great sun dimmed, mountains and rivers stood still, birds halted mid-flight, and leaping fish froze mid-arc—everything plunged into suspended animation.

The entire world seemed to have dissolved, leaving only the black-robed man standing between heaven and earth. His figure was tall and straight, a translucent longsword hovering between reality and illusion upon his back. Around him swirled 3 1000 great Daos, as if he were the sovereign who commanded all principles.

He stood there in utter stillness, as if having stepped from beyond the flow of time, or perhaps having lifted his gaze from the primordial epochs. Within his eyes shimmered the ancient tapestry of spacetime—the wheeling of celestial rivers and the birth and death of cosmic realms.

Until a long while later, all anomalous phenomena faded into nothingness.

The man cast a faint glance at Eldrin, a flicker of surprise in his eyes that vanished in an instant before he smiled and said, "Well done. Once again, it is a junior of our human race who has arrived."

Chapter 1 The biting northern wind swept across the mountain range, howling like countless vengeful spirits. Snowflakes danced wildly in the air, blanketing the towering peaks in a layer of pristine white. At the summit of a nameless mountain, a figure sat cross-legged on a massive bluestone, his robes fluttering in the wind despite the absence of any breeze. Lin Feng opened his eyes, 2 beams of purple light flashing briefly in their depths before fading away. He let out a long breath, a faint, barely visible white mist dissipating into the frosty air. "Finally, I've reached the peak of the ninth level of the Qi Refining stage," he murmured to himself, a trace of satisfaction in his voice. "Just 1 more step, and I can attempt the Foundation Establishment." He stood up, his tall, lean figure standing proudly against the snowy backdrop. His gaze swept across the vast, snow-covered landscape, countless thoughts swirling in his heart. It had been exactly 1 100 years since he crossed over into this world of cultivation. Suddenly, his expression shifted. Turning to look toward the distant horizon, he saw several streaks of light cutting through the sky, approaching rapidly. In the blink of an eye, 3 figures landed on the mountaintop. The leader was a young man in a blue robe, his features sharp and handsome, a cold arrogance emanating from his entire being. The 2 followers behind him wore identical gray robes, their faces stern and imposing. "Lin Feng?" the blue-robed youth asked indifferently, his tone carrying an undeniable authority. Lin Feng's heart tightened, but his expression remained calm. "May I ask who you are, and what business you have with me?" A cold smile curled at the corner of the blue-robed youth's mouth. "I am Eldrin, an inner disciple of the Profound Sky Sect. I've heard you obtained the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss. Hand it over, and I might spare your life." Lin Feng's pupils contracted slightly. The news of him obtaining the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss had been kept extremely secret. How did this person know about it? "I'm afraid you've been misinformed," Lin Feng replied calmly. "I've never even heard of this so-called Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss." Eldrin's expression turned cold. "Since you refuse to cooperate, don't blame me for being ruthless." As soon as he finished speaking, the 2 gray-robed men behind him moved simultaneously, their figures flickering as they appeared on either side of Lin Feng. A powerful pressure instantly enveloped the entire mountaintop. Lin Feng's mind raced. Both of these gray-robed men were at the peak of the Qi Refining stage, and Eldrin's cultivation level was even more unfathomable. A direct confrontation would be extremely unwise. "Wait!" Lin Feng suddenly shouted. "Since you know about the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss, you must also know that this magic treasure has its own spirit. It won't submit to just anyone." Eldrin raised his hand, stopping the 2 gray-robed men. A hint of interest flashed in his eyes. "Oh? Then tell me, how can I make it submit?" Lin Feng smiled faintly. "That, of course..." Before he could finish, he suddenly stomped his foot. The massive bluestone beneath him instantly cracked, countless mysterious runes lighting up and forming a complex array. A blinding white light erupted, enveloping the entire mountaintop. "A teleportation formation!" Eldrin's expression changed drastically. He reached out to grab Lin Feng, but it was too late. The white light faded, and Lin Feng's figure had completely vanished from the mountaintop. Only his faint, echoing voice remained: "If you have the ability, come and find me..." Eldrin's face was as dark as water. He never expected that this seemingly ordinary outer disciple would actually set up a teleportation formation here. "Chase him! He can't have gone far!" Eldrin said through gritted teeth. The 2 gray-robed men acknowledged the order and transformed into 2 streaks of light, shooting into the distance. Eldrin stood alone on the mountaintop, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "Lin Feng... interesting. I want to see just where you can run to." Meanwhile, Lin Feng appeared in a dense forest dozens of miles away. His face was pale, and a trace of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Activating the teleportation formation had consumed nearly a third of his spiritual power. He took a Recovery Pill from his storage pouch and swallowed it, then quickly surveyed his surroundings. "This is bad. I've offended an inner disciple of the Profound Sky Sect. I'm afraid it won't be easy to gain a foothold in the northern region from now on," Lin Feng muttered to himself, a bitter smile on his face. He knew that with his current cultivation level, going head-to-head with Eldrin would be like an egg striking a rock. The only option now was to flee as far as possible. Just as he was about to move, a strange fluctuation suddenly came from the jade pendant at his waist. Lin Feng's expression changed, and he quickly focused his senses to probe the jade pendant. "This is..." His eyes suddenly widened, filled with disbelief. The jade pendant, which had been with him for a 100 years without any reaction, was now emitting a faint, warm glow. A mysterious map appeared in his mind, marking a location deep within the forest. Lin Feng took a deep breath, a determined look flashing in his eyes. It seemed that the secrets of this jade pendant were finally about to be revealed. Without hesitation, he headed in the direction indicated on the map.