Chapter 2018 : The Sacred Scripture's Revelation

"That is precisely the case."

The Old High Priest nodded, his expression turning grave as he continued, "We were only able to survive this Desolate Tribulation thanks entirely to your aid, Fellow Daoist."

"Given this great debt of gratitude, we have no wish to keep secrets from you. I imagine you have questions in your heart. Please, ask us anything."

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod, his own expression turning serious as he inquired, "I wish to know, how did you resist the Corrosive Power of the Desolation Sea?"

"To speak truthfully, it was by relying on the power of the Sacred Scripture," the Old High Priest declared, his face etched with profound solemnity.

"The Sacred Scripture?" A flicker of understanding passed through Eldrin Chen's eyes.

"Indeed. It is the very scripture you witnessed earlier."

The Old High Priest affirmed with a nod and began to explain, "After the Great Wasteland Primordial Domain fell from its former glory, it gradually became unable to withstand the Corrosive Power of the Desolation Sea."

"Hundreds of thousands of Kalpa Tribulation ago, the Chaos Desolation Sea ceaselessly encroached upon the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm. All things withered, their vitality extinguished beneath the Desolation Power."

"Just as we were on the brink of despair, an ancient tome flew forth from the depths of the Chaos Desolation Sea."

"Its sacred scripture can repel the Desolation Power [a corrupting force of utter decay and oblivion], shelter the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm from Desolation's erosion, and can even be imprinted onto jade stones, transforming them into divine stones capable of resisting the Desolation Sea [a vast, corrosive ocean of decay]."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen roughly understood why the Chaos Ancient Ship from back then had been able to withstand the corrosive touch of the Desolation Power.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen pondered for a moment before speaking with measured words, "If I may be so bold to ask, could I be permitted to witness this Sacred Scripture [the holy text containing powerful, protective verses]?"

His words were met with a heavy silence from the assembled priests. After a long pause, the Old High Priest finally spoke, "The Sacred Scripture is the very foundation of our survival, the lifeblood of us, the Great Wasteland Remnants [the last survivors of the Great Wasteland realm]. By rights, no outsider should be allowed near it."

"But to speak plainly," he continued, his voice weary, "the nine of us are nearing the end of our strength, our lamps burning low. To unleash the power of the Sacred Scripture once more requires a new High Priest."

"Honored guest, would you be willing to become the next High Priest of our Great Wasteland Ancient Realm?"

"High Priest..."

Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his features.

The Old High Priest nodded. "Our Great Wasteland Sacred Hall [the central temple of the Great Wasteland] exists for the sole purpose of venerating and safeguarding the Sacred Scripture."

"The High Priest of the Great Wasteland Sacred Hall holds the highest authority within the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm," he explained. "Moreover, they can channel a portion of the Sacred Scripture's power..."

At this point, Old High Priest [the senior priest of the Great Wasteland] said with a slightly changed expression, "However, the power of the Sacred Scripture [the holy text of the Great Wasteland] is boundless, and the price to unleash its power is immense."

"Not only must one cultivate the Great Encompassing Primordial Spirit [a supreme art for nurturing the Primordial Spirit], but one must also sacrifice the power of one's own Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator]."

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen [the protagonist, a powerful cultivator] could not help but frown slightly.

In that moment, he understood the situation. These priests before him had likely overdrawn their spiritual souls and vital essence to activate that Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme treasure born from the primordial chaos].

In truth, Eldrin Chen had anticipated this. The power of an Innate Supreme Treasure is too vast; generally, one needs at least a cultivation base at the Primordial One Imperial Lord Late Stage [a high stage of the Primordial One Imperial Lord realm] to activate it.

The highest cultivation among these priests was only at the early stage of Primordial One Imperial Lord [a powerful cultivation realm]. By all logic, they should have been utterly incapable of activating an Innate Supreme Treasure.

To unleash the power of that Innate Supreme Treasure, they had no choice but to exhaust their own Primordial Spirit power.

Over time, their Primordial Spirit power gradually withered away with each activation of the Innate Supreme Treasure, leading them to the brink of perishing.

If Eldrin Chen were to activate it, with his Primordial Spirit cultivation rivaling the Primordial One Imperial Lord Mid Stage [the mid-stage of the Primordial One Imperial Lord realm], the cost for unleashing only a portion of its power would, at most, be a temporary weakening of his Primordial Spirit.

Contemplating this, Eldrin Chen pondered for a moment before speaking, "If I am not mistaken, your esteemed Sacred Scripture is, in fact, an Innate Supreme Treasure."

"With my current cultivation level, if I only unleash a portion of its power, the cost to wield such a treasure should be considerably less."

"However, I am not of this world and likely cannot remain here for long. The position of High Priest should be bestowed upon another, more suitable candidate."

"You can activate it without offering a Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] as sacrifice?"

Upon hearing this, the Nine Great Priests immediately revealed looks of pleasant surprise.

They had initially assumed that while Eldrin Chen possessed formidable physical strength, his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] cultivation must be relatively weak. They never imagined his Primordial Spirit cultivation would prove to be so profoundly powerful.

As these thoughts swirled in their minds, the Old High Priest spoke, "To be frank, if this continues, I fear we will not be able to hold on for much longer."

"Since you, Fellow Daoist, are capable of activating the Sacred Scripture, please follow me."

With those words, the Old High Priest led Eldrin Chen towards the rear of the holy temple.

Following behind the Nine Great Priests, Eldrin Chen soon arrived at the temple's Central chamber.

There, upon a simple stone altar at the chamber's heart, a venerable golden scripture hovered serenely. From its pages, one after another, radiant scriptures of Dao Gold [a brilliant, sacred golden light] hue emanated and drifted into the air.

"This is..."

"The Innate Tome of Human Soul [one of the three supreme primordial scriptures, containing the profound secrets of the human soul]!"

Eldrin Chen's heart trembled. Freed from the obstruction of the Sea of Chaos [a primordial, formless expanse of chaotic energies], he could finally clearly see the name inscribed upon the ancient tome.

Upon the cover of that ancient book, a line of radiant golden characters was written — the Tome of Human Soul [a legendary artifact said to contain the profound secrets of the human soul].

"Fellow Daoist, do you recognize this object?"

The Old High Priest, sensing Eldrin Chen's unusual reaction, could not help but inquire with a hint of puzzlement.

Eldrin Chen pondered for a brief moment before deciding to explain the origins of the Innate Tome of Human Soul to the Nine Great Priests.

"Legend holds that in the era of Antiquity-Tracing, when the Tri-Pole Primordial Domain [the primordial world encompassing the three poles of existence] first took form, it gave birth to a supreme Chaos Spiritual Artifact [an artifact born from the primordial chaos itself], named the Primordial Chaos Three Souls Scripture [the original, unified scripture of the three souls].

"Later, due to a cataclysmic Great Tribulation [a world-shaking calamity], the Primordial Chaos Three Souls Scripture split into three, transforming into the Heaven, Earth, and Human Soul Tomes — three separate Innate Supreme Treasure [treasures of the highest order, born with the world itself]."

"If my conjecture is correct, this Innate Tome of Human Soul before us is the lost Chaos Tome of Human Soul [the human soul tome in its original, chaotic form], one of the three soul scriptures."

Upon hearing this, the Old High Priest's countenance could not help but tremble violently.

His heart sank, and he could not help but speak: "Fellow Daoist, this tome is the sole hope of our Great Wasteland Ancient Realm. It absolutely must not be lost."

Eldrin Chen nodded upon hearing this, not immediately offering a reply.

After pondering for a long while, he finally inquired: "If one day, I can prevent the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm from being eroded, may I then take this treasure?"

The Nine Great Priests exchanged glances upon hearing this.

The Old High Priest took a deep breath and then spoke: "If you, Fellow Daoist, truly possess a method, then taking this treasure would indeed be permissible."

"But without the Sacred Scripture, how are we to resist those Desolate Race?"

Eldrin Chen nodded upon hearing this; that was indeed a problem.

The reason the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm had endured until now was because the power of the Tome of Human Soul was exceptionally effective at countering those Chaos Desolate Race.

Without the Tome of Human Soul, relying solely on the mere few hundred Great Encompassing Golden Immortal and one crippled Primordial One Imperial Lord within the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm, they would have long since perished without a place for burial.

Contemplating this, he fell silent for a moment before finally speaking. "There is no need for haste in this matter. Once I have fully recovered from my injuries, I may attempt to help you eradicate the surrounding Chaos Desolate Race [a savage and chaotic race that threatens the primordial lands]."

"Furthermore, even if the day comes when I must depart, I will leave behind sufficient means for you to ensure your own protection."

Hearing this, the Old High Priest finally let out a sigh of relief, the tension that had gripped him easing away.

He had been fully prepared. If Eldrin Chen had truly intended to seize the Sacred Scripture [a holy text of immense power and significance] by force, he was ready to pay any price to trap and slay him using the grand formation.

Now that Eldrin Chen harbored no such ulterior motives, a weight lifted from his shoulders.

Yet, regarding Eldrin Chen's claim that he could shield the Great Wasteland Primordial Domain from corruption, the Old High Priest remained half-convinced, half-doubting.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen offered a faint smile. To avoid causing undue suspicion among the Nine Great Priests, he did not voice his desire to study the Tome of Human Soul [a mystical tome containing profound secrets of the human spirit].

After a moment's thought, he presented the perfected version of the Great Wasteland Body Tempering Art [a physical cultivation technique refined for the harsh primordial wilderness] to the Old High Priest, saying with a gentle smile, "This is the Great Wasteland Body Tempering Art I have refined during my leisure."

"I believe it may prove useful to your people."

With those words, Eldrin Chen took his leave from the sacred hall and returned to his own quarters.

After Eldrin Chen departed, the Nine Great Priests still felt a lingering unease in their hearts. One of the priests could not help but sigh, "Who knows whether exposing the Sacred Scripture this time will prove to be a blessing or a curse."

The Old High Priest shook his head and spoke calmly, "His injuries are not yet fully healed, yet his power is already so extraordinary. If he truly harbored malicious intent, any resistance from us would likely be futile."

"And we ourselves are but dying men. This may be our only chance."

As he spoke, the Old High Priest casually opened the Great Wasteland Body Tempering Art that Eldrin Chen had refined.

Initially, he held little hope, believing that the version Eldrin Chen had perfected was merely a collection of haphazard alterations.

After all, the Great Wasteland Body Tempering Art had been refined by them over hundreds of thousands of Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles], reaching a state where no further improvement seemed possible.

Yet, after reading for only a few moments, the Old High Priest found his gaze locked onto the pages, unable to look away.

A tremor of shock crossed his face as he uttered in utter disbelief, "How is this possible?"

"What is it?"

Hearing this, the other priests present all wore looks of confusion. The Old High Priest simply tossed the scripture tome to them without another word.

They each took the scripture and examined it, their faces swiftly transforming into expressions of wild, unrestrained joy.

"He has reduced the mortality rate of cultivating the Great Wasteland Body Tempering Art by a full tenfold. How is such a thing possible?"

The Nine Great Priests were utterly astounded, exchanging looks of profound disbelief.

The Old High Priest let out a bitter laugh before speaking. "He was willing to bestow this method upon us. It seems we have measured the heart of a noble man with our own petty standards."

A wave of bitter smiles passed through the assembled priests, each heart stirring with a tremor of awe.

One priest could no longer contain himself, his gaze fixed on the scripture as he spoke. "To possess such profound comprehension... could it be that our own cultivation methods are truly so... lacking?"

A heavy silence fell upon the gathered priests. They were all, clearly, deeply shaken by Eldrin Chen's feat.

In truth, from Eldrin Chen's perspective, the Great Wasteland Body Tempering Art was indeed crude and unrefined. Yet, within the context of the Southern Abyss Seven Domains, this method could absolutely be considered a legacy that would make one's eyes shine with promise.

Its sole flaw stemmed from the fact that the Great Wasteland Primordial Domain had never produced a Chaos Heavenly Emperor [a supreme sovereign who has mastered the primordial chaos], resulting in a somewhat limited perspective.

By comparison, Eldrin Chen's current level of comprehension surpassed that of many Chaos Heavenly Emperor. A method he deemed crude was not necessarily a shallow one.

After all, the cultivation arts created by Eldrin Chen, whether it be the Chaos Heaven Scripture, the Path of Self-Refinement, or even the Primordial Spirit cultivation method, were all Ancient Scripture [profound cultivation manuals] of the Sage Ascendant or even Heavenly Emperor level.

Within the entire Southern Abyss Seven Domains, the cultivation arts that could catch Eldrin Chen's eye were, in truth, only those few, countable Ancient Heavenly Emperor Scripture [scriptures left behind by ancient Heavenly Emperors].

Under such circumstances, although the Great Wasteland Body Tempering Art was crude, for Eldrin Chen to praise it as ingenious and possessing considerable merit was indeed warranted.

"..."

Returning to the main topic, after leaving the holy hall, Eldrin Chen went directly back to his residence.

Upon returning, Eldrin Chen first examined his gains from the battle. In this conflict, he had slain over a hundred Great Encompassing Desolate Race [powerful desolate demon warriors] and two Imperial Lord Desolate Race [desolate demon lords of imperial rank].

The remains of the Imperial Lord Desolate Race had been collected by Eldrin Chen, and the treasures left behind by the fallen Great Encompassing Desolate Race had also been delivered to his residence by Sturdy Fellow and the others.

Eldrin Chen tallied the spoils and discovered that the harvested Desolate Race [desolate demon] corpses and Innate Spiritual Treasure [treasures born from nature with spiritual power] added up to more than two hundred items in total.

These treasures were of no use to Eldrin Chen himself. He planned to refine them into Precious Pill [high-grade cultivation pills] in the future, to be kept on hand and allocated as circumstances dictated.

The legacy left by the Imperial Lord Desolate Race was not abundant, consisting of only two Primordial One Body [rare, innate physical constitutions] and two Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo [unformed cores of supreme innate treasures].

Among the two supreme treasure embryos, the Giant Axe belonging to Savage Ox Imperial Lord was a two-stripe Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo, while the Trident of Trident Imperial Lord was merely a one-stripe Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo. They held little practical use for Eldrin Chen.

He stored these treasures away and then entered seclusion to refine the Chaos Divine Liquid [a primordial liquid of immense vitality used for healing and cultivation] to heal his wounds and cultivate in depth. In his spare time, he refined the spoils of battle into Great Encompassing Immortal Pill [a high-grade pill that nourishes the soul and expands spiritual capacity] and Primordial One Immortal Pill [a foundational pill that stabilizes and purifies one's cultivation base].

Thus, time flowed swiftly by, and before he knew it, an entire Kalpa Tribulation [an immense cosmic cycle in Buddhist cosmology, often billions of years] had passed.

On this day, after refining another drop of Chaos Divine Liquid, Eldrin Chen slowly exhaled. The pallor that had clung to his features finally faded, replaced by a healthy flush of color, signifying his full Recovery [the state of being healed and restored to peak condition].

"The Great Path Divine Form [a supreme manifestation of a cultivator's connection to the Great Dao] has been completely absorbed, and my injuries are finally Recovery," he murmured to the silent chamber.

Eldrin Chen whispered softly, sensing the power circulating within him. He found his combat prowess had also Recovery to its peak state.

He let out a slow, measured breath, then sent his divine sense probing into the Returning Abyss Furnace [a legendary cauldron capable of refining and containing primordial energies]. A faint smile touched the corners of his eyes.

"Having absorbed the essence of the Great Path Divine Form, the Dao patterns within the Returning Abyss Furnace are gradually perfecting themselves. It seems on the verge of transforming into a true vessel of the Great Path of Returning Abyss [the profound and ultimate Dao of cyclical return and primordial origin]," Eldrin Chen mused inwardly. Then, his eyes flickered with sudden awareness, and his form vanished from the spot.

When he reappeared, Eldrin Chen had already arrived within the Nameless Space [a pocket dimension detached from normal reality] where the Returning Abyss Pearl [a mystical pearl embodying the power of the abyssal cycle] resided.

Within the Nameless Space [a mysterious, undefined dimension], several peerless supreme treasures drifted and floated.

Among them were a white immortal cauldron wreathed in the aura of the Heaven and Earth Great Path [the supreme, all-encompassing Dao of the cosmos], and a treasure vase emanating the breath of Chaos Void [the primordial, formless state before creation].

And at the Central point between these two artifacts lay a single pearl, bound and entwined by endless strands of the Great Path of Returning Abyss [the profound and cyclical Dao of ultimate return to the primordial void].

Eldrin Chen swept his gaze over the Creation Cauldron and the Chaos Void-Refining Vase, giving a slight, thoughtful nod. The Creation Cauldron responded with a faint resonance, but the Void-Refining Vase remained deep in slumber.

Of these two treasures, the Creation Cauldron was an Innate Supreme Treasure [a treasure born from the primal forces of the cosmos, possessing unparalleled power]. With his current cultivation, Eldrin Chen could barely muster one-tenth of its true might.

The Chaos Void-Refining Vase, however, was a Chaos Spiritual Artifact [an artifact forged in the primordial chaos, of an even higher order]. Moreover, its Treasure Spirit [the sentient consciousness within a powerful magical artifact] seemed to be in a deep slumber. It would require at least the power of the Great Emperor Realm [a supreme realm of cultivation] to even attempt to activate it.

Even with Eldrin Chen's profound foundation, he estimated he would need to reach the Primordial One Imperial Lord Late Stage [the advanced stage of a specific, high-level cultivation realm] before he could begin to refine and command it.

Yet, the Returning Abyss Pearl was a companion treasure born with him, and the difficulty of wielding it was significantly lower.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen directed his focus toward the Returning Abyss Pearl, a flicker of joy rising within him.

He saw the Returning Abyss Pearl gently pulsating in the void, continuously drawing in and exhaling the formless Returning Abyss [the concept of the primordial void] energy from the surrounding Eight Desolations [the eight boundless, empty reaches of existence].

This caused a flicker of light to pass through Eldrin Chen's eyes. He couldn't help but inquire, "You've finally awakened. How do you feel?"

"The advancement was successful. For a long Future [a very long time to come], I will not fall into slumber again."

The Returning Abyss Pearl [a supreme magical treasure of immense power] replied calmly, yet a rare thread of joy stirred within Eldrin.

It turned out that after Eldrin Chen entered the Chaos Desolation Sea [a primordial sea of chaotic desolation], the Returning Abyss Pearl had devoured a surge of Desolation Power [the essence of primordial desolation] and subsequently fallen into a deep slumber.

It was precisely because of this slumber that Eldrin Chen was unable to enter the Nameless Space [a mysterious, extradimensional space within the pearl] to Recovery [a divine ability focused on healing and recuperation] from his injuries.

Fortunately, this period of dormancy had resulted in a tremendous elevation of the Returning Abyss Pearl's grade. It had now ascended to the realm of an Innate Supreme Treasure [a treasure born of primordial chaos, possessing supreme power].

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen spoke again, "How does it feel?"

"With this advancement, my power has increased dramatically. With your current cultivation level, you should be able to unleash approximately thirty percent of my full might."

The Returning Abyss Pearl continued, "If you were to reach the Primordial One Imperial Lord Mid Stage [the mid-stage of the Primordial One Imperial Lord realm], you should be able to wield my full power."

Eldrin Chen nodded thoughtfully. The power of an Innate Supreme Treasure, even at thirty percent, would likely be sufficient to suppress a cultivator at the Primordial One Imperial Lord 7th Tier [the seventh tier of the Primordial One Imperial Lord realm].

If it could unleash its full might, Eldrin Chen would likely possess the power to protect himself even when facing a Great Emperor.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen inquired, "In your current state, can you assist me in mastering the Great Path of Returning Abyss [the supreme Dao of ultimate reversion and abyssal return]?"

The Returning Abyss Pearl did not answer with words. Instead, its light shimmered faintly, then released a strand of Great Path Divine Chains [divine chains embodying the principles of a supreme Great Path] that flowed into the space between Eldrin Chen's brows.

"Contemplate it deeply," it conveyed.

Eldrin Chen dared not be negligent. He immediately focused his entire being on comprehending the power of the Great Path of Returning Abyss.

As one of the ultimate Great Path [supreme cultivation arts and principles] within Chaos [the primordial state of undifferentiated existence], the Great Path of Returning Abyss could lead directly to the Half-Step Primordial Chaos Realm [a realm bordering the very origin of Chaos itself].

Such a supremely lofty Great Path transcended even the Primordial Chaos Great Path [the foundational Daos born from Primordial Chaos]. It was more astonishing and terrifying than the Limitless Great Path [the Dao of boundless infinity], perhaps qualifying as a true Primordial Chaos Great Path.

Even with Eldrin Chen's prodigious comprehension, his attempts over the years to fathom the Great Path of Returning Abyss had always fallen short of grasping its true essence completely.

Space-Time [the fundamental fabric of reality], Chaos, Primordiality, Returning Abyss [the conceptual or literal abyss of return], Oblivion [the state of utter non-existence and erasure], Destiny [the inscrutable threads of fate], Tribulation [heavenly trials and calamitous power], Karma [the law of cause and effect]—these were among the myriad peerless Primordial Chaos Great Path. Mastering any single one could lead directly to the Third Chaos Realm [the third major realm within the Chaos hierarchy], and even offer a glimpse into the possibility of the Primordial Chaos Realm [the realm of original, undivided Chaos].

Yet, such Great Path were exceedingly difficult to comprehend. Throughout the entire Southern Abyss Seven Domains [the seven vast domains of the Southern Abyss region], there had never been a whisper of anyone managing to grasp even a wisp of their profundity.

Even the various Chaos Heavenly Emperor [supreme beings who have transcended the ordinary cosmos] have never grasped even a sliver of the power of this Great Path [a fundamental and supreme principle of the cosmos].

The Primordial Phoenix [the progenitor of all phoenixes] and the Candle Dragon [a mythical dragon associated with time and light] are said to have comprehended the Path of Space and the Time Great Path [the supreme principle governing temporal flow], yet these are but single branches of two distinct Great Path.

They have not even fully comprehended the true Path of Space or the Time Great Path, let alone fused the two Great Path into the Space-Time Great Path [the unified principle governing space and time].

Now, to have a treasure of the Innate Supreme Treasure [a treasure born from the primordial chaos, of the highest order] level, the Returning Abyss Pearl [a legendary pearl embodying the power of the returning abyss], personally manifest the complete Returning Abyss Great Path Divine Form [the divine manifestation of the Great Path of the Returning Abyss]—such an Opportunity and Fortune [a rare and profound chance encounter with destiny] can be said to be unique since the dawn of time.

Eldrin Chen dared not waste a single moment, immediately devoting his entire heart and mind to comprehending the power of this Great Path contained within.

Time flowed on relentlessly. In the blink of an eye, tens of millions of years passed. On this day, Eldrin Chen slowly awoke from his deep contemplation, a trace of profound realization finally dawning in his eyes.

"So this... is the Great Path of Returning Abyss [the supreme principle of cyclical return and ultimate dissolution]," he murmured.

Eldrin Chen spoke softly. With a sweep of his sleeve, a Returning Abyss Great Path Divine Rune [a divine symbol containing the essence of a Great Path] slowly materialized. It intertwined and fused until it finally coalesced into a single, shimmering Great Path Divine Chains [chains of divine law formed from a comprehended Great Path].

The Returning Abyss Pearl trembled faintly. After a long silence, it finally spoke, "Your comprehension... it is likely even more astonishing than you anticipated?"

"Can this truly be the enhancement of the Primordial Chaos Violet Aura [the supreme primordial energy that gave birth to all creation]? Is the Primordial Chaos Violet Aura truly so... heaven-defying?"

The Returning Abyss Pearl harbored some doubts, finding it momentarily hard to believe.

This was because Eldrin Chen had comprehended a single Returning Abyss Great Path Divine Chains in merely tens of millions of years—a feat that rivaled the time it took for the Returning Abyss Pearl itself, the very embodiment of the Great Path, to form.

Eldrin Chen did not answer directly. Instead, with a faint smile, he said, "Having gained insight into the Great Path of Returning Abyss this time, my sixth True Spirit Divine Runes and perhaps even my ninth Innate Divine Ability may now be within reach of completion."