Chapter 2070 : Ascension of the Primordial Dao

Eldrin Chen set aside further contemplation and accepted the Origin Great Dao Stone [a primordial stone containing the essence of the Great Dao] from Grand Turbid Daoist.

Mindful of the treasure's immense value, Eldrin Chen offered a grateful smile and said, "My thanks, Senior."

"My heart is content, so long as this object proves useful to you," the other replied.

Grand Turbid Daoist chuckled softly before stepping out of the Seclusion Chamber [a chamber for isolated cultivation and meditation].

No sooner had the two emerged than they found Primordial Beginning, Grand Abyss, and Purple Tenuity—the Three Divine Emperor Immortal Sages [the three supreme rulers of the primordial domain]—already waiting outside the cavern abode, the recent conflict evidently concluded.

Primordial Beginning Divine Emperor cast a glance at Grand Turbid Daoist and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Fellow Daoist. Your ascension to the Chaos Realm [the realm of primordial chaos, a supreme cultivation stage] is a boon for our entire Three Poles Origin Domain [the primordial realm governed by the three divine emperors]."

"You flatter me. This breakthrough owes much to the assistance of you three," Grand Turbid Daoist demurred.

He offered a light laugh and exchanged respectful greetings with each of the Three Divine Emperor Immortal Sages in turn.

After their discourse had stretched on for some time, Purple Tenuity Divine Emperor remarked with meaningful implication, "Now that you have set foot upon the Celestial Emperor [the realm of a Heavenly Emperor, a sovereign cultivator] realm, it seems our Three Poles Origin Domain shall welcome another Heavenly Court [a celestial palace and seat of power for a supreme ruler]."

"You think too far ahead, Fellow Daoist," Grand Turbid Daoist replied.

Grand Turbid Daoist [a powerful ancient cultivator] merely smiled and spoke calmly, "I am devoted to solitary cultivation and have no intention of establishing a Hundred Races Celestial Court [a celestial court governing myriad races]."

"What a pity, then."

Hearing this, the Two Divine Emperors [two supreme rulers among cultivators] expressed regret, yet a subtle easing of tension could be seen in their brows.

A new Chaos Celestial Emperor [an emperor who has attained supreme power through chaos cultivation] could drastically alter the balance of power within the Primordial Immortal Domain [the primordial realm where immortals dwell]. However, if such an emperor harbored no ambition to contest the authority and resources of the Origin Domain [the core, most potent region of the Primordial Immortal Domain], they would pose little threat to the existing Chaos Celestial Emperor.

Eldrin Chen observed from the side, a faint ripple of understanding stirring in his gaze.

From time to time, the Primordial Immortal Domain would give birth to various Primordial Unity Marvel [rare treasures born from the union of primordial forces], among which were resources like Chaotic Divine Liquid [a liquid essence of pure chaos energy] and Chaos Origin [the fundamental substance of chaos].

These resources, vital for the cultivation of Chaos Celestial Emperor, had long been controlled by the Three Great Celestial Courts [the three dominant celestial courts ruling the domain].

The very reason these Celestial Emperor [supreme cultivators who rule over celestial domains] established their Celestial Courts was to command legions of Grand Luo Golden Immortal [powerful immortal cultivators], harnessing their collective power to assist the Primordial Immortal Domain in drawing in the Chaos Sea Waters [the boundless, formless waters of primordial chaos] and transforming them into resources like the Chaotic Divine Liquid.

Yet, no matter how efficiently this process was managed, the resources the Origin Domain could nurture had their limits.

The rivalry among the Three Great Celestial Courts for the Authority of the Heavenly Dao [the supreme authority to interpret and enact the will of the Heavenly Dao, the cosmic law] was, at its core, a contest for ownership of these finite resources—a struggle conducted under the unspoken rule of never inflicting lasting harm upon the Primordial Immortal Domain itself.

Having stepped into the realm of a Celestial Emperor [the supreme sovereign ruler of the heavens] yet not establishing a Hundred Races Celestial Court [a grand celestial court governing the myriad races], the implication was naturally that he would not be distributing these Chaos Rare Treasure [treasures of immense power born from primordial chaos].

Understanding this, Eldrin Chen immediately grasped why the attitude of the Two Divine Emperors [two supreme rulers who have attained the Divine Emperor realm] towards Grand Turbid Daoist had suddenly improved considerably.

Of course, these matters had little to do with Eldrin Chen. In the years that followed, he returned to the Human Race Immortal Court [the celestial court established by the human race] and entered seclusion for cultivation.

Not long after, the Kirin Divine Emperor [the Divine Emperor of the mythical Kirin beast] hosted a Chaos Immortal Banquet [a grand feast of celestial delicacies and immortal wine], inviting many old friends and companions to attend.

This banquet could be described as magnificent and grand. Those who attended were all true, peerless powerhouses, among whom were supreme figures at the level of Chaos Celestial Emperor [a Celestial Emperor who has mastered the power of primordial chaos].

Among them were several peerless powerhouses at the Celestial Emperor level, such as the Ant Celestial Emperor, the Vast Void Dao Progenitor, and the Grand Pot Dao Progenitor.

Eldrin Chen also attended this banquet, and even had the honor of conversing as equals with several Chaos Celestial Emperor.

Of course, Eldrin Chen understood clearly that these Chaos Celestial Emperor regarded him for his potential, not his current strength.

Therefore, once the banquet concluded, Eldrin Chen immediately entered closed-door cultivation, beginning the final preparations for his physical body's breakthrough into the Great Emperor Realm [the realm of a Great Emperor, a sovereign ruler].

This period of seclusion proved to be a rather lengthy one for Eldrin Chen.

After enduring thirty Kalpa Tribulation [cosmic cycles of immense duration and tribulation], his physical body had yet to complete its final breakthrough. Instead, the Path of Self-Sacrifice [a profound cultivation method centered on selfless devotion] advanced another step, giving birth to an eighth Grand Dao Divine Form [a supreme manifestation of a cultivator's connection to the fundamental principles of existence].

Unbeknownst to him, the number of Grand Luo Golden Immortal [practitioners who have reached the pinnacle of the Grand Luo Golden Immortal realm] cultivating the Path of Self-Sacrifice had already surpassed one thousand eight hundred.

This was because the Path of Self-Sacrifice was now not only widely practiced within the Great Desolate Ancient Realm and the Indestructible Primordial Domain, but had also spread throughout the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss.

The vast base of Immortal [beings who have achieved immortality through cultivation], combined with the multitude of Ancient Immortal [immortals of great age whose cultivation had stagnated], who had all entered Samsara [the cycle of death and rebirth] to re-cultivate the Path of Self-Sacrifice, caused the number of its Grand Luo Golden Immortal to experience an Eruption [a sudden, explosive increase]-like growth.

Moreover, this rate of increase continued to accelerate with the passage of time.

At least within the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss, until the number of ancient Immortal willing to re-cultivate the Path of Self-Sacrifice was exhausted, its Grand Luo Golden Immortal would continue to multiply.

"At this pace, it seems that within several dozen Kalpa Tribulation, the Path of Self-Sacrifice will be able to give birth to a ninth Grand Dao Divine Form," Eldrin Chen mused inwardly.

His thoughts settled, and he once again Restoration [entered a state of profound seclusion and inner restoration].

This breakthrough in the Path of Self-Sacrifice was but a minor interlude for Eldrin Chen.

For him, the paramount task remained to continue driving the 'Refine Self Through Self Dao' [a cultivation art of self-perfection through one's own fundamental path], using the Root Origin Treasure [a primordial treasure connected to the essence of one's being] to temper and refine his physical form.

The Path of Self-Sacrifice [a profound cultivation art centered on sacrifice and rebirth] gave birth to an eighth Grand Dao Divine Form [a supreme manifestation of a cultivator's connection to a fundamental cosmic principle]. This also enhanced Eldrin Chen's Root Origin Treasure [a foundational magical treasure tied to one's very essence] slightly, further accelerating the speed at which his physical body was breaking through its Limit-Breaking [a state where a cultivator pushes past the conventional limits of their current realm].

Thus, an unknowable amount of time passed, until one day Eldrin Chen suddenly felt the authority of the Path of Self-Sacrifice surge violently. A ninth Grand Dao Divine Form slowly took shape and was born.

"*Hummm—*"

As the authority of the Path of Self-Sacrifice reached its absolute limit, Eldrin Chen felt his own power increase by a significant margin.

Seizing this pivotal moment, he channeled the full power of the Path of Self-Sacrifice and fused it entirely into his Root Origin Treasure.

In that instant, the power of the Root Origin Treasure exploded, increasing by more than thirty percent. Its efficacy in refining and tempering his physical body was enhanced not by mere multiples, but by an order of magnitude.

"*BOOM—*"

This was the final straw that broke the camel's back. In that very moment, Eldrin Chen felt his physical body instantly shatter its Limit-Breaking and step into an indescribable Forbidden Domain [a transcendent and perilous state beyond conventional cultivation limits].

In the fleeting heartbeat before the breakthrough fully manifested, Eldrin Chen decisively utilized the Nameless Space [a mysterious pocket dimension] within the Abyssal Pearl [a legendary pearl containing vast spatial power] to shift into the Great Desolate Ancient Realm [a primordial and desolate world of immense age].

Following this, the vast expanse of the Chaos [the primordial, formless state before creation] was torn asunder. Boundless Eternal True Spirit [the immortal and fundamental spiritual essence of the cosmos] manifested, cascading down in the form of overwhelming torrents of True Spirit Imprint [the condensed markings and power of the Eternal True Spirit].

"It is done."

A thought flashed through Eldrin Chen's mind. Without hesitation, he summoned the vast True Spirit Imprint [a profound spiritual seal containing the essence of a powerful spirit] and fused it into his Chaos Indestructible Body [a legendary physique forged from primordial chaos, granting near-immortality].

Only after his Chaos Indestructible Body once again reached its limit did Eldrin Chen completely merge the remaining True Spirit Imprint into his physical form, condensing it into a blank True Spirit Divine Runes [divine sigils that can be inscribed with a cultivator's will to grant immense power].

"BOOM!"

In that instant, Eldrin Chen felt an immeasurable, supreme power awaken within his flesh and bones.

The Nine True Spirit Divine Patterns [a supreme formation of nine divine patterns derived from true spirit essence] transformed into a grand formation, empowering Eldrin Chen's physical body and boosting his combat prowess by more than ninety percent.

Then, without a moment's pause, he consumed a Great Wilderness Sacred Fruit [a legendary fruit born from the primal energies of the ancient wilderness] and completed the breakthrough of his physical body, stepping into the Great Emperor Realm [a supreme realm where a cultivator's power rivals that of ancient emperors].

"Finally, the breakthrough is complete."

Eldrin Chen's eyes slowly opened, a smile gracing his features.

This breakthrough represented a monumental leap in power for Eldrin Chen.

For he had not only stepped into the Great Emperor Realm with his physical body cultivation, but had also successfully cultivated the True Spirit Divine Runes [mystical patterns that enhance the body with the power of one's true spirit].

A physical body at the Great Emperor Realm, bolstered by the Nine True Spirit Divine Patterns [the nine supreme patterns of true spirit empowerment], and empowered by the strength of his five Half-Step Ultimate Divine Form [divine manifestations one step away from ultimate perfection], had elevated Eldrin Chen's fleshly form to a level that nearly surpassed the Sage Ascendant Pinnacle.

"Able to contend with a Primordial Limitless Sage Ascendant through sheer force," he mused.

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, a flicker of a smile appearing in the depths of his eyes.

He estimated that, relying solely on the power of his Chaos Indestructible Body [a physique of primordial chaos, unbreakable and eternal], he should already be a match for a Primordial Limitless Sage Ascendant who had cultivated eighteen Grand Dao Divine Form [divine manifestations embodying supreme cosmic principles].

Adding to that the power of the Path of Self-Sacrifice [a cultivation art that gains strength through profound personal sacrifice] and his Sevenfold True Spirit Foundation [a foundation where the true spirit has been refined and strengthened sevenfold], his overall strength should be on par with, if not surpassing, that of Black Abyss Great Emperor.

Once he unleashed the Abyssal Seal [a seal artifact containing the profound power of the abyss], Eldrin Chen's combat prowess would even slightly exceed that of Black Abyss Great Emperor.

"The legendary benchmark for rivaling a Celestial Emperor is said to be either a Great Dao cultivator who commands thirty-six Grand Dao Divine Form, or a Flesh Sanctification Saint who has cultivated a Unique True Form [a one-of-a-kind, perfected divine manifestation of the physical self]," Eldrin recalled.

"My current comprehensive strength likely hasn't reached that realm yet, but it should be comparable to an existence possessing twenty-seven Grand Dao Divine Form, shouldn't it?"

Eldrin Chen whispered inwardly, then gave a slight, thoughtful shake of his head.

The number of Primordial Limitless Sage Ascendant [the supreme pinnacle of cultivation, transcending the limits of the primordial chaos] is truly too few. Determining who is stronger or weaker cannot rely solely on the Grand Dao Divine Form [a supreme manifestation of one's cultivated Great Dao, taking the form of a divine avatar].

Some Great Dao [the fundamental cosmic principles that cultivators comprehend and embody] possess a Slaughter [a Great Dao path focused on annihilation and destruction] that is exceptionally powerful. A mere twelve Grand Dao Divine Form could contend against twenty others.

However, some Great Dao are not adept at direct combat, and their offensive prowess is not particularly outstanding.

Take Indestructible Elder, for example. Although he has cultivated a Unique True Form [a unique and perfected physical manifestation of one's Dao], his offensive power ranks at the very bottom among Primordial Limitless Sage Ascendant, while his defensive capabilities even surpass those of many Chaos Celestial Emperor [a supreme ruler born from the primordial chaos].

Therefore, one's true strength and the results one can achieve against a Primordial Limitless Sage Ascendant vary greatly from individual to individual.

"Regardless, this breakthrough has significantly increased my power once more," Eldrin Chen murmured to himself.

"If I were to encounter a powerhouse like Desolate Dragon Quasi-Emperor again, I now have considerable confidence in being able to subdue them."

His thoughts flashing, Eldrin Chen immediately utilized the Abyssal Pearl [a mystical pearl capable of traversing the boundless void] to cross the endless Chaos [the formless, primordial state of existence before creation] and silently returned to his Seclusion Chamber [a specially prepared chamber for deep meditation and cultivation] within the Immortal Court [the celestial court governing immortals].

He concealed his newly advanced cultivation base and then emerged from the Seclusion Chamber. He summoned Lyra Jiang and the other Late Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord Realm [the advanced stage of the Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord realm, one step below the Sage Ascendant].

On this day, gazing at the assembled Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [rulers who have attained mastery within the primordial chaos] within the great hall, a faint smile finally touched the corners of his eyes.

To this day, Eldrin Chen has cultivated for approximately eight hundred Kalpa Tribulation [a grand cosmic cycle of immense duration].

For a powerful Primordial Unity [the foundational realm of a Primordial Unity Emperor Lord] Imperial Clan, this is but a relatively brief span of time.

Yet, within these years, the strength of the Chen Immortal Clan and the Abyssal Lineage has surged dramatically, having facilitated the Ascension [the process of breaking through to a higher cultivation realm] of numerous powerhouses at the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [the realm of a Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch] level.

Aside from Eldrin Chen, the Chen Immortal Clan now boasts more than thirty Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch.

Among them, the strongest is naturally Lyra Jiang. With Eldrin Chen's aid, her cultivation has reached the Eighth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord realm.

Furthermore, in recent years, Lyra Jiang has also resumed cultivating her Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] and physical body, elevating both foundational pillars to the Seventh Layer Primordial Unity Emperor Lord Realm.

During her cultivation journey, Lyra Jiang shattered the limits of each of her three foundational pillars once. Combined with the Ascension of her True Spirit Treasure [a treasure containing a True Spirit's power], the Exquisite Immortal Pagoda, into an Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme treasure born from the primordial chaos], she has obtained a total of four portions of True Spirit Imprint [a profound imprint left by a True Spirit, containing immense power and insights].

Following Eldrin Chen's counsel, Lyra Jiang has sealed away these four portions of True Spirit Imprint, preserving them for her future breakthrough to the Soul Path Celestial Emperor [the realm of a Celestial Emperor who has mastered the Soul Path] realm.

Beyond Lyra Jiang, the first batch of Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch—including Qiyuan Chen, Jiang the Sovereign Emperor, Xianzhu Chen, Verdant Consort, Yvonne the Violet Consort, Nyssa Qu, and Lila—have all stepped into the Seventh Layer Primordial Unity Emperor Lord realm.

Moreover, their foundations are profoundly deep; nearly every one of them has shattered their limits once or twice, thereby attracting one or two portions of True Spirit Imprint.

As for these True Spirit Imprint [a profound spiritual seal containing the essence and legacy of a powerful being], Eldrin Chen had them all sealed away, preparing for a future breakthrough to the Soul Path Celestial Emperor [the realm of a Celestial Emperor who has mastered the Dao of the Soul] realm.

Beyond these first few who reached the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [the sovereign realm within the Primordial Chaos, a pinnacle of power] realm, Qingfeng Ye, Wen Yuan Lu, and other Sacrificial Self Dao Immortal Lord [Immortal Lords who have sacrificed part of their own Dao to achieve a unique path] had also undergone a great Limit-Breaking [a process of shattering through the inherent limitations of one's cultivation realm], their combat prowess already stepping into the domain of Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch.

Not long ago, they had successively, using the Primordial Unity Limitless Foundation [a foundational treasure of unparalleled quality that unifies one's Primordial essence], stepped into the realm of Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch.

Of course, among those summoned by Eldrin Chen to the grand hall today, aside from Lyra Jiang, were only Jiang the Sovereign Emperor and others of the Late Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord Realm [the advanced stage within the Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord realm].

At this moment, Eldrin Chen's gaze swept over Jiang the Sovereign Emperor, Xianzhu Chen, and the other Emperor Lord [a title for a ruler within a specific Dao or realm], and he could not help but say with a smile, "Your cultivation progress is not slow. It seems within two hundred Kalpa Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of immense duration, often associated with great calamity and rebirth], you may glimpse the Great Emperor Realm [the realm of a Great Emperor, a sovereign power above Emperor Lords]."

Hearing this, everyone present smiled faintly.

That Jiang the Sovereign Emperor pondered for a moment, then spoke, "You summoned us here. Is something significant about to occur?"

"Mm."

Eldrin Chen nodded, then said, "Some time ago, I performed a divination and discovered that soon, the Primordial Soul River [the mythical river of souls from the dawn of creation, said to hold the secrets of life and reincarnation] is about to manifest into the world."

"The Primordial Soul River."

Upon hearing these words, everyone's hearts trembled subtly.

The Primordial Soul River [a legendary river of primordial soul energy] is a supreme treasure land. Legends say that each time it opens, astonishing Opportunity [a chance for great advancement or gain] emerges. It has even been divined by a Chaos Celestial Emperor [a supreme ruler born of primordial chaos] that more than one Nine-Aperture Divine Stone [a divine stone with nine apertures, said to contain supreme soul-nourishing properties] appears hidden within.

The Nine-Aperture Divine Stone is a peerless treasure. Dao-Union Supreme [a supreme cultivator who has unified with the Dao] from the Blazing Central Chaos Domain [a central realm of blazing primordial chaos] would not hesitate to exchange even Chaos Primordial Qi [the primordial energy of chaos] or Chaos Spiritual Treasure [a treasure forged from chaos] for a Nine-Aperture Divine Stone.

For powerful experts yearning to prove their path and attain the realm of Soul Path Celestial Emperor [a Celestial Emperor whose authority lies over the soul], this object is an invaluable, supreme treasure beyond measure.

Most crucially, the Primordial Soul River possesses an intense repulsion towards Chaos Celestial Emperor. Any Soul Path Celestial Emperor attempting to set foot within would be forcefully expelled by the river itself.

Therefore, each time the Primordial Soul River opens, it draws numerous Sage Ascendant [a cultivator who has ascended to the Sage realm] to explore its depths.

Understanding the importance of the Primordial Soul River, Lyra Jiang immediately inquired, "Husband, are you suggesting we go to seek the Nine-Aperture Divine Stone?"

"Mm."

Eldrin Chen nodded and then spoke, "Achieving Primordial Spirit Dao Attainment [the attainment of the Dao through the Primordial Spirit] is pivotal for your future ability to step into the Second Chaos Realm [the second major realm of chaos cultivation]."

"This Opportunity presented by the Primordial Soul River is one you absolutely must not miss."

They all nodded in agreement, but Nyssa Qu smiled and said, "With my husband's protection, this journey should be safe and sound."

"We must not let our guard down."

Eldrin Chen shook his head and then spoke, "While there is still time, I will assist you in refining your Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme treasure born from one's own nature and cultivation], to see if it can help you advance further."

As he spoke, Eldrin Chen took out the Creation Cauldron [a legendary cauldron capable of forging and refining supreme treasures] and began to assist everyone in Ascension [the process of elevating a treasure's grade and power] their Innate Supreme Treasure.

This time, the first one Eldrin Chen helped with the Ascension was Verdant Consort's Crimson Azure Twin Dragon Swords.

Verdant Consort herself was a manifestation of a Primordial Chaos Spiritual Root [a spiritual root of the highest order, born from the primordial chaos], and was accompanied by the Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo [the nascent form of an innate supreme treasure] known as the 'Crimson Azure Twin Dragon Swords'.

Furthermore, she possessed three other Primordial Chaos Spiritual Treasure Embryo [embryonic treasures born from primordial chaos]: the 'Chaos Azure Lotus Scripture', the 'Chaos Azure Lotus Immortal Robe', and the 'Chaos Azure Lotus Platform'.

With these five supreme treasures, the Ascension to Innate Supreme Treasure faced no bottlenecks whatsoever. With Eldrin Chen's assistance, the process was completed swiftly.

However, Verdant Consort's Chaos Azure Lotus [a legendary lotus born from chaos] originally possessed three Chaos Great Dao [supreme principles of the primordial chaos], having transformed from a Mid-Grade Chaos Spiritual Root. She was inherently of Unity Dao Supreme Level Origin [a supreme destiny where one's origin is unified with the Great Dao].

This Ascension of her five Innate Supreme Treasure was merely a natural stage of her own growth, not a fundamental metamorphosis. Therefore, it did not trigger a True Spirit Imprint Baptism [a profound baptism that imprints the true spirit, often accompanying a major breakthrough].

Fortunately, Verdant Consort possessed a foundation of such profound power. Nourished by the deep reserves of her Primordial Chaos Spiritual Root, her Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] had long since shattered its Limit-Breaking constraints multiple times. The hope for her to cultivate the Nine Great True Spirit Apertures in the future was exceedingly great.

Following Verdant Consort's Ascension [the process of a treasure or cultivator breaking through to a higher realm], Eldrin Chen subsequently facilitated the Ascension of Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme treasure born from the primordial chaos] for Jiang the Sovereign Emperor, Xianzhu Chen, and Nyssa Qu.

Jiang the Sovereign Emperor's Primordial Beginning Qi Sword was originally a True Spirit Treasure [a treasure containing a true spirit essence]; its Ascension into an Innate Supreme Treasure was a natural and effortless progression.

Xianzhu Chen, being a reincarnation with a Chaos [the primordial state before creation] foundation, had already cultivated two Lifebound True Spirit Supreme Treasure [a supreme treasure containing a true spirit essence]: the 'Immortal Iron Staff' and the 'Kasaya' [a Buddhist monastic robe, here a powerful treasure].

Eldrin Chen merely expended some materials and Innate Primordial Qi [the primordial energy of creation] to assist these two True Spirit Treasure in completing their Ascension.

During this process, Eldrin Chen also discovered that even after cultivating two Lifebound Innate Supreme Treasure [an innate supreme treasure bound to one's life essence], Xianzhu Chen had only obtained one additional True Spirit Imprint [the spiritual signature or essence of a true spirit].

"It seems the rules of the Great Dao [the supreme and fundamental principle of existence] have already placed restrictions upon this,"

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly. Consequently, when facilitating the Ascension of Nyssa Qu's Innate Supreme Treasure, he no longer attempted to elevate them one by one.

The potential of Nyssa Qu's Nine Severities Spirit-Slaying Sword was limited; it could not Ascension into nine separate Innate Supreme Treasure.

Thus, Eldrin Chen could only rely on his formidable artifact-forging arts to fuse the nine peerless immortal swords into one, transforming them into a single, epoch-defining Innate Supreme Treasure.

As for Yvonne the Violet Consort and Lila, because their Lifebound Immortal Treasure [a magical artifact bound to a cultivator's life force, growing in power with them] possessed insufficient potential, Eldrin Chen had no choice but to expend vast resources, even consuming several strands of Primordial Chaos Source Qi [the primordial, formless energy from which all creation emerged], to successfully assist them in their Ascension [the process of elevating a magical treasure to a higher grade of existence].

Thus, Lyra Jiang, Jiang the Sovereign Emperor, Xianzhu Chen, Verdant Consort, Yvonne the Violet Consort, Nyssa Qu, and Lila—these seven figures at the Late Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord Realm [the pinnacle stage of power for an Emperor Lord within the Primordial Chaos]—now each possessed at least one Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme-grade magical artifact born from the fundamental laws of the cosmos] that had undergone Ascension.

Among the eight core Late Primordial Chaos Emperor Lord Realm figures of the Chen Clan, only Qiyuan Chen, who was far away in the Great Desolate Ancient Realm [a vast, primordial, and sparsely populated realm], had yet to complete the Ascension for his treasure.

Meanwhile, the seven who had accomplished the Ascension of their Innate Supreme Treasure had each accumulated another set of True Spirit Imprint [a metaphysical seal containing the essence of a cultivator's true spirit, used for profound cultivation breakthroughs].

Among these seven, Lyra Jiang had accumulated four sets of True Spirit Imprint, while the others had each gathered three sets, all remaining unused.

After understanding the foundational resources of his companions, Eldrin Chen spoke decisively, "I advise you to prioritize using these True Spirit Imprint to cultivate your True Spirit Aperture [a profound spiritual aperture within a cultivator's soul, essential for supreme power]."

"Moreover, you should retain at least two sets in reserve."

Upon hearing his words, everyone nodded with solemn expressions.

They understood Eldrin Chen's meaning. Once one possessed more than seven True Spirit Imprint, it would attract pursuit from Chaos Celestial Emperor [a supreme ruler of the Chaos Realm] and even Dao-Union Supreme [a being who has achieved supreme union with the fundamental Dao, a realm beyond Celestial Emperors].

Although the Chen Immortal Clan's strength was now considerable, it remained utterly insignificant before the might of a Dao-Union Supreme.

They intended to keep their True Spirit Imprint [a foundational spiritual seal used in advanced cultivation] count below seven. Even if the day came when they could no longer suppress their cultivation and broke through to the Seven True Spirit Apertures [a specific advanced stage of spiritual aperture development], they would be able to instantly complete the cultivation of nine True Spirit Aperture [spiritual apertures refined with True Spirit essence].

With this in mind, they each sealed away two True Spirit Imprint [a foundational spiritual seal used in advanced cultivation] and used the remainder to cultivate one or two True Spirit Divine Ability [divine powers derived from True Spirit essence].

Of course, the circumstances of Xianzhu Chen and Jiang the Sovereign Emperor were different. These two had completely fused all three of their True Spirit Divine Runes [mystical runes of True Spirit power] into their Immortal Treasury [a metaphysical repository of a cultivator's power and essence], causing it to metamorphose into a True Spirit Immortal Treasury [an Immortal Treasury refined and empowered by True Spirit essence].

After the metamorphosis of their True Spirit Immortal Treasury [an Immortal Treasury refined and empowered by True Spirit essence] was complete, both of their combat strengths saw a significant increase.

However, Eldrin Chen understood that attempting to cultivate ten major True Spirit Immortal Treasury [an Immortal Treasury refined and empowered by True Spirit essence] through methods like Limit-Breaking [surpassing the conventional limits of a cultivation realm] or the Ascension [the process of transcending to a higher state of being] of an Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme treasure born from heaven and earth, containing immense innate power] would likely be a feat more difficult than scaling the heavens themselves.

This was because, upon reaching the Primordial Unity [the realm of returning to and unifying with the primordial origin] stage, the Path of Self-Sacrifice [a profound cultivation art centered on sacrifice and refinement] made breaking limits exceedingly arduous. Furthermore, an Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme treasure born from heaven and earth, containing immense innate power] could only provide one additional True Spirit Imprint [a foundational spiritual seal used in advanced cultivation].

Under such constraints, at most, one could only cultivate four or five True Spirit Immortal Treasury [an Immortal Treasury refined and empowered by True Spirit essence].

"To cultivate a True Spirit Immortal Treasury [an Immortal Treasury refined and empowered by True Spirit essence]," he mused, "perhaps one must forge an entirely new path."

Though these thoughts drifted through Eldrin Chen's mind, he firmly suppressed them.

Over these past years, he had spent hundreds of Kalpa Tribulation [an immense cosmic cycle, often billions of years] continuously refining the cultivation method of the Path of Self-Sacrifice [a profound cultivation art centered on sacrifice and refinement], yet he had never discovered another way to achieve a True Spirit Immortal Treasury [an Immortal Treasury refined and empowered by True Spirit essence].

Looking back now, it seems this was perhaps because his cultivation realm was not yet powerful enough, his vision and cultivation base both far from sufficient.