Chapter 2072 : Abyssal Seal Against Nine Sages

The Black Abyss Great Emperor soared into the sky, wielding the Black Abyss Emperor's Spear, his Thunder Emperor Battle Armor pushed to its absolute limit.

In that instant, he engaged in a world-shaking confrontation with the three Primordial Limitless Sage Ascendant Eruption, unleashing a battle of unprecedented ferocity.

Meanwhile, Eldrin Chen acted in a flash, commanding the Abyssal Seal to split into twelve Innate Supreme Treasure to engage nine Sage Ascendant Eruption in a clash that shook the heavens.

In this battle, Eldrin Chen faced nine opponents alone, yet displayed a demeanor of near-invincibility.

Even under the relentless assault of nine Sage Ascendant, Eldrin Chen never yielded an inch.

He did not seek to counterattack, focusing entirely on defense, as if stalling for time, waiting for the Black Abyss Great Emperor to break the deadlock.

After several million years of such intense warfare, the nine Sage Ascendant finally began to lose patience.

The Vermilion Bird Sage Ascendant's expression turned grim as he declared, "He is stalling. We must end this swiftly."

The Blazing Soul Sacred Venerable, realizing the same, spoke urgently, "Suppress him with all your might. I shall deliver the crippling blow."

As his words faded, the Blazing Soul Sacred Venerable instantly merged his nine divine forms into a Unique Divine Form, manifesting the Blazing Soul Divine Spear to pierce the firmament and descend upon Eldrin Chen with crushing force.

In the span of a single breath, Vermilion Bird Sage Ascendant and the other seven Sage Ascendant [the pinnacle realm just below the legendary Dao Progenitor] unleashed their full might, Eruption [a supreme technique of explosive power] forth with devastating force, desperately attempting to suppress Eldrin Chen.

"Hah—"

Seeing these powerhouses attack relentlessly without regard for defense, Eldrin Chen finally glimpsed the opening he needed to shatter their formation.

In that instant, Eldrin Chen transformed the Abyssal Seal into the Primordial Chaos Heaven Halberd, and then, to the utter astonishment of all present, he took the full-force assault of the nine Sage Ascendant head-on.

Not only was Eldrin Chen completely unscathed from directly withstanding the combined strike of nine Sage Ascendant, he even used the momentum to propel the Primordial Chaos Heaven Halberd through the void, instantly piercing through the chest of Blazing Soul Sage Ascendant.

Blazing Soul Sage Ascendant let out a piercing shriek and immediately sought to flee for his life.

But it was already too late. Eldrin Chen gave a fierce, resonant shake to the Primordial Chaos Heaven Halberd.

Simultaneously, the nine Grand Dao Divine Form [manifestations of supreme divine power] from the Path of Self-Sacrifice merged with the formidable power of his Chaos Indestructible Body, tearing Blazing Soul Sage Ascendant's physical form to shreds in an instant.

Stripped of his bodily vessel, the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and true essence of a cultivator] of Blazing Soul Sage Ascendant was immediately assailed by the corrosive Curse Power. He barely managed to escape the battlefield, but only at a tremendous and grievous cost.

"Disaster!"

Seeing that their full-force strike had failed to even scratch Eldrin Chen, the expressions of the group shifted dramatically.

In that instant, they realized they likely had no means to subdue Eldrin Chen and immediately began fleeing downstream along the Primordial Soul River.

"Thinking of running?"

Watching them attempt to escape, Eldrin Chen let out a cold laugh. He promptly activated the Abyssal Seal, causing it to manifest as the Mirror of Yin, Yang, and Void.

In a flash, an intangible power of Void [the primordial state of non-existence and potential] completely sealed off this expanse of Void, severing their path of retreat.

The current might of the Abyssal Seal now rivaled that of a Chaos Spiritual Treasure [a supreme treasure born from primordial chaos]. The Mirror of Yin, Yang, and Void it manifested was in no way inferior to a spatial-attribute Chaos Spiritual Treasure in power.

As Eldrin Chen wielded this treasure to seal heaven and earth, combining its power with the restrictive force of the Primordial Soul River, the escape routes for the nine Sage Ascendant [cultivators who have ascended to the peak of the Sage realm] were instantly cut off.

"Eldrin, the Abyssal Brat, must you be so utterly ruthless?"

Seeing their retreat blocked by Eldrin Chen, the Sage Ascendant revealed expressions of frantic desperation.

Eldrin Chen, however, remained composed, his voice cold and detached as he declared, "Even if I cannot annihilate all of you today, I will ensure you pay a grievous price."

As his words fell, Eldrin Chen unleashed his full power, commanding the Primordial Chaos Heaven Halberd to cleave through the void, engaging the nine Sage Ascendant in a desperate, all-out battle.

In that moment, Eldrin Chen held nothing back, erupting with the peerless combat prowess of one who had truly mastered the Primordial Limitless Sage Ascendant realm.

Though the nine Sage Ascendant were formidable, they were driven to the brink of madness by Eldrin Chen's earth-shattering display of power.

With his Indestructible physique and the Abyssal Divine Rune absorbing nearly all incoming damage, they could not harm Eldrin Chen in the slightest.

Under such circumstances, their struggle held almost no chance of victory.

After three thousand exchanges, Eldrin Chen fought with berserk fury. One sword stroke cleaved through the Azure Crow Sage Ascendant's physical form, and a following fist blow shattered half of the Kunpeng Sage Ascendant's body.

The Vermilion Bird Sage Ascendant shrieked, blood spraying as it soared, attempting to flee the confines of the Primordial Soul River. Yet Eldrin Chen seized its wing once more and tore it from its body with brute force.

By the final, desperate stage, more than half of the nine Sage Ascendant's bodies lay in ruins. Just as despair threatened to consume them, a sliver of hope suddenly emerged.

Three powerful Sage Ascendant intervened forcefully. After a bitter struggle, they managed to temporarily suppress the Black Abyss Great Emperor. The mightiest among them, the Primordial Heaven Sacred Venerable, shattered the Void to arrive, intent on utterly crushing Eldrin Chen.

"With your power, you are still unworthy of harming This Sovereign."

As Primordial Heaven Sacred Venerable charged forth to kill, Eldrin Chen's gaze turned utterly frigid.

He fought with all his might, unleashing the full power of Eruption [a divine ability that erupts with immense power], battling Primordial Heaven Sage Ascendant to the brink of madness.

It had to be admitted that the path of Sainthood through the Flesh [a cultivation path focused on achieving divinity through physical perfection] was truly formidable. This Primordial Heaven Sage Ascendant was originally a Primordial Limitless Sage Ascendant [a supreme cultivation realm representing boundless potential].

At the extreme limit of Eruption, he temporarily fused the power of the Nine True Spirit Divine Forms [nine supreme spiritual manifestations], gaining the might of the Unique True Form [a singular, ultimate divine manifestation].

Even though this level of combat prowess could not be sustained for long, at the moment the Unique Divine Form [the unique divine manifestation] existed, his battle strength could be described as nearly capable of shaking the heavens and moving the earth.

Forced to engage, Eldrin Chen could only temporarily merge his five True Spirit Divine Forms [true spiritual divine manifestations], borrowing their power to resist. He even pushed the power of the Path of Self-Sacrifice [a cultivation art that draws power from self-sacrifice] to its absolute limit.

Thus, the two clashed for over a thousand exchanges. The residual shockwaves of their great battle stirred towering waves even within the boundless soul Ronan.

"Die!"

Primordial Heaven Sage Ascendant fought until his blood boiled with fervor, the Celestial Emperor [the realm of a Celestial Emperor] bloodline within him almost fully awakened.

Roaring, he battled Eldrin Chen with ultimate ferocity. The Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme treasure born of innate nature] Divine Spear in his hands was imbued with the indomitable fighting will of Indestructible [a divine ability representing unbreakable resilience].

Yet Eldrin Chen harbored not a shred of fear. Bolstered by the dual Half-Step Ultimate Divine Form powers of the Black Tortoise Shield [a divine defensive technique manifesting the shell of the mythical Black Tortoise] and the Ancient Pearl of Life [a primordial treasure that continuously nourishes and heals the user's life force], his physical body was already forged to a state of near Indestructible [utterly unbreakable] resilience.

This was not to mention the Abyssal Divine Rune [a supreme divine rune capable of absorbing and nullifying incoming damage], which devoured all harm directed at him.

In this state of extreme Slaughter [a frenzied, all-out battle to the death], both combatants fought with near-maddened ferocity. With a roar, Eldrin Chen unfurled his Vermilion Bird Wings [wings of blazing crimson flame, embodying the speed of the mythical Vermilion Bird] and charged forth, his speed pushed to the absolute limit of Slaughter.

The Vermilion Bird Wings granted by the Half-Step Ultimate Divine Rune [a divine rune of the highest order, one step from perfection] surpassed all speed-type True Spirit Divine Runes [divine runes formed from the essence of one's True Spirit, the core of a cultivator's power].

Primordial Heaven Sage Ascendant [a supreme cultivator who has ascended to the Sage realm, wielding the power of the Primordial Heavens] wielded his war spear, clashing relentlessly with Eldrin Chen, yet he found himself utterly on the defensive, merely weathering the storm.

The Eruption [a sudden, overwhelming release of power] force and speed, relentless as Thunder [a move or strike possessing the sudden, devastating power of a thunderclap], hammered Primordial Heaven Sage Ascendant again and again, sending him flying through the air. Their speed of attack simply existed on different planes.

"Argh! The Primordial Heaven Golden Bell [a legendary defensive treasure forged from the essence of the Primordial Heavens]!"

Seeing he could scarcely hold his ground, Primordial Heaven Sage Ascendant was driven to the brink of madness by fury.

Instantly, he summoned his Unique True Form [a cultivator's unique, perfected manifestation of their core power and Dao], materializing a massive golden bell to encase and protect his body. His strategy shifted to stillness, biding his time to find an opening for a counter-strike.

But Eldrin Chen merely let out a cold sneer. In that instant, the Primordial Chaos Heaven Halberd [a peerless weapon born from the chaos of creation] in his hands transformed, morphing into a colossal Chaos Giant Axe [a massive axe brimming with destructive primordial chaos energy] that descended with world-sundering force to crush his foe.

"The ultimate expression of strength is speed Unbreakable [a divine ability representing absolute speed and indestructibility], leaving nothing unbroken."

"Today, I shall let you witness the true power of annihilation!"

With boundless killing intent, Eldrin Chen spoke, naively wielding the Chaos Giant Axe [a massive axe forged from primordial chaos] as he soared into the air, bringing down a cleaving force meant to sunder all things.

As the colossal axe descended with a thunderous crash, the Primordial Heaven Golden Bell [a legendary defensive treasure] was instantly torn asunder. The vast residual force did not cease, shearing away half of Primordial Heaven Sage Ascendant's body on the spot.

Struck by this grievous wound, Primordial Heaven Sage Ascendant let out a cry of utter despair.

At this life-or-death juncture, a surge of Chaos [the primordial state before creation] energy Eruption [burst forth violently] from a supreme treasure within him, forcibly elevating Primordial Heaven Sage Ascendant's power to its absolute peak.

He shot a venomous glare at Eldrin Chen, roaring as he Eruption a final, all-out strike. This desperate blow pierced through the blockade of the Mirror of Yin, Yang, and Void [a mystical mirror governing the fundamental forces], carving out a path through the Void [the formless emptiness between realms].

Unwilling to let him escape, Eldrin Chen unfurled the Vermilion Bird Wings [wings of flame manifesting the power of the mythical Vermilion Bird] upon his back. With astonishing speed, he overtook Primordial Heaven Sage Ascendant, seizing the moment to deliver a devastating punch that landed squarely on his foe's back.

"*Cough*—"

In that instant, Primordial Heaven Sage Ascendant spat blood, sent reeling through the air. Yet, with his last strength, he managed to activate a Chaos Void-Rending Talisman [a talisman capable of tearing through the fabric of space], vanishing into the depths of the Primordial Soul River [the mythical river of souls at the foundation of existence].

The remaining several Sage Ascendant and the two Primordial Limitless Sage Ascendant witnessed this, their expressions instantly turning grave. Without hesitation, they activated their Chaos Void-Rending Talisman and vanished into the depths of the Primordial Soul River.

Only three Sage Ascendant remained. Having had their physical bodies destroyed by Eldrin Chen and bearing grievous wounds, they could not resist the curse's relentless erosion. They sank into the Primordial Soul River, falling into a deep slumber.

As these Sage Ascendant departed one after another, Black Abyss Great Emperor approached, his face slightly pale. He sighed and spoke, "A pity. We only managed to keep three Sage Ascendant here."

Eldrin Chen nodded, yet his expression remained calm. "Sage Ascendant possess formidable Force Extreme for self-preservation. Moreover, they have the backing of a Chaos Celestial Emperor. Keeping three of them is already a considerable achievement."

Black Abyss Great Emperor nodded in agreement. In truth, this battle had not been easy for them.

Eldrin Chen had fared relatively well. Confronting nine Sage Ascendant single-handedly, he had held a significant advantage from the start.

However, for Black Abyss Great Emperor, who had initially faced three Primordial Limitless Sage Ascendant, the struggle had been immensely arduous.

One must understand that Primordial Limitless Sage Ascendant are beings whose combat prowess startles even immortals, each wielding world-shaking techniques. Merely opposing one is a feat that defies the heavens.

To simultaneously withstand three such entities placed an immense and crushing pressure upon him.

In contrast, Eldrin Chen possessed peerless defensive capabilities in his physical form. Unless they were top-tier Sage Ascendant specializing in Slaughter, even a multitude of Sage Ascendant found it exceedingly difficult to inflict harm upon him.

In truth, even a top-tier Sage Ascendant [a supreme cultivator who has mastered a Great Dao] would find it difficult to harm the present Eldrin Chen through conventional means.

Only by fusing their nine Grand Dao Divine Form [a divine manifestation of a mastered Great Dao] and unleashing their ultimate, all-consuming techniques could they barely inflict any meaningful injury upon Eldrin Chen.

To pose a genuine, sufficient threat to Eldrin Chen, one would need to be a Flesh Sanctification Saint [a saint who has sanctified their fleshly body to an extreme degree] who had cultivated nine True Spirit Divine Form [a divine form born from the fusion of one's true spirit essence with a Great Dao].

This disparity was unavoidable. While both might cultivate nine Grand Dao Divine Form, the combat prowess of a Sage Ascendant who walked the Path of Dao Dominion [the cultivation path focused on dominating and wielding Great Daos] paled in comparison to that of a Flesh Sanctification Saint who had achieved the Nine True Spirit Divine Forms.

The root cause lay in the source of their power. For a Sage Ascendant of the Path of Dao Dominion, their strength flowed from the Great Dao [a fundamental, cosmic principle or law] itself; their effectiveness in battle hinged solely on their skill in wielding that external power.

In contrast, those who tread the Path of Fleshly Body Sanctification [the cultivation path focused on refining and empowering the physical body] fundamentally cultivated their own corporeal form.

The so-called Nine True Spirit Divine Forms were, in essence, a method of integrating the Great Dao directly into one's flesh, amplifying the body's innate combat capabilities.

The Path of Dao Dominion merely involved mastering the power of the Great Dao. Sainthood through the Flesh, however, fused the physical body with the True Spirit Divine Form, creating a synergistic result where the whole was greater than the sum of its parts.

The difficulty of these two paths could not be mentioned in the same breath, nor could the resources they consumed be compared.

It was precisely for this reason that a practitioner of Sainthood through the Flesh who had cultivated the Nine True Spirit Divine Forms possessed battle strength comparable to, if not surpassing, that of a Primordial Limitless Sage Ascendant [a Sage Ascendant of legendary, boundless potential] who commanded at least twelve Grand Dao Divine Form.

Those who have unified the nine great divine forms can rival those who command thirty-six Grand Dao Divine Form.

This is because those who have merged the nine Grand Dao Divine Form to cultivate the Unique Divine Form have long since refined their physical bodies to the very limits of the Sage Ascendant Realm.

With the physical body and the True Spirit Divine Form unified and complementing each other, the sacred physique becomes flawless and without weakness, naturally granting peerless combat prowess.

Returning to the matter at hand, seeing Black Abyss Great Emperor's complexion turn slightly pale, Eldrin Chen immediately inquired, "How fares your injury, Senior?"

"It is of no great consequence, merely a somewhat severe depletion of energy," Black Abyss Great Emperor replied.

As he spoke, he consumed an Immortal Pill [a supreme elixir of immense potency, capable of rapidly restoring a high-level cultivator's energy and healing grievous wounds] to steady himself.

Only after a long while, when his depleted reserves were Restoration [restored] for the most part, did he rise and gaze towards the headwaters of the Primordial Soul River.

"Legends speak of the headwaters of the Primordial Soul River being a place of extreme peril," he stated.

"We are not far from the source now. It is time we went to see it for ourselves."

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod. He first meticulously cleared the battlefield, then spoke. "Few can reach this place. We should face no further interruptions from here."

The Black Abyss Great Emperor [one of the supreme rulers of the Netherworld] smiled faintly and retrieved his Black Abyss Emperor's Spear [a legendary spear imbued with the power of the primordial abyss]. "Then let us join forces," he declared, "and venture into this dragon's den and tiger's lair [a proverbial phrase meaning an extremely dangerous place]."

As his words faded, the Black Abyss Great Emperor took the lead, advancing toward the source of the Primordial Soul River [the mythical river from which all souls are said to originate].

Within the Primordial Soul River, a dense, ghostly mist coiled and swirled, obscuring the path ahead. Eldrin Chen could not tell how long they had walked, nor how far they remained from the river's source.

They simply pressed onward, ceasing their advance only when they stood before the shores of a boundless, stygian pool.

"Is this... the source of the Primordial Soul River?"

Gazing upon the dark waters before him, Eldrin Chen murmured softly, his eyes hardening with profound gravity.

There, seated within the depths of the pool, was a skeleton of utter, light-devouring blackness.

Cloaked in tattered black robes, its divine bones seemed forged from Dark Immortal Gold [a mythical metal of peerless durability and darkness], radiating an aura of eternal Indestructible [a state of absolute, unbreakable permanence].

Most crucially, from that skeletal form, Eldrin Chen sensed a Curse Power [a malignant supernatural force that brings misfortune and decay] of a magnitude he had never before encountered.

It was chilling, ominous, and profoundly unnatural.

It was an indelible, intangible, and indescribable force of eerie power [a strange and unsettling energy]. Merely a glance at it sent a chill coursing through Eldrin Chen's entire being.

Eldrin Chen even had the unsettling sensation that a pair of pupils were watching everything happening here, gazing across the immeasurable vastness of the Vast Chaotic Sea.

In that fleeting moment, a wave of immense terror surged into his heart, nearly compelling Eldrin Chen to flee the place immediately.

Yet, at the critical juncture, Eldrin Chen suddenly felt the Primordial Hongmeng Scripture within his body tremble faintly.

Hundreds of the Primordial Chaos Ancient Characters glimmered with a soft light, instantly enveloping Eldrin Chen's entire form in an intangible force. That terrifying gaze seemed to vanish in an instant.

Simultaneously, beyond the distant Chaos, an indescribable, eerie figure let out a howl of agony.

Boundless blood streamed from its pupils. The nearly solidified Ominous Power surrounding its form almost dissipated entirely. Its aura, which once pressured the Chaos, seemed to weaken to an extreme in a mere moment.

At the same time, a tall, slender figure materialized beside that ominous being.

Observing the entity whose eyes bled and who wailed in torment, the newcomer spoke with a note of surprise, "Yin Curse, who wounded you?"

"It was..."

The ominous entity let out a mournful wail, its face etched with utter terror as it trembled and spoke: "He is the avatar of The End [the ultimate terminus of all things], the calamity of all living beings, the Abyssal [the one who returns all to the primordial void] of this Chaos [the ordered cosmos born from primordial chaos]."

"Celestial Emperor [supreme sovereigns of the heavens] lie dead, Supreme Ones are buried, and even the highest rulers have turned to mere handfuls of dust."

"I saw the Eternal True Spirit [the indestructible spiritual core of reality] shatter, witnessed the Chaos [the ordered cosmos] undergo Annihilation [the divine power of utter obliteration]. All things fell silent. You and I, sinking within it, shall find no deliverance."

The tall, slender figure fell silent. After a long while, it finally spoke: "Primordial Chaos [the undifferentiated state before existence] is the origin of all. From it, the Vast Chaotic Void [the infinite, formless expanse] was derived."

"The Chaos [the ordered cosmos] endures for countless, uncountable Kalpa Tribulation [cosmic cycles of destruction and renewal]. It is divided into seven stages: Genesis, Flourishing, Prosperity, Decline, Decay [the divine power of corruption and withering], Annihilation [the divine power of utter obliteration], and The End [the ultimate terminus]. Together, these form one Chaos [cosmic] Era."

"When the Era reaches its final moment at The End [the ultimate terminus], the Chaos [ordered cosmos] will undergo Abyssal [the process of returning to the void] and revert to Primordial Chaos [the undifferentiated state]. This marks the dawn of the next Chaos [cosmic] Era."

At this point, the slender figure spoke again: "The avatar of The End [the ultimate terminus], that Abyssal [void-returning] being of Chaos [the cosmos]... legend says it only manifests when Chaos [the cosmos] reaches The End [its ultimate terminus]."

"Has the harbinger of this Chaos [cosmic] Era's end manifested so soon?"

A long silence followed. The slender figure then performed a series of intricate hand seals, engaging in profound divination. After another lengthy pause, it spoke with chilling detachment: "Unfathomable. Untouchable. Shielded by the Great Dao [the supreme, fundamental principle of existence]."

"Is this the mantle of the Era's destiny upon him, rendering even my arts incapable of tracing his origins?"

Unaware of the upheaval unfolding beyond the Boundless Void, Eldrin Chen remained focused on his current task.

He stood at the terminus of the Primordial Soul River, his expression turning profoundly grave as he beheld the cursed figure before him.

"Kill me... kill me!"

From the depths of the Nether Spring, the skeletal figure slowly rose, its voice dripping with an unspeakably sinister and terrifying aura.

Eldrin Chen and Black Abyss Great Emperor exchanged a glance. They did not act rashly, instead watching the jet-black skeleton with utmost wariness.

This skeleton was clearly the remains of a likely Soul Path Celestial Emperor, saturated with the eternal aura of Indestructible and Imperishable [divine abilities representing ultimate durability and permanence], yet utterly corrupted by an endless tide of foul Curse Power.

Trembling, it rose to its feet, its hollow gaze fixed upon Eldrin Chen and Black Abyss Great Emperor. Finally, with a voice brimming with maddened killing intent, it spoke: "Slay me, or I shall slay you!"

"*Huummm*—"

In that very Ksana-time [an infinitesimal unit of time], an indescribable sword-song resonated through the air.

The Imperial Bone soared into the sky, wielding a Peerless Sword Embryo as it cleaved through the void towards them with devastating force.

In that fleeting instant, the River of Time and Space was brutally severed. An immeasurable sword radiance cleaved forth, possessing the power to utterly sunder all existence.

This single strike transcended all eras within the River of Time and Space, causing even the Chaos Great Dao to tremble violently.

"Beware!"

Black Abyss Great Emperor cried out, instantly shoving Eldrin Chen aside. The eight divine forms surrounding his body merged into one, Eruption forth with the supreme, Annihilation power of absolute obliteration.

In that moment, the strength of Black Abyss Great Emperor nearly surpassed the limits of the Mortal Realm, enough to challenge even a Chaos Celestial Emperor.

Yet, even such formidable power proved utterly inadequate before this sword strike.

In a mere instant, Black Abyss Great Emperor was sent hurtling through the void, blood spraying from his mouth, grievously wounded.

"Great Emperor!"

Eldrin Chen's expression shifted. He immediately summoned the Primordial Chaos Heaven Halberd to intercept, blocking the skeleton's Peerless Sword Embryo.

Yet, that brief clash alone drained the color from Eldrin Chen's face. The opponent's power was truly unfathomable; even his Abyssal Divine Rune struggled to withstand it completely.

"It is this very power!"

The skeletal remains suddenly spoke, its soul-flame blazing with utter madness as it pleaded, "Kill me, kill me, I beg you, kill me now!"

Eldrin Chen felt the skeleton before him had gone insane, yet he also sensed something profoundly unfathomable.

After all, this was a peerless Soul Path Celestial Emperor [a supreme sovereign who has mastered the cultivation path of the soul]. Why would it beg for death?

Before Eldrin Chen could ponder further, the skeleton charged at him with frenzied abandon. It attacked with a near-suicidal ferocity, focusing solely on offense with little regard for defense as it sought to slay Eldrin Chen.

Its gaze burned with a feverish intensity, locked onto Eldrin Chen as it snarled with crazed laughter, "Slay me! Use that power—the Terminus Power [a divine ability that leads to utter and final oblivion] that brings one to complete Abyssal [a state of absolute nothingness, the ultimate end]."