Chapter 2077 : Emperors Gather in the Chaos

It was evident that at this moment, Ant Celestial Emperor had sent his youngest son to contend for the Mandate of Heaven, while Heaven's Slaughter Great Emperor, who did not require the Mandate, served as Tianxing's guardian.

Now, Tianxing regarded the ten Golden Crow Imperial Scion and inquired with a measure of calm, "Do you gentlemen intend to settle your contest first?"

Upon hearing this, a flicker of wariness crossed the faces of the ten Golden Crow Imperial Scion.

If it were merely Tianxing alone, they would not have been overly concerned. However, Heaven's Slaughter Great Emperor possessed combat prowess capable of confronting a Sage Ascendant head-on, a fact that posed a significant threat in their eyes.

Most crucially, if they were to truly clash at this juncture, even if the Ant Celestial Emperor Lineage did not intervene, it would still expose them to grave peril.

With this realization, one of the Ten Imperial Scions, Aurelius, the Imperial Scion, was restrained by Aurelius, the Imperial Scion with a subtle shake of the head.

"Hmph—"

Understanding the intent, Aurelius, the Imperial Scion merely snorted coldly before turning and vanishing into the Depths of Chaos.

Witnessing this, Xianzhu Chen finally clasped his hands and said, "My thanks for your assistance."

"Think nothing of it."

Tianxing smiled faintly and then spoke, "I share some camaraderie with Abyssal Dao Progenitor. This matter is of little consequence."

The others nodded in agreement, and no further words were spoken on the subject.

Meanwhile, within the depths of Chaos, the powerful figures gradually assembled. To their astonishment, they discovered that over one hundred Great Emperor-level experts had gathered for this occasion.

Xianzhu Chen exchanged glances with the others and sighed, "With those entering the tribulation and their guardians combined, it seems the majority of the Great Emperor-level powerhouses from the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss have come."

Magnus the Virtuous nodded calmly and stated, "The Opportunity to step into the Sage Ascendant Realm is far too alluring for them to resist."

At that very moment, a tremor shook the boundaries of the Savage Primordial Domain, and an invisible barrier was torn asunder by the assembled might.

Immediately, numerous Great Emperor-level experts surged forward, flooding into the Savage Primordial Domain.

Yinghui Ye and his companions shared a look. Without a moment's hesitation, they too stepped across the threshold and into the Savage Primordial Domain.

"Huff—"

The moment they entered the Origin Domain, a palpable aura of killing intent [a fierce and murderous atmosphere] washed over them from the very heavens and earth.

A tyrannical and profoundly tragic aura saturated this Origin Domain [the primordial world from which all things originate], its very essence permeating the Void [the formless, boundless space between realms] with the countless, unyielding resentments of the fallen.

"These are the lingering, bitter grievances left behind after the fated destinies of the Nine Heaven-Appointed Divine Emperors [nine supreme rulers whose authority was ordained by the Heavenly Dao itself] were shattered and they met their demise,"

Xiannian Chen spoke slowly, a trace of solemnity flickering in the depths of his gaze.

Yinghui Ye gave a slight nod and continued, "Our tasks ahead are threefold. First, we must purify the baleful energies and lingering resentments that taint this world."

"Second, we must gather disciples and followers within this newly born Origin Domain, spreading the teachings of the Path of Cultivation [the systematic practice of refining one's body, mind, and spirit to ascend towards immortality]."

"Third, we must Restoration [a profound divine art capable of mending and revitalizing fundamental aspects of reality] the Primordial Qi [the original, undifferentiated spiritual energy from which all creation springs] within this world, and ultimately contend for the Power of Heavenly Dao Authority [the supreme mandate and governing power of the cosmic order] of this tribulation cycle."

The Lesser Scale Emperor also nodded in agreement, adding, "Beyond these tasks, we must remain vigilant against potential assaults from others."

Carefree Great Emperor inclined his head in assent. "Let us each first secure a renowned mountain peak as our Daoist Abode [a sanctified dwelling place for cultivation, often imbued with potent spiritual energy]. There, we shall impart the Path of Cultivation while concurrently purging the world's baleful energies and lingering hatreds."

"As for contending for the Authority of the Heavenly Dao [the right to wield a portion of the cosmic order's governing power] and performing the Restoration of the world's Primordial Qi, we can proceed step by step."

"Should we face a concerted assault by powerful foes, we shall aid one another in both offense and defense."

The others nodded in agreement upon hearing this. Magnus the Virtuous spoke up immediately, "Since that is the case, let us act without delay."

As his words fell, the group scattered, each setting out to search for renowned mountains and Daoist Abode [a cultivator's secluded dwelling, often imbued with spiritual energy] within this new world.

As a newly born Origin Domain [a primordial world at the dawn of creation], it was naturally replete with high-grade spiritual mountains and Daoist Abode, among which were abodes of the Great Emperor [a supreme cultivation realm] and even Sage Ascendant [a realm approaching sagehood] level.

Among these Daoist Abode, the nine ancestral spiritual veins that nurtured the Nine Heaven-Mandated Divine Emperors [the nine sovereigns ordained by Heaven's Mandate] were of paramount importance.

Legend held that these nine ancestral veins contained the Mandate of Heaven [the divine right to rule]; to fully control one was to potentially become one of the new Nine Heaven-Mandated Divine Emperors.

Precisely for this reason, most of the Emperor Lord [a title for powerful cultivators] who entered the Desolate Ancient World to contend for the Mandate made securing one of these nine veins their first priority.

However, Xianzhu Chen, Xiannian Chen, and Yinghui Ye did not join the scramble for these ancestral veins.

It was not due to any lack of strength within the Chen Clan. In truth, if they united their forces, with the aid of Magnus the Virtuous and Lesser Scale Emperor, they stood a fair chance of seizing one.

Yet to do so would paint a target upon their backs for all the days to come.

Mastery over one of the nine veins was a key to obtaining the Mandate. The powerful beings of the Great Emperor Realm would never let such a rare opportunity slip through their grasp.

Among those contending for the Mandate of Heaven [the divine right to rule and supreme destiny] in this epoch, there were no shortage of top-tier Great Emperor and even Invincible Great Emperor level powerhouses. Should they be targeted and besieged by the masses, even they would find the situation difficult to endure.

Rather than expending immense effort to seize a Primordial Ancestral Vein only to be relentlessly harassed and entangled by others, it was wiser to lie low for now. They would first spread their teachings, Restoration the world's Primordial Qi [the primordial life-force energy of creation], and concurrently enhance their own strength.

Once their power had advanced another step, capturing an Ancestral Vein would likely prove far easier.

In truth, many harbored similar thoughts. Those with the loftiest ambitions went to contest the Chaos Ancestral Vein, while others, seeking a more attainable prize, set their sights on Great Emperor-grade Daoist Abode [a cultivator's secluded dwelling place, often imbued with spiritual energy].

However, by comparison, Great Emperor-grade Daoist Abode were far more numerous, making the struggle for them considerably less fierce.

Given their formidable strength, seizing a Great Emperor-grade Daoist Abode was a task well within their capabilities.

Indeed, it was not long before each of them had successfully claimed one such abode for themselves.

Xianzhu Chen journeyed to the Western Extremity Lands and secured a Great Emperor-grade Spiritual Mountain Dao-Field [a mountain blessed with spiritual energy, suitable for cultivation and establishing a sect]. There, he purified the land's Karmic Malignancy [the accumulated negative karma and evil energy] with his Buddha's Radiance, enlightened the innate wisdom of all living beings, and disseminated the cultivation methods of the Myriad Spirits Buddhist Sect.

Xiannian Chen arrived in the Eastern Region and conquered the Innate Forbidden Land [a primordial, naturally formed land of extreme danger and opportunity] known as 'Eight Trigrams Mountain'. Upon it, he planted an Innate Supreme Treasure Spiritual Root [a primordial plant of immense spiritual value] called the 'Eight Trigrams Treasure Tree', using its power to cleanse the region of baleful energies and lingering resentment.

As for Yinghui Ye, she ventured to the Eastern Extremity Sea. After finding a suitable Daoist Abode, she scattered countless incarnations across the Endless Dimensional Space, roaming far and wide to propagate the cultivation path of the Path of Self-Sacrifice.

Compared to the methods of the Buddhist Sect and Immortal Dao [the orthodox path of cultivation seeking immortality], the Path of Self-Sacrifice [a cultivation art that sacrifices one's own cultivation to empower others] places few demands on one's foundation or innate talent. Rather than spreading its teachings within the Savage Primordial Domain [the primordial, untamed world at the dawn of creation], it would be far more fitting to impart it across the boundless Myriad Heavens [the infinite realms and dimensions of existence].

After all, the current Savage Primordial Domain has only just begun to form; the world between heaven and earth holds scarcely any mortal beings. For those Innate Divine Spirit [beings born with a divine spiritual nature] to practice the Path of Self-Sacrifice, they would have to sever all ties and reincarnate to start anew—a price far too steep.

It would be far better to spread the Dao within the Myriad Heavens, allowing the countless mortals dwelling within the endless Dimensional Void [the empty spaces between realms and dimensions] to embark upon the path of cultivation.

Aside from the three disciples under Eldrin Chen, both the Lesser Scale Emperor and the Carefree Great Emperor also secured for themselves a Daoist Abode [a sanctified place for cultivation and seclusion].

Among them, the Lesser Scale Emperor, leveraging his status, directly joined the local Kirin Clan and became an ancestral figure for the Kirin Lineage in this current cosmic cycle.

The Carefree Great Emperor likewise conquered a divine mountain, where he began imparting the Immortal Dao scriptures of the Grand Abyss Lineage, effectively establishing a branch lineage for the Grand Abyss Ancestral Court within this cycle.

Magnus the Virtuous went even further, claiming within the Endless Starry Sky a Starry [a celestial body imbued with stellar power] of Great Emperor [a supreme cultivation realm] grade. He transformed it into a Literary Star [a celestial body radiating the essence of literature and scholarship] of the Confucian Dao [the path of cultivation through scholarly virtue and moral refinement].

Using the radiant starlight of this Literary Star as a foundation, he began transmitting the cultivation methods of the Confucian Dao across the infinite dimensions.

Thus, the six contenders vying for the Child of Destiny [a being fated to shape the course of events] each completed the first step of their respective schemes.

And as these six completed their arrangements, the battle for the nine ancestral spiritual veins raged on with undiminished fervor. Over a hundred Great Emperor had already clashed in multiple contests over these supreme sources of power.

In the end, only the Solar Ancestral Star and the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Abyss—these two ancestral veins—were successfully seized by the Ten Golden Crows and the Ant Celestial Emperor Lineage respectively.

The battles over the other Nine Great Earth Veins, however, raged with the fury of a wildfire, not only failing to reach a decisive conclusion but even inflicting a degree of damage upon this Origin Domain with the shockwaves of their conflict.

"These individuals covet only the Opportunity of Heaven's Mandate [the chance to ascend to a higher state of being or power], caring nothing for the lives of the myriad beings within this realm,"

Witnessing the continuous damage inflicted upon heaven and earth, Xianzhu Chen could not help but let out a soft sigh.

Yet, given his current level of power, he possessed no means to halt the warring factions.

Left with no other choice, he could only traverse the breadth of the world, using his own spiritual power to dissipate the Karmic Malignancy [the accumulated negative energy from sin and destruction] plaguing the land, Restoration the damaged earth veins and mending the fractured Space-Time.

Those Emperors who had not yet joined the fray acted in a similar manner, to a greater or lesser degree, ceaselessly repairing the earth veins and the Primordial Qi [the fundamental, chaotic energy from which all things are born].

Thus, without anyone truly noticing, the great war persisted for several dozen Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles spanning billions of years].

It was not until this very day that the Emperors contending for the Nine Great Earth Veins finally noticed that the Karmic Malignancy suffusing heaven and earth had diminished considerably.

Those Great Emperor who had worked to purify the Karmic Malignancy had all, to varying degrees, gained some measure of Merit Radiance [a luminous aura representing accumulated virtuous deeds and good karma], and their cultivation bases had correspondingly seen a certain degree of advancement.

In stark contrast, their own cultivation bases had seen little advancement; instead, they had suffered significant depletion through the relentless succession of great battles.

Those who had successfully seized one of the nine Chaos Ancestral Vein were faring better, but those who had failed had already lost the subtle, preordained advantage within the grand scheme of fate.

With no other recourse, they too halted their conflicts and began the arduous task of repairing the damaged Savage Primordial Domain, seeking to atone for their own failings.

Yet, by this time, all the earth veins of Great Emperor-level potency had already been claimed by others. They were forced to settle for the lesser prize of acquiring High-Grade Primordial Unity Dao-Field.

With these powerful figures taking action, the baleful energies [corrupting and malevolent spiritual forces] permeating the heavens and earth of the Desolate Ancient World finally began to dissipate at an accelerated pace.

As time flowed onward, roughly a dozen Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles] later, nine-tenths of the world's malevolent aura had vanished.

At this stage, the lingering baleful energies within the world were fundamentally no longer a major concern.

To acquire Merit [a metaphysical "currency" representing good karma or virtuous deeds] and become this world's Child of Destiny, the next step required the Restoration [a divine ability to mend and renew] of the world's primordial Primordial Qi [the foundational spiritual energy of creation, the source of all things].

The method to Restoration this primordial Primordial Qi was to repair the damaged earth veins of Primordial Unity [the foundational unity state from which all things emanate].

In ages past, Seven Extremities Celestial Maiden and Bedrock Extreme Celestial Emperor had struck, annihilating the Nine Heaven-Mandated Divine Emperors who were gestating within this world, along with countless other beings who bore the Bearing of a Great Emperor [the destiny or potential to become a Great Emperor].

This has resulted in the Daoist Abode [a cultivator's personal sanctum or dwelling place] of those at the Great Emperor [a supreme cultivation realm] level and above in this world being largely in a state of semi-ruin.

To achieve the Restoration [a divine ability to restore or heal] of this world's Primordial Qi [the primordial, foundational energy of creation], the first task is to repair the nine Chaos Ancestral Vein [the supreme, foundational spiritual veins of a world, born from Chaos] and the Seventy-Two Great Emperor Level Earth Veins [seventy-two major spiritual veins of Great Emperor-level potency].

Based on the number of spiritual veins repaired, the participants will receive vast amounts of Merit [a metaphysical "currency" representing good karma or virtuous deeds bestowed by Heaven and Earth].

Ultimately, those who accumulate the greatest amount of Merit will be qualified to contend for this world's Destiny Rank [a supreme rank or title signifying one favored by the destiny of a world].

It is precisely for this reason that everyone chooses to preach to the masses, purify the world, repair the spiritual veins, and even compete for the Ancestral Veins.

For all these actions ultimately earn the Merit bestowed by Heaven and Earth.

And the reason those individuals compete for the nine Ancestral Veins is that the Merit gained from repairing one is simply too immense.

Repairing a single Chaos [the primordial state of undifferentiated existence] level Ancestral Vein yields more Merit than repairing ten Great Emperor level spiritual veins.

Furthermore, the nine Chaos spiritual veins contain Power of Destiny [the inherent power of fate and providence]. Gaining control over any one of these Ancestral Veins grants one the qualification to contend for the status of Child of Destiny [one who is the chosen agent of a world's fate], even if one's accumulated Merit is insufficient.

It is precisely for this reason that, from the very beginning, a large group of contenders vied for the Chaos Ancestral Vein, even willing to waste dozens of Kalpa Tribulation [an immense cosmic cycle in Buddhist cosmology, often billions of years] worth of time in the pursuit.

At this moment, as the Heaven and Earth's baleful Qi [a malevolent and corrupting form of spiritual energy] underwent Restoration, those Great Emperor who wished to contend for the Great Emperor-rank spiritual veins found they were already somewhat late.

These spiritual veins were, to a greater or lesser extent, already claimed. Xianzhu Chen had directly restored the three western Great Emperor-rank Daoist Abode [a cultivator's secluded dwelling place, often imbued with spiritual energy], designating them as the Three Great Spiritual Mountains of Mahayana Buddhism.

The spiritual veins of these Three Great Spiritual Mountains were already repaired, and the Merit [a metaphysical "currency" representing good karma or virtuous deeds] had already accrued to Xianzhu Chen. Contending for them now was meaningless, especially since the three Three Great Spiritual Mountains were also fortified with the Great Emperor Slaughter Formation.

The other members of the Chen Clan lineage had acted in a similar fashion, more or less.

Seizing the initiative, they each restored three Great Emperor-rank Daoist Abode, occupying them to serve as the Three Great Ancestral Courts for the Path of Self-Sacrifice and the Immortal Dao.

Even Carefree Great Emperor and Lesser Scale Emperor had each claimed two or three Great Emperor-rank Daoist Abode.

Within the boundless Void, Magnus the Virtuous went even further, restoring twelve Emperor-Rank Stars to deploy the Confucian Dao Starry Formation, thereby altering the fundamental rules of the Desolate Ancient World to a certain degree.

Under the influence of these Starry formations, the Savage Primordial Domain began to nurture a Vast Righteous Aura [an immense aura of Confucian virtue and moral power], paving the most crucial step for practitioners within the Savage Primordial Domain to cultivate the methods of the Confucian Dao.

Those who seized the initiative all gained a vast ocean of Merit. Though it could not compare to the gains of those who controlled the nine great Chaos Ancestral Vein, they had nonetheless taken a significant step ahead.

Following the Restoration of the spiritual veins, they all received, to varying degrees, a nourishing feedback from the veins themselves. Their cultivation bases began to advance by leaps and bounds.

As early as a dozen Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles of destruction and rebirth] ago, Jiang the Sovereign Emperor was the first to break through to the Great Emperor Realm [the supreme realm of an emperor, a pinnacle of power].

Having set foot in the Great Emperor Realm, Jiang the Sovereign Emperor shattered his limits once more, obtaining a True Spirit Imprint [a profound spiritual seal containing the essence of a primordial spirit].

He fused all the True Spirit Imprint he had accumulated over the years into his Immortal Treasury [a profound internal vault for storing spiritual power and treasures], ultimately achieving the legendary Four Great True Spirit Immortal Vaults [a supreme divine ability manifesting four inviolable spiritual vaults].

Empowered by the Four Great True Spirit Immortal Vaults, Jiang the Sovereign Emperor's combat prowess instantly transcended the peak of the Great Emperor realm, reaching a level of invincible might that rivaled a Sage Ascendant [a supreme cultivator on the cusp of sagehood].

Aside from Jiang the Sovereign Emperor, the others had also made breakthroughs, some greater than others.

Yinghui Ye broke through to the Eighth Layer of Primordial Unity Emperor Lord [the eighth tier within the Primordial Unity Emperor Lord realm]. While his strength could not match Jiang the Sovereign Emperor's, he was now counted among the most elite Great Emperor.

Xianzhu Chen was the third to achieve a breakthrough. He stepped into the Great Emperor Realm via the Path of Self-Sacrifice [a profound cultivation method that gains power through personal sacrifice], his foundation rivaling even that of Jiang the Sovereign Emperor.

Bolstered by the Great Majestic Heavenly Dragon Scripture [a supreme scripture of draconic might], Xianzhu Chen's power was, in fact, slightly superior.

As for Xiannian Chen, his cultivation progress was a half-step slower, yet he too stood at the very threshold of breaking through to the Great Emperor Realm.

"Your foundation is not far from a breakthrough either."

On this day, within the Eastern Desolate Holy Land, the avatar of Eldrin Chen sat facing Xiannian Chen.

That Eldrin Chen regarded Xiannian Chen with a trace of a smile and said, "Having accumulated for so many years, is it not time for your breakthrough?"

"Mm."

Xiannian Chen gave a slight nod, then spoke, "Father, regarding the path of Weilai [the Future], this child feels somewhat lost in his heart."

"Speak your mind." Eldrin Chen said calmly, his voice unhurried.

Xiannian Chen pondered for a moment before speaking, "In your view, should this child walk the Eight Trigrams Unity Path [a path of fusing the eight trigrams into one], or continue on the current course?"

Eldrin Chen's gaze flickered slightly, instantly comprehending Xiannian Chen's thoughts.

This child of his, born with the innate Eight Trigrams, was capable of cultivating the Eight Great Daos [the eight fundamental cosmic principles] simultaneously. After years of meticulous tempering, he now had the confidence to cultivate eight Grand Dao Divine Form [Divine Forms embodying supreme cosmic principles] at once.

The so-called path of Eight Trigrams Unity involved completely sacrificing and merging the Eight Great Daos to form a single Eight Trigrams Great Dao [the supreme Dao of the Eight Trigrams] that possessed all eight types of Grand Dao Divine Form.

In doing so, Xiannian Chen would be forging an entirely new Great Dao [a supreme cosmic principle], directly ascending to the heavens in a single step and breaking through to the Sage Ascendant Realm [the realm of a Sage who has ascended beyond mortality].

This path not only promised a meteoric rise in his strength but also carried minimal peril, even sparing him the need to contend with others for Dao Dominion Authority [the authority to command and shape a specific aspect of the Dao].

The other path was to cultivate all eight of the Eight Great Daos [the eight fundamental Great Daos that comprise the Eight Trigrams] to the Realm of Dao Mastery [the profound state of complete comprehension and command over a specific Dao]. Yet, this road promised to be fraught with hardship.

Each of the eight Great Dao [fundamental cosmic principles] that comprise the Eight Trigrams Great Dao [the supreme Dao formed from the fusion of eight fundamental Great Daos] is itself a Perfect Innate Great Dao [a primordial and flawless Great Dao, born with the cosmos]. Furthermore, some are even held by powerhouses at the level of a Chaos Celestial Emperor [a supreme ruler born from primordial chaos].

For Xiannian Chen to walk this path, his future seemed destined to be rugged and steep.

With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Eldrin Chen did not voice them directly. Instead, he spoke thus: "Individually, each component of the complete Eight Trigrams Dao might not seem extraordinary."

"However, the eight Great Dao possess a near-perfect synergy. Once fused into the Eight Trigrams Great Dao, they will give birth to the Seventy-Two Great Dao Divine Forms [seventy-two supreme divine abilities derived from the permutations of the Eight Trigrams]."

"Theoretically, this is one of the mightiest Boundless Great Dao [a Great Dao of limitless potential and scope]. To forsake it now might mean your cultivation journey halts forever at the First Realm of Chaos [the foundational realm within the Chaos cultivation system]."

Xiannian Chen felt a stir in his heart and nodded firmly. "This child understands," he said.