Chapter 2039 : Awakening of the Primordial Bloodline

In that very instant, Eldrin Chen suddenly felt a tremor of wrathful energy surge within his body. The source was a sliver of consciousness within the Indestructibility Blood [the primordial bloodline of the Indestructibility lineage], which had finally awakened upon his return to the Indestructibility Primordial Domain.

In the space of a single breath, Eldrin Chen had already deduced whose will had stirred.

After a moment of silent contemplation, he inquired directly, "Since you have returned, Fellow Daoist, can you now recover your cultivation?"

"I fear not."

Indestructibility Ancient One spoke, his voice tinged with a cold edge. "My Indestructibility Immortal Pool [a sacred pool vital for the Indestructibility lineage's cultivation] rests atop Indestructibility Heaven."

"Now that it is occupied by that treacherous disciple, I am afraid completing the Nirvana [a profound process of rebirth and cultivation renewal] to rebuild my foundation will be impossible."

Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly. "What, precisely, is the strength of this Sea of Blood Great Emperor?" he asked.

"Even when I departed all those years ago, he was already a peak-level Great Emperor [a sovereign ruler among cultivators]. His current combat prowess is undoubtedly formidable."

Eldrin Chen nodded upon hearing this. If his foe were merely a peak Great Emperor, he might still have a chance in battle. However, if the enemy had stepped into the realm of an Invincible Great Emperor [a Great Emperor of unparalleled, peerless strength], the coming conflict would be exceedingly troublesome.

Fortunately, Eldrin Chen was confident in his ability to protect himself. After another moment of thought, he finally spoke. "I shall go first to gauge the measure of this man for you."

As his words fell, Eldrin Chen immediately strode forward, ascending into the heavens. With a casual strike, he pierced through the Vast Heavenly Soldiers and charged onto the Endless Celestial Palaces.

Within these celestial palaces, a world-shaking battle had erupted between over a hundred Primordial One Imperial Lords from both sides.

At the very Central point of the battlefield, six Great Emperors were locked in combat. Among these six sovereigns...

...three exuded an aura of centered harmony and peace, having walked the traditional Path of Path Mastery. They appeared to be native Great Emperor powerhouses of this realm.

Facing them were three Great Emperors whose Fiendish Energy [malevolent spiritual power] surged to the heavens. Their leader, clad in blood-red robes, possessed a presence that far surpassed the ultimate limits of the Mortal Realm.

Though their auras were formidable, the three were enveloped in endless Karmic Sin Light [a visible manifestation of immense evil karma]. A single glance revealed they must have committed atrocities of earth-shaking magnitude.

"Sea of Blood Rebellious Disciple, Netherworld Emperor, Heavenly Fiend Emperor... They have actually performed a blood sacrifice of living beings!"

Indestructibility Ancient One transmitted his voice to Eldrin Chen, his fury palpable. "Previously, within the Indestructibility Primordial Domain, aside from myself, there were only four Great Emperor powerhouses."

"Both the Netherworld Emperor and the Heavenly Fiend Emperor were only at the Primordial One Imperial Lord 8th Tier level. For them to now break through into the Great Emperor domain, they must have used the Demonic Path Blood Sacrifice Art [a forbidden technique that uses the blood and souls of multitudes to forcibly advance cultivation] to achieve their breakthrough."

Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly. The Demonic Path Blood Sacrifice Art used the blood-souls of the masses as fuel. It was a method that forced growth, utterly disregarding foundation and future potential.

The Netherworld Nether Emperor Imperial Lord and the Heavenly FiendImperial Lord are likely acting out of desperation, having lost hope of breaking through to the Great Emperor realm, which has birthed these wicked ambitions within them.

As for the Sea of Blood Patriarch, he seeks to use a sacrificial ritual, offering the blood and souls of countless beings in an attempt to assail the Sage Ascendant Realm.

After all, even the weakest Sage Ascendant is a peerless and supreme existence, a realm far beyond what any Great Emperor could ever hope to rival.

At this moment, the Sea of Blood Patriarch is engulfed in a tide of blood and malice, ceaselessly driving a Formation [a complex magical array] that devours the blood and souls of all living things. His cultivation base is growing with every passing breath.

Meanwhile, three Great Emperors roar as they take to the skies, their killing intent vast as they charge towards the Sea of Blood Patriarch to halt his breakthrough. Yet, they are blocked by the combined might of the NetherworldGreat Emperor, the Heavenly FiendGreat Emperor, and the power of the Formation.

It was then that the Indestructibility Ancient One spoke. "These three are known as the Tai Ming Great Emperor, the Tribulation Light Great Emperor, and the Azure Firmament Great Emperor. They are native Great Emperors of this land. Join forces with them to shatter the Sea of Blood Grand Formation."

"Understood…"

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod. In the next instant, his sleeves swept through the air as he unleashed his attack. The Celestial Abyss Twin Swords shot forth, intertwining and transforming into a single, dazzling sword radiance that cleaved towards the NetherworldGreat Emperor.

Seeing Eldrin Chen's assault, the NetherworldGreat Emperor curled his lips into a cold sneer. "A mere cultivator at the Primordial One Mid Stage dares to seek his own death."

As his words faded, he summoned a Netherworld Divine Spear and thrust it forward, parrying and sending the Celestial Abyss Twin Swords flying back with a resounding clash.

Yet in that very instant, Eldrin Chen had already pierced through the void to arrive, wielding the Chaos Heaven Halberd with primal force and smashing it down.

"Something's wrong."

The Netherworld Great Emperor suddenly sensed the danger. He immediately channeled his Netherworld Divine Spear to block, but was sent flying backward by Eldrin Chen's single devastating blow.

Even more astonishingly, before he could react further, a blinding sword radiance cleaved down from above his head, erupting with the Eternal Divine Power technique Strength Crowns the Firmament.

"Argh—!"

The Netherworld Great Emperor grunted in pain, hurtling backward to crash into the vast Sea of Blood.

Witnessing this, Eldrin Chen spoke with icy detachment, "Merely possessing power comparable to a Great Emperor. As expected, ascending through blood sacrifice methods leads to an unstable foundation and diminished potential."

Simultaneously, the sudden and decisive defeat of the Netherworld Great Emperor left everyone present stunned.

The Sea of Blood Great Emperor's expression turned profoundly grim. He looked at Eldrin Chen and spoke, "You do not seem to be from the Indestructibility Primordial Domain. Could it be you are a fellow Daoist from beyond our borders?"

Seeing this, the three Great Emperors—Tai Ming, Tribulation Light, and Azure Firmament—revealed a flicker of hope. "We thank you for your aid, fellow Daoist. On behalf of the Indestructibility Primordial Domain, we are eternally grateful."

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod, offering no further words.

Seeing this, Sea of Blood Great Emperor's expression shifted repeatedly. Finally, he looked at Eldrin Chen and said, "Since you are not from the Indestructibility Primordial Domain, why trouble yourself with this muddy water?"

"If this old man's eyes do not deceive me, you have already cultivated the True Spirit Divine Form [a supreme physical form embodying one's true spiritual essence], though your cultivation foundation has not yet stepped into the Great Emperor Realm."

As he spoke, Sea of Blood Great Emperor suddenly added, "With your foundation, once your physical body enters the domain of a Great Emperor, your power will surely advance by leaps and bounds. It might not be impossible for you to rival a Sage Ascendant."

"Why don't we join forces? We can perform a grand blood sacrifice of all living beings in this Indestructibility Primordial Domain, including these three stubborn old fools. This will allow us to break through our cultivation rapidly. When I step into the Sage Ascendant Realm, you will possess combat power comparable to a Sage Ascendant."

"Thus, we both get what we need. Would that not be a perfect outcome for both parties?"

The three Great Emperors—Tai Ming Great Emperor, Tribulation Light Great Emperor, and Azure Firmament Great Emperor—had their expressions change slightly. Azure Firmament Great Emperor could not help but speak out, "Fellow Daoist, do not listen to his honeyed words. Those who walk the Demonic Path [a cultivation path often associated with ruthless methods and dark arts] cannot be trusted."

"Why the haste, you three?"

Sea of Blood Great Emperor smiled, his gaze burning with intensity as he looked at Eldrin Chen. "Fellow Daoist, an alliance in battle holds a hundred benefits and not a single harm for both of us."

Eldrin Chen smiled faintly and suddenly opened his palm.

In that instant, a series of violent, thunderous roars Burst forth between heaven and earth.

Beyond the vast Sea of Blood Grand Formation, one after another of the Formation Eye [the core nodes of an array] that had been sacrificing multitudes shattered. From their wreckage flew treasures: Great Cauldrons, Immortal Pagodas, ancient zithers, great bells, Lotus Thrones, divine furnaces, and more.

These treasures converged in the hands of Eldrin Chen [the protagonist, a powerful cultivator], coalescing at last into a single, ancient and unadorned Returning Abyss Seal.

Following this, the connections between the Sea of Blood Grand Formation and the world itself fractured and broke. The horrific, soul-reaping sacrificial ritual was brought to an end.

Having accomplished this, Eldrin Chen finally turned his gaze to the livid-faced Sea of Blood Great Emperor [a powerful demonic emperor] and said, "I was waiting for the sacrificial grand formation to be destroyed. What, pray tell, were *you* waiting for?"

"Aaaarrrgh—!"

The Sea of Blood Great Emperor unleashed a sky-shaking roar of utter, incandescent fury. In a paroxysm of rage, he commanded the very Sea of Blood [a realm or manifestation of coagulated blood and malice] and charged toward Eldrin Chen.

"Fellow Daoist, I shall aid you!"

Three Great Emperors [cultivators at the pinnacle of power] cried out with elation. Among them, the Azure Firmament Great Emperor rode forth upon Azure Firmament Divine Thunder, intent on lending Eldrin Chen his strength.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen spoke with calm authority. "Leave this one to me for now. You three, deal with the other two Great Emperors—those of Netherworld and Sea of Blood."

"Excellent!"

Seeing this, Verdant Firmament Imperial Lord had no choice but to turn and confront Netherworld and Heaven's ExtinctionGreat Emperor.

As for Eldrin Chen, he rode the Chaos Heaven Halberd through the void to join the fray, clashing with Sea of Blood Great Emperor in a world-shaking battle that seemed to sunder the heavens and shake the earth.

From the very first exchange, Eldrin Chen was surprised to discover that Sea of Blood Great Emperor's raw power was merely at the level of a powerful Great Emperor.

His offensive capabilities and techniques were not considered top-tier even among Great Emperor. Yet, his defensive power and vitality were astonishingly formidable.

By Eldrin Chen's estimation, Sea of Blood Great Emperor's defensive prowess rivaled that of an Invincible Great Emperor, while his vitality surpassed the limits of a Great Emperor, reaching a realm comparable to a Sage Ascendant.

Even when Eldrin Chen unleashed his full arsenal, he found it difficult to inflict significant wounds upon Sea of Blood Great Emperor.

"Such defensive power and vitality... truly worthy of being the chief disciple of Indestructibility Ancient One,"

Eldrin Chen thought to himself, his mind flashing back to Indestructibility Ancient One. In his time, Indestructibility Ancient One was hailed as the foremost master of Fleshly Body Sanctification [a supreme cultivation art focused on forging an indestructible physical form] within the Southern Abyss Seven Domains. His vitality and defensive capabilities were so profound that even the Chaos Heavenly Emperor [a legendary title for a supreme ruler of primordial chaos] had to frown in acknowledgment.

Such prowess could truly be called a marvel that would astonish the ages.

The Sea of Blood Patriarch [a formidable demonic cultivator whose power is tied to a vast sea of blood] was no exception; his vitality was so immense that even a Sage Ascendant [a cultivator who has ascended to a state of profound wisdom and power, one step below a true Sage] would find it difficult to suppress him.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen [the protagonist, a powerful cultivator also known as Eldrin] sneered coldly, "What a coincidence. I, too, am well-versed in the arts of defense."

As his words faded, Eldrin Chen abandoned all defense. He did not even don the Indestructibility Battle Armor [a legendary suit of armor famed for its near-impenetrable defense], relying solely on the raw power of his physical body to engage the Sea of Blood Patriarch in a desperate, life-or-death struggle.

In what seemed like a blur, the two had already clashed for hundreds of thousands of years, yet neither could gain a decisive advantage. They failed to inflict any significant wounds upon each other.

"Your vitality is truly formidable," the Sea of Blood Patriarch remarked.

Seeing that he could not overpower Eldrin Chen, the Sea of Blood Patriarch spoke again, "Since neither of us can overcome the other, perhaps we should each take a step back and cease this battle. What say you?"

"Is that so?"

Eldrin Chen replied, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Look below once more."

The Sea of Blood Patriarch glanced downward, and to his shock, he saw that Netherworld [the realm of the dead and demons] and the Heavenly Fiend Great Emperor [a sovereign ruler among demonic cultivators] were in dire straits, besieged by three other Great Emperor.

These two were among the weaker Great Emperor to begin with. Now, facing the coordinated assault of three peers, they found themselves at an absolute and overwhelming disadvantage.

Having already suffered successive devastating blows, to continue fighting would likely strip him of all capacity for battle.

With this thought, Sea of Blood Patriarch [the master of the sanguine sea] felt his heart sink. His expression turned utterly frigid as he summoned a cataclysmic tide of the Sea of Blood [a vast ocean of blood and malevolent energy] to surge forth, seeking to engulf the entire expanse of the Void Heaven [the boundless, empty firmament].

"You insignificant insects."

"My ascension to the Sage Ascendant [the realm of a Sage who has transcended mortality] shall not be hindered by anyone."

"Today, even if I must drain the Boundless Sea of Blood [the infinite Ocean of Blood] dry, I will sacrifice all living beings to fuel my breakthrough into the Sage Ascendant Realm [the domain of a Sage Ascendant]."

As his words faded, the monstrous tide of the Sea of Blood swept across the vast heavens and earth, threatening to transform the entire sky into a Sea of Blood.

Countless Immortal [beings who have achieved immortality] who were touched by even a single drop instantly dissolved into pools of festering blood, their physical forms and Primordial Spirit [the foundational spiritual core of a cultivator] devoured into the depths of the Sea of Blood.

"Troublesome."

Eldrin Chen [the Sword Immortal of the Returning Abyss] frowned, his expression turning cold. Without hesitation, he summoned forth the Chaos Primordial Solar Heavenly Flame [the primordial flame of chaos and the primal sun], unleashing a conflagration of Primordial Solar Flame [the purifying fire of the primal sun] to refine and incinerate the oncoming tide of the Sea of Blood.

The Primordial Solar Flame proved to be a potent counter to the Sea of Blood, its purifying nature causing vast quantities of the sanguine sea to evaporate into nothingness in the blink of an eye.

Yet even so, with Eldrin Chen's current Great Path cultivation level, his efforts to refine this Sea of Blood that had accumulated over countless tens of thousands of Kalpa Tribulation within the Indestructibility Primordial Domain were still but a drop in the ocean, utterly insignificant.

"Hahahaha!"

The Sea of Blood Patriarch let out a maniacal laugh, then frantically urged the Sea of Blood to engulf heaven and earth, his expression icy and detached as he declared, "This venerable one cannot kill you, but you are equally powerless against me."

"Since that is the case, what can you possibly do to stop me from slaughtering all living beings?"

"Rebellious disciple!"

At that very instant, a furious roar echoed between heaven and earth.

The moment the Sea of Blood Patriarch heard that voice, his liver and gallbladder nearly shattered from terror.

He looked up and saw, descending from the Void Heaven above, a majestic figure clad in golden battle armor. The man arrived with a thunderous crack, unleashing a wrathful, world-suppressing strike.

"Pfft—"

The Sea of Blood Patriarch instantly coughed up blood and was sent flying, his face contorted with absolute horror.

Without a moment to spare for further thought, he fled in utter terror, plunging deep into the heart of the Chaos Desolation Sea.

Witnessing this, the other three Great Emperors were overjoyed. They immediately bowed respectfully, cupping their hands towards the heroic figure and saying, "We pay our respects to the Sacred Venerable."

"Rise."

The heroic man was none other than the Indestructibility Ancient One. At this moment, he took a deep breath, then turned his palm to suppress the two Great Emperors, Netherworld and Heavenly Fiend.

Only then did the others show signs of relief and joy. The Tai Ming Great Emperor could not help but ask, "Sacred Venerable, why did you not detain him?"

Eldrin Chen, however, understood the situation. He had just used the power of the Returning Abyss Pearl to send the Indestructibility Ancient One to the Indestructibility Immortal Pool for Nirvana [a profound rebirth and restoration process].

The Indestructibility Ancient One at this moment was merely a body freshly emerged from Nirvana. His cultivation base was extremely limited, capable of sustaining at most ten moves at the Sage Ascendant level. He was essentially an imposing facade with little substance.

Had the Sea of Blood Patriarch not chosen to flee for his life, the Indestructibility Ancient One likely could not have captured him today.

This was indeed the case. Without explaining to the three, the Indestructibility Ancient One directly took Eldrin Chen into the depths of the Indestructibility Immortal Pool.

"Senior, how is your Recovery progressing?"

Watching Indestructibility Ancient One undergoing Nirvana to reforge his physical form, Eldrin Chen inquired with a calm expression.

Indestructibility Ancient One wore a grim expression. As he utilized the Indestructibility Immortal Pool to reforge his fleshly body through Nirvana, he spoke with grave solemnity:

"Just now, I sensed a terrifying power of Demonic Path [the cultivation path focused on demonic energies and ruthless methods] array runes permeating the heavens and earth. The technique behind these runes is exceptionally vicious and cruel. I fear it is the handiwork of a powerful Demonic Path Great Emperor."

Eldrin Chen was momentarily taken aback, then spoke: "You mean to say that behind Sea of Blood Great Emperor, there should be another Demonic Path Great Emperor."

Indestructibility Ancient One nodded, his expression turning profoundly grave. "When I departed this world long ago, I divided its Heavenly Path Authority [the authority to command and influence the laws of the world] into four parts, entrusting them to Sea of Blood Great Emperor and the other three Great Emperor [the pinnacle realm of cultivation, sovereigns of vast domains], including Azure Firmament Great Emperor."

"As my first direct disciple, Sea of Blood Great Emperor alone held dominion over forty percent of this world's Heavenly Path Authority."

"If my deduction is correct, to prevent the other three from using their shares of Heavenly Path Authority to oppose him, Sea of Blood Great Emperor most likely collaborated with practitioners of the Demonic Path. He may have even used his own Heavenly Path Authority to coordinate an assault from within and without, grievously wounding this world's Heavenly Path [the fundamental cosmic order and laws of the world]. This would have stripped everyone of their Heavenly Path Authority Power [the power derived from Heavenly Path Authority]."

"Now, the Heavenly Path of the Indestructibility Primordial Domain has fallen into a deep slumber, and even its Heavenly Path Origin [the foundational source energy of the world's laws] has been significantly depleted."

"It is precisely because of this that Sea of Blood Great Emperor could silently lay down his blood sacrifice grand array, coming perilously close to success."

"Yet today, we only encountered Sea of Blood Great Emperor. It is highly probable that a rift has formed between the two of them."

Eldrin Chen paused for a moment, a slight frown creasing his brow. "Are you saying," he began, "that the Sea of Blood Great Emperor used him and then simply cast him aside, proceeding with the blood sacrifice ritual alone?"

"It is highly probable."

The Indestructibility Ancient One spoke, then continued, "This Demonic Path [a cultivation path that embraces demonic energies and methods] array formation is very familiar to me. It most likely belongs to the Soul-Refiner Great Emperor from the True Demon Primordial Domain [the primordial domain where the most ancient and powerful demonic beings are said to originate]."

"This individual excels in the Soul-Refiner path. His personal combat prowess is merely at the level of a powerful Great Emperor [a supreme ruler among cultivators, possessing world-shaking power], yet he commands several Great Emperor Realm soul slaves. His true strength is undoubtedly not to be underestimated."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen fell into contemplation. He was quite knowledgeable about the Soul-Refiner Great Emperor.

From what Eldrin Chen knew, this Soul-Refiner Great Emperor was a prodigious talent of his generation. He walked the Primordial Spirit Path Attainment Art [an esoteric cultivation art focused on mastering and enslaving the primordial spirits of others], capable of enslaving Chaos Desolate Race Great Emperor as his soul slaves.

Of course, this method had its limitations. Each True Spirit Aperture [a profound spiritual node within a cultivator's soul, essential for advanced soul arts] could only refine and control one Chaos [a being of immense power born from or dwelling within the primordial chaos] at a time.

It was said that the Soul-Refiner Great Emperor had roamed the Chaos for hundreds of thousands of years, successfully enslaving and refining a full five Great Emperor Realm beings from the Desolate Race [a powerful and ancient race of demonic beings].

By himself, he commanded the combat power of six or seven Great Emperor. His methods and battle prowess made him virtually unrivaled within the Great Emperor Realm.

Although the Soul-Refiner Great Emperor was immensely powerful, he had vanished from the Six Domains of the Northern Abyss tens of thousands of Kalpa Tribulation [a grand cosmic cycle spanning billions of years] ago. Most believed he had long been lost within the Chaos Desolation Sea [a vast, turbulent, and perilous expanse of primordial chaos]. No one expected him to reappear here.

"I fear we may be facing considerable trouble," Eldrin Chen murmured, his gaze darkening with profound gravity.

The Indestructibility Ancient One gave a slight nod before speaking. "The Sea of Blood Patriarch has been driven off by my presence, but the Soul-Refiner Great Emperor knows I have not yet fully recovered my strength."

"Once he realizes this, he will most likely invite the Soul-Refiner Great Emperor to join forces against me."

"With my current power, I fear I would struggle to contend with both of them."

Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly. "Senior, how long will it take for you to recover your full combat prowess?" he inquired.

The Indestructibility Ancient One pondered for a moment. "My injuries are severe. To recover my peak strength would require a vast amount of resources and a span of time measured in hundreds of kalpas [immense cosmic cycles]."

"Even to regain the full power of a Sage Ascendant would likely take fifty kalpas."

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen immediately sensed the complexity of their predicament.

He considered for a moment, then asked, "Senior, is there another way?"

Indestructibility Ancient One revealed a bitter smile and then spoke, "Once I begin my full Recovery [a profound restorative technique], I'm afraid I will be unable to leave seclusion. If you can withstand this tribulation on my behalf, I will naturally not treat you unfairly."

"Oh?"

Indestructibility Ancient One nodded. With a flick of his sleeve, he summoned an ancient-looking turtle shell and said, "This is the Black Tortoise Armor [a legendary defensive treasure], forged from the life-bound carapace I shed in ages past."

"I believe for you, this is the supreme treasure for cultivating the True Spirit Divine Form [a supreme physical transformation technique]."

Eldrin Chen's heart shook with realization. He now understood that Indestructibility Ancient One was one of the Four Divine Spirits [the four primordial divine beasts], transformed from a Black Tortoise [the divine beast symbolizing the north and winter].

The defensive power of the Black Tortoise was peerless in the world. Furthermore, Indestructibility Ancient One had cultivated multiple defensive-type True Spirit Divine Form. No wonder even the Chaos Heavenly Emperor [a supreme ruler of primordial chaos] frowned upon seeing him.

Moreover, Indestructibility Ancient One spoke truth. This Black Tortoise Armor was among the most formidable defensive Innate Treasure [a treasure born from the primordial chaos], its prowess not inferior to the Indestructibility Battle Armor.

Furthermore, the inherent nature of the Black Tortoise Armor should be exceptionally compatible with the True Spirit Divine Runes [mystical symbols that empower the physical form] of Eldrin Chen, specifically the 'Profound Darkness' [the principle of profound and abyssal power] rune, making it one of the most suitable treasures for him.

For a powerhouse who has achieved Fleshly Body Sanctification [the pinnacle of physical body refinement], refining any single Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme treasure of primordial origin] would allow them to cultivate a True Spirit Divine Form.

However, refining a more compatible Innate Supreme Treasure often yields a far greater enhancement.

Furthermore, as the compatibility increases, the inherent rejection diminishes. This significantly enhances the probability of a successful fusion when the time comes to merge with the Nine True Spirit Divine Forms [a profound cultivation art that allows the practitioner to manifest the forms and powers of nine primordial divine spirits].