Chapter 2042 : A Pact Forged in Chaos

The Indestructibility Ancient One noted the expression on Eldrin Chen's face and smiled. "You brought two Great Emperors and seven Primordial Imperial Lords of the Eighth Rank to our aid."

"I cannot let you return empty-handed. It is only fitting you receive an additional Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme magical artifact born from the primordial chaos]."

As he spoke, the Indestructibility Ancient One paused thoughtfully before continuing, "To be frank, this old man has another favor to ask."

A flicker of understanding passed through Eldrin Chen's eyes as he grasped the Indestructibility Ancient One's meaning.

He directly retrieved the Indestructibility Battle Armor and said with a light laugh, "Consider this returning it to its rightful owner."

"This item is this old man's Soulbound Treasure [a magical artifact intrinsically linked to its owner's life force and cultivation], a treasure I find truly difficult to part with."

The Indestructibility Ancient One rubbed his hands together somewhat awkwardly, then added, "But rest assured, I will not let you suffer a loss."

With that, the Indestructibility Ancient One took out a jade box and, with a grave expression, handed it to Eldrin Chen.

Seeing his solemn demeanor, Eldrin Chen could not help but ask, "What is contained within this?"

"Chaos Origin [the primordial essence from which all things were born]."

Indestructibility Ancient One spoke with grave deliberation as he slowly opened it, revealing within a mass of incredibly dense Chaos energy [the primordial, formless essence from which all creation emerged].

Eldrin Chen was momentarily taken aback, his expression turning profoundly solemn.

This so-called Chaos Origin was an exceedingly rare Chaos Rare Treasure [a treasure born from the primordial chaos], its value rivaling even that of an Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme treasure formed by nature itself, containing profound laws].

It was said that consuming such a divine object could increase one's chances of breaking through to the Great Emperor Realm by fifty percent.

For those cultivating Fleshly Body Sanctification [the art of refining and purifying the physical body to its utmost limits], it could even be used to enhance their latent potential and increase their odds of shattering the limits of their physical form. Its value was extraordinary even for an Sage Ascendant.

"Long ago, beyond the Southern Abyss Seven Domains, a Primordial Chaos Secret Realm manifested. Within it, even Chaos Genesis Energy [the foundational energy of creation from the primordial chaos] appeared, attracting many Chaos Heavenly Emperor [Heavenly Emperors who have mastered the power of Chaos] to explore its depths,"

"This old man was fortunate enough to venture there with a companion. Regrettably, my strength was insufficient at the time to obtain the Chaos Genesis Energy, securing only ten portions of Chaos Origin."

"By consuming nine of those ten portions, I cultivated the Unique True Spirit Divine Form [a unique and peerless divine physique born of one's true spirit]. This last remaining portion has been in my possession for over one hundred thousand Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles marking the rise and fall of worlds]."

As he spoke, Indestructibility Ancient One pushed the item towards Eldrin Chen and said, "Today, I offer it to you in exchange for this Indestructibility Battle Armor. What say you?"

"Agreed."

Eldrin Chen nodded, expressing no objections.

The Indestructibility Battle Armor could reduce damage from a Great Emperor by ninety percent. However, as his cultivation advanced, the usefulness of the Indestructibility Battle Armor had gradually diminished.

This was because Eldrin Chen could now, relying solely on the Returning Abyss Divine Rune, become immune to attacks at the Great Emperor level. Even damage from the Sage Ascendant tier could be absorbed in large part by the Returning Abyss Divine Rune.

In other words, an ordinary Sage Ascendant would find it difficult to inflict an unstoppable, fatal injury upon Eldrin Chen.

This Indestructibility Battle Armor could only mitigate fifty percent of damage at the Sage Ascendant level. While it was still useful to Eldrin Chen, as his cultivation broke through further, it would likely become nearly useless before long.

Therefore, Eldrin Chen had decided from the start to return the Indestructibility Battle Armor to Indestructibility Ancient One, using it to secure Indestructibility Ancient One's support and even an alliance.

Now, having achieved his wish, Indestructibility Ancient One handed Eldrin Chen three talismans and said, "These three Communication Talisman [enchanted slips used for long-distance messaging] were purchased by me from the Blazing Central Primordial Domain."

"They are exceedingly precious and can transmit messages across the vast expanse of the Chaos Desolation Sea, but each can only be used three times."

"In the future, if you truly find yourself in a moment of dire peril, use this talisman to send word to this old man, and inform me of your Path Marker [a unique spiritual coordinate or signature used for location tracking in the primordial chaos] as well."

As he spoke, Indestructibility Ancient One paused, then spoke with utmost solemnity: "As long as the opponent's strength does not exceed that of an Early Stage Primordial Chaos Heavenly Emperor, this old man will lend you his aid."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen immediately revealed a faint smile.

A promise from an Invincible Sage Ascendant [a supreme cultivator who has transcended the Sage Ascendant realm and is unmatched within it] was truly invaluable. One must remember that Indestructibility Ancient One was an existence capable of standing against a Heavenly Emperor [a supreme sovereign who has unified a Heavenly Domain under their rule] and defeating a coalition of ten Sage Ascendant [cultivators who have ascended to the peak of the Sage realm, one step below the Heavenly Emperor realm].

With his assistance, Eldrin Chen felt his confidence grow by several more degrees for the day he would return to the Southern Abyss Seven Domains.

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen clasped his hands and said, "Senior, rest assured. If the day comes when I can prove my Chaos Heavenly Emperor [a Heavenly Emperor who has mastered the profound and primordial Dao of Chaos] path, I will, within my power, assist you in achieving your own Dao."

"Excellent."

Indestructibility Ancient One also showed a look of pleasant surprise. Understanding Eldrin Chen's potential, he decisively declared, "In that case, why don't we forge an alliance of mutual aid and defense?"

"Then it is settled."

A light gleamed in Eldrin Chen's eyes as he and Indestructibility Ancient One formally established their pact.

Only after the alliance was sealed did Eldrin Chen turn to Indestructibility Ancient One and ask, "Senior, approximately how long until your injuries are fully Recovery [restored to their original state]?"

Indestructibility Ancient One pondered for a moment before replying, "I need to make a trip to the Blazing Central Chaos Domain first, to procure some Rare Spiritual Wonders [extraordinarily precious natural treasures imbued with potent spiritual energies] to aid in the Recovery of my wounds."

"If all goes smoothly, it should take several hundred Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles], at most no more than a thousand Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles], to Recovery [restore and heal] all my injuries."

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod and inquired, "I once passed by the Blazing Central Chaos Domain [the central, lawless trading hub of this region] but dared not venture deep within, fearing the dangers that lay inside."

"There is no need for concern."

Indestructibility Ancient One shook his head and then spoke, "The Blazing Central Chaos Domain [the central, lawless trading hub of this region] is the heart of this Chaos Desolation Sea [a vast, turbulent expanse of primordial chaos], conducting business for several hundred Primordial Domain [vast, primordial worlds] simultaneously. Therefore, it maintains a certain degree of order."

"As an outsider, unless you are an existence who has cultivated the Seven True Spirit Apertures [the pinnacle seventh stage of opening one's spiritual apertures], generally no one will make a move against you."

Eldrin Chen's eyes gleamed with a flicker of thought. "And if one *has* cultivated the Seven True Spirit Apertures [the pinnacle seventh stage of opening one's spiritual apertures]?" he asked.

"Cultivated the Seven True Spirit Apertures [the pinnacle seventh stage of opening one's spiritual apertures]..."

Indestructibility Ancient One shook his head once more. "Within the Blazing Central Primordial Domain [the core territory of the central trading hub], there is a Chaos Heavenly Emperor [a supreme ruler of primordial chaos] skilled with the Heavenly Halberd [a divine polearm] named 'Yan Huang' [the Proliferating Sovereign]. Long ago, He laid down a Primordial Chaos Heaven-Deduction Formation [a grand formation of primordial chaos that deduces heavenly secrets]."

"This formation uses the Chaos Spiritual Artifact [an artifact born of primordial chaos] 'Heaven-Deduction Mirror' [Mirror of Heavenly Deduction] as its Formation Eye [the core and control point of a formation]. It can monitor the Chaos Desolation Sea [a vast, turbulent expanse of primordial chaos] across several hundred million Desolate Journey [a unit of measure for vast distances in the primordial chaos]."

"Within this range, any existence that has cultivated the seven great True Spirit Aperture [spiritual apertures representing the pinnacle of cultivation] will be detected and located."

"Then you would face the Chaos Heavenly Emperor [a supreme ruler of a chaotic primordial domain], and even the direct pursuit of that Path Union Supreme [a supreme being who has unified multiple cultivation paths] from the Blazing Central Primordial Domain."

Indestructibility Ancient One shook his head and sighed, saying, "Fortunately, you have only cultivated five True Spirit Aperture [a foundational cultivation stage where the spirit's apertures are opened], so you won't encounter too much trouble."

Eldrin Chen's expression shifted slightly, and he couldn't help but ask, "Can someone who has attained the Primordial Spirit Path Attainment [a legendary cultivation art focused on the primordial spirit] truly make even a Path Union Supreme wary?"

"One who has attained the Primordial Spirit Path Attainment possesses boundless, limitless potential."

Indestructibility Ancient One shook his head once more and then spoke, "I once asked the Immortal Firmament Path Ancestor about this. He stated that the Primordial Spirit Path Attainment represents a supreme foundation."

"If one cultivates it to success, the chance of stepping into the Second Chaos Realm [the second major realm within the chaotic cosmos] is at least fifty percent."

Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow slightly and inquired, "Is the Second Chaos Realm truly that rare?"

"Rare. Exceedingly rare."

Indestructibility Ancient One shook his head and continued, "Within this expanse of the Chaos Desolation Sea [a vast, chaotic sea of desolation] that the Blazing Central Chaos Domain holds sway over, the number of Primordial Domain [the fundamental domains of the primordial cosmos], great and small combined, likely approaches one hundred."

"Even the number of Chaos Heavenly Emperor is probably no less than three hundred, among whom there are several dozen who have reached the half-step into the Second Realm."

"But among those who have set foot upon the Second Chaos Realm [the second major stage within the primordial chaos cultivation system], only that single individual can truly be called a Path Union Supreme [a supreme being who has unified multiple Great Paths]."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow slightly, gaining a renewed understanding of just how immensely difficult it is to advance even a single step beyond the Chaos Realm [the foundational realm of primordial chaos cultivation].

Under such circumstances, the gap between the First Realm of Chaos and the Second Realm was likely to be staggeringly vast. The possibility of overcoming such a realm disparity in battle should be utterly impossible.

Consider this: if Eldrin Chen were to one day cultivate all five of his Great Paths [fundamental cosmic laws]—Primordial Solar [the path of the primordial sun], Profound Darkness [the path of profound shadow], Life, Mixed Metal [the path of alloyed metals], and Source Earth [the path of the primordial earth]—to the Realm of Chaos, and then fuse them into one, the result would *still* only be the Second Chaos Realm.

If a Great Path as formidable as the Primordial Chaos Great Path [the supreme law of primordial chaos] culminates merely at the Second Realm, how could the beings of the Path Union Realm [the realm where multiple Great Paths are unified] possibly be weak?

Each of their foundations is profoundly heaven-defying, and their cultivation methods are unlikely to be significantly inferior to Eldrin Chen's own. In a battle within the same realm, they might not be at a disadvantage, let alone be defeated by someone from a lower realm.

"After stepping into the Chaos Realm, I fear that even for me, overcoming a realm disparity in battle will become nearly impossible."

These thoughts flickered through Eldrin Chen's mind before he spoke. "Since venturing to the Blazing Central Primordial Domain [a primordial realm of intense yang energy] poses no significant danger, I humbly request that you take me along when the time comes, Senior."

"You wish to...?"

The Indestructibility Ancient One spoke, seeming to have guessed his intent.

Eldrin Chen nodded and then spoke, "I wish to exchange for one or two more suitable Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme-grade magical artifact born from the world's natural laws] to aid in cultivating the True Spirit Divine Form [a divine ability that manifests one's true spiritual essence into a powerful physical form]."

"Hmm."

Seeing this, the Indestructibility Ancient One gave a slight nod of his head and said, "There is no need to rush this matter. Allow this old man to recuperate for a few more years."

"You should also use this opportunity to first comprehend the method of the Soul-Refiner."

"Very well."

Eldrin Chen nodded, saying nothing more for the moment.

Afterwards, he departed from the Great Hall and proceeded to a Seclusion Chamber [a specially prepared room for undisturbed meditation and cultivation] to begin closed-door contemplation of the Ancient Scripture [an ancient text containing profound cultivation knowledge] left by the Soul-Refiner Great Emperor.

After a period of deep study, Eldrin Chen immediately grasped the profound mysteries within this Soul-Refiner Ancient Scripture.

This Soul-Refiner Ancient Scripture utilized the power of one's True Spirit Primordial Spirit [the most fundamental and powerful form of a cultivator's spiritual core] to refine half of a Soul-Slaves's [beings whose souls are bound to serve a master] Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a high-level cultivator] into one's own True Spirit Aperture [a special spiritual cavity within a cultivator's body that houses the true spirit].

Then, through this half of the Primordial Spirit residing within the True Spirit Aperture, one could gain complete control over the entire Primordial Spirit of the Soul-Slaves.

It was precisely for this reason that the number of Soul-Slaves one could possess was intrinsically linked to the number of True Spirit Aperture [the foundational spiritual orifices within a cultivator's soul] one had cultivated. The Soul-Refiner Great Emperor had cultivated five True Spirit Aperture, and thus could only control five Soul-Slaves [beings whose souls have been bound and enslaved through profound soul arts].

In theory, if one could cultivate nine True Spirit Aperture, one would be able to command nine Chaos [beings of primordial chaos, representing immense power]. At that point, one would undoubtedly possess supreme, peerless combat strength at the very pinnacle of the Mortal Realm.

Of course, this method also had a significant flaw: if the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and essence of a cultivator] of a Soul-Slaves grew too powerful, it could potentially rebel and devour the master's own True Spirit Primordial Spirit [the core spiritual entity refined from the True Spirit Apertures].

To suppress his five Soul-Slaves, the Soul-Refiner Great Emperor had consistently worked to weaken their Primordial Spirit.

These Soul-Slaves were originally transformed from members of the Desolate Race. Their Primordial Spirit were already frail, then further divided in half, and finally weakened by the Soul-Refiner Great Emperor. Consequently, their Primordial Spirit were exceedingly weak.

It was precisely because of this extreme weakness that Eldrin Chen was able to completely subdue them all using the Human Soul Scripture [a supreme scripture for governing and refining souls].

"My Primordial Spirit is far inferior to that of the Soul-Refiner Great Emperor. I fear I may not be able to control these five Soul-Slaves," Eldrin Chen murmured, a frown creasing his brow as he grasped the principles behind the Soul-Refiner's profound art.

However, after a moment's contemplation, a realization dawned upon him. "The backlash from a Soul-Slaves is indeed terrifying," he said thoughtfully, "but I have cultivated the Human Soul Great Path [the Great Dao of the Human Soul, a supreme path of soul cultivation]."

"With the inherent suppression the Human Soul Great Path exerts over Soul-Slaves, I should be fully capable of mastering these five."

His eyes gleamed with newfound resolve. The path forward, though perilous, now seemed clear.

"Even if my Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] were severely wounded one day, I could still suppress them all with the Tome of Human Soul."

With this plan settled in his mind, Eldrin Chen finally let out a sigh of relief.

He decisively requested the assistance of Indestructibility Ancient One to extract the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] of these five Soul-Slaves [beings whose souls are completely enslaved] from the Primordial Spirit of the Soul-Refiner Great Emperor, and then fuse them into his own five True Spirit Aperture [special spiritual apertures within a high-level cultivator's body].

After the fusion into the True Spirit Aperture, Eldrin Chen discovered he had gained complete control over the Primordial Spirit of the five Soul-Slaves, which brought him a measure of reassurance.

Only then did Eldrin Chen take the time to carefully examine these five Soul-Slaves.

Upon closer inspection, Eldrin Chen found that all five of these Soul-Slaves specialized in the path of physical cultivation, with their Primordial One Imperial Body [a supreme physique focused on the physical body] having been cultivated to the Great Emperor Realm.

Furthermore, these five Soul-Slaves seemed to have practiced a secret technique that enhanced their physical combat power at the cost of their potential; their very flesh was inscribed with the power of certain array patterns.

In terms of pure physical combat strength, these five Soul-Slaves were no weaklings even among other Great Emperor [a supreme cultivation realm].

Moreover, these five Great Emperor could amplify each other's power and, by forming a grand array, significantly boost their collective strength.

The sole flaw was that the potential of these five Soul-Slaves had been utterly exhausted, leaving no possibility for further advancement.

"Five standard combatants, each possessing the initial-level strength of a Great Emperor [a supreme ruler among cultivators, possessing immense power]."

After comprehending the strength of the five Soul-Slaves [cultivators whose souls have been bound and enslaved], Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, a slow, measured breath escaping his lips.

With these five Great Emperor Soul Slaves now under his command, Eldrin Chen's power surged dramatically. While he dared not claim he could yet contend with a Sage Ascendant [a being who has ascended to the threshold of sagehood], within the realm of Great Emperor [a supreme ruler among cultivators, possessing immense power], he could now be considered a peerless force.

At this thought, a faint smile touched Eldrin Chen's lips.

Having fully refined the five Soul-Slaves [cultivators whose souls have been bound and enslaved], Eldrin Chen did not immediately emerge from seclusion.

Instead, he retrieved several vials of Chaos Divine Liquid [a primordial elixir of immense power, refined from the essence of chaos] and began a new phase of secluded cultivation, focusing on advancing both his Great Path [the supreme cultivation art] comprehension and his foundational spiritual energy reserves.

After the protracted war spanning fifty Kalpa Tribulation [an immense cosmic cycle in Buddhist cosmology, often billions of years], Eldrin Chen's Three Great Foundations [the three core pillars of a cultivator's strength: body, energy, and spirit] had, without his conscious notice, already reached a state of perfect completion and saturation.

It was only the relentless pressure of the ongoing conflict that had prevented Eldrin Chen from attempting a breakthrough earlier.

Now, having consumed over one hundred drops of the potent Chaos Divine Liquid [a primordial elixir of immense power, refined from the essence of chaos], his Three Great Foundations [the three core pillars of a cultivator's strength: body, energy, and spirit] finally pressed against their absolute limits.

"Boom—"

Amidst a thunderous roar, Eldrin Chen's Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] cultivation was the first to complete its breakthrough, directly stepping into the realm of the Primordial One Imperial Lord 5th Tier.

His Great Path [a supreme cultivation art] cultivation followed closely behind, breaking through to the Primordial One Imperial Lord 5th Tier not long after.

Finally, Eldrin Chen's physical body cultivation achieved its ultimate breakthrough, stepping into the realm of the Primordial One Imperial Lord 6th Tier.

"Hah—"

After his Three Great Foundations [the three core aspects of a cultivator's power: body, energy, and spirit] completed their breakthroughs, Eldrin Chen discovered his combat prowess had risen significantly once more.

First, the improvement in his physical body cultivation was the greatest. Augmented by the Eight Great True Spirit Divine Runes, it was now powerful enough to rival the peak level of an Primordial One Imperial Lord 8th Tier cultivator.

Such a formidable physique, further empowered by the two True Spirit Divine Form [divine forms embodying the power of primordial spirits]—the Black Tortoise Shield and the Life Treasure Pearl—underwent a qualitative transformation in its combat capabilities.

His Great Path, his energy reserves, and his Primordial Spirit had also improved considerably, reaching the peak level of the Primordial One 7th Tier, though they were not yet far from the Primordial One Imperial Lord 8th Tier.

Within this domain, Eldrin Chen realized he could now unleash the Tome of Human Soul [a legendary book containing the wisdom of human souls] to its full, ten-tenths potential.

"My combat strength has risen significantly once again."

"However, it seems a breakthrough in the near future will be difficult. Moreover, the Chaos Divine Liquid [a primordial substance of immense spiritual potency] is running dangerously low."

These thoughts flickered through Eldrin Chen's mind as his gaze fell upon the resources in his hand.

Over the years, his cultivation had consumed over half of his original stock of Chaos Divine Liquid, leaving him with a mere five hundred drops.

In theory, a thousand drops of Chaos Divine Liquid should be sufficient for a newly ascended Primordial One Imperial Lord [a sovereign lord who has unified their foundational energies into a single, supreme origin] to cultivate all the way to the Great Emperor Realm [the realm of a supreme sovereign emperor].

But Eldrin Chen's foundation was profoundly deep, and he cultivated the Three Great Foundations [a supreme art that simultaneously refines the body, energy, and spirit] in unison. His resource consumption exceeded that of an ordinary Primordial One Imperial Lord by more than tenfold.

Initially, Eldrin Chen had believed that the thousand drops of Chaos Divine Liquid would be enough to propel him to the Primordial One Imperial Lord 7th Tier [the seventh tier of the Primordial One Imperial Lord realm].

Now, however, it was clear that the remaining supply would be utterly insufficient for him to break through to that seventh tier.

The gap in foundational essence between the Primordial One Imperial Lord 6th Tier [the sixth tier] and the Primordial One Imperial Lord 7th Tier was more than threefold. The five hundred drops he had left would, at most, allow him to refine his physical body to the peak of the sixth tier.

Furthermore, the chasm between the sixth and seventh tiers was not merely vast in terms of power; the time required for the breakthrough was also immensely long.

Given the profound depth of Eldrin Chen's foundation, even with ample resources, it would likely take him one hundred Kalpa Tribulation [cosmic cycles of immense duration] to achieve the breakthrough.

"The resources needed for physical body cultivation are manageable; we can substitute Sage Ascendant Dragon Flesh for the Chaos Divine Liquid."

"However, we still need to devise a method for the cultivation resources required for the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] and Great Path [the supreme cultivation method]; otherwise, our progress will be severely hindered."

Eldrin Chen murmured to himself, before gradually withdrawing his thoughts.

After gathering his thoughts, Eldrin Chen emerged from the Seclusion Chamber [a chamber for secluded cultivation] only to find Indestructibility Ancient One had been waiting for him for quite some time.

"It seems your cultivation has progressed significantly."

Indestructibility Ancient One looked at Eldrin Chen and spoke with a smile.

Eldrin Chen offered a slight smile in return. "Merely a minor advancement, far from matching the profound foundation of a senior like yourself."

As he spoke, he inquired further, "Senior, are you preparing to depart?"

"The preparations are nearly complete."

Indestructibility Ancient One nodded, then stated, "My stock of healing items is exhausted. With empty sleeves and a depleted treasury, my injuries will be difficult to Recovery [recover from] in the short term."

"We can only go to the Blazing Central Primordial Domain to seek some treasures and quickly recover from our injuries."

Eldrin Chen nodded, then rose to his feet and said, "Since that is the case, let us depart."

As he spoke, Eldrin Chen summoned Immortality Great Emperor and Sword Abyss Great Emperor, and also gathered all seven Imperial Lords of his Three Talents and Four Symbols formation to leave with him.

This journey to the Blazing Central Chaos Domain was led personally by Indestructibility Ancient One, a Sage Ascendant. Their speed was astonishingly swift, taking only a few Kalpa Tribulations [immense cosmic cycles] to arrive within the Blazing Central Chaos Domain.

"The Blazing Central Chaos Domain... it feels like over a hundred thousand Kalpa Tribulations [immense cosmic cycles] have passed since my last visit."

Indestructibility Ancient One murmured softly, a bitter smile touching his lips. "I wonder if the companions of those bygone days still fare well."

With these words, he led Eldrin Chen across the Primordial Chaos [the primordial, formless state before creation], arriving before the borders of a magnificent Chaos Domain [a stable realm within the primordial chaos].

It was a vast Primordial Domain, its entirety enveloped in a verdant Immortal Radiance [a luminous aura characteristic of immortal realms]. It appeared breathtakingly beautiful, like a hazy mirage within the Primordial Chaos.

"This is the Verdant Phoenix Primordial Domain, the Path-Field [a territory governed by a powerful cultivator's Dao] belonging to the Phoenix [a mythical, immortal bird] clan."

"The Chaos Saint Emperor [a supreme ruler of a Chaos Domain] who rules this place, 'Verdant Luan Saint Emperor', was once an old friend of mine. We have come to seek treasures from him."

Indestructibility Ancient One spoke slowly, a faint smile gracing his lips.

At that very moment, the Verdant Phoenix Primordial Domain [the ancient and sacred domain of the Verdant Phoenix lineage] slowly opened, and several peerlessly elegant immortal maidens emerged.

Leading them was a stunning woman clad in a violet gown. She glanced at Indestructibility Ancient One and spoke, "Are you Senior Indestructibility [the Ancient One of Indestructibility]?"

"His Majesty the Saint Emperor requests your presence. Please follow me inside."

"So it is Fellow Daoist Violet Phoenix. I did not expect you to have also stepped into the Sage Ascendant Realm [the realm just below that of a true Sage]."

Indestructibility Ancient One chuckled lightly before continuing, "Since you too have attained the Sage Ascendant Realm, it is only fitting we consider ourselves peers."

Standing nearby, Eldrin Chen observed the scene. He couldn't shake the feeling that this Violet Phoenix Sage Ascendant carried a faint, strangely familiar aura.

"In that case, this Violet Phoenix shall presume upon your kindness and accept this peer status," she replied with a graceful smile.

Violet Phoenix Sage Ascendant smiled, then her gaze fell upon Eldrin Chen. For a fleeting moment, she seemed to pause, a flicker of something unreadable in her eyes.

Noticing her reaction, Indestructibility Ancient One explained with a light laugh, "This is a junior of mine. He has accompanied me on this journey to broaden his horizons."

Violet Phoenix Sage Ascendant gave a slight nod and then inquired, "Young friend, do you hail from the Thirteen Domains of the Heaven Abyss?"