Chapter 2057 : Clash of Primordial Emperors

"How does it feel?"

Primordial Solar Great Emperor merely sneered, immediately driving a Imperial Spear [a supreme weapon wielded by an emperor-level cultivator] forward in an attack. This spear was none other than the Obsidian Abyss Imperial Spear.

Eldrin Chen's eyes turned icy in an instant. With a furious roar, he struck out with a palm strike that shattered Primordial Solar Great Emperor's physical body, nearly sending him flying away in pieces.

"Impossible!"

"How can you ignore the suppression of the Chaos Grand Formation [a supreme formation harnessing the power of primordial chaos]?"

Witnessing Eldrin Chen disregard the suppression, Primordial Era Thunder Crow Great Emperor wore an expression of utter disbelief.

Eldrin Chen let out a cold laugh and spoke with calm authority, "If a Chaos Spiritual Artifact [an artifact forged from and imbued with primordial chaos] were serving as the Formation Eye [the core and control point of a formation], I might indeed retreat."

"But this place is merely a Half-Step Chaos Grand Formation [an incomplete or lesser version of the Chaos Grand Formation]. How could it possibly restrain me?"

"I refuse to believe it!"

With a furious roar, Primordial Era Thunder Crow Great Emperor frantically channeled power into the Primordial Era Thunder Spear, thrusting it directly at Eldrin Chen.

Back when he was defeated and fled the Chaos Desolation Sea [a vast and perilous sea of chaotic energies], Eldrin Chen faced a similarly all-out strike. At that time, relying on the protection of two Innate Treasure [a supreme class of treasures born from the primordial chaos], he still ended up grievously wounded and teetering on the brink of death.

Now, facing this same strike from the Primordial Era Thunder Crow Great Emperor [an ancient and mighty avian demon emperor from the dawn of time], Eldrin Chen simply seized the lightning spear, and with a mighty thrust, pierced through the Primordial Era Thunder Crow Great Emperor's chest, pinning it against the pagoda wall.

Having subdued the Primordial Era Thunder Crow Great Emperor, Eldrin Chen stripped it of its Thunder Emperor Battle Armor [a legendary suit of armor imbued with the power of thunder]. Then, with his own strength resisting the suppression of the Solar Golden Pagoda [a divine pagoda forged from solar essence], he slowly waved his hand.

In response, Sword Mystery Great Emperor, Immortality Great Emperor, Three Talents and Four Symbols Great Emperor [a Great Emperor who commands the powers of Heaven, Earth, Man, and the Four Celestial Beasts], and eight other Great Emperor [the pinnacle sovereigns of the cultivation world] made their move. They Burst [unleashed their power] into a world-shaking battle against the Demon Race Great Emperor [the supreme rulers of the demonic legions] present.

Eldrin Chen paid them no mind, proceeding alone into the depths of the Solar Golden Pagoda. There, within a pool filled with Desolation Miasma [a corrupting energy that erodes life and sanity], he found Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor.

Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor was pierced through the collarbones by Immortal Gold Chains [indestructible chains forged from immortal gold], his body covered in horrific wounds. Every bone had been utterly shattered, and his pupils were a deep, bloody crimson.

Clearly, Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor had been eroded by the Desolation Power [the essence of decay and oblivion], his mind left in a dazed and muddled state.

Yet, the moment he saw Eldrin Chen, a flicker of clarity pierced the haze within Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor's clouded consciousness. With a sudden, furious roar, he cried out.

"Do not look back!"

"Great Emperor."

Eldrin Chen's heart clenched. He swiftly administered a Healing Immortal Pill [a supreme pill capable of mending grievous wounds and restoring vitality] and then channeled the Great Path of Life [the profound Dao of creation and vitality] to heal his injuries.

After completing these actions, Eldrin Chen was about to retrieve the Tome of Human Soul [a mystical tome said to contain the secrets of the human spirit] to help him Recovery [a divine art focused on restoring clarity of mind and spirit] his consciousness, when he discovered that the Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor [a title denoting a supreme ruler associated with a profound, dark abyss] had already Recovery [regained] his senses.

"Well done."

The Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor looked at him, a trace of gratification on his face, and said, "In a mere few hundred Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles of destruction and rebirth], you have stepped into the Sage Ascendant Realm [a realm just below the legendary Sagehood]. You have truly not disappointed me."

Eldrin Chen offered a faint smile. He severed the Immortal Gold Divine Chains [divine shackles forged from immortal-grade gold] binding him, then said, "Great Emperor, I am here to avenge you."

In that instant, Eldrin Chen unleashed his full power, uprooting the Solar Golden Pagoda [a majestic pagoda forged from solar essence and radiant gold] that had stood for countless eons.

Meanwhile, Eldrin Chen moved with overwhelming force, suppressing the formidable foes who had once besieged the Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor.

The Bifang Great Emperor, the Golden-Winged Great Roc Great Emperor [a title for a supreme emperor associated with the mythical golden-winged roc], the Primordial Solar Great Emperor [a title for an ancient emperor embodying the primal sun], the Primordial Era Thunder Crow Great Emperor [a title for a great emperor from the primordial era, associated with the thunder crow]—not a single one who had struck that day could escape. In the blink of an eye, they were all forcibly suppressed by Eldrin Chen.

These peerless Great Emperor [supreme rulers at the pinnacle of cultivation] were not spared. Only their Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and true essence of a cultivator] managed to flee to the heavens under the protection of their respective Great Path [profound cultivation arts or laws]. Their physical bodies and all their treasures were completely seized and suppressed by Eldrin Chen.

As for the Primordial Solar Great Emperor, this Great Path Rival [a fated nemesis on one's cultivation path], he was utterly annihilated by Eldrin Chen, erased from the very root of his Great Path.

After completing all this, Eldrin Chen looked at Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor and said with a smile, "If the Great Emperor could use their physical bodies to cultivate the final three True Spirit Divine Form [a supreme manifestation of a cultivator's spiritual essence and will], it would perhaps be an even more fitting vengeance."

Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor smiled faintly. It turned out that during the long suppression spanning hundreds of Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles of destruction and rebirth], he had already gained a sliver of insight into the true essence of the Nine Revolutions Heavenly Art.

The Nine Revolutions Heavenly Art required repeated cycles of cultivation to reach its supreme heights. Each cycle was, in essence, a process of shattering the old foundation to establish a new, stronger one.

Now, having endured this calamity, his once-invincible foundation had been utterly ruined by the Demon Race Heavenly Court using various methods. Even his Invincible Immortal Bones [bones tempered to an indestructible state through immortal cultivation] had been crushed, and his very foundation had been corroded by Foul Miasma [a corrupting spiritual pollution].

The Demon Race's original intent in doing this was to completely exhaust Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor's potential, ensuring he could never again achieve Fleshly Body Sanctification [the process of purifying and perfecting the physical body to a sacred state].

However, they were unaware that this inadvertently aligned with the very condition of 'shattering to rebuild,' granting Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor the hope of mastering the ninth revolution of the Nine Revolutions Heavenly Art.

All he needed was to undergo Nirvana [a profound rebirth or renewal] once more, cultivating anew from his ruined foundation to nurture a new, invincible physical form. By doing so, Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor could fully complete his cultivation of the ninth revolution.

Although this cycle of Nirvana cultivation would be excruciatingly painful, Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor had endured countless tortures. Eldrin Chen believed he possessed the fortitude to complete this final Nirvana.

Thus, barring unforeseen circumstances, the Human Race would soon gain another Invincible Sage Ascendant [a supreme cultivator on the cusp of sagehood, possessing unmatched power].

"The Primordial Era Thunder Crow [a mythical avian beast from the dawn of time, embodying the fury of thunder] possessed boundless, domineering power. Its remains might allow me to cultivate a Divine Form of equally overwhelming dominance."

As he spoke, Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor inquired, "In your opinion, how should I cultivate the remaining two Great Path Divine Form [supreme divine abilities representing the ultimate forms of the Great Path]?"

"Chaos Divine Rune [the Divine Rune of Primordial Chaos, a supreme ability]," replied Eldrin Chen.

Eldrin Chen spoke slowly, his tone grave. "Once you master the Chaos Divine Rune, even if you step into the Realm of Chaos [the legendary realm of Primordial Chaos, the highest known cultivation stage], you could be considered peerless within that same realm."

"Oh?"

Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor's eyes flickered slightly, committing these words firmly to heart.

At the same time, Eldrin Chen slowly withdrew his gaze. With a wave of his hand to the Great Emperors under his command, he declared, "Go forth. Participate in the Fourth Heaven-Seizing War [the great cosmic war to seize control of the Heavenly Realms] and drive the Demon Race back to their lairs."

"We obey your command."

Immortality Great Emperor and the other ten Great Emperors immediately took action, leading their formidable forces into the fray of the Heaven-Seizing War.

This Fourth Heaven-Seizing War was a joint campaign launched by the allied forces of the Human and Divine Races.

By this point in the great war, the Demon Race had lost more than half of their Great Emperors. Seeing they could not prevail, the ten Solar Sun [the essence of the supreme solar star] Imperial Scions had all withdrawn into the Solar Sun Heavenly Palace, seeking refuge behind its formidable Heavenly Emperor's Formation [a grand defensive formation laid down by a Heavenly Emperor].

In this conflict, the nine Great God Emperors of the Divine Clan emerged together, and the four Great Emperors of the Human Race also fought with their full might. With the assistance of the various Emperors under Eldrin Chen's command, the Demon Race simply possessed no power to resist.

After a continuous retreat, the Demon Race lost nine-tenths of their authority over the Cosmic Stellar [the vast expanse of stars and celestial realms], with vast star domains, including the Vermilion Bird Star Domain, being completely forfeited.

Even Primordial Era Verdant Crow and Kunpeng Sage Ascendant understood that the tide had turned irreversibly, forcing them to retreat and entrench themselves within the confines of the Celestial Market Enclosure.

"This war is concluded,"

Eldrin Chen declared calmly, refraining from launching further assaults against the Demon Race.

For by this point, the Demon Race had suffered grievous losses. To press the attack further risked provoking the Three Heavenly Emperors of the Demon Race to escalate the conflict beyond all limits [to take drastic, rule-breaking actions].

Even under the aegis of the three Great God Emperors and Immortal Sages who shielded him, they could no longer truly threaten Eldrin Chen. However, dealing with the early and mid-stage cultivators of the Human Race—those at the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal and Primordial One Imperial Lord realms—would be a simple matter for them.

After all, if the conflict escalated to that extreme, the few Divine Sovereign Immortal Sages could not possibly protect everyone.

In such a scenario, the major Heavenly Emperor Divine Sovereigns might find themselves locked in a stalemate, while their subordinate forces composed of Great Encompassing and Primordial One Imperial Lord cultivators would be shattered and fall one after another—an outcome beneficial to none.

Therefore, lacking absolute overwhelming strength, Eldrin Chen was unwilling to force a final, all-out confrontation with the Solar Heavenly Emperor.

According to Eldrin Chen's estimation, rescuing the Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor this time, slaying the Great Path Rival Primordial Solar Great Emperor, and destroying the physical bodies of several other Great Emperor [the supreme sovereigns of the cultivation world] likely represented the absolute limit of what the Solar Heavenly Emperor [the Celestial Sovereign of the Sun] would tolerate.

It was precisely for this reason that Eldrin Chen refrained from taking action against the Ten Great Imperial Scions [the ten most prominent heirs of the Heavenly Emperors].

After all, everyone has kin. If he were to move against the bloodline and clan of the Solar Heavenly Emperor, that sovereign could cast aside all decorum and directly suppress Eldrin Chen's own family and direct disciples.

Returning to the main thread, the great battle raged for over a Kalpa Tribulation [an immense cosmic cycle spanning billions of years] before finally drawing to a close.

Realizing the war between the Three Great Heavenly Courts [the three supreme celestial governments] had ended and that he could not defeat the three Great God [a supreme cultivation realm] sovereigns, the Immortal Sage [a transcendent being who has attained immortality and profound wisdom], and the Indestructibility Ancient One, the Solar Heavenly Emperor brought the conflict to an end.

Upon returning to the Demon Race Heavenly Court [the Celestial Court of the Demon Race], the three Heavenly Emperor [the supreme rulers of the heavens] were all seething with boundless killing intent.

The Candle Dragon Great Emperor, his pupils gleaming with a frigid light, could no longer contain himself. "The Returning Abyss Path Master has truly grown into his power," he finally spoke.

"If we wait any longer, he will undoubtedly become a calamitous threat."

The Primordial Phoenix Heavenly Emperor remained silent for a long while before finally stating, "He has already attained the dignity of a Sage Ascendant [a being on the cusp of attaining Sagehood] and enjoys the protection of the Chaos Heavenly Emperor. He is no longer someone to be trifled with."

"Unless our own strength advances a step further, to deal with him we would require perfect timing, advantageous terrain, and unified strength. All three are indispensable."

"Heaven's timing, geographical advantage, and human harmony?"

Candle Dragon Heavenly Emperor spoke, a flicker of cold light gleaming in his eyes. "If that is the case, then there is indeed a most opportune moment."

"You mean...?" Primordial Phoenix Heavenly Emperor responded, a glimmer of understanding dawning in his gaze.

Candle Dragon Heavenly Emperor gave a slight nod, his eyes chillingly cold. "The Primordial Era Soul River [the legendary river of souls from the dawn of creation]!"

"Then it shall be arranged accordingly."

Finally, the Solar Heavenly Emperor [the supreme sovereign of the sun] spoke, and then said no more.

Seeing this, the two great Heavenly Emperors, Candle Dragon and Primordial Phoenix, cupped their hands in salute and departed.

After the two had left, the Solar Heavenly Emperor turned his gaze towards the Ten Great Imperial Scions [the ten most powerful and promising heirs of the various imperial lineages] waiting outside the palace, a trace of indifference surfacing in his eyes.

"It seems our plans must also be advanced."

"..."

Simultaneously, within the Primordial Era Divine Court [the ancient celestial court of the primordial epoch], Eldrin Chen, the Indestructibility Ancient One, and the three Great God Emperor [a supreme cultivation realm] who were also Immortal Sage [a supreme cultivation realm] sat facing one another.

Facing the three Great God Emperor, Eldrin Chen appeared exceptionally humble and spoke with profound reverence, "This victory is owed entirely to the assistance of you esteemed Seniors."

"We are all kin here; there is no need for such formality between us," one of them replied.

The Great Abyss Immortal Sage smiled, his gaze upon this junior of their lineage growing more and more satisfied.

Since the Human Race began its rise across the Chaos [the primordial, formless state before creation], they had produced two Path Ancestor Immortal Sage [a supreme cultivator who has founded a Path and attained sagehood] of the Chaos Realm [the highest known cultivation realm]. Yet, their foundational strength remained ultimately shallow.

A race with merely five Great Emperor [a supreme cultivation realm] and not a single Sage Ascendant [a supreme cultivation realm just below Path Ancestor]—such reserves, within the ranks of Chaos Tier [pertaining to the Chaos Realm level] powers, could rightly be called a precarious gap between generations.

Now that Eldrin Chen had stepped into the Sage Ascendant Realm, he had filled the critical shortcoming of the Human Race lacking a Sage Ascendant. This resolved a significant regret long held in the heart of the Great Abyss Immortal Sage.

After all, the Chaos Heavenly Emperor [a supreme title for a ruler of the Chaos Realm] stood aloof and transcendent; it was beneath them to directly intervene in conflicts at the Great Emperor level. To act personally would be to overturn the board entirely.

The reason Eldrin Chen was able to display such divine prowess in this battle was precisely because the Solar Heavenly Emperor [the Heavenly Emperor of the Sun] and others had been blocked by the three Great God Emperor Immortal Sage. This prevented them from fully discarding decorum and descending to the fray.

"Having ascended to the Sage Ascendant Realm, you will likely join our ranks in the future, and perhaps even surpass us," one of the Emperors said.

"I wish to wait until the day when this Karma [the metaphysical principle of cause and effect governing all actions] might prove a worthwhile bargain for us."

Primordial Beginning Divine Sovereign also spoke up, a rare occurrence, a faint smile glinting in the depths of his gaze.

As a peerless Divine Sovereign, Primordial Beginning Divine Sovereign had once defeated the combined forces of two Chaos Heavenly Emperor [a supreme title for a ruler of primordial chaos] and could retreat unscathed even when facing three such beings. His strength was undoubtedly formidable.

From what Eldrin Chen knew, Primordial Beginning Divine Sovereign had also cultivated mastery over several Innate Great Path [fundamental cosmic laws or principles of cultivation].

Among them, he had completely mastered one Great Path and had cultivated it to the level of eight Innate Heavenly God Form [a supreme manifestation of divine power], seemingly not far from a breakthrough into the Realm of Chaos [the ultimate realm of primordial chaos].

Once that breakthrough was achieved, Primordial Beginning Divine Sovereign would command two Primordial Chaos Great Path, and his power would likely surpass even that of the Solar Heavenly Emperor.

It was precisely because of this that Primordial Beginning Divine Sovereign could stand face-to-face with the Solar Heavenly Emperor, his combat prowess lagging behind by only a narrow margin.

Now, hearing Primordial Beginning Divine Sovereign offer such an evaluation of Eldrin Chen caused looks of astonishment to appear on the faces of several present.

That Desolate Heaven Quasi-Emperor cast a rather surprised glance at Eldrin Chen and could not help but sigh, "Having cultivated for nearly a million Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles spanning billions of years], this is the first time I have heard His Majesty the Divine Sovereign praise someone so highly."

"It seems your potential, sir, far exceeds our imagination."

Purple Tenuity Divine Sovereign [the supreme ruler of the Purple Tenuity constellation] also smiled, his tone calm as he spoke, "In my view, Fellow Daoist, you are destined to become the next Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor [the progenitor of the Primordial Genesis Path], and you may very well surpass the Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor himself."

Hearing the words of the several Great God [a supreme cultivation realm] Emperors, Eldrin Chen quickly waved his hands in modest refusal. "You honor me too much, esteemed Seniors. This victory was only possible thanks to your intervention."

"Consider these treasures your rightful share of the spoils."

As he spoke, Eldrin Chen retrieved from his sleeve a batch of Innate Supreme Treasure [treasures born of heaven and earth, possessing supreme power]—precisely the treasures seized from the Demon Race Great Emperor [a Great Emperor of the Demon Race].

The Primordial Beginning Divine Sovereign [the Divine Sovereign of Primordial Beginning], however, did not reach for them. Instead, he calmly produced a contract. "A few Innate Supreme Treasure are hardly precious items to beings of our stature."

"Keep those treasures for yourself. Let the Immortal Court [the celestial court of the Immortals] and the Divine Court [the celestial court of the Gods] negotiate the division of the remaining war spoils. Today, we shall first sign this Eternal Covenant [a binding, everlasting pact]."

Heart leaping with joy, Eldrin Chen promptly signed the covenant with the two Great God Emperors.

With the covenant sealed, Eldrin Chen felt a profound sense of stability settle within him. From this moment forth, he had gained two utterly reliable allies at the Heavenly Emperor [a sovereign ruler of the heavens] level.

Afterwards, he exchanged further words with the several Great God Emperors and Immortal Sage [a sage who has attained immortality], before finally returning to the Human Race Immortal Court [the Immortal Court of the Human Race].

Upon his return to the Immortal Court, the Great Abyss Immortal Sage [the Immortal Sage of the Great Abyss] immediately summoned the Five Directions Great Emperors [the Great Emperors who rule the five cardinal directions]. He informed the assembly of the covenant's details and then declared,

"Henceforth, Returning Abyss Path Ancestor shall assume the mantle of Lord of the Immortal Court. As the Five Directions Great Emperors of the Immortal Court, you must henceforth diligently assist the Lord of the Immortal Court in all matters."

"We shall obey."

The Five Directions Great Emperors had anticipated this. After all, a Path Ancestor Immortal Sage remained aloof from Mortal Dust Affairs and could not be expected to manage the mundane affairs of the Immortal Court.

Previously, all matters great and small within the Immortal Court had been decided through deliberation among the Five Directions Great Emperors. Now that the Human Race had gained a new Sage Ascendant, it was time for another figure to take the lead.

"I leave this place in your hands."

Having delivered this instruction, Great Abyss Immortal Sage did not linger. With a pat on Eldrin Chen's shoulder, he departed in haste.

"We respectfully see off the Immortal Sage."

Eldrin Chen cupped his hands in farewell. Only after Great Abyss Immortal Sage had vanished did he proceed to the Central of the Great Hall within the Immortal Court.

At that moment, the Five Directions Great Emperors all offered faint smiles. They immediately cupped their hands towards Eldrin Chen and said, "We greet the Path Ancestor."

"There is no need for such courtesy, esteemed Great Emperors."

Eldrin Chen offered a faint smile and withdrew three Innate Supreme Treasure [a supremegrade magical artifact born from the primordial chaos] from his sleeve. They were the Heaven-Burning Heavenly God Furnace [a divine furnace capable of refining heavenly flames] that belonged to the Bifang Great Emperor, the Primordial Solar Immortal Lamp [an immortal lamp containing the essence of the primordial sun] that belonged to the Primordial Solar Great Emperor, and the Ancient Azure Dragon Sword [a sword forged from the essence of an ancient azure dragon] that belonged to the Azure Dragon Great Emperor.

He then presented these three treasures to the Southern Pole Bright Radiance Great Emperor, the Central Heaven Purple Tenuity Great Emperor [the Great Emperor who rules the central heavens from the Purple Tenuity Star Palace], and the Eastern Pole Verdant Splendor Great Emperor.

Back when he was forced to retreat from the Chaos Desolation Sea [a primordial sea of chaotic and desolate energies], Eldrin Chen had been besieged by countless powerful enemies. These four Great Emperor [a supreme cultivation realm, one step below the Heavenly Emperor] of the Human Race had stepped forward to aid him, fully prepared to meet their end.

Now that Eldrin Chen had returned, it was only natural for him to reciprocate their kindness and repay this profound Karma [the cosmic law of cause and effect that binds all actions and their consequences].

"We cannot accept this."

Witnessing Eldrin Chen bestow Innate Supreme Treasure as mere greeting gifts, the three Great Emperor were visibly astounded.

They hurriedly declined, not daring to accept such immensely valuable treasures.

Eldrin Chen, however, merely smiled and spoke, "Among our Human Race's Five Direction Great Emperors [the five great emperors who guard the cardinal directions of the human domain], three lack their own Innate Supreme Treasure. This significantly hampers their combat prowess."

"As the Lord of the Immortal Court [the supreme ruler of the celestial bureaucracy governing immortals], it is within my authority to provide some support."

"Let it be thus: these Innate Supreme Treasure shall be considered part of your official stipend from the Immortal Court [the celestial court governing all immortals]. Should the day come when you depart from the Immortal Court, these treasures must be returned."

The three Great Emperors [the supreme rulers of the Immortal Court, beings of immense power] offered a faint, wry smile. As Human Race Great Emperors, they could never truly leave the Human Immortal Court [the governing body of humanity's cultivators]. What difference did it make if these Innate Supreme Treasures [treasures born from the primal chaos of the world, possessing immense power] were practically given away?

Seeing this, Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor [a Great Emperor whose title signifies mastery over the dark, fathomless void] spoke up. "After this battle, the Immortal Court Treasure Vault [the central repository of the Immortal Court's wealth and artifacts] has grown considerably. Perhaps the Immortal Court itself could allocate resources to purchase these three Innate Supreme Treasures."

"And then, in the name of the Immortal Court, grant them to the three of you as part of your official stipend?"

Hearing this, the three Great Emperors were finally persuaded.

After all, as Immortal Court Great Emperors, they were pillars supporting the heavens for the Court itself. It was only fitting for the Immortal Court to fund the allocation of Innate Supreme Treasures to its own foundational supporters.

Witnessing their hesitation, Eldrin Chen proposed, "In that case, let these Innate Supreme Treasures be sold to the Immortal Court at half price."

He then produced the Sea of Blood Divine Sword [a divine blade steeped in the essence of a sea of blood], an Innate Supreme Treasure seized from the fallen Sea of Blood Great Emperor. "This blade suits the Western Pole Voidwalker Great Emperor [a Great Emperor renowned for his mastery of void-walking techniques from the Western Pole]. Let it be sold to the Immortal Court as part of his stipend as well."

After providing the four Great Emperors with Innate Supreme Treasures, Eldrin Chen attended to various other minor affairs before finally turning his attention to sorting through the spoils of this recent conflict.

In this battle, Eldrin Chen had shattered the physical forms of seven Demon Race [a powerful race often in conflict with humanity] Great Emperors, seizing a total of nine Innate Supreme Treasures. Among them were the Thunder Emperor Battle Armor [armor imbued with the fury of heavenly thunder] and the Obsidian Abyss Imperial Spear [a spear that channels the power of the dark abyss] that had belonged to Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor.

The Thunder Emperor Battle Armor and the Obsidian Abyss Imperial Spear had already been returned by Eldrin Chen to Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor.

After deducting the three Innate Supreme Treasure [treasures born from the primal chaos of creation] to be given to the three Great Emperor [the highest echelon of power among cultivators], five of these supreme treasures remained.

These five Innate Supreme Treasure were, respectively, the Primordial Era Thunder Spear [a spear crackling with the primordial power of thunder], the Void Gourd [a gourd capable of containing vast emptiness], the Golden-Winged Heavenly Blade [a blade as swift and sharp as a golden-winged roc], the Phoenix Feather Heavenly Robe [a robe woven from immortal phoenix feathers], and the Six Paths Heavenly Wheel [a wheel embodying the cycle of the six paths of existence].

"I cannot claim these five supreme treasures for myself alone,"

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly. He understood clearly that while this battle had ended in a resounding victory, it was by no means achieved through his strength alone.

The triumph was built upon the collective intervention of the Human Race, the Divine Clan [a clan of beings with divine heritage], and even the Hundred Immortal Spirit Races [a collective term for numerous spirit races with immortal potential].

Both Desolate Heaven Quasi-Emperor and the Primordial Qilin Ancestor [the progenitor of the mythical qilin race] had contributed immensely. Although, compared to the favor owed to Eldrin Chen, these two mighty beings likely held little regard for a few Innate Supreme Treasure.

Nevertheless, Eldrin Chen felt it imperative to meet personally with these two Sage Ascendant [beings who have ascended to a state of profound wisdom and power, one step below a true Sage].

He also owed a debt of gratitude to the Primordial Era Spirit Emperor who had intervened, and needed to establish connections with the several Great Emperor of the Divine Clan as well.

Of course, while these Great God [powerful divine beings] and Immortal Sage [enlightened immortals of supreme wisdom] might not care for such treasures, the fact that these Innate Supreme Treasure were now in Eldrin Chen's possession granted him significant discretion in their disposition.

"Tai Cang Divine Emperor shares a deep friendship with me and currently lacks an Innate Supreme Treasure. He should be given priority for one,"

Eldrin Chen's thoughts flickered, and he set the Primordial Era Thunder Spear aside by itself.

Then, recalling the Void Divine Emperor, he fell into contemplation. "I have dealt with this person before, and he possesses the 'Heaven Soul Scripture' [a legendary scripture said to contain profound secrets of the soul]," he mused.

"Perhaps I can see if it's possible to acquire the Heaven Soul Scripture from him."

With this thought, Eldrin Chen immediately issued an edict, inviting both the Tai Cang Divine Emperor and the Void Divine Emperor to meet with him separately at the Human Race Immortal Court.