Chapter 2102 : Vanguard at the Heavenly Abyss

"They arrive swiftly."

At the very moment the anomaly manifested within the Heavenly Abyss [the celestial chasm separating realms], Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his features.

Exchanging a glance with Grand Abyss Daoist and the others, he spoke, "This is merely the first wave of their vanguard. No Chaos Celestial Emperor [a supreme ruler born of primordial chaos] has yet arrived. It would be best for me to handle this personally."

"Agreed."

Primordial Beginning Dao Ancestor [the progenitor of the primordial Dao] gave a slight nod. "We shall remain within the Immortal Court [the celestial seat of immortal governance], marshaling forces for the Heavenly Abyss War and, in the meantime, stand guard for Black Abyss Sage Ascendant as he undergoes his cultivation."

"We entrust that front to your care."

Eldrin Chen acknowledged with a nod. Without a moment's hesitation, he stepped forward, traversing the Void [the formless space between dimensions] in an instant, arriving at the precipice of the Heavenly Abyss.

Simultaneously, nearly one hundred peerless powerhouses materialized by Eldrin Chen's side.

These beings possessed world-shaking profundity, all being the various Sage Ascendants [beings who have ascended to the penultimate sage realm] and Great Emperors [sovereigns of immense power] from across the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss [the seven great territories of the southern cosmic depths].

Among them were figures like Desolate Wasteland Quasi-Emperor, Primordial Spirit Emperor, and the three demonic Sage Ascendants: Kunpeng [the mythical leviathan-bird], Vermilion Bird [the divine crimson avian], and Azure Crow.

Furthermore, there were also the Heaven's Slaughter Quasi-Emperor, the Heaven's Prison Sage Ascendant, the Vorgath the Fallen Demon Monarch, the Myriad Tribulations Divine Venerable, the Violet Glow Sword Extreme, and other Sage Ascendant [a supreme cultivation realm, one step below the legendary Dao Progenitor] Ancestors from the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss.

At this moment, as these Sage Ascendant gathered, the Heaven's Slaughter Quasi-Emperor cast a glance at Eldrin Chen and spoke, "They have come swiftly. The Heavenly Abyss [a cosmic chasm of profound mystery and danger] has not yet fully settled, and already they are upon us."

"These are merely the vanguard," Eldrin Chen replied calmly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "No Chaos Celestial Emperor [a supreme ruler born of primordial chaos] has crossed over. They have come only to test our strength."

His words were measured, yet a formidable edge lurked within his gaze.

Hearing this, all those present wore expressions of solemn gravity.

The Myriad Tribulations Divine Venerable pondered for a moment before voicing his concern. "Since their Celestial Emperor [a sovereign ruler whose power can shape the heavens] tier experts are not making a move, it would be improper for the Chaos [the primordial, formless state from which all existence emerged] powerhouses of our Southern Abyss to intervene."

"Yet, the forces they have sent are not to be underestimated."

As he spoke, the fabric of the Primordial Chaos Abyss [the deepest, most ancient void within Chaos] was violently torn asunder. A Chaos Heavenly Halberd [a polearm of immense power, forged from the essence of Chaos itself] pierced through the void, arriving with overwhelming force.

Upon that Chaos Heavenly Halberd stood over one hundred powerful experts from the Foreign Realm [a distant and hostile dimension]. Each one possessed an aura that overshadowed the Myriad Heavens [the countless celestial realms], radiating a nearly invincible presence.

"Over one hundred Great Emperor [a title for cultivators who have reached the pinnacle of power, ruling over vast domains]."

Upon first sight of these figures, Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly, a trace of coldness flashing in his eyes.

The strength of the Northern Abyss Foreign Domain [a hostile, foreign realm to the north of the known world] was indeed extraordinary. This was merely a vanguard force, yet they had dispatched a full hundred and more Great Emperor [a supreme cultivation realm, representing the pinnacle of power] level powerhouses.

One must understand, within the entire Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss, even including the newly formed Eighth Origin Domain, the total number of Great Emperor level existences combined barely approached two hundred.

Considering this, Eldrin Chen turned his gaze to the assembled group and stated, "No Sage Ascendant [a realm transcending Great Emperor, a half-step towards Sagehood] has come. It seems their purpose this time is to deliver a show of force, to intimidate us."

"A show of force?" Heaven's Slaughter Quasi-Emperor [a formidable Great Emperor renowned for his martial prowess] interjected, a chilling glint flashing in his eyes. "They must first possess the means to back such a threat."

At that very moment, the hundred-plus Great Emperor from the Northern Abyss Foreign Domain finally descended.

The leader, astride a war spear that cleaved the air, was the first to set foot upon the southern bank of the Heavenly Abyss [a vast, impassable chasm dividing the realms]. His gaze swept across the surroundings, radiating an aura that seemed to disdain all foes. "Vermin of the Southern Abyss," he declared, his voice ringing with imperious authority, "we have arrived at last."

"Submission and trembling shall be your only recourse."

"Arrogant fool!"

The retort was sharp and immediate, cutting through the tension like a blade.

The brows of the several Sage Ascendant present furrowed slightly, a flicker of killing intent surfacing in their eyes.

However, for beings of Sage Ascendant stature to bully Great Emperor was truly beneath their dignity. Therefore, none of the Sage Ascendant present made a move.

But the Great Emperor of the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss could not restrain themselves. In an instant, several dozen Great Emperor materialized within the Chaos.

"Fiends of the Northern Abyss, how dare you run rampant in the Southern Abyss?"

A peerless Divine Emperor clad in azure-golden battle armor soared into the void. Gripping a sword of world-shaking slaughter, he rose with an indomitable fighting spirit, barring the path of the heroes from the Northern Abyss Foreign Domain.

Eldrin Chen glanced over, a flicker of recognition in his gaze. This Divine Emperor hailed from the Myriad Gods Primordial Domain.

Yet Eldrin Chen knew little of him, only his Daoist title, Taihua Divine Emperor, not his precise strength. He immediately inquired of a disciple beside him, "What is the prowess of this Taihua Divine Emperor?"

"This Taihua Divine Emperor cultivates the Taihua Sword Dao and wields the Innate Supreme Treasure, the Taihua Emperor Sword. His strength ranks among the pinnacle of Great Emperor,"

Qingfeng Ye [a disciple of Eldrin Chen] explained methodically from the side. He then added, "However, I have crossed blades with him in the Savage Primordial Domain. My sense is that his power does not match that of the Sword Profound Great Emperor."

"I understand," Eldrin Chen replied.

Eldrin Chen nodded, then frowned slightly and said, "With only this level of strength, I fear he is no match for that individual from the Northern Abyss."

As Eldrin Chen was speaking, the two mighty powers had already erupted into a fierce battle.

Behold, the Taihua Divine Emperor soared into the air, sword in hand, his fighting spirit peerless as he unleashed a single, cleaving strike. The sheer sharpness of this sword blow was earth-shattering, striking fear into the hearts of many Great Emperor-rank powerhouses present.

Judging by the power of this strike, this Taihua Divine Emperor was indeed worthy of being a top-tier Great Emperor.

Yet, even so, the Foreign Realm Great Emperor holding the war spear remained utterly unmoved, even letting out a mocking laugh.

"Your swordsmanship is nothing special!"

As the words fell, the Foreign Realm Great Emperor suddenly erupted with power, wielding the Primordial Divine Spear to meet the Taihua Emperor Sword head-on. In the blink of an eye, he had exchanged over thirty blows with the Taihua Divine Emperor.

With a thunderous crash, the Taihua Divine Emperor was sent flying backward, trailing a spray of blood as he crashed into the vast Depths of Chaos.

"Damn it!"

Witnessing the Taihua Divine Emperor's defeat, the expressions of the several Sage Ascendant present shifted slightly, each revealing a trace of solemn gravity.

Eldrin Chen could not help but frown slightly, then turned to the Emperor Lords beside him and inquired, "Who is this person? Why have I never heard of him?"

The Luminous Radiance Great Emperor beside him, seeing this, immediately spoke with utmost gravity, "The Northern Abyss Foreign Domain [a distant and largely isolated realm] has very little interaction with us, so we know little of the news from there."

"Moreover, this time, the Great Emperor dispatched by the Northern Abyss Foreign Domain are all newly ascended within the last several tens of thousands of Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles] since the Primordial Era [the earliest epoch of creation]. Therefore, our knowledge of them is limited."

The Desolate Wasteland Quasi-Emperor nearby then spoke up, "His Daoist title is the Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor. He is a rising star from the Northern Abyss Foreign Domain, newly ascended eight thousand Kalpa Tribulation ago."

"Legend has it he hails from the Evil Spirit Primordial Domain [a primordial realm associated with malevolent spirits] and is one of the most formidable prodigies to emerge from that domain in one hundred thousand Kalpa Tribulation. His strength is indeed profound and unfathomable."

Eldrin Chen nodded, then offered a rather weighty assessment, "He cultivates both the Sainthood through the Flesh [a path focused on achieving divinity through physical perfection] and the Path of Dao Dominion [an art centered on mastering fundamental principles]. His foundation is remarkably solid; I fear he may have already stepped into a realm comparable to that of a Sage Ascendant Realm."

"Hahaha!"

At the same moment, the Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor laughed wildly and without cease, his voice dripping with arrogant mockery as he sneered, "The Great Emperor of the Southern Abyss are such feeble weaklings? Could it be that your Southern Abyss truly has no one of worth?"

"If this is truly all you have to offer, then I see no need for this battle to continue. It would be better for you all to simply kneel and beg for mercy."

"Arrogant fool!"

Witnessing Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor's derisive mockery, someone among the gathered crowd could no longer contain their fury.

A peerless Great Emperor from the Chaos Cosmos Extreme Domain soared into the air, his voice trembling with righteous anger as he declared, "You Northern Abyss [the northernmost and most desolate part of the cosmic abyss] fiend, how dare you look down upon us, the people of the Southern Abyss!"

"Prepare to die!"

With those words, the peerless Great Emperor summoned a supreme heavenly sword that cleaved through the cosmos, launching a devastating assault to suppress the Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor.

In that instant, the celestial blade tore through the Void [a profound cultivation art that manipulates spatial nothingness], nearly rending the vast Ethereal Heaven asunder in a single stroke.

Observing this, Eldrin Chen gave a slight, approving nod. "This direct descendant of Cosmos Extreme Progenitor God has indeed inherited a measure of his progenitor's spatial talents."

"Yet, facing the Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor, such prowess may still fall short."

For this combatant was none other than the direct grandson of Cosmos Extreme Progenitor God, renowned as one of the Ten Supreme Great Emperors of the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss—the 'Ethereal Void Great Emperor'.

Now, the Ethereal Void Great Emperor sundered the void itself. The supreme imperial sword in his grasp annihilated the Chaos Void, displaying from the outset an aura of invincible, unstoppable dominance.

Such combat power had already stepped into the realm of an Invincible Great Emperor.

Yet even so, the Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor merely sneered with cold disdain. He wielded his peerless war spear, sweeping through the Eight Desolations [the eight primordial wastelands at the edge of the cosmos]. Each strike erupted with power sufficient to shatter desolate realms.

Both sides fought with their full might. After three thousand exchanges amidst the Chaos [the primordial, formless state before creation], the Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor unleashed the Eruption [a divine technique of cataclysmic release], manifesting power capable of rending the heavens and splitting the firmament.

Behold! The seven great divine forms behind his head soared into the sky, coalescing into a single Great Dao [the supreme principle governing all existence] Divine Spear that shot forth with a horizontal strike. It smashed directly into the Ethereal Void Great Emperor, shattering his physical body with brutal force.

"Aaaargh—!"

The Ethereal Void Great Emperor let out a wretched scream, his expression instantly flooding with boundless despair. Only his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and true essence of a cultivator] remained, wailing as it fled into the endless Void [the formless, empty expanse between realms].

"Hahaha! Worthless trash."

Witnessing the defeat and demise of the Ethereal Void Great Emperor, the Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor revealed a visage of maniacal laughter.

He stood astride the Nine Heavens Above [the nine supreme celestial layers], the myriad divine forms surrounding his body exerting pressure upon the Eight Desolations and the six directions. He erupted once more with the Eruption, unleashing divine might fit to destroy the heavens and crack the cosmos.

"This man is no simple foe,"

Eldrin Chen could not help but remark, a note of solemn admiration coloring his tone.

As a peerless Dao Progenitor, Eldrin Chen could perceive with perfect clarity that this Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor had not only cultivated the seven True Spirit Aperture, but had also forged an immensely powerful Grand Dao Divine Form.

With these two foundational pillars combined, the strength of the Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor could not be said to have truly stepped into the Sage Ascendant Realm, yet within the realm of those who could rival a Sage Ascendant, he stood as a formidable contender.

"Trash of the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss!"

Having defeated two formidable foes in succession, the arrogance of the Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor swelled to new heights.

Brandishing his Primordial War Spear across the heavens, he pointed it at the assembled Great Emperors of the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss, his expression turning icy with contempt as he declared.

"Is there truly no one of worth among you, denizens of the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss?"

"If this is truly all you have to offer—mere dregs and refuse—then we of the Northern Abyss are ashamed to be mentioned in the same breath as you Southern Abyss folk."

At this point, the Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor sneered mockingly, "Very well. If single combat is beyond your capabilities, I grant you permission to come at me together."

"This Emperor... will take on ten of you at once!"

"You seek your own death!"

In an instant, the Great Emperors of the Southern Abyss could no longer restrain themselves.

In that very moment, a full ten Great Emperors surged forward. Each unleashed a combat prowess unrivaled across the Eight Desolations [the eight vast, desolate regions of the world], seeking to tear the Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor limb from limb.

"A pity."

High in the firmament, Eldrin Chen could not help but shake his head.

As a peerless genius invincible within his own realm, Eldrin Chen understood all too well that once the disparity in strength reached a certain threshold, numbers became utterly meaningless.

True Invincible Great Emperors [Great Emperors who stand unchallenged within their cultivation realm] are proud; they disdain ganging up on a peer. Those who attacked were mostly ordinary Great Emperors.

Furthermore, the Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor was clad in a Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme-grade magical treasure born from the primordial chaos] battle-garb, which could nullify eighty percent of the attacks from ordinary Great Emperors.

Under such circumstances, even with ten Great Emperors joining forces, the only possible outcome was to be picked off one by one.

"BOOM—"

The battle erupted. The Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor swept through his formidable foes from the Eight Desolations single-handedly, standing alone against the combined might of ten supreme Great Emperors.

Yet the outcome of the battle defied the expectations of the vast majority. Even when joining forces, those ten Great Emperor [the pinnacle sovereigns of the cultivation world] found it nearly impossible to exert any significant pressure upon Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor.

After tens of thousands of fierce exchanges, Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor overpowered his foes with sheer dominance. He carved a path of carnage through their ranks, charging in and out seven times, consecutively suppressing and slaying seven Great Emperor of the Southern Abyss, forging an aura of invincibility with blood and steel.

The final three Great Emperor fled the battlefield grievously wounded, their hearts filled with boundless terror.

Even with the Unbreakable [an indomitable state of mind] Dao Heart [the foundational core of a cultivator's will and comprehension] characteristic of the Great Emperor Realm, being routed by a single peer who defeated ten of them had pushed their resolve to the very brink of shattering.

Those three Great Emperor retreated behind the crowd, their eyes gleaming with unmistakable fear, clearly cowed by the overwhelming, heaven-rending majesty of Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor.

"Who else dares?!"

At that moment, Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor stood bathed in blood upon the firmament, an ocean of killing intent swirling around him, his expression one of unbridled, savage triumph.

On the side of Chaos [the primordial, formless realm from which all things emerged], the faces of the various Great Emperor paled dramatically.

It was evident that most of the Great Emperor present had been thoroughly intimidated by the ferocious might displayed by Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor.

And it was not just the Great Emperor; even the Sage Ascendant [beings who have ascended half a step beyond the Great Emperor realm] watching from the heavens above revealed flickers of astonishment, each privately calculating their own chances of victory should they face this Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor.

"His strength is indeed not insignificant."

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod, finally turning his gaze to the several Great Emperor under his command and asking, "Which of you will go and subdue him?"

There were not a few Great Emperor present. Among those under Eldrin Chen's command were his nine personal disciples, including Qingfeng Ye, Wen Yuan Lu, Alaric Lu, Yuannian, and Purifying Bamboo, as well as his five direct sons, such as Xander Chen and Xianchang Chen.

Furthermore, there were also two peerless Great Emperor: Jiang the Sovereign Emperor and Qiyuan Chen.

Over the years, the Great Emperor under Eldrin Chen's command, bolstered by the hundredfold time acceleration he provided, had long since reached the absolute pinnacle of the Great Emperor realm.

The reason they had not yet broken through to the Sage Ascendant Realm was because cultivating the True Spirit Immortal Treasury [a profound cultivation art that forges an internal treasury of immortal spiritual power] was exceedingly difficult; they were all still consolidating their foundations.

Yet, after years of arduous cultivation, each of their strengths was now incomparable to their past selves. At the very least, their power rivaled that of an Invincible Great Emperor [a Great Emperor whose power is unmatched within their realm].

And being an Invincible Great Emperor was merely the baseline. Those who had successfully cultivated two or three True Spirit Immortal Treasury—which of them did not possess combat prowess comparable to a Sage Ascendant Realm?

Now, after exchanging glances, it was Xander Chen who spoke up: "Having the junior brothers who walk the Path of Self-Sacrifice [a cultivation path that gains power through immense personal sacrifice] take action would be far too bullying for him. Let this child take the field instead."

"Very well."

Eldrin Chen gave a nod, granting Xander Chen's request to join the fray.

Seeing Eldrin Chen's assent, Xander Chen did not hesitate for a moment. He stepped forward, treading upon the empty air, and arrived at the very heart of the battlefield.

"Another fool come to deliver himself to death?"

As Xander Chen advanced, the Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor let out a cold sneer. His enemy's Primordial War Spear pierced through the firmament, bearing down upon Xander Chen with crushing force.

Xander Chen responded with serene indifference. With a flick of his sleeve, he summoned his own war halberd, sending it soaring skyward to meet the Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor in a devastating cleaving strike.

In that single clash, the Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor was suddenly assaulted by a titanic force, causing him to stagger back upon the Void [the empty space between realms].

"Such formidable strength. This one is no simple foe."

In an instant, the Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor dared not be negligent. He immediately pushed his seven divine forms to their absolute limit, further amplifying them with the full power of his Great Dao [the supreme, fundamental principle of the cosmos].

Xander Chen merely snorted coldly. From behind his head, six peerless divine forms erupted into the sky, Eruption [unleashing] with the power to shatter heavens and sunder the cosmos.

Long ago, upon his breakthrough into the Grand Luo [the Grand Luo Realm, a supreme cultivation stage], Xander Chen had already cultivated three True Spirit Divine Runes [mystical sigils containing the essence of primordial spirits]. After his subsequent ascension to Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch [the Primordial Chaos Emperor Monarch Realm], Ethan Chen had undergone several more Limit-Breaking [transcendent breakthroughs that defy conventional limits], ultimately succeeding in cultivating Five True Spirit Divine Runes.

To this day, Xander Chen has already cultivated eight divine runes.

After Eldrin Chen returned from the Celestial Furnace Grotto-Heaven, he used Chaos Rare Treasure as material to refine a batch of Innate Supreme Treasure. These Innate Supreme Treasure were bestowed by Eldrin Chen upon his disciples and old friends.

As the direct son of Eldrin Chen, Xander Chen received six of these Innate Supreme Treasure, using them to cultivate six True Spirit Divine Form.

In truth, Xander Chen could have cultivated a seventh True Spirit Divine Form.

The reason he did not make the breakthrough was that he left one divine form blank, preparing for the future cultivation of the Ultimate Divine Form known as the 'Abyssal Divine Form'.

After all, with Eldrin Chen holding the Abyssal Pearl, it was highly likely he could later assist Xander Chen in cultivating the Abyssal Divine Form.

Even so, relying on his six True Spirit Divine Form, and further empowered by the Ultimate Divine Rune 'Chaos', Xander Chen's strength had long since surpassed the limits of a Great Emperor and fully stepped into the Sage Ascendant Realm.

Now, Xander Chen rode the heavens upon his halberd, unleashing from the very first strike a supreme divine power capable of sweeping across the six directions, engaging in the most ferocious clash with the Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor.

This was a battle where both sides poured forth nearly their full strength. There was no retreat, no flight—from the outset, it was a contest of life and death, radiating an aura of invincible resolve.

"Slay—!"

In the frenzied climax of the slaughter, Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor was driven to a blood-soaked madness, unleashing combat prowess that bordered on confronting a Sage Ascendant head-on.

Yet, Xander Chen remained steadfast and methodical. The Celestial Eye between his brows continuously perceived all things with profound insight, laying bare every flaw and opening in Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor's defenses.

Most terrifyingly, Xander Chen had used his own Celestial Eye as a foundation, fusing it with the power of the Insight Divine Rune and aided by the Innate Supreme TreasureHeaven-Observing Mirror, to cultivate the supreme divine form known as 'Insight Heavenly Eye'.

This divine form could perceive the minute to understand the grand, inherently revealing an opponent's weaknesses. Further empowered by the Chaos Divine Form, it was elevated into a Half-Step Ultimate Divine Form, undergoing a metamorphosis of ultimate power.

Now, the Insight Heavenly Eye could see through every aspect of an adversary's true state, rendering all of Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor's feints and illusions utterly useless, with every flaw laid bare before Xander Chen's gaze.

Under such circumstances, Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor felt shackled and constrained. The true nature of nearly every strike was seen through, leaving no recourse but to engage in a brutal, head-on clash of ultimate force.

After little more than three thousand exchanges in such a battle, Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor could endure no longer. With a final eruption of his utmost combat power, he sought to settle life and death with Xander Chen in a single decisive confrontation.

Behold, Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor struck with his full might, driving the power of his seven great divine forms to their absolute limits, even daring to fuse them together momentarily, unleashing the most potent blow of his entire existence.

"Perfect timing."

Faced with Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor's utter madness, Xander Chen remained utterly unmoved. Instead, a faint smile touched his lips.

Yet, as if he had foreseen it all, he soared into the air. The six divine forms he commanded converged into one, transforming into a single Great Dao Sword that cleaved the heavens. It shot forth, a streak of ultimate intent, aimed directly at the Heaven-Slaying Great Emperor.

The power unleashed in this single clash by both sides transcended a certain ultimate threshold, a force so terrifying it caused the expressions of many present Sage Ascendant to shift. Even among the most elite Sage Ascendant, a trace of solemn gravity flickered across their faces.

When such extreme forces collided, the impact was cataclysmic. The Vast Chaotic Void was instantly torn asunder, rendered into absolute nothingness. A blinding, searing light erupted, so intense that many of the powerful spectators watching the battle were forced to shut their eyes against its brilliance.