Chapter 2106 : Clash of the Divine Generals

"Incredibly powerful."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of all the Sage Ascendant present changed drastically.

They could never have imagined that even with the strength of Myriad Tribulations Divine Venerable, he would be so utterly outmatched before Heaven-Severing Sword Saint.

"Among the Ten Divine Generals under Foreign Realm Demon Emperor, this Heaven-Severing Sword Saint ranks fourth. His power is truly not to be underestimated."

Primordial Spirit Emperor spoke slowly, then turned his gaze towards Eldrin Chen and Heaven's Slaughter Sage Ascendant.

Within the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss, those who could be considered Primordial Limitless Sage Ascendant were essentially only Heaven's Slaughter Sage Ascendant and Eldrin Chen.

Among them, Eldrin Chen had cultivated a Unique Divine Form, his strength already stepping into the realm where he could rival a Celestial Emperor. Heaven's Slaughter Sage Ascendant, meanwhile, had cultivated nine great divine forms, making his power quite formidable even among Primordial Limitless Sage Ascendant.

With this thought, Primordial Spirit Emperor spoke, "It seems that to contend with the Ten Divine Generals of the Foreign Realm, we must ask the two of you to take action."

Without hesitation, Heaven's Slaughter Sage Ascendant stepped forward and ascended the platform.

Opposite him, the Ten Divine Generals of the Foreign Realm exchanged glances. Finally, one among them, a Primordial Limitless Sage Ascendant holding a Celestial Saber, stepped out and said, "Heaven's Slaughter Sage Ascendant, I have long heard of your fame."

"Today, I, Heaven's Blade Sacred Venerable, shall test your mettle."

As the words fell, the two combatants stood firm within the Heavenly Abyss [a profound and boundless void between realms], erupting into a clash of titans rarely witnessed in the ages.

Eldrin Chen stood atop the Heavenly Abyss, looking down upon the duel from his lofty vantage, yet a faint frown creased his brow.

He had to admit, this Heaven's Slaughter Sage Ascendant was worthy of his title as a Primordial Limitless Sage Ascendant [a supreme realm of cultivation near the peak of power]. His mastery of the Heaven-Slaying Great Dao [a supreme cultivation art focused on defying the heavens] and its ultimate expression, Slaughter [a divine ability embodying pure, annihilating violence], was peerless. His combat prowess was by no means weak among his peers in that exalted realm.

Yet, his opponent, the Heaven's Blade Sacred Venerable, was no pushover either. This one excelled in a Dao of extreme carnage, his battle strength ranking seventh among the legendary Ten Divine Generals [an elite group of ten supreme warriors].

A duel between two such supreme Primordial Limitless Sage Ascendant was destined to be catastrophic. Even if a victor emerged, the outcome would likely be mutual devastation.

"*Clang—!*"

As these thoughts flickered through Eldrin Chen's mind, the battle below had already escalated into a white-hot frenzy.

One cultivated the Dao of Slaughter, the other the Dao of Heaven-Slaying. Both had manifested exceedingly rare divine forms of Slaughter, granting them offensive power that stood at the very pinnacle of their tier.

Precisely because of this, their confrontation was fraught with peril. The slightest misstep could bring about a decisive, and likely fatal, conclusion.

This confrontation lasted merely tens of thousands of exchanges before a victor was decided amidst a searing light of slaughter.

Within the Heavenly Abyss, Heaven-Slaying Sage Ascendant was covered in blade scars, with an entire arm severed, while Heaven's Blade Sacred Venerable had his brow pierced by a sword, leaving a nearly fatal wound.

"Hmph—"

Witnessing Heaven's Blade Sacred Venerable's defeat, Heaven-Severing Sword Saint snorted coldly. With a sharp *shing*, he drew his sword and slashed towards Heaven-Slaying Sage Ascendant.

By now, Heaven-Slaying Sage Ascendant was grievously wounded and clearly had no strength left to resist. As Heaven-Severing Sword Saint's blade descended, a flicker of despair crossed his features.

"*Clang!*—"

Yet in that very instant, a sword ray flew in from beyond the heavens. With a resonant *clang*, it met the Heaven-Severing Sword, parrying Heaven-Severing Sword Saint's lethal strike.

Following it, Eldrin Chen strode through the void, appearing at Heaven-Slaying Sage Ascendant's side.

"My thanks."

Seeing that Eldrin Chen had intervened, Heaven-Slaying Sage Ascendant drew a deep breath, quickly rising to offer his gratitude.

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod. He merely checked the injuries of Heaven's Slaughter Sage Ascendant before handing him a Healing Immortal Pill [a supreme-grade pill capable of mending severe wounds and restoring vitality] and said, "Your injuries are grave. Return and focus on your recovery first."

Heaven's Slaughter Sage Ascendant gritted his teeth, barely managing to Restoration [a divine ability to regenerate severed limbs] his severed arm before speaking up, "I can still fight."

"Do not force yourself."

Eldrin Chen shook his head, his voice calm and steady. "You have already done your utmost by defeating a Primordial Limitless Sage Ascendant [a supreme cultivator who has transcended the limits of the Sage Ascendant realm, possessing power that approaches the primordial origins of the cosmos]."

With those final words, Eldrin Chen did not allow Heaven's Slaughter Sage Ascendant to speak further. With a mere flick of his sleeve, he sent the warrior away from the heart of the battlefield.

Having done this, Eldrin Chen finally rose to his full height, his gaze serene as it swept over the assembled heroes of the Foreign Realm [a realm or dimension foreign to the protagonist's own, often hostile or alien].

"Abyssal Dao Progenitor!"

At the same moment, Heaven-Severing Sword Saint spoke slowly, a torrent of battle intent igniting within the depths of his eyes.

Eldrin Chen stood with his hands clasped behind his back, suspended in the air, regarding Heaven-Severing Sword Saint with profound calm. He spoke with detached certainty, "You are not my match."

"Is that so?"

The gaze of Heaven-Severing Sword Saint suddenly turned icy cold. An aura of boundless, razor-sharp sword intent manifested around him as he stared coldly at Eldrin Chen and declared, "I have been eager to witness the methods of the Abyssal Dao Progenitor!"

"*Clang—*"

In that instant, Heaven-Severing Sword Saint suddenly drew his sword and slashed fiercely towards Eldrin Chen.

In a flash, infinite sword-light transformed into myriads upon myriads of Laws-imbued blades, becoming a sky-filling storm of sword rain that surged violently towards Eldrin Chen.

Facing such a strike, Eldrin Chen did not change his expression in the slightest. With a mere lift of his palm and a gentle press into the Void [the empty space between dimensions], he captured and held the immensely powerful, endless sword rain suspended in space.

"So powerful!"

Witnessing this scene, the assembled heroes of the Foreign Realm had their expressions shift slightly, each revealing a trace of shock.

Heaven-Severing Sword Saint himself was utterly astounded, speaking with disbelief, "Your cultivation, sir, is profoundly formidable."

"Your sword path is not without merit, but a sword is not used in this manner,"

Eldrin Chen spoke slowly. Then, with a sudden flick of his sleeve, he sent a tremor that dispersed the vast sword rain, revealing the core Heaven-Severing Sword [the legendary blade wielded by the Heaven-Severing Sword Saint] at its heart.

Then, Eldrin Chen drew the Heaven-Severing Sword into his palm, where it struggled futilely, unable to escape his grasp.

"Behold," he declared, "this is the true essence of the sword's path."

As his words fell, Eldrin Chen unleashed a single, devastating slash. An unstoppable arc of sword light cleaved through the heavens.

This strike transcended the limits of the Mortal Realm. It held no ornate flourish, only a single, ultimate, and blindingly brilliant flash of light.

It seemed to surpass time and space itself, locking the Heaven-Severing Sword Saint firmly within the Void [a state of absolute emptiness and stillness]. With a resonant *shing*, the blade passed through its target.

"*Cough—*"

The Void [a state of absolute emptiness and stillness] congealed for an instant. A moment later, the Heaven-Severing Sword Saint slowly knelt. His Imperishable Vitality [the foundational life force of a cultivator] had been utterly extinguished by that single sword stroke.

"*Hiss—*"

Witnessing this, the assembled Sages [powerful immortal cultivators] could not help but draw in sharp, collective breaths of shock.

Many found it difficult to believe, unable to comprehend the nature of that technique, and unwilling to accept that the Heaven-Severing Sword Saint had fallen so decisively.

Only the Primordial Demonic Ape [a progenitor-level beast of immense power] wore a grave expression, speaking with utmost solemnity: "This is the purest of sword strikes, devoid of any technique or feint."

"What it possesses is the most fundamental sword intent."

"It gathers the Great Dao [the supreme cosmic principles], mana, Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator], physical body, and all other forces into one, pouring them into this single stroke. Thus, it Eruption [manifests or unleashes] with an unstoppable, ultimate speed and destructive power."

The Violet Night Demon Monarch also revealed a look of profound apprehension before speaking with grave seriousness: "The Great Dao [the supreme cosmic principles] returns to simplicity. If it is sufficiently fast, sufficiently precise, and sufficiently ruthless, that is the strongest sword path."

"The myriad paths of the Myriad Heavens [the countless realms and dimensions of existence] ultimately converge. Is our own Dao not the same?"

The Crimson Blood Demon Lord spoke slowly, his tone laced with wariness: "Alone, none of us would likely have the confidence to subdue him. Fortunately, we came prepared."

As his words faded, a stream of radiant light suddenly Eruption [erupted or manifested] from the Chaos Dueling Platform [an ancient arena forged in primordial chaos]. Immediately, arrays of sealing runes materialized, locking down the surrounding Void [the fabric of space itself].

Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly. Only then did he survey his surroundings, a trace of cold realization dawning in his eyes.

He saw the Crimson Blood Demon Lord standing poised in the air, his expression calm as he declared, "Abyssal Dao Progenitor [Eldrin's title as a progenitor of the Abyssal Dao], you have finally taken the bait."

"All your intricate schemes were merely to lure me to this place?"

Eldrin Chen spoke slowly, a glint of frost emanating from his gaze.

In the distant Void, the remaining eight Divine Generals stood firm upon the heavenly dome, while nearly one hundred Northern Abyss Sage Ascendant encircled Eldrin Chen, sealing him in as tight as a drum.

Further out in the Void, the thirty-some Southern Abyss Sage Ascendant were blocked, utterly powerless to come to his aid.

In that moment, Eldrin Chen finally understood.

The Northern Abyss challenge had been a ruse. The wager for a truce lasting one thousand Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles] was also a lie. Their sole, most genuine purpose was him—the one who dared to defy a Celestial Emperor.

"You've finally realized. A pity it's too late."

Crimson Blood Demon Lord spoke with deliberate slowness, then sneered, "The sages of the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss may seem formidable, but in our eyes, aside from yourself, the rest are nothing but clay chickens and pottery dogs [useless and fragile]."

"Once we have you in our grasp, what do the other Southern Abyss Sage Ascendant amount to?"

"You—!"

On the other side, the Southern Abyss sages were nearly mad with fury. They knew that once Eldrin Chen was subdued, the situation would descend into utter chaos. Yet, they could find no way to break through the blockade laid by their own side's sages.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen could not help but let out a derisive laugh. "You practitioners of the Demonic Path [a cultivation path that often employs ruthless and unorthodox methods] from the Northern Abyss truly have no honor or integrity to speak of, do you?"

"Honor? Integrity?"

Upon hearing this, the Crimson Blood Demon Lord merely sneered coldly, offering no reply.

Instead, it was the Violet Night Demon Monarch who rose to his feet. With a grave expression, he looked at Eldrin Chen and said, "To speak plainly, the reason for our visit today is, in fact, to invite you, a Dao Progenitor [a supreme cultivator who has comprehended and can manifest the fundamental principles of the Dao], to join our ranks."

"Oh?"

A flicker of understanding passed through Eldrin Chen's eyes.

Just as he suspected, the Violet Night Demon Monarch continued, "Your talent, esteemed Dao Progenitor, possesses the foundational potential of a Dao-Union Supreme [a legendary realm where one's being merges completely with the fundamental Dao]. Your future prospects are truly boundless."

"Rather than pointlessly throwing your life away for the Seven Domains of the Southern Abyss, why not join our Northern Abyss? Follow His Majesty the Demon Emperor and carve out a grand legacy of your own."

Eldrin Chen offered no answer, listening in silence.

The Violet Night Demon Monarch gave a faint smile and pressed on. "His Majesty the Demon Emperor has decreed this: should you be willing to join our Northern Abyss Foreign Domain, you shall be named his sole Holy Son."

"At that time, your status will be second only to the Demon Emperor's, becoming one of the true sovereigns of our Northern Abyss Foreign Domain."

"The Sole Holy Son?"

Eldrin Chen gave a faint smile and then spoke, "His Majesty the Demon Emperor's intentions are indeed gracious. However, I have grown accustomed to a life of unbound freedom and fear I am unworthy of serving as His Majesty's Holy Son."

"Such arrogance!"

Violet Night Demon Monarch was instantly enraged, his killing intent boiling over without bounds as he declared, "You dare defy the decree of the Demon Emperor?"

Eldrin Chen offered no reply. He merely stood firm, the Primordial Chaos Heaven Halberd gripped in his hand, his combat power surging to its absolute peak.

Witnessing this, Crimson Blood Demon Lord sneered coldly, "Violet Night, there is no need for further words with him. A person of his caliber possesses an unyielding spirit; he will not submit so easily."

As he spoke, a bloody light flickered in the eyes of Crimson Blood Demon Lord, carrying a murderous intent so profound it seemed to freeze the very air. "Only when I personally dismantle his bones, one by one, will he be utterly broken into submission."

"BOOM—"

With his final word still hanging in the air, Crimson Blood Demon Lord launched his attack. He soared into the sky, wielding the Crimson Blood Divine Spear, and thrust it with devastating force towards Eldrin Chen.

Eldrin Chen casually flicked the Primordial Chaos Heaven Halberd to parry, sending Crimson Blood Demon Lord flying backward. He then spoke, "If your strength matched the sharpness of your tongue, I would surrender here and now."

"You seek death!"

Crimson Blood Demon Lord's eyes turned icy. He immediately formed hand seals, and twelve crimson flame formation banners materialized around him, surging forth to suppress Eldrin Chen.

Witnessing this, Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow slightly. He promptly activated the Sky-Severing Twin Swords to engage the enemy, his voice grave as he spoke.

"The Dutian Crimson Flame Formation Banners."

Indeed, these twelve banners constituted an exceptionally powerful set of formation artifacts. They were actually a combination of twelve Innate Supreme Treasure-grade treasures, similar to the Nine Dragon Treasures Eldrin Chen had once seized.

Once activated, such Innate Supreme Treasure formation banners possessed power far surpassing that of ordinary Innate Supreme Treasure-grade artifacts, nearly rivaling half the might of a Chaos Spiritual Treasure.

Most crucially, when fueled by Crimson Blood Demon Lord's mastery of the Crimson Flame Great Dao [a supreme cultivation path centered on the Dao of Crimson Flame], their power was amplified synergistically, even posing a potential threat to a Chaos Celestial Emperor.

In truth, as a Dao-Wielding Sage Ascendant, at least thirty percent of Crimson Blood Demon Lord's ability to contend with a Chaos Celestial Emperor stemmed from this very set of Dutian Crimson Flame Formation Banners.

Now, with Crimson Blood Demon Lord pouring his full power into the formation artifacts, twelve colossal crimson flame wyrons manifested, coiling and swirling through the air.

These twelve Great Dao True Form [a supreme divine ability that manifests the true form of a Great Dao] were all incarnations of fiery dragons. They coiled and intertwined with one another, lunging and slashing towards Eldrin Chen in a deadly, crisscrossing assault.

"This is somewhat troublesome."

Watching the twelve fiery dragons rampage, Eldrin Chen could not help but frown slightly between his brows.

If he unleashed his full power with Eruption [a powerful technique of explosive force], he could certainly shatter this Dutian Crimson Flame Grand Formation [the Crimson Flame Grand Formation of Dutian]. However, doing so would expose his complete strength, likely drawing the attention of the Foreign Realm Demon Emperor.

Yet, if he did not reveal his full power, the first question Eldrin Chen had to consider was how much strength he *could* expose while still defeating the host of enemies.

"*Clang!*"

In that fleeting, lightning-fast moment, a plan began to crystallize in Eldrin Chen's mind.

With a sudden surge, Eldrin Chen shot into the air. He channeled his power into the Abyssal Seal, causing it to ascend and manifest the Innate Formation Artifact [a treasure that is a formation in its own right] known as the Myriad Heavens and Worlds Diagram.

In an instant, the Abyssal Seal transformed into twelve formation artifacts that spread out, immediately suppressing the Dutian Blazing Fire Formation Banners.

Seizing the moment while the two sets of formation artifacts were locked in struggle, Eldrin Chen broke through the grand formation's blockade and charged straight for Crimson Blood Demon Lord.

"Suppress—"

Crimson Blood Demon Lord was caught off guard. He hastily maneuvered his Crimson Blood Divine Spear to block, yet was instantly sent flying by Eldrin Chen.

As a Path-Holding Person, Crimson Blood Demon Lord possessed formidable power, but close-quarters combat was his greatest weakness.

Now, with Eldrin Chen closing in upon him, Crimson Blood Demon Lord suffered grievously. Within mere exchanges, his physical form shattered, sustaining devastating wounds.

"Agh…"

"Where are my allies? Aid me at once!"

After this crippling blow, Crimson Blood Demon Lord let out a pained cry. He parried Eldrin Chen's attacks while desperately calling for reinforcements.

The assembled saints [powerful cultivators who have attained a high level of enlightenment and power] were momentarily stunned, then swiftly reacted. Violet Night Demon Monarch was the first to strike at Eldrin Chen, followed by the other divine generals who joined the assault, encircling Eldrin Chen.

Only the Primordial Demonic Ape refrained from action, watching the entire battlefield unfold with a cold, detached gaze.

"Slay them—!"

Upon the celestial dome, Eldrin Chen stood alone against the assembled might of his foes.

He single-handedly battled the two great powers, Crimson Blood Demon Lord and Violet Night Demon Monarch, who dared to challenge a Celestial Emperor [the supreme ruler of the heavens], along with several invincible divine generals, yet he consistently displayed an aura of peerless, unstoppable momentum.

In this battle, Eldrin Chen revealed merely seventy to eighty percent of his true strength, yet that already matched eighty percent of a Chaos Celestial Emperor's [a supreme ruler born of primordial chaos] power, surpassing Violet Night Demon Monarch and Crimson Blood Demon Lord by a significant margin.

Under normal circumstances, the two of them joining forces would have been fully capable of resisting, even defeating, Eldrin Chen.

But now, Crimson Blood Demon Lord was grievously wounded, his power reduced to a mere sixty or seventy percent, rendering him incapable of posing a serious threat to Eldrin Chen any longer.

At this moment, Eldrin Chen was seen sweeping through his enemies alone, even relentlessly pursuing Crimson Blood Demon Lord by trading wounds for wounds.

The very Formation [a mystical array or battle formation] that was meant to trap Eldrin Chen had now become Crimson Blood Demon Lord's greatest predicament.

Trapped within the Formation, escape was difficult for both sides. Eldrin Chen, sparing no cost, hunted with maddened fervor, leaving the Crimson Blood Demon Lord with nowhere to flee and suffering devastating, crippling blows one after another.

"Damnation!"

The Sages of the Foreign Realm [powerful cultivators from a distant, alien world] unleashed their myriad divine abilities, striving to restrict Eldrin Chen's movements.

Yet the Chaos Divine Form [a supreme divine ability that embodies the primordial chaos, allowing its wielder to transcend all restrictions] disregarded all seals and obstructions. Even as they continuously tried to hinder him, they found it exceedingly difficult to stop Eldrin Chen from unleashing his full power.

"Boom…"

After being blasted apart yet again, the Crimson Blood Demon God [a powerful demonic entity] could no longer contain himself. With a face contorted in utter fury, he glared at the Primordial Demonic Ape [an ancient and immensely powerful ape demon] and roared, "Demon Ape! Will you truly just stand by and do nothing?"

The Primordial Demonic Ape remained as calm and unperturbed as ever, its expression icy as it spoke in a detached tone, "This sovereign has always conducted himself with honor and integrity. I have never stooped to ganging up on a single opponent within the same realm."

"When you all joined forces to besiege Eldrin, the Abyssal Daoist, this sovereign could still stand aside. But I would never, under any circumstance, add insult to injury."

"Ah, you fool!"

The Crimson Blood Demon God was nearly driven mad with rage, his voice trembling with fury as he bellowed, "If you delay the Demon Emperor's grand design, you will bear the full weight of the consequences!"

The Primordial Demonic Ape remained utterly composed, its tone flat and resolute. "If you fail, this sovereign will also step forward to face him in battle unto death. As for all consequences, I shall bear them alone."

"Ah, you ignorant, witless oaf! This sovereign should never have allied with the likes of you!"

As his words faded, another agonized shriek tore from the Crimson Blood Demon God's throat. He was blasted apart once more, utterly annihilated on the spot by Eldrin Chen.

"I send you to your final rest."

Eldrin Chen spoke with chilling calm. Then, with a sudden surge of power, he invoked his Unique Divine Form—'Pearl Within the Cauldron'—and drew the physical body of the Crimson Blood Demon God into the Great Cauldron.

The Chaos Great Cauldron began to rotate slowly, its power intertwining with that of the Chaos Pearl in a continuous Eruption. Together, they ground the demon god's flesh and bone into nothingness.

Thus, a peerless genius of his era, the Crimson Blood Demon God, perished beneath this sky. Only a wisp of his remnant soul fled into the Sea of Dao [the metaphysical ocean of all cosmic principles and laws]. For him to achieve Restoration [the process of reconstituting a shattered soul] would likely require tens of thousands of Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles of destruction and rebirth].

"He actually managed to slay a Sage Ascendant [a cultivator who has ascended to the penultimate stage before true immortality]."

Witnessing this scene, all those present were utterly astounded.

The Violet Night Demon Monarch drew a sharp breath before speaking. "To extinguish the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and true self of a high-level cultivator] of a Sage Ascendant... Is this the power of an Ultimate Divine Form [the supreme manifestation of a cultivator's divine essence and laws]?"

"To fall beneath an Ultimate Divine Form is an honor of sorts," Eldrin Chen replied evenly. He then turned his gaze upon the Violet Night Demon Monarch. "This battle today shall be the final burial for your kind."

"Arrogant fool! Do you truly believe we are made of clay, to be molded at your whim?"

A Primordial Limitless Sage Ascendant [a supreme cultivator who has transcended the limits of the Sage Ascendant realm] spoke, his face a mask of boundless fury.

On the other side, Violet Night Demon Monarch waved his hand, and instantly, nearly one hundred Foreign Realm Sage Ascendants [supreme cultivators who have attained the Sage Ascendant realm] surged forward, completely encircling Eldrin Chen.

"What does it matter how powerful you are? Your strength has its limits," one of them declared.

"And my Northern Abyss [a powerful and ancient faction from a foreign realm] boasts countless prodigies. With a hundred Sages joining forces, we can suppress even the Vast Chaotic Void [the primordial, formless expanse of chaos]. Who in this world could stand against us?"

At this moment, Violet Night Demon Monarch's killing intent boiled over. He refused to believe that a full hundred compressed Sages [Sage Ascendants who have refined their power to an extreme degree] united could not slay a single being who dared to challenge a Celestial Emperor [a sovereign ruler of the heavens, the pinnacle of cultivation].

Even though Eldrin Chen had cultivated both the Unique Divine Form [a peerless divine physique unique to a cultivator] and the Chaos Divine Form [a divine physique embodying the power of primordial chaos], placing him among the absolute apex of those who could challenge a Celestial Emperor, he still did not believe this outcome was possible.

Eldrin Chen merely let out a cold laugh. His gaze swept dismissively over the hundred Foreign Realm Sages before he spoke with utter calm, "In my eyes, the Sages of the Northern Abyss are nothing but clay chickens and straw dogs [a metaphor for something that appears formidable but is utterly weak and useless]."