Chapter 1863 : Forging the Divine Abilities

Compared to the Formation Arts Chapter, the contents within this Divine Abilities Chapter were even more profound and complex. Yet, they were the fruit born from the convergence of Dao Patterns and the Great Path.

Having comprehended the Formation Arts Chapter, Eldrin Chen had already solidified his own Dao Patterns to an exceptional degree. Thus, when he turned to contemplate this Divine Abilities Chapter, his progress was naturally swift.

In the time that followed, Eldrin Chen immersed himself in the study of various divine abilities and secret arts. It took him nearly three hundred thousand years to fully master all the divine abilities below the Great Encompassing Rank level.

With this profound foundation, Eldrin Chen further refined and perfected his six Innate Divine Ability, enhancing their latent potential and destructive power.

After completing this task, he turned his gaze to the remaining three Innate Acupoints and fell into deep contemplation.

Among his nine major acupoints, aside from the six already refined with Great God Ability, three remained without an integrated Innate Divine Ability.

Excluding the Song of Ages Blade, he still had two Innate Acupoints available to fuse with an Innate Divine Ability. The choice of which divine ability to integrate, however, plunged him into a state of difficult deliberation.

After repeatedly examining his arsenal of divine abilities, Eldrin Chen ultimately concluded that the other techniques he had cultivated were not suitable.

With Eldrin Chen's profound foundation, he possessed the capability to evolve any of his other cultivated divine abilities to the Patriarch Level. Yet, he remained reluctant to fuse them.

It was not that these abilities lacked power, but for Eldrin Chen, an ordinary Patriarch Level Divine Ability could no longer bring about a qualitative transformation in his strength.

"Any single Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [the pinnacle realm of cultivation, representing a perfected and all-encompassing state of immortality], while still at the Eight Tribulations Ancient Immortal [an Ancient Immortal who has survived eight heavenly tribulations] realm, is a figure who is nearly invincible among their peers."

"With my foundation, even if I were to break through to the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal realm, I would likely rank among its most outstanding members."

"However, if I do not further elevate my ultimate combat prowess, I may not be able to look down upon all other heroes when facing those truly peerless prodigies, especially those figures of the Primordial One Imperial Lord [a legendary level of power, often referring to the most supreme beings at the dawn of creation] caliber."

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, a slight frown creasing his brow.

He understood clearly in his heart that every existence at the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal level was a peerless prodigy. Even if he could dominate his peers after his own breakthrough, it was not certain he could fight and triumph against those of a higher realm.

Whether they were Chaos Fiend [primordial demons born from chaos] or Great Encompassing Immortal Lord [an Immortal Lord who has attained a state of all-encompassing perfection], they not only transcended Reincarnation [the cycle of death and rebirth], but were also exceedingly difficult for others to slay.

At this level of power, to kill a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal generally required a combat strength five to ten times greater than the target's, coupled with the ability to completely seal off all their avenues of escape.

The most crucial point was that existences at the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal Mid Stage [the middle stage of the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal realm] and above could almost all open their fifth, and even their sixth, Divine Ability [a supreme supernatural power] aperture.

Such Great Encompassing Golden Immortal would often use this opportunity to cultivate a life-preserving divine ability, or a Forbidden Divine Ability [a divine ability of immense power, often used as a last resort with severe consequences] meant for desperate, all-out battles.

According to Eldrin Chen's knowledge, that Sword Abyss Immortal Lord from ages past had opened both his fifth and sixth apertures, and within both resided world-shaking divine abilities.

Among them, the fifth aperture is named 'Heavenly Sword Disintegration Art' [a forbidden technique that shatters the user's own form to unleash devastating power]. This divine ability is considered a forbidden Great Encompassing Divine Ability [a supreme-level technique of immense power and consequence]. Once activated, it burns the user's Great Encompassing [the supreme cultivation physique] Immortal Body [an immortal-grade physical foundation] as the price, temporarily boosting all combat power by fivefold.

The sixth aperture is named 'Kalpa Tribulation Sword Strike' [a sword strike embodying the destructive power of a cosmic cycle's end]. It is an exceedingly rare Slaughter [a divine ability focused on pure annihilation] technique, capable of nurturing a single, world-sundering Slaughter sword energy within the body, potent enough to severely wound or even slay a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a supreme golden immortal cultivator].

In the past, it was precisely by relying on these two Forbidden Divine Ability [divine abilities whose power comes at a terrible, often crippling cost] that Sword Abyss Immortal Lord was able to brazenly assault Chaos Lair [nests of primordial chaos fiends] and successively slay several Chaos Fiend [beings born from primordial chaos].

Of course, whether it is the Heavenly Sword Disintegration Art or the Kalpa Tribulation Sword Strike, their power far surpasses ordinary Patriarch Level Divine Ability [techniques at the level of a patriarch or clan founder]. However, the price to activate them is extraordinarily steep, hence they are collectively termed Forbidden Divine Ability.

Once the Heavenly Sword Disintegration Art is unleashed, the Great Encompassing Physique [the supreme physical constitution] of Sword Abyss Immortal Lord would be damaged, requiring the expenditure of a vast sea of rare and precious resources to restore.

As for the Kalpa Tribulation Sword Strike, it requires the nurturing of an entire Kalpa Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of immense duration, often billions of years] to barely be activated once. To unleash the Kalpa Tribulation Sword Strike at its theoretical maximum power would demand a nurturing period of a full nine Kalpa Tribulation.

With such exacting conditions, the power of these techniques is naturally astonishingly formidable. In his prime, when Sword Abyss Immortal Lord fought with desperate abandon, even a Late Stage Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a supreme golden immortal in the late stage of cultivation] would not dare to engage him in a fight to the death.

If not for the fact that in that fateful battle, Sword Abyss Immortal Lord was ensnared by a plot and the Chaos Fiend employed a special method to counter the power of his Kalpa Tribulation Sword Strike, he might very well have fought his way out of the encirclement.

"Forbidden Divine Ability... the last, desperate gambits of a Great Encompassing [supreme cultivator]," Eldrin Chen murmured softly to himself, recalling the legends surrounding Sword Abyss Immortal Lord, a pensive expression settling on his features.

Contemplating the rumors about Sword Abyss Immortal Lord, Eldrin Chen could not help but whisper quietly, his brow furrowed in deep thought.

The might of a Forbidden Divine Ability is incomparably vast, yet the price paid to unleash it is equally staggering. Aside from a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal who does not fall into Reincarnation, it is nearly impossible for anyone to dare activate such an ability.

However, Eldrin Chen has cultivated both the Indestructibility Body and the True Spirit Primordial Spirit. He should be able to withstand the cost of invoking a Forbidden Divine Ability, making him seemingly well-suited to master such arts to augment his arsenal.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen began to search the Divine Abilities Chapter of the Primordial Genesis Path Scripture for its Forbidden Divine Ability. The results left him utterly astounded.

Within the Primordial Genesis Path Scripture, there were over a dozen Forbidden Divine Ability, each one capable of shaking heaven and earth.

There was the Soul-Burning Sacrificial Blade Art, which required using a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal's own Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] as a sacrificial offering to the blade, a process spanning thirty-six Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles] to complete. Once unleashed, it would consume ninety-nine percent of the user's Primordial Spirit, erupting with power that transcends all limits.

There was the Nine Revolutions Disintegration Art from the Fleshly Body Sanctification lineage. Upon activation, the user's Vitality [life force essence] would burn irreversibly, unleashing physical strength three to nine times greater. The price was a slumber lasting several Kalpa Tribulation to recover.

There was also the method of the 'Sacrificial Self Sword', an even more ferocious technique that incinerated one's own flesh, Vitality, Primordial Spirit, and everything else to deliver a final, mutually destructive strike.

Once mastered, this Sacrificial Self Sword Art could allow an Immortal at the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal Early Stage to severely wound or even slay a being at the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal Mid Stage, a testament to its ruthless and perilous nature.

"Such overwhelmingly domineering divine abilities,"

After reviewing these abilities, Eldrin Chen could not help but wear a bitter smile.

A Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal who has transcended the cycle of life and death] does not fall into Reincarnation [the cycle of death and rebirth]; they face no true risk of permanent annihilation. Even if slain in battle, they can be reborn from the Great Path [the fundamental laws of the cosmos]. It is this very immortality that allows the divine abilities they create to become so domineering and ruthlessly potent.

At this moment, a profound understanding finally dawned upon him. If all Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [supreme immortals who have transcended the cycle of life and death] cultivated Forbidden Divine Ability [a class of ultimate, self-sacrificial techniques] of this caliber, then battles between them would likely become exercises in extreme caution and restraint.

Even if one's cultivation realm was higher and their power several times greater, there was no guarantee that an opponent's final, desperate strike could not drag them down into mutual destruction.

And even if mutual annihilation was not achieved, merely being severely wounded by such a counterattack could provide a fatal opening for one's other, lurking enemies to exploit.

Contemplating this, Eldrin Chen could not help but sigh with feeling. "It seems that in the future, even after breaking through to the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [the realm of a supreme immortal who has transcended the cycle of life and death], one must not become arrogant or overconfident."

With these thoughts weighing on his mind, Eldrin Chen fell into deep consideration once more.

"Although Forbidden Divine Ability [ultimate, self-sacrificial techniques] are tyrannical, their power is undeniably immense. Even an early-stage Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal who has transcended the cycle of life and death] who masters one would possess a means to threaten a mid-stage practitioner of the same realm."

"Now that I have cultivated the True Spirit Primordial Spirit [a divine ability related to fortifying one's spiritual core], it is time for me to master a Forbidden Divine Ability [an ultimate, self-sacrificial technique] of my own."

Having reached this conclusion, Eldrin Chen did not immediately begin practicing these existing Forbidden Divine Ability [ultimate, self-sacrificial techniques]. Instead, he immersed himself in comprehending their profound principles, intending to use them as a foundation to create a divine ability uniquely his own.

After several tens of thousands of years, by which time he had grasped roughly seventy to eighty percent of the mysteries within these Forbidden Divine Ability [ultimate, self-sacrificial techniques], he finally turned his efforts to forging his very own Forbidden Divine Ability [an ultimate, self-sacrificial technique born from his personal comprehension].

However, before forging his own Forbidden Divine Ability, Eldrin Chen retrieved the Polarity Path Union Gourd. Gazing at this treasured vessel, he murmured to himself.

"This Polarity Path Union Gourd can comprehensively enhance one's spiritual power, Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator], physical body, and even one's Great Path [the fundamental Dao or principle one cultivates] and Path Fruit [the culmination of one's cultivation path]."

"If I use this as a foundation and fuse it with the concepts of these divine abilities, could I create a world-shaking divine ability?"

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, a sudden brilliance igniting within his gaze.

No sooner had the thought formed than he acted. Using the Polarity Path Union Gourd as his cornerstone, he immediately began drafting the framework for his own Forbidden Divine Ability.

A hurried millennium passed in this manner. Eldrin Chen first established the embryonic foundation of this divine ability. Then, layer by layer, he integrated the principles of several other Forbidden Divine Ability into its core. Finally, after tens of thousands of years, he succeeded in forging a divine ability of truly world-shaking power.

"It is done."

Upon completing this divine ability, Eldrin Chen could not help but reveal a look of profound joy.

The divine ability he had created was a rare Forbidden Divine Ability, and it was divided into three distinct stages.

The first stage involved storing Polarity Essence [the refined spiritual energy of the opposing yet complementary Yin and Yang forces] within the ability itself. At a critical moment, this stored Polarity Essence could be unleashed to empower the user. Until the stored Polarity Energy was exhausted, it could temporarily double the user's combat strength.

The Second Rank stage involves mobilizing the Vitality [the life force essence of a cultivator], Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator], and magical power within one's body, as well as one's Great Path [the fundamental Dao principle one cultivates], to erupt with ultimate combat strength at the cost of burning these foundational reserves.

Theoretically, this stage can unleash fivefold one's normal power, yet it remains within controllable limits.

With Eldrin Chen's True Spirit Primordial Spirit [a perfected and exceptionally potent spiritual core], he can fully control this surge of power and cease the burning of his Vitality, Primordial Spirit, magical power, Great Path, and other reserves at any moment.

However, activating the Second Rank stage also demands a certain price, requiring the refinement of various rare treasures for recovery afterwards. As long as Eldrin Chen cultivates the Great Path of Life [the supreme Dao principle governing vitality and creation], the injuries from the Second Rank stage would not constitute a particularly severe loss.

The third stage involves burning one's Primordial Spirit, Vitality, magical power, Path Fruit [the condensed essence of one's cultivated Dao], Great Path, and indeed everything without regard for cost, to erupt with combat strength far exceeding one's normal limits.

Yet the price of the third stage is also immeasurably great. Unless one has cultivated a True Spirit Foundation [a foundation of flawless spiritual purity], or has broken through to the realm of a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal who has attained complete mastery over their Dao], activation guarantees certain death.

"Each of this divine ability's three stages is extraordinary," he mused.

"The first stage's power is lesser, but its virtue lies in requiring only stored Polarity [the opposing yet complementary forces of Yin and Yang] dual energies to activate."

"The second stage's power is Extraordinary, yet its activation carries a heavy toll. Before breaking through to Great Encompassing, one must use it sparingly, reserving it only for desperate, life-or-death struggles."

"As for the third stage..."

Eldrin Chen shook his head. Once the third stage was activated, he would fall into an irreversible slumber, and recovering would require at least several Kalpa Tribulation [an immense cosmic cycle in Buddhist cosmology, often billions of years] of time.

Furthermore, the higher his cultivation realm, the longer the recovery time after activation. Therefore, unless it was a genuine life-or-death crisis, he would never lightly resort to it.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen looked at this divine ability and could not help but smile. "This technique is rooted in the Polarity Path Union Gourd. Why not simply call it the 'Polarity Sacrificial Self Path'?"

So saying, Eldrin Chen stored away the newly drafted Ancient Scripture.

This Polarity Sacrificial Self Path was immensely powerful, but to master it, one needed to find a Great Encompassing Rare Treasure-grade Polarity Dual Energy. For now, it was not yet the time to cultivate it.

After this, Eldrin Chen ceased his further deductions of divine abilities.

Now, the eighth Innate Acupoints had been chosen, but the ninth acupoint required careful consideration.

After all, a True Spirit Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] possessed only nine Innate Acupoints. His current experience was still somewhat lacking. To avoid the lifelong regret of choosing the wrong divine ability, it was better to wait until after his breakthrough into the Great Encompassing realm, when his understanding was greater, before selecting and merging the ninth Innate Acupoints.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen performed a quick calculation with his fingers and realized that this session of secluded cultivation had already lasted over eight hundred thousand years.

"A single session of meditation spanning over eight hundred thousand years... Time truly flows swiftly."

Eldrin Chen let out a soft sigh and emerged from his Seclusion Chamber.

Upon exiting seclusion, he found that Exquisite Jiang and the others were still in closed-door cultivation, seemingly striving to advance further before the Kalpa Tribulation [the immense, cyclical cosmic catastrophe]. Meanwhile, Lior Chen and the rest were busy stockpiling the strategic resources required for the impending tribulation.

Eldrin Chen did not disturb them. Instead, he stepped out of the Returning Abyss Grotto-Heaven and lifted his gaze towards the magnificent Vast Azure Immortal Domain.

After so many years, observing the Vast Azure Immortal Domain once more, Eldrin Chen perceived that the aura of calamity within this realm had grown denser. A faint, surging tide of tribulation energy seemed to be rolling in from the horizon.

He raised his eyes again, his vision piercing through the Boundless Immortal Domain to peer into the Depths of Chaos. There, within the vast expanse of the Chaos [the primordial, formless state preceding creation], he sensed the faint, continuous birth of baleful energies.

Even the Chaos Ancient Beast [primordial beasts dwelling in the formless Chaos] lurking beyond the borders of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain now had a faint, crimson glint flickering in their eyes.

"The Kalpa Tribulation approaches," he murmured.

Eldrin Chen spoke softly, a profound understanding settling upon him. This cataclysmic slaughter was inescapable. Unless a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal who has attained the Golden Immortal realm and can encompass all within their domain] chose to shelter one within their Immortal Domain, even an Eight Tribulations Ancient Immortal would be swept into the maelstrom of the tribulation.

To survive it was to have one's foundation vastly strengthened, opening the path to greater heights. But to fail... even the direct offspring of a Primordial One Imperial Lord [an Imperial Lord who has returned to the primordial state of Oneness] would be utterly annihilated, reduced to ashes scattered upon the winds of fate.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen slowly withdrew his gaze, his expression unreadable.

He withdrew his consciousness, then with a flick of his sleeve, tore open the void. In a single stride, he stepped within, plummeting through the endless Dimensional Void [the chaotic, formless space between dimensions and worlds] until he arrived within a vast and magnificent Great Universe [a major, self-contained cosmos within the multiverse].

"Boom—"

Deep within a boundless Great Universe, in the heart of a vast starry sea, a violent explosion suddenly resounded.

In that instant, Space-Time [the fundamental fabric of reality] trembled. Cracks, one after another, appeared in the depths of the Starry Abyss [a region of profound darkness dotted with ancient, dying stars]. From within them, a figure clad in snow-white robes emerged.

Cloaked in pristine white garments, his form was wreathed in boundless Immortal Energy [the purified, potent energy wielded by true immortals]. A hazy, radiant light emanated from him, illuminating the vast and desolate Great Universe.

The newcomer was none other than Eldrin Chen. Lifting his gaze to survey his surroundings, a flicker of emotion passed through his eyes. "My homeland," he murmured, "I have returned."

"Hum—"

Immediately, the immense Universe [this specific local cosmos] shuddered. A supreme will descended from its deepest reaches.

This consciousness settled upon Eldrin Chen, scrutinizing him intently for a long moment. Finally, it conveyed a thought, tinged with the aura of Remembrance Path: "My child, it seems I am to nurture yet another scion of the Great Encompassing [the ultimate realm of cultivation, representing unity with the cosmos]."

Eldrin Chen offered a faint, knowing smile, choosing not to voice a reply.

After many years, gazing once more upon the Great Universe [the vast, encompassing cosmos], Eldrin Chen finally comprehended the true nature of the Great Universe.

This Great Universe was majestic and boundless, its diameter spanning approximately three hundred billion light-years. Yet, to the present Eldrin Chen, it could no longer be considered a colossal entity.

Such Great Universe are as countless as the stars in the endless dimensions.

The infinite Dimensional Void [the formless expanse separating all realms] is itself composed of these limitless Universe. Therefore, the endless Dimensional Void can also be called the Sea of Infinite Worlds, or the Boundless Universe Sea.