Chapter 1869 : Convergence of the Primordial Paths

In that very instant, ripples echoed within the Chaos [the primordial state of existence before the formation of the cosmos].

The Primordial Era Ice Phoenix [an ancient and powerful phoenix born from the primordial frost] appeared not far away. Glancing at the Primordial Chaos Black Dragon [a supreme dragon born from the essence of primordial chaos] coiled within its sleeve, it spoke with evident astonishment: "A Primordial Chaos Black Dragon, a Chaos Saint Spirit [a sacred spirit born directly from the essence of Chaos] of such profound origin... I never imagined one would follow in your wake."

"It was merely a fortunate coincidence,"

Eldrin Chen replied with calm detachment. Offering no further explanation, he simply swept his sleeve and returned to the Vast Azure Immortal Domain [a major realm within the immortal worlds].

The moment he arrived within the Vast Azure Immortal Domain, Eldrin Chen sensed a profound and inexplicable transformation sweeping through the entire realm.

Across the boundless heavens and earth, within the endless Immortal Domain [a domain governed by immortal laws], one Great Path [a fundamental law or principle of cultivation and existence] after another manifested across the sky. Vast, surging tides of Heaven and Earth Primordial Energy [the primal, foundational energy of creation] and world essence converged, gathering at the very Central heart of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain.

Eldrin Chen lifted his gaze. At the core of the Central Heavenly Domain [the central and most sacred region of the immortal domain], he saw a rift tear open in the supreme void.

What lay beyond was a glorious, boundless Sea of the Great Path [a conceptual ocean representing the convergence of all cosmic laws]. It existed in a place of supreme majesty, from which descended infinite Great Path Divine Chains [chains formed from solidified divine law, used to bind or manifest supreme power].

And there, at the very center of those endless Great Path Divine Chains, coiled an indelible light. This radiance possessed a quality of near-eternal Indestructibility [the state of being utterly unbreakable and everlasting]. Shielded and reinforced by layer upon layer of Great Path power, it could truly be called eternally Indestructibility.

"The Primordial Spirit [the highest spiritual core and true self of a supreme cultivator] of Great God Vast Azure."

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, finally comprehending in this moment how a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal could be revived.

It turned out that after breaking through to the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal realm, a cultivator could anchor their Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] within the Great Path [the fundamental laws of the cosmos]. By merging with the power of the Great Path, they would also receive its protection, thus becoming forever immune to falling into Reincarnation [the cycle of death and rebirth].

Because the Great Path was supreme and boundless, even if a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal was slain, that portion of their Primordial Spirit fused with the Great Path would retain at least a wisp of remnant soul. This could be said to grant absolute immunity from Reincarnation.

As long as this remnant soul endured, the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal could, over time, rely on the nourishment of the Great Path to resurrect and return.

Furthermore, some Primordial One Imperial Lord [a supreme realm above the Great Encompassing Golden Immortal] who had cultivated the Indestructibility Primordial Spirit [a divine ability that renders the Primordial Spirit unbreakable] could anchor their Indestructibility Primordial Spirit upon the Great Path itself, using its shelter to withstand the attacks of powerful foes.

For beings of this level, even a Chaos Heavenly Emperor [a title for a supreme ruler of primordial chaos] could not annihilate their Primordial Spirit through the barrier of the Great Path. They could only expend immense power to seal them within the Great Path.

Great God Vast Azure had not reached the Primordial One Imperial Lord Realm, and likely had not cultivated the Indestructibility Primordial Spirit. He was truly slain by that great enemy in the past. The Primordial Spirit before them now was the one reformed over ten billion years through the accumulation of his True Spirit [the original, purest form of a being's spirit] and remnant soul.

"He is about to awaken."

Gazing at this Primordial Spirit, Eldrin Chen could not help but murmur again, a trace of solemnity coloring his expression.

"BOOM—"

As his words fell, the Vast Azure Immortal Domain began to tremble with ever-increasing violence.

Boundless Heaven and Earth Primordial Energy and foundational essence [the fundamental substance of creation] surged like a leviathan drawing in the sea, pouring into that radiant sphere of Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator]. There, it intertwined with the Great Path Origin [the primordial source of the Dao, the fundamental law of existence].

Following this, fragments of bone and flesh began to coalesce and grow. The supreme Great Encompassing Physique [a legendary, all-encompassing physical form] was slowly, inexorably, being reforged.

"He is on the verge of success," the Primordial Era Ice Phoenix murmured, its voice a whisper of frost. Yet, its brilliant gaze dimmed as it shook its head. "A pity..."

Eldrin Chen remained silent, his eyes fixed upon the scene unfolding before him.

At that very moment, from the supreme and boundless void, a sword light of indescribable brilliance cleaved through the heavens.

It was an ineffable sword energy, one that tore through the Endless Chaos. It carried an aura of profound antiquity and weariness, as if it had been launched from the depths of the ancient Primordial Era [the mythic age of creation].

Under the dominion of this single strike, all of time—past and future—the Six Harmonies [the six spatial directions: up, down, east, west, north, south] and the Eight Desolations [the eight remote wastelands at the world's edge], the vastness of the cosmos, the Myriad Heavens and the Chaos [the primordial, formless state before creation]—all could be severed by this one blade!

"Ah—"

In that very instant, Great God Vast Azure let out a roar that shook the heavens.

Gripping the Vast Azure Heavenly Halberd, he channeled the divine power accumulated over one hundred Kalpa Tribulation cycles to wage war against the cosmos itself.

In a flash, the Great Path thundered, Space-Time reversed, and countless Great Path Divine Chains intertwined with the Vast Azure Heavenly Halberd, coalescing into a Primordial Era Heavenly Halberd that clashed with the formidable foe.

"Alas, it is all in vain."

Before this sword strike, the Great Path flowed like water, Space-Time dissolved like foam, and even the Heavenly Halberd was but rotten wood. All was an illusory bubble, ready to burst at a touch.

"Hymn—"

An indescribable sword hymn resonated. Eldrin Chen watched as that blade of light, unstoppable, annihilated everything in its path, erupting into a radiance that was the sole, eternal light of the ages.

The brilliance was too dazzling, so overwhelming that Eldrin Chen could not keep his eyes open and had to shield them from the sight.

When the light finally faded and his senses returned, he looked again towards the Nine Heavens Above. There, he saw the Great Path Divine Chains shattered and disintegrating, their eternal glow now dimmed to its absolute limit.

The Great Encompassing Physique reconstructed by Great God Vast Azure [a primordial divine being of immense power] crumbled and scattered. The Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] within the Great Path [a supreme cultivation art] at the Central disintegrated into a sky full of starlight. Only a dim remnant soul fell into a deep slumber, sheltered by boundless Great Path power as it returned to the depths of the Sea of the Great Path [the vast ocean of the Great Path].

"Great God Vast Azure has fallen."

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, a flicker of sorrow passing through his gaze.

Even a powerhouse like Great God Vast Azure, whose might once shook the Primordial Era [the ancient epoch of creation], was but a feeble, insignificant ant before that indescribable existence—a being who could slay him a thousand times over with a single sword strike along the River of Space-Time [the metaphysical flow of time and space].

If it were him facing such a being, how could he possibly defy the heavens?

"I am not strong enough. I must become stronger."

Eldrin Chen whispered inwardly, his resolve to courageously ascend to higher realms growing ever more resolute.

Noticing his expression, the Primordial Era Ice Phoenix [an ancient ice phoenix from the Primordial Era] sighed and remarked, "This Boundless Chaos [the infinite primordial chaos] is far vaster than you or I can imagine. The Three Thousand Immortal Domains [the collective name for the myriad immortal realms] are but a lone island within it."

"Even if you and I attain the Great Encompassing [the Great Encompassing Realm, a supreme cultivation stage], it is merely the first step into the Sea of Chaos [the chaotic sea of primordial energy]. The road ahead for Future [a being representing the concept of the future] is still long and winding."

Eldrin Chen nodded silently, offering no further words.

With a single stride forward, he swept his sleeve and gathered the legacy left behind by Great God Vast Azure.

Having just been successfully remolded, this newly formed Great Encompassing Physique of Great God Vast Azure was only at the early stage of the Great Encompassing realm.

However, the legacy obtained from the fall of a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal was still astonishingly vast.

Eldrin Chen made a quick inventory and discovered treasures such as heart's blood, a Great Encompassing divine heart, Great Encompassing divine blood, and Great Encompassing Origin [a primordial essence of the Great Encompassing realm].

Among these treasures, the heart's blood and the Great Encompassing divine heart were the rarest, with only one of each. Among the other treasures, there were over three thousand drops of Great Encompassing divine blood and a full nine portions of Great Encompassing Origin.

Of these treasures, the heart's blood and the Great Encompassing divine blood were the most precious. These two items could enhance combat power and foundational potential, offering significant benefits even to an Eight Tribulations Ancient Immortal.

The Great Encompassing Origin was slightly less potent but was a rare Great Encompassing Rare Treasure. This substance could aid a cultivator in forcefully breaking through the Great Encompassing Heavenly Pass [a critical bottleneck in the Great Encompassing realm], greatly enhancing the potential and innate talent of an Ancient Immortal.

Theoretically, if a Six Tribulations Ancient Immortal Great Power refined one portion of Great Encompassing Origin, they could elevate at least one of the five major Heavenly Pass [critical bottlenecks]—the physical body, mana, Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core], Great Path [the cultivation art], and Path Fruit [the fruit of one's cultivation path]—to the Tenth Limit Realm.

Finally, the Great Encompassing divine blood was a treasure for nourishing the physical body. Its effects surpassed even the Ten Revolutions Immortal Pill, with each drop comparable to a peerless Immortal Herb. It could help an Ancient Immortal break through the Tenth Limit or even the Eleventh Limit of the Fleshly Body Heavenly Pass [the physical body bottleneck].

"A considerable number of rare treasures," he mused, "though unfortunately, they are of little use to me now."

After glancing over these rare treasures, Eldrin Chen shook his head faintly.

His major Heavenly Pass [key cultivation thresholds] had mostly been cultivated to the Eleventh Limit Realm [the pinnacle of a cultivation stage], making it impossible for these treasures to advance him any further.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen handed over the drop of his heart's blood [a potent essence vital to a cultivator's life force] to the Primordial Era Ice Phoenix and spoke, "The promise made in years past, I consider it fulfilled today."

The Primordial Era Ice Phoenix took the heart's blood and said joyfully, "With this in hand, I can restore my peak combat power within tens of thousands of years."

Eldrin Chen offered a slight smile and replied, "Fellow Daoist, please go and recover. I shall handle the aftermath of this battle."

With those words, Eldrin Chen arrived at the Green Sun Divine Domain and sought out the members and allies of the Returning Abyss Immortal Alliance.

By this point in the great war, the Celestial Immortal [immortals who have ascended to the celestial realm] of the Demonic and Divine Clans had been nearly wiped out. The overall situation across the entire Vast Azure Immortal Domain was now settled.

Eldrin Chen directed the Celestial Immortal of the Immortal Alliance to lead the alliance's immortals in sweeping through the Heavenly Domain. He then personally convened a gathering of everyone at the former site of Green Sun Ancient City for a council.

"..."

On this day, seated solemnly within the great hall, Eldrin Chen surveyed the assembled immortals, and a faint smile of satisfaction touched his lips.

In this battle, the Returning Abyss Immortal Alliance and its allies achieved a resounding victory. Of the dozens of Ancient Immortal Great Power from the Human Race, fewer than seven perished—a rarity even in the annals of history.

With this in mind, Eldrin Chen spoke, "For this triumph, you have all labored with great valor."

"Not at all, it was entirely due to the Alliance Leader's masterful turning of the tide," came the reply.

Hearing this, those present could not contain their joy, their faces alight with smiles.

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod and continued, "I have recorded all the spoils of this campaign in the ledger. Your individual contributions to the victory have also been tallied."

"Apart from a portion set aside for the bereaved, you may exchange your Merits [a metaphysical currency representing virtuous deeds and contributions] for whatever you desire from the remainder."

As he spoke, Eldrin Chen handed the ledger to the assembly. Upon glancing through it, none could suppress their excitement.

Even excluding the legacy of Great God Vast Azure and the two Eight Tribulations Ancient Immortal demonic leaders, the spoils from this single engagement were the most bountiful the Human Race had seen in dozens of Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles spanning billions of years]. The share each would receive was staggering.

A mere glance revealed the haul contained one hundred and twenty-one Ninth Rank Supreme Grade Path Source [the highest grade of primordial energy source used for cultivation breakthroughs] and over three thousand Ninth Rank Path Source [high-grade primordial energy sources].

Furthermore, there were countless other rare treasures beyond measure. Once distributed, these would be sufficient to double the cultivation base of every individual present. After fully absorbing them, advancing by an entire minor realm would pose little difficulty.

With this in mind, everyone eagerly exchanged for numerous rare treasures.

Of course, compared to the others, the Chen Immortal Clan, which had achieved the greatest military merit, reaped the most bountiful harvest.

The sixteen Ancient Immortal [powerful immortals who have survived multiple heavenly tribulations] of the Chen Immortal Clan each obtained at least three or four Ninth Rank Supreme Grade Path Source [the highest grade of condensed origin essence from a powerful being's cultivation path], along with a vast quantity of other precious rarities. After absorbing these, they would likely be able to break through another one or two Heavenly Pass [major bottlenecks within the ancient immortal realm].

Eldrin Chen also took three of these Path Source, specifically the most precious ones derived from Dusk Nirvana, the Primordial Era Azure Dragon [an ancient and mighty dragon from the dawn of time], and Nether Emperor. The others held little use for him, so he deposited them all into the Clan Treasury or bestowed them upon clansmen and his dao companions.

He kept only the legacy of Great God Vast Azure, along with the treasures from Myriad Ghosts Patriarch and the Xuanheng Ancient Demon [an ancient demonic entity named Xuanheng], setting aside merely one thousand drops of Great Encompassing Essence Blood [the potent, refined lifeblood essence of a Great Encompassing realm being] for others to exchange.

After handling these matters, Eldrin Chen gathered the Ancient Immortal of the Chen Immortal Clan separately and addressed them, "The legacy of Great God Vast Azure and the treasures from the Xuanheng Ancient Demon and the others have fallen into my hands, yet they hold little significant utility for me."

"I have called you here today to distribute them among you."

As he spoke, Eldrin Chen produced the remaining two thousand drops of Great Encompassing Essence Blood. "Each of you take one hundred drops of this Great Encompassing Essence Blood. It should aid you in cultivating the Ten Tribulations Physique [a legendary physical constitution forged by surviving ten heavenly tribulations]. The remaining five hundred drops will be placed in the Clan Treasury for future allocation."

Upon hearing this, no one voiced any objection.

However, Energy Abyss Chen shook his head and said, "This substance is of no use to me. It is better left for others."

Eldrin Chen smiled faintly before speaking. "Since it's one for each person, then everyone should indeed receive their share. As for the Patriarch's portion, let it be exchanged for a vein of Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy] ore."

Energy Abyss Chen nodded upon hearing this, offering no further comment.

After distributing the Great Encompassing Essence Blood [the primordial lifeblood of a cosmic entity], Eldrin Chen turned his gaze to the nine portions of Great Encompassing Origin [the foundational essence of the cosmos]. He pondered for a long moment before saying, "This Great Encompassing Origin is a Great Encompassing Rare Treasure [a treasure of unparalleled rarity born from the cosmos itself]. It can unconditionally elevate one's foundation to at least the Tenth Limit Foundation [the pinnacle of the Foundation Establishment realm, representing a perfect tenfold amplification of one's spiritual base]. However, it holds little use for those whose foundations already surpass that limit."

"Verdant Consort, Nyssa Qu, Violet Consort Yan, Lila, Ethan, Verdant Seal Patriarch, Verdant Peak, Literature Abyss, and Fate Birth—each of you shall take one portion."

Upon hearing this, Verdant Peak Ye hurriedly declined, "Master, your disciple's foundation is already solid. I can achieve the Tenth Limit Foundation without needing such an item."

Literature Abyss Lu and Fate Birth also promptly cupped their hands and refused directly. "Master, your favor is deeply felt. It would be better to leave this treasure for Worthy Verdancy and Worthy Longevity."

Worthy Longevity Chen, however, offered a gentle smile and spoke plainly. "With the Innate Energy [primordial energy present from birth, of the highest purity] bestowed by my father, each of my Thirty-Six Vast Sea Divine Pearls [a set of thirty-six divine pearls containing the power of the vast sea] is an Innate Ancient Treasure [a magical artifact of immense power, born from the world's inception]. Wielding them, I am peerless under heaven. Such external aids are of no use to us."

"Enough debate."

Eldrin Chen shook his head, his tone final. "I have my own plans for them. There is no need for you to defer and yield amongst yourselves."

Seeing his resolve, the others fell silent.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen retrieved the Xuanheng Demonic Pearl and the Path Source [the condensed origin of a being's cultivation path] of the Xuanheng Ancient Demon, handing them directly to Kael Chen. "I believe," he said, "that you are the one most suited to this object."

Upon hearing this, Kael Chen fell silent for a moment. He then accepted the items without uttering another word.

Witnessing this, Eldrin Chen then took out the Path Source of the Myriad Ghosts Patriarch and the severely damaged Myriad Soul Banner, presenting them to Worthy Pursuit Chen. "Refining this," he instructed, "can aid you in establishing a foundation based on the Demonic Tathagata [a demonic counterpart to the enlightened Buddha state]."

"By delivering all the wronged souls trapped within the Myriad Soul Banner to salvation, your foundation in the Buddha Tathagata [the enlightened Buddha state] will also reach its pinnacle."

"If you can cultivate both the 'Buddha' and the 'Demonic Tathagata' to great completion and merge them into one, you may achieve the supreme Holy Tathagata [a sacred, unified state of enlightenment]. I believe there might be hope for you to glimpse the True Spirit Realm [a legendary realm of pure spiritual existence]."

Upon hearing these words, Worthy Pursuit Chen received the two treasures, then prostrated himself and kowtowed several times in succession.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen then handed the Great Encompassing Heart to Worthy Verdancy Chen, fixing him with a serious gaze. "This is the Nirvana Heart [a heart capable of rebirth through destruction]," he stated. "It is perfectly attuned to your Childlike Loyal Heart [an innate constitution of pure, unwavering loyalty]."

"If you can successfully refine it, it should enable a complete transformation of your very being."

Witnessing this, Worthy Longevity Chen could not help but ask, "Father, what about mine?"

Eldrin Chen rapped him lightly on the head. "Your Thirty-Six Vast Sea Divine Pearls are a Chaos Foundation [a foundational treasure born from primordial chaos]. Relying on them alone can make you peerless under the heavens. Focus on mastering them thoroughly," he admonished. "Remember, one who grasps at too much ends up chewing nothing well."

Hearing this, Worthy Longevity Chen could not help but scratch his head and offer an awkward smile.

Thus, the most important treasures obtained from this battle were all distributed, and there were no other useless curiosities left. Eldrin Chen simply retrieved items like the Great Encompassing Sword Embryo from his sleeve and handed them to those who had not received a share of the spoils.

For Eldrin Chen, these treasures were of little further use to him; employing them to arm his clansmen was indeed a fitting choice.