Chapter 2048 : Wings of Golden Light

He informed Eldrin Chen that this True Spirit Divine Form [the ultimate manifestation of a cultivator's spiritual essence] possessed boundless and wondrous applications. It was a speed-type True Spirit Divine Form, capable of enhancing a Great Emperor Realm [the pinnacle realm of mortal cultivation] cultivator's speed and reaction time by approximately eighty percent.

Most crucially, once Immortality Great Emperor activated this True Spirit Divine Form, a pair of golden wings would manifest upon his back. With a single beat, he could traverse the Vast and Boundless Chaos Desolation Sea [the primordial, chaotic expanse separating realms], drastically amplifying his burst speed.

"What swift True Spirit Divine Form," Eldrin Chen murmured softly.

Observing the divine form Immortality Great Emperor had cultivated, a flicker of envy crossed Eldrin Chen's features.

He had to admit, the Light-Chasing Golden Wings [Golden Wings that Chase the Light] were not only remarkably potent and effective but also possessed an undeniable grandeur and imposing majesty.

One could envision it: Immortality Great Emperor, the Immortality Shield [an indestructible shield forged for eternity] in his left hand, the Crimson Spear [a blood-red spear of peerless sharpness] in his right, and a pair of Light-Chasing Golden Wings unfurled behind him. In an instant, he could cross the Desolation Sea [a sea of primal chaos and ruin] to engage in an epochal duel against a formidable foe.

Such a spectacle would be the very picture of awe-inspiring might and dazzling brilliance.

Originally, Immortality Great Emperor's combat prowess was already terrifying. After his Ultimate Sublimation [a technique pushing one's power to its absolute limit], he could even contend with an Invincible Great Emperor [a Great Emperor whose power knows no equal]. However, he possessed one glaring weakness.

His speed was insufficient. He could defeat a Great Emperor, yet struggle to prevent their escape. Conversely, when facing an opponent he could not overcome through sheer force, he found it exceedingly difficult to evade their pursuit.

But mastering the Light-Chasing Golden Wings changed everything. Now, Immortality Great Emperor could come and go as he pleased with a mere beat of his wings. Once he unleashed his full, explosive speed, who among his enemies could hope to flee his relentless chase?

Even when facing a Sage Ascendant [a cultivator who has ascended to the penultimate stage of the sage path], the Immortality Great Emperor now possessed the capability to ensure his own survival. At the very least, while in the state of Ultimate Sublimation [a supreme technique that pushes one's physical and spiritual form to its absolute limit], the speed granted by his Light-Chasing Golden Wings was sufficient to outpace any pursuit from a Sage Ascendant.

"With your power, defense, and speed all receiving such potent augmentation, your previous shortcomings have been mended. Coupled with the empowerment of two Innate Supreme Treasure [treasures born of heaven and earth, possessing unparalleled might], you now stand as a fully-realized, top-tier combatant among Great Emperor [the sovereign rulers of a cultivation realm]."

Eldrin Chen spoke slowly, a glimmer of acknowledgment flickering in the depths of his gaze.

The Immortality Great Emperor offered a faint smile before replying, "Without your support, my lord, I would never have been able to reach this point."

"Continue the refinement. Let me witness what majesty the True Spirit Divine Form [the ultimate manifestation of one's spiritual essence and cultivation path] holds after achieving Ultimate Sublimation."

Eldrin Chen spoke, a spark of curiosity igniting within his eyes.

The Immortality Great Emperor offered no further words. He immediately resumed the process of refining the complete physical vessel of the Refining Heaven Crimson Emperor.

Thus, time flowed on unnoticed. After an indeterminate period, he had completely stripped away the Great Path Authority [the profound authority over a fundamental aspect of the cosmos, wielded by the most powerful beings] of the Refining Heaven Crimson Emperor and successfully cultivated his fourth True Spirit Divine Form.

This newly-formed True Spirit Divine Form shimmered and shifted continuously, finally coalescing into a humanoid true form that radiated an aura of profound and unfathomable Path Void.

"This is..." Eldrin Chen began, his voice tinged with unmistakable surprise.

"This True Spirit Divine Form is named—the Ultimate Path Physique."

Immortality Great Emperor explained in detail, finally saying: "The Ultimate Path Physique can enhance all aspects of my physical combat power by thirty percent—speed, defense, strength, vitality, Insight power, and more."

"Moreover, this enhancement is an improvement to the absolute limits of the physical form. It will not diminish even after a breakthrough to the Sage Ascendant Realm."

"Furthermore, when the Ultimate Path Physique is activated, my physical combat power can completely shatter its previous limits, doubling in strength. This effect, too, will not weaken upon reaching the Sage Ascendant Realm."

At this point, Immortality Great Emperor added, "However, despite its immense power, the Ultimate Path Physique carries a significant flaw."

"After each activation concludes, I fall into a state of profound weakness. My physical combat power is reduced by half, and it takes ten times the duration for which the Ultimate Path Physique was active to fully recover."

"A thirty percent enhancement to all attributes, and when unleashed, it can even double overall power?"

Having heard Immortality Great Emperor's explanation, a flicker of astonishment passed through Eldrin Chen's eyes.

Even in its passive state, granting a thirty percent boost to all attributes, this comprehensive enhancement alone made the Ultimate Path Physique comparable in effect to a top-tier True Spirit Divine Runes.

And the ultimate, explosive power unleashed when activating the Ultimate Path Physique could only be described as heaven-defying.

If the mutual empowerment between the Nine True Spirit Divine Forms was merely an additive enhancement, then unleashing the Ultimate Path Physique represented a multiplicative leap in power.

Doubling one's overall combat prowess meant amplifying one's total strength by a full additional magnitude.

"Even if a period of weakness follows its activation, this Ultimate Path Physique is truly worthy of being called a forbidden True Spirit Divine Form," Eldrin Chen remarked, his tone carrying a note of envy.

"Your particular Ultimate Path Physique can already be considered a top-tier True Spirit Divine Form."

Immortality Great Emperor chuckled softly before replying, "Your Lordship's Polarity Sacrificial Self Path is likely no less formidable than my own Ultimate Path Physique."

Eldrin Chen offered a faint smile, choosing not to elaborate, and shifted the topic. "What path do you intend to follow from here?"

Immortality Great Emperor pondered for a moment, then sighed. "The road ahead is shrouded in mist. I can only take one step at a time."

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen spoke with grave seriousness.

"Within the Vast and Boundless Chaos, there are ultimately only two methods to prove one's Dao and attain the Realm of Chaos through physical cultivation alone."

"The first path is to cultivate the Nine Revolutions Heavenly Art [a supreme body refinement technique that requires nine cycles of dispersing and rebuilding one's cultivation], paying the price of nine cycles of cultivation dispersion and reconstruction to continuously shatter one's own limits, ultimately attracting the True Spirit Imprint [a profound spiritual brand signifying supreme potential] to forge the True Spirit Divine Form [a perfect, god-like physical body]."

"The second path is to create one's own Dao and method, forging a unique Path of Fleshly Body Sanctification [a personalized cultivation path dedicated to achieving a sanctified, immortal physical form]."

"You did not cultivate the Nine Revolutions Heavenly Art before your ascension to immortality and thus lack its foundational essence. To achieve Fleshly Body Sanctification [the process of refining the mortal body into an immortal vessel] now, you must either reincarnate and start anew, or forge your own unique path."

Hearing this, the Immortality Great Emperor [a sovereign ruler who has achieved eternal life] also fell into deep contemplation.

He understood the logic in Eldrin Chen's words. Between the two paths of Fleshly Body Sanctification, the Nine Revolutions Heavenly Art requires the completion of the first nine revolutions before one's cultivation foundation solidifies.

Using this as a foundation, one must continuously disperse and rebuild their cultivation at each major realm, integrating the refined spiritual energy into their flesh. This process allows the physical body to repeatedly break through its Limit-Breaker [a state where inherent physical limitations are shattered], ultimately attracting the True Spirit Imprint.

The reason the Heavenly Halberd Demon-Slaying True Lord [a title for a powerful lord who wields a divine halberd against demons] initially took notice of Worthy Path Chen was precisely because of his exceptional physical aptitude and his completion of the first nine revolutions before achieving immortality.

Later, when Worthy Path Chen caught the eye of the Obsidian Abyss Great Emperor [a sovereign emperor associated with a profound, dark abyss], it was because he had completed the nine revolutions at every single realm, demonstrating the immense potential to cultivate a True Spirit Foundation [the ultimate, flawless foundation for a sanctified body].

As a Great Emperor [a supreme ruler among cultivators] of immense power, the Immortality Great Emperor had long missed the window to cultivate the Nine Revolutions Heavenly Art. To pursue it now, reincarnation was his only option.

If he forsook the Nine Revolutions Heavenly Art, his sole remaining choice was to innovate his own method and carve out a personal Path of Fleshly Body Sanctification.

Figures like Ant Heavenly Emperor, Indestructibility Ancient One, and Eldrin Chen have all walked this very path.

They each forged their own unique methods to shatter their limits, methods most perfectly suited to themselves. Once they step into the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Realm, their foundational depth and potential may very well rival those who attained the Heavenly Emperor realm through the Nine Revolutions Heavenly Art.

Immortality Great Emperor understood this as well. After a moment of silent contemplation, he spoke, "If the choice were mine, I too would have to walk the second path."

"It is the only fitting course," Eldrin Chen agreed.

With a nod, Eldrin Chen retrieved several scrolls of Ancient Scripture from his sleeve.

They were the profound techniques of the Path of Self-Refinement, the Indestructibility Heavenly Art, and the cultivation method of the Nine Revolutions Heavenly Art. He presented all three scrolls to Immortality Great Emperor.

"These three Ancient Scripture scrolls," he explained, "each charts a direct course to the Realm of Chaos. While they may not be perfectly aligned with your own path, studying them may illuminate the way forward for you."

Immortality Great Emperor accepted the three scrolls. He studied them for a long while, and a look of profound awe gradually dawned upon his face.

The three Ancient Scripture scrolls gifted by Eldrin Chen could each be called peerless, supreme texts. Every one contained mysteries so profound they seemed to defy the very heavens.

Among them, the cultivation method of the Nine Revolutions Heavenly Art involved repeatedly dispersing one's cultivation power and rebuilding it from scratch, using this cycle to break through one's inherent limits.

The Path of Self-Refinement pioneered by Eldrin Chen harnesses the power of a Root Origin Treasure to continuously refine one's own physical form, thereby repeatedly shattering the Limit-Breaker [the inherent limitations of a cultivator's body].

The principle behind this cultivation method is to refine oneself with oneself, using a force that surpasses even the Primordial Chaos Indestructibility Body [a legendary constitution of supreme resilience] to compel the physical body to constantly break its Limit-Breaker.

As for the Indestructibility Heavenly Art practiced by the Indestructibility Ancient One, it is even more ruthlessly extreme, a true paragon of the philosophy of destruction preceding rebirth.

For the Indestructibility Heavenly Art is cultivated through boundless tribulations. The profound secret of its practice lies in a single drop of essence blood.

Before commencing cultivation of the Indestructibility Heavenly Art, the Indestructibility Ancient One would sequester a single drop of his essence blood, meticulously eradicating all traces of his soul and spiritual imprint from within it.

This meant that within this drop of blood, there remained no True Spirit Imprint [the unique spiritual signature of a being] nor any fragment of soul—only a sliver of Indestructibility [the divine principle of unyielding permanence] endured within the world.

After leaving behind this Indestructibility Divinity [the divine essence of indestructibility], the Indestructibility Ancient One would then seek his own demise, deliberately seeking battle with overwhelmingly powerful foes he could not hope to withstand.

After each such confrontation, the Indestructibility Ancient One would be utterly annihilated, his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a high-level cultivator] and physical form completely extinguished.

Thereafter, he would rely on that faint, sequestered drop of essence blood to resurrect himself, drawing upon the Indestructibility Divinity contained within it.

Should this resurrection fail, the Indestructibility Ancient One would meet his final, permanent end.

And once the revival succeeds, the Indestructibility Ancient One is reborn from the ashes of tribulation, thereby shattering his own limits, cultivating a more powerful Indestructibility Divinity, and attracting the infusion of True Spirit Imprint [a profound blessing where the essence of a True Spirit merges with a cultivator's being].

According to Eldrin Chen's knowledge, the Indestructibility Ancient One was utterly annihilated nine times in the past, yet successfully revived each time, ultimately stepping into the invincible Sage Ascendant Realm. Even the Chaos Heavenly Emperor would shake his head upon meeting him.

"The Indestructibility Heavenly Art, the Path of Self-Refinement, and the Nine Revolutions Heavenly Art."

The Immortality Great Emperor spoke unhurriedly, a trace of melancholy entering his voice as he said, "Each of these three supreme heavenly arts can lead directly to the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Realm."

"Compared to you, my comprehension and talent fall far short. I have not even begun to explore a method for attaining the Dao through the physical body."

Eldrin Chen offered a faint smile and then spoke, "Within the Southern Abyss Seven Domains where I reside, there exists a peerless powerhouse known as the Ant Heavenly Emperor."

"Legends say he walked the path of attaining the Dao through sheer force, using his unparalleled genius to cultivate nine supreme True Spirit Divine Form [divine transformations embodying the essence of primordial True Spirits]. This allowed his own power to surpass the ultimate limits of the Mortal Realm, forcibly carving out a path unseen in all of history."

"And his origin was merely that of an insignificant ant demon."

Eldrin Chen continued his tale, concluding, "A humble origin is no disgrace. The true measure of a man lies in his ability to bend without breaking and to stand tall when needed."

"Do not waste energy comparing yourself to others. Contemplate deeply the path you wish to walk, then walk it to its very end, taking that final step of Ultimate Sublimation [the ultimate transformation and ascension of one's being]."

Immortality Great Emperor was momentarily stunned, feeling as if a great bronze bell [a large, resonant ceremonial bell] had tolled within the depths of his mind.

After a long while, he slowly turned his gaze towards Eldrin Chen, and finally nodded. "Thank you for the guidance, Imperial Lord. I understand now."

"Through ceaseless Ultimate Sublimation [the process of repeatedly refining one's being to its absolute peak], through perpetually surpassing one's own limits, one can forge their own path of Immortality [the state of eternal, unyielding existence]."

Speaking to this point, Immortality Great Emperor's expression turned solemn. He then declared, "I shall continuously explore the mysteries of Ultimate Sublimation, and even the Ultimate Path Physique [a legendary, perfect physical foundation for cultivation], to create my own Immortality Heavenly Art [a supreme cultivation scripture leading to immortality]."

"Good. I shall await that day."

Eldrin Chen smiled, patting his shoulder. "I hope that one day, your Immortality Heavenly Art may stand shoulder to shoulder with the 'Ant Heavenly Scripture' and the 'Indestructibility Heavenly Art'."

"And become another peerless heavenly scripture within the Vast and Boundless Chaos Sea [the primordial, infinite sea of chaotic energies that contains all realms], one that points directly to the Realm of Chaos [the ultimate, foundational realm of primordial chaos]."

Immortality Great Emperor gave a slight nod, then slowly rose to his feet, offering no further words.

"..."

After Immortality Great Emperor's breakthrough, Eldrin Chen resumed his tranquil life of secluded cultivation.

In the years that followed, the strength of the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm began to steadily increase.

First, Dragon Turtle Imperial Lord broke through to the eighth tier of the Primordial Imperial Lord [the eighth level of the Primordial Imperial Lord realm, a supreme cultivation stage], and then a great number of Da Luo Golden Immortals [immortals who have attained the Da Luo realm, a state of profound enlightenment and power] began to return with astonishing speed.

Among the three great Desolate Domains of old, those Da Luo Golden Immortals who had been slain by Eldrin Chen now began to return one after another to the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm.

Before anyone realized it, the number of Da Luo Golden Immortals within the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm had surpassed thirty thousand.

Of these Da Luo Golden Immortals, only around three thousand were predecessors originally belonging to the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm; the rest were Chaos Demon Gods [demonic beings born from primordial chaos] who had revived from the Desolate Race.

Given the current rate at which the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm absorbed Chaos Genesis Energy [the primordial energy of creation from which all things are born], sustaining so many Da Luo Golden Immortals was simply not cost-effective.

Therefore, Eldrin Chen decided to completely rearrange the Immortal Domain Grand Formation. This time, he established a full three hundred and sixty-five superior-grade Immortal Domains [realms of concentrated immortal energy], weaving them into a new, grander Immortal Domain Grand Formation.

The power of the new Immortal Domain Grand Formation increased dramatically. It was now capable of suppressing a Desolate Journey's worth of the Chaos Desolation Sea [the boundless, turbulent sea of chaotic energy between realms]—a distance that would take an Early Stage Da Luo Golden Immortal one million years to traverse by flight.

Suppressing such a vast expanse of the Chaos Desolation Sea greatly expanded the living space for the Da Luo Golden Immortals within the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm.

Eldrin Chen assigned at least three Da Luo Golden Immortals to guard each of the superior-grade Immortal Domains.

He then relocated the eight hundred Great Encompassing Nest [a type of powerful defensive fortress] and thirty-six Primordial One Nests [the most foundational and powerful type of nest] brought by Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign and others, scattering them across a single Desolate Journey [a vast, desolate region] within the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm.

Furthermore, Eldrin Chen used the thirty-six Primordial One Nests as core anchors to delineate thirty-six Primordial One [the foundational principle of existence] domains. With these, he established a grand Primordial One Grand Formation [a supreme defensive array based on the Primordial One principle] and stationed those Chaos Demon God [powerful demons born from primordial chaos] to guard it.

Thus, the defensive layers of the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm were transformed into three concentric rings of protection.

Within these three layers, the outermost defense consisted of over twenty thousand Chaos Demon God, jointly managing a Sea of Chaos [the primordial, formless expanse from which all things emerged] the size of a Desolate Journey. They were commanded by the supreme Great Emperor [a pinnacle realm of power], Immortality Great Emperor.

Their primary duty in peacetime was to hunt within the Sea of Chaos, offering thirty percent of their harvest to the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm.

In times of necessity, these Chaos Lair [dens or strongholds within the Sea of Chaos] would serve as Formation Eye [the critical nodes that power a grand formation], enabling them to resist attacks from external powers.

In Eldrin Chen's view, a mere eight hundred Great Encompassing Nest was far from sufficient. In the future, their number needed to be increased to three thousand, or even thirty thousand would not be too many.

If necessary, they would even need to nurture some Immortal Path Great Encompassing [cultivators who have reached the Great Encompassing realm on the Immortal Path] to establish Immortal Domain [realms created and ruled by powerful Immortals] to anchor within the Sea of Chaos, thereby further expanding the living space for their people.

The second layer of defense was composed of three hundred sixty-five high-grade Immortal Domain, forming another grand formation of the Primordial One Tier [a level of power matching the Primordial One principle].

In the future, as Spiritual Root [the innate talent for cultivation] and Innate Indestructibility Spirit Light [a rare, indestructible spiritual radiance used for cultivation and defense] gradually became more abundant, Eldrin Chen planned to expand this layer to its theoretical limit of three thousand domains.

At that time, with the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm as the core, the Chaos Desolation Sea in all directions, each guarded by three Desolate Journey, were suppressed. This expanded the operational space for Great Encompassing activities within the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm by several dozenfold once more.

The second layer of these Immortal Domain defenses was centered around the Sword Abyss Immortal Palace, with the Sword Abyss Great Emperor serving as the supreme commander.

As for the core third layer of defense, it was naturally the location of the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm itself, and required no further elaboration.

"Once these three concentric layers of defense reach their ultimate potential, I fear even a Sage Ascendant would struggle to breach the outermost perimeter," Eldrin Chen mused to himself after finalizing the layout.

According to his calculations, once the two outer defensive layers were fully activated into grand formations and commanded by the Immortality Desolation Emperor and the Sword Abyss Great Emperor, they would be capable of withstanding assaults from a Sage Ascendant.

The innermost core, the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm, possessed an even greater power. It could fuse the energies of the Immortal Domain Grand Formation and the Chaos Lair grand formation, channeling their full might into Eldrin Chen himself.

This infusion would grant Eldrin Chen combat prowess rivaling that of an Invincible Sage Ascendant.

Should any foe bypass the two outer formations and charge directly into the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm, Eldrin Chen would possess the power to forcibly subdue them, even if they were a top-tier Sage Ascendant.

"The advantages of a unified command are indeed profound," he reflected, a faint smile touching his lips.

With this thought, a sense of satisfaction settled over Eldrin Chen.

It must be admitted that the benefits of a single, unified command are immense, allowing for the greatest possible consolidation of the entire strength of the Primordial Domain.

If we were to compare this to the situation within the Three Thousand Immortal Domains, not only would it be impossible to rally the Chaos Demon God to form battle arrays, but even within a Three-Level Primordial Domain, the human, demon, and divine races could never truly unite as one.

How could the Chaos Demon God from beyond the Three Thousand Immortal Domains possibly heed the decrees of the three great powers?

Moreover, within the Southern Abyss Seven Domains, the relationships between the various powers are intricately complex, with no single supreme figure capable of commanding the allegiance of all.

Yet, within the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm, a single command from Eldrin Chen is enough. Which of the three thousand Great Encompassing Golden Immortal or the thirty thousand Chaos Demon God would dare disobey his decree?

One must remember, these Chaos Demon God owe the very restoration of their sanity to an immeasurable debt of gratitude to Eldrin Chen.

Even if they were to prove ungrateful, their strength would be but a twig trying to bend an iron bough.

Among those Chaos Demon God, the mightiest, Immortality Great Emperor, is a Divine General under Eldrin Chen's banner.

Of the veteran Imperial Lord from the old Great Wasteland Primordial Domain, the most powerful, Sword Abyss Great Emperor, is also a devoted follower of Eldrin Chen. With no one to lead a rebellion, what means could they possibly muster to resist?

It is under these circumstances that Eldrin Chen has been able to marshal the power of several thousand Great Encompassing Golden Immortal and tens of thousands of Chaos Demon God, gathering all the forces surrounding the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm into a single, unified whole.

Of course, there was another crucial reason why Eldrin Chen was able to consolidate the power of the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm.

That reason was the external environment of the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm, which was far less stable and secure than that of the Southern Abyss Seven Domains.

Unlike the Southern Abyss Seven Domains, the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm drifted alone within the Chaos Desolation Sea. Due to the immense value of its Innate Supreme Treasure Spiritual Root [a primordial spiritual root of supreme quality], it was perpetually vulnerable to threats from the outside.

If its inhabitants remained a disorganized rabble, then the arrival of just one or two covetous Sage Ascendant [a cultivator who has ascended to the Sage realm] would be enough to utterly annihilate their homeland in a single night.

"The strong can manage without a single leader."

"But for the weak, to be scattered sand is to court their own doom."

As these thoughts flickered through Eldrin Chen's mind, he watched as numerous Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal who has attained the Great Encompassing realm] and Primordial One Imperial Lord [an Imperial Lord who has reached the Primordial One realm] briefly ventured into the Chaos Desolation Sea to retrieve and transport Chaos Lair [a lair or nest formed from primordial chaos] back.

The process was not swift, yet the number of Chaos Lair gradually increased, imperceptibly surpassing one thousand.

It was on this very day that a white-haired, white-bearded elder crossed over from the depths of the Chaos Desolation Sea and stepped into this Sea of Chaos.

Having come from the deep Chaos Desolation Sea, he observed the Chaos Demon God [a demon god born from primordial chaos] laboring to move the Chaos Lair, and a faint smile touched his lips as he spoke.

"Is this the place where the Great Wasteland Primordial Domain lies?"

"At last, I have found it."