Chapter 1996 : Peerless Primordial Spirit Treasure Guixu Seal

Later, each breakthrough in the mid-stage of the Great Luo Realm only increased his power by about 50 percent. Even when he surmounted the bottleneck to the late stage of the Great Luo Golden Immortal, his strength merely doubled.

Now, having merely broken through to the eighth level of the Great Luo Golden Immortal, his power had already doubled. This clearly demonstrated that as 1's realm advanced, the disparity between each stage within the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm grew increasingly vast.

"No wonder the resources required for a breakthrough after reaching the late-stage of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm are so exceedingly rare."

Eldrin murmured inwardly, once more sensing the power within his physical form. After gauging his own strength, a faint glimmer of delight surfaced in his heart once again.

After this breakthrough, Eldrin could clearly sense the enhancement of his strength.

If, before his breakthrough, Eldrin (Person Name) had relied solely on physical strength to rival a peak Great Perfection Golden Immortal, then the current Eldrin (Person Name) could already match half a Chaos Origin Emperor.

With such physical prowess, Eldrin should be capable of rivaling 5 Great Perfection Golden Immortals through brute strength alone.

"Not counting the Sacrificial Dao of Mine, my overall strength has increased by approximately 20 percent."

Eldrin murmured to himself, then closed himself off in seclusion once more, his heart brimming with delight.

Now, his soul cultivation had also reached its limit, and it was time to break through once more.

Thinking of this, Eldrin also took out another portion of Soul-Nourishing Treasure Liquid, beginning his breakthrough in soul cultivation.

With Eldrin's foundation, breaking through to the Great Unity Primordial Spirit would have been effortless. Now, aided by the Soul-Nourishing Treasure Liquid, his breakthrough flowed as naturally as a river reaching the sea.

After merely consuming the Soul-Nourishing Elixir, Eldrin achieved a breakthrough in his soul cultivation.

After this breakthrough, Eldrin's cultivation advanced once more, with all 3 of his foundations having reached the Eighth Level of the Golden Immortal Realm.

After completing his breakthrough, Eldrin immediately felt his 3 foundational pillars becoming increasingly flawless and harmonious. The converging forces within him elevated once more, faintly reaching the threshold of the Second Layer of the Primordial Chaos Emperor.

"With 3 foundations comparable to the second level of the Primordial Chaos Emperor, combined with the power of the Sacrificial Dao, my strength should rank among the top 30 percent of all Primordial Chaos Emperors."

Eldrin murmured inwardly. After a moment of contemplation, his gaze fell upon the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss in his hand.

With his current strength, he was already considered formidable among early-stage Chaos Origin Immortal Monarchs. His only shortcoming was the insufficient power of his innate spiritual treasure in his grasp.

Although the Void-Sundering Seal was a True Spirit treasure, it was ultimately only a high-grade innate spirit treasure, its power merely comparable to that of a 20-4-ring supreme-grade innate spirit treasure.

Although the 20-4-mark supreme-grade innate numinous treasure possessed considerable power even among early-stage Chaos Immortal Emperors, it clearly paled in comparison to a Chaos Immortal Emperor like Emperor Tiankun, who stood backed by a Quasi-Sage.

Eldrin even suspected that the Celestial Kun Emperor likely possessed even more formidable trump cards, but had refrained from revealing them only because he lacked absolute confidence in delivering a single, decisive strike to annihilate his opponent.

Faced with such a formidable foe, the current Abyssal Return Seal was clearly inadequate.

Although Eldrin possessed 2 innate divine artifacts—the Indestructible Battle Garb and the Cauldron of Creation—such treasures were coveted even by Great Perfection Chaos Immortal Monarchs. Thus, Eldrin dared not reveal them recklessly.

At this thought, Eldrin gazed at the Void-Returning Seal, pondering for a moment before saying, "The Primordial Purple Qi possesses extraordinary properties—it allows me to wield a soul-bound treasure 1 full realm ahead of time."

"Previously, the lack of suitable materials prevented me from integrating it into the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss. Now, it seems the time has come to break through this barrier."

As he spoke, Eldrin began retrieving various rare treasures, quickly gathering 10 portions of innate marvels. These 12 extraordinary materials included Primordial Chaos Gold, Pure Yang Flame, and Chaos Divine Copper.

These rarities were of extraordinary value, each being a precious Primordial Chaos Treasure. An ordinary Great Luo Golden Immortal would be able to dominate the world with just 1 of them.

Fortunately, Eldrin now held an extraordinary status. Not only did he possess numerous rare treasures from the Celestial Treasury, but over the years, he had continuously exchanged and collected resources through the Celestial Court's channels. In the end, he managed to gather all 12 Chaos Primordial Treasures.

At that moment, Eldrin immediately sealed the great hall and began merging the 12 Primordial Chaos Treasures 1 by 1 into the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss.

After all 12 treasures had fully merged into the Abyssal Return Seal, Eldrin began channeling streams of Primordial Immortal Light into it. Only when 30-6 portions had been consecutively integrated did he cease infusing the primordial essence.

At that very moment, Eldrin discovered the Abyssal Return Seal erupting with overwhelming immortal light, ultimately manifesting 12 strands of Chaos Divine Patterns.

Supreme Primordial Spiritual Treasure (Magic Treasure).

Gazing at the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss before him, Eldrin slowly exhaled, a faint trace of joy coloring his expression.

In that moment, there were 12 Chaos Godrunes within Eldrin's Seal of the Returning Abyss, each woven from 12 intertwined Great Dao Godrunes.

It could be said that the Abyssal Seal was essentially an amalgamation of 12 supreme-grade innate spiritual treasures. Its power far surpassed the realm of ordinary supreme-grade innate spiritual treasures, even breaking through their inherent limits, rivaling that of an embryonic Primordial Chaos Treasure.

Moreover, this was no ordinary Primordial Chaos Treasure Embryo; its power should be on par with that of a 3-Rune Primordial Chaos Treasure Embryo.

"Not bad."

Sensing the power of the Abyssal Seal, Eldrin slowly exhaled, a trace of relief coloring his expression.

This enhancement of the Abyssal Return Seal had multiplied its power severalfold. If Eldrin were to face the Heavenly Kun Emperor again, he was now confident he could confront him directly—unless the emperor unveiled even stronger trump cards.

At this thought, Eldrin was overjoyed. He strode out of his seclusion chamber and immediately charged into the starry skies, eager to battle the Demon Emperor once more.

Just as Eldrin once again stepped into the starry skies, another great battle upon the Violet Void Ancient Star drew to a close.

Chen Ethan once again slew a Great Luo Demon Lord, dragging the corpse of the powerful foe back to the Violet Void Ancient Star. With a pale complexion, he remarked, "The demon tribes grow more numerous by the day. This war has become increasingly brutal."

Jiang Daoxu’s gaze also turned solemn, and he spoke with a weighted tone, "Lyra (Person Name) is currently in seclusion, striving for a breakthrough. If she can ascend to the eighth level of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm, she may alleviate some of the pressure we face."

"The demon race has far too many Great Perfection cultivators. Even if 1 or 2 manage to breakthrough, I'm afraid it still wouldn't bring about a qualitative change."

Chen Qiyuan spoke, his expression tinged with a trace of solemnity.

After breaking through to the late-stage Great Luo Golden Immortal realm, further advancement in cultivation had become exceedingly difficult. Currently, the resources of the Chen Immortal Clan (Organization) were concentrated in the hands of Eldrin (Person Name), Lyra (Person Name), and others, with the hope of swiftly nurturing a Chaos Origin Emperor.

Although they had also received a considerable amount of resources, they ultimately fell short by a margin, making it difficult to break through to the 8th level of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm within a short time.

At this thought, Chen Qiyuan (Person Name) spoke again, "I observe the conflict is intensifying. I fear the Eldrin (Celestial Body) will grow increasingly perilous. We must enhance our cultivation as swiftly as possible."

"It would be best if we could mobilize another batch of reinforcements from the Eastern Li Flame Domain to come support us."

Upon hearing this, everyone’s expressions turned grave.

The war has raged on for so long that both the human and divine races are stretched thin across all fronts, making it nearly impossible to spare reinforcements. Only the human domains within the chaos—such as the Eldrin Flame Dominion—can still muster a few more hands.

At this thought, Yan Ziqi spoke up, "In recent years, my husband has been besieged by the Demon Emperor of the Monster Clan on multiple occasions. The troubles and difficulties he has faced are no less daunting than ours."

"Let's wait until he arrives at the Violet Void Ancient Star next time and ask for his opinion then."

Just as the crowd was discussing, Eldrin returned from the chaos, his white robes stained with blood and his body wounded.

Everyone turned to look and couldn't help showing slight surprise on their faces. Banished Purple Princess (Person Name) quickly stepped forward, grasping Eldrin's hand as she asked, "Husband, your injuries..."

Eldrin shook his head and chuckled, "This time, my injuries were the most severe precisely because I refused to retreat, single-handedly repelling both Emperor Tiankun and Emperor Xiaoyue in battle."

Everyone was inwardly shaken upon hearing this, finally realizing that Eldrin had actually repelled the combined assault of Tiankun and the Howling Moon Emperor in a direct confrontation.

At this thought, their hearts trembled with overwhelming shock. Chen Ethan couldn’t contain his joy and exclaimed, “Have you broken through?”

"Hmm."

Eldrin nodded slightly and said with a smile, "This breakthrough in cultivation has significantly enhanced my power."

"Though it was difficult to defeat them head-on, by leveraging the restorative wonders of the Great Dao of Life and battling them relentlessly for over a million years, I ultimately gained some advantage."

It turned out that after Eldrin (Person Name) achieved his breakthrough, he immediately charged into the Star Abyss and once again engaged in an epic confrontation against the 2 Great Emperors of the demon race.

In his first battle against 2 opponents at once, Eldrin (Person Name) endured through the Great Dao of Life, ultimately forcing the Heavenly Kun Emperor and the Howling Moon Emperor to retreat with severe injuries.

Although Eldrin (Person Name) had also suffered severe injuries, this could still be considered a cause for celebration.

You must understand, in all their previous confrontations, Eldrin had been consistently overpowered by the duo, ultimately forced to flee back to the Celestial Pillar Imperial Star every single time.

Understanding this, a glimmer of joy arose in everyone's hearts.

Seraphina Qu couldn't help but pull Eldrin closer, saying with a hint of laughter, "With your breakthrough this time, my lord, it seems our chances of defending the Celestial Beam Star Domain have grown significantly."

Hearing this, everyone couldn't help but let a faint smile grace their lips.

Although Eldrin (Person Name) held the revered status of a primordial patriarch, with power and standing equivalent to a Chaos Emperor, his cultivation realm remained at the Grand Luo Golden Immortal level.

If he were to take action against a Great Luo Golden Immortal, no 1 could possibly accuse him of bullying the weak.

Eldrin shook his head, his expression grave as he said, "Throughout this great war, I've always sensed that Emperor Tiankun still holds a hidden card. Though he carries a supreme treasure, he has yet to deploy it—most likely biding his time for the perfect moment to strike."

"Or perhaps, his target was never me to begin with."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions turned grave.

They exchanged a glance, and in the end, it was Jiang Daoxu (Person Name) who could no longer restrain himself and asked, "You mean...?"

Eldrin did not answer immediately. After a brief pause, he said, "I have a feeling the demon race's motives for launching this war run far deeper than merely reclaiming the lost Zhou Tian Stars."

"Most likely, their ambitions extend far beyond the Tianliang Star Domain—perhaps even beyond the entire Southern Dipper's 6 stars."

Upon hearing this, everyone fell into deep contemplation.

This time, when the demonic tribes launched their great war, they dispersed their forces across the entire firmament of celestial stars.

包括南斗六星、北斗七星、三垣诸多、二十八星宿、都在妖族的征伐之中，让人看不清他们真正的目标。

Were they aiming to reclaim all the lost Celestial Heavens and Stars in 1 fell swoop, or merely obscuring their true objective beneath this grand ambition? Their intentions remained elusive, veiled in a mist of uncertainty.

Or perhaps, the true objective of the demon race was actually for a deeper, more profound secret?

Eldrin had a vague premonition that the demon race was likely plotting something grand.

Of course, even if the demon race truly harbored greater schemes, given Eldrin's current strength, he would likely find it difficult to tip the scales of the war.

At this thought, Eldrin withdrew his focus and turned his gaze to the assembly. "Recent divinations reveal that this 3 Clans War will persist for at least 7 or 8 kalpas," he declared.

"So for the time being, we shouldn't face a major defeat. You should continue tempering yourselves through battle."

Hearing this, everyone breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Chen Ethan recalled something and couldn't help but remark, "In that case, why don't we recruit some Great Luo Golden Immortals from the Eastern Li Flame Domain to join the battle? This could help address the shortage of manpower at the frontlines."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin pondered for a moment before saying, "That is indeed a solution. Very well, I shall dispatch messengers to inform the Celestial Court and issue a decree ordering the Eastern Li Flame Domain to deploy half of its Great Luo Immortal Lords to join the battle."

"As for the clan's Great Perfection Elders, those whose cultivation has reached an impasse and cannot break through in the short term—let them all come to the battlefield to temper themselves."

Everyone nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

The immortals of the Chen Immortal Clan (Organization) all possessed extraordinary foundations, making them virtually unmatched among peers of the same realm. Further bolstered by the overwhelming fortune bestowed by the Primordial Violet Qi, their capacity for self-preservation remained remarkably formidable.

Allowing them to join the Starry Sky Battlefield for tempering would also help solidify their foundations.

Seeing everyone’s agreement, Eldrin immediately arranged for Ethan Chen to handle these matters. Once the affairs were settled, the Celestial Beam Star Domain gained reinforcements—several dozen new Great Luo Golden Immortals—and the pressure they faced finally eased considerably.

Moreover, with Eldrin's (Person Name) cultivation breakthrough significantly enhancing his combat prowess, the 4 Divine Monarchs devised a strategy and launched a powerful counteroffensive, successfully reclaiming vast stretches of lost territory in the ensuing campaign.

Originally, Eldrin had quite a few criticisms regarding the Mysterious Abyss Emperor who remained aloof in the rear.

Yet in this very battle, Monarch Xuanli once again summoned several Great Luo Monarchs to join the fray. He even split his avatar to descend upon the front lines, intercepting a Chaos Unity Monarch of the demon race. This forced Eldrin (Person Name) to abandon any other schemes he might have harbored.

The victory in this battle seemed to mark the beginning of a favorable turn in the situation across the entire Celestial Ridge Star Domain.

However, the good times did not last long. As the demon race also began summoning Great Luo Demon Lords to join the war, the conflict in the Tianliang Star Domain once again descended into a grueling stalemate.

Thus time flowed on, and amidst the ceaseless tides of battle, several kalpas passed. In the end, the Celestial Beam Star Domain was gradually eroded away.

After 3 kalpas had passed, the territory of the Celestial Beam Star Domain had already lost 70 percent, and everything began to spiral toward an unfavorable direction.

On this day, Eldrin returned from the depths of the starry skies, drenched in blood and bearing rather severe injuries, his expression tinged with solemnity.

4 consecutive kalpas of war had stained Eldrin with a wisp of indestructible baleful aura.

At this moment, he tore through the firmament, descending like a Heaven-Slaying Immortal Lord emerging from primordial chaos, his entire being radiating an indomitable will to battle.

Within the grand hall of the Celestial Pillar Imperial Star, the River Luo Emperor and his retinue had already assembled for quite some time.

Eldrin scanned his surroundings and gave a slight nod upon seeing the figures of 5 Primordial Chaos Emperors standing within the grand hall.

Over these several kalpas, as the war grew increasingly urgent, the Celestial Court had conscripted numerous Primordial Chaos Emperors into battle, and had even invited many from the 100 Races of the Fey to lend their aid.

As 1 of the 6 stars of the Southern Dipper, the Tianliang Star Domain naturally received reinforcements once more.

At this moment, the 2 newly arrived Great Emperors were none other than ‘Emperor Menghuang’ (Person Name), 1 of the 7 Primordial Chaos Great Emperors from the School of Military Strategies. His cultivation had reached the third level of the Primordial Chaos Great Emperor realm, and he had further refined the School of Military Strategies' path of slaughter and conquest. His strength was absolutely not to be underestimated.

The other individual possessed a cultivation base of only the first level of the Primordial Chaos Emperor, and hailed from 1 of the 100 Races of the Immortal Spirits—the Azure Flame Ancient Clan. He was the Azure Spirit Emperor, rumored to be a long-time close friend of the Celestial Liang Emperor.

Eldrin exchanged greetings with each of the 5 Divine Monarchs before settling solemnly into his own seat.

The few of them had fought side by side through several kalpas and knew Eldrin quite well. The River Luo Emperor immediately inquired, "How did it go?"

"The demon clan has dispatched another mid-stage Chaos Unity Emperor, making the current situation increasingly dire."

Eldrin spoke, his face revealing a trace of solemnity.

Upon hearing this, the 5 Great Emperors’ expressions shifted slightly. Qingling Emperor (Emperor Title) couldn’t help but exclaim, “Over the years, the demon race has reinforced their troops multiple times. Currently, there are already 700 Great Perfection realm demon cultivators in the Tianliang Starfield (Location Name), and even the Chaos Unity Emperors (Cultivation Realm) number as many as 8.”

"This time, we even face a mid-stage Chaos Origin Emperor. If the battle continues, I fear we’ll have no choice but to entrench ourselves within the Celestial Pillar Imperial Star."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions grew slightly solemn.

Witnessing this, the Riverlord Emperor Luo couldn’t help but turn to the Celestial Pillar Emperor and ask, “The demon tribe has dispatched a mid-stage Chaos Unity Emperor. What has the Celestial Court said? Can they truly send a mid-stage Chaos Unity Emperor to aid us?”

"I'm afraid it's not going to work."

Before the Celestial Liang Emperor could respond, the Meng Huang Emperor from the Military School spoke up.

As 1 of the top 3 schools among the 100 Schools of Thought, the Military Strategist Sect, led by none other than the Black Abyss Emperor—1 of the 5 Great Emperors of the human race—naturally possessed a clearer understanding of the current state of the battlefield.

He took a deep breath before speaking: "The main force of the demonic races is assaulting the Taiwei Enclosure. Most of our 5 Heavenly Emperors and mid-stage Divine Monarchs are currently defending it—I'm afraid no reinforcements can be spared for the time being."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of everyone present shifted slightly.

Taking a deep breath, Emperor Xuanli spoke once more, "If all else fails, we must abandon the subsidiary stars and retreat to defend the Celestial Pillar Imperial Star."

Upon hearing this, all the Heavenly Emperors fell into contemplative silence, momentarily at a loss for how to respond.

Eldrin (Person Name) believed that once the subsidiary star domains were lost, the Celestial Pillar Imperial Star would inevitably fall. He thus declared, "A solitary city cannot be defended, nor can a lone star be held for long."

"To safeguard the Eldrin Imperial Star, we must not lose any of the subsidiary stars within the Eldrin Star Domain."

"In my opinion, it would be wiser to concentrate our forces on defending the 30-6 Great Luo Ancient Stars, relying on the Celestial Beam Star Domain's grand formation for protection."

The River Luo Sovereign also nodded in agreement, seizing the opportunity to remark, "By holding fast to the 30-6 Great Luo Ancient Stars, we can sustain our defenses for at least several kalpas more."

"Moreover, these ancient stars contain teleportation arrays, allowing for safe evacuation when necessary."

Green Spirit Emperor and Meng Huang Emperor also nodded in agreement with the 2's assessment.

Seeing this, Emperor Xuanli had no choice but to abandon his attempt at persuasion. He sighed softly and said, "If that is the case, then let it be as you all wish."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 1 The biting mountain wind whipped across the cliffside, carrying with it the scent of pine and damp earth. Lin Chen gritted his teeth, his knuckles white as he gripped the rough stone ledge. Below him, a sea of clouds churned, obscuring the treacherous depths of the ravine. He had been climbing for what felt like an eternity, his body pushed to its absolute limit. His mind, however, was elsewhere, replaying the events of the past few days. The ambush. The betrayal. The cold, mocking laughter of his former senior apprentice brother. A fire of pure resentment burned in his dantian, a stark contrast to the frigid air that threatened to sap the last of his strength. 'Just a little further,' he told himself, the thought a desperate mantra. 'The legend must be true. The legacy of the Fallen Star Sage... it has to be there.' With a final, gut-wrenching heave, he pulled himself over the ledge and collapsed onto a small, surprisingly flat plateau. He lay there for a long moment, chest heaving, his robes torn and stained. When his breathing finally steadied, he pushed himself up and looked around. The plateau was barren save for a single, ancient pine tree growing defiantly from a crack in the stone, and a cave mouth, dark and yawning, that seemed to swallow the very light around it. An aura of immense age and profound silence emanated from within. This was it. The Secluded Peak of the Lost Heaven. Stumbling to his feet, Lin Chen approached the cave. As he crossed the threshold, the temperature dropped sharply. The air grew thick with spiritual energy, so dense it was almost palpable. He fumbled in his pouch, his fingers closing around the last of his spirit stones. Only a dozen or so remained. A pittance. He had started his journey with over 5,000. He activated a minor illumination art, and a soft glow emanated from his palm, pushing back the oppressive darkness. The cave was larger than it appeared from the outside, its walls smooth as if polished by some immense force over countless ages. Strange, faintly glowing runes were carved at intervals, their meanings lost to time. He ventured deeper, his heart pounding not from exertion, but from a mixture of fear and burgeoning hope. After navigating a series of twisting passages, he arrived in a vast cavern. In the center of the cavern stood a simple stone pedestal. And upon that pedestal rested a single, jade slip, pristine and glowing with a gentle, milky light. Lin Chen's breath hitched. He approached slowly, almost reverently. This was no ordinary jade slip. Its craftsmanship was exquisite, far surpassing anything he had ever seen in the Verdant Cloud Sect. This was the real thing. He reached out, his fingers trembling slightly, and picked it up. As soon as his skin made contact, a flood of information surged directly into his consciousness. It was not a single cultivation method, but a complete inheritance—the [Heaven Swallowing Art (Cultivation Method)]. The initial fragments of knowledge made his head spin. The principles it described were profound, unorthodox, and terrifyingly powerful. It spoke not of gently guiding and refining spiritual energy, but of devouring it. Consuming heaven, earth, and all spiritual phenomena to fuel 1's own ascent to power. It was a path of absolute dominance, a law unto itself. For a long time, Lin Chen simply stood there, the jade slip clutched in his hand, the weight of the inheritance settling upon his soul. The resentment and despair that had festered within him began to morph, crystallizing into a cold, hard resolve. He had been an outer disciple of no consequence, trampled upon and discarded. He had nothing left to lose. A grim, determined smile touched his lips for the first time in weeks. "Very well," he whispered to the silent cavern, his voice raspy but firm. "If the world seeks to break me, I shall simply devour the world." He sat down in a lotus position right there on the cold stone floor, the [Heaven Swallowing Art] already beginning to cycle, however weakly, within his meridians. The first step on a long and lonely road had been taken.