Chapter 1997 : Abyssal Black Abyss

As the various Primordial Chaos Emperors reached their decision, the human forces across the entire Celestial Beam Star Domain began to consolidate their troops.

Countless human immortals, celestial soldiers and generals, and even Great Luo Golden Immortals had withdrawn from the lower-tier Zhou Tian Stars, converging upon the 30-6 Great Luo Ancient Stars and the Tian Liang Imperial Star.

To ensure the absolute safety of these 30-6 ancient stars, Emperor Tianlang even activated the grand formation of the Tianlang Star Domain, linking the 30-6 celestial stars into an interconnected network, further reinforcing their defenses.

Bolstered by the grand formation and the concentrated efforts of numerous immortals and Great Luo Golden Immortals, the Celestial Pillar Imperial Star finally stabilized considerably.

With their forces now concentrated, the defensive pressure on the human race's immortals was significantly alleviated.

While the majority of their forces held their positions in this star domain, steadfastly maintaining their defensive stance, they dispatched a select group of elite Immortal Realm cultivators who had reached the Great Perfection stage. Armed with spatial treasures, these elites launched surprise attacks against the rear star domains occupied by the demon tribes.

Left with no alternative, the demon race was forced to divide their forces to maintain garrisons, causing their offensive momentum to plummet dramatically.

Thus time flew by, and before anyone knew it, another 2 kalpas had passed. It was not until this day that Eldrin emerged from his secluded cultivation, only to receive a startling piece of news.

"The Celestial Unity Imperial Star has been breached."

In the Hall of Heavenly Beams, 6 Monarchs stood facing each other, each revealing expressions of profound astonishment.

Eldrin gazed at the intelligence report in his hand and couldn't refrain from asking, "The Celestial Unity Imperial Star holds an exceptionally exalted rank, guarded by 7 Chaos Origin Imperial Monarchs with the mid-Chaos Origin stage Celestial Unity Imperial Monarch presiding. How could it possibly be breached so easily?"

The other Emperor Lords all shifted their expressions slightly, turning their gazes toward Celestial Pillar Emperor Lord. He sighed softly before stating plainly, "Though the Celestial Unity Emperor Star possesses greater strength, the pressure he faces surpasses even ours."

Not long ago, pressured by the demon tribes, they withdrew their forces to fortify their position on the Celestial Concord Imperial Star.

Yet no 1 could have ever imagined that the Golden Crocodile Emperor, who had come to lend his aid, would suddenly turn traitor and sabotage the grand formation. Seizing the opportunity, the demon race gathered 13 Emperors for a surprise assault, with 2 even at the mid-stage of the Primordial Chaos Emperor realm joining the fray. In a single battle, they shattered the Celestial Concord Imperial Star.

In this battle, among the 7 Great Emperors guarding the Celestial Unity Imperial Star, 1 defected, 3 had their physical bodies destroyed, and the remaining 3 suffered extremely severe injuries.

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions shifted slightly.

Golden Crocodile Emperor was the patriarch of the Golden Crocodile Ancient Clan, 1 of the 100 Races of Immortal Spirits. This lineage ranked 30-first among the 100 Races and was a renowned and formidable ancient clan.

Golden Crocodile Emperor was a close friend of Celestial Concord Emperor, which was why he had been invited to lend a hand. Yet no 1 could have ever imagined that he would suddenly betray them at this critical juncture.

At this thought, a sense of unease crept into everyone’s hearts, and they instinctively turned their gazes toward Eldrin (Person Name).

After all, with the precedent of hired reinforcements turning hostile, most of those present had grown somewhat wary of Emperor Qingling, an outsider.

Seeing this, Emperor Liang hurriedly interjected, “Green Spirit and I have been close friends for many years. He would never betray us.”

"That may not necessarily be the case."

At that very moment, Emperor Xuanli (Person Name) suddenly spoke, "From what I know, Emperor Golden Crocodile (Person Name) turned against us because the Imperial Crocodile bloodline of the demon race offered to merge with his faction once more."

"You are all surely aware that the Azureflame Ancient Clan's lineage gave rise to the Cyan Mystical Heaven Fire tribe among the demon races..."

Before Emperor Xuanli could finish speaking, a subtle shift passed through the gazes of the assembled crowd.

The Verdant Spirit Emperor's face instantly darkened. With a flick of his sleeve, he declared, "Since none of you trust this Emperor, then this battle was an unnecessary move on my part."

As the words faded, Emperor Qingling swept his sleeve and strode into the depths of chaos.

Seeing this, Emperor Tianliang immediately stepped forward to restrain Emperor Qingling, but was shoved aside. Emperor Qingling then stormed off the Tianliang Imperial Star in a rage.

"Alas—"

Watching the Green Spirit Emperor depart, the Heavenly Beam Emperor heaved consecutive sighs. Turning to gaze at the Profound Departure Emperor, a flicker of ire rose within him as if to voice some grievance, yet in the end, he could only swallow it all back into silence.

Eldrin observed all of this in silence. Though he initially intended to persuade the Azure Spirit Emperor to turn back, he ultimately withdrew the thought.

With the precedent of Golden Crocodile Emperor, humanity clearly harbored a certain distrust toward the 100 Races of the Immortal Realm.

Under such circumstances, unless Celestial Pillar Emperor were to pay a tremendous price to vouch for her, or unless a figure of Black Abyss Emperor's stature were to personally guarantee her standing, Verdant Spirit Empress would find it exceedingly difficult to remain.

Moreover, the Azure Spirit Emperor had come specifically to lend his aid, and naturally had no desire to suffer unjust accusations. To clear his name of suspicion, he would certainly not remain.

At this thought, Eldrin turned his gaze back to Emperor Xuanli, a faint glimmer of light flickering in his pupils.

The moment Azure Spirit Emperor departed, Xuan Li Emperor appeared far too composed, while the other emperors harbored varying degrees of suspicion toward Azure Spirit Emperor.

"It seems the Celestial Pillar Imperial Star may also be in peril."

Eldrin (Person Name) murmured inwardly, a vague plan beginning to take shape in his mind.

He withdrew his thoughts and then asked, "The Celestial Unity Imperial Star has been breached. What should we do next?"

The Meng Huang Emperor withdrew his thoughts and spoke, "The Celestial Concordance Emperor Star is 1 of the 6 stars of the Southern Dipper, a position of utmost significance. The great emperors of the Celestial Court will likely use it as a pivot to launch their counterattack. Let us prepare for battle."

Everyone nodded upon hearing this, their expressions growing solemn.

The meeting thus concluded, and Eldrin returned alone to the cultivation hall. He then summoned the Great Luo Golden Immortals of the Chen Immortal Clan, his expression grave as he relayed the matter to them.

After hearing this, a trace of solemnity surfaced on everyone's faces.

Lyra took a deep breath before speaking, "Since the outbreak of the 3 Clans War, both humans and deities have been forced into defensive positions."

Over the years, while the demon race, as the aggressors, had achieved significant gains, their battle losses far surpassed those of the human and god races. In contrast, the latter 2 steadily amassed their strength.

"Considering the timing and the significance of the Celestial Concordance Star, I believe the human and deity races will likely seize this opportunity to launch a counteroffensive."

Eldrin nodded upon hearing this and said, "The demon race came prepared for this battle. Even if the human and god races launch a counterattack, it is uncertain whether they can achieve significant results."

"Regardless, the battles to come are likely to grow even more intense."

"I hope you will seize the time and cultivate diligently before then, striving to see if you can make another breakthrough in your cultivation."

Everyone nodded upon hearing this, their expressions turning grave.

Witnessing this, Eldrin had everyone withdraw. Just as he was preparing to enter seclusion for cultivation, he received a secret imperial decree.

He opened it to find an edict personally drafted by the Black Abyss Emperor, summoning him to the Black Abyss Heaven for an audience.

After receiving the secret decree, Eldrin immediately suppressed his aura and slipped silently into the Abyssal Heavens.

Deep within the Black Abyss Heavens, he beheld the Black Abyss Great Emperor.

After so many years apart, the aura of the Black Abyss Emperor remained as profound and boundless as the deepest sea, exuding a sense of overwhelming power that made it impossible for others to look up to him.

After meeting Eldrin, the Black Abyss Emperor studied him for a moment before nodding. "Your cultivation progress is remarkably swift. It seems you are not far from reaching the Great Perfection stage of the Golden Immortal realm."

"Thanks to the Celestial Court's boundless favor."

Eldrin spoke. Over the years, he had fought many battles for the Celestial Court, and in return, he had earned numerous military merits and generous rewards.

Among the treasures bestowed by the Celestial Court were numerous rare resources, including Chaos Wonders that cultivated both the primordial spirit and physical form—their value no less than that of Chaos Elixirs or Soul-Nourishing Treasure Liquids.

With these treasures, along with wondrous items such as the Soulfruit of Heaven, the Golden Fruit of Immortality, the Soul-Nourishing Wood, and the Bamboo Shoot of the Great Luo...

Moreover, tempered by the crucible of war, Eldrin's spiritual essence and physical cultivation had advanced by approximately 50 percent compared to when he first entered the Eighth Heaven of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm. He had now reached the absolute pinnacle of the Eighth Heaven.

Next, all that was required was to accumulate primordial essence in preparation for breaking through to the ninth level of the Great Luo Golden Immortal.

At this rate, even after the resources required for cultivation doubled beyond the Eighth Heaven of the Great Luo Golden Immortal, Eldrin estimated he could still break through to the Great Perfection of the Great Luo Golden Immortal within 3 to 5 kalpic cycles.

At that time, with all 3 foundations having reached the Great Perfection of the Golden Immortal of the Grand Luo, Eldrin's (Person Name) strength would experience an immense advancement.

Therefore, Eldrin expressed his gratitude for the Celestial Court's reward.

"You fight for the Celestial Court, for the star-spanning dominion of the human race."

"Those treasures are all rightfully yours."

The Black Abyss Emperor smiled faintly before continuing, "I summoned you here to request your participation in an operation."

"Join the operation?"

A flicker of insight passed through Eldrin's eyes as he instantly grasped the implication. Without hesitation, he inquired decisively, "What Your Majesty refers to... could it possibly be..."

"Hmm."

Black Abyss Emperor nodded, then spoke: "With the current war at a stalemate, we are preparing to mobilize forces for a counterattack to reclaim the Tian Tong Ancient Star."

Eldrin (Person Name) froze momentarily before asking, "Could it be that even with the Immortal Court's contingency plans, they still cannot reclaim the Ancient Celestial of Heavenly Union?"

The Black Abyss Emperor shook his head and spoke, "The true main force of the demon race has yet to appear. I fear their attack on the Tian Tong Ancient Star is merely a feint, which is why I dare not mobilize too many of our reserve forces."

A flicker of solemnity passed through Eldrin's (Person Name) eyes.

If the assault on Tian Tong Ancient Star was merely a feint, then the secret hidden behind it must be even more terrifying.

At this thought, Eldrin took a deep breath and asked, "Could it be that the demon race has an even greater conspiracy?"

"I do not know either."

The Black Abyss Emperor shook his head and declared, "Given the strength of the demon race, even if our human and god races join forces, they would likely seize a vast stretch of star territory from us."

"If we let our guard down, we might not even be able to protect the Southern Dipper's 6 stars."

With these words, the Black Abyss Emperor pondered briefly before speaking, "Given your foundation, if you were to break through to the Great Perfection Stage of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm, would you have the confidence to hold back a mid-stage Chaos Origin Emperor?"

Eldrin (Person Name) froze momentarily upon hearing this, sinking into pensive contemplation.

With his 3 supreme foundations, any single 1 reaching the Great Perfection of the Golden Immortal realm should rival the initial stage of a Primordial Chaos Emperor.

When these 3 foundational pillars converge into 1, they are bound to produce a qualitative transformation. Even if it cannot rival the might of a Fourfold Chaos Emperor, it will undoubtedly possess peerless combat prowess among the Third-Fold Chaos Emperors.

With such profound foundations, coupled with the authority of the Path of Self-Offering’s Great Dao, it might barely suffice to withstand a fourth-level Chaos Origin Emperor.

At this thought, Eldrin couldn't help but remark, "If it's merely about holding them off, there might be a 40 to 50 percent chance. But given my current foundation, I'm afraid it would be difficult to make a breakthrough in a short time."

"A 40 to 50 percent chance?" the Black Abyss Emperor spoke, then declared, "That is sufficient."

With that, the Black Abyss Emperor spoke, "Come with me."

As the words faded, the Black Abyss Emperor brought Eldrin (Person Name) deep into the heart of the Black Abyss Heaven—a dark, bottomless chasm.

"This is the Bottomless Black Abyss."

The Black Abyss Emperor spoke, his expression calm as he said, "The Bottomless Black Abyss was something I retrieved from the depths of chaos. The Profound Chaos Waters within it are an excellent sacred ground for the Hunyuan Emperor to cultivate his physical form, and it is also my private cultivation dojo."

"If you were to step inside and cultivate, breaking through to the Great Perfection stage of the Great Luo Golden Immortal should be well within your grasp."

"However, while such a blessed land holds boundless wonders, activating it even once comes at no small cost. Were it not for the urgency of our current wartime situation, even if you offered me a 3-Rune Innate Supreme Treasure Embryo, I would hardly make an exception to open it for you."

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 1000-zhang abyss. "Just a bit more," he muttered to himself, the words swallowed by the howling gale. "The Heaven-Swallowing Cultivation Art must be within reach." His spiritual sense brushed against the cold rock, searching. For 3 days and nights, he had scaled this treacherous peak, his meager Qi reserves dwindling with each passing hour. The outer sect disciples had laughed when he declared his intention to find the lost manual. "A mere Qi Refinement Stage cultivator, daring to seek the legacy of Elder Ming?" they had sneered. "He'll be another skeleton decorating the cliffs." Suddenly, his fingers touched something smooth and cold amidst the rough granite. A hidden compartment, sealed for who knows how long. With trembling hands, he pried it open, revealing a jade slip that glowed with an ethereal light. The Heaven-Swallowing Cultivation Art (Cultivation Method)! As he grasped the jade slip, a thunderous voice echoed in his mind: "To inherit my legacy, you must first survive the 9 Heavens Lightning Tribulation (Cultivation Tribulation)." A shadow fell over him. Lin Chen looked up to see a figure hovering in the air, robes fluttering despite the lack of wind. It was Elder Wu, his eyes cold and calculating. "Hand over the manual, boy," Elder Wu (Person Name) said, his voice deceptively soft. "A Qi Refinement ant like you doesn't deserve such a treasure." Lin Chen's heart pounded. He had only 1,200 spirit stones (Cultivation Resource) in his pouch—barely enough to purchase a single Foundation Establishment Pill (Elixir). Facing a Golden Core Stage expert was suicide. But then he remembered the words of his master, long turned to dust: "True cultivators defy the heavens themselves. What is 1 elder before the vast Dao?" Clutching the jade slip tightly, Lin Chen made his decision. He would rather face the lightning than bow to tyranny. "Come then, old man," he said, a defiant smile gracing his lips. "Let us see if your Golden Core can withstand the fury of the heavens." Above them, dark clouds gathered, and the first rumble of thunder shook the very mountain.