Chapter 2005 : Scion of Vermilion Bird

Lu Chong'a nodded, retrieving several rare treasures from his sleeve and handing them to the trio. "These are but a few trinkets I've accumulated over the years," he said. "Take them to enhance your cultivation."

"I await your good news in the Celestial Realm."

The 3 of them took 1 glance and were instantly shaken to the core. The treasures Lu Chong'a had gifted were nothing less than Innate Spiritual Treasures and even Great Luo Immortal Pills! They immediately tried to decline the offerings.

Lu Chong’a shook his head and spoke bluntly, “These were all obtained when my senior brother slaughtered those scum from the Youxuan Imperial Court. If you can help me rescue Yinghui, consider them your reward.”

Hearing this, the 3 of them finally put away their treasures.

Witnessing this, Lu Chong’a patted their shoulders and spoke with a tone of grave sincerity, “Focus on improving your cultivation. I fear a full-scale war with the Netherdark Imperial Court is not far off.”

Within the immortal palace, Eldrin took in everything before his eyes and let out a slow, deep sigh.

Over the years, Eldrin had also felt some sentiment regarding his disciple’s fall into the cycle of reincarnation. However, the Dark Mysterious Emperor was at the mid-stage of the Primordial Chaos Emperor Realm—hardly an opponent who could be subdued with ease.

Even if Eldrin were to employ every means at his disposal, he would at best be evenly matched against this individual.

Moreover, Eldrin (Person Name) was by no means confronted by only the Dark Mystic Emperor as his arch-nemesis on the path of the Great Dao.

Therefore, over the years, both Eldrin and the entire Abyssal Return Immortal Alliance have generally maintained a low profile.

Fortunately, as time went on, everything began moving in a positive direction.

After cultivating through several kalpas, Eldrin (Person Name) had reached the pinnacle of the Great Luo Golden Immortal perfection. Within the next 5 kalpas, he would be able to challenge the realm of the Primordial Chaos Emperor.

Once 1 breaks through to the Realm of Primordial Chaos, the Dark Mystic Sovereign will no longer pose a significant threat.

In truth, among Eldrin's 3 foundational pillars, his progress in the Dao had advanced the most rapidly—he had now reached the stage where he could attempt the breakthrough to the realm of Primordial Chaos Emperor.

The reason he hadn't broken through was because Eldrin intended to advance all 3 foundational pillars simultaneously.

When the time comes, with all 3 foundations simultaneously reaching the mid-stage of Primordial Chaos Emperor, Eldrin's (Person Name) power would surge exponentially.

It may not rival the late-stage Primordial Chaos Emperor, but at the pinnacle of the mid-stage Primordial Chaos Emperor realm, its methods and combat prowess are comparable to those of a sixth-level Primordial Chaos Emperor.

By that time, dealing with the Dark Mystic Emperor would no longer pose any significant challenge.

Of course, once Eldrin (Person Name) broke through to the realm of Chaos Emperor, he would also face a rather troublesome situation.

Because once he broke through to the realm of Primordial Chaos Emperor, any further actions those Primordial Chaos Emperors took against Eldrin would be considered a conflict of the Great Dao among peers. Even the 2 Human Ancestor Sage Sovereigns would have no grounds for objection.

Therefore, once Eldrin (Person Name) sets foot in the realm of the Primordial Chaos Emperor, it is highly likely that the Pure Yang Great Emperor would scheme against Eldrin (Person Name).

"1 must not rush the breakthrough."

"We must await the return of Emperor Heiyuan."

Eldrin murmured inwardly, a glimmer of anticipation flickering in his gaze.

In ages past, when the Black Abyss Emperor ventured into the Chaotic Desolate Sea, he claimed he would return within 10 kalpas because he sought to reach a forbidden zone within the desolate waters—1 that could elevate his cultivation to unprecedented heights.

That forbidden land holds astonishing opportunities. The Black Abyss Emperor had explored it on numerous occasions, yet never possessed the confidence to conquer it.

With the Indestructible Battle Garb now in his possession, the Black Abyss Emperor finally felt a measure of confidence. Should this endeavor succeed, his power would likely advance yet another step.

By that time, his safety would likely be significantly enhanced.

With these thoughts in mind, Eldrin quickly suppressed them, withdrawing his focus before rising and making his way to a cluster of cave heavens within the Abyssal Immortal Realm.

Within this cluster of grotto-heavens, Eldrin encountered several old acquaintances: the Nether Sovereign of Ancient Ruins, the Daoist of Violet Mystery, the Ancestor of Myriad Spirits, the Divinity of Parting Flames, and the Daoist of Celestial Abyss.

After cultivating through dozens of kalpas, these old acquaintances had long since devoted themselves to the Sacrificial Self Dao, and their cultivation had now reached the peak of the Immortal Vault realm.

Compared to those registered disciples, Eldrin showed even greater care for these old acquaintances.

Now, these old acquaintances had not only reached the Perfected Immortal Realm's pinnacle, but had also cultivated the True Spirit Sacrificial Body. Moreover, the immortal domains they had forged were all supreme-grade domains exceeding 10 limitations.

At this moment, Eldrin sat shoulder-to-shoulder with several old acquaintances in the grand hall and couldn't help but smile as he said, "It's been ages since we last met. How have you been faring lately?"

Hearing this, everyone present also revealed a faint smile.

The Amethyst Mystery Elder stroked his long beard and spoke, "With you holding us in your heart, how could we possibly be living anything less than well?"

"Hahaha…"

Hearing this, everyone burst into hearty laughter.

Eldrin (Person Name) also smiled faintly before speaking. "I still remember those bygone days, when we fought side by side, weathering the perils of the Heavenly Tribulation, the Dao Tribulation, and even the fearsome Karmic Cataclysm."

"Yet ever since I attained the Great Dao of the Golden Immortal, our gatherings have gradually grown fewer."

Hearing this, everyone present let out a soft sigh.

All beneath the Great Perfection are but ants. After Eldrin (Person Name) broke through to the Great Perfection realm, they could scarcely be of any further use.

In the ensuing myriad wars and tribulations, only Great Luo immortals were qualified to attend the high-level meetings of the Abyssal Return Immortal Alliance. They simply couldn't intervene in these matters, and naturally, their interactions with each other gradually diminished.

The Ancestor of Myriad Spirits also understood this point and could not help but sigh as he said, "Our accumulation is already sufficient. In this kalpic tribulation, we ought to advance another step further."

The others all nodded in agreement. The Elder of the Abyssal Path added, "My Abyssal Sword has been an Innate Spiritual Treasure for many years. It is time for this tribulation to be stained with the blood of a formidable foe."

Seeing this, Eldrin retrieved some rare treasures from his sleeve and handed them to the crowd, then said with a light laugh, "The Great Dao stands alone and supreme, yet the pinnacle bears the bitter chill of solitude."

"I have been waiting for you all for a long time above the Great Dao."

Emerging from the Ancient Cavern of Bygone Friends, Eldrin finally returned to his abode.

After returning to the cave abode, he noticed Lyra (Person Name) had just returned. A smile touched his lips as he inquired, "How did it go?"

"Elara, Freya, and my cousin Dorian have already discussed it with me. We've decided to undergo tribulation rebirth."

Lyra spoke slowly, a trace of solemnity flickering in her gaze.

Eldrin nodded, having anticipated this outcome.

Among these old acquaintances, Dorian was Lyra's cousin, once hailed as the foremost sage of the Violet Realm. Over the years, he had also served as 1 of the masterminds behind the Ebbing Abyss Immortal Alliance.

Elara was the personal disciple of Lyra. In her early years, she rendered outstanding service to both the Chen Immortal Clan and the Ancient Sect of Celestial Ruins. Freya also remained 1 of Lyra's closest confidantes.

Thus, these 3 individuals, who shared an exceptionally close bond with Eldrin (Person Name), were all meticulously groomed targets of the Chen Immortal Clan (Organization).

Alas, all 3 were Flawed Celestials, each with profound deficiencies in their foundational cultivation.

Over the years, even though Eldrin had repeatedly expended considerable resources to help them fortify their foundations, their potential ultimately remained limited.

After countless kalpas of arduous cultivation, Elara and her companions now remain perpetually at the early stage of Ancient Immortal realm, unable to advance any further.

Due to flaws in his foundation, even exclusive cultivation of the Path of Self-Offering would remain incomplete.

The 3 of them had but 1 path to advance further: reincarnate and cultivate anew.

After all, Eldrin possessed the Primordial Chaos Sutra. If he could bestow even 1 or 2 Primordial Chaos Characters upon the 3 of them, achieving the realm of Chaos Emperor in the future would be no obstacle at all.

It was precisely for this reason that Lyra (Person Name) personally sought out the 3 individuals this time, asking if they wished to reincarnate and cultivate anew.

"Since they have agreed, then we must not delay any longer."

Eldrin spoke, then sought out Elara and the other 2. He led the trio to the location where the Netherrealm resided.

Before the Netherworld's gates, Eldrin gazed upon Elara, Freya, and Dorian and declared, "Your foundations in this life bear flaws. As you step into the cycle of reincarnation, it would be wisest to sever all memories and cultivate anew."

Dorian nodded upon hearing this, for he naturally understood this principle.

If 1 were to re-cultivate with memories intact, the path of cultivation in the next life would inevitably be influenced by the principles of previous practice, making it difficult to break free from the shackles of the past.

Not to mention, their cultivation path in this life was inherently riddled with significant flaws.

Moreover, this influence grows ever more profound with each advancement in cultivation. Once 1 surpasses the Immortal Realm, should they undergo reincarnation while retaining their memories, it becomes nearly impossible to exceed the achievements of their former life.

It was precisely for this reason that many great powers, though capable of retaining memories through reincarnation, would still sever all recollections and begin their cultivation anew.

Understanding this, Dorian spoke candidly, "In that case, we should cleanse everything and reincarnate to cultivate anew."

Eldrin nodded, then immediately channeled his Great Luo divine power to thoroughly cleanse the memories of the 3 individuals. Afterward, he summoned the Cauldron of Creation to assist them in severing their physical forms and primordial spirits.

In the end, he transformed all their foundations into reserves for their next lives, then slowly guided them into the cycle of reincarnation.

Just as their souls were cast into the Wheel of Reincarnation, Eldrin decisively activated the Primordial Characters and the Indestructible Primordial Glow, striving to imprint as many ancient symbols as possible upon their spiritual foundations.

In the end, the primordial characters were imprinted upon the souls of all 3, and from within each, an ancient and primal scripture of creation unfurled.

Among them, the ancient scripture of Dorian (Person Name) contained merely a few 100 archaic characters, inscribed with the title—Primordial Dao-Devising Scripture.

Freya’s ancient tome was much the same, known as—the Primordial 6 Souls Scripture.

Meanwhile, Elara’s ancient tome was no less remarkable, titled—the Primordial Mystic Yin Codex.

With just a single glance, Eldrin deduced the profound mysteries contained within the 3 ancient scrolls.

Within the 3 ancient scriptures, the Primordial Dao Derivation Scripture was a supreme celestial tome of divination, the Primordial Mystic Yin Scripture embodied the Great Dao of Profound Yin, and the Primordial 6 Souls Scripture was a soul cultivation method for refining the 6 souls.

These 3 ancient scrolls were all Primordial Treasures, each theoretically capable of leading 1 directly to the Great Emperor Realm. As for whether 1 could advance further, that would depend entirely on their own fortune and destiny.

Taking Freya's (Person Name) Innate 6 Souls Scripture as an example—while the human body possesses 3 ethereal souls and 7 physical souls, this volume only cultivates 6 of them. I fear it may struggle to reach the primordial Chaos Realm directly.

"Of old, the Primordial 3 Souls Tome transformed into the 3 Soul Treasures of Heaven, Earth, and Man."

"The complete form of the 7 Souls Ancient Tome should be the Primordial 7 Souls Book, yet now it lacks 1 soul and remains incomplete."

"It seems the Path of Soul Dao truly is a forbidden path that incurs the jealousy of Heaven."

Eldrin’s thoughts flickered, his consciousness piercing straight into the souls of the 3, ensuring they stepped completely into the cycle of reincarnation.

He withdrew his thoughts, instructing his subordinates to secretly watch over and guide the 3 reincarnated souls. Then, he returned to his cave abode.

With matters here concluded, Eldrin resumed his life of secluded cultivation.

The disciples and followers of the Abyssal Return Immortal Alliance, meanwhile, began cultivating with unwavering devotion, making their final preparations for the kalpic tribulation.

Thus, 20,000,000 years passed in the blink of an eye, until the day when the calamity qi of heaven and earth descended, heralding the arrival of yet another cosmic tribulation.

As this kalpa's arrival unfolded, the Immortals of the Devouring Dao within the Abyssal Return Immortal Alliance finally bared their fangs, stepping into the cataclysm with astonishing edge.

Zhuan Choujun, Master Zixuan, Daoist Tianyuan, Patriarch Tianya, the Celestial Maiden, and even Lin Xuan, Tian Hengzi, and other peerless prodigies of the Sacrificial Dao, 1 by 1 departed from the Ruins Immortal Domain.

There were still a full 100 or more experts at the peak of the Immortal Treasury realm who, like fish returning to the ocean, vanished into the 7 domains of the Southern Abyss, awaiting the perfect moment to transform into dragons in a single leap.

And in this very process, from the Demon Court of the Celestial Realm to the Primordial Divine Court, the Human Race’s Immortal Court, the 100 Clans of the Sacred Spirits, and even the Imperial Clans of the 7 Domains of the Southern Abyss—1 peerless powerhouse after another stepped into the Chaos.

Everyone knew that to overcome this tribulation, the Eldrin Emperor had drawn upon the accumulations of dozens of kalpas, and might even have exhausted the final legacy left by the Lunar Empress.

Its purpose was to elevate the power of the Path of Self-Sacrifice to a higher realm in 1 fell swoop, propelling it onto the stage of the 3 1000 immortal domains, where it would become an existence second only to—or even on par with—the Heavenly Dao.

Yet these tribulation-stage experts arrived with undiminished, peerless fighting spirit.

Each harbored their own designs—some sought to sever the ascendant path of the Sacrificial Dao, others aimed to sweep away all obstacles in their quest to prove the Great Dao of Luo, while still others intended to pave their own path of prodigies upon the bones of Sacrificial Dao's fallen heroes.

In such circumstances, a rare golden age quietly began to unfold.

On the very first day the Great Cataclysm began, an invincible prodigy emerged from the Phoenix Clan.

This person was known as the Holy Son of the Vermilion Bird, the legitimate heir of the Vermilion Bird Demi-Saint and the dormant foundation of the Phoenix Clan that had slumbered through thousands of kalpas.

The Vermilion Bird Scion, wielding the authority of a Demi-Saint's direct descendant, displayed invincible combat prowess from the very start, sweeping through all rivals across the Immortal Cosmos Ancient Continent. He even proclaimed his intention to completely sever the path to perfection for the Sacrificial Dao.

He challenged the 8 directions' heroes who worshipped the Path of Self, seeking to unleash a world-shaking battle upon the Ancient Immortal Continent.

As the challenged party, the immortals of the Sacrificial Path also did not retreat, agreeing to wage an ultimate battle at the heart of the Ancient Immortal Expanse in Tianyang.

As for this battle, countless ancient immortals across the 3 1000 Immortal Domains awaited it with immense anticipation.

For this battle would determine the potential of the Sacrificial Daoism, and even whether it could fully step onto the stage of the 3,000 Immortal Domains.

If, in this battle, the Path of Self-Offering demonstrates sufficient potential to rival the invincible prodigy of the True Spirit lineage, the Young Vermilion Bird, it will undoubtedly compel many ancient immortals to forsake their current paths and cultivate the Path of Self-Offering.

For this very reason, on the day of their appointed duel, countless ancient immortals and supreme experts gathered at the Heavenly Nexus of the Immortal Cosmos Ancient Land.

Among these individuals were the unparalleled Imperial Scions of the Celestial Court, monstrous prodigies of the demon tribes, invincible paragons of the divine race, and transcendent geniuses of the human race.

These individuals harbored divergent intentions; most of the demonic tribesmen desired to suppress the prodigy of the Sacrificial Dao, while the majority of divine clan prodigies maintained a watchful stance toward the principles of the Sacrificial Dao.

Meanwhile, the human disciples wished to strike as fiercely as possible, hoping to preserve some of the Resentment Qi of the Sacrificial Path.

Overall, various factions held little optimism regarding the strength of the Sacrificial Dao. After all, the authority of the Sacrificial Dao likely pointed directly to the Chaos Realm. The demon races were unwilling to witness the emergence of another Demi-Sage, or even a Dao Ancestor, among humanity.

Hence, throughout the 7 Domains of the Southern Abyss, most major powers maintained a stance of suppression toward the Path of Self-Sacrifice.

Under such circumstances, few believed that the practitioners of the Sacrificial Self Dao could carve a path to heaven through the relentless suppression from various factions.

Chapter 1: The Prodigy's Fall The mountain mist coiled like ancient serpents, shrouding the Qingyun Sect's training grounds in ethereal silence. Ling Xuan stood motionless at the cliff's edge, his white robes fluttering in the breeze that carried the scent of spiritual herbs and distant rainfall. "32,000 spirit stones," the Elder's voice echoed across the stone plaza, colder than glacial ice. "That is the price for your continued stay in the Inner Sect." A murmur rippled through the crowd of disciples. Some glanced away in pity, while others wore barely concealed sneers. The boy who had once been hailed as the sect's rising star now stood stripped of his privileges, his cultivation stagnated at the third layer of the Azure Cloud Art. "For thousands of years, our sect has maintained this tradition," the Elder continued, his gaze sweeping over the assembled disciples. "Talent without progress is like a sword without edge - decorative, but useless." Ling Xuan's fingers tightened around the worn jade pendant at his chest - his mother's final gift before her heavenly tribulation. He remembered her words, whispered through blood-stained lips: "The phoenix rises not despite the ashes, but because of them." Suddenly, a resonant voice cut through the tension. "I will sponsor his cultivation." The crowd parted as Elder Ming stepped forward, his midnight-blue robes embroidered with silver constellations. In his palm gleamed a spatial pouch that seemed to contain swirling galaxies. "Here are 50,000 spirit stones," Elder Ming declared, his eyes holding Ling Xuan's gaze. "And this - the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss (Magic Treasure). Prove that this old man's eyes do not deceive him." Gasps erupted throughout the assembly. The Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss (Magic Treasure) was legendary, a weapon said to have been tempered in the heart of a dying star. Even the sect elders looked upon it with undisguised envy. Ling Xuan accepted the treasures with steady hands, his heart calm as still water. He bowed deeply, his voice clear and unwavering. "This junior thanks Elder Ming for his generosity. Within 3 years, I will breakthrough to the Golden Core realm or perish in the attempt." As night fell, Ling Xian sat cross-legged in his humble abode, the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss (Magic Treasure) hovering before him. Its crimson blade pulsed with ancient power, casting dancing shadows across the stone walls. He took a deep breath, consuming a dozen or so Marrow-Cleansing Pills (Elixir) in 1 motion. Energy surged through his meridians like a unleashed torrent. Pain, sharp and cleansing, followed in its wake. But through the agony, Ling Xuan smiled. For within his dantian, something that had been dormant for years was finally stirring. The moon climbed higher, its silver light filtering through the window to illuminate the determined set of his jaw. Somewhere in the distance, a lone wolf howled at the constellations, its cry echoing through the mountains like a promise of revolution.