Chapter 2014 : Barren Sea, Barren People

Chapter 2015 The Wilderness Dwellers Having escaped the Celestial Derivation Grand Formation, Eldrin fled toward the Chaotic Desolate Sea, casting an exceedingly heavy glance backward as he went.

Within the great formation, the Black Abyss Emperor was drenched in blood, his Thunder Emperor Battle Robe erupting with overwhelming arcs of lightning. Gripping the Abyssal Imperial Spear, he fiercely engaged the horde of foes.

He was drenched in crimson Imperial Blood, having sustained grievous wounds.

Yet even so, his fighting spirit had never been more formidable, that world-shaking power nearly tearing apart the boundless chaos.

Abandoning all defense, he fought with every ounce of his strength, holding off the assembled Great Emperors. With his raw physical power, he seized the Ancient Thunder Crow Emperor who sought to give chase.

Boom—

He swung the Great Ancient Thunder Crow Emperor and hurled him into the depths of chaos, his roar cracking the vast Chaotic Sea asunder.

"Do not look back! Go!"

Elder.

Then he took a direct strike from the enemy horde, yet emerged completely unscathed as he charged all the way to the Desolate Ape Emperor's front.

Yet against these 7 supreme Great Emperors, he was ultimately powerless, and would only hinder Black Abyss Emperor, causing him injury while offering protection.

Slay them—

Eldrin's eyes burned crimson, his killing intent so fierce he nearly turned back to fight.

In an instant, the Abyssal Seal transformed into the Chaos Heavenly Halberd, descending with Eldrin's overwhelming killing intent to suppress all in its path.

His Primal Soul Immortal Fetus instantly fled in terror, desperate to escape, but Eldrin seized it in 1 swift motion.

Had it not been to ensure his safe departure, the Black Abyss Emperor would never have needed to withstand the combined assaults of the other emperors, sustaining such grievous injuries.

Even if a Demi-sage were to strike personally, the Indestructible Battle Attire could mitigate 50 percent of the damage.

By comparison, the Thunder Emperor Armor of the Black Abyss Emperor could only mitigate 60-70% of damage at the Emperor level, falling far short of this Indestructible Battle Attire.

The leader possessed a cultivation level as high as the seventh layer of the Primordial Chaos Emperor Realm. He was the ‘Heaven’s Retribution Emperor’ from the Sacred Demon Primordial Domain, and none other than the foremost direct disciple of the Heavenly Derivation Sacred Emperor.

As Eldrin arrived, the Dark Mysterious Emperor slowly spoke, a faint cold smile surfacing on his face.

"The Heavenly Divination Sage Emperor commanded us to await here, and now it appears his calculations were indeed flawless."

"Die!"

The Emperor Falls!

In the blink of an eye, the Primordial Ape Emperor's physical form was utterly obliterated.

Among this group of Primordial Chaos Emperors were Eldrin's (Person Name) great dao adversary, the Desolate Ape Emperor, the Profound Mystery Emperor, and also a peerless emperor from the demon race.

The Primordial Chaos Emperor, hailed as immortal and indestructible, was utterly annihilated by his nemesis of the Great Dao. Even the primordial spirit he had left within the authority of the Great Dao was extinguished by Eldrin (Person Name).

Clang—

The other Emperors also took action in unison, their attacks surging forth with overwhelming power.

The besieging emperors were utterly shaken, and the leading Heaven's Punishment Emperor's expression shifted slightly.

In an instant, the heavens wept and the earth grieved, as the Great Dao itself mourned. A rain of blood fell across the vast expanse of chaos.

Yet Eldrin did not dodge or evade. At the cost of enduring the combined assaults, he charged toward the Ape Emperor.

The Wild Ape Emperor had fallen, completely and utterly.

But there in the void ahead stood over a dozen Primordial Chaos Emperors, as if they had been waiting for a long time.

After flying for countless paths, Eldrin’s expression grew increasingly somber as the Chaotic Desolate Sea drew nearer.

The Wild Ape Emperor let out a desperate roar, but it was already too late to turn the tide.

He gazed at the battle armor adorning Eldrin’s form, his voice tinged with awe as he exclaimed, “The Indestructible Battle Armor—this is the Indestructible Elder’s legendary Indestructible Battle Armor.”

The emperors initially believed Eldrin was courting death, when suddenly, a battle armor materialized upon his body.

"Ah... save me!"

On the narrow path, Eldrin faced the obstructing foe without a word, surging forward with overwhelming killing intent.

Such a formidable combined assault, even a late-stage Chaos Origin Emperor would sustain grievous wounds should they attempt to withstand it directly.

In the end, Eldrin gritted his teeth and, consumed by overwhelming hatred, turned back and fled toward the Chaotic Abyssal Sea.

Eldrin struck with earth-shattering might, the all-erasing Dao of Primordial Chaos piercing through the body of the Desolate Ape Emperor.

In that instant, the hearts of all present Emperors trembled faintly. The Indestructible Battle Attire stood as the foremost innate treasure of defense, capable of neutralizing 90 percent of all damage below the Sage-level.

Eldrin possessed such a supreme defensive treasure—no wonder he emerged completely unscathed after withstanding everyone's assaults.

The Wild Ape Emperor wore a cold smirk as he was the first to strike, slashing toward Eldrin (Person Name).

In that moment, Eldrin could only curse his inadequate cultivation, as a profound sense of powerlessness flooded his heart.

In an instant, the Chaos Heaven Halberd pierced through the primordial void, forcibly impaling the chest of the Primordial Ape Emperor. A cataclysmic surge of supreme power erupted forth.

Eldrin spoke, and at the cost of withstanding the combined assaults of the emperors, he forcibly annihilated the Primordial Spirit of the Barren Plains Emperor.

"You're courting death."

The Primordial Ape Emperor also nodded, speaking calmly, “Guixu brat, today shall be your final day.”

In the blink of an eye, all the emperors revealed ecstatic expressions. Such a supreme defensive treasure would stir desire even in a Quasi-Sage.

If they could obtain it, even if they couldn't keep it for themselves, presenting it to a Demi-sage would likely earn them astonishing rewards.

With this thought, their killing intent surged even more wildly, and they all moved to capture Eldrin.

"You're courting death!"

As the emperors charged forth once more, Eldrin (Person Name) struck with decisive coldness.

A boiling sea of murderous intent surged within him. He abandoned all defense, focusing solely on offense, pushing his combat power to its absolute limit.

The invincible combat prowess of the Sixth Level Chaos Origin Emperor was unleashed to its fullest extent at this moment.

Behold, 10 great immortal treasuries at the back of Eldrin's (Person Name) head bloomed with eternal radiance as he pushed his combat prowess to the absolute limit. In the blink of an eye, he engaged in thousands of life-and-death clashes against the legion of emperors.

Such a desperate fighting style paid off—after merely tens of thousands of exchanges, he had already severed the head of an early-stage Primordial Unity Emperor.

Alas, this was no adversary of the Great Dao. After Eldrin severed his head, his primordial soul had already sunk into the Ocean of Dao.

Faced with the protection of the infinite Great Dao divine chains, even Eldrin found it impossible to completely annihilate his primordial spirit across the vast expanse of the Great Dao Sea.

Yet even so, after 2 consecutive Emperors were severely wounded and fallen, a trace of fear still stirred among the assembled rulers.

It was not that Eldrin was invincible, but his desperate fighting style was far too shocking.

Without the protection of the Indestructible Battle Attire, it would not be cost-effective for them to risk their lives against Eldrin.

Eldrin exchanged another several 1000 moves with the crowd before finally turning his gaze to the Youxuan Emperor. His eyes cold, he spoke in a frigid tone: "Youxuan brat, let us seize this day to settle all accounts between us!"

With those words, he shot through the air with an invincible aura, disregarding the attacks from the others. Striking relentlessly several times in succession, he sent Sovereign Youxuan flying backward.

Lord Youxuan's combat prowess was no match for Eldrin (Person Name) to begin with. Facing an Eldrin (Person Name) clad in the Indestructible Battle Garb, he ultimately succumbed to fear....

After exchanging thousands of blows in rapid succession, he watched his wounds grow ever more severe. The thought of being annihilated by his Dao Rival upon defeat finally shattered his resolve. Fear overwhelming him, he turned and fled.

Originally, there were only 3 mid-stage Chaos Origin Emperor Lords present. Now, with Emperor Youxuan’s escape, the combined power of the remaining emperors was significantly diminished.

Heaven’s Punishment Sovereign unleashed his full power, channeling his divine abilities to strike at Eldrin. Yet, to his astonishment, even with his might, he found it nearly impossible to inflict significant harm upon Eldrin. A growing sense of gravity settled deep within his heart.

"This man's physical body is so formidable. If we don't eliminate him today, he will surely become a future calamity."

The Heavenly Punishment Emperor was utterly astonished, a trace of solemnity flickering deep within his gaze.

With his cultivation at the seventh level of Primordial Chaos Emperor and mastery over the punitive Heavenly Dao of Slaughter, even if the Indestructible Battle Armor could mitigate 90 percent of the damage, it should still have severely wounded an entity at the early stage of Primordial Chaos Emperor.

Even a mid-stage Primordial Emperor should have been severely wounded under his relentless assault.

However, Eldrin’s physical body was indestructible and resilient, even comparable to the Sixth Heaven of the Primordial Chaos Emperor. Thus, the Heavenly Punishment Emperor could only inflict minor injuries upon Eldrin.

Seeing that he could not subdue Eldrin, the Heavenly Punishment Monarch immediately shifted tactics, beginning to stall for time while awaiting reinforcements from the other powerful experts.

Eldrin was well aware of this fact. After the Great Dao adversary, the Dark Mystic Emperor, managed to flee, he began a tactical retreat toward the Chaotic Desolate Sea while continuing to engage in combat.

After an immeasurable span of battles, they finally reached the shores of the Chaotic Barren Sea, only for a supreme being to emerge from the depths of the primordial chaos.

"Where do you think you're fleeing?"

From the midst of chaos, a figure wreathed in boundless thunder emerged, riding upon a divine spear of lightning that tore through the heavens.

Great Ancient Thunder Crow Emperor.

Eldrin's expression shifted slightly as he pushed the Indestructible Battle Attire's defense to its absolute limit. He then summoned the Creation Cauldron, drawing himself inside it.

At almost the same instant, the innate divine treasure Thunder God Spear had already struck against the Creation Cauldron.

"Pfft—"

Eldrin (Person Name) suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, sustaining extremely severe injuries.

The unparalleled thunderous force unleashed by the full-powered strike of the Great Ancient Thunder Crow Emperor was far too astonishing.

The endless chains of the Great Dao intertwined, coalescing into divine manifestations that pierced through the void, unleashing a terrifying force capable of annihilating all creation.

Even with the dual protection of the Creation Cauldron and the Indestructible Battle Garb, the killing intent pierced through Eldrin's chest, leaving behind a nearly indelible wound.

"Hmph—"

At the critical moment, Eldrin gritted his teeth and suppressed his injuries. Using the force of his opponent's strike, he propelled himself backward, instantly clearing the shore of the Desolate Sea and vanishing into the chaotic expanse.

Boom—

Cauldron of Creation, Armor of Eternal War!

After a violent tremor shook the primordial chaos, the Great Emperor of the Primordial Thunder Crow slowly stood firm by the shores of the Chaotic Desolate Sea.

Gazing in the direction where Eldrin had vanished, His pupils involuntarily contracted slightly, a trace of solemnity flickering deep within His eyes.

Meanwhile, several figures emerged once more from the chaos—precisely the 6 great emperors: Emperor Pure Yang, Emperor Tianyan, and 4 others.

The Celestial Derivation Emperor glanced over, his expression turning grave as he declared, "I miscalculated. I never expected he would possess not 1, but 2 Primordial Chaos Treasures."

"Otherwise, he would never have escaped with his life today."

The Heavenly Punishment Emperor by his side immediately stepped forward and inquired, “Master, why did you not pursue them?”

Upon hearing this, a trace of frost flashed in the eyes of the Heavenly Derivation Sacred Emperor.

The Heavenly Punishment Sovereign sensed something amiss and promptly ceased his inquiries, gathering the remaining Sovereigns to make a swift retreat.

After all the Emperors had departed, Celestial Divination Emperor could no longer restrain himself, a trace of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

He took a deep breath, wiped the blood clean, and said with a face full of trepidation, "I never imagined that after cultivating the 6 Paths True Spirit Divine Form, the strength of the Black Abyss Emperor would be so formidable."

"The 7 of us joined forces against him alone, yet every 1 of us now bears grievous wounds. Were this known, we'd become the laughingstock of the realm."

"The path of physical sanctification has always been this formidable."

The Great Sovereign of Pure Yang suppressed the spear scar within his body and spoke, "Fortunately, with the 7 of us joining forces, we ultimately managed to subdue it."

"But now, how shall the Eldrin of the Returning Abyss face what comes next?"

Green Zenith Sovereign Emperor pondered briefly before speaking with considerable gravity, "Our injuries are far from trivial at present. Pursuing our quarry into the Chaotic Desolate Sea would be far too perilous an undertaking."

"However, sparing his life may well breed calamity."

"It matters not," the Great Ancient Thunder Crow Emperor spoke, a cold smirk curling his lips. "He took my full-force strike. Even with the protection of the Cauldron of Creation and the Armor of the Unyielding, he must have already lost all combat prowess."

"Moreover, given his level of cultivation, injuries inflicted by the Great Dao's Divine Form are nearly impossible to heal. I'm afraid he won't recover for a very long time."

"The Chaotic Desolate Sea is perilous beyond measure. With injuries this severe, he won't likely survive even a single kalpa after falling into its depths."

Upon hearing this, the several Great Emperors finally breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Witnessing this, the Great Emperor of Pure Yang spoke with grave solemnity, "We must not be careless. Should the Sacrificial Path reach perfection, wielding the authority of the Great Dao, he could ascend directly to the realm of a Quasi-Sage."

"By then, nothing will be able to stop his return."

"This matter indeed requires caution."

The Celestial Derivation Saint Emperor nodded and said, "Fortunately, he is now severely wounded and trapped within the Primordial Chaos Desolate Sea. The power of the Sacrificial Dao must be exceedingly feeble."

"If we can gather 9 Great Emperors, along with the power of a Quasi-Saint, we can unleash the Dao-Blocking Curse to eternally prevent those who cultivate the Sacrificial Self Path from attaining immortality."

Upon hearing this, the various Great Emperors nodded faintly in unison.

Cultivators of the Sacrificial Self Path beyond the Ascendant Immortal realm began to touch upon the power of laws, rules, and even Dao principles and the Great Dao itself. Cursing them to hinder their advancement came at an immense cost.

However, if the curse were to merely prevent those who cultivate the Path of Self-Offering from ascending to immortality below the Celestial Ascension realm, the price would be significantly reduced.

In particular, the moment the Sacrificial Dao completes its sacrificial rite is inherently an extremely perilous situation, making this all the more straightforward.

Observing this, the Great Emperor of Primordial Thunder Crow declared, "Then the 7 of us shall join forces and seek 2 more Great Emperors to alter the celestial laws of the 7 Domains of the Southern Abyss."

"From this day forth, any who worship my Dao yet dare covet the Immortal Realm shall be cursed."

The Celestial Derivation Sacred Emperor also nodded, then spoke, "The chaos is boundless. Since ancient times, there has been no shortage of those who defied the heavens. To prevent future generations of heaven-defying individuals from breaking the curse, we must establish the rules of divine punishment."

Henceforth, all who tread my Dao shall face heavenly tribulations at every realm's breakthrough, and upon ascension be met with 10 1000 layers of 9 Heavens' thunderbolts.

Upon hearing this, the various Great Emperors revealed faint smiles....

The Heavenly Tribulation is perilous and unpredictable. Even when cultivators transcend mortality to ascend as immortals, they need only pass the 4-9 Heavenly Tribulation—that is, 40-9 layers of lightning tribulation.

Yet, the Path of Self-Sacrifice demands weathering 10 1000 layers of 9 Heavens Thunder Tribulations—a trial not merely a 100 times fiercer than immortal ascension calamities, but 1 that would annihilate even those who defy the heavens, were they the reincarnation of a Great Luo Golden Immortal.

With these 2 layers of assurance, the 7 Great Emperors all breathed a sigh of relief.

They were confident that with these 2 curses in place, the Path of Self-Worship could never reach perfection in the future.

Just as the emperors in the outside world were preparing to cast their curses, Eldrin had already fled deep into the Chaotic Desolate Sea.

At this moment, Eldrin was gravely wounded. He stowed away the Cauldron of Creation, intending to refine the primordial chaos energy to restore his magic power and heal his injuries. Yet, he discovered an indelible divine form of chaos entrenched within his body.

It was a blazing divine form of the Thunder Dao, shaped like a golden crow of thunder perched in majesty, its entire body woven from interlocking chains of divine law.

"Is this the power of the Great Dao Divine Form?"

Eldrin murmured inwardly, a faint bitter smile gracing his lips.

The power of this Great Dao divine form was far too overbearing. Even though the majority of it was blocked by the Indestructible Battle Garb and the Cauldron of Creation, the residual force continued to relentlessly corrode Eldrin’s physical body.

This power was indelible; even the divine chains of the Great Dao condensed from the primordial Chaos Ultimate Dao found it nearly impossible to refine and expel it from the body.

"The disparity between these levels is simply too vast."

Eldrin murmured inwardly, a trace of solemnity coloring his expression.

Unable to dispel this Thunder God manifestation, his injuries would never heal, and his strength would only continue to wane.

In such circumstances, facing the erosion of the Chaotic Barren Sea along with the lurking primordial behemoths of chaos was truly perilous.

Eldrin attempted to circulate the Dao of Life to heal his wounds, but after employing every method at his disposal to no avail, he finally resorted to using the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss to absorb the divine form of this Great Dao.

It was merely an attempt, yet to his astonishment, the Eldrin Dao Patterns within the Eldrin Furnace blazed with dazzling radiance, actually capable of devouring this divine manifestation of the Great Dao.

However, the process was exceedingly slow, requiring at least 10 kalpas of time to completely devour and refine it.

Now that a solution was at hand, Eldrin finally breathed a slight sigh of relief.

He relaxed his tense nerves, only to find a wave of drowsiness washing over him. Unconsciously, he slipped into a deep slumber, allowing his injuries to mend.

After Eldrin (Person Name) fell into slumber, several primordial chaos fiends were drawn to the location.

A physical body at the level of a Primordial Emperor would be a great tonic even for Chaos Behemoths. These primordial monstrosities possess little sentience, and most of their cultivation barely reaches the Ancient Immortal realm.

Perhaps tempered by the Chaos Desolate Sea, the physical bodies of these Chaos Behemoths were far more formidable than the Chaos Ancient Beasts of the Chaos Sea.

Some primordial behemoths had even touched the threshold of the Great Luo Realm through sheer physical might alone.

They fought over Eldrin's (Person Name) physical body, but in the end, a Chaos Leviathan rivaling a Great Luo Golden Immortal proved far more powerful. It swallowed Eldrin (Person Name) whole into its belly.

This Chaos Leviathan was the beast king of its pod. After devouring Eldrin (Person Name), it continued navigating through the Chaotic Abyssal Sea, journeying progressively deeper into the primordial waters as time flowed onward.

The Chaotic Desolate Sea knows no record of years. No 1 knows how long had passed—perhaps several kalpas later. Following the constant migrations of its kind, this primordial beast of chaos arrived at a place of unimaginable remoteness.

And here, They clashed with a group of living beings.

Boom—

"Got it, we've hit it! Strike now, don't let it escape!"

In the midst of the Chaotic Desolate Sea, a rugged and weathered ancient chaos ship soared through the skies. Mounted upon it was a colossal crossbow forged of Great Luo Immortal Gold, which unleashed a devastating strike, slaying a colossal chaos whale—precisely the leader of the chaos whale pod.

The remaining Chaos Leviathans scattered and fled in all directions. Soon after, a group descended from the Ancient Chaos Ship and hastily hauled the leviathans aboard the vessel.

"Alas, with this Chaos Leviathan, we shall have enough to endure this Desolate Tribulation."

A girl clad in beast leather looked down at the colossal Chaos Leviathan before her, a look of delight spreading across her face.

Beside them, an elderly man observed the scene with concern, his gaze fixed upon a piece of cyan divine jade at the center of the dilapidated ancient ship. With a grave expression, he remarked, "The power within the divine jade is nearly depleted."

"Since we've hunted the giant whale, let's return immediately. Otherwise, when the Divine Jade's power is exhausted and we're corroded by the Desolate Sea, we'll also turn into mindless Desolate Ones."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 1 The biting northern wind swept across the mountain peaks, carrying with it flurries of snow that danced in the air. Lin Xuan stood at the edge of the cliff, his white robes fluttering violently in the gale. His gaze was fixed upon the distant horizon, where the last rays of the setting sun were being devoured by the encroaching darkness. "1 100 years," he murmured, his voice barely audible above the howling wind. "1 100 years of cultivation, and I'm still trapped at the seventh level of Qi Refining." His fingers tightened around the jade slip in his palm—a cultivation manual passed down through generations of his family. The characters carved upon it glowed with a faint, ethereal light: "9 Revolutions Mysterious Art." Suddenly, a brilliant streak of light tore through the twilight sky, descending toward the mountain with terrifying speed. Before Lin Xuan could react, the light crashed into the peak not far from where he stood, sending tremors through the ground beneath his feet. "What was that?" he whispered, his heart pounding. Curiosity overcoming caution, Lin Xuan leaped from the cliff edge, his body moving with the grace of a falling leaf as he descended toward the impact site. After a dozen or so breaths, he landed softly in a small valley filled with shattered trees and scorched earth. At the center of the devastation lay a massive crater, within which rested a glowing object. As Lin Xuan approached, he realized it was a sword—its blade shimmering with silver light, intricate patterns dancing across its surface like flowing water. "This is... no ordinary spiritual weapon," Lin Xuan breathed, his eyes wide with awe. He reached out cautiously, his fingers trembling as they neared the hilt. The moment his skin made contact, a surge of energy rushed through his meridians, so powerful that it nearly brought him to his knees. Images flooded his mind—a celestial battle among the clouds, golden blood raining from the sky, and a figure in white robes wielding this very sword against countless demons. When the visions cleared, Lin Xuan found himself kneeling on the ground, gasping for air. The sword now lay quiet in his hand, its glow diminished but still present. "A legacy from the immortal realm," he realized, his voice filled with wonder. "This must be the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss mentioned in the ancient texts." As he rose to his feet, a cold voice echoed through the valley. "Well, well, what do we have here?" Lin Xuan spun around to find 3 figures emerging from the shadows. They wore the distinctive black robes of the Netherwind Sect, and their leader—a tall man with a scar across his left cheek—was staring at the sword in Lin Xuan's hand with greedy eyes. "Hand over that treasure, boy," the scarred man commanded, "and we might let you leave with your life." Lin Xuan's grip tightened on the sword. He could feel the spiritual energy within him stirring, responding to the threat. Though these cultivators were all at the eighth or ninth level of Qi Refining—higher than his own—the sword in his hand seemed to whisper promises of power. "I found this fairly," Lin Xuan said, his voice steady despite the fear coiling in his stomach. "It's not yours to claim." The scarred man laughed coldly. "In the cultivation world, treasures belong to those strong enough to keep them." Without another word, the man gestured, and his 2 companions lunged forward. 1 drew a curved blade that glowed with crimson light, while the other began weaving hand seals, summoning spheres of dark energy. Time seemed to slow for Lin Xuan. As the attackers closed in, he felt the sword in his hand grow warm, and a strange knowledge flowed into his mind—a sword technique of incredible profundity. His body moved almost of its own accord, the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss tracing an arc through the air. Silver flames erupted from the blade, forming a protective barrier around him just as the attacks landed. The collision produced a deafening explosion that sent shockwaves rippling through the valley. When the dust cleared, Lin Xuan remained standing, completely unharmed, while his attackers had been thrown backward, their weapons shattered. The scarred man's eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible! You're merely at the seventh level of Qi Refining!" Lin Xuan didn't understand what had happened either, but he knew better than to waste this opportunity. Channeling his spiritual energy into the sword, he prepared for another attack. But before he could strike, a powerful pressure descended upon the valley, so immense that it forced everyone to their knees. An ancient voice, filled with authority, echoed from all directions. "Who dares to disturb my slumber?"