Chapter 2136 : Dividing the Mountain of Treasures

After departing from the Supreme Ancient Hall, Eldrin Chen located Path Ancestor Taihu, who had been waiting there to receive him, and together they set off for the Southern Abyss Ten Domains.

Upon their return to the Southern Abyss Ten Domains, Eldrin Chen confirmed that all was still peaceful there, finally allowing himself to breathe a sigh of relief.

His first act was to present Path Ancestor Taihu with two Chaos Spiritual Treasure Embryo [unformed treasures of immense potential born from primordial chaos], and to return the two borrowed Chaos Spiritual Artifact [fully formed artifacts forged from chaos].

Afterwards, he, along with the Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor and others, proceeded into the Returning Abyss Immortal Hall.

Within the vast expanse of the Returning Abyss Immortal Hall, it was evident to all present that both the Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor and the various Heavenly Emperor [supreme rulers of celestial realms] of the Chen Clan wore smiles of anticipation, clearly understanding that Eldrin Chen was about to distribute the spoils.

"Esteemed colleagues," Eldrin Chen began, his gaze sweeping across the assembly, "our recent campaign yielded a substantial harvest. Let us proceed to divide the treasures."

With a flick of his sleeve, Eldrin Chen produced and handed a detailed inventory to those gathered.

The assembled Heavenly Emperor glanced at the list, and despite their profound cultivation, a flicker of excitement was unmistakable in their eyes.

The sheer magnitude of their gains was staggering, enough to stir even the tranquil hearts of these venerable Heavenly Emperor.

As the inventory clearly showed, the treasures they had seized were so numerous they could truly be said to form a mountain.

Among these, the Primordial One Tier [the foundational stage for cultivators after transcending mortality] level Rare Treasure [precious objects imbued with spiritual power], Immortal Pill [elixirs that grant longevity and enhance cultivation], Spirit Herb [plants saturated with spiritual energy], and other low-tier resources numbered in the millions.

Just the Innate Primordial Breath [the purest form of primordial energy, foundational to creation] alone, they had seized a staggering one hundred eighty thousand strands in total.

One must understand, the entire Southern Abyss Ten Domains [a vast and perilous region of the immortal realm] had likely not naturally produced as much Innate Primordial Breath [the purest form of primordial energy, foundational to creation] throughout all its history as they had plundered in this single campaign.

These Innate Primordial Breath [the purest form of primordial energy, foundational to creation] and Primordial One Tier [the foundational stage for cultivators after transcending mortality] resources held no value for the Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor [the venerable progenitor of the Genesis Path]. He stated plainly, "These low-tier resources are useless to me. Leave them all for your Chen Clan Lineage [the illustrious Chen family]."

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod. These resources could not only be used to nurture the Chaos Golden Bamboo Shoot [a legendary plant born from primordial chaos] but also to reward the meritorious disciples of the Sacrificial Self Path [a profound cultivation method focused on self-transcendence].

If his predictions held true, once this batch of resources was expended, the number of Primordial One Imperial Lord [powerful cultivators at the Primordial One stage who command great authority] within the Sacrificial Self Path [a profound cultivation method focused on self-transcendence] would surge forth like bamboo shoots after a spring rain.

Of course, these low-tier resources were merely auxiliary cultivation materials. For the assembled Heavenly Emperor [supreme sovereigns who have mastered heavenly laws], they held little appeal. What they coveted were Rare Treasure [precious objects imbued with spiritual power] of at least the Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme grade of treasure born from the world's innate laws] level.

And resources of this caliber were also abundant. Among the spoils were over three thousand Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme grade of treasure born from the world's innate laws], along with more than three thousand portions of various Chaos Rare Treasure [treasures forged from the raw essence of primordial chaos].

Eldrin Chen first invited the Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor [the venerable progenitor of the Genesis Path] to make his selection. The Ancestor took only about twenty items before categorizing the remainder for the Clan Treasury [the Chen Clan's repository of wealth and artifacts].

These resources, while of limited use to the peak Heavenly Emperor [supreme sovereigns who have mastered heavenly laws] present, were primarily intended for nurturing potential Heavenly Emperor [supreme sovereigns who have mastered heavenly laws] seeds—prodigies destined for greatness.

After dealing with the lower-grade resources, Eldrin Chen turned his gaze to the remaining array of Chaos Spiritual Treasure [rare objects infused with primordial chaos energy].

Among the remaining treasures, each was a precious item even for a Chaos Heavenly Emperor [a supreme ruler who has mastered the laws of primordial chaos].

The more valuable items consisted mainly of eighteen pieces of Nine Orifices Divine Stone [a miraculous stone with nine natural apertures, perfect for crafting supreme artifacts], along with twenty-five Chaos Origin Pearl [pearls containing the purest essence of primordial chaos].

The rest included one hundred and thirty Low-Grade Chaos Spiritual Artifact [enchanted artifacts forged from low-grade chaos materials], over two hundred and twenty various Chaos Spiritual Treasure, dozens of vials of different Chaos Immortal Pill [elixirs refined with chaos energy], plus eighty-two portions of Chaos Genesis Energy [the foundational creative energy of primordial chaos].

Of this vast hoard of Rare Treasure, a small portion was obtained by Eldrin Chen from the Primordial Chaos Ancestral Pool [a legendary pool containing the source energy of chaos], and another part was seized from the lineage of Blazing Center Supreme [a supreme being associated with the blazing center of creation].

However, the largest share was the legacy left to Eldrin Chen by Desolation Heaven Supreme [a supreme being who mastered the desolate aspects of heaven].

Therefore, the portion claimed by the Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor [the founding ancestor of the Primordial Genesis cultivation path] was not large, yet he still received a share of ten Chaos Spiritual Treasure.

After careful selection, the Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor chose one portion of Chaos Genesis Energy along with eight suitable Rare Treasure to serve as catalysts for divine abilities. It was clear he intended to swiftly cultivate the nine great Chaos Divine Ability [supreme techniques drawing power from primordial chaos].

Meanwhile, Eldrin Chen, Exquisite Jiang, Verdant Consort, and others also each selected suitable Chaos Spiritual Treasure to gather the materials needed for advancing their Nine Great True Spirit Divine Abilities [the nine supreme divine abilities associated with true spiritual forms].

As for the remaining treasures, which the group had no immediate use for, Eldrin Chen placed the majority into the Clan Treasury [the secure vault of the Chen Clan], where they could be retrieved whenever needed in the future.

With this, all the Low-Grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure [primordial-grade magical artifacts of the lowest tier] seized by Eldrin Chen in this battle had been temporarily dealt with.

At this moment, everyone present wore solemn expressions, a grave air settling over them.

As individuals possessing combat power at the Half-Step Path Union [a quasi-realm just below the supreme Path Union stage] level, these Low-Grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure and Spiritual Treasure [enchanted artifacts] were precious, yet not absolute necessities for them.

However, the remaining Middle Grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure [mid-tier primordial-grade magical artifacts] were enough to stir the hearts of even Path Union Supreme [supreme cultivators at the Path Union realm] and could significantly enhance their own cultivation and combat prowess. Naturally, they approached these with even greater seriousness.

Eldrin Chen did not beat around the bush. With a sweep of his sleeve, he manifested all the captured Middle Grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure.

The others looked up to see dozens of beams of supreme treasure light floating in the void.

Among them were a full nine Middle Grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure, plus fifteen portions of mid-grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure [primordial spiritual treasure material].

As for opportunities to break through to the Path Union [the supreme realm of unifying one's cultivated Path], there were two Path Union Immortal Pill [an immortal elixir aiding Path Union breakthrough], three Path Union Flower [a mystical herb aiding Path Union breakthrough], two Path Union Golden Core [a golden core elixir for Path Union], and also two Soul-Refiner Immortal Pill [an immortal pill for refining the soul].

Most of these treasures had been inherited by Eldrin Chen from the Desolate Heaven Treasure Vault [a legendary treasury]. Only one Path Union Golden Core and one Soul-Refiner Immortal Pill had been obtained from the two Treasure Vault [storage chambers] on the fifth level.

Among the Middle Grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure, there was also a Blazing Central Wheel [a wheel-shaped treasure embodying the essence of the blazing central flame]. This was a supreme treasure seized from the Blazing Center Supreme [a supreme being who mastered the Blazing Center Dao].

From this, one can also perceive the disparity in their respective Fortune [the metaphysical concept of destiny and luck].

Similarly, while venturing into the Desolate Heaven Ancient Hall, the Blazing Center Supreme [a title for a supreme cultivator] obtained not many treasures, and those he seized were all Low-Grade Chaos Spiritual Artifact [enchanted artifacts forged from primordial chaos energy, of the lowest tier].

In contrast, Eldrin Chen and his companions, even excluding the treasures from the sixth layer's Desolate Heaven Treasure Vault, acquired nearly ten pieces of world-shaking Rare Treasure [extremely precious spiritual objects], including the Celestial Heart Divine Liquid [a divine liquid that refines the heart of the cultivator], the Stone of Years [a mysterious stone containing the essence of time], Spatial Jade Marrow [a marrow-like substance that enhances spatial affinity], and the Path Union Golden Core [a golden elixir that aids in merging cultivation paths].

By comparison, the Blazing Center Supreme and others lacked sufficient potential to gain recognition and claim the treasures; their Fortune was also far inferior, hence their gains from exploring the Desolate Heaven Ancient Hall were meager.

Returning to the main point, after examining these treasures repeatedly, the Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor [an ancient and venerable master of the primordial genesis path] spoke: "This old man's contribution was not great. I truly cannot bring myself to shamelessly ask for a share of these treasures."

Eldrin Chen pondered for a moment, then said: "Both the Path Union Golden Core and the Soul-Refiner Immortal Pill [an immortal pill that refines and purifies the soul] are exceedingly rare and are urgently needed by us."

"Of the two Path Union Immortal Pill [the immortal-grade version of the Path Union elixir], I can bestow one upon you, Fellow Daoist."

The Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor felt a tremor in his heart but could not resist saying, "If that is the case, this old man will shamelessly accept one."

Eldrin Chen smiled and handed one of the Path Union Immortal Pill to the Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor.

Afterwards, Eldrin Chen turned his gaze to the other Middle Grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure [chaos-forged spiritual treasures of intermediate grade]. Their haul this time was bountiful; they still possessed a full nine pieces of Middle Grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure.

This did not even account for the Firmament Ruins Sword and other Middle Grade Chaos Spiritual Treasures that had been temporarily allocated earlier to Imperial Sovereign Jiang and the other three individuals.

If these Chaos Spiritual Artifacts [powerful artifacts forged from primordial chaos] were not used, they would merely gather dust within the Clan Treasury, a wasteful fate. Therefore, Eldrin Chen distributed five of the nine Chaos Spiritual Artifacts among those who had not yet received a Middle Grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure.

Exquisite Jiang, Verdant Consort, Ye Verdant Peak, Nyssa Qu, and Gentle Deer each also received a Middle Grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure.

Eldrin Chen also selected a suit of battle armor for his own protection. The remaining treasures were stored within the Clan Treasury to be allocated in the future, either for use in setting up grand formations or to be bestowed upon clansmen who achieved significant breakthroughs in their cultivation.

The value of the Middle Grade Chaos Spiritual Treasures was also considerable, though most of the group could not wield their power effectively at present. Eldrin Chen only extracted two specific treasures from among them.

These two treasures were of extraordinary worth. One was the 'Reincarnation Stone' [a mystical stone imbued with the profound mysteries of the cycle of rebirth], and the other was known as the Celestial Heart Divine Liquid [a divine elixir said to purify and elevate the spiritual core].

Of these two treasures, the Reincarnation Stone contained the profound principles of the Reincarnation Great Path [the supreme Dao of the cycle of life, death, and rebirth]. Eldrin Chen intended to entrust it to his Reincarnation Body [a specialized spiritual avatar or clone] to comprehend its profound mysteries.

As for the Celestial Heart Divine Liquid, its purpose needed no explanation. Eldrin Chen had specifically prepared it for Great Abyss Immortal Sage.

After selecting these treasures, Eldrin Chen stored all the remaining ones within the Nameless Space [a personal extradimensional storage realm].

Witnessing this, the Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor [the founding ancestor of the Primordial Genesis lineage] spoke directly, "The Outer Realm Demon Emperor has obtained the Primordial Spirit of the Supreme [the supreme spiritual essence of a peak-level being]. I fear it will not be long before he steps into the Path Union Realm [the realm where one's personal Dao merges with the fundamental laws of the cosmos]."

"This individual's methods are ruthless and cruel; we must be on our guard," Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor [the Ancestor of the Primordial Genesis Path] said with a grave expression.

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow slightly, then spoke after a moment of contemplation: "The Path Ancestor speaks wisely. We must indeed take precautions against him."

At this point, Eldrin Chen turned his gaze to Ye Verdant Peak and said, "Verdant Edge, dispatch messengers to all corners of the Hundred Domains. Spread the news that the Outer Realm Demon Emperor [a powerful demonic sovereign from beyond this realm] is on the verge of a breakthrough, urging them to take defensive measures."

"This disciple understands,"

Ye Verdant Peak immediately bowed deeply, accepting the command with utmost seriousness.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen then released the Supreme Celestial Puppet [a pinnacle-grade autonomous combat construct] and thirty-six Heavenly Emperor Puppet [powerful combat puppets], ordering these constructs to patrol the Southern Abyss Ten Domains day and night.

Only after completing these preparations did Eldrin Chen feel assured of their safety. He then stated, "With the Chaos Grand Formation [a grand defensive array harnessing primordial chaos] and the Supreme Puppet standing guard, the Outer Realm Demon Emperor will not rashly initiate a war with us."

"As for the people of the Blazing Central Hundred Domains, we have given our warning. Whether they can weather the storm of bloodshed brought by the Outer Realm Demon Emperor will depend on their own capabilities and the favor of Creation [the fundamental force governing existence and fortune]."

Upon hearing this, Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor gave a slight, approving nod.

For the present Chen Immortal Clan, having reaped such a monumental harvest, this was the perfect time to digest their gains and elevate their strength.

At this moment, to rush about in an attempt to resist the Outer Realm Demon Emperor [a powerful demonic sovereign from beyond the known realms] would be to neglect the root for the branch.

Rather than directly shouldering the great banner, it would be better to first elevate our own strength. By then, a mere Outer Realm Demon Emperor should be of little concern.

Having considered this, Exquisite Jiang spoke: "We can prioritize notifying the Hundred Domains Path Union Alliance [a grand alliance of cultivation sects and clans across numerous domains]. Their combined strength is not weak. If they unite to deploy the Chaos Grand Formation [a legendary defensive formation of immense power], it should be sufficient to withstand the Outer Realm Demon Emperor."

"That would be acceptable."

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod and proceeded to arrange the matter accordingly.

After handling all these affairs, Eldrin Chen finally spoke: "Your gains from this venture have been immense. All of you should now proceed to secluded cultivation."

"I trust that upon emerging, your cultivation bases will have made significant progress."

"Very well."

Upon hearing this, everyone present cupped their hands in acknowledgment and departed one by one to enter secluded cultivation within the Returning Abyss Grotto-Heaven [a blessed realm of profound spiritual energy].

As for Eldrin Chen, he departed from the Returning Abyss Immortal Hall and arrived within the Path-Field [a personal cultivation domain] of the Great Abyss Immortal Sage.

At this moment, the Great Abyss Immortal Sage [a supreme being of profound cultivation] was seated beneath an ancient, time-worn tree, engaged in a game of Go with a Verdant-robed Path Master [a master of profound cultivation arts].

The game on the board was nearing its conclusion. The Great Abyss Immortal Sage pondered deeply before placing a crucial stone, only for the Verdant-robed Path Master to smile and declare, "Senior Brother, you have lost."

As the words fell, the Verdant-robed Path Master placed his final stone, decisively severing two of the Great Abyss Immortal Sage's major dragon formations on the board.

"Ah, Returning Abyss Path Ancestor [a title for a supreme master of the profound path], what wind has carried you to my humble abode?"

At that very instant, the Great Abyss Immortal Sage's expression shifted subtly. He abruptly rose to his feet, his gaze piercing into the distance as he spoke.

With a sweep of his sleeve, he inadvertently overturned the Go board, scattering black and white stones across the ground like fallen stars.

"Ah, what a pity!"

The Great Abyss Immortal Sage exclaimed, looking at the ruined board. "This match between us remains undecided, a true shame. We shall settle this another day."

"This..."

Surveying the scattered stones littering the ground, the Verdant-robed Path Master let out a soft, bitter laugh, a trace of helpless resignation coloring his features.

Yet, in the very next instant, he reined in his expression. Rising to his feet, he looked towards the distant figure and promptly bowed in salute, saying, "I pay my respects to the Path Ancestor [the supreme progenitor of a cultivation path, a being who has transcended the very laws of the cosmos]."

"There is no need for such formality."

Eldrin Chen waved his sleeve, using a gentle force to lift the verdant-robed figure. A faint smile could not help but touch his lips.

It was common knowledge throughout the Immortal Realm [the higher plane of existence where immortals reside] that Great Abyss Immortal Sage was a notoriously poor chess player, his skills utterly abysmal.

Yet, he possessed a peculiar fondness for the game and would often strong-arm the high-ranking officials of the Immortal Court [the celestial governing body of the Immortal Realm] into matches.

Whether they were Primordial One Imperial Lord [a supreme cultivation realm, one step below the Path Ancestors] or Great Emperor [a mighty sovereign ruler], none dared to actually defeat the Immortal Sage. Thus, they all secretly 'released the floodgates,' deliberately playing poorly to let him win.

Consequently, after years of playing, Great Abyss Immortal Sage had suffered almost no defeats. He had come to proclaim himself the undisputed master of chess across the Southern Abyss Seven Domains [a vast region comprising seven major territories in the Immortal Realm].

Furthermore, Great Abyss Immortal Sage had a particular quirk: if he couldn't win a match, he would, in his leisure time, inevitably seek you out for a rematch. He would persist until he finally secured a victory and could strut about with his pride restored.

Over the years, Eldrin Chen had faced him across the board three times. After the third match, he found it too embarrassing to play again.

After all, deliberately losing was one thing, but doing so with skill and subtlety—making it believable—was no easy feat.

Under such circumstances, the fact that this Verdant-robed Path Master dared to play a game of strategy against the Great Abyss Immortal Sage and, moreover, dared to win against him, clearly indicated he was no ordinary individual.

With this thought in mind, Eldrin Chen pondered for a moment, finally recalling this person's identity. He then spoke with a smile, "So it is Fellow Daoist Great Mystery. Congratulations on your ascension to the Sage Ascendant Realm [the realm just below that of a Path Ancestor, signifying supreme mastery over a Great Dao]."

"You flatter me, Path Ancestor."

The Great Mystery Sage Ascendant replied, a trace of a smile in his voice.

This Great Mystery Path Master was, in fact, one of the earliest batch of Human Race Path Ancestors. He and the Great Abyss Immortal Sage had always addressed each other as martial brothers, their relationship being exceptionally close.

Tens of thousands of Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles spanning billions of years] ago, their cultivation levels had been quite similar.

Later, however, the Great Abyss Immortal Sage, through a fortunate encounter, obtained a Seed of Chaos Spiritual Root [the primordial seed of a spiritual root connected to the Chaos, a supreme treasure for cultivation] and embarked on the Spiritual Root Path to Path [a legendary cultivation method focused on nurturing one's spiritual root to its ultimate potential], propelling him in one leap into the realm of a Chaos Immortal Sage [an Immortal Sage who has comprehended the profound mysteries of Primordial Chaos].

The Great Mystery Path Master, however, had more ordinary fortunes. For a long time, he struggled to break through to the Great Emperor [a supreme realm of power, often ruling over vast domains] and remained trapped at the Primordial One Imperial Lord 8th Tier for many years.

His current ability to step into the Sage Ascendant Realm was due partly to the profound accumulation of his foundation finally bearing fruit, partly to the nurturing and guidance of the Great Abyss Immortal Sage, and partly to the marvelous effect of the three-hundredfold Space-Time acceleration within the Returning Abyss Grotto-Heaven.

Having understood all this, Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod and exchanged a few more pleasantries with the two of them.

After a moment, Great Mystery Sage Ascendant tactfully took his leave. Only then did Eldrin Chen retrieve a jade vial and hand it to Great Abyss Immortal Sage, saying,

"My journey to the Desolate Heaven Ancient Hall yielded considerable gains."

"Among them was a Rare Treasure [an exceptionally precious spiritual item] of significant use to you, Fellow Daoist, so I brought it specifically for you."

Great Abyss Immortal Sage did not offer thanks immediately. Instead, he took the vial, glanced inside, and his expression abruptly shifted. "This object is far too precious," he said gravely. "You should take it back."

"Fellow Daoist, between us, such formality is unnecessary."

Eldrin Chen offered a faint smile, then his expression turned solemn once more. "I imagine you have already discerned the origin of my wife's foundation."

Great Abyss Immortal Sage gave a slight nod. "The Verdant Lotus Immortal Sage attained the Dao from a Primordial Chaos Verdant Lotus [the legendary lotus born from the primordial chaos]. It must be that very seed from ages past."

"Precisely," Eldrin Chen affirmed. "The Seed of the First Chaos Verdant Lotus [the primordial seed capable of growing into the legendary Chaos Verdant Lotus] holds a path leading directly to the half-step Limitless Realm [a legendary state approaching true omnipotence]. Such an opportunity is rare even across the ages."

"Compared to that, what significance does this vial of Celestial Heart Divine Liquid [a divine liquid that purifies and nourishes the spiritual core] hold?"