Chapter 2142 : The Ancestral Dragon's Bargain

As long as one possesses Dragon Clan [the race of mythical dragons] bloodline, undergoing baptism within it would significantly increase the probability of a breakthrough to the Path Union Supreme [the supreme realm where one's cultivation path fully unifies with the cosmic laws].

However, this object is only effective for the Dragon Clan, which is why the cost to enter the Ancestral Dragon Pool [a sacred pool containing the primordial essence of dragon ancestors] is far lower than procuring a Path Union Pill [a legendary elixir that aids in achieving the Path Union realm].

The opportunity the Nine Dragons' Nest Master [the master of the legendary Nine Dragons' Nest] exchanged for the Ancestral Dragon Pool could very well be swapped for a Path Union [the realm where one's cultivation path unifies] opportunity of slightly lesser value.

These lesser-valued Path Union opportunities often come with certain flaws; either the increase in breakthrough probability is merely ten percent or even five percent, or their use carries significant side effects.

Yet, none of those present had a patron at the Path Union Supreme level. Having any chance at all to break through to Path Union was already a boon—who were they to be picky?

With this thought, everyone suppressed the notions stirring in their hearts.

It was at this moment that the Immortal Phoenix Empress [the sovereign ruler of the immortal phoenixes] pondered briefly, then spoke with a hint of surprise, "The Path Union opportunities you speak of, aside from the Dragon Transformation Pool [a pool that facilitates the transformation and ascension of draconic beings], number only three."

"Yet here we stand, five Half-Step Path Union [cultivators who have reached the threshold just before the full Path Union realm]."

Upon hearing this, the Nine Dragons' Nest Master cast a gaze, half-smiling and half-mocking, towards the Violet Firmament Immortal Sage [a sage of the violet heavens].

The Violet Firmament Immortal Sage's expression darkened instantly, as if he had comprehended everything in that fleeting moment.

As expected, the Nine Dragons' Nest Master gave a faint smile and spoke, "Since you, Fellow Daoist, have such close ties with Returning Abyss Path Ancestor, I presume you would not be interested in this incomplete opportunity for Path Union advancement [the profound state of unifying one's cultivation path]."

"You would break your oath?"

The Violet Firmament Immortal Sage's pupils turned icy, a flicker of killing intent surfacing in his gaze.

He looked back at the others, only to see Tianke Path Ancestor and Myriad Path Divine Venerable avert their gazes, clearly unwilling to oppose the Nine Dragons' Nest Master on this matter.

After all, securing this Path Union opportunity still depended on the Nine Dragons' Nest Master's connections.

"Fine, fine, fine. No wonder Returning Abyss Path Ancestor once said you all harbor selfish schemes and are difficult to work with."

"Today, I withdraw from the Hundred Domains Path Union Alliance."

The Violet Firmament Immortal Sage declared coldly. With a flick of his sleeve, he rose to leave. Before departing, he cast a final glance at Tianke Path Ancestor and the other Mortal Path cultivators [practitioners of the cultivation art focused on worldly experiences], "Remember this: those who betray their oaths will one day taste the bitterness of betrayal themselves."

With those words, the Violet Firmament Immortal Sage strode across the Heavenly Vault [the celestial dome of the heavens] and vanished into the Boundless Void.

After the Violet Firmament Immortal Sage's departure, Tianke Path Ancestor frowned slightly and said, "With the Violet Firmament Immortal Sage gone, the Hundred Domains Path Union Alliance will likely never be the same again."

"Once we break through to the Path Union Supreme [the supreme realm of path unification], why would we care about a mere Violet Firmament Immortal Sage?"

The Nine Dragons' Nest Master sneered as he spoke, finally declaring, "There is no time to waste. Let us make our way to the Primordial Chaos Myriad Dragon Nest [the legendary nesting ground of myriad dragons born from primordial chaos]."

However, the Immortal Phoenix Empress hesitated, unable to hold back her concern. "If we depart now," she said, "the Outer Realm Demon Emperor will likely become a calamitous threat."

"Let this mess be left for the Returning Abyss Path Ancestor to clean up."

The Myriad Path Divine Venerable let out a cold laugh. "Once we set foot upon the Path Union [the realm where one's cultivated paths merge into a unified whole]," he stated, "what does the Devouring Demon Emperor amount to?"

"We shall suppress them all."

"..."

Thus, the four Half-Step Path Union [cultivators who have taken half a step into the Path Union realm] masters of the Hundred Domains Path Union Alliance departed the Blazing Central Hundred Domains in utter silence. Eldrin Chen remained unaware of their departure.

At this time, he was still immersed in deep seclusion, striving to seize every moment to complete the final stages of his cultivation for the Soul Path Heavenly Emperor [the Heavenly Emperor realm focused on the cultivation of the soul path].

Thus, time flowed on, countless years slipping away unnoticed.

Until one day, Eldrin Chen reclaimed another of his split souls once more, and his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] finally shattered a certain bottleneck completely, reaching the ultimate realm of flawless perfection.

"Half-Step Path Union Primordial Spirit."

On this day, Eldrin Chen murmured softly in his heart, a glimmer of profound satisfaction inevitably rising in the depths of his eyes.

He carefully sensed the foundational essence of his own Primordial Spirit, then attempted to channel the power of his nine Great God Ability [supreme divine powers], a look of contentment spreading across his features.

After his Primordial Spirit cultivation reached the Half-Step Path Union [a state just shy of fully merging with the Heavenly Path] realm, how many times more potent had his spiritual power become compared to when he first entered the Heaven and Earth realm? It was not merely a matter of doubling or tripling.

With his current Primordial Spirit strength, the power unleashed by simultaneously wielding his nine Chaos Divine Ability [divine powers born from primordial chaos] had already brushed against the threshold of the Path Union Supreme [the supreme realm of unity with the Path] domain.

In terms of pure explosive force and destructive power, the might of simultaneously commanding all nine Chaos Divine Ability even surpassed that of his Primordial Chaos Indestructibility Body [a physique of unbreakable resilience forged from primordial chaos] by a noticeable margin.

"The power of a Half-Step Path Union Primordial Spirit, when used to drive the nine Chaos Divine Ability, is truly Extraordinary," Eldrin Chen mused inwardly.

He then attempted to channel the power of his Primordial Spirit into his physical body, discovering that his overall combat prowess had increased by several notches.

Furthermore, the might of his divine abilities, achieved by fusing the various Chaos Divine Form [divine forms born of chaos] with the Chaos Divine Ability, had undergone a qualitative leap.

Such a monumental enhancement propelled Eldrin Chen's overall combat prowess far beyond that of an ordinary Path Union Supreme [a supreme cultivator who has unified their cultivation path], even surpassing the Blazing Center Supreme [a supreme being associated with the blazing center] from before by a significant margin.

"My current strength should allow me to contend against three newly-ascended Supreme [cultivators who have reached the supreme realm] simultaneously, or withstand the combined assault of two Blazing Center Supreme," he assessed.

"There remains a gap compared to a top-tier Path Union [the cultivation realm of path union], but at least I can put up a fight now."

Eldrin Chen mused silently. He estimated that his present self, aided by the Supreme Celestial Puppet [a supreme-grade puppet of celestial origin] and the combined might of the thirty-six Celestial Puppet Grand Formation [a grand formation comprised of celestial puppets], should be capable of facing a top-tier Path Union Supreme.

Of course, this referred to the most common type of top-tier Path Union Supreme. After all, none among them were weak; the most exceptional could overwhelm ten ordinary Supreme single-handedly.

Against such a peerless, tenfold-powerful top-tier Path Union Supreme, Eldrin Chen's current strength would indeed be insufficient.

Nevertheless, this breakthrough had granted him a substantial increase in power, which filled his heart with quiet satisfaction.

Heartened, he prepared to seize the momentum and strive for the Great Path Authority [the authority over a great cultivation path]. However, he suddenly noticed several message talismans waiting outside his Seclusion Chamber [a chamber for secluded cultivation].

He opened and read them, his brow furrowing slightly. Without delay, he emerged from the Seclusion Chamber.

Exquisite Jiang had been waiting. Seeing him exit, her expression turned grave. "You have finally concluded your seclusion," she said.

"Hmm."

Eldrin Chen nodded without further comment and immediately convened a high-level meeting of the Returning Abyss Chaos Domain.

Surveying the assembled Heavenly Emperor [a title for supreme rulers of vast cosmic domains] before him, Eldrin Chen fell into a brief, contemplative silence before speaking. "What is the current situation?"

"Five Primordial Domain [the foundational, ancient realms of existence] have already been destroyed, and nine Chaos Heavenly Emperor [Heavenly Emperors who rule over chaotic, primordial domains] have perished."

Ethan Chen reported methodically, handing a dossier of intelligence to Eldrin Chen as he spoke.

Eldrin Chen listened in silence, a slight frown creasing his brow. After reviewing the documents for only a moment, his expression grew grave. "The Nine Dragons' Nest Master and his ilk have truly proven themselves incapable of achieving greatness."

It transpired that after Eldrin Chen had resumed his secluded cultivation, Nine Dragons' Nest Master and the others had not gone to reinforce the blockade against the Outer Realm Demon Emperor. Instead, they had ventured to the Nine Chaos Dragons Nest seeking their own opportunities for a breakthrough.

This provided the Outer Realm Demon Emperor with the opening he needed. He finally broke through the encirclement formed by Supreme Puppet [a sentient, immensely powerful enchanted construct] and the others, vanishing deep into the Blazing Central Hundred Domains.

Once entrenched within the Blazing Central Hundred Domains, the Outer Realm Demon Emperor launched a relentless campaign, conquering five Primordial Domain in succession.

He devoured the foundational essence of these five Primordial Domain, draining them until they were utterly consumed by Oblivion [the state of complete annihilation and non-existence]. In the process, he also slaughtered and absorbed nine Chaos Heavenly Emperor.

In the end, the Outer Realm Demon Emperor fled back into the Northern Abyss Foreign Realm under the relentless pursuit of the Supreme Puppet.

Exquisite Jiang also sighed, her expression turning grave as she said, "The Outer Realm Demon Emperor has devoured the foundational essence of five Primordial Domains and consumed nine Chaos Heavenly Emperors."

"Now it lies dormant within the Northern Abyss Foreign Realm. Once it digests this harvest, its power will likely see a significant increase."

Eldrin Chen nodded in agreement. Whether it was five Small Primordial Domains or nine Chaos Heavenly Emperors, the foundational essence involved was undoubtedly immense.

Once the Outer Realm Demon Emperor digested this essence, its cultivation would undoubtedly undergo a tremendous leap. Even if it didn't reach the pinnacle of the Half-Step Path Union Realm, it would still achieve considerable advancement.

Of course, for the Outer Realm Demon Emperor to refine this essence was no simple task.

Although the Devouring Great Path was heaven-defying, capable of indiscriminately consuming almost any substance or essence, it ultimately had its limits.

To digest the Great Path Origin [the fundamental source of a cultivator's power and connection to the Great Path] of a single Primordial Domain or a Chaos Heavenly Emperor required an exceedingly long span of time.

According to Eldrin Chen's estimation, for the Outer Realm Demon Emperor to digest this essence would take at least several thousand Kalpa Tribulations [immense cosmic cycles in Buddhist cosmology, often billions of years].

And once this essence was digested, the Outer Realm Demon Emperor's power should increase substantially, elevating it from a newly ascended Path Union Supreme to a level surpassing even that of Azure Fall Supreme.

By that time, the strength of the Outer Realm Demon Emperor [a powerful demonic ruler from beyond the known realms] should be considered rare among his peers, capable of fighting one against two ordinary Path Union Supreme [Supreme cultivators who have unified their cultivation path].

Of course, reaching the Pinnacle Supreme [the absolute peak of the Supreme realm] level would likely still require an immense span of time.

This is because the Devouring Great Path [a cultivation art centered on devouring and assimilating other energies] is, after all, not the Chaos Limitless Great Path [a legendary divine ability of boundless chaos], and has inherent limits to its efficiency in converting lower-tier Great Paths [fundamental cultivation arts] and physical matter.

Unless he directly refines one or two Path Union Supreme, he would probably need to refine at least one or two hundred Chaos Heavenly Emperors [powerful beings who have attained the Heavenly Emperor realm through chaos] or over a hundred Small Primordial Domains [small, ancient realms born from primordial chaos] to step into the ranks of a top-tier Path Union Supreme.

Considering this, Eldrin Chen calculated with his fingers for a moment before speaking. "Barring unforeseen circumstances, he should be able to fully digest the gains from this endeavor within five thousand Kalpa Tribulations [immense cosmic cycles spanning billions of years]."

Hearing this, the expressions of those present grew profoundly grave.

Seeing this, the Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor [an ancient progenitor who founded a path at the dawn of creation] spoke. "Having learned from this lesson, the various major Primordial Domains have already devised countermeasures for this period."

"They are either shifting their locations to conceal their Path Markers [unique spiritual signatures that mark a cultivator's path], or gathering together to set up Super Chaos Grand Formations [grand defensive arrays powered by chaotic energies] to resist him."

Eldrin Chen nodded and issued a command. "Convey my decree: I encourage the major Primordial Domains to band together for mutual protection. Let them form Chaos Domains [alliances of realms united by chaos] comprising ten or more Primordial Domains."

Ye Verdant Peak [a cultivator known as Verdant Peak] gave a nod of acknowledgment and recorded the matter.

Seeing this, Exquisite Jiang spoke again, "There is a saying: one can be a thief for a thousand days, but one cannot guard against thieves for a thousand days." [a proverb meaning it's impossible to maintain constant vigilance forever]

"To maintain peace and stability within the Blazing Central Hundred Domains, we must first excise this festering tumor."

Eldrin Chen also nodded, yet a slight frown creased his brow as he sank into deep contemplation.

With his current strength, defeating the Outer Realm Demon Emperor was not difficult, but he lacked the confidence to utterly slay him.

The most critical issue was that the Outer Realm Demon Emperor resided within the Northern Abyss Foreign Realm, sheltered by the grand protective formation of a large-scale Primordial Domain. Without the power of a top-tier Path Union Supreme, breaching it would be impossible.

Considering this, Eldrin Chen could not help but turn his gaze towards the others present.

After all these years, the members of the Chen Immortal Clan had progressed swiftly in their cultivation. Among them, both Exquisite Jiang and Verdant Consort had elevated their cultivation to the peak of the Half-Step Path Union Realm.

Furthermore, they were currently cultivating the Dreamwalking Reincarnation Art [a profound technique for soul cultivation and dream manipulation], and it was highly likely that Future's Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and highest essence of a cultivator] cultivation would also see tremendous advancement.

As for those who practiced the Sacrificial Self Path [a formidable and demanding cultivation method], their power had surged even more dramatically, with nearly all of them reaching a level equivalent to Half-Step Path Union cultivation.

Among them, Nyssa Qu and Ye Verdant Peak had both successfully cultivated a second Chaos Immortal Treasury [an internal world formed from primordial chaos energy], and their Inner Immortal Domain [an advanced internal realm technique] had also reached a state of great completion.

With the empowerment of two Chaos Immortal Treasury [a legendary repository of primordial power and treasures] and the might of their own Chaos Sword Formation [a supreme sword array harnessing primordial chaos], their combat prowess had reached eighty percent of a Path Union Supreme's [a supreme cultivator who has unified multiple cultivation paths].

According to Eldrin Chen's estimation, within the next five thousand Kalpa Tribulation [a cosmic cycle of immense duration and cataclysmic change], the two should be able to cultivate their third Chaos Immortal Treasury, and their Inner Immortal Domain [the perfected internal world of an immortal] would also see further refinement.

By that time, their battle strength would be sufficient to rival a newly ascended Path Union Supreme, becoming two of Eldrin Chen's greatest pillars of support.

As for Imperial Sovereign Jiang, Worthy Pursuit Chen, Lingering Ye, and Gentle Deer, all four had also successfully cultivated two Chaos Immortal Treasury.

Eldrin Chen estimated that once these four cultivated their third Chaos Immortal Treasury, they too would possess eighty to ninety percent of a Path Union Supreme's combat power. They were only slightly weaker by half a step due to lacking supremely powerful Formation Artifact [artifacts specifically designed to empower or anchor grand formations].

Beyond these individuals, the Chen Immortal Clan [the immortal clan founded by Eldrin Chen] had welcomed close to ten newly ascended Chaos Heavenly Emperor [a title for a supreme ruler who commands primordial chaos] in recent years.

These individuals were primarily heaven-defying prodigies of the Sacrificial Self Path [a supreme cultivation method focused on self-transcendence through sacrifice], namely Serene [a disciple known for his profound tranquility], Fate Extinction, Literature Abyss Lu, Goose Startles Cold, Pavilion Stop Zhang, Tianheng Child, Lofty Pavilion Lin, and others—all personal disciples under Eldrin Chen's direct tutelage.

After years of meticulous tempering, the foundations of Eldrin Chen's Ten Direct Disciples [his ten personally taught successors] had become flawless and perfectly harmonious. Each had stepped into the Heavenly Emperor Realm [the realm of a Heavenly Emperor] by mastering the Ten Great Immortal Treasuries [ten supreme divine abilities representing ultimate cultivation achievements], and their future potential was truly boundless.

However, their breakthroughs came a step too late; they missed the opportunities within the Desolate Heaven Ancient Hall [an ancient hall containing profound legacies from a bygone desolate era]. Consequently, the cultivation resources they obtained were far inferior, making rapid further advancement impossible in the short term.

This was an unavoidable circumstance. The Sacrificial Self Path now gathered clouds of prodigies. Beyond the Ten Direct Disciples, there were still hundreds of others who showed the potential to attain the stature of a Heavenly Emperor.

Even though these individuals are more distantly related and possess far less potential than the Ten Direct Disciples, in order to spread the Sacrificial Self Path [a profound cultivation method focused on self-sacrifice and transcendence] in the future, Eldrin Chen must still strive to nurture them to the Heavenly Emperor Realm [the pinnacle realm of a Heavenly Emperor, a sovereign of immense power].

For only by stepping into the Heavenly Emperor Realm can they venture beyond the Blazing Central Hundred Domains and journey into the deeper Chaos Domain [a primordial and turbulent region of existence] to propagate the Path on behalf of Eldrin Chen.

This concerns not only the speed at which the Sacrificial Self Path can be perfected but also the success of Eldrin Chen's grand designs.

Given these circumstances, the resources in Eldrin Chen's hands can only be allocated selectively; it is impossible to cultivate the Ten Direct Disciples unconditionally.

Henceforth, they must seek out the majority of their own cultivation resources.

Contemplating this, Eldrin Chen fell into a brief, thoughtful silence before speaking. "To utterly annihilate an Outer Realm Demon Emperor [a supreme ruler of demons from beyond this realm], we must commit our full strength."

"Devote yourselves to cultivation in the coming years. I shall also prepare several supreme-grade Formation Artifact [powerful artifacts designed to create or anchor formidable defensive or offensive arrays] for you."

With those words, Eldrin Chen proceeded to the Immortal Herb Garden. There, utilizing the Primordial Energy Vase of Heaven and Earth [a legendary vessel capable of nurturing and transforming spiritual essences] and aided by Chaos Genesis Energy [the primordial creative force of chaos] and Primordial Chaos Source Essence [the foundational essence of primordial chaos], he elevated four plants into Chaos Spiritual Root [plants of chaos origin that have ascended to become supreme spiritual treasures].

These four Chaos Spiritual Root were the Seven Treasures Gourd Vine, the Gale Wind Gourd Vine, the Chaos Nine Sun Heavenly Flame Tree, and the Eight Trigrams Treasure Tree.

Each of these four Chaos Spiritual Root is a supreme treasure of heaven-defying power.

Among them, the Seven Treasures Gourd Vine [a legendary spiritual vine that bears seven magical gourds] once followed Eldrin Chen for many years. The seven precious gourds it bore could transform into a Slaughter Formation [a lethal battle array], allowing it to roam the world with few rivals.

The Chaos Primordial Solar Heavenly Flame Tree [a primordial tree of chaos that births solar heavenly flames] could nurture nine Primordial Solar Heavenly Flame Swords [divine swords forged from the essence of the primordial sun and heavenly flame]. These could be refined into a supreme Sword Formation [a coordinated attack pattern of multiple flying swords], possessing immense restraining power against the Demonic Path [the cultivation methods and philosophies aligned with demonic forces].

The Eight Trigrams Treasure Tree [a mystical tree whose form and power embody the eight trigrams of divination] naturally requires little explanation. The formation it empowered was not only of extraordinary and immense might but was also a first-rate treasure for trapping enemies.

As for the Gale Wind Immortal-Slaying Gourd [a gourd that unleashes soul-reaping gale winds] nurtured by the Gale Wind Gourd Vine [the vine that bears the Immortal-Slaying Gourd], it was a supreme treasure of ultimate Slaughter [the divine ability or principle of absolute destruction]. Once its attack landed, it possessed the extreme power to slay foes a full realm above one's own.

Most crucially, this treasure could store spiritual energy [the vital power used by cultivators], allowing it to be activated without consuming the wielder's own reserves.

This treasure was the trump card prepared by Eldrin Chen, who had paid a tremendous price specifically to advance it into an Upper Grade Chaos Spiritual Root [a top-tier spiritual root born from primordial chaos, granting immense potential].

"All preparations are complete, awaiting only the perfect moment to utterly annihilate him."