Chapter 2036 : True Spirit Manifestation - Immortal Shield
At that time, the Pioneer God General was a close friend of the Eternal Sovereign, yet at the critical moment of battle, he launched a treacherous strike against the Eternal Sovereign, resulting in the Eternal Sovereign's collarbones being pierced by immortal-gold divine chains.
Since then, the Immortal Desolate Emperor was suppressed within the innate supreme treasure 'Refining Immortal Pool', where he endured day and night corrosion by the Immortal-Refining Divine Malice, causing his cultivation—accumulated over hundreds of thousands of kalpas—to stagnate without the slightest progress.
Fortunately, the Immortal Desolate Emperor, true to his nature as Eternal Immortal Gold, remained lucid despite being continuously corroded by the Soul-Refining Divine Miasma. He even managed to cultivate a wisp of Indestructible Divinity through this ordeal.
Were it not for this, the foundation of the Immortal Desolate Emperor would have long been eroded by the Refining Immortal Divine Miasma, causing his cultivation to plummet and rendering it impossible for him to ever break through to a higher realm.
At this thought, Eldrin could not help but sigh and say, "He betrayed you in the past, and today you refined his true form to cultivate the Divine Spirit Form. Perhaps this is retribution."
The Immortal Desolate Emperor shook his head and smiled wryly. "Had I not met you, I would likely still be drifting through life in a daze, my cultivation forever stagnant at the seventh layer of the Chaos Origin Emperor."
"Another encounter with Tuohuang would only lead to further humiliation."
As he spoke, the Immortal Emperor mobilized his entire cultivation base, beginning to continuously refine the remains of the Pioneer God General.
As the True Spirit God Rune exerted its power, the divinity within this remnant shell gradually faded, bit by bit merging into his own True Spirit God Rune.
No 1 knew how much time had passed. By the time the remains were fully refined, the divine patterns of immortality within the Eternal Sovereign slowly coalesced, ultimately transforming into a dazzling ancient shield.
True Spirit Manifestation — Immortal Shield
Eldrin (Person Name) spoke slowly, a flicker of astonishment rising in his gaze.
The Eternal Barren Emperor calmly extended his hand. The Shield of Eternity descended into his grasp, radiating boundless light of true spirit that completely enveloped and protected his physical form.
"This True Spirit Divine Form can enhance physical defense by 80 percent, and it can manifest to confront all manner of formidable foes."
The Eternal Desolate Emperor spoke slowly, a faint smile unconsciously flickering in his gaze.
Defensive-type True Spirit Divine Forms could enhance defensive capabilities by 50 percent for the weaker variants, while the pinnacle divine patterns could amplify defense by a full 1 100 percent.
This divine rune of his, capable of boosting defensive power by 80%, could already be considered an extraordinarily formidable True Spirit God Mark.
Eldrin smiled faintly before speaking, "Congratulations, Fellow Daoist, on stepping into the realm of the Great Emperor."
"I'm still a bit short. I can only be considered a half-step Great Emperor at best."
The Immortal Wilderness Emperor shook his head, his tone remaining consistently calm.
Whether it be achieving sainthood through physical cultivation or walking the path of mastering the Dao, within the realm of the Primordial Chaos Emperor, the ultimate goal is none other than cultivating either the 'True Spirit Divine Form' or the 'Great Dao Divine Form'.
The Eternal Desolate Emperor had cultivated the Divine Spirit Form, and in terms of realm, he had already set foot into the Emperor Realm.
His realm had already reached that level, but his physical cultivation was still insufficient and required further time to accumulate. Nevertheless, both his realm and combat prowess had already stepped into the domain of the Great Emperor.
The current Eternal Primordial Emperor stands between the Chaos Origin Emperor and the Great Emperor. Excluding his innate Primordial Treasure physique, his combat prowess rivals that of the Great Emperor realm, possessing 80 percent of a Great Emperor’s battle strength.
If we include the Primordial Chaos Treasure, facing ordinary Great Emperors, I wouldn’t dare claim to take on 2 at once, but defeating 1 in a direct confrontation would be absolutely effortless.
"It seems I might attempt to refine an Innate Cardinal Treasure or an Emperor's Relic to directly charge toward the Great Emperor Realm?"
Eldrin's thoughts flickered, realizing that the key to breaking through to the Great Emperor realm lay in cultivating the Divine Form of the True Spirit.
As for cultivation base and foundation, they merely form the bedrock of physical strength, not the true representation of 1's realm.
If Eldrin (Person Name) could cultivate the Divine Spirit Form and break through to the Great Emperor realm, not only would his combat prowess be greatly enhanced, but his physical cultivation speed should also see considerable improvement.
At this thought, Eldrin was reminded of the Azure Dragon Pearl in the hands of the Azure Dragon Emperor, and a ripple of emotion stirred in his gaze.
"It seems that the Azure Dragon Pearl is rather suited for my Life God Form."
"Ah, you undying cur, you deserve death!"
Just as the Immortal Emperor achieved the Great Dao Divine Form, the Pioneer God General within the origin of the Great Dao let out a mournful cry.
He discovered that after his shed mortal form was devoured, the divine manifestation of the Great Dao he had cultivated actually began to disintegrate, as if being consumed by some unknown force.
Thereafter, his cultivation base plummeted directly, falling to the eighth level of the Chaos Origin Emperor.
"Devouring the divine forms of the Great Dao, the path to physical sanctification is unexpectedly domineering."
Eldrin also noticed this and couldn't help but reveal a trace of astonishment as he said,
The Immortal Vast Emperor shook his head, his expression serene as he said, "The path of physical sanctification stands shoulder to shoulder with the path of mastering the Dao, and its individual combat prowess is even more formidable. Naturally, it possesses extraordinary merits."
"We have attained the Great Dao Divine Forms by essentially leveraging the complete remains of a Great Emperor or the power of an innate supreme treasure, seizing these divine forms from the very source of the Great Dao."
Eldrin (Person Name) furrowed his brow slightly and spoke with grave solemnity, "If so, after seizing the Divine Form of the Great Dao, wouldn't the plundered Great Dao be missing 1 Divine Form?"
"Precisely so."
The Eternal Barren Emperor spoke, then added, "Of course, when we seize a Divine Form of the Great Dao, that particular Great Dao will lose 1 of its Divine Forms."
"Unless we can complete the missing Divine Forms of the Great Dao, when the time comes to merge the 9 Divine Forms of the True Spirits, we shall inevitably invoke boundless calamities upon ourselves."
At this point, Immortal Desolate Emperor (Person Name) spoke with an exceedingly grave expression, "Every time we refine a Great Dao Divine Form (Cultivation Concept), we shall face an additional layer of Great Dao Tribulation when breaking through to the Chaos Realm (Cultivation Realm)."
"This tribulation is incomparably perilous. Since time immemorial, countless peerless prodigies and innumerable figures of unparalleled brilliance have all fallen at that final step."
"The path of physical body sanctification is far too domineering and unfathomable—it is only fitting that it be fraught with countless tribulations."
Eldrin murmured softly, a faint ripple shimmering in his gaze.
Without need for contemplation or comprehension, seize the divine forms of the Great Dao directly from its primordial source, refining and fusing them into 1's own flesh to become nourishment for the cultivation of their true spiritual form.
In the end, he would have to merge the 9 divine forms of the True Spirit into 1, cultivating a unique divine form that belonged solely to himself. Such a method was truly domineering and audacious.
Who knows what kind of peerless, unparalleled figure created the path of physical sanctification back in the day, actually forging such a heaven-defying path.
The Eternal Sovereign smiled faintly before speaking, "Those who achieve sainthood through physical cultivation often possess astonishing determination and perseverance. Yet their comprehension falls far short of those who master the Dao—they may even be individuals spurned by the Great Dao itself."
"Such individuals often find comprehending the Great Dao an arduous endeavor with meager returns, making it impossible for them to set foot in the Chaos Realm. Thus, forging this path might be the only way for those souls to attain enlightenment."
Eldrin nodded. He had heard of this legend.
According to ancient legends, the progenitor who pioneered the path of physical sanctification was 1 despised by the heavens.
Because of the Great Dao Curse inflicted by a powerful foe, He could not actively cultivate or comprehend the Great Dao. Even attempting to comprehend it would bring punishment, so He had no choice but to pursue the path of physical cultivation to attain sainthood.
Since I cannot comprehend the Great Dao, I shall subdue it through sheer perseverance and brute force. If enlightenment is denied me, then I will beat the very essence of the Dao into submission.
To grasp the Dao, to master the Dao—all the painstaking contemplation and enlightenment were for the sole purpose of grasping the Dao. Refining the Great Dao into 1’s physical form to strengthen the body—was this not, in its own way, another form of mastering the Dao?
In this realm of chaos, the fist is the ultimate truth. With a fist powerful enough, even the Great Dao must submit—who in the vast, formless chaos would dare defy it?
"If the rumors are true, then I seem to have developed some interest in the founder of the path of physical sanctification."
Eldrin's thoughts flickered briefly before he finally withdrew the notion.
At the same time, he lifted his head and gazed toward the distant Void Sky, where several surges of aura rose 1 after another from the Primordial Wilderness Realm, beginning to intensify at an astonishing rate.
The auras of those 4 individuals initially registered at the peak of the seventh level of the Chaos Origin Emperor realm. In the blink of an eye, they shattered all limitations, ultimately breaching the final barrier of the seventh level to step firmly into the eighth level of the Chaos Origin Emperor realm.
"They've broken through."
The Eternal Sovereign spoke, a trace of astonishment flickering in his eyes.
Eldrin (Person Name) nodded and said, "The 4 siblings share a unified spiritual aura. Should even 1 of them achieve a breakthrough, the others will likewise comprehend the opportunity to ascend."
As they spoke, the 4 figures descended through the firmament and bowed deeply to Eldrin. "Our gratitude for the treasures you bestowed, Master," they chorused. "Only through your grace have we 4 siblings succeeded in forging our Root Artifacts."
"Excellent, truly excellent. You have not disappointed me."
Eldrin smiled faintly, rising to his feet as he gazed into the chaotic depths before speaking. "Since the breakthrough has been achieved, we must not delay. Let us immediately make our move against that Quasi-Sage Dragon Corpse."
As the words fell, Eldrin was the first to set off, heading toward the Chaotic Abyssal Sea.
Without the slightest hesitation, the crowd also began strolling toward the Chaotic Barren Sea.
This time, to completely seize the Sage Dragon Corpse, Eldrin had mobilized nearly all his forces.
In addition to his Reincarnation Body, he had brought along the Sword Abyss Sage, the Eternal Emperor, the Triune Emperor, and the 4 Symbols Emperor.
Among these individuals, Sword Abyss Emperor and Immortal Emperor were both in the Emperor Realm, while Triad Emperor and 4 Symbols Emperor combined possessed combat prowess equivalent to 2 Emperors.
With everyone joining forces, and coupled with Eldrin (Person Name), it would be equivalent to 4 or 5 Emperor-level combatants.
As for those below the Great Emperor, all 5 Hunyuan Emperor Seventh Layers—Spirit Creek Emperor, Sword Profundity Emperor, Dragon Steadfast Emperor, Heaven-Distant Sword Emperor, and Daylight-Extinction Sword Emperor—had mobilized in full force.
Such strength and foundation, having gathered nearly all the forces of the Primordial Realm of the Great Wastelands, was almost equivalent to the high-tier combat power of more than half of the Human Immortal Court.
The group fought their way to the side of the Quasi-Sage Dragon Corpse. Gazing upon the remains of this near-saintly dragon, their eyes ignited with overwhelming battle fervor.
The Eternal Desolate Emperor took a deep breath before asking, “How shall we proceed?”
Eldrin (Person Name) pondered briefly before declaring plainly, "I shall take the vanguard to confront the Azure Dragon Emperor. Sword Abyss and Immortal Enduring, join me in battle."
"Fellow Daoists of the 3 Talents and 4 Symbols Formation, secure the battlefield and stand ready to intervene at a moment's notice."
As for the others.
Eldrin’s words paused ever so slightly before he turned his gaze to Sword Sovereign Thearch and asked, “You are tasked with clearing out the other Desolate Tribes. Are you confident you can hold them back?”
Sword Profound Emperor nodded and said decisively, "Beneath the Azure Dragon Great Emperor, there is only 1 Eighth-Level Chaos Unity Emperor. The rest are of no concern—we can handle them."
Eldrin nodded, a glimmer of understanding flashing in his eyes.
Although Sword Xuan Emperor had only recently reached the late stage of Chaos Origin Emperor Realm, he had cultivated the foundation of 4 True Spiritual Roots. The combat prowess derived from such profound accumulation was truly astonishing, enabling him to effortlessly challenge and defeat an eighth-level Chaos Origin Emperor.
After finalizing the battle strategy, Eldrin spoke without hesitation, "In that case, let us commence immediately."
As the words faded, Eldrin was the first to strike, riding the Chaos Heavenly Halberd in a sweeping arc as he charged onto the Demi-Saint Dragon Corpse.
The Azure Dragon Emperor detected Eldrin's return and instantly flashed a cold smirk.
He instantly rode the Azure Dragon Halberd through the skies, erupting into a world-shaking battle with Eldrin (Person Name).
Just like the last encounter, Eldrin was immediately forced into an absolute disadvantage the moment they crossed blows.
Fortunately, this time, everyone's strength was far beyond what it used to be.
The Eternal Desolate Emperor instantly made his move, steering the Eternal Emperor Spear in a sweeping assault, immediately erupting into a world-shaking confrontation with the Azure Dragon Emperor.
The Azure Dragon Emperor unleashed his awe-inspiring combat prowess, yet when facing the Eternal Desolate Emperor once more, he no longer wielded absolute dominance.
As the Sword Abyss Sovereign made his move, wielding the Ancient Abyssal Sword in a sweeping strike, its boundless killing power converged toward the Azure Dragon Emperor, who summoned the Azure Dragon Halberd to block the assault.
Eldrin acted decisively, summoning the Abyssal Pearl of Returning to the Void to overawe the heavens, locking in a tense confrontation with that Azure Dragon Treasure Pearl.
Boom—
Seizing the opening, the Immortal Desolate Emperor maneuvered the True Spirit Immortal Shield and smashed it downward, forcibly slamming the Azure Dragon Emperor to his knees.
After all these years, as the Immortal Desolate Emperor perfected his True Spirit Divine Form, the oppressive aura emanating from the Azure Dragon Emperor had gradually diminished without anyone noticing.
"Activate the formation!"
Seeing the Azure Dragon Emperor suppressed by the 3 opponents, the Trinity Quadrant Sovereigns decisively laid down a killing formation.
In an instant, the power of the 4 Symbols enveloped heaven and earth, sealing off the retreat path of the Azure Dragon Emperor. The lethal might of the 3 Powers swept down, suppressing Him into relentless retreat.
"Roar—"
Enraged, the Azure Dragon Emperor let out a world-shaking roar. His physical form blazed with incandescent light as the entire Quasi-Sage Dragon Corpse trembled violently. From the dragon’s maw, a dazzling dragon pearl soared into the sky.
That was a treasure pearl radiating an eternal light, from which endless chaos and pure radiance roared forth, transforming into a beam of everlasting brilliance that surged across the 8 directions.
"Damn, it's the Dragon Pearl left behind by a Demi-Sage."
Eldrin’s heart jolted in alarm. Without hesitation, he channeled the Dao of Yin-Yang Sacrifice, elevating his physical strength to the Emperor Realm. He positioned himself firmly at the forefront of the group, bracing against the dragon pearl’s strike with every ounce of his power.
The force of this strike had already reached the level of a full-powered blow from a Quasi-Saint. Even the Indestructible Battle Armor could only block 50 percent of the damage.
The remaining force still surpassed the limits of the Abyssal God Runes, even inflicting considerable injuries upon Eldrin.
If it were the Immortal Desolate Emperor, even if he activated the Immortal Shield to block, he would likely be severely wounded on the spot and lose all combat capability.
It could be said that had Eldrin not blocked this strike, the group—now deprived of a Great Emperor's combat prowess—would likely have seen all their previous efforts in this battle come to naught.
World Sovereign.
Seeing Eldrin injured, everyone’s expressions shifted slightly.
The Eternal Barren Emperor decisively executed Ultimate Ascension, elevating his combat prowess to the peak Great Emperor realm. With overwhelming force, he single-handedly suppressed the Azure Dragon Great Emperor in his entirety.
Fortunately, the remaining power within the dragon pearl was minimal—barely enough for a single strike, after which it would lose all potency.
Everyone unleashed their full power, swiftly suppressing the Azure Dragon Emperor completely.
Seizing the opportunity, Eldrin consumed several healing elixirs and activated the Dao of Life to restore his injuries, quickly recovering most of his wounds.
Without another word, he channeled all his power into the Chaos Heavenly Halberd, sweeping it horizontally as he joined the others in successive clashes against the Azure Dragon Emperor.
Though the Azure Dragon Emperor possessed extraordinary combat prowess, he ultimately could not reverse his fate against the allies unleashing their forbidden divine arts.
This battle raged for millions of desolate years, until the Immortal Emperor, having reached the pinnacle of sublimation, ultimately nailed and slaughtered it within the chaotic void.
It is done.
As the Azure Dragon Emperor's divine sense merged into the Great Dao, the crowd finally let out a slow, measured exhale.
Eldrin did not celebrate immediately. After slaughtering all formidable foes upon the battlefield, he dragged the corpse of the Demi-Saint Dragon along with his spoils of war, returning all the way to the Primordial Barren Realm.
Upon returning to the Great Wilderness Ancient Realm, Eldrin finally let out a sigh of relief and spoke, "This battle has yielded us substantial gains. You have all fought admirably."
"Now, it is time to distribute the spoils of our conquest."
Hearing this, everyone revealed a faint smile.
They arrived at the Great Wilderness Divine Palace and began taking stock of the spoils they had seized, their faces growing increasingly delighted.
In this battle, the spoils of war were extraordinarily abundant. They seized over a 1000 skeletal remains of Chaos Dragons at the Great Luo realm, dozens of carcasses of Primal Chaos Emperor Desolate Dragons, and as many as 130 strands of Primordial Beginning Qi.
There were also over a dozen resources such as the Great Dao Source Stone for breaking through to the late-stage Chaos Emperor realm, Chaos Holy Fruits, and more.
And all these treasures were still of the middle and lower tiers.
The truly invaluable treasures were a single quasi-sage dragon corpse, 2 Primordial Chaos Treasures, and the complete skeletal remains of the Azure Dragon Emperor.
Within the 2 Primordial Chaos Treasures lay the Canglong Ancient Pearl and the Qinglong Halberd, both relics left behind by the Quasi-Sage Canglong from ancient times.
As for the remains of the Azure Dragon Emperor, they too served as superior treasures for cultivating the True Spirit Divine Form, their value to an Emperor nearly equivalent to that of an Innate Supreme Treasure.
And the treasures contained within the Demi-Saint Dragon Corpse were truly staggering.
These can largely be categorized into numerous treasures such as the Counter-Scale, dragon scales and horns, dragon pearls, dragon hearts, dragon blood, dragon bones, and dragon flesh.
Among these treasures, the Scale of Defiance, Dragon Heart, and Dragon Pearl were the 3 most precious. The Scale of Defiance, in particular, served as a primordial spirit treasure embryo, capable of being directly refined into an Innate Supreme Treasure.
Both the Dragon Heart and Dragon Pearl can be utilized to assail the Emperor Realm, increasing the certainty of a breakthrough by 50 percent.
Among the remaining treasures, the dragon horn, dragon scales, and dragon bones could all serve as crucial materials to enhance the probability of advancing to an Innate Supreme Treasure.
Dragon blood and dragon meat were also exceptionally precious cultivation resources. Though they could not compare to the dragon heart or dragon core, they still offered immense benefits for breaking through to the Great Emperor Realm.
Most crucially, the dragon's blood and flesh were immense in quantity, serving as exceptionally precious cultivation resources.
After glancing at the numerous treasures, Eldrin spoke up, "In this battle, everyone has contributed significantly. Let us distribute the Quasi-Saint Dragon Corpse according to military merits."
Everyone nodded in agreement upon hearing this, offering no objections.
Eldrin then turned his gaze to the Immortal Sovereign and inquired, "By your merits, you may choose either the most precious Dragon Pearl or the Dragon Heart."
The Eternal Sovereign, however, shook his head and spoke, "I have already cultivated the Divine Form of the True Spirit. There is no need to waste the Dragon Pearl and Dragon Heart."
"Why not give me the Azure Dragon's remains, along with some dragon flesh? This way, I can cultivate the second form of my True Spirit, break through to the Great Emperor realm, and no resources would go to waste."
(End of Chapter)