Chapter 2156 : The Reborn Chaos Tree

In the distant past, following the fall of the Nameless [a mysterious ancient being], the Chaos Seven Souls Tree [a legendary tree bearing fruit that nourishes the seven souls] fell into the hands of the Nameless's enemies. However, the tree of three souls was split into three separate entities.

Now, after the passage of countless ages, the Chaos Three Souls Tree [a primordial tree bearing fruit that nourishes the three ethereal souls] has once more manifested within the mortal realm.

Of course, at this moment, the Chaos Three Souls Tree is merely a Lower Grade Chaos Spiritual Root [a spiritual root of primordial chaos of the lowest grade], and the path to restoring its former peak remains arduous.

Eldrin Chen had no choice but to continuously expend Primordial Chaos Genesis Essence [the foundational essence of primordial chaos, used to nurture spiritual roots]. After consuming nine strands of this precious essence, he succeeded in restoring the tree's peak potential. Now, it only requires replenishing its foundational source to achieve a complete recovery.

However, the inherent capacity of the Returning Abyss Hundred Domains [a vast region of one hundred interconnected realms] is limited. It struggles to sustain even the Upper Grade Chaos Spiritual Root [a spiritual root of primordial chaos of the highest grade], the Gale Wind Gourd Vine [a magical vine that bears gourds containing the power of gale winds], let alone support the immense consumption required for the Chaos Three Souls Tree's restoration.

Eldrin Chen could only store it away, intending to take it to a large-scale Primordial Chaos Secret Realm [a hidden realm suffused with the energy of primordial chaos] for its recovery at a later date.

That large-scale Primordial Chaos Secret Realm possesses abundant foundational source, and its capacity should be sufficient to nourish three Upper Grade Chaos Spiritual Roots.

Yet, Eldrin Chen did not immediately depart for the large-scale Primordial Chaos Secret Realm. Instead, he remained within the Returning Abyss Grotto-Heaven [a celestial grotto-heaven within the Returning Abyss region], awaiting the breakthroughs of Imperial Sovereign Jiang and the others.

Having received the treasures and the Path Union [the realm of unifying one's cultivated paths] method bestowed by Eldrin Chen, Imperial Sovereign Jiang and the others had already begun their successive attempts to advance their cultivation.

In the time that followed, nine individuals—Nyssa Qu, Violet Consort Yan, Lila, Liana, Imperial Sovereign Jiang, Worthy Pursuit Chen, Ethan Chen, Lingering Ye, and Verdant Peak Ye—embarked on their assaults upon the Path Union Realm.

With merely over ten thousand Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles of time], they all succeeded in their breakthroughs, ultimately stepping into the Supreme Realm [the pinnacle cultivation realm].

With the aid of the Upper Grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure [a top-tier treasure born from primordial chaos] Heaven and Earth Creation Cauldron [a cauldron capable of forging heaven and earth], all nine of them cultivated both the Supreme Immortal Treasury [a supreme art focusing on internal energy reserves] and the Supreme Immortal Domain [a supreme art focusing on external spiritual dominion].

Therefore, although they had only just entered the Supreme Realm, their combat prowess was already comparable to that of a Pinnacle Supreme [one who has reached the peak of the Supreme Realm].

Once all nine had successfully broken through, Eldrin Chen immediately gathered everyone and nodded with satisfaction. "You have all done well."

"I said before that after your breakthroughs, I would take you to a cultivation sanctuary. Now that you have succeeded, follow me."

Upon hearing this, the group exchanged glances, a flicker of joy appearing in their eyes.

They had a feeling that this time, Eldrin Chen was likely to bestow upon them a staggering opportunity.

Eldrin Chen offered no further explanation. Instead, harnessing the power of the Returning Abyss Pearl [a pearl capable of traversing vast distances and realms], he silently led them through the Boundless Chaos [the formless, primordial expanse between worlds] and arrived within the Nether Mastiff Ancient Domain [an ancient realm associated with the Nether Mastiff lineage].

There, he instructed them to conceal their auras as they stealthily made their way into the Primordial Chaos Secret Realm [a hidden realm steeped in primordial chaos].

They journeyed all the way to the shore of the Supreme Immortal Lake [a lake brimming with supreme immortal energy]. Gazing at the various Rare Treasure [precious spiritual materials and objects] within the lake, Eldrin Chen said, "Seclude yourselves here for cultivation. I believe these Supreme [a prefix denoting the highest grade] immortal liquors will be more than sufficient for your cultivation bases to advance by leaps and bounds."

Upon hearing this, everyone's faces instantly lit up with ecstatic joy.

Eldrin Chen offered no further words. Instead, he used the Chaos Spiritual Artifact of his Space-Time Attribute to assist the Cosmic Sky Sundial in laying down a Space-Time Domain Grand Formation across this place.

He was confident that with over one hundred thousand Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles] in the outside world, thirty million Kalpa Tribulation of cultivation here, and the bolstering power of these Supreme Divine Liquid, their cultivation bases would advance by leaps and bounds.

After completing this, Eldrin Chen returned to the Core Islet and planted the Chaos Three Souls Tree there.

Then, gazing at the central islet, he fell into deep contemplation. "This Primordial Chaos Secret Realm can sustain three Upper Grade Chaos Spiritual Root. Which Chaos Spiritual Root should I choose?"

Eldrin Chen murmured softly to himself. It took him one hundred and sixty Kalpa Tribulation to refine a single wisp of Primordial Chaos Genesis Essence. Now, after cultivating for tens of thousands of Kalpa Tribulation, he naturally had no shortage of Primordial Chaos Genesis Essence on hand.

Since he lacked for no Primordial Chaos Genesis Essence, he was prepared to promote several more Chaos Spiritual Root.

After careful deliberation, Eldrin Chen ultimately decided to cultivate Chaos Spiritual Root that would enhance his physical body cultivation.

The path of body refinement consumed far too many resources. To one day achieve the Limitless Physique, he had to make preparations for his physical cultivation.

As for which Chaos Spiritual Root to choose, after further consideration, Eldrin Chen selected two Spiritual Root to cultivate: the Ancient Tree of Life and the Chaos Five Elements Ancient Tree.

Within these two ancient trees, the life-enhancing power of the Ancient Tree of Life could replenish his vitality and even augment the strength of his Chaos Divine Form and Eternal Physique.

The Chaos Five Elements Ancient Tree, meanwhile, contained the purest Chaos Five Elements Origin [the primordial source energy of the five fundamental elements], capable of comprehensively nourishing his physical body and enhancing the foundation and potential of his Chaos Giant Cauldron.

After nurturing the two Spiritual Root [rare plants that are the source of profound spiritual power] with Primordial Chaos Genesis Essence, Eldrin Chen planted them within the Primordial Chaos Secret Realm.

Even after planting, such an Upper Grade Chaos Spiritual Root would require an exceedingly long period of cultivation and the absorption of vast amounts of the Primordial Chaos Secret Realm's foundational energies to bear high-grade Chaos Spirit Fruit.

After planting them, Eldrin Chen did not interfere with the growth of the two Chaos Spiritual Root, instead seeking out the Treasure-Seeking Rat.

"Chitter chitter chitter chitter."

Seeing Eldrin Chen emerge, the Treasure-Seeking Rat finally let out a series of excited chirps, pouncing towards him before spitting out a mountain-like pile of Immortal Metal [divine-grade metallic ores used in forging magical treasures].

Eldrin Chen's eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he patted its furry head. "Well done," he praised.

"Squeak squeak squeak squeak."

The Treasure-Seeking Rat proudly lifted its head, emitting a stream of cheerful squeaks, its demeanor growing even more jubilant.

Eldrin Chen smiled, sifting through a pile of Immortal Metal [a rare metal imbued with immortal properties]. From it, he selected over thirty pieces of Immortal Gold and Mithril [precious ores of legendary quality], all treasures at the level of mid-grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure [a powerful artifact born from primordial chaos].

To his surprise, amidst the heap of Immortal Metal, he even discovered several chunks of Adamantine [an indestructible mythical metal] and Mithril [a legendary, lightweight, and incredibly strong silver metal], all at the Upper Grade Chaos Rare Treasure [a rare treasure just below the highest grade of chaos artifact] level. A look of pleasant astonishment spread across Eldrin Chen's face.

Although an Upper Grade Chaos Rare Treasure was not a top-grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure, it could ascend to that supreme rank simply by being infused with Primordial Chaos Genesis Essence [the foundational energy from which all creation emerged].

For Eldrin Chen, who lacked nothing in Primordial Chaos Genesis Essence, these were peerless treasures destined to greatly enhance his physical defense.

"Splendid treasures," he murmured.

A deep sense of satisfaction settled within Eldrin Chen, a faint smile playing on his lips as he contemplated his find.

He scooped up the Treasure-Seeking Rat [a mystical rodent with an innate talent for locating hidden valuables] and lavished it with praise. "It seems you have not been idle," he declared. "For your diligence, I shall grant you an opportunity to ascend on your own path."

With those words, Eldrin Chen extracted several strands of Primordial Chaos Genesis Essence and channeled them directly into the Treasure-Seeking Rat's body.

After absorbing multiple streams of the Primordial Chaos Genesis Essence, the creature immediately began to change. Among its golden fur, a striking tuft of violet hair sprouted, a visible mark of its transformation.

It had to be admitted—the Treasure-Seeking Rat possessed an extraordinary bloodline, with latent potential and adaptability far from ordinary.

Combined with the Treasure-Seeking Rat's heaven-defying sensitivity to treasures, if it weren't for the heavenly jealousy that left its intelligence extremely low, it might even have been able to ascend to the Chaos Sovereign realm by relying on a vast hoard of spiritual objects.

However, cursed by the heavens, the Treasure-Seeking Rat's intelligence remained perpetually stunted. Unable to cultivate and advance its cultivation base through instinct alone, its progress was agonizingly slow, and it could never break through the limits of its bloodline.

"A bloodline potential reaching the Half-Step Limitless level is still considered quite formidable," Eldrin Chen mused.

After the Treasure-Seeking Rat had fully absorbed the Primordial Chaos Genesis Essence, a look of quiet satisfaction settled on Eldrin Chen's face as he murmured to himself.

If this Treasure-Seeking Rat could truly step into the Half-Step Limitless realm, it would play a pivotal role in his future explorations of the Primordial Chaos Secret Realm.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen patted the Treasure-Seeking Rat's head and said, "Go to the Supreme Immortal Lake to cultivate and enhance your power. In time, I will take you to an even greater Primordial Chaos Secret Realm."

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!"

Upon hearing the word 'treasures,' the Treasure-Seeking Rat's eyes instantly lit up with avarice, and it let out a series of excited squeaks.

Eldrin Chen chuckled, then sent the creature into the Supreme Immortal Lake. Turning his attention inward, he began refining the Adamantine Mithril.

He started by refining the Adamantine and Mithril—materials of mid-grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure quality—continuously tempering his physical body and deepening his foundational reserves.

Although the enhancement to his physical defense brought by continuously refining the Adamantine and Mithril gradually diminished, the overall transformation remained profound.

After completely refining over twenty pieces of Adamantine and Mithril, Eldrin Chen discovered that further refining these metals now yielded only the most negligible of improvements.

"Have I reached the limit?"

At this moment, Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly. He then tested his capabilities and found that his physical defense had increased approximately threefold from its original state.

This level of bodily resilience was now comparable to the physical constitution of a cultivator at the Half-Step Limitless realm.

"Even a powerhouse at the Peak Half-Step Limitless level would likely find it difficult to harm me with ordinary techniques. Only their most extreme, explosive attacks could pose a genuine threat," Eldrin Chen estimated silently.

With this assessment in mind, Eldrin Chen then retrieved a piece of high-grade Chaos Adamantine and another of high-grade Chaos Mithril.

Without hesitation, he consumed eighteen strands of Primordial Chaos Genesis Essence [the foundational creative energy of primordial chaos] to elevate the two pieces of Immortal Metal into high-grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure [a spiritual treasure forged from and infused with the power of primordial chaos].

These two peerless spiritual treasures became known as Limitless Adamantine and Limitless Mithril.

Such extraordinary Rare Treasure are exceedingly rare even within the vastness of the Chaos [the primordial, formless state from which all existence emerged]. They typically only manifest during the initial emergence of a large-scale Primordial Chaos Secret Realm [a hidden pocket dimension born from primordial chaos], and even then, often only one or two such treasures are birthed.

They could forge Upper Grade Chaos Divine Armor [the standard equipment for those at the Chaos Sovereign [the highest echelon of power within the primordial chaos] level].

This was also one of the reasons why figures like Oblivion Sovereign sought to block the younger generation's path to ascension. With so few Chaos Sovereign within the Chaos [the primordial, formless state from which all existence emerged], there was no one to compete with them for these supreme Upper Grade Chaos Spiritual Treasures [artifacts of immense power forged from the essence of primordial chaos].

Consequently, those Chaos Sovereign could plunder the entire Chaos, each possessing several Upper Grade Chaos Spiritual Treasures. Some even had spares to bestow upon their Half-Step Limitless [cultivators on the very threshold of the ultimate realm] disciples.

If Eldrin Chen's guess was correct, the Seven Domains Alliance [a powerful coalition of seven major realms] must also possess at least a few Upper Grade Chaos Spiritual Treasures. Otherwise, they could not have stood unshaken within the Chaos for so many years.

"With my current cultivation, refining an Upper Grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure is still somewhat taxing," he mused. "Yet, success would undoubtedly bring about a qualitative transformation."

"I must try, regardless."

Whispering to himself, Eldrin Chen then began to retrieve and refine the Limitless Adamantine [a legendary, nigh-indestructible metal said to be immune to physical force].

He first attempted to use his raw physical strength to shatter the Limitless Adamantine, but found it utterly immovable, showing not the slightest sign of fracturing.

"Of course," he realized. "The Limitless Adamantine is peerlessly solid and unyielding, hailed as a supreme treasure immune to physical force. It must be broken with spiritual power."

With this understanding, Eldrin Chen focused his will and channeled the power of his Supreme Divine Form [his ultimate divine manifestation technique] to begin refining and assimilating the Limitless Adamantine.

This Supreme Divine Form possessed the threefold power of the Chaos Pearl, the Returning Abyss Annihilation Disc, and the Battleaxe of Oblivion. The three supreme forces intertwined, striving to continuously grind away the Limitless Adamantine, yet it still proved insufficient.

"Even the Supreme Divine Form fused from the Ultimate Divine Form cannot harm it in the slightest. Truly worthy of an Upper Grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure [a supreme treasure of the primordial chaos, of the highest quality]," Eldrin Chen remarked with admiration.

He then directly manifested twelve supreme treasures with the Returning Abyss Seal to form an array, took out the Heaven and Earth Creation Cauldron to serve as the Formation Eye [the core and control point of a magical formation], and further drew upon the power of the large-scale Primordial Chaos Secret Realm to complete the formation's setup.

The might of this formation was heaven-defying, a Chaos Limitless Grand Formation of the Third Chaos Realm.

Only then did he, together with the Limitless Adamantine, step into the Heaven and Earth Creation Cauldron.

Eldrin Chen sat cross-legged at the Central of the Great Cauldron. Empowered by the entire grand formation, his cultivation base and combat prowess were amplified to the very limits of the Supreme Realm, even brushing against the threshold of the Limitless Domain.

"With the power of the grand formation and an Upper Grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure, I refuse to believe I cannot refine you," he declared inwardly.

Whispering to himself, Eldrin Chen continuously mobilized his entire foundational power. Channeling the supreme forces of Great Path True Form such as Oblivion [the concept of utter annihilation and erasure] and Returning Abyss, he began the arduous process of refining the Limitless Adamantine.

Yet, even under these conditions, his refinement progressed at a glacial pace, only managing to assimilate minuscule fragments of its power bit by bit.

Thus, time flowed swiftly. After several million Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles in Buddhist cosmology, often billions of years] had passed within the formation, that piece of Limitless Adamantine was finally refined completely, its essence fully integrated into his Primordial Chaos Indestructibility Body.

After completely refining the Limitless Adamantine, Eldrin Chen finally emerged from his secluded cultivation.

"Clang! Clang—"

He channeled his full physical power, causing a faint golden light to shimmer across his skin. After a series of forceful strikes, he remained completely unscathed.

He had tested his own spear against his own shield.

Now, even if he struck himself with his full might, he could not inflict the slightest harm.

"My physical defense should be invincible below the Sovereign realm," Eldrin Chen murmured to himself. He then retrieved the Limitless Mithril and began its refinement.

Although he was refining the same Limitless Mithril, Eldrin Chen found his previous methods useless. This ore possessed ultimate Mana Immunity [the property of being impervious to magical energy], making it nearly impossible to destroy even for a Limitless Sovereign.

Thus, Eldrin Chen shifted his approach. He directly manifested the Giant Axe of Oblivion, empowered himself with the force of a formation, and channeled the power of his Pan-Ant Physique [a constitution granting immense, ant-like strength] to relentlessly cleave at the Limitless Mithril.

In this manner, he finally managed to chip off minute fragments. He then used the power of the Chaos Ancient Pearl and the Returning Abyss Annihilation Disc to continuously grind and erode the fragments, ultimately reducing them into the purest essence of Mithril.

This progress was exceedingly slow, yet it steadily advanced, bit by bit.

Only after several million Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles spanning billions of years] had passed did he finally absorb this piece of Limitless Mithril [a legendary metal embodying the concept of boundlessness] completely, fusing it into his physical body.

After absorbing the Limitless Mithril, a faint layer of silvery light once again manifested within his flesh. This radiance merged with the golden light, ultimately transforming into a hazy glow of Chaos [the primordial, undifferentiated state from which all existence originates].

"The Mana Immunity [immunity to magical energy attacks] granted by the Limitless Mithril has fused with the physical immunity of the Limitless Adamantine [a legendary metal of supreme hardness]," he mused.

"After refining these two supreme treasures, my Impenetrable Physique [an ultimate defensive divine ability] has undergone a qualitative transformation. This should be the power of the Third Chaos Realm [the third major stage within the Chaos cultivation realm]," Eldrin Chen concluded.

Eldrin Chen murmured softly to himself. Then, channeling this newfound power to its fullest, he discovered his body's foundational defense had undergone a monumental enhancement. The defensive prowess of his Impenetrable Physique had experienced a qualitative leap.

With such defensive augmentation, it was likely that even a top-tier Half-Step Limitless [a cultivator on the verge of the Limitless Sovereign realm] would find their attacks Impenetrable [unable to breach his defense]. Only by deploying an Upper Grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure [a top-tier magical artifact forged from Chaos essence] might they have a chance to injure him.

And this was with his physical body's realm still lacking. If he could cultivate the Nine Ultimate Divine Forms [nine pinnacle divine physical forms] and fuse them into the Three Supreme Divine Forms [the three supreme divine forms], he would likely possess a degree of resistance even against a Limitless Sovereign [a sovereign who has mastered the concept of boundlessness].

"Soon," he thought. "If I continue step by step, I will eventually withstand the methods of those Chaos Sovereign [sovereigns who rule over Chaos] and cultivate the Soul Path Supreme [the supreme art of the soul path] to the Path Union Realm [the realm where one's cultivation path achieves ultimate unity]."

With this thought, Eldrin Chen slowly withdrew his focus. After a moment of contemplation, he began the process of dividing his consciousness to form Nine Great God Ability Split Souls [nine autonomous soul fragments, each capable of cultivating a different divine ability].

In truth, Eldrin Chen's cultivation at the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] realm had long since reached a level where he could undertake the cultivation of the Divine Ability Soul-Splitting technique.

It was only because entering a period of weakness was inevitable after splitting one's soul, and because Eldrin Chen's prior breakthroughs in the Path Union [the realm of unifying one's cultivated paths] realm and the Supreme Divine Form [the ultimate divine transformation ability], as well as his advancement in the Supreme Great Path [the supreme cultivation art], all required the powerful support of his Primordial Spirit cultivation base, that he had not rushed to perform the soul-splitting.

Now, however, his Primordial Spirit cultivation was no longer a bottleneck for further progress in Path Union, nor did he need to refine materials like the Limitless Adamantine [a mythical, infinitely hard metal] anymore. The time had finally come to cultivate the soul-splitting divine ability.

After severing the nine split souls and a portion of his Primordial Spirit, Eldrin Chen's Primordial Spirit cultivation base plummeted instantly, falling back to the initial stage of the Heavenly Emperor Realm [a supreme cultivation realm].

Without delay, he stepped into the Supreme Immortal Pool [a pool of supreme immortal energy] and began a closed-door retreat to restore his Primordial Spirit cultivation. Simultaneously, he set the Nine Great God Ability Split Souls [the nine souls split by the divine ability] to continuously enter Dreamwalking Reincarnation [a state of cultivation through dreamlike reincarnations] for their own secluded cultivation.

Thus, time flowed on relentlessly. After an unknowable number of Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles], Eldrin Chen's true self finally restored his Primordial Spirit cultivation to the Half-Step Path Union Realm [a realm just shy of fully unifying one's paths].

"My Primordial Spirit has grown noticeably weaker," Eldrin Chen murmured softly to himself.

Although he had regained the Primordial Spirit cultivation of the Half-Step Path Union Realm, the absence of the nine Chaos Divine Ability [divine abilities born of primordial chaos] had significantly diminished the actual potency of his spiritual power.

Fortunately, compared to the might of his true body and his Great Path [the Great Path cultivation art] cultivation, his current Primordial Spirit strength was but a negligible sliver. Consequently, his overall combat power remained largely unchanged.

"I wonder how many Kalpa Tribulation have passed during this retreat," he mused.

Eldrin Chen's gaze flickered subtly. He then performed a series of rapid calculations with his fingers, discovering that during his time in secluded cultivation, a full thirty thousand Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles] had passed in the outside world.

Factoring in the cultivation time from his previous periods of seclusion, his lifespan had unknowingly surpassed eighty-seven thousand Kalpa Tribulation.

And this was merely the time measured by the external world. If calculated according to the flow within his Space-Time Divine Form, the span of years was an even more unfathomable and vast expanse.

"No sense of time within the mountain, yet a millennium has passed in the mortal realm."

Eldrin Chen let out a soft sigh, then rose and stepped out of his cultivation chamber.

During this prolonged seclusion, he had begun to feel the dull ache of monotony. It was time, after such profound stillness, to stir into motion and emerge for a time.

Before leaving the Primordial Chaos Secret Realm, he first inspected the three Upper Grade Chaos Spiritual Root [supreme-grade spiritual plants born from primordial chaos]. The three spiritual roots had already blossomed, but judging by their appearance, it would still take another seventy or eighty thousand Kalpa Tribulation before they bore fruit.

The Upper Grade Chaos Spiritual Root bore fruit only once every million Kalpa Tribulation, and their inherent rank was simply too exalted. Even though they did not resist the influence of Eldrin Chen's Space-Time Divine Form, the degree of temporal acceleration they could endure was significantly diminished.

To compress the time to roughly one hundred thousand Kalpa Tribulation was already the absolute limit of what Eldrin Chen could achieve.

Seeing that the Chaos Spiritual Root were still far from maturity, Eldrin Chen turned his gaze towards Imperial Sovereign Jiang and the other eight Supreme [a title denoting the highest authority over a Great Path] of the Sacrificial Self Path.

At this time, they were still in secluded cultivation, and had once again refined two or three Chaos Immortal Treasury. It seemed they were not far from breaking through to the second Supreme Immortal Treasury.

The difficulty of fusing the Supreme Immortal Treasury was clearly greater than that of fusing the Supreme Great Path.

Regarding this, Eldrin Chen took stock of the resources in his possession. He discovered he only had eight stalks of Limitless Grass left. This was only enough to refine eight Lesser Limitless Immortal Pill. It was likely insufficient to cultivate nine combatants at the Half-Step Limitless level.

"The Limitless Grass is still insufficient. It seems further planning is required."

Eldrin Chen murmured these words inwardly, then departed from the Primordial Chaos Secret Realm.

After leaving the Primordial Chaos Secret Realm, he first returned to the Returning Abyss Hundred Domains. Finding no major events within the clan, he proceeded directly to the Seven Domains Alliance.

As he understood it, the Seven Domains Alliance was still at war with the forces under the command of Netherworld Sovereign, and the conflict had reached an extremely intense and deadlocked stage.

For most cultivators at the Path Union Supreme level, this was an exceedingly perilous war. Yet, for him, it was also a prime opportunity to acquire resources.