Chapter 1611 : Forging the Path to Immortality

Having successfully cultivated the Frost Vein Cultivation Art [a profound method for absorbing and refining the essence of extreme cold], Eldrin Chen did not linger within the Forbidden Land [a perilous region fraught with ancient dangers and potent energies].

By the time he emerged from the Fallen Phoenix Ridge [a desolate mountain range named for a legendary phoenix's demise], he realized that this secluded cultivation session had lasted over thirty thousand years.

"One of the Three Wonders has been obtained," he murmured to himself.

"Now, it is time to proceed to the next Forbidden Land."

Eldrin Chen turned back to gaze at the Fallen Phoenix Ridge, his expression pensive and contemplative.

He unfurled a scroll of intelligence reports, his eyes settling on the second destination marked upon it.

"The Soaring Immortal Ruins," he read aloud.

"And the Ten Directions Annihilation Sea."

As he reviewed the intelligence, Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered with recognition, recalling the origins of these two Forbidden Lands he was destined to tread.

Within the vast expanse of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain [a major realm within the immortal worlds], there were many Forbidden Lands similar to the Fallen Phoenix Ridge. However, few matched its relatively lower peril while also meeting the specific requirements sought by Eldrin Chen.

The remaining Soaring Immortal Ruins is the sole wind-attributed Forbidden Land [a perilous and mysterious region] within the Vast Azure Immortal Domain, while the Ten Directions Annihilation Sea is the only thunder-attributed Forbidden Land. Eldrin Chen truly had no other choice.

According to the information Eldrin Chen had obtained, the danger level of these two Forbidden Land far surpassed that of Fallen Phoenix Ridge, with rumors suggesting more than one Celestial Immortal Great Power [a powerful immortal who has ascended to the celestial realm] had perished within them.

The masters of these two Forbidden Land are formidable. The Soaring Immortal Ruins is the ancient, ruined site of the Soaring Immortal Palace from hundreds of millions of years past. It is located high above in the Vast Azure Heaven [the highest celestial layer], requiring one to ascend to that lofty realm to reach it.

The Ten Directions Annihilation Sea is an even more boundless land of Oblivion [the primordial force of destruction and entropy]. Legends whisper that the Ten Directions Annihilation Sea might have been formed from the fall of a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal of the highest order], while others claim a shattered Innate Spiritual Treasure [a treasure born from the primordial chaos of creation] lies within its depths.

"Which Forbidden Land should we go to?"

Eldrin Chen fell into a contemplative silence, pondering deeply.

Both of these Forbidden Land possessed extraordinary origins and immense peril. The Ten Directions Annihilation Sea was especially treacherous, harboring fearsome Heavenly Thunder Tribulation Spirit Being [entities born from or embodying heavenly thunder tribulations]. It was said that over the course of ten Kalpa Tribulation [cosmic cycles of immense duration], six Celestial Immortal had met their end within its bounds.

The Soaring Immortal Ruins was the former seat of the Soaring Grotto-Heaven, the once-dominant hegemon of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain ten Kalpa Tribulation ago.

In that era, the Soaring Grotto-Heaven stood as the paramount power in the Vast Azure Immortal Domain. Its Sovereign [a ruler of supreme cultivation rank], the Soaring Immortal Maiden, possessed unfathomable cultivation. She wielded the authority of the Heavenly Path [the supreme cultivation method governing the domain], becoming the rightful and undisputed master of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain.

Alas, tragedy struck later when the Soaring Immortal Maiden sought to break through to the Great Encompassing Realm [a legendary realm beyond ordinary immortality]. She clashed in a cataclysmic battle against a supreme existence that emerged from the Depths of Chaos [the primordial, formless void beyond ordered reality].

After that great battle, the once-mighty Vast Azure Heaven [the legendary realm of the heavens] collapsed for the most part, and the Soaring Grotto-Heaven [a celestial paradise] was reduced to ruins.

To this day, the path between Vast Azure Heaven and the Vast Azure Immortal Domain [the primary immortal realm] has been severed. They are now separated by terrifying Chaos Energy Flow [the primordial, formless energy of creation] and turbulent spatial currents. It is said that only beings at the level of a Celestial Immortal Great Power [an immortal who has ascended to a higher celestial state] can traverse the spatial maelstrom and ascend to Vast Azure Heaven.

"To reach the Soaring Immortal Ruins [the remnants of the Soaring Grotto-Heaven], one must first ascend to Vast Azure Heaven,"

"The Chaos Energy Flow and currents between the Immortal Domain [the realm of immortals] and Vast Azure Heaven are potent enough to grind even a Half-Step Celestial Immortal [a cultivator on the verge of celestial ascension] to dust. However, I possess the Innate Dual-Polarity Void Mirror [a primordial treasure capable of manipulating void and polarity]. These chaotic flows and turbulent currents should pose no obstacle to me."

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, his resolve now firmly set.

He immediately set his course upward, towards the Heavenly Vault [the dome of the sky, the firmament], determined to ascend to that Vast Azure Heaven and explore the ruins of the Grotto-Heaven [a blessed paradise] that had stood countless Kalpa Tribulation [cosmic cycles of destruction and rebirth] ago.

Before long, Eldrin Chen arrived at the majestic, boundless end of the void, high above the endless Heavenly Vault.

Lifting his gaze, he beheld, within the ineffable heights of the Firmament Heaven [the highest heaven], a vast and boundless Ancient Continent [a primordial landmass] floating in solemn grandeur.

This Ancient Continent was immeasurably vast, adrift amidst the Nine Heavens Above [the layered celestial realms]. Even with Eldrin Chen's current profound cultivation, his sight could not discern its distant shores.

"Is that... Vast Azure Heaven?"

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, a faint ripple of emotion shimmering in the depths of his gaze.

The Vast Azure Heaven hung suspended in the Nine Heavens Above, a realm apart from the vast expanse of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain. Only a few specific, ancient paths of ascension provided passage to its heights.

Legend held that before the Immeasurable Kalpa Tribulation, the Vast Azure Heaven was the Path-Field [a cultivator's personal domain of enlightenment] of Great God Vast Azure within the Chaos [the primordial, formless state before creation]. Only his direct disciples were granted the privilege of cultivating within its bounds.

Any others wishing to ascend its heights had to traverse the Heaven-Ascending Ancient Path and earn the recognition of Great God Vast Azure himself.

In the present age, those ancient paths of ascension lay shattered. Their remnants were now scoured by Chaos Energy Flow [the raw, untamed energies of primordial chaos] and spatial turbulence. Without cultivation at the Celestial Immortal Realm [a high level of immortal attainment], attempting to set foot upon them was tantamount to seeking one's own demise.

With the Polarity Void Mirror in hand, Eldrin Chen possessed significant confidence. He did not hesitate, setting forth without delay.

He strode upward along the broken, ancient road, passing unknowingly beyond the midpoint of the Ancient Continent.

"The spatial turbulence and Primordial Chaos Energy [the foundational energy of the universe before order] here are formidable," he noted.

As he climbed higher, Eldrin Chen sensed the onslaught of terrifying spatial turbulence. A look of solemn gravity settled upon his features.

Eldrin Chen shielded his entire being with the power of the Polarity Void Mirror. Then, he activated his Primordial Chaos Indestructibility Body [a legendary physique forged to withstand the energies of chaos], testing its resilience against the corrosive Primordial Chaos Energy.

That Primordial Chaos Energy [the primordial, formless energy from which all creation emerged] was immensely potent, capable of shredding the flesh of a Half-Step Celestial Immortal [a cultivator on the verge of ascending to the Celestial Immortal realm] and utterly annihilating a Primordial Unity Immortal Body [a supreme physical constitution born from the union of primordial forces].

Yet, such terrifying Primordial Chaos Energy [the primordial, formless energy from which all creation emerged], surging against the body of Eldrin Chen, was blocked by the Chaos Mist [a protective veil of primordial mist] enveloping his form, inflicting only relatively minor injuries.

"The Chaos Mist [a protective veil of primordial mist] of the Primordial One Indestructibility Body [a legendary constitution of unbreakable unity with the primordial source] possesses a strong resistance to Primordial Chaos Energy [the primordial, formless energy from which all creation emerged],"

Eldrin Chen spoke slowly, a flicker of light gleaming in his eyes.

This mass of Primordial Chaos Energy [the primordial, formless energy from which all creation emerged] before him, though also a relatively diluted form, was far less pure than the Primordial Chaos Energy [the primordial, formless energy from which all creation emerged] found within the true Chaos [the primordial realm of unformed existence], its lethality greatly diminished. Yet, its Power of Oblivion [the annihilating force inherent to chaos] remained formidable.

Even the Innate True Body [a perfect physical form born of innate laws] of a Celestial Immortal Great Power [a mighty cultivator who has ascended to the Celestial Immortal realm], if left unprotected without channeling spiritual energy or activating an Immortal Treasure [a powerful artifact used by immortals], would likely sustain significant wounds upon contact with such Primordial Chaos Energy [the primordial, formless energy from which all creation emerged].

The Chaos Mist [a protective veil of primordial mist] of Eldrin Chen, however, could drastically mitigate the damage from the Chaos Energy Flow [the currents of primordial chaos energy], confirming his earlier deductions.

"If I cultivate the Innate Chaos Indestructibility Body [the ultimate constitution of innate, unbreakable chaos], I should be able to traverse this expanse of Chaos [the primordial realm of unformed existence] within the Three Thousand Immortal Domains [the collective realm of three thousand immortal worlds] at will, fearless of the threat posed by Primordial Chaos Energy [the primordial, formless energy from which all creation emerged]."

Eldrin Chen murmured these words softly before continuing his ascent towards the Heavenly Vault [the celestial dome or highest point of the heavens].

With the Polarity Void Mirror [a magical mirror that stabilizes spatial disturbances] shielding him from spatial turbulence and his newfound resilience against the lethal aura of Chaos [the primordial realm of unformed existence], Eldrin Chen's progress was not slow.

Not long after, he traversed the boundless void and ascended to the 'Vast Azure Heaven', which hung high above the Heavenly Vault.

"Is this the Vast Azure Heaven?"

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, his gaze sweeping the surroundings. He found the vast expanse of the Vast Azure Heaven permeated with an aura of desolate antiquity.

Amidst the Limitless radiance of the Immortal Domain, numerous dilapidated Immortal Palaces and Divine Pavilions lay in ruins, silently narrating the splendor of bygone eras.

This was once the Path-Field [a sacred cultivation ground] where Great God Vast Azure secluded himself for cultivation. It was also the resting place of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain's World-Stabilizing [a term for supreme treasures that anchor a realm] supreme treasure, the Vast Azure Heavenly Halberd.

Yet, ever since the fall of the Soaring Grotto-Heaven, this Heavenly Domain had utterly declined. Even after the passage of ten Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles] of time, none dared to establish a Path-Field here.

Eldrin Chen understood, in broad strokes, the reason why the Vast Azure Heaven remained unclaimed.

For the Vast Azure Heaven was the very heart of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain. To occupy this Heavenly Domain was to gather anew the Thirty-Threefold Heaven [a profound cultivation path] of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain, achieving Path Union [a state of profound unity with one's cultivation path] and becoming the master of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain.

And to become the master of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain was to become an existence akin to a Great Encompassing Golden Immortal [a supreme immortal realm]. As long as one did not stray beyond the range of the Vast Azure Immortal Domain's empowerment, their theoretical power would surpass even that of a Nine Tribulations Ancient Immortal.