Chapter 2071 : Ancient Soul River

Eldrin (Person Name) ceased his aimless musings and pulled his thoughts back to the present.

Seeing that all members of the Chen Clan had now acquired Primordial Treasures, he bestowed upon them another batch of resources including Chaos Divine Liquid and other precious materials. Encouraging them to cultivate diligently, he then embarked on his own journey of secluded cultivation.

In the years that followed, he devoted himself to secluded cultivation while contemplating the myriad Daoist arts. Thus time flowed on, and before he knew it, over 20 kalpas had slipped by.

That year, Eldrin had lived through 8 100 and 20-3 kalpas, and the Primordial Soul River finally began to open in response.

When the Primordial Soul River opened, Eldrin (Person Name) invited the Black Abyss Emperor, several top-tier emperors from the Human Celestial Court, and the Chen Clan’s Chaos Origin Emperors to gather by the banks of the Primordial Soul River.

Among these Imperial Lords were 8 late-stage Hunyuan Imperial Lords of the Chen Clan, along with 4 Great Emperors: Lingxi, Jianxuan, Jianyuan, and Immortal Endurance.

There were also several Great Emperors from the Celestial Court, including the Grand Serene Emperor and over a dozen other powerful late-stage Primordial Chaos Emperors.

"This place is the Primordial Soul River."

Gazing upon the Primordial Soul River before him, a faint ripple stirred within Eldrin's eyes.

There, in the endless void, a shadowy River of Souls stretched across the chaotic desolate sea.

It came from the void and extended into nothingness, leaving no visible end to its expanse.

Around the banks of the Primordial Soul River, an indelible curse and hatred lingered—a force that corroded the human heart, far more terrifying than even the power of desolation.

Recalling the origins of the Primordial Soul River, Eldrin felt a profound wariness toward such a curse. He promptly cautioned the various Hunyuan Emperor Lords of the Celestial Court, saying,

Legend has it that this Primordial Soul River possesses an extraordinary origin—it was formed from the fall of a supreme Soul Dao Celestial Emperor from the Primordial Era, who had reached the half-step Fusion Realm.

"This place contains a power of taboo, where even a Chaos Origin Emperor would face the peril of falling. When you enter later, remember to act within your means."

Hearing this, everyone immediately wore solemn expressions, not daring to show the slightest negligence.

At that very moment, Eldrin noticed numerous powerful figures tearing through the skies in the distance, among them were experts at the level of Chaos Origin Emperor Lords and even Quasi-Sages.

"You've arrived rather promptly."

Eldrin spoke, a trace of serenity flickering in his gaze.

These individuals were all powerful experts hailing from the 7 Domains of the Southern Abyss, including over a 100 Chaos Origin Emperors and 20-some Quasi-Sage Ancestors.

It could be said that over half of the most powerful experts across the vast 7 Domains of Southern Abyss had gathered here.

Understanding this, Eldrin immediately spoke up, "Once we enter, we must not only guard against the dangers within the Primordial Soul River, but also remain vigilant against these individuals."

"We understand."

All the Celestial Emperors of the Immortal Court wore expressions of solemn gravity.

The Black Abyss Emperor, however, secretly transmitted a voice message to Eldrin (Person Name) with a hint of gravity, saying, "Those from the 7 Domains of the Southern Abyss might not resort to lethal measures."

"But with the opening of the Primordial Soul River, experts from other Chaos Domains will likely emerge."

"You should still be wary of those people."

Eldrin nodded upon hearing this. The 9-Aperture Divine Stone was exceptionally precious, and even though its emergence within the Primordial Soul River was exceedingly rare, it remained a supreme treasure for Demi-Saints.

Not to mention that the Supreme Lord Chiyang had even made a promise of exchange with the Primordial Chaos Primordial Qi, which would likely attract quite a few Extraterrestrial Quasi-Sages to come.

At this thought, Eldrin spoke up: "With our current strength, even if the Extraplanetary Demi-Sages were to join forces against us, I daresay you and I would have nothing to fear."

The Black Abyss Emperor nodded slightly, finding Eldrin's words quite reasonable.

As the 2 conversed, Eldrin noticed several old acquaintances approaching—among them were the quasi-emperor Tianhuang from the divine race and 3 sub-sages from the demon race.

Eldrin exchanged glances with the Celestial Desolation Quasi-Emperor, then swept his gaze across the 3 Paragons—Kunpeng, Vermilion Bird, and Qingwu—before finally addressing the Great Emperor of Black Abyss beside him.

"3 Great Sub-Sages appearing together—it seems the demon race is determined to secure this Primordial Soul River."

"Be careful. I suspect they're colluding with the extraterrestrial quasi-sages."

The Black Abyss Emperor spoke, a trace of cold indifference flickering in his gaze.

Eldrin did not respond, merely tracing his fingers in continuous divination for a long while. Yet he found himself utterly unable to deduce any clues, a cold glint gradually surfacing in his gaze.

With his current mastery of celestial divination, he was actually unable to divine his own fortune or misfortune. This left only 2 possibilities.

The first possibility is that the Primordial Soul River is far too perilous, possessing the ability to obscure celestial mechanisms and divination.

The second possibility is that an even more powerful Chaos Heavenly Emperor has employed supreme means to obscure the workings of fate.

"Neither scenario bodes well."

Eldrin (Person Name) murmured inwardly, yet harbored no trace of concern.

He was acutely aware of how immensely his combat prowess had grown after forging his Emperor Body and consolidating the 9 Divine Sigils of the True Spirit.

Strength is the greatest source of confidence. At this moment, Eldrin (Person Name) possessed power that transcended the mundane. Even if the demon race had any schemes, he faced them without the slightest fear.

Just as Eldrin’s thoughts wavered, the turbulent Primordial Soul River before him gradually calmed, and the overwhelmingly oppressive soul curses surrounding him seemed to have diminished considerably.

"The Primordial Soul River has regained its tranquility. This is a rare opportunity for exploration."

In an instant, the surrounding Primal Chaos Emperors all spoke up, their faces brimming with incomparable joy.

Then, a Demi-sage took the lead, instantly charging into the Primordial Soul River.

Countless experts followed closely behind, swiftly flying into the vast expanse of the Soul River 1 after another.

Eldrin's gaze flickered slightly as he surveyed the Primal Soul River, then he spoke softly, "Let us enter as well."

As the words fell, Eldrin (Person Name) waved his sleeve, and in an instant, transported everyone through the chaos, arriving within the Ancient Soul River.

Upon arriving within the Ancient Soul River, Eldrin’s brow furrowed slightly.

He discovered that an invisible curse within the Primordial Soul River was ceaselessly corroding his physical body.

This power was extremely bizarre, saturated with a force of decay and rot that could even hinder the revival and rebirth of powerful beings.

"What a bizarre power."

Eldrin (Person Name) spoke slowly, his brow subtly furrowing as he said, "This energy can continuously corrode a cultivator's primordial spirit, and may even prevent powerful figures from awakening and returning."

"If the Primordial Emperor were to be slain here, it would likely be impossible for him to revive and return."

Black Abyss Emperor also nodded, then added, "This power belongs to a supreme curse force capable of corroding the primordial spirits of powerful cultivators."

He could not completely annihilate the Primordial Emperor's divine soul, yet he could continuously corrode it, keeping their souls perpetually trapped in a state of feeble slumber.

"Hence, those slain here lose all possibility of revival."

The Heaven-Waste Quasi-Emperor knew a bit more and thus spoke, "Legend has it that this power of curse is merely a faint remnant of the Supreme Curse's might."

Its true power, like a soul-devouring insect, continuously consumed the Soul Dao Heavenly Emperor's primordial spirit, preventing it from ever recovering.

Eldrin's heart trembled faintly. This was an utterly terrifying curse, 1 that could continuously drain the spiritual soul power of the afflicted, using it as energy to sustain its own existence.

Yet the cursed 1, though his primordial spirit continuously recovered through the nourishment of the Great Dao, found it constantly drained. The very power being drawn from him was then used to suppress his own revival.

Thus, a dreadful cycle was formed: the more the Soul Emperor sought to restore his primordial spirit power, the more potent the curse's force became.

The stronger the curse's power grew, the further it weakened the Soul Path Celestial Emperor's primordial spirit.

It was precisely because the Soul Emperor's primordial spirit was locked in constant struggle against the curse that the Ancient Soul River alternated between periods of tranquility and violent turbulence.

Each period of violent upheaval marked the peak of the Soul Dao Celestial Emperor’s divine soul. At such times, the residual fluctuations from the clash between the 2 were potent enough to annihilate even Great Emperors, and even Paragons dared not provoke them lightly.

And when the Soul Dao Celestial Emperor’s primordial spirit grew weak and entered a state of dormancy, the Primordial Soul River would fall into a rare period of tranquility. This was precisely why so many could set foot into the Primordial Soul River.

"What a vicious, yet ingenious curse."

Eldrin murmured softly, "This curse clings to the very origin of the Great Dao. It is clearly a Curse Dao of the Chaos level, and certainly no ordinary Chaos Heavenly Emperor could have wrought this."

Cursed by such a Great Dao, the Soul Emperor of Heaven remained in a perpetual stupor, slumbering through the ages and resisting it by sheer instinct alone. How was this any different from being utterly annihilated?

"What manner of supreme being could force the Soul Dao Celestial Emperor—who stood half-step into the Unity Realm—into an eternal slumber indistinguishable from true death?"

Eldrin's heart swelled with apprehension, his pupils reflecting an unparalleled gravity.

At this moment, Eldrin’s wariness toward the Dao of Curses had escalated to an almost unprecedented level.

You must understand, the Chaos Heavenly Emperor was an existence that could never fall, yet he was reduced to such a state by the mere power of a curse.

This supreme expert who had mastered the Great Dao of Curses was likely far more terrifying than even a Wuji-level expert at the third realm of chaos.

"Worry not."

At that very moment, Emperor Black Abyss suddenly spoke, "If we slay the powerful foe here, we can prevent their resurrection."

"This might be an excellent opportunity for us."

Eldrin nodded slightly, then with a flick of his sleeve, summoned several dazzling divine stones from the Primordial Soul River.

The Black Abyss Emperor glanced over and remarked with considerable surprise, "6-Aperture Divine Stone."

Eldrin nodded slightly, a trace of surprise in his tone. "The 6-Aperture Divine Stone, which is quite rare in the outside world, can practically be found everywhere here."

With that, Eldrin waved his hand, signaling the others to search the surroundings for the rare treasures hidden within the Primordial Soul River.

Within this Primordial Soul River lay countless rarities, and Eldrin discovered that the vast majority were treasures that could enhance 1's primordial soul.

There was Soul-Nourishing Treasure Liquid, Spirit-Tempering Divine Jade, and various 9-Aperture Divine Stones—all rare and precious treasures for the Nascent Soul.

Eldrin led the group in gathering treasures for some time before remarking with sudden insight, "Most of these Chaos Marvels were washed downstream from the upper reaches of the Primordial Soul River."

"It seems the true treasures are all located in the upper reaches of the Primordial Soul River."

The Black Abyss Emperor nodded, yet spoke with grave solemnity, "The higher 1 ascends in this game, the more perilous the Ancient Soul River becomes."

Eldrin gave a slight nod. The curse power of the Primordial Soul River grew increasingly potent the closer 1 drew to its upper reaches.

Since time immemorial, whenever the Primordial Soul River opened, even ordinary Chaos Emperor Lords could only scavenge along its fringes, never daring to venture into its depths.

Chapter 1 The Soul River of Primordial Beginnings In the depths of the Primordial Soul River, even a Chaos Origin Emperor might struggle to withstand the lingering erosion of the curse.

Only those at the late stage of Hunyuan Emperor dared to venture into the middle and lower reaches.

Those who dared to venture upstream, let alone search for the source of the Primordial Soul River, were invariably supreme powerhouses at the very least of the Great Emperor Realm.

At this thought, Eldrin instructed Lyra and the others, "Proceed according to your abilities. Explore only the middle and lower reaches, and do not venture near the upper stream unless absolutely necessary."

Hearing this, everyone nodded, their expressions growing somewhat solemn.

Seeing this, Eldrin bestowed upon each member of the Celestial Court a protective talisman he had personally forged. These amulets could, to some extent, resist the erosion of the curse, ensuring safety for those at the middle and lower levels.

After completing all this, Eldrin did not hesitate in the slightest. He immediately strode toward the upper reaches of the Primordial Soul River alongside the Black Abyss Emperor and the Celestial Wastes Quasi-Emperor.

They journeyed through the primordial chaos, and before they knew it, had reached the middle reaches of the Ancient Soul River.

In this location, numerous soul treasures of the Primordial Chaos level had already emerged, with some even reaching the tier of 7-Aperture Divine Stones.

Eldrin did not deliberately search for treasures, yet with a casual sweep, he acquired quite a few Primordial Chaos artifacts, along with several 100 9-Aperture Divine Stones of varying grades.

Unfortunately, these resources were of little use to Eldrin (Person Name), so he did not linger any longer and continued onward. Before he knew it, he had already reached the upper reaches.

"What formidable curse power."

Sensing the curse power emanating from this place, Emperor Heiyuan's expression shifted slightly, a trace of solemnity coloring his features.

Beside him, Celestial Desolation Quasi-Emperor grew pale and remarked with utmost gravity, "The curse power from the upper reaches has grown truly formidable."

"If we were to have our physical forms severed here, it would likely invoke a truly dreadful curse."

"Even if we could escape then, it would require an immense price to even have a chance at refining the curse."

Eldrin focused his senses briefly and discovered that under the refinement of his Chaos Indestructible Body, the curse's power had instantly dissipated like mist, leaving no trace of harm.

"This curse here should not be able to harm me."

In an instant, Eldrin had a precise grasp of the situation.

Observing this, the Black Abyss Emperor on the side remarked to Eldrin (Person Name), "My Chaos God Runes offer considerable resistance to curses, so I remain largely unaffected."

Eldrin nodded slightly, offering no further words.

The Primordial Soul River stretched boundlessly. As they scoured the upper reaches separately, they unexpectedly gathered a considerable number of premium Primordial Chaos spiritual treasures, even acquiring several 8-aperture divine stones.

Neither Eldrin nor the Black Abyss Emperor showed any interest in these treasures, yet the Celestial Wastes Quasi-Emperor seemed rather intrigued by them.

Observing this, the Black Abyss Emperor spoke, "Fellow Daoist Tianhuang, the 2 of us intend to explore the source of the Primordial Soul River. Would you care to join us on this journey?"

Upon hearing this, the Quasi-Emperor of Tianhuang’s expression shifted slightly. After a moment, he smiled bitterly and said, “The source of the Primordial Soul River is far too perilous, and the power of its curse is overwhelmingly formidable.”

"Without the strength of a top-tier Demi-Saint, if 1 were to fall in that place, I fear there would be no returning."

"My cultivation base is insufficient, so I'd rather not take this risk."

Eldrin nodded slightly, then cupped his hands in a salute and said, "In that case, we shall not impose our wishes upon you any further."

With that said, the 2 immediately set off toward the source of the Primordial Soul River.

The higher he climbed, the more terrifying the curse power of the Primordial Soul River became. Most crucially, Eldrin also discovered that the scouring force of the Primordial Soul River grew increasingly astonishing.

They journeyed for what felt like an eternity, until at last they drew near to the source of the Primordial Soul River.

But at that very moment, Eldrin's gaze turned frosty as he discovered 12 peerlessly elegant figures standing at the distant end of the vast Primordial Soul River.

3 Saints of the Demon Race, Quasi-Emperor of the Primal Dragons, Paragon of the Azure Cranes, Ancestor of the Myriad Stars, Paragon of the Blazing Soul.

The Black Abyss Emperor spoke slowly, then turned his gaze toward several unfamiliar figures and asked, "And from which Chaos Domains do the remaining 5 fellow Daoists hail?"

The several Demi-Saints did not respond. Instead, they simultaneously activated a formation to seal the void.

After completing this step, the Quasi-Emperor of the Desolate Dragon chuckled coldly and declared, "To perish under the joint assault of the 12 of us is an honor you 2 have earned across 3 lifetimes."

"A bunch of defeated underlings, and you still dare to boast so shamelessly?"

The Black Abyss Emperor made his move, soaring into the sky astride the Black Abyss Emperor Spear as he launched a crushing assault toward the Quasi-Dragon Emperor.

Yet in that very instant, 2 figures shot forth from beside the Feral Dragon Quasi-Emperor.

1 of the 2 men had horns sprouting from his head and was clad in lightning-forged battle armor, his aura far surpassing the peak of the Quasi-Sage Realm.

Another man rode upon a celestial blade, his muscles coiled like serpents, a figure of immense and towering stature.

In an instant, the 2 figures each summoned 9 primordial spirit manifestations, soaring into the sky as they erupted into a cataclysmic collision against the Black Abyss Emperor.

After a momentary collision, Emperor Black Abyss took a step back, his expression shifting slightly as he said, "2 Great Limitless Paragons. I never expected you to bring such formidable allies."

"This is the Chaos Heaven Sage."

With a faint smile, Sage Qingwu began to introduce the sage clad in thunderous battle armor: "Sage Huntian is the youngest son of the Kui Ox Heavenly Emperor, who also treads the path of physical sanctification."

He had now cultivated the forms of 9 great True Spirits, and his combat prowess had long since stepped into the Boundless Realm.

As the words fell, Saint Qingwu turned her gaze to another saint with bulging muscles, a faint smile gracing her lips as she said, "This is Saint Banshi, who also walks the path of physical sanctification."

Having cultivated the 9 Great Divine Forms to completion, He had already weathered over a 100 1000 cosmic kalpas, establishing Himself as a formidable power among the Infinite Demi-Sages.

At this point, a frosty gleam flashed in Sage Qingwu’s eyes as he declared, “These 2 mighty experts were personally invited by none other than my elder brother, the Sun Celestial Emperor.”

"All of this was to eradicate both of you completely and sever humanity's path to resurgence."

Eldrin (Person Name) remained expressionless upon hearing this, offering no further comment.

Seeing this, the Quasi-Emperor of the Desolate Dragon couldn't help but sneer, "Today, the 3 of us Great Perfection Paragons have joined forces, with 9 more Paragons lending their aid."

"You 2, why not surrender yourselves?"

"Attack!"

As the words fell, the Desolate Dragon Quasi-Emperor immediately took action, steering his war spear as he charged toward the Black Abyss Emperor.

The same was true for the Monolith Demi-Sage and the Primal Heaven Saint Sovereign, who now began frantically charging toward the Quasi-Dragon Emperor of the Barren Wastes.

In their eyes, Eldrin was merely a novice who had just stepped into the realm of the Infinite Demi-Saint, while the Black Abyss Emperor—who had mastered the Chaos God Runes—remained a formidable threat demanding their full strength.

At this moment, facing the assault of 3 Great Infinity Demi-Sages, Black Abyss Demi-Sage and Eldrin instantly exchanged glances.

Clang—

After a moment of tacit understanding, the 2 immediately took decisive action.

Chapter 1 The young man knelt in the downpour, his robes soaked through. Lightning tore across the heavens, illuminating the ancient characters carved above the mountain gate: "Azure Mist Sect." "It has been 3 years," he murmured, his voice barely audible over the storm. "Yet my cultivation remains stagnant at the third layer of Qi Refining." A sneer echoed from the shadows. "Lin Feng, the Outer Sect's very own waste. Do you truly believe the Sect Leader would intervene for trash like you?" Lin Feng's fingers dug into the mud. He remembered the Eldrin (Person Name) saying, "Talent is bestowed by the heavens." But what if the heavens themselves were blind? Suddenly, a searing heat erupted within his dantian. A crimson light, unnoticed by any, seeped from the pendant at his chest—a relic from his late mother. *Whoosh!* The world shifted. He stood within a boundless expanse of stars, where a single character hovered, pulsing with primordial power: "Devour." Memories not his own flooded his mind—a scripture of unparalleled dominance, the Heavenly Devouring Art. It could consume all things: spiritual energy, pill efficacy, even the very cultivation of others, refining it for 1's own use. When his senses returned to the storm-lashed mountain, his eyes held a new, terrifying calm. The rules of this world were simple: the weak are prey, the strong feast. He reached into his sack, retrieving his last remaining resources: a single Foundation Building Pill (Elixir) and 1,250 spirit stones (Cultivation Resource). It was a pittance, but it would be the first offering to his new path. "From today onward," Lin Feng whispered to the raging winds, "I will devour the heavens and the earth themselves." Back in his dilapidated hut, he activated the art. A vortex of darkness, invisible to the eye, swirled around him. The spiritual energy within the 1,250 spirit stones vanished in an instant, transformed into pure Qi that surged into his meridians. *Crack!* A barrier he had struggled against for a year shattered. The fourth layer of Qi Refining. Power, raw and intoxicating, coursed through his veins. A cruel smile touched his lips as he gazed toward the opulent compound of the Outer Sect's manager, who had stolen his monthly stipend for years. The man possessed cultivation at the sixth layer of Qi Refining. "He," Lin Feng murmured, "shall be my next meal."