Chapter 2072 : End of the Soul River

The Black Abyss Emperor soared through the skies astride his Black Abyss Emperor Spear, the Thunder Emperor Battle Armor around him pushed to its absolute limits.

In an instant, he erupted into a world-shaking confrontation against the 3 Great Infinite Paragons, unleashing a battle of unprecedented intensity rarely witnessed since ancient times.

In that instant, Eldrin made his move. Commanding the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss, he split it into 12 Primordial Treasures, erupting into an earth-shattering battle against 9 Quasi-Sages.

In this battle, Eldrin faced 9 opponents alone, yet displayed a demeanor of near invincibility.

Even under the relentless assaults of the 9 Sub-Sages, Eldrin never yielded an inch of ground.

He made no attempt to counterattack, instead focusing entirely on defense, as if stalling for time until Emperor Black Abyss could break the stalemate.

After such a great war had persisted for millions of years, the 9 Quasi-Sages finally grew somewhat restless.

The Vermilion Bird Demi-Saint’s expression turned exceedingly grim as he immediately declared, “He is stalling for time. We must end this swiftly.”

"Flame-Soul Saint Sovereign also realized this and immediately declared, 'Suppress him with your full power. I shall focus all my efforts to grievously wound this man.'"

As the words fell, the Flame-Soul Sacred Lord instantly merged 9 divine forms into 1, transforming into the singular Flame-Soul Divine Spear that pierced through the heavens, poised to suppress Eldrin (Person Name).

In an instant, the Vermilion Bird Demigod and 7 other Demigods unleashed their full power, erupting with supreme force to desperately suppress Eldrin.

"Hah—"

Seeing the experts charging at him with reckless abandon, Eldrin finally spotted the opening to turn the tide.

In an instant, Eldrin transformed the Seal of Returning Abyss into the Chaos Heavenly Halberd. Then, under the astonished gazes of the crowd, he forcefully withstood the full-power strikes of the 9 Quasi-Sages.

Eldrin, having withstood a full-force strike from 9 Demi-Saints, showed not the slightest injury. Instead, he soared through the void astride the Chaos Heavenly Halberd, piercing through the chest of the Flamesoul Demi-Saint in an instant.

Yanpo the Sub-Saint let out a wretched scream and immediately sought to retreat to save his own life.

But it was already too late. Eldrin gave the Primordial Chaos Heavenly Halberd a fierce shake.

Then, the 9 great divine forms of the Path of Self-Offering merged with the power of the Primordial Chaos Indestructible Body, instantly tearing the Yanpo Demi-Saint’s physical form to shreds.

Stripped of his physical vessel, Sage Yanpo’s primordial soul was instantly corroded by the curse’s power. Only at a great cost did he manage to flee this territory.

"Damn it!"

Seeing that their full-force strike had failed to harm Eldrin in the slightest, everyone's expressions abruptly changed.

In that instant, they realized they likely stood no chance against Eldrin (Person Name), and immediately scattered in retreat downstream along the Primordial Soul River.

"Trying to run?"

Just as they were about to flee, Eldrin sneered coldly and immediately activated the Returning Abyss Seal, manifesting it into the Mirror of Yin, Yang, and Void.

In an instant, an invisible force of nothingness completely sealed this void space, cutting off all their paths of retreat.

The current might of the Abyssal Seal now rivals that of a Chaos Spiritual Treasure. Its manifested Mirror of Yin, Yang, and Void (Magic Treasure) possesses power comparable to even spatial-attribute Chaos Spiritual Treasures.

At this moment, as Eldrin activated this treasure to seal the heavens and earth, combined with the sealing power of the Primordial Soul River, the retreat paths of the 9 Quasi-Sages were instantly severed.

"Eldrin, you brat! Must you truly be so unyielding?"

Seeing that Eldrin had cut off their retreat, all the Ascendant Saints revealed expressions of utter frenzy.

Eldrin (Person Name) remained expressionless, his voice icy as he declared, "Even if I cannot annihilate all of you today, I shall still make you pay a devastating price."

As the words fell, Eldrin (Person Name) unleashed his full power, riding the Chaos Heavenly Halberd through the void, and erupted into an all-out battle against the 9 Quasi-Saints.

In this moment, Eldrin no longer held back in the slightest, unleashing the invincible combat prowess of the Infinite Quasi-Sage realm.

Although the 9 Great Paragons possessed formidable strength, they were driven to the brink of madness by Eldrin’s earth-shattering methods.

Since Eldrin's physical body was indestructible and the Abyssal Divine Runes could absorb nearly all damage, they couldn't harm Eldrin in the slightest.

Under such circumstances, they stood almost no chance of winning the war.

After 3 1000 exchanges, Eldrin fought with near-feral frenzy. With 1 sword stroke, he cleaved the physical form of the Azure Crow Demi-Saint, then followed with a fist that shattered half of the Kunpeng Demi-Saint’s body.

The Vermilion Bird Sub-Sage shrieked bloodcurdlingly as it soared into the sky, attempting to spread its wings and break free from this primordial River of Souls. Yet Eldrin seized its wings once more, mercilessly tearing them from its body with brutal force.

At the final critical juncture of the slaughter, more than half of the 9 Quasi-Saints' physical bodies had been destroyed. Just as they were nearing despair, an unexpected turn of events suddenly emerged.

The 3 Great Sub-Sages struck with overwhelming force, and after a bitter struggle, they temporarily suppressed the Black Abyss Emperor. The most powerful among them, the Primordial Heaven Sage, tore through the void and descended, intent on completely subduing Eldrin (Person Name) by sheer might.

"You are not worthy of inflicting harm upon this venerable 1."

As the Primal Heaven Saint charged forth, Eldrin’s gaze turned piercingly cold.

He erupted with his full power, battling the Hun Tian Demi-Saint to the brink of madness.

It must be admitted that the path of physical sanctification was truly formidable—this Hun Tian Demigod was originally the Wuji Demigod.

Pushing himself to the absolute limit, he temporarily merged the 9 divine forms of the True Spirit, attaining the singular power of the Primordial Form.

Even if this combat prowess could not last, at the moment his Divine Form manifested, his power could be described as nearly capable of shaking the heavens and upheaving the earth.

Eldrin was forced to fight back, temporarily merging the 5 divine forms of the True Spirits to harness their power against his foe. He even pushed the power of the Sacrificial Dao to its absolute limit.

Thus, after over a 1000 exchanges between the 2 sides, the residual shockwaves of their great battle stirred colossal tides even within the boundless Soul River.

"Die!"

The Chaos Heaven Demi-Sage fought until his blood boiled with fervor, the Celestial Emperor's lineage within him nearly fully awakened.

He roared, battling Eldrin to the absolute limit, the Primordial Divine Spear in his grasp pulsing with an indomitable will to fight.

可Eldrin (Person Name)却也丝毫不惧，有玄武盾和生命古珠两大半步终极神形加持，他的肉身本就坚固不朽。

Not to mention the Abyssal Devourer Glyphs that could absorb all damage.

Such slaughter drove both sides to the brink of madness. With a furious roar, Eldrin unfurled his Vermilion Bird Wings, manifesting ultimate speed as he descended in a killing frenzy.

The Wings of the Vermilion Bird, a half-step Ultimate Divine Rune, surpassed all speed-type True Spirit Divine Runes.

The Chaos Heaven Sub-Sage wielded his war spear in relentless combat against Eldrin (Person Name), yet he realized he was utterly on the receiving end of the assault.

With thunderous explosive force and relentless speed, he sent the Sub-Sage of Hundun flying back again and again—their striking speeds were simply not on the same level.

"Ah, the Primordial Golden Bell!"

Seeing that he could hardly hold his own, the Sub-sage of Primordial Heavens was nearly driven mad with rage on the spot.

In an instant, he harnessed the Singular True Form, manifesting a golden bell to shield his body as he sought to counterattack by remaining still and awaiting motion.

Eldrin, however, let out a cold sneer. In an instant, he transformed the Chaos Heaven Halberd, morphing it into a colossal Chaos Battle-Axe that descended with crushing force.

"The ultimate strength lies in speed, unbreakable and unstoppable."

"Today, you shall witness the true power of annihilation!"

Eldrin spoke with boundless killing intent, naively maneuvering the Chaos Great Axe into the air. It descended with the power to sunder all of creation, cleaving through the void in a devastating arc.

As the colossal axe came crashing down, the Heaven-Encompassing Golden Bell was instantly torn asunder. The residual force of the immense strike continued unabated, cleaving off half of the Heaven-Encompassing Demi-Sage's body on the spot.

Suddenly struck by a devastating blow, the Sub-sage of Primordial Heavens let out a desperate, agonized wail.

At the brink of life and death, a surge of chaotic energy from a supreme treasure erupted within him, forcibly elevating the power of the Huntian Demi-Saint to its absolute peak.

He cast a deathly glare at Eldrin (Person Name), roaring as he unleashed a full-powered strike that violently tore through the barrier of the Mirror of Yin, Yang, and Void (Magic Treasure), forcibly carving a path through the void.

Eldrin had no intention of letting him escape. With a sudden flare of his Vermilion Bird Wings, he overtook the Hun Heaven Demigod in a breathtaking afterimage. Seizing the opening, he unleashed a devastating downward strike, his fist crashing mercilessly into the Demigod’s back.

"Pfft—"

In that instant, the Sub-sage of Primal Chaos spat blood mid-air, yet still managed to activate the Chaos Void-Shattering Talisman with immense effort, vanishing into the ancient River of Souls.

The other Great Sub-Sages and the 2 Infinite Sub-Sages immediately assumed expressions of extreme gravity upon witnessing this. Without hesitation, they activated their Chaos Void-Shattering Talismans and vanished into the Primordial Soul River.

Only 3 Quasi-Sages remained, but having had their physical bodies destroyed by Eldrin and being too severely wounded to resist the curse's erosion, they sank into the Primordial Soul River to slumber.

After all those Demi-Sages had departed, Emperor Heiyuan approached with a slightly pale complexion, sighing as he spoke, "What a pity. Only 3 Demi-Sages remained in the end."

Eldrin nodded, yet his expression remained serene as he replied, "Quasi-Sages inherently possess remarkable survival capabilities. Moreover, they are backed by the Primordial Heaven Emperor. Managing to eliminate 3 of them is already quite an achievement."

Black Abyss Emperor nodded slightly. This battle had not been an easy 1 for them.

Fortunately, Eldrin (Person Name) had a considerable advantage by confronting 9 quasi-saints single-handedly.

However, it was an immensely difficult task for Emperor Black Abyss to contend against the 3 Eldrin of the Infinite.

You must understand, every Wuji Demi-Saint possessed battle prowess that could startle immortals, each wielding methods that defied all worldly conventions. To contend against even 1 was already an act of defying the heavens.

Simultaneously confronting 3 Eldrin of the Infinite Cosmos, the pressure he faced was naturally immense.

In contrast, Eldrin (Person Name) possessed peerless physical defense. Even if faced with numerous Demi-Saints, unless they were top-tier Demi-Saints specializing in lethal combat, it would be exceedingly difficult to harm Eldrin (Person Name).

In truth, even a top-tier Demi-Saint would find it difficult to harm the present-day Eldrin through conventional means.

Only by merging the 9 divine forms of the Great Dao and unleashing their ultimate techniques could they barely inflict some injuries upon Eldrin.

To truly pose a sufficient threat to Eldrin, 1 must be a Body Sanctification cultivator who has mastered the 9 True Spirit Divine Forms.

This was an unavoidable reality. Though both had cultivated 9 supreme divine forms, a Half-Saint who mastered the Dao through spiritual cultivation paled in combat prowess compared to a Body Sanctifier who had forged 9 true spirit manifestations.

The fundamental reason lies in the fact that Half-Sages who walk the Path of Dao derive their power from the Great Dao itself—the extent of their combat prowess depends entirely on their mastery in wielding its principles.

Those who tread the path of physical sanctification fundamentally cultivate the flesh.

The so-called 9 Great True Spirit Manifestations are, in essence, merely a means of integrating the Great Dao into the physical body to amplify its combat prowess.

The Path of Dao Mastery is merely about grasping the power of the Great Dao, whereas achieving sainthood through physical cultivation involves merging 1’s physical form with the true spirit and divine essence—a synergy where the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

The difficulty of the 2 was beyond comparison, and the resources consumed were equally incomparable.

It is precisely for this reason that those who cultivate the 9 Great True Spirit Forms and achieve physical sanctification possess combat prowess comparable to at least 12 Supreme Elders who have mastered the Great Dao Forms.

1 who merges the 9 great divine forms can rival those who command the 30-6 supreme divine forms of the Great Dao.

For he had merged the 9 great divine forms into 1, cultivating the sole divine form, and had long since refined his physical body to the very limits of the Quasi-Sage realm.

With the physical form and the true spirit united as 1, complementing each other, the Sacred Body henceforth became flawless and without deficiency, naturally capable of possessing invincible combat prowess.

To return to our story, seeing that the Black Abyss Emperor’s face had turned slightly pale, Eldrin immediately asked, “How is your injury, Senior?”

"It's nothing serious, just a bit taxing on my energy reserves."

The Black Abyss Emperor spoke as he swallowed an immortal elixir to steady himself.

After a long while, when most of his energy had been restored, he finally rose to gaze toward the end of the Primordial Soul River.

Legend has it that the end of the Primordial Soul River is extremely perilous.

"We are not far from the source now. It is time we took a look."

Eldrin gave a slight nod, first clearing the battlefield before speaking. "Only a handful remain who can reach this place. We shouldn't be disturbed from here on."

The Black Abyss Emperor chuckled softly, drawing his Black Abyss Imperial Spear as he declared, "Then let us join forces and venture into this dragon’s den and tiger’s lair."

As the words faded, the Black Abyss Emperor took the lead, charging toward the source of the Primordial Soul River.

Within the Primordial Soul River, shadowy mists coiled densely, obscuring all paths ahead. Eldrin had lost all sense of time—he knew not how long he had walked, nor how far remained to reach the source.

They pressed onward without pause, only coming to a halt when they reached the edge of an endless, shadowy abyss.

"Is this the source of the Primordial Soul River?"

Gazing at the abyssal pool before him, Eldrin murmured softly, his eyes inevitably clouded with profound gravity.

Yet within that secluded pool, a skeleton of utter darkness sat cross-legged.

Clad in a black robe, His divine bones seemed forged of dark immortal gold, radiating an eternal and indestructible brilliance.

Most crucially, Eldrin sensed an unprecedented curse power emanating from that skeletal remains.

Eerie, ominous, and uncanny.

This was an eerie force, indelible, intangible, and indescribable. Even a single glance sent a bone-chilling cold through Eldrin's entire body.

Eldrin even had the vague sensation that a pair of pupils seemed to be watching everything here from across the immeasurably vast and boundless Sea of Chaos.

In that fleeting moment, a wave of primordial terror seized Eldrin, nearly compelling him to flee this very place.

At the critical moment, Eldrin suddenly felt the Primordial Chaos Ancient Scripture within him tremble faintly.

Hundreds of Primordial Characters glowed faintly, instantly enveloping Eldrin's entire body with an intangible force. That terrifying gaze seemed to vanish in an instant.

Meanwhile, beyond the distant chaos, an indescribable aberrant figure let out a mournful wail.

His pupils streamed with boundless blood, the nearly tangible ominous energy around him almost dissipated entirely, and his oppressive, chaotic aura seemed to weaken to its absolute limit in an instant.

At the same time, beside that ominous figure, a slender presence abruptly manifested.

He gazed at the bleeding-eyed entity writhing in agony and remarked with mild surprise, "Yin Curse, who inflicted such wounds upon you?"

"Yes..."

The ominous being let out a mournful wail, its face contorted with utter terror as it trembled and spoke, "He is the embodiment of the Finality, the calamity of all living beings, the Returning Abyss of this primordial chaos."

The Celestial Emperor lay slain, supreme beings were buried in dust, and even the highest sovereigns had crumbled into mere handfuls of clay.

"I beheld the Eternal True Spirit shattering, the Chaos annihilated, all things fallen into silence. Even as you and I sink into its depths, there shall be no transcendence."

The slender figure fell silent for a long moment before speaking. "The Primordial Chaos is the origin of all things, from which the vast nebulous void later evolved."

Through countless kalpas beyond measure, Chaos has been divided into 7 stages: Primordial Awakening, Burgeoning Emergence, Flourishing Zenith, Waning Decline, Ruinous Decay, Apocalyptic Destruction, and Final Cessation—collectively forming 1 Chaos Epoch.

At the end of this epoch's terminus, chaos shall return to the primordial void, heralding the dawn of the next Chaotic Era.

At this point, the lanky figure spoke up, "The Embodiment of Finality, the 1 who returns to the primordial chaos. Legends say they only emerge when chaos reaches its end."

"Has the harbinger of this Chaos Epoch's end already manifested so soon?"

After a long while, the tall figure calculated silently for a moment before speaking coldly: "Unyielding to divination, untouchable by mortal means—such is the protection bestowed by the Great Dao."

"This must be the Era's Mandate of Destiny shielding him, rendering even my divination arts incapable of tracing his origins?"

Eldrin remained unaware of the upheaval unfolding beyond the boundless void.

He stood at the end of the Primordial Soul River, gazing at the cursed figure before him with an expression of utmost solemnity.

"Kill me, kill me!"

At the end of the Dark Spring, the skeletal figure slowly rose to its feet, its voice dripping with incomparable gloom and dread as it spoke.

Eldrin exchanged a glance with the Black Abyss Emperor, refraining from rash action as he gazed with profound gravity at the pitch-black skeleton.

This skeleton was clearly most likely the remains of the Soul Path Heavenly Emperor, brimming with an aura of eternal indestructibility, yet tainted by the power of endless, foul curses.

Trembling, He rose to His feet, gazing at Eldrin and the Black Abyss Emperor before uttering with utmost madness, "Kill me, or let me kill you both!"

"Hymn—"

In the blink of an eye, an indescribable sword hum resonated.

The Imperial Bone soared into the air, riding upon a peerless sword fetus as it cleaved through the void with overwhelming force.

In an instant, the River of Time and Space was forcibly severed, as an immeasurable sword radiance cleaved through, capable of splitting all existence asunder.

This sword strike transcended the river of time, ancient and modern, causing even the primordial Chaos Dao to tremble violently.

"Watch out!"

The Black Abyss Emperor spoke, instantly pushing Eldrin aside as the 8 divine forms around him merged into 1, unleashing a supreme power capable of annihilating all existence.

In that instant, the Black Abyss Emperor's power nearly transcended the mortal realm's limits, even reaching levels that could challenge the Primordial Chaos Celestial Emperor.

Yet even so, it proved utterly defenseless before this single sword strike.

In the blink of an eye, the Black Abyss Emperor was sent flying, spitting blood, sustaining grievous wounds.

Great Emperor.

Eldrin’s expression shifted slightly as he swiftly maneuvered the Chaos Heavenly Halberd to intercept, parrying the skeleton’s peerless sword fetus.

Yet in that fleeting exchange, Eldrin's face paled slightly. The opponent's power could only be described as immeasurable—even his Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss couldn't completely withstand the force.

"This is the power!"

The skeleton suddenly spoke, its soulfire blazing with madness as it cried out, "Kill me, kill me, I beg you, kill me now!"

Eldrin felt that the skeleton before him had gone mad, yet he found it utterly unbelievable.

After all, this was a peerless Soul Dao Celestial Emperor—why would he seek death?

Before Eldrin could gather his thoughts, the skeletal figure charged at him with frenzied abandon. It unleashed a torrent of savage assaults, attacking with such single-minded ferocity that it seemed to have abandoned all defense in its mad rush to destroy him.

With a blazing gaze fixed intently upon Eldrin, he let out a maniacal, twisted laugh and snarled, "Kill me, then. Use that power—the power of finality that utterly returns all to primordial nothingness."

Chapter 1 The biting mountain wind whipped across the cliffside, carrying with it the scent of pine and damp earth. Lin Chen gritted his teeth, his knuckles white as he gripped the rough stone ledge. Below him, a sea of clouds churned, obscuring the 1000-zhang abyss. "Just a bit more," he muttered to himself, the words torn away by the gale. "The Heaven-Swallowing Demonic Art must be within reach." His spiritual sense brushed against the ancient jade slip tucked safely in his robe. After 3 years of searching, after countless nights meditating under the twin moons, after surviving the venomous fangs of the Shadow-Serpent and outwitting the disciples of the Flaming Sun Sect, he finally had it. The legendary cultivation method that could allow 1 to challenge the very heavens. Suddenly, a cold voice cut through the wind, sharp as a honed blade. "Lin Chen. Did you truly believe you could steal from the Patriarch and live?" Lin Chen's blood ran cold. He didn't need to turn around to recognize that voice—Elder Mo of the Black Nether Sect, a cultivator at the late Foundation Establishment stage. Slowly, Lin Chen turned, his hand instinctively moving to the hilt of the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss strapped to his back. Elder Mo stood 10 paces away, his black robes embroidered with silver skulls seeming to drink the fading light. 2 other disciples flanked him, their auras sharp and menacing. "The jade slip is not yours to claim, Elder Mo," Lin Chen said, his voice steady despite the frantic beating of his heart. "It chose me." Elder Mo's lips curled into a sneer. "Arrogant fool! A mere Qi Condensation brat dares to speak to me of choice? Hand over the Heaven-Swallowing Demonic Art, and I might grant you a swift death." Lin Chen's mind raced. A direct confrontation was suicide. But retreat was impossible—the cliff edge was at his back. He had 127 Low-Grade Spirit Stones and 3 Mid-Grade Healing Pills left in his pouch. Not nearly enough to fuel a prolonged battle or a desperate escape technique. "The Art has merged with my soul," Lin Chen stated, buying time as he circulated his meager spiritual energy. "To take it, you would have to shatter my core. And we both know what happens then." A flicker of uncertainty crossed Elder Mo's eyes. The self-destruction of a cultivator's core, even 1 at the Qi Condensation stage, was not a force to be taken lightly. It was the opening Lin Chen needed. With a roar, he drew the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss. Crimson light erupted from the blade, illuminating the cliff face with a hellish glow. He didn't charge forward. Instead, he poured every last drop of his spiritual power into the sword and slammed it into the ground at his feet. "Rending Abyss, Li Fire Surge!" The cliff edge shattered. Massive chunks of rock broke away, plummeting into the cloud sea below. The ground beneath Elder Mo and his disciples crumbled, their shouts of rage and surprise swallowed by the roaring wind and the cacophony of falling stone. Lin Chen leaped backward into the void, the cold mist enveloping him. As he fell, his fingers closed around a small, seemingly ordinary bronze mirror—his only other possession of note. He had gambled everything. He had escaped a Foundation Establishment expert, but now he was falling into the unknown depths of the Endless Abyss, his spiritual energy utterly depleted. 1 100 years had passed. Deep within the Endless Abyss, in a secluded cavern hidden behind a roaring waterfall, a figure sat cross-legged in meditation. The air around him shimmered with palpable energy. Spirit Stones, thousands of them, lay arranged in complex formations, their glow steadily dimming as the cultivator at their center devoured their essence. This was Lin Chen. But he was no longer the desperate youth who had leaped from a cliff. He opened his eyes. They held the depth of forgotten stars and the calm of a still ocean. The first layer of the Heaven-Swallowing Demonic Art was complete. He had reached the Golden Core stage. A faint, cold smile touched his lips. "Elder Mo. The Black Nether Sect. My reckoning is long overdue." He stood, his movements fluid and filled with a latent power that made the very air hum. It was time to leave the abyss. Time to return to the world that had cast him out. The world of cultivators would soon learn that Lin Chen was not dead. He was a storm gathering in the silence.