Chapter 1520 : Clash of Emperors in the Void

"Since my arrival in this Small Universe [a self-contained, smaller dimensional realm], I have heard tales of the Ten Directions Great Emperors [ten supreme rulers, each commanding one of the cardinal and intercardinal directions] who reign here."

"And among these Ten Directions Great Emperors, the two most formidable are said to be Antiquity-Tracing [the Great Emperor who commands the power to trace back to the primordial past] and Future [the Great Emperor who holds dominion over the unfolding future], each mastering a distinct Path Principle [a fundamental law or truth of the cosmos, akin to a divine authority] related to time."

The Virtuous Phoenix Maiden [a noble and wise phoenix spirit in human form] spoke softly, a glimmer of appraisal flashing in her pupils.

Her gaze settled upon the two Great Emperor [a supreme title for a cultivator of immense power and authority], Antiquity-Tracing and Future, her expression ultimately composed as she stated.

"To witness your prowess today is a fortune that makes this journey worthwhile."

"…"

Within the Depths of the Starry Sky [the vast, empty expanse between celestial bodies], a battle of unprecedented scale erupted, shaking the very fabric of the void.

Yet, simultaneously, upon the Ancient Immortal Phoenix Star [a legendary celestial body associated with the primordial phoenix], the conflict grew even more ferocious and desperate.

The boundless power of the grand formation was held at bay by the Glazed Divine Lord [a title for a powerful deity whose essence is likened to flawless crystal], who wielded a Primordial Unity Immortal Weapon [a weapon of legendary power, forged at the dawn of creation]. Meanwhile, the Ice Phoenix Great Emperor [a Great Emperor whose power and lineage are tied to the mythical ice phoenix] found herself relentlessly pressed, jointly suppressed by Eldrin Chen and the Violet Mystery Path Master [a master of esoteric and profound cultivation arts].

This allowed Exquisite Jiang and her allies to free their hands. They moved swiftly, one after another, to subdue the various sages of the Demon Race [a powerful and often malevolent faction of demonic beings], rapidly securing an overwhelming advantage on the battlefield.

To decisively crush the enemy in one fell swoop, they even unleashed the Divine Spirits [powerful spiritual beings born from a cultivator's inner world] residing within their Earth Immortal World [the personal, reality-like inner world cultivated by an Earth Immortal].

By now, as their Earth Immortal World [the personal, reality-like inner world cultivated by an Earth Immortal] gradually expanded, the number of Divine Spirits [powerful spiritual beings born from a cultivator's inner world] they could unleash had grown ever larger.

Taking Eldrin Chen alone, the Divine Spirits [powerful spiritual beings born from a cultivator's inner world] within his Earth Immortal World [the personal, reality-like inner world cultivated by an Earth Immortal], while not yet reaching the theoretical limit of three thousand six hundred, had already nurtured over one thousand.

The Earth Immortal World [the personal, reality-like inner world cultivated by an Earth Immortal] of Heaven Abyss Path Master had also nurtured nearly one thousand Ascendant Immortal Realm [a high cultivation realm] Divine Spirits [powerful spiritual beings born from a cultivator's inner world].

As for Violet Mystery Path Master and Glazed Divine Lord, their respective Earth Immortal World [the personal, reality-like inner world cultivated by an Earth Immortal] each housed three thousand Late Ascendant Immortal Realm [the peak stage of the Ascendant Immortal realm] Divine Spirits [powerful spiritual beings born from a cultivator's inner world].

Exquisite Jiang and the other six at the Earth Immortal [a high cultivation realm] sixth layer had each nurtured over six to seven hundred Divine Spirits [powerful spiritual beings born from a cultivator's inner world]. Combined, this group of over ten individuals summoned a force exceeding ten thousand such beings.

Most crucially, their collective Earth Immortal World [the personal, reality-like inner world cultivated by an Earth Immortal] had released over one hundred Imperial Lord [a supreme cultivation realm, rulers of vast domains].

While the combat prowess of these Imperial Lord [a supreme cultivation realm, rulers of vast domains] might be slightly inferior to a Earth Immortal Patriarch of the same tier, they were more than a match for the Demon Sage [powerful demonic cultivators] of this world.

With the aid of so many Imperial Lord [a supreme cultivation realm, rulers of vast domains] and Divine Spirits [powerful spiritual beings born from a cultivator's inner world], the downfall of the Ancient Immortal Phoenix Star [an ancient celestial body inhabited by phoenix-kind] was dramatically accelerated.

After merely a day and night of fierce battle, over thirty percent of the Demon Sage [powerful demonic cultivators] upon the Ancient Immortal Phoenix Star [an ancient celestial body inhabited by phoenix-kind] had fallen. Seeing the tide turn against them, the remaining Immortal Phoenix Demon Sage [phoenix-type demon sages of immense power] and lesser demon gods began to flee the star.

To conserve their strength, the allied forces did not pursue the fleeing Immortal Phoenix.

As the saying goes, a routed army collapses like a landslide. With the situation deteriorating visibly and reinforcements nowhere in sight, the Immortal Phoenix Clan finally lost all will to fight.

As more and more demon gods and demon sages fled for their lives, the Immortal Phoenix Clan swiftly descended into a complete and utter rout.

The allied cultivators quickly concentrated their power, slaying eighteen of the more than twenty Immortal Phoenix Great Sage, including three Demon Race Quasi-Emperors who had reached the Earth Immortal Great Perfection realm.

With this done, they then surged deep into the heart of Ancient Star, intent on destroying the grand defensive formation protecting the star.

"The tide has turned irrevocably," a voice sighed with finality.

Watching his Immortal Phoenix forces scatter in defeat, the heart of Ice Phoenix Great Emperor grew heavier with each passing moment.

It was not that he did not wish to flee, but how could his enemies possibly allow such a formidable adversary to escape?

Thus, under the relentless pressure from Eldrin Chen and Violet Mystery Path Master, and with Glazed Divine Lord frequently interposing to block his path, all routes of retreat were thoroughly sealed.

Now, seeing Exquisite Jiang and the others free to join the fray, Ice Phoenix Great Emperor could wait no longer. A desperate resolve hardened within him.

They saw him, heedless of the cost to his foundational essence and vital blood, channeling all his power in a desperate attempt to tear through the fabric of space itself and flee.

However, Eldrin Chen had long been prepared. Using his Spatial Supreme Treasure to suppress the void, he firmly anchored the spatial forces, making escape impossible.

"BOOM—"

Almost simultaneously, the combined efforts of the group and Glazed Divine Lord shattered the Mountain Protection Formation atop the Ancient Immortal Phoenix Star.

Immediately after, Glazed Divine Lord used her Primordial Unity Immortal Body to suppress the Ice Phoenix Sky-Freezing Wheel, then activated her Seven-Colored Heaven-Scrolling Ribbon to bind Ice Phoenix Great Emperor tightly.

This Ice Phoenix Great Emperor possessed a physique of immense power, being one of the nine great phoenixes of the Primordial Era—the Primordial Era Ice Phoenix. Yet, even she could not break free from the restraints of a Primordial Unity Immortal Weapon in a short time.

Seizing the opportunity, Eldrin Chen channeled his Primordial Unity Thunder Abyss Myriad Tribulations Sword and struck, its blade piercing straight through the brow of Ice Phoenix Great Emperor.

The Ice Phoenix Great Emperor, who had forged her path through physical cultivation, found her Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] unable to survive once her physical vessel was breached. In the span of a single clash, she was utterly annihilated by the Thunderclap sword energy.

"Truly, this sword is the mightiest Thunderclap-attribute Immortal Sword among those of Slaughter. Its offensive power must rank among the very peak of lower-grade Primordial Unity Immortal Weapon," remarked Violet Mystery Path Master, his eyes gleaming with admiration as he witnessed the Ice Phoenix Great Emperor fall to the Primordial Unity Thunder Abyss Myriad Tribulations Sword.

(This paragraph's content has been logically integrated into paragraph nine for narrative flow and to avoid redundancy.)

For an Immortal who treads the Great Path of Thunderclap, the Primordial Unity Thunder Abyss Myriad Tribulations Sword was the Supreme Immortal Sword he most fervently desired. It was only natural that he was filled with boundless envy.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen smiled faintly and said, "Fellow Daoist, if you ever obtain a Primordial Unity Grade immortal weapon or a Rare Treasure in the future, you may bring it to exchange with me."

"Is that truly so?"

Upon hearing this, Violet Mystery Path Master could not help but reveal a look of pleasant surprise.

For a cultivator like him who walked the Great Path of Thunderclap, aside from rare thunder-attribute divine weapons, ordinary Primordial Unity Rare Treasure and immortal weapons of other attributes were fundamentally incompatible.

For instance, a metal-attribute Primordial Unity Immortal Weapon in his hands could often only unleash sixty to seventy percent of its power, greatly diminishing the wondrous utility of a Primordial Unity Immortal Weapon.

Therefore, if he obtained Primordial Unity Rare Treasure or immortal weapons of other attributes in the future, being able to exchange them for this Primordial Unity Thunder Abyss Myriad Tribulations Sword would undoubtedly be the optimal choice.

"My word is my bond."

Eldrin Chen spoke with a calm smile, his expression serene.

This Primordial Unity Thunder Abyss Sword possessed a Thunderclap attribute, which did not align with Eldrin Chen's Path Principles [the fundamental laws and concepts that define a cultivator's chosen Dao]. Although he could use his Primordial One Limitless Rule Power to fuse metal and water magical power [the cultivated energy wielded by practitioners] and simulate thunder-attribute magical power to wield it...

However, the magical power [the supernatural energy wielded by cultivators] simulated in this manner ultimately lacks the perfect resonance achieved by an Immortal [a being who has transcended mortality] who has dedicatedly cultivated the Thunderclap [the Heavenly Principle of Thunder and Lightning] Heavenly Rules [the fundamental laws governing reality and the cosmos]. It can only unleash the weapon's base potential, nothing more.

To unleash the power of the Primordial Unity Thunder Abyss Myriad Tribulations Sword [a supreme sword embodying the unity of thunder, the abyss, and countless tribulations] beyond its full ten-tenths capacity, one must augment it with the power of the Thunderclap Path Principle [a profound law or truth comprehended along one's cultivation path]. Only then can the two synergize and complement each other perfectly.

Yet, among the various Earth Immortal Patriarch [patriarchs who have attained the Earth Immortal realm, a high level of cultivation] of the Chen Immortal Clan, none primarily cultivate the Thunderclap Heavenly Rules.

Therefore, in Eldrin Chen's view, trading it away at an opportune moment for a Primordial Unity Immortal Weapon [an immortal-tier weapon of unified primordial essence] or Primordial Unity Rare Treasure [a rare treasure of unified primordial essence] aligned with the Five Elements Attribute [the spiritual attributes of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth] would be a wise alternative.

Moreover, this course of action would also allow him to earn a favor from Violet Mystery Path Master.

Seeing Eldrin Chen confirm his intention, Violet Mystery Path Master felt a surge of fierce joy in his heart.

With Eldrin Chen's promise, he now at least had a future chance to obtain this Primordial Unity Thunder Abyss Myriad Tribulations Sword.

Eldrin Chen stored away the Primordial Unity Thunder Abyss Myriad Tribulations Sword, collected the remains of the Ice Phoenix Great Emperor, and gathered several crucial treasures [objects of spiritual or magical power] from the core region of the Ancient Immortal Phoenix Star [a celestial body associated with ancient immortal phoenixes].

Afterward, not daring to delay for even a moment, they hastily tore through the void and departed from the Immortal Phoenix Nebula [a stellar nebula named for the immortal phoenix].

Merely a single day after the group had left, the Virtuous Phoenix Maiden [a noble and powerful phoenix-being] arrived, her passage sundering the fabric of space itself.

Gazing upon the shattered remnants of the Ancient Immortal Phoenix Star, a flicker of confusion passed through her eyes.

"The one who acted belongs to the Human Race, yet judging by the aura, it does not seem to be any of those from the Primordial Solar, Venus, or the other few Grotto-Heaven realms, nor is it a Buddha from the Great Desert Celestial Sands Domain."

"Who, then, is this person who intervened? Could it be a rogue cultivator hidden among the masses?"