Chapter 2132 : Vault of Heaven, Year's End

"Is this the fifth layer?"

Gazing upon the 3 celestial palaces before them, the crowd gradually fell into hushed whispers, a trace of solemnity coloring their expressions.

Eldrin looked up and saw that above each of the 3 celestial halls hung a plaque inscribed with the words: Celestial Puppet Hall, Ancient Dome of Ruins Hall, and Hall of the Waning Epochs.

"Heavenly Puppet, Firmament Abyss, and Year's End—these were the 3 supreme venerables of the Primordial Heaven Ancient Hall."

The Primordial Dao Ancestor murmured softly, a trace of lament in his voice, "The Celestial Puppet, the Void Abyss, and the Twilight Epoch—3 supreme overlords who once reigned supreme in the ancient epochs."

"Now reduced to dust, it remains dormant even after countless kalpas."

Eldrin nodded, his thoughts drifting to the legends of the 3 Supreme Elders.

At higher realms of cultivation, the disparity between individuals grows exponentially vast.

The threshold for becoming a top-tier Chaos Heavenly Emperor lies in the ability to withstand the combined might of 3 fellow Chaos Heavenly Emperors. Generally speaking, however, the pinnacle of such prowess would allow 1 to contend against, at most, 5 simultaneously.

After reaching the realm of Unity Dao Supreme, the minimum standard for a top-tier Supreme is the ability to withstand the combined assault of 5 ordinary Unity Dao Supremes.

Some of the most powerful top-tier Supremes could even suppress 10 ordinary Supremes single-handedly.

In the bygone era, the 3 supreme top experts of the Desolate Heaven Ancient Hall were all extraordinary figures. Legend has it that among these 3 supreme experts, Tian Kui was the 1 who attained the Dao through puppetry.

He commanded 2 supreme puppets and 70-2 puppets at the Heavenly Emperor realm, weaving them into a grand puppet formation to confront his foes. Even if 10 ordinary Unity Dao Supremes joined forces, they could all be utterly suppressed.

Yet the 2 supreme great emperors, Qiongxu and Suimu, were even more enigmatic. Legends claimed they rarely made a move, but when they joined forces, they could slay even the most supreme great emperors.

"The 2 great supremes, Void Abyss and Year's End, are extremely mysterious. Legends say they each hold partial authority over the Dao of Space and the Dao of Time. You must be cautious."

The Primordial Dao Ancestor spoke, his tone laced with a trace of apprehension.

Eldrin gave a slight nod, a trace of solemnity flickering between his brows.

Without hesitation, he strode directly toward the nearest Celestial Puppet Palace. The moment he stepped inside, everyone immediately sensed something unusual about this place.

This place had clearly witnessed a great battle, with more than 1 supreme half-step Dao Integration expert having perished here. The immortal blood within the celestial hall still radiated scorching heat.

In the center of the great hall, there were approximately a dozen or so pedestals bearing treasures, yet now the stone pillars stood utterly empty.

"We're too late."

The Primordial Dao Ancestor spoke, a hint of regret in his voice, "It seems the opportunity here has already been seized by Supreme Zhiyang and his followers."

At this point, Primordial Dao Ancestor couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret. Such a legacy left behind by a supreme pinnacle expert would undoubtedly contain treasures of astonishing, earth-shattering value.

Once they could obtain it, they might have a chance to break through to the Realm of Unity and Supremacy.

Eldrin was not particularly surprised, as the Primordial Heaven Ancient Palace had opened on multiple occasions, and its most precious treasures had likely been claimed long ago.

Even if some have survived to this day, they arrived 10 kalpas late, and whatever remains is likely scarce.

Not to mention, the true legacy of the Celestial Puppet Supreme—that supreme-grade Celestial Puppet—had long since fallen into Eldrin's hands.

With this thought in mind, Eldrin exited the ancient hall and made his way toward the nearby Dome Ruins Immortal Palace.

But within the Dome of Void Immortal Palace, dozens of lotus platforms floated and sank in the void, most of which had already been claimed.

Yet on several lotus pedestals, treasures of considerable value still rose and fell.

Vault-Void Ancient Sword, Spatial Jade Marrow, Unity Golden Elixir.

As he gazed upon the array of treasures before him, a faint ripple of emotion stirred within Eldrin's eyes.

Among the remaining treasures, these 3 items alone possessed such heaven-defying value that they could stir the hearts of even Dao Fusion Supreme Masters.

These 3 treasures were truly extraordinary. The Voidsky Ancient Sword was peerless in slaughter, a spatial-attribute ancient blade of slaughter that ranked among the finest of mid-grade Chaos Spiritual Treasures.

The Unity Golden Elixir is a treasured pill of the Fleshly Body Sanctification path. This elixir can increase a Fleshly Body Sanctification cultivator's probability of breaking through to the Unity Supreme realm by 20 percent, making it an exceptionally rare and peerless treasure.

The final piece was Spatial Marrow, a mid-grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure. Given the scarcity of spatial-attribute treasures, its value likely surpassed the previous 2.

At this thought, Eldrin immediately channeled his spiritual power, intending to break the restriction and seize the treasure. Yet in an instant, a violent recoil numbed his tiger’s mouth, forcing him to stagger back several steps.

"Impossible to retrieve this artifact?"

Eldrin (Person Name) furrowed his brow slightly, a trace of solemnity unconsciously coloring his expression.

No wonder these 3 treasures were left behind by the 2 Supreme Elders. It seems obtaining the relics of the Void-Dome Supreme is rather challenging.

"The supreme treasure left by the Venerable 1 cannot be taken lightly."

And at that very moment, a calm voice echoed through the grand hall.

Eldrin's gaze flickered slightly as he instinctively looked toward the other side of the hall. There, an ethereal figure had materialized without warning.

Eldrin’s heart stirred slightly, and he immediately cupped his hands in salute. “Are you the artifact spirit of this hall?”

"Indeed."

The ethereal figure spoke, then replied, "To claim the heavy treasure left by the Supreme 1, you must demonstrate sufficient potential."

"How to demonstrate 1's potential?"

Eldrin turned around and spoke with a trace of bewilderment.

The illusory figure did not answer immediately, instead saying, "These 3 treasures are of extraordinary value—even for our master, they are rare and priceless artifacts."

"If you wish to claim the treasure, you must demonstrate potential to tread the threshold of Half-Step Wuji. Otherwise, when our master awakens, the aid you could provide would likely prove insignificant."

Eldrin (Person Name) gave a slight nod, murmuring thoughtfully, "Half-step to the Limitless potential?"

As the words fell, Eldrin flicked his sleeve, revealing the 30-6 divine forms of the Path of Self Sacrifice.

The illusory figure took 1 glance and couldn't help but slightly constrict his pupils. "You may take 1 portion," he spoke.

Seeing this, Eldrin manifested the 5 great Chaos Divine Forms.

Time, Annihilation, the Returning Abyss, Chaos.

The formation spirit's expression abruptly shifted, then it rose sharply to its feet and declared, "Enough, this is more than sufficient."

The illusory figure spoke, and with a sweep of his sleeve, he lifted the restrictions on the 3 supreme treasures, delivering them entirely into Eldrin’s hands.

Eldrin received the treasure, but before he could utter a word, the Array Spirit spoke first: "To have cultivated the 4 ultimate divine forms—you are only the second in the annals of chaos to achieve this."

“I hope that 1 day, you may tread upon the half-step realm of the Infinite, and return to fulfill the vow made today.”

"If the various Supremes of the Primordial Heaven Ancient Temple awaken and return, this seat will certainly lend assistance."

Eldrin spoke slowly before storing away the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss (Magic Treasure).

The Array Spirit nodded, then suddenly spoke up in warning, "Someone has been waiting for you in the Spacetime Secret Realm for quite some time. I advise you not to go. Retrieve the treasures and leave the Primordial Heaven Ancient Palace directly."

"You've been waiting for me?"

Eldrin's gaze flickered slightly, a faint ripple of emotion stirring within.

He suddenly gave a faint smile, then cupped his hands toward the array spirit and said, "Thank you for the reminder, fellow Daoist, but I too have been waiting for this opportunity for quite some time."

"In that case, proceed according to your capabilities."

Seeing this, the array spirit said no more.

Witnessing this, Eldrin bid farewell to the array spirit alongside the others, then turned and departed from the Ancient Hall of the Vaulted Abyss.

Afterward, they detoured to the Suimu Ancient Hall, where they also obtained several rare treasures.

Among these several rare treasures, the most precious were 3 items: the Year’s End Bell (Magic Treasure), the Soul Refining Elixir (Spiritual Pill), and the Stone of Ages (Divine Artifact).

Among the 3 treasures, the Soul-Refining Elixir was a soul-type treasure pill, capable of increasing 1's hope of breaking through to the Dao Unification Supreme Realm by 20 to 30 percent.

The Stone of Ages was a mid-grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure, while the Bell of Year's End was also a mid-grade Chaos Spiritual Artifact, leaning towards defense and temporal suppression.

Thus, Eldrin (Person Name) now held 4 additional mid-grade Chaos Spiritual Treasures (Magic Treasure) in his possession.

The 4 treasures were: the Year's End Bell, the Void-Sundering Sword, the Emperor-Hunting Bow, and the Green Emperor's Immortal-Binding Rope.

Each of these treasures possessed extraordinary power, and in the hands of a Half-Step Unity Realm cultivator, any 1 of them could unleash immense might.

At this thought, Eldrin glanced at the companions beside him and remarked, "Since they're waiting for us anyway, let them wait a little longer."

"First, refine your treasures through blood sacrifice. We must not allow them to gain any advantage in the upcoming great battle."

With those words, Eldrin distributed the 4 mid-grade Chaos Spirit Treasures for everyone to refine.

Among them, Jiang Huang obtained the Skyvoid Sword, Chen Xianzhu received the Year’s End Bell, the Emperor-Hunting Bow was entrusted to Ethan (Person Name) for refinement, while the final Green Emperor Immortal-Binding Rope was temporarily given to Ye Yinghui.

Generally speaking, given the Chaos Heavenly Emperor's cultivation level, wielding a mid-grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure remained an immense strain.

Due to the vast disparity in the quality of spiritual power, it often required several times the amount to unleash sufficient potency.

However, the Chaos Heavenly Emperor's magic power was far inferior to that of a Unity Supreme, hence when activating a mid-grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure, they often struggled to sustain prolonged combat.

Fortunately, Jiang Huang and the others were different. They cultivated the Sacrificial Self Dao, and with the support of their Inner Immortal Domain, their magical power was at least 10 times that of their peers among the Heavenly Emperors. This made them exceptionally suited for refining mid-grade Chaos Spiritual Treasures.

After distributing the new mid-grade Chaos Spiritual Treasures for everyone to refine, Eldrin immediately activated his Spacetime Divine Form and urged the group to begin rapidly assimilating the Chaos Spiritual Treasures.

Thus, only a few tens of millions of years had passed in the outside world before they had completely refined these Chaos Spiritual Treasures.

"How is it?"

Seeing that everyone had successfully refined these mid-grade Chaos Spirit Treasures, Eldrin could not help but ask with great delight.

With a faint smile, Jiang Huang willed the Void-Sundering Sword to dance around him, its gleaming arc subtly parting the very fabric of space in its wake.

"Not bad."

"With this sword in hand, even if I were to face the Blazing Yang Supreme, I should be able to pose a significant threat to him."

Eldrin nodded slightly. The might of a mid-grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure was immense; even a Unity Supreme Being would be gravely wounded if struck directly by it.

After refining this sword, Emperor Jiang’s overall combat prowess surged directly to 50% of a Unity Supreme’s level.

Of course, as inclinations diverged, upon reaching the realm of Chaos Heavenly Emperor, comprehensive combat prowess could no longer serve as the sole benchmark for execution.

For instance, some Unity Paragons excelled at defense, capable of withstanding even the Void-Sundering Sword completely unscathed, yet their offensive prowess was astonishingly feeble.

Some experts possessed overwhelmingly powerful offensive capabilities, yet their personal defensive strength fell far behind.

Taking Jiang Huang as an example, after summoning the Void-Sundering Sword (Magic Treasure), his offensive power would instantly rival that of a Dao Fusion Supreme, yet his defensive capabilities remained merely at the level of an ordinary Half-Step Dao Fusion practitioner.

If he managed to seize an opportunity, he could severely wound a Dao Fusion Supreme. But if he failed to find an opening, or worse, was ambushed by 1, he would likely be suppressed and slain within 10 moves.

For those who excel in 1 area alone, war is always fraught with uncertainty.

To strike first or to counterattack—as long as the gap between opponents isn't too vast, seizing but a sliver of opportunity could swiftly determine victory or defeat.

"It's time to leave."

To return to our story, seeing that the 4 had successfully consecrated the Chaos Spiritual Treasure, Eldrin hesitated no longer.

He strode out of the Age's End Ancient Hall, then advanced toward the core of the fifth level in the Primordial Heaven Ancient Hall.

No 1 knew how much time had passed before the crowd arrived before a swirling vortex of illusion.

"This place is the very heart of the Fifth Layer."

The Primordial Dao Ancestor spoke, his gaze tinged with clear apprehension as he continued, "Within that vortex lies a chaos realm of time and space, thus it is also known as the Realm of Time and Space."

Within the secret realm, an immense amount of primordial chaos essence was absorbed, ultimately forming a supreme cultivation sanctuary—the Spacetime Crucible. This Spacetime Crucible represented a monumental opportunity for the Primordial Heaven Ancient Palace.

"It is said that those of us at the Half-Step Integration stage, if able to cultivate within it, can refine the very foundation of our being. This would increase our chances of breaking through to the Integration Sovereign realm by at least half a percent."

Half a percent?

Eldrin's gaze flickered subtly. The path to becoming a Unity Supreme was immensely difficult; even a half-percent increase in success rate was nothing to scoff at.

Among Eldrin's 5 great Chaos Godforms, 4 were unruly ultimate godforms, making their fusion a task as difficult as scaling the heavens.

If tempered through the Spacetime Crucible, 1 might gain a sliver more hope of attaining the Dao when breaking through to the form of the Unity Supreme Sovereign in the future.

At this thought, Eldrin could not help but speak: "If that is the case, let us enter and face those formidable foes."

As his words faded, he pierced through the vortex with a palm strike and became the first to step into the Spacetime Secret Realm.

"Bzzz—"

The moment he stepped into the secret realm, Eldrin instantly felt an overwhelming surge of primordial chaos energy assailing him.

The spiritual essence in this place surged with overwhelming intensity: the Chaos Origin of the first layer, the Life Essence of the second layer, the Metallic Qi of the third layer, and even the Supreme Divine Liquid of the fourth layer.

Thus, all such supreme essences converged into 1, as if gathering all the wonders of the entire Primordial Heaven Ancient Hall, wholly returning to this vast and boundless realm of time and space.

All manner of primordial energies served as nourishment, the entire Ancient Desolate Hall as the crucible, bound together by the Dao of Time and Space, ultimately refining into a supreme furnace of immortal quintessence.

Eldrin (Person Name) spoke slowly, a trace of nostalgia shimmering in his gaze.

If he hadn't guessed wrong, this should be the very place where the prodigy of the Primordial Heaven Ancient Palace lineage had once broken through to become a Dao Unification Supreme.

As for those prodigies at the Half-Step Unity realm, if they were to break through to the Unity Sovereign realm here, it should increase their chances of success by half to 1 percent.

Of course, the degree of enhancement would vary from person to person. For those with exceptional talent, it would be like adding wings to a tiger—allowing them to soar to unprecedented heights right here.

Those with weaker foundations, such as those who had not achieved the realm of Soul Dao Celestial Emperor, even if they cultivated here, would have merely a 1 or 2 percent chance of ultimate success. Refining and merging treasures like the Dao Union Immortal Pills would be of little use to them.

What is easy for the adept is difficult for the unskilled.

The path of cultivation in this world has always been thus since ancient times.

At that very moment, Eldrin's brow furrowed slightly. With a turn of his palm, he struck deep into the void, meeting the palm of a towering figure in a resounding clash.

The man was sent flying backward, stumbling several steps before steadying himself. Only then did the crowd clearly see his face—it was none other than the Emperor of Primal Extremity.

At that moment, the Primordial Extreme Celestial Emperor gripped the Heaven Piercing Spear, his expression icy and unyielding as he stared fixedly at Eldrin. "You've grown stronger. A pity... you still cannot escape being suppressed in the end..."

Eldrin did not respond, merely sweeping a calm gaze around, only to find 7 Half-Step Unity Realm experts—including the 7 Ultimates Celestial Maiden—closing in on him.

His expression remained unreadably calm as he spoke in an even tone, "Where is Chiyang? Summon him for a duel."

"You think you are worthy of facing my father in battle?"

The 7 Wonders Celestial Maiden spoke, and with a flip of her palm, she summoned a sword array that materialized in mid-air, slashing toward Eldrin (Person Name).

Chapter 1 The biting mountain wind whipped through the ancient pines, carrying with it the scent of frost and decay. At the edge of the 1000 Peaks Abyss, a lone figure stood silhouetted against the dying light. This was Li Yao, a young man whose name meant 'Distant Sun', yet his current circumstances were anything but bright. "Still at the third level of Qi Refinement after 3 years," he murmured, the words tasting like ash in his mouth. His fists clenched, the knuckles white against the gathering dusk. Below him, the abyss yawned like a great maw, swallowing what little light remained in the sky. Suddenly, a brilliant streak of crimson cut across the heavens, followed by a thunderous roar that shook the very mountains. Li Yao's eyes widened as he saw the falling star - no, not a star, but something far more extraordinary - arc directly toward his position. The impact sent him tumbling backward, the force of it rattling his bones. When the dust cleared, he found himself staring at a peculiar object embedded in the earth where he had stood moments before. It was a smooth, obsidian-black cube, no larger than his palm, yet radiating an energy that made the air hum. Cautiously, he reached out. The moment his fingers made contact, a flood of information surged through his mind - ancient scripts, celestial maps, and cultivation methods beyond anything he had ever seen in the Outer Sect. But most importantly, he understood what this object was: the Heavenly Dao Fragment (Cosmic Treasure). "With this..." Li Yao's breath caught in his throat. "The path to immortality might not be so distant after all." His reverie was shattered by a cold voice from behind. "Well, well. What do we have here?" Turning slowly, Li Yao saw 3 figures emerging from the shadows. The leader, a tall youth with cruel eyes, was none other than Zhang Hu (Person Name), his longtime rival in the Outer Sect. The other 2 were his usual lackeys, their expressions smug in the fading light. "That energy pulse just now," Zhang Hu said, his lips curling into a predatory smile. "Must be quite the treasure you've stumbled upon, waste. Hand it over, and I might let you keep your miserable life." Li Yao's mind raced. The Heavenly Dao Fragment was still warm in his palm, its energy coursing through his meridians. He could feel it already beginning to work, clearing blockages he had struggled with for years. "I found nothing," he said, his voice steadier than he expected. "Don't play dumb with me!" Zhang Hu snapped. "Do you really think someone at the third level of Qi Refinement can stand against me? I reached the seventh level last week!" The 2 lackeys fanned out, cutting off any escape routes. Li Yao calculated his odds - they were dismal at best. But then, a strange calm settled over him. The Fragment in his hand seemed to whisper ancient secrets, showing him openings in their stances he would never have noticed before. "Fine," Li Yao said, his fingers tightening around the cube. "If you want it so badly... come and take it." Zhang Hu's face contorted with rage. "You arrogant trash! I'll make you regret those words!" The air crackled as Zhang Hu summoned his spiritual energy, forming the familiar patterns of the Mountain-Splitting Palm (Combat Technique) that had defeated Li Yao countless times before. But this time was different. This time, Li Yao could see every flaw in the technique, every wasted movement, every leak of spiritual power. As Zhang Hu lunged forward, Li Yao didn't retreat. Instead, he stepped into the attack, his movements fluid and precise. The Fragment glowed faintly in his hand, guiding his counter. The resulting explosion of energy sent Zhang Hu flying backward, crashing into a ancient pine with a sickening crunch. The 2 lackeys stared in stunned silence, their mouths agape. "How... how is this possible?" 1 of them stammered. Li Yao stood tall, the Fragment's energy swirling around him like a protective cloak. "Tell your master," he said, his voice cold and clear, "that the waste of the Outer Sect is no more." As they scrambled to carry their unconscious leader away, Li Yao looked down at the black cube in his hand. For the first time in years, a genuine smile touched his lips. "The path to immortality begins today."