Chapter 2168 : Sovereign of Soul Dao

With no other overlords to contend for resources, they claimed the majority of high-tier opportunities within the primordial chaos, and their cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds as a natural consequence.

Now, across the entire Chaos, the number of top-tier Masters has approached 20, with the Path-Obstructing faction accounting for over half of them.

The Lord of Destruction, the Annihilation Sovereign, the Primordial Ancestor of Demons, and others had even reached the pinnacle of the Infinite Dominator realm, rivaling the full power of the legendary Nameless 1 in his prime.

Hence, many of the Order-Blocking faction's Boundless Sovereigns did not fear the Nameless Dao Ancestor's return, merely finding it somewhat troublesome.

"Of course," someone interjected with a grave expression, "the Nameless Dao Ancestor now commands the Primordial Chaos Bell. Upon his return, his power will undoubtedly grow further. We cannot afford to stand idly by."

Hearing this, all the Chaos Sovereigns wore expressions of frosty solemnity.

A moment later, the Primordial Devil Ancestor suddenly spoke, "Can we pinpoint the exact spatial coordinates of the Primordial Chaos Secret Realm?"

"The location of the Primordial Secret Realm is extremely concealed, making it difficult for us to pinpoint its exact coordinates from the outside world."

The Yin Curse Sovereign spoke, his pupils slightly narrowing as he said, "However, if the Dao Mark is exposed from within, perhaps we can give it a try."

"That might just be worth a try."

The Netherworld Sovereign suddenly revealed a cold smile and spoke, "Back then, we joined forces to establish the Soul Unification Tribulation, enabling us to pinpoint the location of those breaking through from the Sea of Dao."

"If He wishes to restore His Primordial Spirit cultivation to the level of a Supreme Being, He will inevitably trigger the Heavenly Tribulation of Spirit Dao Union. By then, we should be able to pinpoint the exact spatial coordinates of the Primordial Chaos Secret Realm."

Upon hearing this, the many supreme experts present couldn't help but feel a flicker of joy.

The Annihilation Sovereign rarely spoke, his voice icy as he declared, "If we can pinpoint the exact Dao Mark, we can join forces to breach the Primordial Chaos Realm by force and eradicate that Nameless Dao Ancestor once more."

"In that case, let us make thorough preparations then."

While schemes were brewing in the outside world, Eldrin was immersed in secluded cultivation.

With the immense cultivation resources provided by the Primordial Immortal Pond, Eldrin's cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds. Unconsciously, he had refined both his physical body and Dao attainment to a state of absolute perfection, leaving no room for further advancement.

"Physical perfection attained, the Great Dao cultivation has also reached completion."

"To advance these 2 foundations any further, 1 must break through the Boundless Realm."

Eldrin murmured inwardly, then emerged from his secluded cultivation.

Of course, he wouldn't immediately break through to the Limitless Body or the Limitless Dao, for achieving the Limitless Dao was an immensely formidable challenge.

Compared to his 2 foundational pillars, his primordial spirit was still far too weak. If he were to forcibly break through to the Limitless Body or the Limitless Dao, the success rate would actually be quite low.

Moreover, the Path of Limitlessness suppresses all other paths with its singular dominance. Once a breakthrough is achieved, it exerts extreme pressure on all other foundations, drastically reducing their likelihood of attaining the Realm of Limitlessness.

This was precisely why supreme overlords such as the Annihilation Overlord and the World-Ender Overlord, despite controlling the vastest resources in the primordial chaos, could never cultivate a second Primordial Foundation.

It wasn't that they didn't wish to break through, but under the suppression of the Limitless Dao, the difficulty of cultivating a second Limitless Dao increased a hundredfold compared to the first.

Of course, it wasn’t entirely impossible to cultivate a second Primordial Foundation. However, the difficulty of achieving this feat was almost comparable to scaling the heavens themselves.

The mainstream approach involves pioneers like the 9 Revolutions Dao Ancestor, who forged the path of physical ascension to sainthood. This method aligned perfectly with his own Primordial Chaos Body, achieving such profound harmony that it enabled him to cultivate the foundation of a Dual Primordial Chaos Sovereign.

In the past, Wuming had chosen the Path of Soul precisely because it granted immense mastery over the primordial spirit. Through formidable soul cultivation, 1 could command the Primal Chaos Foundation, thereby achieving a second Primal Chaos Foundation.

Beyond that, legend has it that a Chaos Supreme Treasure can also suppress 1 Great Dao of Infinity. By utilizing the power of the Chaos Supreme Treasure to restrain 1's own Great Dao of Infinity, 1 may attempt to cultivate a second Great Dao of Infinity.

These 3 methods were all exceedingly demanding, yet they were the only 3 ways within the chaos to cultivate a dual Limitless Foundation.

Eldrin now possessed the Chaos Bell. If he could master the Great Dao of Chaos and Non-Ultimate and then suppress it within the Chaos Bell, the absence of the Non-Ultimate Dao’s suppression would theoretically allow him to cultivate the Body of Non-Ultimate.

"My Path of the Infinite must begin by reaching the Infinite Realm through soul cultivation."

"When you have cultivated to become the Sovereign of Soul Dao, merging the Formless Body and the Formless Great Dao will be as natural as water flowing downhill."

Eldrin murmured inwardly, then strolled to the edge of the Primordial Immortal Pond.

At this moment, Seraphina Qu (Person Name), Ye Yinghui (Person Name), and the others had successively achieved breakthroughs. With the support of various resources, the Supreme Celestial Realm had all reached the Great Perfection Stage.

With a sweep of his sleeve, Eldrin bestowed upon them 9 strands of Primordial Chaos Qi once more, then spoke: "The Supreme Celestial Realm is no ordinary domain, yet to transform into the Boundless Celestial Realm, 1 must enhance their potential through the Primordial Chaos Qi."

"You refine the Primordial Inception Qi, and the Supreme Immortal Realm may advance even further. At that time, your combat power might even brush against the Quasi-Sovereign realm."

Everyone nodded in agreement upon hearing this. Even Ye Qingfeng, who rarely showed excitement, remarked earnestly, "Thank you, Master."

"There is no need for formalities."

Eldrin waved his hand, signaling the others to proceed with their breakthrough.

Refining the Primordial Purple Qi did not take long, and all 9 individuals successively completed their transformation into the Supreme Immortal Domain.

Witnessing this, Eldrin gathered Seraphina Qu and 8 others, along with 7 peerless supremes from the 7 Domains Alliance.

"I pay my respects to my honored master."

Witnessing Eldrin’s summons, everyone spoke with utmost reverence.

Eldrin nodded slightly and declared, "My foundation has reached perfection. Now, I shall break through to the Soul Path Sovereign realm, and I require your assistance."

Upon hearing this, everyone present immediately showed a trace of solemnity.

Because the potential of a Soul Dao Supreme was too immense, the Path-Blocking Sect had long ago laid down the Tribulation of Path-Blocking. Thus, attempting a breakthrough to become a Soul Dao Supreme was fraught with countless perils. Even a peerless supreme expert daring to attempt it would face certain death, with not a single chance of survival.

However, the thought that Eldrin already possessed the Boundless Phenomenon gave everyone a measure of reassurance.

Na Hongzu pondered briefly before inquiring, "Does the Master intend to undergo his breakthrough here?"

"Not at all."

Eldrin shook his head, however, and then explained unhurriedly, "Those who obstruct the Dao have been scheming for years. If I were to break through here, it would likely expose the spatial coordinates of the Primordial Chaos Secret Realm."

"Even if I manage to escape by then, I would inevitably destroy this Primordial Chaos Realm."

At this point, Eldrin spoke up: "To avoid harming others, I've decided to make my breakthrough in that major Chaos Realm."

Upon hearing this, everyone’s gaze momentarily froze.

That chaotic realm within the Netherdark Ancient Domain was a major chaotic realm of the Dominator level. Though its rank could not compare to this Primordial Chaos Realm, its profound mysteries in obscuring the heavenly machinations were nevertheless extraordinary.

If we use the Chaotic Realm as the foundation and the Chaos Bell as the formation eye to set up a grand chaos formation, we might have some confidence in resisting the methods of those Rulers.

At this thought, everyone nodded in agreement. Only Seraphina Qu (Person Name) remarked with regret, "But in that case, the spatial coordinates of that large Chaos Realm (Secret Realm) will inevitably be exposed, and it will most likely be destroyed as a result."

"As long as Master can achieve a breakthrough, any price would be worth it."

Elder Abyss spoke slowly, a resolute gleam flashing in his eyes.

He rose to his feet, cupping his hands respectfully toward Eldrin (Person Name). "Master, allow me to assist you in setting up the formation."

Eldrin gave a slight nod and retrieved a pile of immortal gold and divine ore from his hand. Passing them to the group, he said, "First, refine these into formation artifacts. We must prepare for the array's establishment before anything else."

"Very well."

Everyone nodded, then each took some materials and began forging the various array artifacts required for setting up the formation.

With Patriarch Cang, the founding master of artifact forging, taking action, supplemented by the efforts of dozens of Half-Step Wuji experts present and amplified by the temporal flow of nearly a 1000 kalpas, the formation artifacts were forged with astonishing speed.

Before long, they successfully forged the complete set of formation artifacts.

This array set consisted of 3,000 lower-grade Chaos Spirit Treasures, over 3 100 middle-grade Chaos Spirit Treasures, supplemented by 2 upper-grade Chaos Spirit Treasures.

These 2 superior-grade Chaos Spiritual Treasures, the Lunar Corona Ring and the Solar Radiance Pearl, were both seized from peerless masters of the neutral faction. They served as natural focal points for the Chaos formation.

After gathering the array artifacts, Eldrin (Person Name) transported everyone directly into the massive Chaotic Secret Realm through the Nameless Space.

After years of nurturing and maturation, the Abyssal Pearl had advanced to become a superior-grade Chaos Spiritual Treasure. With its status as a Chaos Supreme Treasure, it could now completely disregard the spatial suppression of major Chaos Secret Realms.

After arriving at the Chaos Realm, Eldrin had everyone first plunder all the treasures within the realm and transplant every last Chaos Spirit Root before beginning to set up the Chaos Primordial Array.

In the end, Eldrin laid down a Primordial Chaos Array, using the Chaos Realm as its foundation, 3,000 Chaos Spirit Treasures as formation anchors, 2 superior-grade Chaos Spirit Treasures as secondary array eyes, and the Chaos Bell—a Chaos Supreme Treasure—as the ultimate suppression artifact.

This formation possessed truly extraordinary power, capable of withstanding the full-force strike of several supreme Chaos Overlords. Even when confronted with attacks wielded through Chaos Supreme Treasures, it could still hold its ground.

After confirming there were no oversights in the formation, Seraphina Qu couldn’t help but turn to Eldrin and ask, “Husband, when do you plan to make your breakthrough?”

"Let us wait a little longer. I intend to give them a surprise."

Eldrin spoke calmly, then turned to the assembly and declared, "Return ahead. I alone shall suffice here."

"This... very well."

Seraphina Qu still had some concerns, but she understood there was little more she could do to assist. With a reluctant heart, she bid her farewell and departed.

After sending the group back to the Primordial Secret Realm through the Nameless Void, Eldrin alone piloted the Grand Array of Infinity. Carrying the Chaos Secret Realm, he silently traversed the boundless Chaos Sea, arriving at the heart of the Netherworld Ancient Domain.

"This is the place."

Gazing upon the vast expanse of the Netherworld Ancient Domain, a trace of frosty determination flickered within Eldrin's eyes.

The core of the Nether Ancient Domain before them was the lair of the Nether Sovereign, and Eldrin (Person Name) intended to deliver them an earth-shattering surprise here.

Seeing that he had found the right location, Eldrin immediately released his various soul fragments, among which were the 9 great divine ability soul fragments and 3,000 lesser soul fragments.

Through the continuous cultivation of the Dream Cycle Art, Eldrin had not only mastered the 9 great divine-soul fragments over the years, but also perfected 3,000 subsidiary souls.

Among them, the divine ability Split Soul possessed extraordinary talent. Through cultivation spanning 9 cycles of reincarnation within dreams, its power had reached the half-step Merging Dao realm.

The soul heir inherited only a fraction of Eldrin's potential. Yet through Eldrin's meticulous and relentless curation, each fragment ultimately ascended to the realm of the Great Emperor.

Thus, Eldrin possessed 9 half-step Unity souls and 3,000 Emperor-level soul fragments.

Of course, these split souls had merely accumulated the foundational depth and cultivation level to reach this realm, their true combat prowess falling far short of genuine Great Emperors and Quasi-Dharmic Fusion experts at the same level.

Fortunately, what Eldrin sought was not combat prowess, but the soul-splitting essence that could allow his divine soul cultivation to advance by leaps and bounds.

"My split soul's origin is brimming—it's time for a breakthrough."

Seeing that his accumulation was sufficient, Eldrin did not hesitate in the slightest. He immediately began refining the various split souls and subsidiary souls, launching a continuous assault on the Dao Unification Realm.

In an instant, the 3,000 child souls and 9 major split souls converged into his primordial spirit like young swallows returning to their nest.

In nearly an instant, his soul cultivation surged tenfold, immediately shattering the tranquility of the Soul Dao Sovereign realm—and it continued to spiral wildly upward.

"Boom—"

In that very instant, a surge of supreme destructive force swept forth from the Chaos Primordial Sea.

This force pierced through the annals of time, converging the power of dozens of boundless dao principles—annihilation, world-extinction, curses, netherdarkness, and more—as it cleaved directly toward Eldrin’s supreme primordial spirit.

"This power is indeed deliberately targeting me, amplifying this obstruction force against my path."

Eldrin murmured softly, his expression serene as he activated the Great Array of Infinity. The Bell of Chaos surged forth, forcefully blocking this supreme strike.

Yet even so, residual power still cleaved through from the level of the Great Dao, seeking to utterly annihilate Eldrin (Person Name).

Although this remnant power was but a fraction, the divine might it contained remained unstoppable—enough to annihilate even a supreme sovereign with ease.

Fortunately, Eldrin's current defensive capabilities were virtually unrivaled in the world. Even without the Chaos Bell, he could withstand a few blows, let alone now that the Chaos Bell had already absorbed the bulk of the residual force.

He withstood the residual force with his physical body at full strength, then at the cost of grievous wounds to his Chaos Realm, he forcibly deflected the Dao-Blocking Power with the Chaos Bell, sending it crashing toward the Netherworld Sacred Land.

"Damn it."

The Netherworld Sovereign was within the holy land, channeling power to obstruct the heavenly tribulation, and had no time to react to the sudden divine assault.

In the blink of an eye, the vast Netherworld Sanctuary was shattered through, and the Netherworld Sovereign's very flesh was pierced by the supreme divine energy.

This strike contained the combined full-force assault of several dozen Path-Blocking Lords from the Path-Blocking Sect, crafted with the singular purpose of utterly annihilating Eldrin (Person Name).

The Netherworld Sovereign was also contributing his share of strength, having nearly exerted his full power in the joint assault with the others. Yet, to his utter astonishment, the force was blasted back onto his own body.

Trapped in this self-wrought prison, the Netherworld Monarch had already suffered unimaginable devastation, his physical form nearly shattered into dissipating ashes.

Infinite curses, destruction, and world-ending forces surged forth, nearly shattering his Boundless Cultivation.

"Ah—"

The Netherworld Sovereign let out a piercing shriek, immediately projecting his primordial spirit to flee back toward the Great Dao Sea.

But in that very instant, a Chaos Ancient Bell tore through the void and arrived, instantly reducing his primordial spirit to ashes.

"Esteemed assembly, the karmic debts of yore shall be settled 1 by 1. Today, I merely collect the interest."

At the same moment, Eldrin strode forth from the Chaotic Realm astride the qilin, swept through the myriad legacies of the Netherworld Sovereign, and vanished into the boundless chaos.

Shortly after Eldrin (Person Name) departed, Chaos Overlords began emerging 1 after another beyond the Netherworld Sanctuary.

The God of Destruction gazed upon the desolate ruins of the Netherworld Holy Land, then turned to behold the nearly half-destroyed Chaos Realm. A flicker of glacial coldness surfaced within his pupils.

"At the cost of destroying a major Chaos Realm to deflect our strike that would have annihilated Fellow Daoist Youming, this nameless Dao Ancestor's methods remain as ruthless as ever."

The Primordial Devil Ancestor spoke, his pupils betraying a trace of deep apprehension.

The others fell into a heavy silence, yet offered no further remarks. Having witnessed their combined efforts to intercept the Heavenly Tribulation fail, it had become inevitable that this colossal Primordial Chaos Realm would be exposed to the world.

Even if it wouldn't be destroyed, it would fall into the hands of these rulers. Rather than strengthening the enemy, it's better to seize this chance to deal a heavy blow to the Netherworld Sovereign.

Eldrin seized the opportunity to slay the Netherlord, effectively severing 1 of their fingers—a move that served multiple strategic purposes.

The Lord of Purgatory let out a mocking laugh before speaking, "Daoist Nameless, your Dao Heart has always been this ruthless since ancient times. This is hardly our first encounter."

Witnessing this, the Annihilation Sovereign declared, "He has regained his cultivation as a Unity Supreme, and now wields the Chaos Bell. It seems breaking through to the Boundless Realm is but a matter of course."

"This individual bears a profound grudge against us. Turning a blind eye would be the worst course of action. This sovereign intends to hinder his progress once more."

The others nodded in agreement upon hearing this. The Destruction Overlord calmly wiped his Destruction Blade and remarked, "Breaking through to the Overlord Realm is immensely difficult—far from something that can be achieved overnight."

"At that time, if we take action, there might still be a chance to disrupt his Dao Foundation. Count me in as well."

The rest of the group nodded in unison, a flicker of murderous intent surfacing in their pupils as they reached an unspoken agreement.

Just as the outside world was reeling in shock, Eldrin had already returned to the Primordial Chaos Realm.

After returning to the Primordial Chaos Secret Realm, Eldrin handed over the 3,000 array artifacts used for setting up the formation to Patriarch Abyss and others to deploy within the realm. He then began to examine his own power.

This breakthrough was extraordinary—he fused all 9 split souls and 3,000 subsidiary souls in 1 fell swoop. His soul cultivation ascended almost instantaneously, propelling him directly into the half-step Infinite Realm.

Of course, this was merely a breakthrough in cultivation base. His spiritual foundation still had deficiencies that needed to be gradually remedied before he could fully possess combat prowess at the half-step Boundless level.

"The foundation of the Soul Dao can be gradually restored step by step. Now it's time to return to the 100 Realms of the Returning Abyss and bring back Lyra (Person Name) and the others."

Eldrin's thoughts drifted within his heart before he retrieved the legacy left by the Netherworld Sovereign.

Although this Netherworld Sovereign was merely an ordinary sovereign, the resources at his disposal were far from meager. Among them were numerous top-grade Chaos Spirit Treasures and all manner of divine artifacts.

Among them were 5 top-grade Chaos Spiritual Treasures, each a rare and peerless divine weapon. However, Eldrin (Person Name) currently lacked no treasures, so he temporarily stored them within the Nameless Space.

After dealing with these rare treasures, Eldrin took the time to return to the 100 Realms of the Returning Abyss once more. He brought back Lyra, Qing Ji, and other direct descendants of the Chen Immortal Clan to the Primordial Chaos Secret Realm, allowing them to enjoy higher-level cultivation resources within its confines.

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 Cultivation Art must be within reach." His spiritual sense brushed against the cold, unyielding rock, searching for the hidden formation. For 3 months, he had braved the elements on this desolate peak, all for a chance at the legendary technique said to be concealed here. His current cultivation at the 7th level of Qi Refining was insufficient to guarantee success in the upcoming Inner Sect Tournament. He needed an edge, something to propel him forward. Suddenly, his fingers slipped into an almost imperceptible crevice. A faint, azure light flickered, and a wave of ancient, formidable energy washed over him. His heart hammered against his ribs. This was it. With a final, desperate push of his meager spiritual power, he activated the hidden mechanism. The rock face shimmered, and a small, concealed alcove revealed itself. Resting inside was a single, pristine jade slip, its surface etched with intricate, glowing patterns. He reached for it, his hand trembling slightly. As his fingers made contact, a flood of information surged into his consciousness—profound, complex, and overwhelming. The Heaven-Swallowing Cultivation Art (Top-Tier Cultivation Method). A grim smile touched his lips. The path of cultivation was fraught with peril, a relentless battle against heaven, earth, and 1's fellow practitioners. But with this... things would be different. He carefully stored the jade slip within his robe, next to his small pouch containing a few dozen remaining spirit stones. It was time to return to the sect. The real struggle was just beginning. *** Deep within his modest dwelling, Lin Chen sat cross-legged on a worn meditation cushion. He focused his mind, circulating the enigmatic formulae of the newly acquired art. The ambient spiritual energy of the world began to stir, swirling around him like an invisible vortex before being greedily drawn into his body. It was far more efficient than the basic sect-supplied method he had used for years. He could feel the refined spiritual power accumulating within his dantian, slowly but surely strengthening his foundations. This was the essence of cultivation—a gradual, arduous ascent towards power and longevity. Days turned into weeks. He barely slept, consumed by his practice, pausing only to consume the occasional Nourishing Spirit Pill (Low-Grade Elixir) to sustain himself. The initial results were astounding. The barriers that had once seemed insurmountable began to crumble. A low hum resonated within his core. Spiritual energy coalesced, growing denser and more potent. A familiar, yet now intensified, pressure built within him. It was the precursor to a breakthrough. He took a deep breath, centering himself. With a final, concentrated effort, he guided the surging energy towards the bottleneck at the 7th level. Crack! An almost audible sound echoed in the quiet room. The obstruction shattered. A wave of pure, potent power flooded his meridians, washing away fatigue and impurities. His senses sharpened; the world seemed clearer, more vibrant. He had broken through to the 8th level of Qi Refining. Lin Chen opened his eyes, a sharp glint within them. He exhaled a turbid breath, feeling the newfound strength coursing through his veins. He glanced at the small, wooden token that marked his status as an outer sect disciple. "Just the beginning," he whispered into the silent room. The Heaven-Swallowing Cultivation Art lived up to its name. And he was only getting started. The path ahead was long, filled with countless trials and tribulations, but for the first time in a long while, Lin Chen felt a genuine sense of anticipation.