Chapter 460 : Clash of Celestial Artifacts

At that very moment, the Immortal Refining Furnace [a legendary cauldron capable of refining even immortals] spoke with detached calm. "A single inferior-grade Primordial Solar Supreme Treasure [a supreme treasure forged from the essence of the primordial sun]. If suppressed and refined, it might restore a fraction of my former might."

"How dare you!"

Enraged, the Green Jade Heaven-Measuring Ruler [a divine ruler of green jade said to be able to measure the heavens and earth] erupted with a divine might that seemed to gauge the very cosmos, as if ready to overturn the heavens in battle.

Yet, the Immortal Refining Furnace merely cast a faint, shimmering light, its immortal radiance pressing down with such weight that the Ruler was forced into a sullen silence.

As the standoff in the skies continued, the battle within the Formation [a structured array that channels energy for attack, defense, or other effects] grew ever more ferocious, reaching a white-hot intensity. Though the few Demon Emperor [supreme rulers among demonkind] were immensely powerful, the combined assault from the Formation and the encircling Human Race True Lord [a high-ranking cultivator who has comprehended their own True Path] eventually exposed their vulnerabilities.

After merely a few dozen exchanges, the Frost Flood Dragon Demon Emperor [an emperor among frost flood dragons] lay slain upon the field. The Crimson Flood Dragon Demon Emperor [an emperor among crimson flood dragons] was beheaded. The Black Crocodile Demon Emperor [an emperor among black crocodile demons], whose aura once blotted out mountains and rivers, was also cut down amidst the void.

The traitor, Crimson Dragon True Lord [a True Lord who follows the Path of the Crimson Dragon], faced the concentrated fury of the Formation. A force equivalent to the Half-Step Primordial Spirit Realm [a cultivator on the cusp of forming their Primordial Spirit, the spiritual core of one's being] blasted him from the sky, ending his life.

In the end, it was the Purple Radiance Thunder Dragon [a thunder dragon wreathed in purple radiance] and the Melancholy Inscription Lord [a lord whose Dao is inscribed with melancholy] who seized the moment. Joining forces, they managed to shake the very foundations of the Formation.

"Now!"

Seeing the Formation falter, the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor [an emperor among azure flood dragons] seized his chance. In a flash, he summoned a spear of azure light. Striking from within and without, the spear pierced through the Formation with a deafening *clang*, creating an opening. Through it, he led the remaining Demon Emperor to safety. For uninterrupted reading, go to https://audio-novel.com.

Led by the Purple Flood Dragon Demon Emperor and the Melancholy Inscription Lord, several Demon Emperor desperately broke through the encirclement, flying towards the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor.

At the same moment, the Ji Clan Patriarch's gaze turned icy. With a resonant *clang*, a violet Immortal Sword in his hand swept down, aiming directly for the head of the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor.

"Dorian Immortal Sword!"

Facing the Ji Clan Patriarch's sudden assault, the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor's expression shifted slightly. The Dorian Immortal Sword, forged with Sixth RankPrecious Metal, possessed power nearing that of a Primordial Solar Supreme Treasure.

It could only muster all its spiritual power to summon its Lifebound Magical Treasure in desperate defense. Yet, at that very instant, the Purple Radiance Thunder Dragon's eyes flashed with a strange light. It suddenly unleashed a Thunderclap Immortal Sword, its blade arcing towards the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor.

"Aaaargh—!"

Betrayed so abruptly, the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor was caught utterly off guard, suffering a grievous wound before it could even comprehend the treachery.

Before it could react, the Melancholy Inscription Lord cried out in warning, "Your Majesty, beware!"

As the Melancholy Inscription Lord's voice faded, the Heaven's Vault Mirror and Vault Heaven Immortal Sword beside Eldrin Chen erupted with dazzling divine radiance. Simultaneously, the Purple Abyss Furnace held by Violet Consort Yan shot forth, its trajectory unseen until that moment.

The three supreme treasures' power surged explosively, reaching the level of a top-tier Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure. Under the Melancholy Inscription Lord's full control, they transformed into three beams of demon-slaying divine light that converged upon the body of the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor.

"No—"

Betrayed in rapid succession, the body of the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor was cleaved in two. He opened his eyes wide, unable to believe what was happening.

He could not comprehend it, could not believe that his most trusted Purple Radiance Thunder Dragon and Melancholy Inscription Lord would suddenly turn on him. They had been by his side for millennia.

"Why? Why?"

The Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor coiled and roared in fury, his gaze burning with rage as he looked towards the Purple Radiance Thunder Dragon and Melancholy Inscription Lord.

Surrounding the Melancholy Inscription Lord were the Vault Heaven Immortal Sword, the Heaven's Vault Mirror, and the Purple Abyss Furnace, all hovering silently and radiating an immeasurably vast and profound power.

In that moment, the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor understood. With a voice choked by disbelief, he uttered, "Violet Azure True Lord... you are Long Song Chu."

"Long Song pays his respects."

The Melancholy Inscription Lord gave a slight, calm nod, then turned his gaze towards the Ji Clan Patriarch. "Greetings, Master."

In that instant, everyone present understood. This Melancholy Inscription Lord was none other than the Ji Clan Patriarch's eldest disciple, Long Song Chu.

Long Song Chu was a legend within the Chu Nation. The entire Chu Nation Cultivation World was carved out by his hand over two thousand years ago. In that era, he founded the Violet Azure Sword Sect and was hailed as the Violet Azure True Lord.

The Vault Heaven Immortal Sword, the Heaven's Vault Mirror, and the Purple Abyss Furnace were all his Lifebound Spiritual Treasure [a magical treasure bound to a cultivator's life force and soul]. However, after Long Song Chu fell during the Demonic Chariot Cataclysm, the Violet Azure Sword Sect splintered into the Violet Sun Sect, the Verdant Sun Sect, and the Firmament Sword Sect.

Through two millennia of shifting fortunes and power struggles, this fragmentation ultimately shaped the current political landscape of the Chu Nation.

Yet, what no one could have possibly imagined was that after his fall, Long Song Chu had reincarnated as a snail demon. Starting his cultivation journey anew from the very beginning, he painstakingly advanced all the way to the Infant Soul Late Stage [the final stage of the Infant Soul realm, where the nascent soul is fully formed], eventually becoming the Grand Elder of Azure Wave Lake.

The title Melancholy Inscription Lord had become his new epithet in this life.

"So that's how it is... So that's the truth of it." Discover more cultivation stories at audi0-n0vel.c0m.

The Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor, having suffered unprecedented devastation, let out a bitter laugh and turned his gaze toward the Purple Radiance Thunder Dragon. "And you? What is your story?"

The Purple Radiance Thunder Dragon soared to a position behind Dorian Ji, coiling and dancing through the air. Its movements seemed to resonate with a deep, rumbling draconic hum that echoed the rhythms of the Great Path [the fundamental laws of the cosmos and cultivation].

Clad in violet robes, Dorian Ji approached as if a True Dragon Path Lord treading upon the void. "Three thousand years ago, I discovered a Purple Radiance Thunder Dragon Jade [a rare jade imbued with the essence of a Purple Radiance Thunder Dragon]. I fused a strand of my Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and highest essence of a cultivator] into it, transforming it into this Second Primordial Embryo [a second, independently cultivated spiritual avatar or core]."

"A Purple Radiance Thunder Dragon Jade..."

The Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor let out a bitter laugh. The Purple Radiance Thunder Dragon Jade—ah, that was a Sixth Rank treasure of the Primordial Solar Realm. In the future, when Dorian Ji broke through to the Primordial Spirit realm, this Second Primordial Embryo would also be cultivated into a Second Primordial Spirit [a second, independent spiritual core].

With this thought, the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor spoke, "To deal with this old man, you actually laid a scheme spanning over two thousand years, even having your disciple undergo reincarnation to transform into a demon. This old man's defeat is not unjust."

As he spoke, he turned his gaze toward Melancholy Inscription Lord. "No matter who you were in the past, you have now become a demon. Do you think the Human Race will still accept you?"

"My master raised me and taught me the Great Path [the supreme cultivation art]," said Melancholy Inscription Lord, his robes as white as snow, his expression carrying a sense of release and freedom. "If I can help my master transcend this tribulation, what does it matter if I become a demon or a monster?"

"Hahaha!"

The Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor let out a bitter laugh, then his expression suddenly hardened. "Your schemes are profound. But wanting to keep me here won't be so easy."

"Roar—!"

The Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor howled, dragging its half-shattered body as it roared in fury. At this moment, its Vitality [life force and spiritual energy] surged and soared, as if it were about to transform into a true dragon, unleashing a power that could shake the heavens and earth.

Dorian Ji's expression remained calm, his tone carrying a hint of detachment. "I shall send you to your rest, and in doing so, complete my own path."

"Boom—!"

The Heavenly Vault [the highest celestial dome] erupted with boundless light, as mountains and rivers across ten thousand Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] crumbled into ruin.

Even the two Primordial Solar Supreme Treasure [the supreme treasures embodying the essence of the primordial sun] stirred from their slumber, unleashing a clash of unprecedented magnitude.

This battle was destined to shake heaven and earth, for Dorian Ji had schemed for years with the sole purpose of utterly slaying the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor [a supreme demonic sovereign in the form of an azure flood dragon]. By eliminating this formidable nemesis, he could devote his entire being to breaking through to the Primordial Solar Realm [the demigod realm of the primordial sun].

Had the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor been at its peak, even Dorian Ji would have found it nearly impossible to kill. Even if the Ji Clan prevailed by leveraging the power of the Primordial Solar Supreme Treasure, the victory would have come at a staggering cost.

But after suffering a devastating ambush, the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor's power had plummeted drastically. Surrounded and besieged by the host of experts, it found itself powerless to turn the tide.

Seeing the situation turn dire, the few surviving Demon Emperor [supreme rulers of the demon race] fled in panic. The allied forces had no time to pursue them, for securing the death of the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor was the paramount objective.

"Cleave!"

After a fierce clash that lasted for the time it takes an incense stick to burn [a conventional short duration, roughly fifteen to thirty minutes], Dorian True Lord [the Dao title of Dorian Ji] unleashed his full might. Empowered by the strength of his Earth Soul [one of the three foundational souls of a cultivator, representing earthly connection], the power he erupted with surpassed even that of a Great Perfection of Infant Soul [the peak stage of the Infant Soul realm] by more than double.

With a resonant *shing*, his sword swept forth, shearing clean through the neck of the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor.

With its physical form destroyed, the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor was pushed to the brink of annihilation. It roared, lashing out in a final, desperate fury against its foes, but the path to reversal was already sealed.

In that very instant, the Green Jade Heaven-Measuring Ruler [a legendary measuring tool said to gauge the heavens themselves], bolstered by an unseen force, erupted with immense power and tore itself free from the Immortal Refining Furnace [a divine cauldron capable of refining even immortals].

Immediately after, an ethereal Black Dragon [a powerful dragon of darkness and mystery] manifested from within the treasure ruler, shielding the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and highest essence of a cultivator] of the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor [the sovereign ruler of the azure flood dragons].

The illusory black True Dragon [a dragon of pure, ancient lineage and immense power] coiled in the void; a mere wisp of its residual aura spilled forth, carrying a force that seemed capable of rending the starry sky itself.

It gazed at Dorian Ji, its draconic eyes cold and indifferent. "Young one…"

"I pay my respects to Senior Black Dragon." Dorian Ji gave a slight nod, his tone calm and detached. "The Azure Flood Dragon is my sworn foe. I must ask that you do not stand in my way."

"Oh?" The Black Dragon Demon Ancestor [the ancient progenitor of the black dragon lineage] let out a cold sneer. "I intend to take him away. Do you dare to stop me?"

The void fell into a heavy silence for a moment before the Immortal Refining Furnace spoke. "You are welcome to try!"

"Immortal Refining Furnace…" The Black Dragon seemed wary. It snorted coldly. "Very well. If you let him depart today, I shall not hinder your path when you seek your breakthrough into the Primordial Spirit realm." Published by audio-novel.com. All rights reserved.