Chapter 530 : A Vow to Ascend the Heavens

He was rather familiar with Vast Righteousness True Lord, yet he had never imagined that Vast Righteousness True Lord could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the other two figures.

Noticing his expression, Freya Ji offered a gentle smile and explained, "Not only is Vast Righteousness True Lord an Heavenly Path Infant Soul [a cultivator whose Primordial Spirit has reached the Heavenly Path grade], but his talent is truly extraordinary, far surpassing that of ordinary Infant Soul True Lord [cultivators at the Infant Soul Realm]."

"His comprehension is peerless. It is said that even during his Infant Soul Early Stage, he cultivated a Great God Ability [a supreme divine technique] to the Great Perfection Realm. Whether he has since refined it to an even higher level remains unknown."

"Moreover, he once made a grand vow to reconnect the Earth Vein [the spiritual ley line of the land] of the Heavenly Ridge Mountain Range, aiding it to break and then reform, to ascend like a dragon into the heavens, thereby proving his path to the Primordial Solar Realm [the Golden Core Realm]."

Eldrin Chen listened quietly, a flicker of intensity passing through his eyes.

He himself had cultivated the Two Polarities Divine Thunder to Great Perfection Realm during his Infant Soul Early Stage, believing such a feat to be unparalleled in the world. He never imagined there existed another soul of such dazzling brilliance.

"One must never underestimate the heroes of this world,"

Eldrin Chen murmured with a wry shake of his head. Upon reflection, it made sense. Which cultivator who reached the True Lord Realm was not a prodigy? That a figure like Vast Righteousness True Lord could emerge was within the realm of expectation.

Of course, he did not belittle himself. He had only recently broken through to the True Lord realm. If he were to remain at the early stage of True Lord for a thousand years, bolstered by the power of Celestial-Mortal Symbiosis [a unique constitution harmonizing celestial and mortal energies], he was certain to achieve feats unheard of since antiquity.

"..." The complete novel can be found at audio-novel[dot]com.

After waiting a moment within the great hall, the Grand Elder of the Ji Clan emerged, accompanied by several Ji Clan True Lord.

He cast a glance over the assembled guests, then had gifts distributed to each person. With a smile, he said, "For our Ji Clan Patriarch's breakthrough to the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator], your willingness to come and lend your aid is something this old man is profoundly grateful for."

"These meager gifts are but a small token of our esteem."

Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang also received two gifts each. Sending a wisp of his divine sense to probe them, Eldrin discovered they were actually two Fifth Rank Nirvana Pill [elixirs of the highest grade, capable of restoring a cultivator's physical form].

"A truly grand gesture," he murmured inwardly.

His heart gave a slight tremor. A Fifth Rank Nirvana Pill was potent enough to help an Infant Soul Cultivator [a cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage] reconstruct their physical body.

The value of such a treasure was likely equivalent to thirty Heavenly Crystal [a purified, high-density form of spiritual energy crystal]. For the Ji Clan to produce over a dozen Nirvana Pill in one breath was a display of remarkable generosity.

Once the gifts were bestowed, the Grand Elder of Ji Clan smiled and said, "The matter of guarding the Dao shall now be entrusted to your esteemed efforts."

Having accepted the Nirvana Pill, the Immortal Maiden Six Desires replied, her eyes and brows curved in a pleased smile, "Set your heart at ease, True Lord [a title for a cultivator at the Golden Core stage]. Given our long-standing friendship, this humble one will naturally offer her full assistance."

The Grand Elder of Ji Clan gave a nod of acknowledgment. After explaining the situation to everyone in detail, he instructed attendants to lead the guests to their quarters for rest.

Eldrin Chen and his companion were not led to a place of rest. Instead, they were taken to the very heart of the Ji Clan Path-Field.

Before a sealed cultivation cavern, Freya Ji halted and said, "To be frank, my father has been in secluded cultivation for three months, attempting his breakthrough. He is now on the final step of drawing in his Heaven Soul [the celestial aspect of a cultivator's spirit, representing destiny and higher consciousness]."

"The breakthrough is imminent. Let us stand guard here before the cavern."

"This..."

Eldrin Chen's expression shifted slightly. By all logic, the optimal time for the Ji Clan Patriarch to draw in his Heaven Soul should have been three months later.

Unexpectedly, the Ji Clan Patriarch had acted contrary to predictions, beginning his breakthrough three months ahead of the calculated schedule.

Noticing their reaction, Freya Ji explained, "While advancing by three months is not the ideal moment for drawing the Heaven Soul, it only increases the difficulty by about ten percent. The difference is not overwhelmingly vast."

"Given the solidity of my father's foundation, he still possesses considerable confidence in succeeding, even with this earlier attempt."

"This preemptive strike, though slightly more arduous, has the advantage of catching our enemies completely off guard. A worthwhile trade, I would say."

The two listeners were taken aback. Exquisite Jiang chuckled, "First, he schemed millennia in advance to cripple the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor. Now, he advances his breakthrough to disrupt the fiends' plans. My cousin is indeed a master strategist, always full of unexpected maneuvers."

Freya Ji also smiled faintly. Her father, Dorian Ji, might not possess the most dazzling natural talent and genius in the world, but when it came to strategy and meticulous planning, he was undoubtedly among the finest in this realm.

This breakthrough had been his design for millennia; it was not something so easily thwarted.

The three of them spoke no more. They settled into seated meditation outside the Seclusion Chamber, forming the final line of defense for the Ji Clan Patriarch.

"…"

Behind them, within the Seclusion Chamber, an atmosphere of profound peace and tranquility reigned. Yet, imperceptibly, an immense and majestic presence [an overwhelming aura of power and destiny] began to emanate from within.

At first, no one noticed anything amiss. It was only after the passage of several hours that the anomaly became impossible to ignore. Find this and other novels at audio-novel.com.

An unimaginable pressure [a crushing spiritual and physical weight] began to spread from the depths of the Ji Clan's Hinter Peaks, pressing down until the world lost its color and the heavens and earth grew dim. Even Golden Core True Lord [cultivators who have condensed their spiritual energy into a Golden Core and attained the True Lord realm] found it difficult to rise under this oppressive force.

For a hundred thousand Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] in all directions, every cultivator felt as if light had fled the world. An unparalleled sense of despair settled upon their hearts.

Then, a brilliant, blazing, and incomparably radiant light pierced the darkness.

In the depths of their perception, it seemed as if everyone glimpsed a solitary, profoundly lonely figure seated upon the Heavenly Vault [the dome of the sky], shining as brilliantly as the sun.

"This is..."

Upon Path Void Mountain, one after another Human Race True Lord [a powerful cultivator who has condensed their Primordial Spirit] soared into the Heavenly Vault, their expressions revealing profound shock.

The crowd was struck speechless. Immortal Maiden Six Desires exclaimed in astonishment, "A great sun crossing the heavens—this is an omen that only appears when one breaks through to the Primordial Solar Realm [the realm of the Primordial Sun, a legendary stage of cultivation]."

"How could he be so fast? This is not the optimal time."

One after another, the True Lord wore expressions of utter bewilderment, while the demons and fiends hidden in the shadows widened their eyes in disbelief.

"Impossible!"

A Demonic Path True Lord smashed the surrounding mountains and rivers in fury, roaring, "I spent forty-nine years erecting my sacrificial altar! The curse was not meant to be unleashed for another three months!"

"If he ascends to the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] now, will all my efforts be for naught?"

A peerless Demon Emperor was equally astounded, his face a mask of bitter regret. "I cultivated the 'Demon God's Star-Plucking Great God Ability' [a supreme demonic art for seizing celestial bodies]. Three centuries ago, I plucked nine Primal Ancient Stellar [primordial star cores of immense power] from the Nine Heavens Above, waiting to hurl them down in three months' time."

"Now he advances prematurely? Have all my bitter toils been wasted?"

One by one, the demons and monsters lurking in the shadows were shocked beyond measure, never imagining that the schemes they had prepared for years would all come to naught.

Some fiends, filled with bitter resentment, could not help but cry out in a shrill voice, "He broke through three months early, missing the optimal moment! Does he not fear that this will lead to a failed breakthrough?"

Many were puzzled, for a breakthrough to the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator, representing a major advancement] realm demands the perfect alignment of celestial timing, geographical advantage, and human harmony. Sometimes, a discrepancy as slight as a hair's breadth can lead to failure.

By not seizing the most auspicious moment and instead choosing a slightly inferior one, the Ji Clan Patriarch [the supreme leader of the Ji Clan] greatly increased the risk of his breakthrough failing.

Regardless of the demons' debates, the breakthrough had now irrevocably begun.

One after another, Demon Monarch [powerful demon lords] and Demon Emperor [supreme rulers among demons] could no longer restrain themselves. They surged forth in a frenzy, charging madly towards the summit of Path Void Mountain.

Though equally astonished, the Path Guardian [guardians of the sacred mountain path] atop the peak had no time for hesitation. Primordial Heaven True Lord, Immortal Maiden Six Desires, and even Melancholy Inscription Lord and others swiftly took action, intercepting the onrushing Demon Emperor and True Lord [a title for powerful cultivators] one by one.

Battle erupted instantly. Eldrin Chen looked up and saw that dozens of cultivators from the human, demon, and monster races were already locked in fierce combat across the sky. Find thousands of chapters at audio-novel dot com.