Chapter 648 : Heavenly Intervention in Mortal Strife

"I'll fight you to the death, old man!"

Chen the Ancient Ancestor was incensed. Having lived for over a thousand years as a True Lord, he would not tolerate Orin Fang's insolence.

He summoned his Lifebound Spiritual Treasure to strike back at the formidable foe, unleashing a surge of immense power in an attempt to repel Orin Fang.

Yet, the Demonic Curse Art within him gnawed at his flesh and bones like maggots, sapping his strength at the critical moment. He found he could barely muster his Mana [the spiritual energy used to power magical arts], his combat prowess reduced to a mere thirty or fifty percent of its usual might.

"BOOM—"

A deafening explosion echoed. Chen the Ancient Ancestor was sent flying, blood spraying from his mouth, grievously wounded by Orin Fang's blow. He crashed through a mountain peak, reducing it to rubble.

Staggering out from the wreckage, drenched in blood, his face contorted in agony, he declared, "This is beyond humiliation. Even if this curse consumes my bones today, I will make you pay the price."

As he spoke, Chen the Ancient Ancestor prepared to abandon his suppression of the demonic curse and directly unleash his Nascent Soul Qi [the potent life-force energy of a Nascent Soul cultivator] to face his enemy.

But at that very instant, an overwhelmingly majestic aura descended from the heavens, pressing down and forcibly separating the two combatants.

Then, a voice, calm yet icy cold, resonated from the Nine Heavens Above: "Enough!" For the best reading experience, visit @udio-novel.com.

"Who is there?"

Orin Fang [a powerful cultivator] abruptly raised his head, his gaze locking onto the figure standing upon the Firmament [the highest heavens], his pupils involuntarily contracting slightly.

He saw the clouds and mists of the Nine Heavens [the nine celestial realms] converging, swirling around a figure robed in snow-white garments, who seemed to be strolling forth like an Nine Heavens Immortal [an immortal from the highest heavens].

Behind him, a man and a woman followed with restrained expressions, their faces a mixture of worry and joy.

"It's Corin and Cora."

The members of the Chen Clan [the Chen family] looked on with pleasant surprise, recognizing the origins of the two.

These two were the clan's Nascent Soul [a high cultivation realm] seeds. They had thought the pair had been sent away as part of a contingency plan to preserve the clan's legacy, but it now appeared they had gone to seek reinforcements.

Orin Fang [a powerful cultivator] wore a grave expression as he looked at Eldrin Chen and said, "May I ask for your esteemed title, Fellow Daoist [a respectful term for a fellow cultivator]? Why do you interfere in the affairs of my Ethereal Void Continent [a vast continent in this world]?"

"If Fellow Daoist [a respectful term for a fellow cultivator] would but stand aside today, I shall present you with generous gifts once this matter is concluded."

Eldrin Chen did not answer. He merely cast a faint, indifferent glance at the man, his hands clasped behind his back, and spoke calmly, "Three moves."

"What?" Orin Fang [a cultivator] was momentarily stunned, not yet grasping the situation.

"If you can survive three moves, I shall spare your life."

As Eldrin Chen [the protagonist] finished speaking, the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss [a powerful enchanted sword] instantly bloomed, unleashing a world-shaking immortal radiance that cleaved directly towards Orin Fang.

The power a Superior Grade Spiritual Treasure [a top-tier enchanted artifact] could unleash, combined with the formidable Mana [the spiritual energy used for cultivation and magic] of the Nascent Soul Late Stage [an advanced stage of spiritual cultivation], was truly immense.

Even a cultivator like Eldrin Chen, possessing an Innate Great Luo Nascent Soul [a supreme and rare type of spiritual core], could only barely withstand such an assault from a Nascent Soul Late Stage opponent back then by resorting to his ultimate trump card, the Heavenly Separated Twin Swords Union [a powerful dual-sword technique].

Orin Fang was merely a Mortal Dao Nascent Soul [a common, lower-grade type of spiritual core] who had just Initial Entry [recently entered] the Nascent Soul Realm [the realm of spiritual cultivation focused on the nascent soul]. Faced with such a Superior Grade Spiritual Treasure, he likely wouldn't last more than a few exchanges.

As the superior-grade Demon-Subduing Immortal Sword [an immortal sword specialized in vanquishing demons] descended upon him, Orin Fang's face contorted in terror.

In that instant of sheer panic, he desperately channeled his Lifebound Divine Ability [a mystical ability intrinsically linked to one's life force] and struck out with his Lifebound Immortal Sword [an immortal sword bound to his very essence] to block, all while trying to turn and flee for his life.

However, the speed of a Nascent Soul, Early Stage [the initial phase of the Nascent Soul realm] cultivator, while perhaps sufficient to escape pursuit from a Nascent Soul, Mid Stage [the middle phase of the Nascent Soul realm] foe when pushed to the limit, was utterly inadequate before such a Superior Grade Spiritual Treasure.

A sharp *clang* rang out. The Inferior Grade Spiritual Treasure [a low-grade enchanted artifact] was grievously wounded on the spot, its surface webbed with cracks from the blow of the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss. Unchecked, the sword's momentum carried it onward, continuing its deadly arc towards Orin Fang.

Everyone present was utterly stunned. This was not a matter of three moves; it seemed he could not withstand even a single clash.

In truth, this was the genuine combat power of a Nascent Soul Late Stage [the penultimate major realm of cultivation, where the cultivator's soul has fully matured and separated from the physical body]. In that battle against the Purple Jade Demon Emperor years ago, had it not been for Eldrin Chen and four or five other combatants with Nascent Soul, Mid Stage strength jointly sharing the pressure, an ordinary Nascent Soul, Mid Stage cultivator likely would not have lasted thirty exchanges.

An Nascent Soul, Early Stage cultivator could at most manage a few moves. For a Mortal Dao True Lord [an honorific title for a powerful cultivator who has not yet transcended mortality] like Orin Fang, who had just broken through to the Nascent Soul realm, being slain in a single encounter was entirely within expectations.

"*Clang—*"

The Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss [a legendary sword imbued with the power of Li Fire, representing the principle of returning to the origin] shot forth with peerless sharpness and unparalleled slaughtering force, cleaving towards Orin Fang.

"Fellow Daoist [a respectful term of address between cultivators], please stay your blade!" Dive deeper into the Dao at audio-novel.com.

Just as Orin Fang was about to be separated from his head, a voice rang out at the critical moment.

Immediately after, a streak of sword light flew out, a radiant stream shooting forward to intercept the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss.

"Hmm?"

Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow but did not press the attack further. His gaze instead turned towards the depths of the distant void.

In the boundless void, an elder with an immortal's grace and a Daoist's bearing approached, his expression somewhat displeased as he looked towards Eldrin Chen.

Clad in Daoist robes, the man cast a cool glance at Eldrin Chen and said, "Who might you be, sir, to dare cause trouble within my Long River Ancient Domain?"

"Oh?"

Eldrin Chen's demeanor remained serene and his bearing peerless. Standing with his hands clasped behind his back, he spoke with calm detachment, "And who are you, coming here to meddle in affairs not your own?"

"Hmph."

The man gave a cold laugh. "So you may know," he declared, "I am the Sword-Enforcing Elder of the Long River Immortal Alliance, tasked with overseeing matters across nine great continents, including the Ethereal Void Continent."

"A Sword-Enforcing True Lord of the Long Ronan Alliance."

Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered slightly as he grasped the general origin of this Long River Immortal Alliance.

Within the Eastern Wastelands and the other Six Great Ancient Domains, any Ancient Domain possessing a Nascent Soul Dao Lord [a supreme cultivator whose soul has taken nascent form] was affiliated with an Immortal Alliance. The Eastern Wastelands itself had its own Eastern Desolation Immortal Alliance.

This Long River Immortal Alliance was founded by the Long River Sacred Land. With the Long River Sacred Land at its core, it was a coalition formed by hundreds of major continents and several hundred Nascent Soul-level powers.

Within the Long River Immortal Alliance, there are several dozen Sword-Enforcing Elder positions, each held by a great power at the Nascent Soul Late Stage realm, a True Lord. Every one of them is a figure of esteemed status and authority.

With this thought in mind, Eldrin Chen spoke with a calm gaze, "As a Sword-Enforcing True Lord, you did nothing when the Fang Clan moved against the Chen Clan, yet you leap out the moment I act against Orin Fang. Your sense of fairness is truly remarkable."

"You..." The Sword-Enforcing True Lord's expression shifted slightly. Flicking his sleeve in anger, he retorted, "The Demonic Abyss Cataclysm [a prophesied cataclysmic invasion from the demonic abyss] approaches. This Orin Fang is, after all, a Nascent Soul True Lord. Would it not be a waste for him to die by your hand?"

"As for that Chen Lin Yuan, gravely wounded and with little life left, he likely won't survive until the Demonic Abyss Cataclysm. Naturally, the two situations are not comparable."

Eldrin Chen remained unmoved, his gaze fixed solely on Orin Fang. "So, you intend to protect him?" he asked.

The Sword-Enforcing True Lord positioned himself between them, looking at Eldrin Chen. "You, Fellow Daoist, are also a great power of our Human Race. This humble Daoist has no wish to clash with you."

"However, as a Sword-Enforcing Elder of the Long River Immortal Alliance, I naturally cannot stand by and watch him perish here."

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen's eyes narrowed slightly. "Your partiality is far too blatant, Fellow Daoist. This Orin Fang is a True Lord. Does the Chen Clan then contribute nothing at all?"

"With the Chen Clan's Ancient Ancestor still having years of life left, you are already busy helping him seize the Daoist Assembly Ground [a sacred site for cultivators to gather and discuss the Dao]. Just how many benefits have you accepted from him?"

At this point, Eldrin Chen let out a cold, derisive laugh.

As his words fell, he unleashed the Heavenly Separated Twin Swords Union [a supreme sword technique where two blades act as one] to cleave towards the Sword-Enforcing True Lord, instantly forcing the foe into a frantic retreat.

In the next breath, Eldrin Chen took a single stride forward. With a single palm strike, he blasted Orin Fang deep into the mountain range, then used his Mana [the spiritual power cultivated by immortals] to uproot several peaks and press them down as a seal of imprisonment.

"In consideration of the impending Demonic Abyss Cataclysm [a great calamity where demonic forces surge from the abyss], and acknowledging the difficulty of your cultivation path, this sovereign shall spare your life today."

"However, while the death penalty is remitted, living punishment is unavoidable. You shall be sealed beneath these mountains for one Sixty-Year Cycle [a complete cycle of sixty years, a significant unit of time in celestial fate] to atone for your sins." Original publication: http://www . audio-novel.com - The source of this chapter.