Chapter 660 : Gathering of Nascent Souls

"Your efforts are appreciated."

Eldrin Chen gave a nod, then led the group into the courtyard.

Within the courtyard at this moment, more than three hundred Nascent Soul True Lord [powerful cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage] had gathered, each a figure of extraordinary status. Among them, those at the Nascent Soul Late Stage [the peak of the Nascent Soul realm] numbered over twenty.

Many were familiar to Eldrin Chen, such as Nine Rivers Daoist and Tianlu Sect Master who were present, along with several Ancient Ancestor [venerable, ancient cultivators] who had reached the Half-Step Primordial Spirit [a quasi-legendary realm just below the Primordial Spirit stage].

Seeing their arrival, Tianlu Sect Master offered a faint smile. "Your timing is impeccable. We were just deliberating on the matters of the great war."

"Our apologies for keeping everyone waiting."

Eldrin Chen clasped his hands in a respectful salute and stepped forward.

Among the assembled True Lord, the leaders were three figures at the Half-Step Primordial Spirit: Feathered Pavilion Master, Maris the Sea Steader, and Xuanxu the Daoist, joined by Magnus the Virtuous who wielded a Pure Yang Spiritual Treasure [a supreme-grade artifact infused with the purest Yang energy].

Of these four, Magnus the Virtuous and Maris the Sea Steader commanded the greatest respect, for the power of a Pure Yang Spiritual Treasure far surpassed what even a Half-Step Primordial Spirit could muster.

Magnus the Virtuous acknowledged Eldrin Chen with a nod, gesturing for them to stand behind myself before speaking. "Now that all are assembled, I shall begin." Find this and other novels at audio_novel.com.

"The battle of the Demon Abyss Tribulation is no trivial matter. When the time comes, we denizens of the Three Veins Ancient Domain must stand united to confront the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon."

As Magnus the Virtuous explained the situation, Eldrin Chen quickly grasped the arrangements for this coming conflict.

The war at the Demonic Abyss is a grave affair. Typically, each Ancient Domain within the Eastern Wilderness is responsible for defending a specific section of the front line.

As one of the Six Great Ancient Domains, the Three Veins Ancient Domain bears immense responsibility and faces no small amount of pressure.

Ordinarily, such matters are presided over by the local Ancient Domain's Immortal Alliance. However, the Ji Clan, the Nascent Soul Immortal Clan of the Three Veins Ancient Domain, has only recently ascended to that status and does not plan to remain here long-term. Thus, they have not taken the lead in establishing an Immortal Alliance.

Consequently, for this battle, everyone must convene, meet to discuss strategy first, and then select a few True Lord of greater prestige and power to take charge.

Within the current Three Veins Ancient Domain, those qualified to lead are essentially Magnus the Virtuous and Maris the Sea Steader. Although the Feathered Pavilion Master and Xuanxu the Daoist possess formidable Mana, they lack a Pure Yang Spiritual Treasure and must therefore defer to the other two.

After listening, Xuanxu the Daoist looked at Magnus the Virtuous and said, "Very well. For this campaign, we shall follow the arrangements of Brother Maris and Brother Harlan."

Maris the Sea Steader nodded with a slight smile. "The overall war effort will still follow the unified arrangements of the Eastern Desolation Immortal Alliance. Our gathering here is merely to unite our strength, so we may support each other when the calamity strikes."

"Naturally."

One by one, the True Lord [a title for high-level cultivators] nodded in agreement. Faced with a battlefield of such immense scale, even a Half-Step Primordial Spirit [a cultivator on the verge of achieving the Primordial Spirit realm] risked utter annihilation. Only by supporting one another could they hope to survive.

Eldrin Chen listened quietly, his mind clear on one truth: when the true battle commenced, the only ones he could truly rely upon were his own clan members, and long-trusted friends like Zixu the Daoist and Yvonne the Violet Consort.

In a moment of true crisis, those willing to risk grievous injury, or even sacrifice their own lives to aid him, were likely only his most cherished companions—his beloved Dao companion Lyra Jiang and his close confidante Lila.

As for others, when life and death hung in the balance, it was doubtful they would be willing to shoulder such immense risks and pay such a steep price for someone with whom their bonds were not deeply forged.

After the group had sworn their pact of mutual support, the gathering swiftly drew to a close.

Not long after, a Nascent Soul True Lord [a cultivator who has formed their Nascent Soul] from the Long River Sacred Land arrived at the courtyard. With a faint smile, he clasped his hands and announced, "The grand assembly is about to begin. Please, follow me."

The group was led to a vast, mist-shrouded Daoist Assembly Ground [a ceremonial platform for cultivator gatherings]. Upon it were already gathered over two thousand True Lord, representing perhaps sixty to seventy percent of all such powerhouses within the Eastern Wastelands.

Eldrin Chen swept his gaze around, his eyes finally lifting to the sky. There, seated upon the void as if they were deities or demons incarnate, were three figures observing the multitude below with serene, inscrutable eyes.

Among these three, one was Riverlord Chang, whose demeanor was that of an immortal sage, his presence ethereal and ancient.

The second figure wore a gown woven from starlight, her aura as cool and distant as the moon, her features and form a vision of flawless perfection. This was none other than Xuan Yue the Celestial Alchemist.

The last individual was a youth with sword-like brows and star-bright eyes. His posture was tall and slender, his aura completely withdrawn within his body. At a casual glance, one might mistake him for a mere mortal.

Eldrin Chen had not met this person before, but he largely knew of his origins. He knew this person was the Clan Lord of the Lin Clan, the Premier Immortal Clan of the Eastern Wastelands, Lin Tianqi.

After all, Lin Tianqi's might shook the eight directions. He was the foremost true practitioner of the Sword Dao [the Way of the Sword] within the Purple Realm, and his strength was sufficient to rank within the top five among the Human Race of that realm.

Though there were merely three of them present, they shone like three celestial bodies—suns and moons—their brilliance eclipsing the light of the two thousand True Lord [a high-level cultivator title].

"One day, I too shall stand among your ranks,"

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly. Exchanging a glance with Lyra Jiang, he realized an identical light burned within both their eyes. This chapter appears courtesy of https://audio-novel.com.

Sharing a faint, knowing smile, Eldrin Chen offered no words. He simply lowered his gaze once more, awaiting the commencement of the grand assembly.

An indeterminate length of time passed before all participants of the conference had finally arrived.

The Dao Lord [a supreme title for a master of the Dao] known as Nine Heavens Above [a lofty title implying transcendence] opened his eyes and began to speak, his voice measured. "The Zhang Clan of Tianmo Continent, the Wu Clan of Riverbend Continent, the clans of Three Stars Continent…"

Lin Tianqi listed seven names in succession before declaring, "These seven Immortal Clan [powerful clans of cultivators] fled from the battle of the Demonic Abyss Cataclysm, unwilling to bear their share of responsibility."

"After you return, you may annex them to strengthen your Deep-Seated Foundation [the profound and stable cultivation base essential for advancement]."

Upon hearing this, the hearts of the assembly trembled, and many could not suppress looks of wild joy from appearing on their faces.

Since Lin Tianqi had spoken, those seven Immortal Clan [powerful clans of cultivators] would not survive. The Immortal Clan located nearby could likely get close enough to share a portion of the spoils.

Lin Tianqi seemed utterly oblivious to the varied expressions of the crowd.

He merely cast a calm glance over the assembly, then extended his hand, scattering a sky full of starlight that flew before each person.

As the starlight settled before them, it transformed into contracts, materializing in the air.

Eldrin Chen picked his up and examined it. He found the contract to be meticulously crafted and exceedingly strict. Once signed, it required swearing a Great Oath of Reincarnation [a binding vow that transcends lifetimes, ensuring compliance], mandating obedience to the relevant directives of the Eastern Sea Immortal Alliance [a major coalition of cultivators].

However, the contract clearly stipulated provisions for casualty compensation and rewards for military merit. Furthermore, even the several Nascent Soul Dao Lord [powerful cultivators at the Nascent Soul realm] would swear the same Great Oath of Reincarnation, so there was no need to fear being deceived or exploited.

"The Demonic Abyss Cataclysm [a catastrophic invasion from the demonic realms] is no trivial matter. To concentrate the strength of the Eastern Wilderness [the vast eastern frontier lands] to withstand this calamity, you must all sign the contract."

Eldrin Chen picked his up and examined it. He found the contract to be meticulously crafted and exceedingly strict. Once signed, it required swearing a Great Oath of Reincarnation, mandating obedience to the relevant directives of the Eastern Sea Immortal Alliance.

However, this contract clearly stipulates provisions for casualty compensation and meritorious service rewards. Moreover, several Nascent Soul Dao Lord [a cultivator who has formed their Nascent Soul, a powerful spiritual infant] will swear the Great Oath of Reincarnation [a binding vow that carries consequences across future lives], so there is no need to worry about being deceived.

"The Demonic Abyss Cataclysm [a great calamity involving the eruption of demonic forces from the abyss] is no trivial matter. To concentrate the strength of the Eastern Wilderness [a vast, untamed region] to resist this cataclysm, you all must still sign the contract," Original publication: audio-novel . com - The source of this chapter.