Chapter 688 : The Silent Venerable's Gaze

After resting for half a month, Jaxian Lu led the grand army forth on its march.

Under the leadership of the Nascent Soul Dao Lord [a supreme cultivator whose soul has taken infant form], the assembled forces eventually encircled the Demon Race Army within the vast sea. A great battle raged for over half a month before the demonic host was utterly annihilated.

Thereafter, the alliance spent a full three months more to reclaim the two Star Palace Archipelago [a constellation of mystical islands] named for the Azure Dragon [the Celestial Azure Dragon, one of the Four Symbols] and the Black Tortoise [the Mystic Black Tortoise, one of the Four Symbols].

As the defensive Formation [a mystical array or battle formation] on each island within the Star Palace Archipelago was repaired, the power of the grand Heavenly Starry Dipper Great Array [the Cosmic Starry Dipper Grand Formation] gradually began to restore itself.

At this very moment, far beyond the Heavenly Scar [a great rift in the heavens], aboard a demonic Treasure Ship [a vessel imbued with magical properties], Netherdeep the Sacred Venerable stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing silently towards the Star Palace Archipelago. Not a single ripple of emotion showed upon his brow.

Behind him, a woman spoke with palpable gravity, "Holy Venerable [a title for a supremely powerful and revered figure], it appears they have failed."

"It seems we underestimated them after all."

Netherdeep the Sacred Venerable spoke with detached calm, his voice devoid of inflection. "The Nine Nether Demon Dragon [a mighty dragon born of the deepest hells] possessed exceptional talent. He originally held a fair chance of achieving a breakthrough to the Primordial Spirit, Late Stage [the advanced stage of cultivating one's primordial spiritual core]. Yet, having suffered this calamitous turn, his path to reaching the Primordial Spirit, Late Stage in the future will likely be fraught with difficulty."

Hearing this, the woman's expression darkened slightly. While most Nascent Soul Great Power [mighty experts at the Nascent Soul stage] are individuals of prodigious talent, disparities among them are not insignificant.

By comparison, those at the early and middle stages of Primordial Spirit [the realm of cultivating one's primordial spiritual core], though formidable, still fall considerably short of beings who have attained the Primordial Spirit, Late Stage. Join our community of readers at audio novel.com.

Generally speaking, more than seventy to eighty percent of Nascent Soul Dao Lord [a supreme cultivator who has formed a nascent soul] ultimately fail to break through to the Primordial Spirit, Late Stage [the advanced stage of cultivating one's spiritual core].

Taking the Eastern Wastelands as an example, the Human Race possesses only two beings at the Primordial Spirit, Late Stage: Lin Tianqi and the Star Palace's Mizar, the Star Lord. Even if we add the Demonic Tribe's Black Dragon Demon Progenitor and the Demonic Path's Netherworld Ancient Ancestor, that makes merely four in total.

In comparison, that Nine Nether Demon Dragon Emperor was a Nine Heavens True Dragon [a supreme dragon of heavenly origin] born from metamorphosis. In terms of bloodline purity, it was only slightly inferior, by half a step, to the Black Dragon Demon Progenitor.

Such an existence held great hope of breaking through to the Primordial Spirit, Late Stage in the future. However, having been slain now, even if it is reborn through reincarnation in a future life, its True Dragon Physique [the innate body of a true dragon] will be flawed and incomplete.

Coupled with the pointless loss of an entire lifetime's worth of longevity, it can be said that the Nine Nether Demon Dragon Emperor's chances of breaking through to the Primordial Spirit, Late Stage have been drastically diminished.

Suppressing the thoughts in her mind, the woman took a deep breath and asked, "Should we tear open the barrier once more and send someone to the Four Direction Star Palaces?"

"There is no need."

Netherdeep the Sacred Venerable shook his head and spoke, "To breach a corner of the Cosmic Starry Sky Grand Formation [a grand defensive array mimicking the cosmos] would still require consuming the precious Nine Heavens Ten Earths Formation-Breaking Shuttle [a magical artifact capable of piercing through formidable formations]. The cost remains rather significant."

"Now, the Master's second demonic embryo is at a critical stage of gestation. Once the embryo is successfully refined after a Millennium [a period of one thousand years], what concern is a mere Cosmic Starry Sky Grand Formation?"

Time flowed swiftly. In the blink of an eye, a full decade had passed since the day the Heavenly Scar [a celestial rift or ancient battlefield] opened.

After the Four Directions Star Palace Archipelago was reclaimed, it became exceedingly difficult for the Demon Race Army to breach the various island chains of the inner perimeter. Having paid a steep price and suffered heavy losses among their lower ranks, they began a gradual withdrawal beyond the Heavenly Scar.

The Human Race Dao Lord of the inner perimeter seized the momentum to pursue for a time, annihilating a portion of the extraterrestrial Demon Race Army. In the end, they could only watch as the demonic forces retreated, withdrawing back into the depths of the End of the Demonic Abyss.

The Demon God's Hand that had propped up heaven and earth began to slowly lower the Heavenly Scar. Before departing, the Extraterrestrial Demon God scattered countless motes of starlight, which flew out to land upon the boundless earth of the Purple Realm.

These were Star Fragment [fragments of celestial power imbued with demonic essence] left behind by the Extraterrestrial Demon God. As they flew forth alongside the Dao Marker [a mystical object that guides and marks the flow of cosmic principles], one after another, Demonic Cultivator Forbidden Land [regions corrupted by demonic energy, hostile to orthodox cultivators] took shape beneath this stellar rain. Countless shattered Demonic Spring [pools or fonts of concentrated demonic energy] were also reignited.

Eldrin Chen watched the myriad streaks of starlight sweep past the Nine Heavens Above [the highest celestial realms], and could not help but draw a sharp breath, his eyes turning cold and hard.

This was a method employed by the Extraterrestrial Demon God to corrupt the Heaven and Earth Will [the collective consciousness and natural order of the world]. The more Demonic Cultivator Forbidden Land that existed within the world, the more severely the fundamental essence of the Purple Realm would be eroded.

Consequently, the Human Race would be forced to expend vast amounts of their strength dealing with these Demonic Cultivator Forbidden Land. In turn, these forbidden lands would continuously perform blood sacrifices upon the Human Race, draining their potential for war.

Considering this, Eldrin Chen spoke, "Upon our return, our foremost priority must be to thoroughly eradicate all Demonic Cultivator Forbidden Land surrounding our clan's territories."

"Agreed," Thalion Chen nodded, then added with a note of helplessness, "But we must assess the situation. In this war, the forces of The Vast Sea and Ji Continent have been halved. The wounds we have sustained will likely require nearly a century to fully heal."

"Regardless, the Demonic Abyss Cataclysm has ended," Lyra Jiang sighed and said. "Though troublesome, these Demonic Cultivator Forbidden Land ultimately cannot pose a lethal threat to us."

Eldrin Chen also breathed a sigh of relief, then said, "I estimate that within the next few days, the Eastern Desolation Immortal Alliance will begin calculating military merits. Old Granduncle, I must trouble you to complete the tally of merits for all the Various Great Immortal Clans as swiftly as possible, so that rewards can be distributed in due time."

"I have already begun the arrangements,"

Thalion Chen nodded and replied thus.

Because the number of cultivators who participated in the war was so vast, the calculation of military merits was divided into several tiers.

In this campaign, the Violet Immortal Alliance would calculate contributions based on the efforts of each major region. Subsequently, each region would also calculate the merits for every Nascent Soul Immortal Clan within its domain.

As for the distribution of merits below the level of the Nascent Soul Immortal Clan, that responsibility fell to the great Nascent Soul Immortal Clan clans myself to allocate and dispense. Dive deeper into the Dao at audio-novel dot com.

The Chen Clan had mobilized over two million cultivators from The Vast Sea and Chen Nation for this war, involving tens of thousands of Immortal Clan great and small. The task of disbursing compensation for the fallen and distributing military rewards to all of them was a monumental undertaking for the Chen Clan.

The scale of the war was so immense and grand that the entire Purple Realm was occupied for a full year before the final tally of achievements and spoils was complete.

On this day, Eldrin Chen and the others received the summons and arrived at a Grand Hall located at the heart of the Supreme Tenuity Enclosure archipelago.

Accompanying him were Magnus the Virtuous, Maris the Sea Steader, and the other Fellow Daoist from the Three Veins Ancient Domain.

Upon the Grand Hall sat a full four Nascent Soul Great Power [the highest echelon of cultivators, whose souls have transcended mortality]. They were the Daoist Ronan, Mizar, the Star Lord of the Star Palace, the Lin Clan Clan Lord Tianqi the Dao Lord [a title for a master of the Dao, the fundamental cosmic principle], and Dorian Ji.

Seeing that everyone was unharmed, Dorian Ji gave a slight nod and spoke, "In this battle, the various Fellow Daoist [a respectful term for fellow cultivators] of the Three Veins Ancient Domain have performed with exceptional merit, devoting their utmost efforts for our Human Race. This old man's heart is deeply gratified."

"Indeed. I hear the credit for this victory rests entirely on the planning of the young friend Eldrin, the Abyss,"

Daoist Ronan said with a smile, casting an approving glance toward Eldrin Chen.

Eldrin Chen clasped his hands in salute. "This victory was wholly due to everyone's dedication. This junior merely offered some minor strategizing."

Hearing this, Maris the Sea Steader and the others nearby smiled faintly, their regard for Eldrin Chen growing by another measure within their hearts.

The four Dao Lord within the Grand Hall all nodded in agreement. Daoist Ronan looked at Eldrin Chen with an expression of appreciation.

He did not elaborate further. After a moment, he sighed and continued, "A pity that the Three Veins Ancient Domain also suffered grievous losses in this conflict. The young master of the Feathered Pavilion had his physical body destroyed, and Xuanxu the Daoist fell in battle. Truly, a heavy blow for our Eastern Wilderness."

"Hmph."

Lin Tianqi snorted coldly, his gaze turning icy. "Wang Tianzhou is nothing but a waste. And Jaxian Lu is another who prizes his own feathers too highly."

"Entrusting the defense of the Spirit Island Star Palace to those two is no better than putting a pair of pigs on guard!" Discover more cultivation stories at audio-novel[dot]com.