Chapter 687 : The Dragon's Forbidden Escape

This Longgu Path Master pursued the path of using demonic arts to subdue demons, wielding Demonic Path [the cultivation path that harnesses malevolent and destructive energies] techniques with a ferocity that surpassed even that of Demonic Cultivator [practitioners who cultivate using demonic energies]. With a commanding gesture, he activated the Blood Cloud Net [a sinister net woven from blood and malice], casting it down to ensnare the Nine Nether Abyssal Demonic Dragon Emperor [a supreme demonic dragon sovereign from the deepest abyssal realms] in a single, decisive motion.

Had he been at his peak, the Nine Nether Abyssal Demonic Dragon Emperor might have had a sliver of hope to escape. However, his earlier bloody battle with the Nine Abyss Path Master had already consumed thirty percent of his spiritual power [the vital energy used to fuel magical abilities], and the subsequent clash with the assembled forces had drained another twenty percent. Now, he was left with merely half his strength.

Compounding his plight, his Dragon Pearl [the condensed essence of a dragon's power and life force] had been seized in a sneak attack by the Longgu Path Master. Stripped of this crucial trump card, he found himself utterly powerless to break free from the constricting bonds of the Blood Cloud Net.

At this life-or-death juncture, the Nine Nether Abyssal Demonic Dragon Emperor acted with ruthless decisiveness. Even while trapped within the net, he forcibly executed the Demonic Path Tribulation Transference Divine Ability [a forbidden technique that transfers one's essence and tribulation to a new incarnation], allowing a wisp of his soul to escape and seek reincarnation.

"A pity,"

Watching the Nine Nether Abyssal Demonic Dragon Emperor vanish into the cycle of reincarnation, the Longgu Path Master could not help but sigh with regret.

Had the dragon emperor's reaction been a fraction slower, the Longgu Path Master could have unleashed a supreme Demonic Path Divine Ability [a powerful supernatural technique] to corrupt and pollute the other's soul essence, utterly refining him into a puppet. In that case, the Nine Nether Abyssal Demonic Dragon Emperor would have been denied even the chance to reincarnate.

Although the Nine Nether Abyssal Demonic Dragon Emperor had now fallen, his Primordial Spirit [the immortal spiritual core of a high-level cultivator] and Path Fruit [the condensed essence of one's cultivation path and enlightenment] remained intact. In a thousand years, he would likely cultivate his way back to the Primordial Spirit Realm [the realm of the immortal spirit].

Yet, this was no time for prolonged reflection. With the appearance of the Longgu Path Master, the remaining Outer Realm Heavenly Demon [powerful demons from realms beyond this one] had already begun to flee for their lives. Having made his move, the Longgu Path Master naturally would not pass up the opportunity to eliminate these Demonic Cultivator.

Soaring into the heavens, he gave chase, his target the fleeing Primordial Spirit Demonic Cultivator [demonic cultivators who have reached the Primordial Spirit Realm]. For more chapters, visit audio—novel.com for the complete novel.

Before he could even voice his thanks, Longgu Path Master had already departed, leaving Eldrin Chen to finally gather his scattered wits.

Eternal Profound Chen approached, and only after confirming that Eldrin Chen bore no mortal wounds did he grasp his hand tightly, his voice thick with relief. "It is well, it is well that you are safe. Tend to your injuries first."

"Old Granduncle."

Eldrin Chen's eyes grew moist. In that battle, Eternal Profound Chen had nearly exhausted his reservoir of Vital Essence Blood [the foundational lifeblood energy of a cultivator, tied directly to longevity and cultivation base] to save him. The toll was starkly visible; Eternal Profound Chen's hair had turned a stark, ashen grey in mere moments.

The Vital Essence Blood was of paramount importance. By expending so much of it, Eternal Profound Chen had effectively sacrificed a millennium of his natural lifespan.

Nor was Eternal Profound Chen alone in his sacrifice. Both Lila and Exquisite Jiang, who had fought desperately at his side, bore grievous wounds. Lila's Superior Spiritual Treasure, the Frost Soul Jade-Condensing Pagoda, had been shattered beyond repair in the conflict.

As for Exquisite Jiang, her Lifebound Spiritual Treasure [a magical artifact bonded to a cultivator's life force, growing and evolving with them] was nearly half-destroyed, requiring a significant infusion of rare Spiritual Object [objects imbued with or containing spiritual energy] to restore.

Violet Consort Yan too had suffered severe injuries. Were it not for the profound defensive capabilities of her Violet Cosmos Void Escape Mirror, she might not have survived the day's tribulation.

Contemplating the heavy price of their victory, Eldrin Chen drew a deep, steadying breath. He distributed healing elixirs [spiritual pills used for recovery and cultivation] from his person to the others, his voice filled with profound gratitude. "This time... we prevailed thanks to all of you."

"Alas."

After swallowing a healing elixir [a medicinal pill that accelerates recovery from injuries] and recovering slightly, Eternal Profound Chen surveyed his surroundings.

Gazing upon the brutally tragic battlefield, he understood in his heart that the casualties among the low-level cultivators of the Chen Clan were likely no less than forty to fifty percent. At this thought, he spoke with anguish, "Have Lior organize the cleanup of the battlefield. Distribute the healing elixirs first."

"Old Granduncle..." Eldrin Chen's heart clenched in pain. He could no longer hold back his tears, his voice choked with sobs. "Uncle Lior has already fallen in battle."

Eternal Profound Chen remained silent for a long while. Finally, he rose to his feet and said, "I will handle it personally. I shall also gather your Uncle Lior's remaining belongings."

Eldrin Chen watched his retreating figure in silence, feeling it grow ever more solitary and forlorn.

Over these years, Eldrin Chen had rarely involved himself in clan affairs. Eternal Profound Chen oversaw all major and minor matters, while the countless daily trivialities were almost entirely managed by Lior Chen.

Now, without Lior Chen's assistance, and with the others separated from the Old Granduncle by too many generations, it would be difficult for anyone to serve as conveniently and intimately as Lior Chen once had.

"Alas..."

Just as the weight in Eldrin Chen's heart grew heavier, he felt a gentle presence draw near.

Exquisite Jiang intertwined her fingers with his. Though her face was pale, her expression held a firm resolve as she offered comfort. "You still have me. We will walk this path together. In the future, once we achieve immortality [transcend mortality to become eternal beings], we will surely find a way to bring them back."

"..."

After the grand army rested for three days within the White Tiger Sea Region, the Nine Abyss Path Lord flew back to the White Tiger Spirit Island.

Upon his return to the island, his first action was to summon Eldrin Chen and over a dozen other key figures who had contributed most significantly to the recent battle.

Within the Great Hall, the Nine Abyss Path Lord swept his gaze over the assembled cultivators and spoke directly. "In this battle against the four Outer Realm Heavenly Demon [powerful demons from beyond this realm], I, along with the Longgu Path Master, managed to slay two. Of the remaining two, one fled with grievous wounds, and the other had its physical body utterly destroyed."

Upon hearing this, everyone present let out a sigh of relief. Although the two remaining Outer Realm Heavenly Demon still posed a threat, their severe injuries meant they could no longer overturn the heavens or alter the fundamental outcome of this conflict.

Observing the expressions of the group, Nine Abyss Lu continued, "The Merits [karmic credit for virtuous deeds] you have accrued are not insignificant. Once the war concludes, rewards will naturally be bestowed." Experience the full epic at audi0-n0vel.c0m.

After the meeting concluded, Nine Abyss Lu dismissed the others but specifically asked Eldrin Chen, the Vast Righteousness True Lord, the Sea-Calmer Path Master, and several other cultivators from the Eastern Region Great Wasteland to remain.

Once the others had departed, Nine Abyss Lu addressed them. "Fellow cultivators from the Eastern Barrens, in this battle, I positioned your forces to engage first and even unleashed the Nine Nether Abyssal Demonic Dragon [a terrifying dragon entity from the deepest hells] upon you. Do you harbor any resentment towards this decision?"

In response to his words, the cultivators remained silent, though a profound and somber depth flickered in their eyes.

Now, three days after the great battle, everyone had already conducted a thorough analysis. The conclusion was clear: whether the forces of the Eastern Barrens Cultivation World or those of the Southern Desolation Cultivation World had been made to strike first, the casualties would have been devastatingly heavy regardless.

Not only that, if Nine Abyss Lu had kept the Nine Nether Abyssal Demonic Dragon Demon Emperor [a powerful demonic dragon sovereign from the deepest abyss] and released one of the other newly ascended Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core realm of a cultivator, representing immense power] cultivators instead, they might have barely managed to hold the line, avoiding such devastating losses.

However, doing so would have meant Nine Abyss Lu had no certainty of breaking through the three Primordial Spirit Demonic Cultivator [demonic practitioners who have reached the Primordial Spirit realm], and the battle would have descended into an even more brutal and protracted stalemate.

In essence, this battle was a gamble for Nine Abyss Lu. He was betting that, before the Nine Nether Abyssal Demonic Dragon Demon Emperor could shatter their defenses, he could join forces with the two star spirits, the White Tiger and Vermilion Bird [celestial beast spirits representing metal and fire], to crush the three Outer Realm Heavenly Demon [powerful demons from realms beyond this world] in one decisive strike.

Yet, it was foreseeable that regardless of whether he could defeat the three Primordial Spirit Demonic Cultivator, the cost paid by everyone would be staggeringly immense.

The Nine Abyss Path Lord [a title for a master of the profound Nine Abyss cultivation path] noticed the expressions on everyone's faces and could roughly discern the thoughts swirling in their minds.

He offered no lengthy justification, merely sighing as he spoke. "This battle concerns our ability to defend the Four Directions Star Palace [a celestial palace complex guarding the four cardinal directions]. Even if you resent this old man, I would still have made the same choice."

"Whatever karmic retribution arises, I shall bear it alone."

As the Nine Abyss Path Lord spoke these words, not a flicker of regret could be seen in his eyes.

Witnessing such forthrightness from the Nine Abyss Path Lord, Sea-Calmer Path Master shook his head, drawing a deep breath before replying, "Any resentment we hold is not for you, Elder, but for that individual from the Northern Plains Wang Clan [a prominent clan from the northern wilderness]."

Seeing this, the Nine Abyss Path Lord shook his head and said, "Go and tend to your wounds now. In a few days, we must still reclaim the archipelago of the Four Directions Star Palace."

The group disembarked from the Treasure Ship and returned to its deck. Exquisite Jiang [the wife of Eldrin Chen, a powerful cultivator] still had words she felt compelled to voice. "That Nine Abyss Path Lord [a title for a powerful cultivator who has mastered profound, abyssal mysteries]," she said with lingering indignation, "he knew full well we had traveled ten thousand Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] to offer aid. Yet he deliberately had us face the enemy vanguard first."

"In my view, his intent was to preserve the strength of the Southern Desolation Cultivation World [a vast, harsh region in the southern part of the cultivation world]."

Eldrin Chen [the protagonist, a formidable sword cultivator] remained silent for a long while before speaking. "The true regret," he said, his voice low, "is that among our ranks, there is no Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and highest form of consciousness for a cultivator, representing immense power] cultivator to take command of the overall situation."

"Mystery Origin Lu is a scion of the Nine Abyss Lu clan. He fears his clan's precious Qilin [a mythical, auspicious beast resembling a dragon-horse hybrid, often a symbol of nobility] offspring might perish at the hands of the Outer Realm Heavenly Demon [powerful, malevolent beings from realms beyond this one]. His partiality, while regrettable, follows a certain twisted logic." Find this and other novels at audio-novel.com (official site).