Chapter 860 : Heavenly Thunder and Crimson Flames

"Screech!"

The Blood Phoenix Demon Progenitor broke through the blockade, its eyes blazing with utter madness.

With a piercing, mournful cry, it erupted in a shroud of blood-red flames and charged directly at Eldrin Chen.

Profound Sun Dao Lord and Rising Sun Dao Lord were also in a frenzy, throwing themselves forward with reckless abandon.

At that very moment, from the heights of the Firmament, the ninth heaven's thunder descended—it was the seventh wave of the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [a cataclysmic trial of heavenly lightning faced by cultivators during major breakthroughs].

Provoked by the intruders, this seventh wave of Heavenly Thunder Tribulation turned utterly berserk. Not only did its power surge dramatically, but it also struck down indiscriminately upon all present.

Now facing both the Nine Firmaments Heavenly Thunder Tribulation and the sudden assault of his foes, Eldrin Chen did not so much as furrow his brow.

He simply manifested the Primordial True Aegis [an ultimate defensive technique forming an impenetrable shield of primordial energy]. Then, he summoned forth the Heavenly Separated Twin Swords, which fused together with a resonant *clang*. In a flash of light, they cleaved the Blood Phoenix Demon Progenitor asunder upon the void.

"Agh! Perish for this venerable one!"

The Profound Sun Dao Lord, driven to near insanity, ignored the onslaught of Heavenly Thunder Tribulation and desperately hurled the Profound Sun Divine Pearl—a Supreme Treasure of Pure Yang [a pinnacle artifact of the purest Yang energy]—straight at Eldrin Chen. Published by audio-novel`com. All rights reserved.

Yet, Eldrin Chen did not spare it a single glance. With a flick of his sleeve, he summoned the Primordial Grasping Hand [a divine ability that manifests a giant ethereal hand] to press down, instantly crushing both Profound Sun Dao Lord and his Pure Yang Spiritual Treasure [a magical treasure imbued with the purest Yang energy] into oblivion.

"*Clang!*"

At that very moment, the Rising Sun Dao Lord finally seized his chance. He channeled his Lifebound Spiritual Treasure [a magical treasure bound to a cultivator's life force], the Rising Sun Flowing Fire Sword, which shot across the sky and struck the Primordial True Aegis [a divine ability that conjures an indestructible shield of primordial energy] with immense force.

However, Eldrin Chen's Primordial Chaos Mana [the purest and most potent form of spiritual energy, born from chaos] was peerless under heaven. After his breakthrough into the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core cultivation realm], the depth and potency of his Mana [spiritual energy used for cultivation and combat] had reached a truly astonishing level.

Although his cultivation base was merely at the first layer of Primordial Spirit, both the quality and the profound, condensed density of his Mana surpassed even the peak of a Nascent Soul Sixth Layer [the sixth stage of the Nascent Soul realm] cultivator by a significant margin.

Such formidable Mana, when used to fuel a Lifebound Divine Ability [a divine ability intrinsically linked to a cultivator's soul] comparable to a Great Vehicle Divine Ability [a supreme-tier divine ability], unleashed power that rivaled even the mightiest experts at the Primordial Spirit, Late Stage [the late stage of the Primordial Spirit realm].

Although the Rising Sun Flowing Fire Sword was a Middle-Grade Spiritual Treasure [a mid-tier magical treasure], it was far from sufficient to breach the Primordial True Aegis. Not only did its slash fail to harm Eldrin Chen, but the sword itself was sent flying back by the recoil.

Seeing this, the Rising Sun Dao Lord sought to summon his Rising Sun Divine Furnace [a divine furnace treasure] for another assault.

But he was too late. With a mere wave of his sleeve, Eldrin Chen unleashed a bolt of dazzling Chaos Lightning [lightning born from primordial chaos].

This Grand Five Elements Pure Yang Divine Thunder [the supreme divine thunder technique combining the five elements and pure Yang energy] was the foremost killing Divine Ability [a supernatural combat technique] of the Purple Realm, its power hailed as peerless in the world. In ages past, Jiang the Sovereign Emperor had relied upon this very Divine Ability to slay formidable enemies across cultivation realms on numerous occasions.

Now, with Eldrin Chen wielding this Divine Ability and empowered by the Primordial Chaos Mana [a supreme mana born from the fusion of five ultimate secret powers], its might even surpassed that which Jiang the Sovereign Emperor could unleash.

As this Divine Ability descended with a thunderous crash, it sent the Rising Sun Divine Furnace flying away in an instant.

Before the Rising Sun Dao Lord could even react, his flesh was torn asunder, half his physical body utterly pulverized.

In that life-or-death moment, his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] fled in haste. Yet, trapped deep within the Heavenly Tribulation Thunder Sea, where could he possibly find an escape?

Within mere breaths, his Primordial Spirit was reduced to ashes by the heavenly tribulation.

"BOOM—"

Simultaneously, high in the Firmament, the eighth Heavenly Thunder Tribulation descended with a deafening roar.

The Primordial True Aegis [an indestructible shield technique], impervious to all calamities and radiating a divinity that repelled all arts, held firm against the eighth bolt, emerging completely unscathed.

From the Nine Heavens Above, the snow-white-robed figure bathed in the Sea of Lightning, his gaze sharp enough to freeze blood, swept across the horde of Demonic Monsters.

"Who else seeks death? Step forward, all of you!"

"Outrageous!"

The assembled Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon [powerful demons from beyond this world] were both shocked and furious, yet they also felt a sense of helplessness.

This Abyssal Daoist [a Daoist title meaning 'Master of the Profound Abyss'] was withstanding the Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation [a cataclysmic trial of heavenly thunder faced by cultivators ascending to the Nascent Soul realm] with his bare body, yet still had the capacity to suppress and slay three Nascent Soul Demons and Monsters [a collective term for powerful demonic entities at the Nascent Soul cultivation level], all while emerging completely unscathed himself.

Such power could truly be described as world-shaking and awe-inspiring. Even the gathered Nascent Soul Demons and Monsters felt a tremor of fear and could not help but feel a grudging respect.

"How can this man be so formidable? Is there truly no one who can restrain him?"

One of the Nascent Soul Celestial Demon [a high-ranking demonic being at the Nascent Soul level] could not help but speak, his face betraying a flicker of trepidation. Original English translation available at audio~novel.com.

It was not just him. At this moment, even the Garuda Heavenly Demon [a mighty demonic entity named after the mythical bird of prey] and the Blood Demon Ancient Ancestor furrowed their brows, their expressions turning grave.

The Blood Demon Ancient Ancestor wore an expression of utmost solemnity before speaking. "This Abyssal Daoist likely surpasses even Jiang the Sovereign Emperor. He possesses the bearing of a legendary Great Luo Immortal Lord [an exalted title for an immortal lord of the highest order]."

"If we do not slay him today, once he successfully passes this Heavenly Thunder Tribulation, you and I will likely be powerless against him. He will inevitably become a calamity of life and death for us in the future."

The Garuda Heavenly Demon nodded in agreement and said, "Since that is the case, I ask you, Brother Blood Demon, to take action and suppress him within this very Heavenly Thunder Tribulation."

"Brother Jareth, if this one achieves the Dao [the fundamental principle or path in Chinese philosophy], the first he will likely turn against is your kind, the Heaven-Demon."

The Blood Demon Ancient Ancestor merely sneered, showing not the slightest intention to intervene.

For beings of their level, at the Primordial Spirit, Late Stage, recklessly charging into a Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [a cataclysmic trial of heavenly lightning faced by cultivators during major breakthroughs] might very well provoke their own Immortal Ascension Tribulation [the ultimate heavenly trial to ascend to immortality].

Given their current cultivation, their chances of surviving an Immortal Ascension Heavenly Tribulation were virtually nonexistent; they would likely be reduced to ashes by the lightning before they could even strike, dying for nothing.

Clearly, whether it was the Garuda Heavenly Demon or this Blood Demon Ancient Ancestor, they cherished their lives far too much to throw them away needlessly within the tempest of a Heavenly Thunder Tribulation.

In the brief span of their discussion, the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation raging upon the Firmament [the vault of heaven] was drawing to its close.

The ninth bolt of Heavenly Thunder Tribulation possessed extraordinary might, nearing the power of a Primordial Spirit, Late Stage cultivator's strike. Yet, it failed to harm him, shattered instead by the Great Five Elements Chaos Divine Thunder [a supreme divine thunder technique born from the fusion of the five primal elements].

As Eldrin Chen had transformed his Primordial Essence [the foundational, purest form of spiritual energy], his Heavenly Thunder Tribulation contained one more bolt than usual. What he faced now was the tenth and final strike of his Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation [the heavenly trial to form the Nascent Soul, the infant spiritual form of a high-level cultivator].

The onlookers gazed skyward, witnessing the thunderclouds upon the Firmament churn and gather for an extended period. Instead of dispersing, they coalesced with even greater fury, brewing the Tenth Heavenly Thunder Tribulation.

"There is still a Tenth Heavenly Thunder Tribulation?"

Blood Demon Ancient Ancestor exclaimed in astonishment, drawing a sharp breath before saying, "The might of this Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [a cataclysmic trial of heavenly lightning] is potent enough to rival the power of a Primordial Spirit, Late Stage [the advanced stage of a cultivator's spiritual core] cultivator."

"If it can slay him, or inflict grievous wounds, perhaps there will be a chance to finish him off."

"Disaster! This Tenth Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [the tenth and final strike of the heavenly lightning trial]—"

Dorian, the Sage Lord's expression shifted slightly, and he spoke, "Prepare to act. If Eldrin, the Abyss is severely wounded by the tribulation, we must first tear through the void and take him away from here."

"We understand."

Lyra Jiang nodded with grave solemnity. Although, given Eldrin Chen's profound foundation, his chances of surviving the Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation [the heavenly trial to ascend to the Nascent Soul realm] were exceedingly high, there remained a genuine possibility of him being crippled by the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation.

Should that moment truly arrive, they would have no choice but to abandon the Heavenly Tribulation Immortal Nectar [a celestial nectar born from surviving a heavenly tribulation] and retreat temporarily for him to heal and recover.

Just as these thoughts stirred within them, the Tenth Heavenly Thunder Tribulation that had been brewing for so long in the Firmament [the highest vault of heaven] finally descended with a world-shattering roar.

"BOOM—"

In that instant, heaven and earth trembled. A bolt of incandescent, searing lightning crashed down with apocalyptic force.

The onlookers beheld, high above the infinite void, the figure clad in the White Robe as pure as snow, bathed within a cataclysmic deluge of lightning.

Then, the radiance of the Primordial True Aegis [a supreme defensive technique manifesting as an indestructible shield of primordial energy] flickered and dimmed, extinguishing in an instant. Only then did the thunderous roar, vast and mighty, begin to echo through the empty expanse.

"Hahaha!"

Witnessing the shattering of the Primordial True Aegis, Garuda Heavenly Demon and his cohorts erupted into maniacal laughter, charging with frenzied abandon towards Eldrin Chen.

With his Primordial True Aegis broken, Eldrin Chen was exposed to the endless barrage of heavenly thunderbolts. He had likely sustained wounds of unprecedented severity.

This sight caused the countenances of Lyra Jiang and the others to pale drastically. They fought with desperate fury, striving to break through and lend their aid.

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