Chapter 811 : A Desperate Gamble for Ascension

"There is indeed one left."

Eldrin Chen nodded. Even before their return, the group had already decided to exchange a Primordial Spirit Pill [a supreme elixir that aids in the breakthrough to the Primordial Spirit realm] for a fragment of a stellar core.

Without hesitation, Eldrin Chen spoke, "We are willing to make the trade. However, the stellar core fragment is exceedingly precious, and I lack any Sixth Rank Spiritual Object [a spiritual object of the sixth rank, a high-grade cultivation resource] to cover the remaining difference in value."

"That matter is easily resolved." Star Lord Alkaid [the sovereign of the Alkaid star] let out a sigh of relief. As long as they were willing to sell the Primordial Spirit Pill, other details could be managed. He continued, "The remaining balance can be made up with Heavenly Crystal [a purified, high-density form of spiritual energy crystal] and Spiritual Treasure [an enchanted artifact of significant power]."

"Then it is settled."

Eldrin Chen acted decisively. He exchanged one Primordial Spirit Pill plus spiritual objects worth one thousand Heavenly Crystal for a single Nine Heavens Star Core Fragment [a fragment from the core of a fallen star, containing immense cosmic energy] from Star Lord Alkaid.

After concluding this transaction, Eldrin Chen personally escorted Star Lord Alkaid upon his departure.

"This move of his... it carries the air of a final, desperate gamble."

After Star Lord Alkaid had left, Exquisite Jiang approached with a sigh.

Eldrin Chen nodded, his expression complex. "This is his third attempt at breaking through to the Primordial Spirit [the realm of the spiritual core, a major milestone in cultivation] using a Primordial Spirit Pill. It is also his greatest chance yet." Continue your cultivation journey at audio–novel.com.

"If I cannot achieve a breakthrough this time, I fear my hopes will be exceedingly slim."

Eldrin Chen could roughly surmise the predicament of Star Lord Alkaid. As the master of the Alkaid Star Vein within the Stellar Palace, Star Lord Alkaid's status was second only to a few Primordial Spirit Patriarch [the highest echelon of cultivators who have formed their Primordial Spirit], making him a figure of immense prestige.

However, Star Lord Alkaid had failed twice in succession to break through to the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core cultivation realm], consuming two incredibly precious Primordial Spirit Pill [a legendary elixir that aids in forming the Primordial Spirit]. This likely caused significant discontent among the other Primordial Spirit True Lord [cultivators who have attained the Primordial Spirit realm] within the Master of the Stellar Palace.

After all, while the Stellar Palace was vast and powerful, it also had a great many Late Stage Infant Soul Great Cultivator [powerful cultivators at the peak of the Infant Soul stage]. The number of cultivators qualified to compete for a Primordial Spirit Pill was even greater.

Now, Star Lord Alkaid sought to exchange for a third Primordial Spirit Pill. If he were to fail yet again, the entire Alkaid lineage would likely fall into a decline from which it could not recover.

Yet, breaking through to Primordial Spirit was a matter concerning his own Path [the fundamental Dao or way of cultivation]. Star Lord Alkaid was naturally unwilling to simply accept fate. He had likely already staked everything, even going so far as to offer a treasure as profound as a fragment of a stellar core.

"I hope he succeeds."

Eldrin Chen sighed softly, then set the matter aside. A smile touched his lips as he said, "Let us first refine the Primordial Solar Elixir [a supreme-grade pill that refines and purifies one's spiritual energy] and bring our spiritual power to its peak."

"Agreed."

Exquisite Jiang also nodded, a genuine smile gracing her features.

Early the next morning, Eldrin Chen took Lila and Exquisite Jiang with him to refine the Primordial Solar Elixir [a supreme pill containing the essence of the primordial sun] using the Pill Division Art [a profound technique for dividing and refining potent elixirs].

The Pill Division Art passed down by Long River Path Lord was exceedingly profound and mysterious. Over the course of seven years, they finally succeeded in dividing the Primordial Solar Elixir into three portions and refining them. Unbeknownst to them, their spiritual power [the cultivated energy within a practitioner] had already reached a state of perfect completion during this process.

On this day, Eldrin Chen emerged from his Seclusion Chamber [a specially prepared room for undisturbed cultivation] and sought out Exquisite Jiang and Verdant Consort. He spoke directly, "My spiritual power has achieved perfect harmony. I intend to select an auspicious day to attempt the Earth Soul Summoning [the critical process of calling one's Earth Soul to fuse with the spirit]."

Seeing his intent to enter seclusion for the breakthrough, Exquisite Jiang spoke up, "Go and focus on your seclusion with peace of mind. We will stand guard for you."

"Mm."

Having decided to undertake the Earth Soul Summoning, Eldrin Chen saw no reason for further delay.

He immediately returned to his cave abode and entered seclusion, beginning to circulate his spiritual power in preparation for summoning his Earth Soul and guiding it to its rightful place.

Within the Immortal Path [the overarching system of cultivation in this world] of this world, for an Infant Soul Cultivator [a cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage] to break through to the Primordial Spirit [the Primordial Spirit stage], they must summon and guide their Heaven and Earth Souls to return and fuse as one with their Life Soul [the soul residing within the body, representing mortal life]. Only through this unification can they achieve the immensely powerful Primordial Solar Primordial Spirit [a specific, potent type of Primordial Spirit].

Among these, the Heaven Soul [the celestial aspect of one's soul] resides high above in the azure firmament of the Nine Heavens [the highest celestial realms], growing in tandem with the cultivator's own advancing cultivation.

This Heaven Soul is formed from a wisp of pure, ethereal energy [the lightest and most refined form of spiritual essence], so insubstantial it is nearly intangible. Summoning it down is an endeavor of great difficulty, and one must often wait for a suitable celestial alignment or moment to increase the chances of success.

That Earth Soul [the soul aspect anchored to the mortal world and the earth] was concealed within the Netherworld Depths [the profound and dark abyssal layers of the underworld]. Though not as elusive and distant as the Heaven Soul [the soul aspect connected to celestial fate and destiny], it was immeasurably heavy and burdensome.

It was said the Earth Soul had swallowed endless amounts of Netherworld Turbid Energy [the heavy, impure spiritual energy of the underworld], sinking into an infinite mire within the Netherworld [the realm of the dead and departed spirits]. Unless one possessed exceptionally powerful spiritual energy and divine sense, it was utterly impossible to pull this Earth Soul free.

At this moment, Eldrin Chen secluded himself to meditate and sense the location of his elusive Earth Soul. In an instant, he felt his divine consciousness soar across the boundless Netherworld, arriving at a place of profound darkness—a deep abyss.

"This is the place."

In that fleeting moment, Eldrin Chen sensed the precise location of his Earth Soul. Without hesitation, he mobilized his vast soul power and spiritual energy, exerting a tremendous pulling force.

Yet, that Earth Soul lay submerged within the Netherworld, as if trapped in an endless, viscous mire of Netherworld filth. The resistance he felt was not like pulling a single soul, but rather like wrestling against the weight of an entire vast Netherworld Sea [the conceptual sea of souls and turbid energy in the underworld]. The story continues at www . audio-novel.com.

"So this is the Netherworld Realm [the domain and laws of the underworld]?"

Eldrin Chen murmured to himself, and then his pupils abruptly contracted with fierce determination.

In that very instant, the four supreme spiritual energies within Eldrin Chen's body—the Primordial Solar Flame [the pure, yang essence of solar fire], the Profound Darkness Water [the deep, yin essence of abyssal water], the Myriad Things Earth [the foundational essence of all earthly matter], and the Primordial One Gold [the unyielding, metallic essence of primordial metal]—erupted with world-shaking, heaven-trembling force.

A torrent of overwhelming power shook the very foundations of reality, relentlessly hauling the Earth Soul up from the Depths of the Netherworld [the deepest, most inaccessible layers of the underworld] in a defiant surge towards the heavens.

In less than three Shichen-time [a conventional unit of time equal to two hours], the Earth Soul [one of the three spiritual souls, representing the connection to the earthly realm] had already been guided upward, enveloped by the magical power of Eldrin Chen, and settled into his Sea of Consciousness [the spiritual center of the mind].

"Success!"

In an instant, Eldrin Chen felt his own magical power surge dramatically, and a look of joy involuntarily crossed his face.

A cultivator's Heaven Soul and Earth Soul [the two spiritual souls residing in the heavens and the underworld respectively] wander within the Azure Firmament [the highest heavens] and the Netherworld [the realm of the dead and spirits], constantly drawing power from heaven and earth to grow stronger as the cultivator's own magical power increases.

The more powerful the cultivator's main body, the more powerful the Heaven and Earth Souls become.

Now, with Eldrin Chen's Earth Soul having returned to its rightful place, his spiritual soul power increased by more than double, and his magical power also received a tremendous boost.

Next, once Eldrin Chen accumulates his magical power to its peak, it will become twice as potent as that of an Infant Soul 9th Tier [the ninth and final stage of the Infant Soul cultivation realm] cultivator.

Such a massive enhancement meant that, empowered by this level of magical power, the might of Primordial Solar Divine Ability [divine abilities powered by pure solar energy] like the Two Polarities Divine Aegis [a divine shield technique balancing opposing forces] and Four Symbols Divine Thunder [a thunder technique invoking the power of the four celestial beasts] when channeled by him would not be inferior to that unleashed by a Primordial Spirit Path Lord [a cultivator who has reached the Primordial Spirit realm and comprehended a Path].

In terms of pure magical power alone, he was now not far behind a Primordial Spirit Path Lord.

And if one were to speak of combat prowess, the gap between him and a newly ascended Primordial Spirit [the cultivation realm beyond Infant Soul, where one's spiritual soul fully manifests] cultivator was likely not great.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen murmured to himself once more, "Should I press on with relentless momentum and attempt to invoke the Heaven Soul Return [a profound technique to recall and refine one's celestial soul essence]?"

"No, it is not yet the time."

In the next Eldrin moment, Eldrin Chen shook his head again.

With his current level of spiritual power, he did indeed possess a measure of confidence to succeed in a single, sustained effort to invoke the Heaven Soul Return.

However, doing so would not only risk triggering the premature descent of the External Tribulation [a cataclysmic heavenly trial faced by cultivators], but more crucially, his cultivation within the Infant Soul Realm [the stage where the nascent soul is nurtured] was not yet perfected.

Counting carefully, more than a thousand years had passed since his breakthrough into the Infant Soul Realm. The profound foundation he had accumulated through relentless cultivation over these millennia was immense.

Throughout these years, aside from his cultivation practice, Eldrin Chen had been utilizing this accumulated foundation to transform his Path Fruit [the tangible fruits or achievements of one's cultivation path].

Currently, two of these Path Fruit remained unconverted and incomplete. The first was the fifth type of Arcane Power [a profound and esoteric supernatural power], and the second was the fourth Innate Divine Ability [a supreme power inherent to one's soul or bloodline].

He had been contemplating that fifth Arcane Power for several centuries, and Eldrin Chen had a distinct feeling. Once he comprehended the wood-attribute Arcane Power, his spiritual power would undergo a startling metamorphosis.

Furthermore, the fourth Innate Divine Ability needed to be fused into his Infant Soul [the nascent spiritual core] while still within the Infant Soul Realm. If he were to break through to the Primordial Spirit Realm [the realm of the primordial, unified spirit] now, he would forever miss the opportunity to integrate this fourth Innate Divine Ability.

It must be understood that a cultivator's Innate Divine Ability [a unique, heaven-bestowed power inherent to an individual] is of paramount importance. This is especially true for those Innate Divine Ability founded upon supremely profound principles. Even after one's cultivation soars to the Ascendant Immortal Realm [the realm of an immortal who has shed their mortal form], such abilities can remain as ultimate trump cards.

"Let it be. I shall wait a few more years."

"It is not too late to make my breakthrough after I have fully comprehended the Wood Attribute Arcane Power [a profound power derived from the essence of wood] and perfected my final Innate Divine Ability." Dive deeper into the Dao at audio-novel[dot]com.