Chapter 683 : The Fallen Demon Blade

Seven days later, the Treasure Ship Fleet set sail towards the seas of the White Tiger Star Palace.

Kael Chen stood silently in place, his gaze fixed on the departing figures, his expression composed and solemn.

For this battle, the forces had been mobilized almost to the last man. Yet, to guard against the threat posed by the scattered Demon Race to the Formation Eye of the Vermilion Bird Archipelago, a contingent of Nascent Soul True Lord and troops had been left behind.

This group included Kael Chen, Ethan Chen, and others, who would be responsible for guarding several of the Star Constellation Formation Eye.

Watching Eldrin Chen and the others depart, Kael Chen did not linger long on Water Chariot Island either. He soon took flight towards Star Sun Island.

Having flown for several million Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters], he passed by a desolate island. Suddenly, Kael Chen's brow furrowed slightly. His Swiftflight Light came to an abrupt halt, and he paused before a Spirit Mountain.

There, upon the barren island, a pitch-black demonic sword hovered and drifted.

The sword was crystalline and translucent throughout, with dark mists swirling within its depths. An aura of Indestructible Sword Intent [a conceptual sword will that is unyielding and eternal] coiled around it.

"The Heavenly Demon's Immortal-Slaying Sword," Heavenly Demon's Immortal-Slaying Sword [a legendary demonic blade forged to slay even celestial beings].

In that instant, Kael Chen recognized the sword's origin. This chapter appears courtesy of audio-novel . com.

It turned out that after the Heavenly Demon's Immortal-Slaying Sword [a legendary demonic blade of immense power] fought its way out of the encirclement, it finally spent its last reserves of Mana [the spiritual energy used to power spells and techniques] and plummeted onto this remote, desolate island.

At the very moment Kael Chen discovered the Heavenly Demon's Immortal-Slaying Sword, the sword's radiance surged violently. In an instant, it transformed into a wisp of black Qi [the vital energy that flows through all living things] and shot straight into the center of his brow.

"Hahaha!"

In that fleeting, lightning-fast instant, Kael Chen heard a bizarre, echoing laugh resound within the depths of his sea of consciousness [the spiritual realm of the mind].

A wisp of a remnant soul flew forth from the sword, its voice tinged with maniacal glee. "Heaven smiles upon me! To find a Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul [a Nascent Soul cultivated in perfect alignment with the Heavenly Dao, possessing immense purity and potential] here!"

"The Soul-Seizing Reincarnation Art [a forbidden demonic technique to seize another's body and soul for rebirth]!"

The intruder was actually a remnant soul-fragment of the Garuda Demon Monarch [a powerful demonic sovereign of the Garuda race]. Cloaked in boundless killing intent, it lunged straight for Kael Chen's Nascent Soul [the spiritual core of a cultivator, formed after the Golden Core stage], intent on performing this Demonic Path [the path of cultivation that embraces demonic and destructive energies] Great Divine Ability [a supreme and profound supernatural power] to seize his body and undergo a Reincarnation Tribulation [a perilous process of forcibly taking over another's body to be reborn].

Faced with such a vicious and insidious Reincarnation Tribulation method from the Garuda Demon Monarch, Kael Chen remained utterly unperturbed, his expression unchanged. He actually allowed the demon monarch's soul-force to surge unimpeded into his Nascent Soul.

"What treachery is this?!"

The Garuda Demon Monarch's soul-fragment had just breached Kael Chen's brow when it suddenly sensed that something was profoundly amiss.

Within Kael Chen's Nascent Soul [the spiritual core of a cultivator, formed after the Golden Core stage], countless thoughts suddenly divided and multiplied into billions upon billions of distinct consciousnesses. An endless tide of these thoughts utterly submerged the intruding presence, making it feel as insignificant and adrift as a lone boat upon a boundless, stormy sea.

In that fleeting moment, the remnant soul of the Garuda Demon Monarch panicked. A look of sheer terror dawned upon its spectral visage as it cried out in shock, "Who... what are you? Are you man or ghost?"

Kael Chen watched it calmly, his expression unflinching and his gaze steady.

His Nascent Soul housed four hundred eighty million distinct consciousnesses. Acting in concert, their combined spiritual power surpassed even that of a Half-Step Primordial Spirit [a cultivator on the verge of achieving the Primordial Spirit realm] expert by a significant margin.

For a mere wisp of a remnant soul like the Garuda Demon Monarch to attempt a Divine Ability [a supreme supernatural technique] of possession against such a fortress was nothing short of delusional folly.

Only after the billions of consciousnesses within Kael Chen's spiritual sea had slowly, methodically devoured the last traces of the Garuda Demon Monarch's remnant will, assimilating it completely into the fabric of myself own soul, did he finally speak, his voice calm and detached.

"I am myself. And now, you are also me. You shall become but one of my four hundred eighty million consciousnesses."

"*Hum—*"

The sword light trembled faintly. Sensing something amiss, the Heavenly Demon's Immortal-Slaying Sword [a legendary enchanted blade of immense power] sought to flee from Kael Chen's sea of consciousness.

Yet, with a slight furrow of his brow, Kael Chen willed a strand of power—now imprinted with the essence of the Garuda Demon Monarch—to surge forth from his Nascent Soul. This energy lashed out, intertwining with and ensnaring the Heavenly Demon's Immortal-Slaying Sword, halting its attempted escape.

Sensing the power of the Garuda Demon Monarch, the radiance of the Heavenly Demon's Immortal-Slaying Sword trembled faintly, then gradually began to dim.

At that very moment, Kael Chen's Mana [the spiritual energy cultivated by a practitioner] took the opportunity to slowly erode the demonic sword, refining this Pure Yin Demonic Treasure [a powerful artifact forged from the essence of pure Yin energy] that once belonged to the Garuda Demon Monarch.

As for Kael Chen's chance encounter with the Heavenly Demon's Immortal-Slaying Sword, Eldrin Chen remained completely unaware.

The great army pressed onward, and after more than a month, they finally traversed several thousand Ten-Thousand-Mile Territory [a vast distance of ten thousand Li-lengths] and arrived at the borders of the White Tiger Domain.

Aboard the Treasure Ship at this time, Eldrin Chen and the other combatants of Nascent Soul Late Stage [the final stage of the Nascent Soul realm] gathered together, each wearing expressions of grave solemnity.

Xuanxu the Daoist set down a letter in his hand, his face etched with worry as he spoke, "Our Fellow Daoist [a respectful term for fellow cultivators] from the Azure Dragon Star Palace have already been routed. I fear this battle is about to take another unforeseen turn." Immerse yourself in the complete world at audio-novel dot com.

"What are we to do now?"

Everyone present wore heavy expressions, and many among them felt a sense of despair.

Eldrin Chen's own countenance was one of profound sorrow. The retreat of the Azure Dragon Star Palace had dealt them a crushing blow, a great stone weighing upon their hearts.

For according to the battle plan they had agreed upon with Dao Lord Nine Abysses, in three days' time, Dao Lord Nine Abysses was supposed to force the four Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator, a realm beyond Nascent Soul] of the Demon Race into a decisive confrontation.

According to the plan, Jaxian Lu would mobilize the power of the three great Star Spirit [a celestial spirit formed from the essence of a constellation]—the Azure Dragon, the White Tiger, and the Vermilion Bird—to engage in a decisive battle against the four Demon Race Dao Lord [a title for a supreme master of the Dao].

Meanwhile, the forces from the White Tiger Star Palace and the Three Veins Ancient Domain were to launch a pincer attack, surrounding and pinning down one or two Demon Race Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator, representing the Nascent Soul stage]. If they could hold back two Nascent Soul Demonic Cultivator, they would create an opportunity for Dao Lord Nine Abysses to slay the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon [a powerful demon from beyond this realm].

However, now that all the Formation Eye [the core node of a magical formation] of the Azure Dragon Star Palace had been breached, they had lost the aid of the Azure Dragon Star Spirit. This was equivalent to losing the combat power of one Primordial Spirit.

In a battle of this magnitude, the power of a single Primordial Spirit was more decisive than that of hundreds of Nascent Soul True Lord. Thus, the collapse of the Azure Dragon Star Palace Archipelago had dealt a devastating blow to their prospects.

At this thought, unease stirred within the hearts of all present. Xuanxu the Daoist could not help but voice his concern, "Brother Eldrin, should we still proceed with this battle?"

"We fight!" declared Eldrin Chen with unwavering resolve, his gaze turning icy. "If we succeed here, we all live to return. Should we fail, the entire strategic situation will crumble into ruin."

"This is our only chance. We must press on, no matter the cost."

His words sent a tremor through the assembly, for they knew that whether this battle ended in victory or defeat, it would inevitably be paid for in blood.

Yet, they also understood the truth in Eldrin Chen's words. There could be no further retreat.

The Feathered Pavilion Master nodded, his expression steely with determination. "Should any among us fall in this fight, I pray the survivors will extend their care to our descendants."

"Brother of the Feathered Pavilion."

Xuanxu the Daoist's heart trembled. He glanced at Feathered Daoist and then gritted his teeth, saying, "This old man's lifespan is nearly spent. It is time to stake everything."

"Only, if this old man falls in battle, I hope you will watch over my clan."

"Have no fear." Feathered Pavilion Master nodded, then laughed heartily and said, "If I fall, I shall trouble Brother Xuanxu to collect my remains."

Seeing these two Half-Step Primordial Spirit powerhouses cast aside all concern for life and death, the others also regained their fighting spirit. They resolved to stake their all in a single, decisive battle to settle the fate of the heavens and earth.

"Good! Then we fight! Let us join forces and try to slay a Primordial Spirit!"

Seeing the group's fighting spirit surge, Eldrin Chen also revealed a smile as he spoke.

He rarely produced a jar of spiritual wine, pouring a cup for each person present. "I drink this wine to fortify your spirits," he declared. "We *must* slay the Heaven-Demon in this battle!" For more chapters, visit audio - novel . com for the complete novel.