Chapter 12 : A Legacy Forged in Alchemy

'Twenty-Sixth Uncle [a respectful term for a paternal uncle] was a man of upright character. After his failure in Foundation Establishment [the second major stage of cultivation, where one solidifies their spiritual foundation], he has likely been burdened by guilt for many years.'

'If he cannot fortify his Dao-heart [the cultivator's core resolve and spiritual will], I fear he will sink into despondency.'

With this thought, Eldrin Chen felt a pang of regret, though it was not his place to comment. He simply asked, "May I ask, Uncle Cedric, what brings you to seek me out?"

Chen Cedric collected himself, his weary gaze sweeping over Eldrin Chen once more.

After a long moment, he sighed inwardly. Then, from his sleeve, he produced a thick, well-worn book.

"Throughout the Chen Clan's history of several centuries, your cultivation talent ranks among the very finest. In the years to come, the mantle of the clan will likely fall upon your shoulders."

"I have little else to teach you. This is my life's Alchemy Compendium [a personal record of alchemical knowledge and techniques]. I hope it may be of some use to you."

"Uncle, this..."

Eldrin Chen's voice held a note of hesitation. An Alchemy Compendium represented the lifelong heart's blood [painstaking effort and accumulated wisdom] of an Alchemist [a cultivator who specializes in refining spiritual pills and elixirs]. It was Chen Cedric's most precious skill, his very legacy.

To bequeath such a thing now gave Eldrin Chen an unsettling sense of finality, as if affairs were being put in order. Continue reading this story at AUDIO-NOVEL.COM.

"No need to ask further."

Chen Cedric placed the Alchemy Compendium into Eldrin Chen's hands. After giving him a deep, meaningful look, he turned and left the great hall.

Somehow, Eldrin Chen glimpsed a fierce and resolute aura emanating from his retreating figure.

"My Twenty-Sixth Uncle... he intends to attempt Foundation Establishment [the crucial second major realm of cultivation] once more!"

The realization flashed through Eldrin Chen's mind in an instant.

Indeed, his guess was correct. Unable to bear the weight of his guilt and the pressure upon the clan, Chen Cedric had resolved to make another attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment realm.

Without the aid of a Foundation Establishment Pill [a rare elixir that dramatically increases the chance of a successful breakthrough], the success rate for most cultivators attempting Foundation Establishment is less than one in ten. Failure most often results in shattered meridians and death.

For Chen Cedric to challenge the Foundation Establishment realm now was a desperate, life-or-death gamble. Success would help reverse the clan's decline; failure meant annihilation, body and soul.

As for entrusting the Alchemy Compendium to Eldrin Chen, it was merely to leave behind a seed—a potential future Alchemist [a master of crafting spiritual pills and elixirs]—for the clan.

"Twenty-Sixth Uncle..."

Eldrin Chen's throat felt parched. He wished to offer some counsel, yet no words would come.

As he was now, even his own chance for Foundation Establishment [the crucial second major realm of cultivation] seemed distant and uncertain. He possessed no power to alter the course of events.

The only thing he could do was pray, to fervently wish for his success in the breakthrough, that he might become the clan's second Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

In the end, when the words finally came, they were but two.

"Take care."

The Sixth Elder's footsteps paused in the distance. With his back turned, a faint smile touched the corner of his mouth.

"The path to immortality is long, fraught with hardship and obstruction. We can only walk it, solitary and steadfast."

"If I should fall, and if you ever gain the strength... go and see the view at its end for me."

He said no more. He merely waved a hand behind his back without turning and continued his descent down the mountain.

After parting with the Sixth Elder, Eldrin Chen did not descend immediately. Instead, he waited for five days, until after the New Year had passed, before finally setting out for Pingyang Town.

Pingyang Town lay more than three thousand Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] from Verdant Chariot Mountain. Even with Eldrin Chen's current level of cultivation, the journey took him a full two days to complete.

This city was built upon the Pingyang Ancient Plain, from which it also derived its name.

While still far off, Eldrin Chen could already make out Pingyang Town in the distance, for a fiery red orb hovered and pulsed in the sky above its walls.

This world was vastly different from his previous life. Mortal cities could not be established arbitrarily here.

In this world, the flesh and blood of mortals were a potent tonic for demonic beasts, while their souls were treasures coveted by Demonic Cultivator [cultivators who use dark, forbidden arts, often involving sacrifice and corruption]. Therefore, any city built in the wilds would, within a few years, become nothing more than fodder for such fiends.

Consequently, all cities in this world were founded upon spirit veins [natural conduits of spiritual energy] and protected by grand guardian formations, which together provided a tenuous shield for the mortal populace. For uninterrupted reading, go to www . audio-novel.com.

Take the Pingyang Town before him, for instance. It was established upon a Second Rank Low Grade spirit vein and fortified by a Second Rank Middle Grade Solar Divine Flame Grand Formation [a powerful defensive array that harnesses the purifying flames of the sun].

The fiery red orb floating in the city's sky was known as the Blazing Divine Flame Pearl [a magical treasure that serves as the core of a formation], a Second Rank Middle Grade formation-core treasure capable of unleashing the Solar Divine Flame to incinerate demons and monsters.

When activated by the Grand Elder, whose cultivation had reached the Great Perfection of the Qi Refinement realm, this demon-suppressing city guardian formation could often hold its own against monsters and demons even at the middle or late stages of the Foundation Establishment realm.

It was precisely because of this formidable protection that the Chen Clan's hundred thousand descendants could thrive and multiply within this brutal world of cultivation.

"Brother Eldrin, you have finally arrived."

"Come in quickly."

Even before entering the city, Eldrin Chen heard a hearty laugh.

Looking up, he saw a middle-aged man walking towards him with a smile.

With a glance, he recognized the man's identity. This person was named Chen Sol. He was the eldest son of the Grand Elder and, at fifty-five years old, was the eldest among the Nian Generation in terms of age. Unfortunately, his cultivation aptitude was poor, and he had only reached the sixth layer of Qi Refinement [the foundational stage of cultivation where one refines the body's vital energy].

Chen Sol stepped forward and examined Eldrin Chen closely, unable to hold back a sigh. "It seems I shall have to address you as Elder from now on."

"Between you and me, such formalities are unnecessary."

Eldrin Chen said with a smile as the two walked into the city. Along the way, he asked, "Where is the Grand Elder?"

"He asked me to bring you to him."

The two proceeded onward, and Eldrin Chen soon met with the Grand Elder, Chen Kael.

As the Grand Elder of the Chen Clan, Chen Kael had just passed his seventy-fifth year. Yet, relative to the lifespan limit of one hundred and twenty years for those in the Qi Refinement Realm, his strength was still at its peak.

Cultivators at the Qi Refinement Ninth Layer were scarce within the Chen Clan. Stationed in Pingyang City, a seasoned and steady elder like him was essential, making this heavy responsibility one he had to shoulder.

However, in another twenty years, Chen Kael's true essence would gradually wane. Once he passed a century of age, his power would decline sharply. By then, the clan would likely need to find a new elder to succeed him.

"You have arrived."

Inside the great hall, the Grand Elder regarded Eldrin Chen with a stern, unsmiling expression, giving a slight nod of acknowledgment.

"Since you are here, the Spiritual Root [the innate talent channeling spiritual energy] detection shall commence tomorrow."

Detecting Spiritual Root was a matter of paramount importance, both for the Chen Immortal Clan and for all the Chen descendants throughout Pingyang City.

According to the clan's regulations, the first month after the Lunar New Year was designated for testing the Spiritual Root of the clan's young children. Every child who had reached the age of six was required to participate in this grand assembly.

To prevent any oversight, each child would be granted an annual opportunity for Spiritual Root detection until they turned nine.

Although the Chen Clan lacked a Spirit Root Detection Plate [a magical artifact for precisely measuring spiritual root aptitude] and could only rely on the rudimentary methods of a Qi Refinement Ninth Layer cultivator, they still possessed an eighty to ninety percent certainty of roughly discerning a child's Spiritual Root potential.

With such a probability of detection, if a child possessing a Spiritual Root [the innate potential to cultivate spiritual energy] fails to be detected three times in a row, it can only be said to be a twist of fate, a lack of sufficient affinity for the immortal path.

Even so, Pingyang City has a population of one hundred twenty thousand. Every year, five to six thousand children require Spiritual Root [the innate potential to cultivate spiritual energy] detection, which constitutes a significant workload.

In fact, this does not even include the surrounding Six Towns. Around Pingyang City, there are Six Towns, each with an average population of nearly ten thousand.

"So many people," Eldrin Chen murmured.

Upon the plaza designated for the Spirit Root Detection Assembly, Eldrin Chen watched the bustling throngs of young children arriving to register. He could not help but frown slightly at the sight. This chapter appears courtesy of audio_novel.com.