Chapter 16 Demonic Cultivator's Storage Pouch, Blood Crystal

The great hall fell into a brief silence. A heavy weight settled in their hearts as they all deduced the reason behind Chen Qingmeng's secluded cultivation.

Without the aid of a Foundation Establishment Pill (Spiritual Object), a cultivator truly had to stake their very life to achieve a successful breakthrough. For Chen Qingmeng's current seclusion, there was a 90 percent chance he would never emerge alive.

After a long moment, Fifth Elder Chen Qingwan asked, "You summoned the elders' assembly right after returning. Has something happened in Pingyang County?"

Eldrin snapped back to his senses. The immediate priority now was to root out the demonic cultivator lurking in Pingyang County. Setting aside all other concerns, he hastily recounted the entire sequence of events to the assembly.

Elder Chen Qingyuan, the most hot-tempered of the 4 elders, slammed the table in fury. "We cannot let this pass without response! If we do, every major immortal clan and demonic cultivator will think us weak and easily bullied."

The Third Elder had presided over the clan's affairs for many years, not only possessing a steady temperament but also the clearest sense of organization.

"As long as we're determined, no ordinary demonic cultivator could evade our systematic investigation. But the manpower required... our current personnel are severely stretched thin."

"However, priorities must be weighed. Matters that aren't urgent can be set aside for now."

"This matter is of grave importance. Every cultivator in the clan must be summoned to contribute—unless they are in secluded meditation with their lives at stake."

Eldrin also nodded and added, "To guard against the possibility of powerful demonic cultivators, it’s best if the few of us make every effort to go as well."

"Mm." The Third Elder also nodded. "To be safe, the 3 of you shall go together. I will hold the fort here at the family."

The meeting soon concluded, and the mission to investigate the demonic cultivators was thus settled.

This time, the clan was determined to eradicate the hidden demonic cultivators lurking among mortals at all costs.

That very night, the Third Elder personally summoned each cultivator of the clan 1 by 1, delivering this non-negotiable mission.

Meanwhile, Eldrin sat within his residence, clutching the storage pouch in his hand.

This storage pouch was obtained from slaying the robed demonic cultivator. For nearly 10 days, he had been seizing every opportunity to break the restrictive spells upon it, and today he finally managed to eradicate the demonic cultivator's spiritual imprint.

After opening the storage pouch, Eldrin began examining the items within.

The old fiend's possessions were few. Aside from the Soul-Devouring Ghost Banner and the Black Shuttle—2 demonic treasures—there was only a single small cyan shield.

Both demonic treasures were extremely sinister artifacts. Frequent use could corrupt a cultivator's mind. Although Eldrin was no rigid moralist, he dared not employ them lightly except in life-or-death situations.

The azure small shield was a genuine top-grade Rank-1 magic tool, known as the Verdant Spirit Shield. When activated, the shield’s radiance it conjured was sufficient to withstand attacks from cultivators at the Qi Refining, Late Stage.

That day, relying on this treasure, the Robed Fiend managed to withstand the relentless assaults of the Verdant Leaf Sword. Had it not been for the astonishing power of the Crimson Flame Qi (Spiritual Root) talisman left by Seventh Elder, even Eldrin might not have been able to subdue him.

After obtaining this shield, Eldrin immediately refined it, filling the gap in his defensive magical treasures.

He discovered that the storage pouch mostly contained miscellaneous items. Aside from that, there were also 2 bottles of elixirs, 30 spirit stones, a tattered map, and over 4 100 blood crystals.

Both bottles of elixirs were demonic pills refined from blood-essence substances - consuming them would risk demonic possession, forcing Eldrin to destroy them.

The incomplete map appeared to be only half of the original, seemingly marking the ruins of some cultivator's abode. Yet due to its extreme fragmentation, nothing substantial could be discerned.

30 spirit stones were equivalent to Eldrin's (Person Name) annual salary, which could be considered a decent sum of income. However, what truly sent a chill down Eldrin's (Person Name) spine were the 4 100-some blood crystals.

As the spiritual leaders of all living beings, humans are born into this world between heaven and earth. Even without cultivation, they often accumulate a trace of spiritual energy over time.

Blood Crystals are essences refined from the blood of mortals. Typically, the entire blood volume of 10 mortals can only be refined into a single Blood Crystal.

For demonic cultivators, the spiritual energy contained within a single Blood Essence Crystal is roughly equivalent to that of a low-grade spirit stone. However, it is saturated with turbid energy and baleful aura, making it usable only by demonic practitioners. Those who follow the path of immortal cultivation dare not absorb it under any circumstances.

At present, the storage pouch was filled with a tangled heap of blood crystals, signifying that a full 4,000 mortals had been drained of their blood by the demonic cultivators—only then could these 400 blood crystals have been forged.

"The demonic cultivators of this world..."

"Truly devoid of all decency and conscience!"

Eldrin stared at the blood crystal, his eyes nearly tearing with fury. Even with the temperament forged through 2 lifetimes, he found it impossible to remain calm.

From childhood, he had been steeped in tales of demonic cultivators—how they shunned honest labor, embraced wicked madness, and reveled in pillaging and slaughter, pursuing acts of utter annihilation. Yet he never imagined they would carry it to such extremes.

It must be understood that most demonic cultivators are also human. To refine demonic artifacts with the souls of their own kind and forge blood crystals with the essence of mortals, treating these as resources for their own ascension—such cruelty and malice cannot be tolerated. Only their execution can quell the people’s wrath.

"All demonic cultivators in this world deserve to die!"

A flicker of killing intent flashed in Eldrin's eyes, then swiftly vanished.

"I am still not strong enough."

"Let me first protect this Chen Immortal Clan (Organization) that gave me life, nurtured me, and now stands battered by the storms."

After a long silence, he destroyed the blood crystal, demon core, and other items 1 by 1, then closed his eyes.

I was born between the vast heavens and earth, a humble existence akin to dust—a fleeting mayfly or an insignificant ant. Struggling through a life that dawns and dies within a single day, I cannot see the path that lies ahead.

"Only through cultivation can 1 find that sliver of opportunity to alter destiny."

"Cultivation is a long road."

“…”

Early the next morning, Eldrin set off for Pingyang County together with the Fourth Elder and Fifth Elder, leading the Chen Clan cultivators.

This time, almost all available personnel from Verdant Chariot Mountain (Location) had been mobilized, leaving only a skeleton crew to hold the fortress.

From the Elders of the Chang generation to the youngest Nian-generation members who had just broken through to Qi Refinement, Early Stage, all who could lend their hands set aside their current affairs.

Some emerged from seclusion mid-cultivation, others set aside half-refined 5 Elements Essence, a few cut short their leisure, while several more disentangled themselves from tending spirit fields.

Even Elder Chen Changyan of the Chang generation, who oversaw the family's legacy and specialized in guiding the younger generation in their cultivation, emerged to contribute once more to the clan.

Chen Changyan was now 1 100 and 12 years of age, nearly brushing against the 1 100 and 20-year limit of Qi Refining. Long depleted in both vital energy and blood, he had reached a state where he could no longer engage in combat.

Seeing that he intended to come along, Eldrin immediately grew restless and tried to persuade him to return and rest. But the man cut him off with a stern rebuke:

"Young 1, don’t think I’ll go easy on you just because you’ve become an elder."

"You've forgotten, it was I who taught you cultivation since you were a child."

"Now that you've become an elder, you look down on this old man?"

"When it comes to a true life-or-death battle, this old bones of mine haven't completely rotted away yet."

Scolded for no reason, Eldrin was left speechless for a moment.

He knew that these old cultivators who had practiced for a 100 years without perishing in conflicts were often experienced individuals with ruthless methods.

In a real fight, the opponent's combat prowess in the short term might not necessarily fall short of his.

But it would only grant him a single chance to fight. Once he unleashed his full power, regardless of the outcome, he would inevitably be left with exhausted vitality and meet his end.