Chapter 23 : The Demon-Slaying Blade Unleashed

"Disaster! It's the Blood-Transmuting Demon Blade [a cursed blade that feeds on and transmutes the blood of its victims]!"

The moment he saw the blade embryo, the burly Demonic Cultivator [a practitioner of forbidden arts that draw power from corruption and sacrifice] paled dramatically. He abandoned the Golden Ray Heart-Locking Needle [a needle-shaped magical weapon that seals an opponent's heart meridian] where it had fallen and turned to flee without a second thought.

Alas, facing a blade embryo with power nearing the second rank, bereft of his defensive magical treasure, he stood little chance. In scarcely more than a dozen breaths' time, Eldrin Chen cleaved his head from his shoulders with a single stroke.

The other, gaunt elder demon, shielded by his magical treasure, managed to flee, putting hundreds of meters between them in the blink of an eye.

Yet this Demonic Cultivator was ultimately a step slower. After a desperate, faltering escape, he was intercepted by Eldrin Chen at the very edge of Lake Heart Isle [the central island within Spirit Province Lake].

A fierce clash of magical treasures ensued. Having been outmatched even when the two fought together against Eldrin Chen, facing him alone now, the demonic cultivator was utterly overwhelmed.

After a mere ten or so exchanges, Eldrin Chen found his opening. The blade embryo shattered the demonic bell, and a following sword strike bisected the foe.

With the battle concluded, Eldrin Chen slumped to the ground, heedless of decorum, gasping for breath.

Slaying three Qi Refinement, Late Stage [the advanced stage of the first major realm, where one refines the body's vital energy] Demonic Cultivator had been no easy feat. The Crimson Iron blade embryo, a second-rank magical treasure in potency, was meant to be fueled by True Essence [the purified, potent energy of Foundation Establishment cultivators and above].

Though he had forced it to obey his exceptionally dense True Qi [the refined vital energy of a Qi Refinement cultivator], the toll was immense. Merely activating it three times had consumed over half of his reserves. For the best reading experience, visit audio-novel . com.

The results were, of course, immediate and striking. First, it shattered the Golden Ray Heart-Locking Needle [a magical needle that seals the heart and meridians], then it slew the Qi Refinement Ninth Layer [the ninth and final stage of Qi Refinement] Demonic Cultivator [a practitioner of dark, blood-based cultivation arts], and finally, it broke the withered old demon's small bell. One could say that every time the blade embryo struck, it achieved its goal with a single blow.

After resting for one Ke-time [fifteen minutes] and recovering a small amount of his own True Qi [the refined energy cultivated by practitioners], he rose. First, he utterly destroyed the remains of the three Demonic Cultivator, erasing all traces, and then began to tally his spoils.

Although he had slain three Demonic Cultivator this time, the actual harvest was not particularly abundant.

The Demonic Treasure [enchanted artifacts infused with dark, corrupting power] of Demonic Cultivator were mostly saturated with blood-fiend energy. Using them recklessly would affect one's mind and sanity. Therefore, Eldrin Chen had no intention of using the several demonic artifacts left behind by the three fiends.

The only usable magical tool was the Golden Ray Heart-Locking Needle. Like the Cyan Small Shield [a small shield emitting a cyan light], this item was a pure, orthodox magical implement.

As long as he erased the demonic will left within it by the Demonic Cultivator, he could refine and use it without any adverse effects.

After the three Demonic Cultivator perished, the spiritual sense [a cultivator's extended consciousness] attached to their Storage Bag [a spatial pouch for storing items] became rootless and adrift. It took him half a month to finally open all three Storage Bag.

Unfortunately, most of the contents were items like Blood Crystal [crystals condensed from blood and life essence] and Demonic Pill [pills refined through dark, often sacrificial, means]—things typical of Demonic Cultivator. To Eldrin Chen, they were essentially useless. He couldn't possibly sell them and aid the enemy, so he had no choice but to destroy them on the spot.

To speak truthfully, the only real wealth was the hundred or so Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy] found within the three demons' Storage Bag, which still counted as a decent haul.

Of course, this was all in hindsight. In fact, on that very night, Eldrin Chen urgently returned to Verdant Chariot Mountain [Green Chariot Peak] and sought out Chen Thalion, who was in secluded cultivation at the Back Mountain Spirit Spring [a spring imbued with spiritual energy].

He reported the incident of encountering the Demonic Cultivator [practitioners who use sinister and often sacrificial methods to gain power] attack, his expression grave as he spoke.

"Those three Demonic Cultivator were all Qi Refinement, Late Stage [the advanced phase of the first major stage of cultivation] cultivators, and they possessed a Six Ghosts Talisman [a sinister talisman that can summon and command six spectral entities]. I fear they may have some significant backing."

"I am worried that..."

After listening, Chen Thalion [the Grand Elder of the Chen Clan] furrowed his brow slightly, but after a long moment, his expression relaxed and he shook his head.

"Within Yu County, the only one capable of crafting the Six Ghosts Talisman is that Zhang Vorgath [a notorious and cunning demonic cultivator]."

"Thus, the origins of those three are clear. Zhang Vorgath originally had six Qi Refinement, Late Stage disciples. We eliminated two during the previous campaign to root out the demonic scourge, and now you have slain three more. The remaining one no longer poses a significant threat."

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen felt a wave of relief.

Yet, a thought struck him, bringing a flicker of apprehension. "I have killed four of Zhang Vorgath's disciples. Will he come seeking revenge against me personally?"

Chen Thalion smiled and shook his head in response. "Moreover, Zhang Vorgath is cunning and paranoid by nature. Three years ago, he suffered a grievous defeat at my hands. He is likely still severely wounded and has not fully recovered. I doubt he would dare venture into the territory of our Chen Clan."

As he spoke, he hesitated for a moment, then retrieved a talisman from within his robes.

"However, as a precaution, take this talisman. It will ensure your safety."

"This..."

Eldrin Chen's expression shifted with surprise. He had not expected the Clan Patriarch to entrust this precious talisman into his hands.

This talisman was known as the Talisman of the Blazing Heaven Sword [a powerful talisman that seals a formidable sword technique]. It was a legacy left to the clan by a previous Clan Patriarch who, at great personal cost, had sealed his own divine ability within it.

This treasure talisman was of the Second Rank High Grade [a high-quality artifact of the second tier]. Even for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, it could be considered a trump card. If used skillfully, it could even slay a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment, Late Stage.

In the past, when the clan faced a grave crisis, the Clan Patriarch had chosen to sell his own Lifebound Magical Treasure [a magical artifact bonded to a cultivator's life force] rather than part with this item, a testament to its immense value. This chapter is provided by www . audio-novel.com. Support the original.

Pressing the precious talisman into Eldrin Chen's hand, the old Clan Patriarch spoke with solemn gravity.

"This is one of the last remaining pillars of our clan's foundation. Use it with utmost caution."

"Of course, if Zhang Vorgath dares to move against you, show no mercy. As long as you live, such treasures can be regained in time."

Eldrin Chen hesitated for a moment, his expression conflicted, but in the end, he did not refuse. He accepted the precious talisman.

He harbored no false modesty, for he understood that within the clan, he was indeed the one most in need of this precious talisman.

"…"

After obtaining the precious talisman, Eldrin Chen felt a surge of confidence in his heart. Returning to cultivate at Spirit Isle Lake [the spiritual lake where the Chen Clan's main residence is located] brought him a greater sense of ease and security.

In the blink of an eye, another seven months rushed past.

On this day, atop Lake Heart Island, Eldrin Chen sat solemnly before an Alchemy Furnace [a specialized vessel used for refining spiritual pills], his expression tense as he watched the furnace intently.

After waiting for a full half Shichen-time [one Shichen-time equals two hours], he formed a hand seal and opened the Alchemy Furnace. Inside, a single Qi Gathering Pill [a basic cultivation pill that helps gather spiritual energy] spun and glistened.

"Success."

A smile spread across Eldrin Chen's face as he finally allowed himself to exhale a long, slow breath of relief.

A year prior, the Chen Clan had begun preparing him to become the family's next Alchemist [a cultivator skilled in refining spiritual pills and elixirs]. After the passing of the Sixth Elder, this process had been accelerated.

With Eldrin Chen's innate talent for alchemy, the Alchemy Notes [a compendium of alchemical knowledge and recipes] left by the Sixth Elder, and the clan's full support, Eldrin Chen had become a First Rank Low Grade Alchemist [the initial, foundational rank for a pill-refining cultivator] without great difficulty.

Afterward, he did not hesitate to spend his own resources, sending the clan's cultivators to Yuyang Market to purchase materials for practice. Naturally, his progress was remarkably swift.

The current batch of Qi Gathering Pill [a basic pill that aids in gathering and refining spiritual energy] was his first attempt at refining a First Rank Middle Grade pill. Although only a single pill was successfully formed, it signified his breakthrough to the level of a First Rank Middle Grade Alchemist.

For an ordinary Alchemist, reaching this stage often requires nearly a decade. That he could elevate his Alchemy to the First Rank Middle Grade level within a mere year clearly demonstrated that his comprehension and innate talent far surpassed the average person.

"I must practice more from now on, gain further familiarity, and increase my Pill Success Rate."

"The clan's Qi Absorption Herb [a spiritual herb that absorbs ambient Qi, used in alchemy] will mature in another four years. I must strive to break through to First Rank High Grade in Alchemy before then."

With this thought, he stored the Qi Gathering Pill, tidied up the workspace, and left the Alchemy Chamber.

In the blink of an eye, Year's End arrived once more—time to return to the clan for the New Year celebration. Merely a few days later, he brought the two siblings back to Verdant Chariot Mountain.

This year, there were not as many trivial matters on Verdant Chariot Mountain. The elders convened a Year-End Council, summarized the clan's annual gains, and then concluded the meeting. Enjoyed this chapter? Read more at https://audio-novel.com.