Chapter 20 : A Clan's Grief and the Silent Mountain

After handling these trivial matters, the subsequent screening for Demonic Cultivator [practitioners who cultivate using malevolent or forbidden methods] proceeded in an orderly fashion.

No further incidents occurred during the subsequent screenings. By the time the process concluded over half a month later, not a single Demonic Cultivator had been discovered within Pingyang City.

However, during the inspections of the five surrounding towns, the group managed to root out three Demonic Cultivator at the early to mid-stage of Vital Essence Refinement [the foundational stage of cultivation where one refines the body's vital energy].

These three Demonic Cultivator posed no significant threat. The Vital Essence Refinement cultivators of the Chen Clan took action, eradicating them completely without much effort.

With this campaign, the Demonic Cultivator within Pingyang City and its six towns were swept clean. The population under the Chen Clan's jurisdiction was also thoroughly re-registered, effectively purging a latent threat from within the clan's territory.

Once everything was settled, the group did not linger in Pingyang City. They returned to Green Chariot Mountain the very next day.

After a journey of several days, the moment the group set foot back on Green Chariot Mountain, they noticed the somber expression on the face of Third Elder who had come to greet them.

Seeming to sense their confusion, Lior Chen let out a bitter laugh, his face etched with sorrow.

"Verdant Bud he..."

In an instant, as if struck by a bolt from the blue, everyone's expressions twisted into one of profound grief. Original publication: http://www . audio-novel.com - The source of this chapter.

Sixth ElderVerdant Bud Chen entered a life-or-death seclusion to attempt a breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment [the second major realm of cultivation, where one solidifies their spiritual foundation] realm. After a month-long retreat, he ultimately passed away within his cave abode.

"By the time I sensed the anomaly, Verdant Bud had already perished some time ago."

"Every meridian in his body was shattered, and all the Vital Energy [the life force and spiritual energy circulating within a cultivator's body] and blood had drained from him. His appearance was... quite dreadful."

Third Elder spoke with a pained expression. Verdant Bud Chen had staked everything on one final, desperate gamble, yet ultimately failed to achieve a Heaven-Defying Fate Alteration [a miraculous reversal of destiny against the will of heaven]. He never grasped that sliver of hope for survival.

Eldrin Chen listened in silence, a sharp pang of grief tightening in his chest.

Since his reincarnation into this world, the elders of the Chen Clan had watched him grow up and had truly treated him with great kindness.

In just a few short years, the aged Seventh Granduncle Eternal Verdancy Chen and the still-vigorous Sixth ElderVerdant Bud Chen—one elder after another had passed away on the path of cultivation, a stark testament to its brutal and unforgiving nature.

"The Immortal Ascension Path [the arduous and perilous journey of cultivation towards immortality] is long and fraught with hardship. We can only trudge forward, solitary and determined."

"If I fall, and if you have the strength, go and see the scenery at the end of the path for me."

The words Verdant Bud Chen had spoken on the day of their parting echoed in his ears as if whispered just now. Perhaps even then, Verdant Bud Chen had foreseen his own fate, yet he still chose to gamble everything on that one-in-ten chance for survival.

Eldrin Chen remained silent for a long while, finally murmuring to himself, "I will go see it for you, Twenty-sixth Uncle."

"..."

The eradication of the Demonic Cultivators [practitioners who use sinister, often blood-based methods to advance their cultivation] this time had removed a hidden danger for the clan. Originally, several Elders had intended to hold a celebration, but the news of Verdant Bud Chen's fall had cast a pall over their spirits.

The departed had passed on; the living must always look forward.

After the funeral rites were concluded, the Elders convened a brief meeting with the clan's high-ranking members at the Vital Essence Refinement Late Stage [the final phase of refining one's foundational life energy] and above.

"Although the threat of the Demonic Cultivators has been cleared this time, we must remain vigilant henceforth,"

"We have decided that the screening for Demonic Cultivators shall henceforth be established as a permanent duty."

Within the Clan Affairs Hall, the Third Elder announced the Council of Elders's decision to the assembly.

They resolved to institutionalize the purge of Demonic Cultivators. According to the new regulations, the Chen Clan would mobilize personnel every three years to conduct a sweep, rooting out any Demonic Cultivators hidden among the mortal populace. This was to ensure the foundation of the Chen Immortal Clan [a clan whose members pursue the path of immortality] remained secure.

With this, the matter was temporarily laid to rest. Eldrin Chen also decided to return to Spirit Isle Lake, lest he miss the season for spring planting.

However, just before he could depart, Third Elder Lior Chen stopped him.

"The clan is currently short of hands everywhere, and your Spirit Isle Lake is no exception," he said. "With five new junior members joining the clan this time, I shall assign them to you."

"Caleb, Silas, come here."

From nearby, two children of six or seven years cautiously approached, their gazes tinged with nervousness as they looked at him.

Third Elder looked at the two children, a trace of satisfaction on his face. "From now on, you two siblings will follow Eighth Elder and let him guide your cultivation."

These two were precisely the dragon-phoenix twins, Mist Chen and Dawn Frost Chen, whom he had rescued from Pingyuan Town. After their Spiritual Root [the innate talent for cultivation] was discovered, they had come to Green Chariot Mountain and were entered into the clan's Clan Genealogy [the official registry of clan members], their names changed to Silas Chen and Chen Caleb.

By generational convention, they should have been placed in the Nian Generation. However, considering that Eldrin Chen was already a clan Elder, and to better highlight his status and authority, it was decided to place the two directly into the Xian Generation instead.

This way, if Eldrin Chen were to one day lead the clan, a group of junior clansmen would be easier to command than peers or elders.

Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered, instantly grasping Third Elder's underlying intention.

Though still young, this pair of dragon-phoenix twins were both prodigies with Dual Spiritual Root [a rare and superior spiritual root constitution]. Barring unforeseen circumstances, they would at least reach the Vital Essence Refinement 9th Tier [the ninth and penultimate stage of the foundational cultivation realm] in the future, and there was even a chance they could break through to Foundation Establishment [the second major realm of cultivation, where one solidifies their spiritual foundation].

Sending these two to his side served a dual purpose: to have him nurture two of the clan's most promising young talents, and to bolster the influence and voice of Eldrin Chen within the family.

One should not underestimate the importance of such influence. If he succeeded in achieving Foundation Establishment, his word would naturally carry the weight of a clan patriarch's decree. However, if he failed, this accrued influence would become critically important.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen did not refuse. Though confident in his own ability to reach Foundation Establishment, he considered guiding the clan's younger generation in his spare time to be a worthwhile cultivation experience in itself.

Early one morning, he set out with the two siblings, heading towards Spirit Isle Lake.

By the time he returned to Spirit Isle Lake, two months had passed since his departure.

Returning after this two-month absence, he was greeted upon entering Lake Heart Island by the honking of Violet-Striped Goose [a type of spirit beast resembling a goose with violet markings]. Having been raised for over two years, these Spirit Goose [spiritually attuned geese] were not yet fully grown, but they had all reached the Vital Essence Refinement Early Stage [the initial stage of the foundational cultivation realm] and had begun to develop a rudimentary understanding.

Looking at the dozen or so vibrantly feathered, half-grown Violet-Striped Goose, Eldrin Chen couldn't help but smile.

"Violet-Striped Goose reach maturity around five or six years of age," he mused. "Then they can begin to breed."

"In just three or four more years, they will start laying spirit eggs and raising the next generation."

After being left to roam freely for two months, the Violet-Striped Goose had not grown thin despite receiving no direct feeding. Instead, they had grown somewhat larger by grazing on the water plants and grasses.

However, the spiritual vegetables, left unprotected by any formation, had been ravaged by them, with roughly seventy to eighty percent eaten clean.

Fortunately, the spiritual vegetables were not particularly valuable, and Eldrin Chen was not angered. Instead, he harvested the remaining vegetables. Apart from keeping a portion for his own consumption, he fed most of them to the Violet-Striped Goose.

Following this came the spring planting season. As the Spiritual Field had not been nourished for two months, Eldrin Chen spent several extra days, repeatedly casting the Spirit Rain Art multiple times before finally sowing the Spirit Rice.

After that, life settled back into tranquility. Each day, he absorbed the Primordial Chaos Violet Aura [the supreme primordial energy of creation], honing his cultivation at the Vital Essence Refinement 9th Tier [the ninth and final stage of refining one's life force essence] in preparation for his future breakthrough to Foundation Establishment [the foundational stage of cultivation where one's spiritual core is solidified].

In his spare time, he taught the siblings Caleb and Silas to read and write, helping them recognize their own meridian pathways and acupoints. This was essential foundational knowledge before they could begin cultivation, as attempting to cultivate without it would inevitably lead to complications.

Fortunately, both siblings were quite intelligent and learned these things quickly. Eldrin Chen estimated that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, they would grasp the basics by around eight or nine years old, allowing them to tentatively embark upon the path of cultivation. Join our community of readers at site: audio-novel.com.