Chapter 23 : The Crimson Saber's Wrath

"Disaster! It's the Blood-Transforming Demon Saber [a malevolent blade that consumes blood to empower itself]!"

The moment he saw the saber embryo, the hulking Demonic Cultivator [a practitioner who uses dark, often sacrificial, methods to gain power] paled with terror. He abandoned the Golden Ray Heart-Locking Needle [a needle artifact that seals an opponent's heart meridian] lying on the ground and immediately turned to flee.

Alas, facing a saber embryo whose power neared that of a Second-Order [the second major stage of cultivation, equivalent to Foundation Establishment] artifact, and stripped of his defensive magical treasure, he stood little chance. In scarcely the time it takes for a dozen breaths, Eldrin Chen cleaved his head from his shoulders with a single, decisive stroke.

The other, gaunt old demon, shielded by his magical treasure, managed to put some distance between them, fleeing several hundred meters in the blink of an eye.

Yet this Demonic Cultivator was ultimately the weaker of the two. After a desperate but short-lived escape, Eldrin Chen intercepted him at the very edge of Lake Heart Island.

A fierce clash of magical treasures ensued. Having already been outmatched by Eldrin Chen when the two of them fought together, facing him alone now meant certain defeat.

A mere ten exchanges later, Eldrin Chen found his opening. His saber embryo shattered the demonic bell artifact, and a follow-up sword strike bisected the old demon.

With the battle concluded, Eldrin Chen paid no heed to decorum. He slumped to the ground, his chest heaving as he gasped for breath.

Slaying three Vital Essence Refinement Late Stage [the final sub-stage of the Qi Condensation realm] Demonic Cultivator had been no easy feat. The Crimson Iron Saber Embryo [an unrefined but potent blade forged from crimson iron], a Second-Rank Magical Artifact [an enchanted artifact of the second rank, requiring Foundation Establishment cultivation to wield fully], was meant to be powered by True Essence [the refined, liquid spiritual energy of a Foundation Establishment cultivator].

Though he had forced it to obey with his exceptionally dense True Qi [the gaseous spiritual energy cultivated by Qi Condensation practitioners], the toll was immense. Merely activating it three times had drained over half of his True Qi reserves.

The results were immediate and decisive. First, it shattered the Golden Ray Heart-Locking Needle, then it cleaved through the Vital Essence Refinement 9th Tier Demonic Cultivator [a practitioner who cultivates using malevolent and often bloody methods]. Finally, it broke the withered old demon's small bell. Each time the blade embryo struck, it achieved its purpose with a single, devastating blow.

After resting for a quarter of an hour [approximately fifteen minutes] and recovering a small amount of his True Qi [the refined energy cultivated by a practitioner], he rose. First, he utterly destroyed the remains of the three Demonic Cultivator to leave no trace. Then, he began to tally his spoils.

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

The Demonic Treasure [enchanted artifacts used by demonic cultivators] of Demonic Cultivator were often saturated with blood-fiend energy. Using them recklessly could cloud one's mind. Therefore, Eldrin Chen had no intention of using the several demonic artifacts left behind by the three fiends.

The only usable magical instrument was the Golden Ray Heart-Locking Needle. Like the Cyan Small Shield, it was a pure artifact of the righteous path.

He merely needed to erase the demonic will the Demonic Cultivator had imprinted upon it, then refine it. Using it afterward would pose no adverse effects.

After the three Demonic Cultivator perished, the spiritual sense [a cultivator's spiritual awareness] within 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 essence], demonic pills, and other paraphernalia typical of Demonic Cultivator. These were essentially useless to Eldrin Chen. He could not sell them and potentially aid the enemy, so he had no choice but to destroy them on the spot.

To speak truthfully, the only real gain was the hundred or so Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy] found within the three fiends' Storage Bag, which still amounted to a decent sum of wealth.

Of course, this was all in hindsight. In reality, on that very night, Eldrin Chen urgently returned to Verdant Chariot Mountain. He sought out Alistair Chen, who was in secluded cultivation within the Spirit Spring [a spring imbued with spiritual energy] of the Back Mountain.

He reported the incident of encountering the Demonic Cultivator [practitioners who cultivate using dark, often malevolent methods] ambush, his expression grave as he spoke.

"Those three Demonic Cultivator were all Vital Essence Refinement Late Stage [the final stage of refining one's foundational life force] cultivators, and they wielded the Six Ghosts Talisman. They likely have significant backing."

"I fear..."

After listening, Alistair Chen furrowed his brow slightly, but after a long moment, he relaxed and shook his head.

"Within Yu County, the only one capable of crafting the Six Ghosts Talisman is that Zhang the Old Demon."

"Thus, the origins of those three are clear. Zhang the Old Demon had six Vital Essence Refinement Late Stage disciples. We eliminated two during the previous demonic purge, and now you have slain three more. The remaining one poses no significant threat."

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen let out a sigh of relief.

Yet, a thought struck him, and a trace of fear surfaced. "I've killed four of Zhang the Old Demon's disciples. Will he come seeking revenge personally?"

Alistair Chen smiled and shook his head in response. "Moreover, Zhang the Old Demon is cunning and paranoid by nature. Three years ago, he suffered a grievous wound at my hands and likely remains severely injured and unrecovered. He dares not venture into the territory of our Chen Family."

As he spoke, he hesitated for a moment before retrieving a talisman from his robe.

"However, to be safe, take this talisman. It will ensure your protection."

"This..."

Eldrin Chen's expression shifted with astonishment. He never imagined the clan patriarch would entrust such a precious talisman to him.

This talisman was known as the Blazing Sky Sword Talisman [a powerful talisman that seals a formidable sword technique within it]. It was a legacy left to the clan by the previous patriarch, who paid a great price to seal his own divine ability [a powerful supernatural technique] within it.

This treasure talisman was of the Second-Rank Superior grade. Even for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator [a cultivator who has solidified their spiritual foundation], it counted as a lethal 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 patriarch had preferred to sell his own Life-Bound Magical Artifact [a magical treasure intimately connected to a cultivator's life force] rather than part with this item, a testament to its immense value.

Thrusting the precious talisman into Eldrin Chen's hands, Old Patriarch Chen spoke with grave solemnity.

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

"Of course, if Zhang the Old Demon dares to make a move against you, do not hold back. As long as you live, such treasures can be earned back 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 family, he was indeed the one who needed this Protective Talisman [a magical charm imbued with protective power] the most.

"..."

With the Protective Talisman now in his possession, Eldrin Chen felt a surge of confidence. Returning to cultivate at Spirit Isle Lake felt considerably more secure and peaceful.

In the blink of an eye, another seven months slipped by.

On this day, atop Lake Heart Island, Eldrin Chen sat rigidly before an alchemical furnace, his expression tense as he watched the vessel intently.

After waiting for a full half Shichen-time [one Shichen-time equals two hours], he formed a hand seal and opened the furnace lid. Inside, a single Qi Absorption Pill [a pill that aids in absorbing spiritual energy] spun gracefully.

"Success."

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

A year prior, the Chen Family had begun grooming him as the family's next alchemist. After the passing of the Sixth Elder, this process had accelerated.

With Eldrin Chen's innate talent for alchemy, the detailed notes left by the Sixth Elder, and the full support of his clan, he had ascended to the rank of a First-Rank Lower-Grade Alchemist with surprising ease.

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 astonishingly swift.

The current batch of Qi Absorption Pill [a pill that aids in absorbing spiritual energy] was his first successful attempt at a first-rank middle-grade elixir. Although only a single pill was successfully refined, it signified his breakthrough to the level of a first-rank middle-grade alchemist.

For an ordinary alchemist to reach this stage, it would typically require nearly a decade. That he could elevate his alchemy skills to the first-rank middle-grade within a mere year was ample proof that his comprehension and innate talent far surpassed the common individual.

"From now on, I need more practice, to become more familiar, and increase my success rate."

"The clan's Qi-Absorbing Herb [a spiritual herb that aids in absorbing Qi] will mature in another four years. I must strive to break through to first-rank upper-grade alchemist before then."

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

In the blink of an eye, the year's end arrived once more, marking the 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. Several Elder held a year-end meeting, summarized the clan's annual gains, and then concluded the assembly.