Chapter 30 : A Patriarch's Sacrifice

Chen Thalion held the set of Formation Flags with palpable excitement. Were it not for his still-unhealed injuries, he would have wished to refine and attune to them on the spot.

"This item will indeed be of great use to me."

"The market price for a set of Formation Flags like this is around three thousand Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation]."

"However, I currently have only thirty-seven Spirit Stone on my person." The old Clan Patriarch said, rubbing his hands together somewhat sheepishly. "Shall I owe you the remainder and repay you later?"

Eldrin Chen felt an inexplicable tremor in his heart. Over the years, to subsidize the clan, the old Clan Patriarch had exchanged nearly all his Spirit Stone for Clan Merit Points [a points-based credit system within the clan]. He had sold off most of his personal magical tools and belongings that could be sold to support the family coffers.

So much so that today, as one of only three cultivators in the Yu County at the Foundation Establishment, Late Stage [the late stage of the second major realm of cultivation], the sum total of his readily available wealth amounted to merely a few dozen Spirit Stone.

For a Foundation Establishment Cultivator [a cultivator who has established their foundational cultivation base] to be reduced to such straitened circumstances was scarcely believable.

His eyes reddened slightly. He turned his head away, swallowing hard before he spoke.

"I will sell this set of Formation Flags to the clan's Clan Treasury for three thousand merit points."

"Granduncle, while you may lack Spirit Stone, you possess an abundance of Clan Merit Points. There is no need for you to owe anything." Your portal to cultivation novels: audi0-n0vel.c0m.

"…"

By the time he emerged from the Back Mountain Spirit Spring [a spring imbued with spiritual energy, often used for cultivation], the sky was already deepening into dusk. Eldrin Chen briefly recounted the general course of his journey to the Third Elder, then departed from Verdant Chariot Mountain.

Upon finally returning to Spirit Isle Lake, he realized it was already the end of the seventh month. Nearly eight months had passed since his departure.

"Young Eldrin, you have returned."

As soon as he arrived at Spirit Isle Lake, he spotted a familiar figure—it was actually the old granduncle, Chen Dorian.

Eldrin Chen was momentarily taken aback, but quickly understood. The one who had taken his place overseeing Spirit Isle Lake during this period was this venerable elder.

At this thought, he hurried over to support the old granduncle, his brow furrowed with concern as he spoke.

"How could Lior Uncle handle matters like this? To have you, venerable elder, travel a thousand Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] all the way to Spirit Isle Lake…"

Chen Dorian's aged face fell into a stern expression. "What is it? Do you think these old bones of mine are no longer capable?"

"Of course not," Eldrin Chen replied with a placating smile. "I am merely concerned for your well-being. A journey of a thousand Li-lengths is taxing for one of your years."

"That's more like it."

The old granduncle revealed a faint smile. "I'm not like your Seventh Granduncle. He sustained hidden injuries in his youth, and in the end, he couldn't hold on and passed away."

"My health is still quite robust. I can hold on for a few more years and lend a hand to you youngsters."

He led Eldrin Chen onto Lake Heart Island and then said with a serious expression, "My main purpose in coming to Spirit Isle Lake [a large lake imbued with spiritual energy] is to guide those two children. Their talent is promising. If their cultivation studies are neglected, it would be a lifelong regret."

"As for tending to the Spirit Farmland and the Spirit Medicine [plants imbued with spiritual energy, used in alchemy], those are merely secondary tasks."

Eldrin Chen nodded. The old granduncle had guided the clan's younger generation for decades. Most cultivators of the Chen Clan's Qing Generation and Nian Generation had taken their first steps on the path of cultivation under his tutelage. He was indeed more suited than Eldrin to provide foundational instruction for the two siblings.

The two of them walked on and soon arrived at the courtyard where Eldrin resided. The Spirit Peach Tree in front of the courtyard was now exuding a rich, fragrant aroma.

The Spirit Peach Tree was now laden with Spirit Peach [peaches that have absorbed spiritual energy, beneficial for cultivation]. With his current level of cultivation, Eldrin Chen could tell at a glance that the number of Spirit Peach borne this year was significantly greater than in previous years.

"This Spirit Peach Tree..."

Gazing at the Spirit Peach Tree, Eldrin Chen spoke with evident delight.

The old granduncle nodded. "This Spirit Peach Tree has already broken through to the First Rank Middle Grade. This year, it bore one hundred and three Spirit Peach."

"I fear this Spirit Peach Tree is no longer an ordinary spirit plant."

"This tree must have encountered a great fortune, transforming into the legendary Spiritual Root [a rare and potent spiritual foundation that can enhance cultivation and produce spiritual energy]. Its fundamental nature has changed profoundly."

Having lived for over one hundred and ten years, the elder was widely experienced and knew far more than Eldrin Chen, so his gaze held a note of delight as he spoke.

From his explanation, Eldrin Chen gained a general understanding of what a Spiritual Root was.

Spiritual Root was a collective term for a special category of heaven-and-earth treasures, typically divided into Innate Spiritual Root, Acquired Spiritual Root, and also Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root [a Spiritual Root born from the convergence of natural energies, rarer than Acquired Spiritual Roots]. Read the full novel exclusively on audi novel.com.

The Innate Spiritual Root needed little explanation; it was a true, peerless treasure. Even in the legendary Immortal Realms, such artifacts were used by the mightiest powers to anchor their destinies and fortunes.

The Acquired Spiritual Root, also known as an Immortal Plant, though not comparable to the Innate Spiritual Root, was still a treasure coveted by celestial immortals. In the entire Ziyin Realm, there was only one such entity: the realm-anchoring supreme treasure, the Ziyin Divine Tree.

Legends said that every three thousand years, the Ziyin Divine Tree would shed a single divine fruit. This fruit could assist a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator in transcending mortality, ascending, and breaking through to the realm of immortal deities.

The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root [a Spiritual Root born from the convergence of natural energies, rarer than Acquired Spiritual Roots] was considerably inferior to the Acquired Spiritual Root, yet within the Ziyin Realm it remained exceedingly rare, almost invariably occupied by great sects and powerful factions.

After the elder finished speaking, Eldrin Chen revealed an expression of ecstatic joy: "Could this tree truly be a Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root [a legendary spiritual plant capable of transforming and purifying the energy of heaven and earth]?"

"My knowledge regarding Spiritual Root [a general term for spiritual plants with special properties] comes only from occasionally perusing ancient texts," Chen Dorian shook his head, speaking with uncertainty. "However, legend states that once a spiritual plant ascends to become a Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root, its growth rate remains exceptionally swift until it reaches the fifth rank."

"It would reach the second rank in ten years, attain the third rank, equivalent to the Purple Mansion [a major cultivation stage where the cultivator forms a spiritual mansion within their dantian] level, in merely fifty years. Even advancing to the fourth rank, the Golden Core level, would require only two hundred years."

"All we need to do is observe whether it can advance to the second rank within the next ten years."

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen calmed himself. "It seems we must enhance the secrecy surrounding Spirit Isle Lake [a lake at the heart of the Chen Clan's territory, housing a spirit spring and valuable spiritual resources] from now on. We cannot allow too many clansmen access."

The old granduncle also nodded in agreement. "A Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root possesses the ability to transform and purify spiritual energy. If this truly is one, then once it breaks through to the second rank, the spirit vein at Spirit Isle Lake will gradually elevate to the second rank as well."

"When the time comes, we can have the Clan Patriarch deploy a second-rank killing formation here. That should ensure this place's safety."

After conversing for a while longer, both wore smiles tinged with delight. Whether the Spirit Peach Tree [a spiritual tree that bears fruit containing concentrated spiritual energy] was truly a Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root remained uncertain, but the harvest before them was undeniably real.

This year, it had borne one hundred and three Spirit Peach [the fruit of the Spirit Peach Tree, valued for its spiritual energy], a bounty worth over five hundred Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation]. Once the peach tree reached the First Rank High Grade [the highest quality tier within the first rank of spiritual items] level, its annual yield of Spirit Peach would increase by seventy to eighty percent. At that point, the annual income would reach eight or nine hundred Spirit Stone.

Witnessing the bountiful harvest of Spirit Peach, Eldrin Chen was in high spirits. He personally plucked several ripe Spirit Peach to host Chen Dorian.

The old man was a bit reluctant to take too much. He only selected a single Spirit Peach [a peach imbued with spiritual energy, beneficial for cultivation], took a small bite himself, and sliced the rest for the two siblings, Caleb and Silas.

As he fed the two children, a warm smile spread across his face.

"They say that precious Spirit Tree [a tree that naturally gathers and radiates spiritual energy] are core assets," he mused. "Many an immortal clan can ensure its prosperity for generations if it possesses even one."

"I never quite believed it before, but seeing your Spirit Peach Tree [a specific type of Spirit Tree that bears Spirit Peaches] made me understand the truth of those words."

Eldrin Chen replied with a helpless sigh, "Elder Granduncle, my Spirit Isle Lake [a spiritual island within a lake] may lack many things, but Spirit Peach are not one of them."

"Since your visit is a rare occasion, please indulge a little more. Consider it a small token of my gratitude for the wisdom you have imparted."

Having lived in this world for over nineteen years, the people Eldrin Chen felt most indebted to were precisely Chen Dorian and his Seventh Granduncle, Chen Changqing.

Seventh Granduncle Chen Changqing had always treated Eldrin Chen with great kindness. The three treasures he left behind—the Verdant Leaf Sword [a lifebound magical sword], the Golden Armor Talisman [a talisman that conjures protective golden armor], and the Crimson Flame Talisman [a talisman that releases a burst of crimson flame]—had seen Eldrin Chen through several perilous battles. The story continues at audio–novel.com.