Chapter 23 Lingering Fear, Talisman of the Blazing Heaven Sword (Magic Treasure)

"Look out, it's the Blood-Transmuting Demon Blade (Magic Treasure)!"

The moment he laid eyes on the blade embryo, the burly demonic cultivator’s face paled dramatically. Without even sparing a thought for the Golden Radiance Heart-Locking Needles scattered on the ground, he immediately turned and fled.

Alas, facing a blade embryo with power approaching the second level, he stood utterly defenseless without his protective magical artifact. In barely a dozen breaths' time, Eldrin severed his head with a single strike.

Meanwhile, the other gaunt elder demon relied on his magical treasure for protection and fled, managing to escape hundreds of meters away in the blink of an eye.

However, this demon’s cultivation base was ultimately a notch inferior. After barely managing to flee a short distance, he was intercepted by Eldrin at the edge of the lake’s central isle.

Relying on their magical treasures, the 2 engaged in a fierce battle. Previously, even when joining forces, they had been no match for Eldrin (Person Name). Now facing Eldrin (Person Name) alone, they naturally found themselves at an overwhelming disadvantage.

In just over a dozen exchanges, Eldrin seized an opening. With a single strike from the blade embryo, he shattered the demonic bell, then cleaved his opponent in 2 with a follow-up sword stroke.

After the great battle concluded, Eldrin didn't even care about maintaining his appearance, collapsing to sit on the ground as he gasped for breath.

This battle, slaying 3 Qi Refinement, Late Stage (Cultivation Realm) demonic cultivators, had not been easy for him—especially since a second-grade artifact like the Crude Iron Blade Embryo should have been activated with true essence.

Though he managed to activate it by forcefully channeling his profound qi, the expenditure was immense. After merely 3 activations, it had already depleted 60 percent of his qi reserves.

Of course, the results were immediately apparent. First, it shattered the Golden Radiance Heart-Locking Needles, then it beheaded the ninth-level Qi Refining demonic cultivator, and finally, it destroyed the withered elder demon's small bell. It could be said that every time the blade embryo was unleashed, it achieved its goal with a single strike.

After resting for a quarter of an hour and recovering a sliver of his zhenqi, he rose to first obliterate the 3 demonic cultivators' remains, then began taking stock of his gains.

Although 3 demonic cultivators were slain this time, the actual gains were rather modest.

Most demonic treasures of devil cultivators are saturated with bloodlust energy, which can cloud 1's mind if used recklessly. Thus, Eldrin had no intention of utilizing the several devil artifacts left behind by the 3 fiends.

The only usable magical treasure was the Golden Radiance Heart-Locking Needle. Like the small cyan shield, this item was a pure orthodox magical treasure.

Once the demonic will left within by the demonic cultivator is erased, it can be refined and used without any adverse effects.

After the 3 demonic cultivators perished, the spiritual senses within their storage pouches became rootless duckweeds. He spent half a month unlocking the 3 storage pouches.

Unfortunately, most of these were blood crystals, demon pills, and other items used by demonic cultivators, which were practically useless to Eldrin. He couldn't possibly sell them off to aid his enemies, so he had no choice but to destroy them on the spot.

To be honest, the 100-some spirit stones found in the 3 demons' storage pouches could be considered a decent fortune.

Of course, these were all matters for later. In fact, that very night, Eldrin urgently returned to Verdant Chariot Mountain and found Chen Changxuan meditating in seclusion by the spirit spring deep within the rear mountains.

He recounted the incident of being attacked by the demonic cultivators, his expression grave as he spoke.

"These 3 demonic cultivators are all at the Qi Refinement, Late Stage (Cultivation Realm), and with the 6 Ghosts Talisman in their possession, they likely have significant backing."

"I'm worried..."

After listening, Chen Changxuan (Person Name) furrowed his brow slightly, but after a long moment, he relaxed and shook his head, saying.

"In Yu County, the only 1 capable of crafting the 6 Ghosts Talisman is that Old Devil Zhang."

"In that case, the origins of those 3 are quite clear. The Old Fiend Zhang has a total of 6 Qi Refinement, Late Stage (Cultivation Realm) disciples. 2 were eliminated when we eradicated the demonic scourge earlier, and now you've slain 3 more. The remaining ones no longer pose any significant threat."

Hearing this, Eldrin breathed a sigh of relief.

However, upon second thought, he couldn't help but feel a lingering fear. "I've killed 4 of Elder Zhang's disciples," he muttered anxiously. "What if the Demon Elder Zhang himself comes seeking revenge?"

Chen Changxuan shook his head with a faint smile. "However, that old devil Zhang is cunning and suspicious by nature. Having suffered a great defeat at my hands 3 years ago, he's likely still severely injured and not yet recovered. I doubt he'd dare to venture into our Chen family's territory."

He spoke, then hesitated for a moment before drawing a talisman from his robe.

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

"This..."

A flicker of astonishment crossed Eldrin's expression; he never expected the clan leader would entrust this precious talisman into his hands.

It turned out that this talisman was called the Talisman of the Blazing Heaven Sword (Magic Treasure). It was a legacy left to the clan by the previous patriarch, who had paid a tremendous price to seal his own divine abilities within it.

This treasure talisman was of high-second grade, making it a true trump card even for Foundation Establishment cultivators. If wielded skillfully, it could even slay a Foundation Establishment, Late Stage cultivator.

Back when the clan faced a grave crisis, the patriarch would rather sell his Lifebound Magical Treasure than part with this item—such was its priceless nature.

Handing the treasure talisman to Eldrin, the elder clan leader said with solemn gravity,

"This is the last remaining foundation of our clan. You must use it with utmost caution."

"Of course, should the Eldrin dare make a move against you, show no mercy. As long as you remain alive, these things can always be earned back in time."

Eldrin hesitated for a moment, his expression flickering with uncertainty, but in the end he did not refuse and accepted the precious talisman.

He was not being hypocritical, for he knew that to the family, he was indeed the 1 who needed this treasure talisman the most.

“…”

After obtaining the precious talisman, Eldrin felt more assured in his heart, and returning to Spirit Isle Lake for cultivation brought him greater tranquility.

In the blink of an eye, another 7 months had swiftly passed by.

On this day, atop the Lakeheart Isle, Eldrin sat before a cauldron, his expression tense as he watched the vessel intently.

After waiting a full half-hour, he formed hand seals and opened the alchemy furnace. A single Qi Gathering Pill (Spiritual Object) could be seen spinning rhythmically within.

It is done.

A smile graced Eldrin's lips as he slowly let out a breath.

A year ago, the Chen Clan had already planned to groom him as the family’s next alchemist. After the passing of the Sixth Elder, this process was further accelerated.

With Eldrin's (Person Name) innate talent for alchemy, supplemented by the Sixth Elder's alchemical notes and the full support of his clan, Eldrin (Person Name) became a lower-tier first-grade alchemist with little difficulty.

Afterward, he even went so far as to dip into his own pockets, sending the clan's cultivators to Yuyang Market to purchase materials for practice. Their progress was nothing short of meteoric.

This batch of Qi Gathering Pill (Spiritual Object) before him was the first first-grade mid-tier elixir he had ever refined. Though it had yielded only a single pill, it signified his breakthrough to the rank of a first-grade mid-tier alchemist.

For an ordinary alchemist to reach this stage would typically require nearly a decade of effort. Yet, he managed to elevate his alchemy skills to the intermediate first-tier level within a mere year—clear proof that his comprehension and innate talent far surpassed those of ordinary individuals.

"Practice more in the days ahead, familiarize yourself further, and increase your pill success rate."

"The family's Qi-absorbing Grass will mature in 4 years. I must strive to break through to the upper tier of first-grade alchemy before then."

With this thought in mind, he stored away the Qi Gathering Pill (Spiritual Object), tidied up the alchemy chamber, and took his leave.

In the blink of an eye, the year’s end had arrived once more—the time to return to the family for the New Year celebrations. Mere days later, he returned to Verdant Chariot Mountain (Location) with the 2 siblings in tow.

This year, there weren't as many trivial matters at Verdant Chariot Mountain (Location). A few elders held a year-end meeting to summarize the family's earnings, and then concluded the gathering.