Chapter 1178 : A Stone of Rebirth and Rivalry

"I wish to purchase two Sky-Piercing Pill at the price of ten pieces of Incense Offering Celestial Silver each, and that Minor Reincarnation Stone at twelve pieces of Incense Offering Celestial Silver. I wonder if a trade is possible?"

Upon hearing this, Moon Spirit Immortal Consort indeed shook her head with a smile. "The Sky-Piercing Pill has already been exchanged for something I needed. However, the Minor Reincarnation Stone is still available. Yet, this item is exceedingly rare, Fellow Daoist. You would need to offer a slightly higher price."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered slightly. The value of Incense Offering Celestial Silver was truly extraordinary; a single piece could nearly exchange for one Low-Grade Immortal Treasure, and ten pieces were sufficient to purchase one High-Grade Immortal Treasure.

This Minor Reincarnation Stone was an Upper Grade Immortal Artifact, but it contained within it the Reincarnation Path Principles [the profound laws governing the cycle of rebirth]. Furthermore, unlike the Sky-Piercing Pill which could be continuously refined, its supply was not endless. Its price indeed should be higher.

After a moment of contemplation, Eldrin Chen finally spoke. "Fifteen pieces of Incense Offering Celestial Silver. Any higher, and I shall have to seek it elsewhere."

Seeing his resolve, Moon Spirit Immortal Consort nodded with a smile. "As you wish, Fellow Daoist."

Although he had not obtained the Sky-Piercing Pill, acquiring the Minor Reincarnation Stone left Eldrin Chen quite satisfied.

As he received the Minor Reincarnation Stone, he saw a figure clad in black robes step forward. This person obtained the Sky-Piercing Pill and the Square Great Cauldron from Moon Spirit Immortal Consort, causing Eldrin's brow to furrow slightly.

Noticing this, Heaven Wind Path Master asked curiously, "Do you know this person?"

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod. "Years ago, within the Crimson Sun Earth Immortal Realm, this Nether Wind Immortal pursued me over a great distance for the sake of a single stalk of Heaven-Mending Herb." This chapter is provided by audio~novel.com. Support the original.

"The Heaven-Mending Herb [a legendary herb said to mend foundational flaws in one's cultivation]?"

Heaven Wind Immortal's hand trembled slightly, and his expression changed as he said, "It is said that the Heaven-Mending Herb can repair part of an Immortal's foundation. No wonder he pursued you for so long."

"I understand."

Eldrin Chen nodded, fully aware of the preciousness of the Heaven-Mending Herb.

One could say that the higher a cultivator's cultivation realm, the more precious this Heaven-Mending Herb becomes.

Many cultivators remain stuck at the Ascendant Immortal 9th Tier for years. If they obtained a stalk of Heaven-Mending Herb to mend their foundation, their chances of breaking through to the Half-Step Earth Immortal Realm would become almost certain.

All these years, Eldrin Chen had been cultivating the Heaven-Mending Herb within his Immortal Field [a special field for growing immortal-grade plants], hoping to see if it could evolve to the Earth Immortal Grade.

For legend held that an Earth Immortal Grade Heaven-Mending Herb possessed even greater medicinal potency. It could help a cultivator with a single Path Fruit [the condensed essence of a cultivator's chosen Dao path] to forge a second Immortal Ascension Path Fruit, thereby laying a Celestial Immortal Foundation for them.

Alas, an Earth Immortal-grade Heaven-Mending Herb was exceedingly rare. Even many Grotto-Heaven Blessed Land [self-contained paradises of immense spiritual energy], cultivating for tens of millions of years, might not succeed in nurturing a single stalk.

Returning to the matter at hand, after understanding the grudge between the two, Heaven Wind Immortal could not help but frown slightly, a crease forming between his brows.

He lowered his head to inquire about a few old acquaintances, then transmitted a message to Eldrin Chen: "The Nether Wind Path Master has agreed to the terms of the Lingering Sun Blessed Land and is preparing to descend the mountain to assist the Setting Sun Patriarch in overcoming his Earth Immortal Great Tribulation [the most severe heavenly trial faced by an Earth Immortal]."

"As compensation, the Lingering Sun Blessed Land has given him three Sky-Piercing Pills [pills that aid in breaking through to higher cultivation realms] and that Four Directions Mountain-Suppressing Cauldron [a powerful cauldron-type magical treasure]."

"So that's how it is."

Eldrin Chen nodded, then spoke: "I've heard the Zephyr Immortal Sect has seven Immortals [beings who have ascended to immortality]; it's a major sect within the Heaven's Mystery Sea Region. No wonder the Lingering Sun Blessed Land was willing to pay such a steep price."

"Indeed."

The Heaven Wind Immortal nodded in agreement and added, "If we go back ten thousand years, even my Wind Mist Island was far inferior to them."

With that said, neither of them spoke further on the matter.

During the subsequent Barter Convention, Eldrin Chen took the opportunity to trade away some useless items, acquiring in return several Immortal Herbs [rare plants imbued with potent spiritual energy] and the materials needed to refine the Soul-Cleansing Pool [a mystical pool that purifies the soul]. Only then was he truly satisfied.

Once the Barter Convention concluded, he hurried back to the Crimson Dragon Sea and then proceeded towards the Depths of the Netherworld.

Upon arriving at the Netherworld Realm, he discovered that Verdant Seal Patriarch had already established a city at the Netherworld [the underworld, a realm of spirits and the dead] counterpart location of Green Chariot Mountain.

This city was still under construction, lacking the imposing grandeur of the former Lord of Dark Night Nether Lord's citadel, yet it had already begun to take shape on a significant scale.

Eldrin Chen swept his gaze across the scene, finding that tens of thousands of Netherworld Soldiers and Ghost Generals were already garrisoned within the city walls, while countless Ghost Cultivator [cultivators who have perished and now cultivate as spectral beings in the underworld] labored to expand its structures.

Proceeding to the city's core, he discovered that Verdant Seal Patriarch and Kael Chen had been awaiting his arrival for some time.

Seeing Eldrin Chen arrive, Verdant Seal Patriarch spoke, "Your timing is perfect. This Verdant Seal Ghost City of mine currently requires your presence to help anchor its defenses for a while."

"Oh?"

Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered slightly as his divine sense instantly swept through the surrounding void, detecting several powerful Netherworld [the realm of the dead and departed spirits] auras concealed nearby. Continue reading this story at audio-novel`com.

Noticing this, Verdant Seal Patriarch gave a bitter laugh. "The Depths of the Netherworld is far from a place of peace."

Eldrin Chen nodded, understanding that Verdant Seal Patriarch's words held true.

Ghost Immortal [spectral cultivators who have ascended to a powerful immortal state within the underworld] cultivate by competing for mortal worship and faith. While there are many such Ghost Immortal within the Underworld Court [the governing bureaucracy of the nether realm], the faith from the Mortal Realm is finite. Each new Netherworld Ghost Cities that rises inevitably dilutes the share of worship available to others.

This was especially true for the several Nether Lord [powerful lords ruling territories within the netherworld] neighboring the Verdant Seal Ghost City. Naturally unwilling to see their own streams of faith diminish, they were likely poised to strike at any moment.

If not for Eldrin Chen having long ago arranged for Kael Chen to stand guard here, these Ghost Immortals [powerful spectral cultivators who have transcended mortality] would likely have already made a move against Verdant Seal Patriarch.

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen could not help but ask, "What of the strength of the nearby ghost cities?"

Having been stationed here for several millennia, Kael Chen had already gained a general understanding of the situation. He thus replied, "This territory corresponds to the area surrounding the Crimson Dragon Sea in the Mortal Realm [the primary world of mortals and cultivators]."

"There are three ghost cities in total: the Blood Dragon Ghost City, the Violet Nether Ghost City, and that Ancient Ruins Ghost City."

"Among the three, the Blood Dragon Ghost City is the most powerful. It is said the Blood Dragon Nether Lord is a Ghost Dragon [a spectral dragon formed from powerful, lingering souls] transformed from the mother of the Crimson Dragon Child, with a cultivation base reaching the Eighth Level Ghost Immortal realm."

"The Violet Nether Nether Lord was a Divine Spirit [a being of immense natural power, often born from celestial phenomena] in a past life. After falling, it cultivated a Ghost Immortal form. Later, with the support of the Violet Radiance Divine Spirit, it established this Violet Nether Ghost City."

Eldrin Chen nodded upon hearing this and said, "I have long heard that most Nether Lords [rulers of spectral domains in the underworld] in the Netherworld Realm [the underworld, a realm of spirits and the dead] have intricate connections to the Immortal Domain [the higher realm of true immortals] and the Mortal Realm. It seems this is indeed true."

"Of the three ghost cities, one was raised by the Violet Radiance Divine Spirit, another was established with the support of the Crimson Dragon Patriarch. I wonder, what is the origin of the final city?"

Upon hearing this, both Verdant Seal and Kael Chen exchanged a look.

They remained silent for a moment before Verdant Seal Patriarch finally spoke. "It seems the Ancient Ruins Nether Lord has no established lineage or sect in the Mortal Realm."

"Some say his lineage was extinguished millions of years ago, while others claim he is a rogue Ghost Immortal [a spectral immortal who cultivates through ghostly or soul-based methods] who painstakingly ascended to his current realm step by step."

"Oh?"

Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly as he inquired, "What of this Ancient Ruins Nether Lord's strength?"

Kael Chen drew a deep breath, his expression turning grave. "His power is extraordinary, likely having reached the realm of a Half-Step Ghost Ancestor [a cultivator halfway to becoming a true Ghost Ancestor, a master of spectral arts]."

"The Half-Step Ghost Ancestor realm?"

Eldrin Chen's pupils contracted for a fleeting moment before his gaze relaxed once more.

A Half-Step Ghost Ancestor was roughly equivalent to a Half-Step Earth Immortal Realm [a cultivator halfway to becoming an Earth Immortal, a being deeply connected to the world's essence]. However, Ghost Cultivator [cultivators who follow a path of spectral or soul-based power] were generally weaker than their Immortal [a being who has achieved immortality through cultivation] counterparts of the same tier. Eldrin Chen was confident he had little to fear.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen produced the materials for crafting the Minor Reincarnation Stone [a rare stone that facilitates minor cycles of reincarnation or soul transference] and the Soul-Cleansing Pool [a magical pool designed to purify and cleanse souls]. "Focus on forging the Reincarnation Well [a mystical well that governs the flow of souls into new lives] and the Soul-Cleansing Pool," he declared. "I shall personally visit those ghost cities." Discover more cultivation stories at audio—novel.com.