Chapter 47 : A Legacy Forged in Crimson Flame

After dealing with all of this, the two of them quickly took out Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy] to absorb and restore their mana. It was not until the next morning, when their mana had recovered to seventy or eighty percent, that they finally breathed a sigh of relief and began to tally their gains.

"Although Hong Morgrim escaped in this battle,"

"being able to slay Zhang Vorgath, the two Foundation Establishment [the second major stage of cultivation] cultivators from the Zuo Clan, and Lin Taihe, thus avenging the great enmity of years past, can still be considered a most satisfying and heartening outcome."

Old Patriarch gazed at the several magical tools before him, the pent-up frustration of many years dispelled in a single stroke, and a look of pure, unadulterated joy spread across his face.

Eldrin Chen offered a slight smile and handed over the captured Crimson Flame Spirit Blade.

"With this treasure, Granduncle, you will be like a tiger that has grown wings."

"Hahaha!"

Old Patriarch let out three great laughs and snatched up the Crimson Flame Spirit Blade.

This Lifebound Magical Treasure [a cultivator's personally bonded enchanted artifact] was but a single step away from becoming a Second Rank High Grade Magical Tool. With a sufficient amount of the Metallic Essence [refined spiritual essence of the Metal element] and Separated Flame [refined spiritual essence of the Fire element] energies from among the Five Elements Essence [a refined spiritual essence containing the power of the five elements], it would not be long before it ascended to Second Rank High Grade.

Most crucially, a Lifebound Magical Treasure possesses power thirty percent greater than a magical treasure of the same rank, yet its consumption of the user's energy is only thirty percent of that of a comparable treasure. Read the full novel exclusively on audio_novel.com.

This one addition and one subtraction meant the Life-Bound Magical Treasure [an enchanted artifact bound to a cultivator's soul, growing in power with them] exerted an influence far surpassing that of ordinary magical tools, sufficient to increase the Old Patriarch's combat prowess by another thirty to forty percent.

"Once it is refined to the Second Rank High Grade level, then with the Separated Flame Soul-Burning Formation Flags [a set of enchanted banners that can deploy a soul-scorching formation] in hand, combined with the divine ability Blazing Heaven Sword and the Life-Bound Magical Treasure, I fear I would be capable of contending with two or three ordinary Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivators."

Chen Thalion caressed the Life-Bound Magical Treasure with loving admiration, unable to contain his joy as he spoke.

As he spoke, a thought seemed to strike him, and his gaze turned slightly cold. "It's just this Lin Clan!"

Eldrin Chen gave a meaningful look, then handed over the ancient bronze pagoda and the Violet Treasure Mirror [a magical mirror with violet luster, likely possessing defensive or scrying properties] with a smile.

"Add these two treasures—one for defense, one for support—to your arsenal, and your strength, Granduncle, will likely approach invincibility within your realm."

"Beyond every person lies another greater; beyond every heaven, a higher one. Do not overestimate me."

The Old Patriarch realized this was not the place, with so many eyes and ears about, to discuss matters concerning the Lin Clan.

He took the ancient bronze pagoda and said with a smile, "With this defensive treasure, I can directly activate the formation and charge into the midst of a host of enemies, fearless for my own safety."

"As for this treasure mirror, however, you should keep it."

Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow and asked, "Why?"

"Although the Separated Flame Soul-Burning Formation Flags [a set of enchanted banners that can unleash soul-scorching separated flames] possess formidable power, maintaining the grand formation constantly consumes far too much mental focus and mana," the Old Patriarch said with a sigh of resignation. "Under such conditions, simultaneously activating two Second Rank High Grade Magical Tool [powerful enchanted artifacts] is already my limit."

"However, your True Essence [the refined spiritual energy cultivated by a practitioner] is profound, potent, and sharp, granting you strength not inferior to a Foundation Establishment, Mid Stage [the middle phase of the Foundation Establishment realm] cultivator. You should be able to barely unleash seventy percent of this treasure's power."

"Therefore, it would be better to entrust this item to you, as that would yield the greatest effect."

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen finally accepted the Violet Treasure Mirror [a mystical mirror of violet hue], caressing it with an almost reverent touch, unable to put it down.

Next, the two of them distributed the remaining few magical tools. The Mingxu Sword [a famed spirit sword] was exceptionally powerful. As the Clan Patriarch lacked no shortage of such tools, it naturally fell into Eldrin Chen's hands.

Zuo Zhouqi's personal defensive treasure was a Golden Small Shield [a compact shield forged from golden spiritual materials]. Its defensive capabilities were slightly inferior to the Bell of Nine Echoes [a magical bell whose chimes resonate nine times], but it was still quite remarkable. The two decided to keep it to bring back for the Grand Elder.

Lin Taihe had also left behind three Second Rank Magical Tool [enchanted artifacts of the second rank]: a defensive tool forged from Mysterious Iron [a rare, spiritually conductive metal], an earth-attribute flying sword, and a Net-Shaped Magical Tool [a magical net used for capture or restraint].

These three tools were all of Second Rank Low Grade [the lowest quality tier within the second rank], and their power was rather ordinary. However, the material of the defensive tool was exceptionally fine.

The Old Patriarch decided that once they reached Celestial Ruins Mountain, he would melt down that defensive tool, extract the Mysterious Iron, and fuse it into the Bell of Nine Echoes to enhance the bell's power.

As for the possessions on Zhang Vorgath, they were rather meager. Eight years ago, a single wrathful strike of the Blazing Heaven Sword [a supreme sword technique channeling celestial fire] from the Old Patriarch had destroyed three or four of his Second Rank Demonic Treasure [powerful enchanted artifacts forged with demonic energy].

Now, his only remaining Second Rank Magical Tool [an artifact of significant power] was that Second Rank Low Grade [indicating a lower tier of quality and power] demonic banner. This banner was clearly a Demonic Treasure [an artifact imbued with malevolent energies] forged within the last few years, not only crafted from mediocre materials but also inscribed with crude and sloppy formation patterns.

Such a mediocre and unimpressive demonic artifact held no value for collection by either of them. The Old Patriarch directly destroyed it, smelting it down to extract a small amount of material, which he intended to use later for crafting Blazing Solar Skyfire Formation Flags [banners used to deploy a powerful fire-based defensive array].

"..."

After dividing the spoils, the merchant caravan continued its journey along the Vast and Boundless Wilderness [a desolate and perilous expanse of untamed land].

Time flowed swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, a full month had passed. The group finally arrived at the foot of Celestial Ruins Mountain [a mountain shrouded in ancient mystery and spiritual energy]. The complete novel can be found at audio_novel.com.

"Ahead lies the Heaven's Ruin Mountain Market [a bustling trading hub for cultivators]," someone announced.

Gazing at the majestic silhouette of Celestial Ruins Mountain, the Old Patriarch stroked his long beard, a faint smile gracing his lips.

Eldrin Chen looked up, a similar smile of relief touching his own face. After more than four months of arduous travel, they could finally rest.

Over the past month, the Old Patriarch had directly utilized the acquired Five Elements Essence [a refined spiritual essence containing the power of the five elements]. He successively infused the Crimson Flame Spirit Blade [a spirit blade imbued with crimson flames] with one thousand strands of Metallic Essence [the pure spiritual essence of metal, granting sharpness and durability] and one thousand two hundred strands of Separated Flame [the spiritual essence of a unique, potent flame]. Through continuous tempering and refinement, he finally managed to elevate this Life-Bound Magical Treasure [a magical artifact intimately linked to its owner's life force and cultivation] to the Second Rank High Grade [a high tier of power and quality within the second rank].

In addition, the two of them opened the several Storage Bag [a magical pouch capable of holding items in a separate dimensional space] they had seized, obtaining a considerable amount of wealth.

Among the four seized Storage Bag, the one belonging to Zhang Vorgath contained mostly items used by Demonic Cultivator [practitioners who use malevolent and often sacrificial methods to gain power], with only around three hundred Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy] being useful to the pair.

This amount of Spirit Stone was pitifully small for a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment, Mid Stage [the middle phase of the second major realm of cultivation], but as most Demonic Cultivator practiced using Blood Crystal [crystallized essence refined from blood and life force], the scarcity of Spirit Stone was within their expectations.

The Storage Bag belonging to Lin Taihe, however, contained over nine hundred Spirit Stone. Beyond that, it was a single tome of a Wood Attribute Cultivation Art [a cultivation technique aligned with the element of wood] titled the Verdant Clarity Longevity Harmony Art that brought them genuine delight.

The Chen Clan lacked a Wood Attribute Cultivation Art suitable for the Foundation Establishment Realm [the second major realm of cultivation]. Acquiring this art, which could be cultivated all the way to the Foundation Establishment, Mid Stage, meant their wood-aligned clansmen would no longer be without a proper path to follow after achieving Foundation Establishment.

The Storage Bag of Zuo Zhouqi and Zuo Mingxu, being clan cultivators backed by a Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan [a clan with cultivators who have reached the Foundation Establishment realm], held far greater accumulated wealth than the others. After tallying the contents, they discovered the two bags contained over four thousand Spirit Stone.

In addition, there were several vials of pills for restoring mana and healing injuries. The mana-restoring pills were called Recovery Pill [a pill that replenishes a cultivator's spiritual energy]. These were Second Rank Middle Grade [a mid-tier quality for items suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators] pills, potent enough to restore half the True Essence [the refined spiritual energy cultivated by a Foundation Establishment practitioner] of a Foundation Establishment, Mid Stage cultivator. Only three pills remained in the vial.

It seemed the two had prepared for potential injury before their arrival. Unfortunately, their strength was lacking; they were suppressed from the very beginning, never granted the opportunity to consume the pills and recover their mana or wounds.

Aside from the pills, within Zuo Mingxu's Storage Bag, they also found a manual for a cultivation art titled the Bright Abyss Dao Marsh Art.

This was a rather superior technique, capable of cultivation up to the Foundation Establishment, Late Stage [the late phase of the Foundation Establishment realm]. Although it could not compare to the Chen Clan's Blazing Sun Void-Treading Art, nor did it possess a divine ability rivaling the Blazing Heaven Sword [a powerful sword technique], it still held considerable merit and unique insights.

It recorded the forging method for a Lifebound Magical Treasure [an enchanted artifact bound to a cultivator's soul, growing in power with them] known as the 'Bright Abyss Ethereal Spirit Sword' [a sword of ethereal spirit forged in the Bright Abyss], which was also the 'Mingxu Sword' [the Sword of Mingxu]. Though it paled in comparison to the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss [a legendary sword of returning flame], it was on par with the Clan Patriarch's Crimson Flame Spirit Blade [a spirit blade imbued with crimson flames].

Do not underestimate the Crimson Flame Spirit Blade [a spirit blade imbued with crimson flames]; its forging method was acquired eight decades prior, during the Chen Clan's zenith, at a cost of over twenty thousand Spirit Stone [minerals that store and radiate spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation] in an auction.

After all, a Lifebound Magical Treasure [an enchanted artifact bound to a cultivator's soul, growing in power with them] is a treasure that can ascend in rank alongside its wielder's cultivation realm. Even if one were to become a Nascent Soul True Lord [a master cultivator who has formed their Nascent Soul, a powerful spiritual entity], such a treasure would never lose its value. Read the full novel exclusively on audio~novel.com.