Chapter 304 : The Peach Tree Grows

Suppressing his thoughts, Eldrin spent a few more days with Lyra before soaring back to Yu County on his sword.

In Pingyang City, he met with the Old Patriarch. Over the past few years, the venerable elder's lifespan had approached 2 100 and 60 years, and his aura had grown substantially more profound. Surprisingly, he had cultivated to the ninth level of the Purple Mansion.

This lifted Eldrin's (Person Name) spirits even further, and he couldn't help but remark, "Elder Uncle, with your cultivation having advanced yet again, I daresay you'll be able to attempt the Golden Core Realm breakthrough once more within 10 years."

"Much credit goes to your Tier-3 Spirit Pearl."

The old clan leader said with a smile, "After taking control of Celestial Python Lake, Eldrin and Lyra discovered 3 precious King Shell Pearls from its depths."

The Shell King Pearl could enhance the cultivation speed of Purple Palace Realm cultivators. In the past, Eldrin had also received this treasure as a gift from Lyra, which enabled him to rapidly break through to Purple Palace, Mid Stage.

After breaking through to the Purple Palace, Late Stage (Cultivation Realm), Eldrin (Person Name) spent 10 years refining the Earth Sovereign Bell of Returning Abyss (Magic Treasure), which significantly slowed his cultivation progress.

Yet now, he remained confident of reaching the Great Perfection of the Purple Mansion within 30 years, primarily because he had obtained these few King Shell Pearls.

A single King Shell Pearl could last for 30 years. Eldrin took 2 of these pearls—1 for his own use, and the other intended for the Old Clan Leader.

As the 2 were conversing, Eldrin brought out the Crimson Sun Void-Immolating Crucible: "I came here to entrust this artifact to you."

"With my level of cultivation, I likely cannot unleash this artifact's power as effectively as you can."

The old clan leader spoke, yet still took the 4-tier magic treasure in hand.

Eldrin now possessed 4 fourth-rank lifebound immortal sword artifacts: the Sky-Severing Twin Swords, the 1000-Demon Slaying Sword, and the Earth-Sovereign's Imperial Bell.

Generally speaking, a cultivator at the Golden Core, Early Stage could barely manage to manipulate 3 or 4 fourth-order magic treasures with their divine sense.

Eldrin could simultaneously activate 4 artifacts because his spiritual sense rivaled that of a Golden Core cultivator. Moreover, his Natal Magic Treasure consumed only 30 percent as much spiritual energy as peer-level treasures.

However, with his Purple Palace, Late Stage cultivation base, he no longer had the strength to activate a fifth fourth-order magic treasure.

Chen Changxuan primarily cultivated the Sunflame Sutra, enabling him to unleash the full potential of this treasure. The Crimson Sun Void-Immolating Crucible (Magic Treasure) falling into his hands was by no means a waste of its brilliance.

After leaving Pingyang City, Eldrin returned to Spirit Isle Lake and methodically continued accumulating spiritual power.

He pursued cultivation with unwavering persistence. Over the years, no matter how demanding his circumstances became, he never neglected his daily training—unless truly prevented by unavoidable constraints.

Amid such day-to-day cultivation, another half year slipped by unnoticed.

That day, Eldrin finished absorbing the Primordial Purple Qi and completed his cultivation regimen.

He rose to his feet and lifted his gaze to the peach blossom grove before him, only then realizing that spring had returned once more, leaving the ground carpeted with fallen petals.

Another year, the peach blossoms bloom once more.

Eldrin felt his heart lift and his spirits soar, his gaze drawn straight to the figure amidst the peach blossom grove.

At the end of the peach blossom grove, a woman in snow-white robes plucked a blossoming branch, lowering her gaze to gently inhale its subtle fragrance.

She gazed at Eldrin, her bright eyes holding a trace of pure laughter. "The peach blossoms here are truly breathtaking. I never grow tired of coming for my annual visit."

"Come, help me put it on."

Eldrin's eyes sparkled with mirth as he gently took the peach blossom branch and carefully tucked it into his flowing, ink-black tresses.

In an instant, the petals of the peach blossom hairpin grew vividly radiant, as if the entire peach blossom forest had gained an added layer of splendor.

"Beauty is not of mortal birth, but blossoms from the peach tree's soul."

Suddenly, Eldrin (Person Name) was moved to take her hand.

"Smooth talker."

Lyra's cheeks flushed slightly as she murmured, but without her realizing it, the delicate hand holding his tightened its grip ever so slightly.

The 10-Mile Peach Blossom Grove (Time & Distance) shed its petals, filling the mountain stream.

Beside the murmuring stream, several fish chased after peach blossom petals to nibble on them. Having seemingly mistaken the petals for food, they soon flipped belly-up, their eyes glazing over with a vacant stare. After a moment of discomfort, they swam away in vexation.

Eldrin strolled across the lakeside isle, accompanying Lyra as they admired the 10-Mile Peach Blossom Grove stretching before them.

Yet it stirred a maidenly fancy in Lyra (Person Name), who tugged at his sleeve with a lilting laugh. "It's been ages since I last heard you play the zither. Would you play a melody for me today?"

"Very well."

Eldrin nodded. Clad in pristine white robes, he settled beneath the spirit peach tree with his zither resting across his knees. His gaze held a trace of indulgence as he watched her.

"This melody is called—Mythology."

Her fingers glided, and a long, melodious tune rose from the zither, like a chant echoing across a 1000 years.

She listened in silence, her bright eyes reflecting the peerless man in white. His pristine robes shimmered with such radiance that they seemed to emit an ethereal glow, casting even the 10-Mile Peach Blossom Grove (Time & Distance) into comparative paleness.

Gazing at that figure, she stepped forward with her eyes lowered, a snow-white gown fluttering amidst the swirling rain of blossoms.

Beneath the Spirit Peach Tree, he gazed tenderly at her while playing a melody that seemed to transcend the mortal realm. Her graceful form unfolded with the ethereal notes, dancing a dance that belonged not to this earthly world.

The spirit peach tree seemed to sense something, shedding a boundless rain of blossoms.

Amidst blossoms, a dance unfolds; beneath the boughs, a zither's tale is told.

He strummed the zither of past lives amidst the floral rain, while she danced the dance of this mortal realm beneath the peach blossoms—like 2 fragments of time intertwining across separate realities.

By the distant lakeside, Silas stood in silence, her gaze fixed upon the pair of figures in the distance. As she listened to the ethereal melody and watched the dance unfold, her heart seemed to sink into an endless abyss.

She felt a little breathless, only then realizing that her face was already streaked with tears.

Some emotions are fated to be like standing at the edge of an abyss, like treading on thin ice—untouchable, unthinkable.

Even if the thought arises, it must be concealed for a lifetime...

As the final note faded, their souls seemed to draw closer than ever before.

Lyra nestled in his embrace, her usual sharpness softened, revealing a rare tenderness.

Gazing at the blossoming peach tree, a faint smile graced her lips as she remarked, "The beast tide has been quelled. The Grand Bazaar shall convene in 2 months' time within the Kingdom of Ji."

"Mm, let's head over together."

Eldrin held her tightly, as if embracing the entire world.

The Exchange Convention of Golden Core cultivators in the Chu Kingdom (Location) is typically held once every 60 years. Apart from this regular schedule, an additional convention would only be convened after the suppression of a beast tide.

The opportunity was rare. Not wanting to miss this grand exchange gathering, the 2 did not linger and departed Yu County early.

The Ji Kingdom was millions of li away from Chu Kingdom (Location), but Golden Core Realm cultivators could traverse 2 100 1000 li in a single day. A distance of several million li was truly insignificant.

The 2 spent a full month traversing the Cerulean Peaks Range (Location) and crossing the Yan Kingdom (Location), finally arriving at the borders of the Ji Kingdom.

The trade fair this time was being held right at the Ji Continent Trading Post.

The Ji Continent Trading Post was the largest cultivation market among the neighboring continents, ranking among the most prominent even within the entire Eastern Wastelands.

Thus, whenever the Jizhou Trade Assembly was convened, not only would the Golden Core cultivators from Jizhou attend, but even practitioners from nearby continents such as the Heavenly Abode Continent and the 1000 Stars Continent would traverse the vast chasms separating the lands to gather here.

“Ji Continent Trading Post (Location)。”

Gazing at the Ji Continent Trading Post before him, a look of awe flashed in Eldrin's eyes.

This was his first time visiting Jizhou Market, and his first glimpse of such an enormous trading city.

Compared to this place, both the major marketplaces of the Chu Kingdom and the Qin Yuan Market of the Yuan Country in the Heavenly Abode Continent fell far, far short.