Chapter 62 : A Foundation Shaken, A Feast of Power

"Oh?" Lin Mordred's eyes flickered slightly. "May I inquire as to the purpose of your visit?"

Eldrin Chen presented an invitation with a smile. "Two of my clan's uncles have recently achieved a breakthrough into the Foundation Establishment [the second major realm of cultivation, where one solidifies their spiritual foundation]. This is a joyous occasion, and thus, our Chen Clan has decided to host a banquet for all the great families of Yu County."

"My purpose here is to formally invite the esteemed cultivators of the Lin Clan to attend."

"Furthermore, we wish to revisit the discussion regarding the distribution of tax revenues from the Yuyang Market."

"What?"

The Lin Lysander seated nearby paled and could not help but rise to his feet.

Quickly realizing his breach of decorum, he sat back down, his expression stiff. "For the Chen Clan to produce three Foundation Establishment cultivators in succession... this is truly a cause for celebration."

Sensing the shift in atmosphere, Eldrin Chen promptly stood. "Honored guests, as the invitations have been delivered and I must still notify the other families, I shall take my leave."

Lin Mordred maintained a cordial smile and nodded. "We will not detain you further."

After bidding them farewell, Eldrin Chen turned and departed the great hall. Discover more cultivation stories at audio-novel . com.

Watching him depart on his flying sword, Lin Lysander rose to his feet, his expression cold. "Should we not detain him?" he said to Lin Mordred.

A flicker of killing intent passed through Lin Mordred's eyes. After a moment of internal struggle, however, he shook his head.

"He came openly and honorably to deliver an invitation. If we were to kill him now, the reputation we have built over centuries would be utterly ruined. How could we ever show our faces in Yu County again?"

"Moreover," he continued, "according to the news from Celestial Ruins Mountain, that old fox Chen Thalion is no longer the man he once was. If he sought revenge, we could not withstand it."

The Clan Patriarch of the Lin Clan spoke again, his face dark. "The Beast Tide Calamity will descend upon us in thirty years. Our Yu County borders the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Wilderness. The Six Great Clans must stand united."

"Alas!" Lin Lysander's expression was icy with frustration. "Had we known then what we know now, we should never have sold the Crimson Flame Spirit Blade to the Zuo Clan."

Lin Mordred's face was equally cold, his gaze sharp. "I sold the Crimson Flame Spirit Blade to the Zuo Clan in the hope they would exploit the weaknesses of the Chen Clan's Blazing Sun Void-Treading Art. I wanted them to cripple—or better yet, eliminate—that old Chen fox."

"Who could have guessed the Zuo Clan would prove so utterly useless? Not only did they fail to kill him, but they lost their own lives in the process."

Lin Lysander shook his head helplessly. "It is true that the Zuo Clan's Bright Abyss Dao Marsh Art possesses a degree of inherent counter to fire-attribute arts like the Blazing Sun Void-Treading Art. But the two from the Zuo Clan were simply not powerful enough. In the end, they were the ones thoroughly countered by the Chen Clan."

"There is no point dwelling on what might have been," Lin Mordred said, his expression grim. "The Chen Clan remains our greatest threat. If an opportunity arises in the future to weaken them discreetly, we shall take it."

The head of the Lin Clan ultimately rejected Lin Lysander's proposal, unwilling to risk the family's reputation by keeping Eldrin Chen there.

After flying out on his sword from the main peak of the Lin Clan, Eldrin Chen drew in a sharp, cold breath, only then realizing his back was drenched in sweat.

The Six Great Clans of Yu County were considered a united entity. Even if internal conflicts existed, they generally presented a united front to protect their shared interests.

Yet, just moments ago, he had keenly sensed a sliver of killing intent, which had taken him completely by surprise.

Although the Chen Clan harbored some resentment towards the Lin Immortal Clan over the matter of the Crimson Flame Spirit Blade, they had refrained from acting on it out of consideration for their shared alliance. He never imagined that Lin Lysander would actually conceive a murderous thought towards him.

"I was careless,"

"I must not repeat such a mistake in the future."

Eldrin Chen thought with a shudder of fear. Just like the Chen Clan's Verdant Chariot Mountain, the Lin Clan's ancestral lands, cultivated for over a century, were thoroughly laced with various defensive formations.

Once activated, the formations in such a place could likely trap and kill even two or three Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivators.

Had the other party truly cast aside all honor and reputation to kill him earlier, he would most likely be trapped there still.

Of course, the Lin Clan dared not truly act in such a manner. Were they to do so, it was likely that no one would ever dare to conduct business with the Lin Clan again, and the various great families of Yu County would find it difficult to tolerate such actions.

Furthermore, Chen Thalion's current combat prowess was utterly terrifying; his strength was at least equivalent to three Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivators. It was probable that even if all seven of the Lin Clan's Foundation Establishment Cultivator joined forces, they might still not be his match.

If both sides were to completely tear off all pretense and come to blows, the Lin Clan would likely end up having to fortify themselves within their clan's main peak. Venturing outside would carry the risk of perishing.

These various concerns and apprehensions prevented the Lin Clan from daring to take action. However, Eldrin Chen learned a valuable lesson from this experience.

He resolved that henceforth, unless he had absolute certainty, he would not lightly enter the grand protective formations of another clan's stronghold.

Holding this conviction in mind, during his subsequent visits to the other four families, Eldrin Chen refrained from entering their main peaks. He merely delivered the invitations just outside their residences, exchanged a few brief pleasantries, and then departed. The complete novel can be found at audio‑novel.com.

"..."

In the blink of an eye, three months passed.

The Cangyuan Mountain Range, Verdant Chariot Mountain.

Joyful events lift the spirit, and today, Verdant Chariot Mountain was bustling with extraordinary excitement.

The clan's successive emergence of three Foundation Establishment Cultivator [cultivators who have solidified their foundation in the Dao] filled every clansman with smiles, their faces radiant with pride and honor.

Third Elder led the clansmen, greeting families from all corners of Yu County with a welcoming smile, bustling with joyous activity.

The banquet was a grand affair. Beyond the Five Great Families, the Chen Clan had extended invitations to over one hundred minor immortal clans within Yu County, and even notable Rogue Cultivator [independent cultivators unaffiliated with any major clan or sect] of some renown were among the guests.

The gathering boasted well over two hundred cultivators in attendance. Among them, Foundation Establishment Cultivator alone numbered twenty-three, representing nearly the entire contingent of such experts within Yu County.

To host such distinguished company, the clan brought out treasured stores of spiritual delicacies for the feast, including First Rank Spirit Peach [peaches imbued with spiritual energy, beneficial for cultivation]. Even precious ingredients like the Azure Lake Spirit Fish [fish that have absorbed spiritual energy, their flesh nourishing to cultivators] and the Purple-Striped Wild Goose [a type of spiritual goose] were prepared into exquisite dishes to honor the guests.

The attending cultivators did not come empty-handed. Most brought gifts—pills, Spirit Medicine [herbs infused with spiritual energy, used in alchemy], magical tools, and the like. While generally not of exorbitant value, they were tokens of respect.

Only the Five Great Families presented more substantial offerings. Among them, the gifts from the Mu Clan and the Meng Clan were the most precious.

The Mu Clan, having operated in Yu County for centuries, built its reputation on trustworthiness through its Spirit Medicine trade at the Xuanming Pavilion. Prosperous and ever mindful of fostering harmony, they presented a vial of Second Rank Pill [a high-quality elixir beneficial for Foundation Establishment cultivators].

The Meng Clan's gift was the most lavish. As Chen Thalion's mother was a cultivator of the Meng Clan, and the Meng Clan Patriarch was a cousin to the Old Patriarch, they bestowed a piece of second-rank rare treasure material—Azure-Veined Steel [a rare metal with blue patterns, prized for forging magical treasures].

During the feast, Eldrin Chen was seated at a table with several other Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

The Meng Clan Patriarch, Meng Aethelstan, gazed at Eldrin Chen with eyes shining brightly, his face alight with joy as he said, "Relying on my bond with your uncle Thalion, may I presume to call you Nephew Chen?"

Eldrin Chen offered a faint smile and a nod of acknowledgment.

Within Yu County, the Chen and Meng Foundation Establishment Immortal Clans were as close as brothers, their bonds strengthened over many years by intermarriage.

In the past, when the Chen Clan's fortunes had waned, the Meng Clan had not hesitated to lend Spirit Stones [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy] to help them weather the storm.

Flushed with spirit wine, Meng Aethelstan clapped Eldrin Chen on the shoulder, his spirits high as he laughed heartily.

"Nephew Chen," he said, "I see in you the bearing of a young hero, yet you remain unwed."

"My Meng Clan has a daughter, named Meng Celestia. Though she may not match your brilliance, her talents are by no means ordinary."

His words, tinged with the scent of wine, carried a tone that hovered between jest and sincerity. "What say you to my playing matchmaker for the two of you?" This chapter appears courtesy of audio-novel.com (official site).