Chapter 53 : A Frost Pearl's Promise

As she spoke, she channeled her spiritual power to refine the spiritual liquid within the Spirit Pool. A rushing, splashing sound filled the air.

The entire pool of spiritual liquid was condensed by her into countless Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy], which fell into her Storage Ring. The total amounted to a staggering forty thousand Spirit Stones.

Exquisite Jiang had taken nine-tenths of the spiritual liquid from the Spirit Pool, leaving behind a much more diluted remainder. However, as long as the pool was not completely drained dry, this reservoir of spiritual liquid would slowly recover over time.

Exquisite Jiang ceased her actions, avoiding the short-sighted act of killing the goose that laid the golden eggs. She glanced at the bottom of the Spirit Pool and let out a soft sound of surprise. Retrieving a frost-encrusted ice pearl brimming with cold energy, she held it up.

"To think this treasure was nurtured here. It seems fortune smiles upon you."

With a faint smile, she handed the ice pearl to Elara Lin.

Elara Lin took the pearl, an irrepressible smile spreading across her face. "With this, my hope of breaking through to the Violet Sanctum Mid Stage has grown significantly."

This treasure was a Frost Spirit Pearl [a rare pearl condensed from the essence of subterranean icy springs], a precious item typically only born within deep, frigid underground springs. For cultivators with an Ice Spiritual Root [an innate affinity for ice and cold elemental energies], it was an exceptionally valuable treasure.

Because cultivation resources for those with an Ice Spiritual Root were relatively scarce in the Eastern Region Great Wasteland, Elara Lin's cultivation had been stalled at the Violet Sanctum 3rd Tier for over twenty years. In theory, she would need to temper her spiritual power for another two decades before attempting a breakthrough to the Violet Sanctum Mid Stage.

Yet now, with this Frost Spirit Pearl in hand, it likely wouldn't be long before she could shatter the bottleneck and ascend to the Violet Sanctum Mid Stage. This novel is serialized on audio - novel . com. Visit for updates.

After securing the treasures, the two of them thoroughly searched Spirit Mountain once more, discovering seven or eight stalks of Third-Rank Spirit Herbs. Only then, their hearts content, did they return to the mountain's base.

By this time, the group below had already finished clearing the battlefield. However, as they were deep within the heartland of the Demon Race [a powerful race of sentient, often malevolent, beast-like beings], this was not the moment to divide the spoils.

Without lingering any longer at Dire Wolf Mountain, Exquisite Jiang led the group back along their path. The journey consumed over three months before they finally returned to Heavenly Ruins Mountain.

Upon their return to Heavenly Ruins Mountain, Elara Lin immediately summoned all the Foundation Establishment Cultivator [cultivators who have solidified their spiritual foundation, a key early stage of cultivation].

"During our assault on Dire Wolf Mountain, we fell into an ambush laid by the Demon Race. We are certain someone must have leaked our plans to the demonic cultivators."

"To root out any potential traitor in our midst, I require each of you to cooperate and undergo a session on the Heart-Questioning Platform [a mystical artifact that compels truth and reveals falsehoods]."

Upon hearing this, the cultivators present could not help but show a flicker of unease on their faces.

The Heart-Questioning Platform could distinguish truth from falsehood. While it wouldn't directly pry into one's innermost thoughts, once upon that platform, any uttered lie would be instantly exposed.

Every cultivator present harbored some small, personal secret. If Elara Lin used the platform to probe these hidden matters, they would be easily laid bare.

Seeing the apprehension in their expressions, Elara Lin raised a hand to soothe their fears. A gentle smile touched her lips as she spoke.

"Rest assured, our primary objective is to identify the traitor hidden within Heavenly Ruins Mountain."

"Upon the Heart-Questioning Platform [a magical platform that compels truth-telling], we will only ask questions pertaining to the recent demon beast assault. All other matters will be disregarded."

Hearing this, the crowd finally relaxed and followed Elara Lin onto the Heart-Questioning Platform.

The Heart-Questioning Platform was built against the mountainside, spanning a full hundred Zhang-lengths [one Zhang-length equals three point three three meters] and covered in profound array patterns.

Legends spoke of Heart-Questioning Platform of Fifth Rank and above, which could even dominate a cultivator's soul at will, forcing them to uncontrollably spill their innermost secrets.

The Heart-Questioning Platform at Heavenly Ruins Mountain was merely of Third Rank Superior Grade, its power far inferior to a Fifth Rank version. Yet, discerning truth from falsehood in the words of Foundation Establishment Cultivator [the second major realm of cultivation] remained a simple task for it.

Eldrin Chen and the Old Patriarch were positioned near the front of the line, and their turn came swiftly.

With a clear conscience and nothing to fear, he strode directly onto the Heart-Questioning Platform.

Watching him ascend the platform, Elara Lin allowed a faint smile to touch her lips. The great victory in the assault on Dire Wolf Mountain owed no small debt to Eldrin Chen's intervention, which had shattered the deadlock for her.

Elara Lin offered a gentle smile, her tone soothing. "Do not be afraid. I will ask, and you shall answer. That is all."

As her words fell, she activated the Heart-Questioning Platform [a magical formation platform designed to detect falsehoods and probe the heart]. Brilliant arrays of runes instantly lit up the void, shimmering with the profound power to monitor the intentions of the heart.

"Did you ever divulge the news of Heavenly Ruins Mountain's assault on Dire Wolf Mountain to the Demon Race [a race of malevolent beings that cultivate demonic arts]?" she inquired.

"I did not," he replied.

"Have you transmitted any messages to anyone outside of Heavenly Ruins Mountain?"

"I have not."

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For every question she posed, Eldrin Chen answered without the slightest hesitation.

After a few more questions, seeing no unusual reaction from the Heart-Questioning Platform, Elara Lin nodded with a faint smile.

"You may withdraw for now."

With only a few dozen Foundation Establishment Cultivator [cultivators who have solidified their spiritual foundation, the second major realm] to question, the process was not slow. In the time it takes for a single incense stick to burn, the majority had already been screened, with no anomalies found.

When it was finally down to the last few individuals, a change finally occurred.

A rogue cultivator named Established Brightness Yang walked in, his face pale. He had stumbled and faltered through Elara Lin's questions, and an anomaly was finally detected.

Seeing the Heart-Questioning Platform react, Elara Lin immediately summoned her Weak Water Long Ribbon [a divine ability that conjures a long, supple ribbon of water with restraining properties], trapping him on the spot and apprehending him.

Established Brightness Yang's face was etched with terror as he cried out on the spot, "Have mercy! I've been wronged! This matter truly has nothing to do with me!"

"Your heart harbors a ghost [a Chinese idiom meaning to have a guilty conscience]," Elara Lin stated coldly. "Whether you are wronged or not, we shall see under the Soul-Searching Talisman."

Upon hearing this, a look of pity appeared in the eyes of those present.

The Soul-Searching Talisman was a Third Rank Superior Grade talisman, each one typically valued at over ten thousand Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation].

The power of this talisman was Extraordinary. Even a Violet Sanctum Cultivator [a cultivator who has opened their Violet Palace, the third major realm] struck by it would have their soul searched, their memories within the sea of consciousness completely extracted by the talisman's power.

However, searching a soul's memories often inflicted significant damage. Typically, after such a search, a cultivator's spiritual sense would be severely impaired, requiring decades of dedicated effort to recover.

Not much time was wasted. Elara Lin requested a Soul-Searching Talisman from Patriarch Jiang. She used it on the cultivator, imprinting his memories onto the talisman, and finally uncovered the reason for his evasive answers.

It turned out that Established Brightness Yang's cultivation had been stuck at the Foundation Establishment Mid Stage for many years with no hope of advancement. Lured by the promises of Demonic Cultivator, he had secretly switched to practicing a Demonic Path technique and had quietly become one of them.

Because he had switched paths midway, he used his pure orthodox cultivation energy to suppress the baleful aura of the Demonic Path, managing to deceive everyone's eyes.

This man, with a guilty conscience, answered evasively. Elara Lin pressed him with a few more questions, which unexpectedly caused the Heart-Questioning Platform to detect his abnormality.

In truth, this man was not the actual mole who had leaked information to the Demon Race this time. Yet, he was coincidentally exposed, suffering a stroke of terrible luck and being utterly ruined by the real traitor's actions.

Towards Demonic Cultivator, Heavenly Ruins Mountain showed no mercy. Elara Lin personally executed Established Brightness Yang and then continued the investigation.

However, after she tested every single Foundation Establishment Cultivator, she still failed to identify the mole who had tipped off the demonic cultivators.

"He's not among them," Elara Lin frowned, a trace of anxiety coloring her expression. "Could it be we must investigate the Vital Essence Refinement cultivators as well?"

Heavenly Ruins Mountain had over ten thousand Vital Essence Refinement cultivators; it was simply impossible for her to investigate them all.

At that very moment, a streak of sword light soared through the sky and landed before the assembled crowd. Eldrin Chen looked up to see Exquisite Jiang standing there, silent and still. Join our community of readers at audi0-n0vel.c0m.