Chapter 416 : A Stratagem of Stone and Flame

"A Netherworld Stone?"

As crimson twilight filled the sky, the Slanting Sun Wheel suddenly spoke.

It gazed at the Netherworld Stone, a flicker of surprise in its demeanor. "We are precisely in need of a Fifth Rank Treasure to serve as a Formation Eye. If you place this object within the Formation Eye, it can be used to enhance the suppression of the Crimson Flame True Lord."

"As long as the fiend seeks to break free, it will continuously refine the Netherworld Stone with its True Flame [a cultivator's purest, most potent flame]. In time, the Netherworld Energy [a corrupting energy from the underworld] will naturally be purged."

"That is indeed an excellent strategy."

Eldrin Chen said with genuine delight. This was a true stratagem laid in plain sight. To escape its confinement, the Crimson Flame True Lord would undoubtedly exert its full power to refine the Netherworld Stone.

This would both suppress the Crimson Flame True Lord and cleanse the Netherworld Energy from the stone, achieving two objectives with a single action.

Without delay, they joined forces, placing the Netherworld Gemstone as the Formation Eye upon the Formation [a structured array of power used for defense, attack, or cultivation].

After reinforcing the Formation, the Slanting Sun Wheel offered a final warning. "This Netherworld Stone is not a Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [a treasure of the highest order, often with sentience or a powerful will]; it possesses no consciousness of its own. Once the Netherworld Energy within the stone is exhausted, it will begin to be refined by the Crimson Flame True Lord."

"It will take approximately one Sixty-Year Cycle [a complete cycle of sixty years] for the Netherworld Energy to be fully consumed. After two Sixty-Year Cycle, the stone itself will be completely refined by the Crimson Flame True Lord." Original publication: audio-novel`com - The source of this chapter.

"Therefore, you must return within two Sixty-Year Cycle to retrieve the Void Gem. If you delay beyond that, he will have refined the treasure, making him far more difficult to deal with."

"We understand."

Exquisite Jiang gave a slight nod. They could scarcely wait a single Sixty-Year Cycle, let alone return to claim it after two.

Seeing their agreement, the two Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure revealed faint smiles. With the aid of this Netherworld Stone, their own Future would be considerably smoother for the next hundred years.

With this thought, Selene's Ring still presented them with the Creation Jade and the Returning Abyss Spirit Treasure Jade. "You have aided us greatly this time. Please take this Creation Jade and Returning Abyss Spirit Treasure Jade."

"Our thanks, Senior." Eldrin Chen offered no further refusal. After accepting the treasures, he added, "This Netherworld Stone is of extraordinary value. We entrust its safekeeping to you both."

"Set your mind at ease. With us here, its security is assured." Selene's Ring spoke, then paused briefly. "With your innate talent, a century from now your strength will surely have grown immensely."

"With your aid then, perhaps we can finally slay Crimson Flame True Lord, eradicating this persistent threat to our very core."

Eldrin Chen's heart stirred slightly. The companion magical treasure of that Crimson Flame True Lord possessed astonishing material properties. If its essence could be extracted and fused into the Solar Fire Returning Abyss Sword, it might just elevate the blade to the rank of a Demon-Slaying Immortal Sword.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen felt a surge of anticipation. He nodded firmly. "Rest assured, Senior. Once our strength is sufficient, we will not hesitate to strike and utterly annihilate that fiend."

"In that case, our minds are at ease."

The two Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure spoke no more and sank into the Heavenly Vault, beginning to draw upon the power of the Spiritual Vein to recover.

Their expenditure in this battle was immense; even with the aid of the Fifth Rank Formation to restore them, it would require no small amount of time.

Seeing matters here concluded, Exquisite Jiang, having recovered a portion of her spiritual energy, said, "The ruins are about to close. We need not linger. Let us return first and discuss matters then."

"Agreed."

Eldrin Chen nodded and set off, flying towards the exit of the ruins.

Considering there were two great enemies on Tianlu Continent, they did not linger there after leaving the ruins.

They soared on their swords over the Heavenly Ridge Mountain Range and returned within the borders of Ji Continent. To prevent any leak of information, they again refrained from using a Teleportation Formation, returning silently all the way to Spirit Isle Lake.

Upon returning to Spirit Isle Lake, Eldrin Chen let out a slight sigh of relief. He took out the Creation Jade and the Returning Abyss Spirit Treasure Jade, saying:

"I see the Clan Treasury still holds Origin-Returning Flower and Five Essence Treasure Pearl. Later, have the clansmen gather more Spirit Herb so we can refine Creation Returning Abyss Pill and Creation Origin Pill."

"I will also have someone check if there are any of these treasures within the Clan Treasury of the Heavenly Ruins Sect," Eldrin Chen said.

Exquisite Jiang also smiled as she spoke. This time, they had not only achieved their wish but also obtained this piece of Creation Jade and two pieces of Returning Abyss Spirit Treasure Jade.

After consuming the Creation Returning Abyss Pill, it can increase the cultivation of a Golden Core Cultivator by one Sixty-Year Cycle [a period of sixty years]. Both Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang had already taken this pill, but the family's Old Patriarch and Kael Chen, among others, could still take it.

The Old Patriarch possesses a Dual Spiritual Root [a spiritual root affinity for two elements], and his Lifebound Magical Treasure [a magical treasure bound to one's life force] is also fewer than Eldrin Chen's. Coupled with Eldrin Chen's full support, his cultivation speed has always been very fast.

He is now at the Golden Core 4th Tier level. After taking the pill, he would immediately catch up to Eldrin Chen and was estimated to reach Golden Core Perfection even earlier than Eldrin Chen.

To refine the Precious Pill, Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang mobilized the entire strength of their clan and the Heavenly Ruins Alliance to begin purchasing the auxiliary Spirit Herb [spiritually infused herbs used in alchemy] in large quantities. This chapter is provided by audio-novel-dot-com. Support the original.

In less than a month, they had gathered all the auxiliary Spirit Herb, and they immediately began refining the Precious Pill.

This alchemy session took nearly half a year. The two of them refined all the fourth-rank Spirit Herb stored in the family's Clan Treasury before finally emerging from their Seclusion Chamber.

On this day, as the final batch of Creation Origin Pill was completed, Eldrin Chen stored the pill away and said joyfully, "With this pill, within one Sixty-Year Cycle, I will certainly break through to the Golden Core Late Stage."

This time, they refined a considerable number of pills. First, they consumed two pieces of Returning Abyss Spirit Treasure Jade and the Five Essence Treasure Pearl to open the furnace and refine two batches of Creation Returning Abyss Pill.

Of these two batches of Creation Returning Abyss Pill, the first yielded two pills, while the second finally achieved greater success, producing a full three Precious Pill.

After obtaining five Creation Returning Abyss Pill [elixirs that can help a cultivator recover from severe cultivation damage], they did not stop immediately. Instead, they proceeded to refine another cauldron of Longevity Pill [elixirs that extend a cultivator's lifespan].

As far back as two hundred years ago, they had obtained a Sun and Moon Grass [a rare spiritual herb that absorbs the essence of the sun and moon] at Heavenly Python Lake. Now, after more than two centuries had passed, Heavenly Python Lake itself had already been destroyed.

It was only now, after it had been renamed Heavenly Ruins Lake, that they finally gathered the complete set of Spirit Herb [plants infused with spiritual energy, used in alchemy] required for a single batch of Longevity Pill, a testament to the pill's immense rarity.

To refine this single batch of Longevity Pill, Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang labored tirelessly for an entire month, forgetting sleep and food, before finally succeeding in producing three pills.

A fourth-rank Longevity Pill could extend one's lifespan by two Sixty-Year Cycle [a cycle of sixty years, a traditional unit of time]. The high-ranking cultivators of the Chen Clan still had relatively long lifespans ahead and did not urgently need such fourth-rank Longevity Pill. Selling these pills would likely be enough to alleviate the clan's external debts accumulated in recent years.

Besides the Longevity Pill, they also refined a batch of Nirvana Pill [an elixir that can rebuild a cultivator's physical form]. This Nirvana Pill could reforge a cultivator's physical body, making it an indispensable treasure for Golden Core Cultivator [cultivators who have condensed their spiritual energy into a solid Golden Core].

Although only one pill could be produced per batch, possessing this elixir meant that even if a clan Golden Core Cultivator suffered severe bodily destruction in the future, it would not necessarily mean the complete end of their cultivation journey [the lifelong pursuit of cultivation and enlightenment].

Furthermore, they refined two batches of Golden Core Formation Pill [pills that aid in the formation of a Golden Core], yielding a total of eight pills. One remaining Fourth Rank Superior Grade Demon Core [the condensed energy core of a powerful demonic beast] had to be set aside for future use, as they lacked sufficient Heavenly Heart Grass [a spiritual herb crucial for certain high-level elixirs] to refine it immediately.

The final batch was this Creation Return Cloud Pill [a legendary pill that can reshape one's foundation]. Refined using Creation Jade [a miraculous jade containing the essence of creation], the cost for a single batch of this pill exceeded fifteen million Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation].

Fearing unforeseen mishaps, the two of them labored ceaselessly for three full months before finally completing the refinement. Though the final yield was a mere three pills—just enough to break even on their investment—for both Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang, this outcome was considered a significant and rewarding achievement. Your portal to cultivation novels: audio-novel[dot]com.