Chapter 611 : Fifth Grade Superior Earth Vein

"If that were all, it might be tolerable. But the leading Eldrin (Person Name) has a cultivation base as high as the late Nascent Soul stage, making him exceedingly troublesome to deal with."

Moreover, the Infernal Demon King, bolstered by the underground fire veins, possessed nearly inexhaustible magical power. Even a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator might struggle to subdue him in single combat.

At this point, the Lord of Sky Abode added with a bitter smile, "To be perfectly honest, had I not made thorough preparations and been protected by the Sky Abode Decree, this old man would likely have met his end within that underground fire vein."

"So that's how it is."

Eldrin gave a slight nod at this. The Infernal Demon Monarch had been nurtured within an earth vein for thousands of years. Though its foundation and magical power were somewhat inferior to a human cultivator at the late Nascent Soul stage, with the endless support of the subterranean fire veins, its combat prowess would likely prove exceedingly troublesome.

Seeing that the matter had been clarified, the Eldrin (Person Name) added, "That is precisely why I wish to join forces with you."

"The Chen Clan alone boasts 6 True Monarchs. Combined with the strength of our Tianlu Sect, we stand a fair chance of seizing that underground fire vein."

Eldrin furrowed his brow upon hearing this and said contemplatively, "The Flame Demons are empowered by the subterranean fire veins, making their magic power nearly inexhaustible. Even if your Tianlu Sect joins forces with our Chen Clan in an all-out assault, I fear we may still be unable to subdue them."

"Your implication being?" The Sect Master of Sky Abode hesitated slightly, his gaze wavering as he spoke.

Lyra, who knew Eldrin best, took over the conversation: "Fairy Violet's cultivation has reached the Nascent Soul, 3rd Tier, and her strength wouldn't be considered weak even among Mid Stage Nascent Soul cultivators."

"Elder Lingxu is actually a true monarch reborn, having now cultivated to the Nascent Soul, 4th Tier (Cultivation Realm). With their assistance, our chances have greatly increased."

"This..."

The Sect Master of Heavenly Abode hesitated slightly. A top-grade, fifth-tier subterranean fire vein was of astonishing value. Throughout the 3 Veins Ancient Domain, there were no fewer than several 100 mid-to-low-grade fifth-tier earth veins, yet those that could reach the top-grade fifth-tier numbered merely a dozen or so.

Such astonishing wealth would surely tempt even the most prominent Nascent Soul clans. Once seized, his confidence in breaking through to the late Nascent Soul stage would increase dramatically.

From the bottom of his heart, he was reluctant to involve too many people, for with each additional True Monarch joining, his Tianlu Sect would receive a smaller share when the final distribution took place.

Seeing his expression, Eldrin said, "Even with the combined strength of our 2 families, though we may prevail against the Flame Demon Clan, they are backed by a fifth-order earth vein. I fear our losses would be considerable even if we succeed in conquering them."

"Putting aside all else, even if we manage to capture this underground fire vein, the value of a fifth-grade, superior-quality earth vein would tempt even Great Perfection Nascent Soul cultivators."

"If our 2 families were to lose a few True Monarchs by then, would we still be able to defend this underground fire vein?"

Hearing this, the group felt a subtle stirring in their hearts. The long-bearded Taoist nearby transmitted a voice message to the Sect Master of Heavenly Abode: "The Abyssal Return Taoist indeed speaks wisely. With the Cataclysm of the Demonic Abyss less than 2 100 years away, we cannot afford to lose combat strength at such a critical juncture."

"Moreover, the most pressing matter at hand is for you, Senior Brother, to break through to the late Nascent Soul stage."

"That is indeed true."

The Sect Master of Heavenly Abode nodded, pondered for a moment, and said, "However, since this underground fire vein was discovered by us first and lies within our Heavenly Abode Continent (Location), I hope to have priority in selecting the treasures after the matter is concluded."

"This..."

Eldrin (Person Name) pondered for a fleeting moment, realizing the other’s priority in selection stemmed from a fear of missing the opportunity to break through to the late Nascent Soul stage.

At that thought, he nodded and said, "I have the authority to decide this matter."

"Very well." Only then did the Heavenly Abode Sect Master smile. "As for Violet Mist Mountain and Soaring Void Mountain, this old man is not acquainted with them. I must trouble you, Fellow Daoist, to relay the message on my behalf."

"This is easily handled."

Seeing the Lord of the Heavenly Abyss agree, a faint smile appeared on Eldrin's face.

He had his own considerations for inviting Yan Zi Ji and Lingxu Xianzi—not merely to bolster their strength.

The Chen Clan now possessed 4 fifth-order spiritual veins: Green Lotus Isle, Spirit Lake Isle, the 100-1000-Mile Great Barrens, and Immortal Apricot Island. Within a 100 years, they were set to acquire yet another—the 8 Trigrams Isle spiritual vein.

Occupying so many interests, the Chen Clan itself faced immense pressure. Even the family's True Monarch couldn't find time to embark on distant journeys, which inevitably hindered the cultivation progress of its clansmen.

Thus, by bringing along Yan Zi Ji and the others, he could both earn a favor and share the pressure on the Chen Family—why wouldn’t he do it? With this thought, Eldrin smiled again and said, “My good friend, Mo Daoren, and the Chen Family’s guest elder, Qiu Daoyi, have only recently broken through to the Nascent Soul stage. To this day, neither of them possesses even a single fifth-order spirit vein.”

"Why not invite them along? We don't need to share the profits—just promise them guardianship of the subterranean fire veins after the task is done, with annual stipends. I'm certain they'd be more than willing."

The Long-whiskered Taoist glanced at the Heavenly Abode Sect Master upon hearing this, then transmitted a covert message: "This Eldrin has gathered a few allies. Should we also call upon some friends for assistance?"

"No need." The Heavenly Abode Sect Master had now come to terms with the situation and transmitted his voice without shifting his expression. "Since Elder Mo and Qiu Daoyi are assisting without taking equity shares, it’s essentially free labor. In the future, they can even help guard the underground fire veins for us."

"If we call in more people, it will only further dilute our share of the gains."

"Eldrin is already forging favorable connections far and wide. I fear he truly aspires to the Primordial Spirit Realm and is making early preparations for guardians to aid him through his Heavenly Tribulation. We would do well to seize this opportunity and establish friendly relations with him."

Upon hearing this, the Long-whiskered Daoist’s heart trembled, and he refrained from further words.

Seeing this, the Heavenly Abyss Sect Master nodded with a smile. "Once we seize the fire vein within the Blazing Prison Inferno, we'll need to dispatch at least 3 True Lords to guard it day and night. With the assistance of Fellow Daoist Mo and Fellow Daoist Qiu, we'll greatly alleviate the strain on our manpower."

"I can agree to this matter."

"So it is decided."

Eldrin smiled faintly, settled on a time with the Sky Abode Sect Master, then the 2 of them boarded the Cyan Jade Phoenix Feather Boat and flew back to Spirit Isle Lake.

Upon arriving at Spirit Isle Lake (Location), he immediately summoned the clan cultivators and assigned personnel for the upcoming battle. He also sent letters to Yan Zijī (Person Name) and others, informing them of the situation.

The environment of the Blazing Prison Fire Sea was exceedingly harsh; even Foundation Establishment cultivators could scarcely endure prolonged exposure. Thus, for this battle, Eldrin (Person Name) had no intention of mobilizing forces on a massive scale that would exhaust both the people and their resources.

Apart from the True Monarch-level expert of the clan, he only brought a few 100 cultivators at or above the Violet Mansion realm to take action, though he did bring the Crimson Flood Dragon Treasure Ship along.

等到这些人召集齐全，收到了书信的宴紫姬等人，便立刻带着门人弟子来到了Spirit Isle Lake (Location)。

Seeing that everyone had gathered, Eldrin said, "Let's board the treasure ship first. We'll discuss matters once we reach the Heavenly Abode Continent."

The Crimson Dragon Treasure Ship could travel 1 million li in a single day. After merely a few days, it had already reached the edge of the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire.

At this moment, the edge of the Blazing Inferno Sea had long been blockaded by cultivators from the Heavenly Abode Continent. The master of the Celestial Abode Sect, who had been waiting for quite some time, smiled upon seeing the group arrive and said, "You've arrived much sooner than this old man anticipated."

Chapter 1 The Azure Clouds Sect's recruitment ceremony had just concluded, and the mountain plaza was still bustling with activity. Jiang Ming stood at the edge of the crowd, his gaze fixed on the distant recruitment platform. "Next, Lin Xiao—Grade 7 Spiritual Root!" The announcement echoed across the plaza, followed by waves of exclamations. Grade 7 Spiritual Roots were considered exceptional talents even among major cultivation sects. Jiang Ming watched as a youth in blue robes ascended the platform amidst envious stares, his expression calm. "Grade 7 Spiritual Root... Not bad," he murmured to himself. A mocking voice sounded beside him. "Jiang Ming, aren't you a Grade 3 Spiritual Root? Why even bother coming here?" The speaker was a youth in brocade robes, flanked by several followers. His eyes carried undisguised disdain. Jiang Ming glanced at him indifferently. "Grade 3 Spiritual Roots are still qualified to participate in the sect trials." The brocade-robed youth laughed coldly. "Qualified? Do you really think the Azure Clouds Sect would accept trash like you? I advise you to leave now and save yourself the embarrassment." Jiang Ming's expression remained unchanged. "Whether I stay or leave is none of your concern." He turned and walked away, ignoring the furious glare from the brocade-robed youth. Walking through the crowd, Jiang Ming overheard countless discussions. "Did you hear? This time, the Azure Clouds Sect is only accepting disciples with at least a Grade 5 Spiritual Root." "Grade 5? That's too harsh! My Grade 4 Spiritual Root doesn't even qualify?" "Who told you to be born with poor innate talent? In the cultivation world, spiritual roots determine everything..." Jiang Ming's lips curled into a faint smile. Spiritual roots determine everything? Perhaps that was true for ordinary people. But for him, a transmigrator who had lived 2 lives, things were different. He arrived at the registration area and handed his identity token to the Azure Clouds Sect disciple in charge. "Jiang Ming, Grade 3 Spiritual Root," the disciple announced expressionlessly, then pointed to a nearby stone monument. "Place your hand on the Testing Spiritual Stele. If you can make it glow, you pass." The surrounding disciples cast pitying looks at Jiang Ming. A Grade 3 Spiritual Root wanting to activate the Testing Spiritual Stele? That was nearly impossible. Even some Grade 4 Spiritual Roots struggled to meet the requirements. Jiang Ming showed no reaction. He stepped forward and pressed his palm against the cold stone surface. 1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds... Just as everyone thought he would fail, a dazzling golden light suddenly erupted from the stone monument! The golden light soared into the sky, illuminating the entire mountain plaza! "This... this is..." The previously expressionless disciple stared wide-eyed, his voice trembling. "Heavenly Spiritual Root!" The entire plaza fell into dead silence. All eyes focused on Jiang Ming, filled with shock and disbelief. Heavenly Spiritual Root! A legendary talent that appeared only once in 10 1000 years! Jiang Ming slowly withdrew his hand, a faint smile playing on his lips. He had waited far too long for this day. In his previous life, he was an ordinary office worker. In this life, he was born into a poor family, with even worse spiritual roots. But none of that mattered anymore. From today onward, his path of cultivation would be completely different. He looked up at the sky, where several streaks of light were rapidly approaching—undoubtedly attracted by the commotion. "The higher-ups of the Azure Clouds Sect have arrived," he murmured to himself. His new journey was about to begin.