Chapter 77 : A Prodigy's Path to the Purple Mansion

The woman smiled faintly and said teasingly, "This is a Generation's Pinnacle Talent who achieved Foundation Establishment on his own. In the future, I might even have to address him as 'Senior,' so how could I dare to presume familiarity with him now?"

Hearing this, the others couldn't help but nod in agreement.

Achieving Foundation Establishment on its own was not the most remarkable part. The crucial point was that Eldrin Chen was exceptionally young for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Barring unforeseen circumstances, he would have two more opportunities than the average Foundation Establishment Cultivator to attempt a breakthrough into the Purple Mansion [the third major realm of cultivation, where one's spiritual foundation is solidified into a 'Purple Mansion' within the dantian].

When a Foundation Establishment Cultivator attempts to break through to the Purple Mansion, even a failed attempt provides valuable experience. It allows the cultivator to at least unblock more of their spiritual meridians, thereby increasing their chances of success in the next attempt.

In the eyes of those present, Eldrin Chen had at least a fifty to sixty percent chance of becoming a Purple Mansion cultivator before his lifespan was exhausted.

Meng Aethelstan laughed heartily and continued introducing the other Foundation Establishment Cultivators present to Eldrin Chen.

These individuals were all long-time friends of Meng Aethelstan. The woman was named Yvonne Yu, the Grand Elder of the Yu Clan, a Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan from Ling County.

The other two were a Rogue Cultivator [an independent cultivator not affiliated with any major clan or sect] from Feng County and the Clan Patriarch of the Jiang Clan, one of the Feng County Foundation Establishment Immortal Clans. Both were cultivators at the Foundation Establishment, Mid Stage.

Through Meng Aethelstan's introductions, Eldrin Chen became acquainted with many of the Foundation Establishment Cultivators present. This marked his formal entry into their circle, allowing him to step into the limelight among his peers.

One's circle determined the resources one could access. Most second-rank treasures circulated among Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Items that Qi Refinement Cultivators [cultivators in the first major realm] might search for in vain were often held in some quantity by Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Access the full story on audio - novel . com.

Though it was but a single encounter, becoming acquainted meant they could at least exchange information and resources in the future. Should any needed treasures arise later, it would be easier to visit for an exchange or purchase.

After the time for half an incense stick to burn, a figure ascended the central dais of Dingxuan Pavilion. This person was named Severus Xu, his cultivation at the Foundation Establishment, Late Stage, and he was an elder of the Xu Clan.

Severus Xu swept his gaze over the assembly and said with a faint smile, "Fellow Daoists, this old man is Severus Xu, honored to preside over this Barter Convention."

"I shall not waste words. To begin, this old man will cast a brick to attract jade, starting the trading with my Xu Clan."

As he spoke, he produced three treasure boxes and opened them in sequence.

Eldrin Chen looked up and saw that within the first treasure box lay an ancient, dark azure stone bell. The second box contained a clump of high-quality Ethereal Verdant Earth [a rare, spiritually-charged earth element material prized by artificers]. The final box held a single jade slip.

That Severus Xu held up the first box and said with a smile, "These three items are the treasures my Xu Clan offers for trade this time."

"This stone bell is a Second Rank High Grade Defensive Magical Tool forged from Deep Azure Gemstone [a rare earth-attribute gemstone known for its resilience]. Its value, I trust, is clear to all. You may freely make your offers; both Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy] and suitable treasures are acceptable for trade."

Eldrin Chen glanced at it, and a flicker of desire stirred within him.

Deep Azure Gemstone was an earth-attribute treasure. Once refined into a magical tool by a skilled Artificer, this bell's defensive capabilities were already quite formidable. Its power likely rivaled that of the Old Patriarch's small ancient bronze pagoda.

However, it was clear that he was not the only one whose heart stirred at the sight of this item. Soon, a cultivator offered a price of four thousand Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation].

An ordinary Second Rank High Grade Magical Tool [an enchanted artifact of the second rank, high grade] was typically valued around four thousand Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation]. Defensive magical tools, being rarer and more difficult to craft, commanded a significant premium.

Before long, it was purchased at a premium price of five thousand two hundred Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation] by a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivators [cultivators in the late stages of the Foundation Establishment realm] from the Yang Clan [the Yang family], a Purple Mansion Immortal Clan [an immortal clan with a Purple Mansion realm cultivator] of Ling County [Ling County].

The second treasure was a piece of top-quality Ethereal Verdant Earth [a rare, spiritually-charged earth element material prized for crafting]. This lump of Ethereal Verdant Earth [a rare, spiritually-charged earth element material prized for crafting] was of a quality not inferior to the Millennium Crimson Iron [a rare iron ore refined over a millennium] that Eldrin Chen [Eldrin of the Chen Clan] had once possessed. It was excellent material for forging a Life-Bound Magical Treasure [a magical treasure bound to a cultivator's life force and soul]. In the end, this item was exchanged by the Mu Clan [the Mu family] of Yu County [Yu County] for a vial of Second Rank High Grade Pill [a high-grade pill of the second rank, used for cultivation].

After the transaction for the Ethereal Verdant Earth [a rare, spiritually-charged earth element material prized for crafting] concluded, Severus Xu [Severus of the Xu Clan] produced the final jade slip, his expression carrying a thread of hope as he spoke.

"This object contains my Xu Clan [the Xu family]'s treasured divine ability, the Earth-Fortress Divine Thunder [a powerful thunder technique aligned with the earth element]. We wish to exchange it for a divine thunder ability of the Fire-Sun Divine Thunder [a powerful thunder technique aligned with the fire and sun elements] type. I wonder if any fellow Daoists present have one to trade?"

Upon hearing his words, the assembled crowd fell into a heavy silence, no one uttering a word.

Eldrin Chen [Eldrin of the Chen Clan]'s eyes flickered slightly as he grasped the underlying intent of the Xu Clan [the Xu family].

Divine abilities were the foundational heritage of every great family, their deepest reserves of power. Within Yu County [Yu County], only the Chen Clan [the Chen family] and the Lin Clan [the Lin family] possessed such techniques. The Lin Clan [the Lin family]'s Earth-Fortress Divine Thunder [a powerful thunder technique aligned with the earth element] had been acquired at great cost from the Green Sun Sect [the Green Sun Sect], thanks entirely to Mordecai Lin [Mordecai of the Lin Clan]'s connections.

Such trump cards, the very bedrock of a clan's legacy, were typically guarded with utmost secrecy. They were never divulged lightly, reserved only for the most dire of circumstances or for exchanges of monumental value.

Among the two Purple Mansion Cultivator [cultivators who have opened their Purple Mansion, a higher cultivation stage] from the Xu Clan, one broke through to the Purple Mansion Realm [the stage of opening the spiritual mansion within the dantian] forty years ago. It is said this individual is a cultivator with dual Spiritual Root [the innate spiritual affinity that determines one's cultivation path] affinities for Fire and Earth.

That Purple Mansion Ancestor [a venerable elder who has reached the Purple Mansion Realm] possesses extraordinary talent and combat prowess, and has already mastered the Earth-Fortress Divine Thunder [a divine thunder technique of the Earth element]. If they could also learn the Fire-Sun Divine Thunder [a divine thunder technique of the Fire element] technique, their battle strength would likely increase by another thirty percent.

This desire to exchange for the Fire-Sun Divine Thunder technique is most likely the intention of that particular Purple Mansion Cultivator.

The only entity in Bianzhou that possesses the Fire-Sun Divine Thunder technique is the Purple Mansion Immortal Clan [a powerful clan led by a Purple Mansion cultivator] known as the Yang Clan from Ling County. Thus, the Xu Clan's target for this exchange becomes quite clear.

At this moment, the gazes of those present turned towards the several cultivators from the Yang Clan side. However, the members of the Yang Clan remained utterly composed and silent, showing not the slightest inclination to offer the thunder technique for exchange.

"It seems the relationship between the Yang Clan and the Xu Clan is likely not amicable," Eldrin Chen mused inwardly. Join our community of readers at audio - novel . com.

"Indeed, fundamentally, the relationship between the two Purple Mansion powers in Bianzhou is one of both cooperation and competition."

Thinking this, Eldrin Chen roughly deduced the nature of the relationship between the two great Purple Mansion Immortal Clan.

Neither of the two great immortal clans alone could secure the Bian Mountain Spirit Stone Vein [a rich vein of Spirit Stones]; they must cooperate to claim this prize from under the nose of the Green Sun Sect.

Yet, they also compete with each other for the various resources within Bianzhou, making their relationship profoundly complex.

The Yang Clan did not wish to see the Xu Clan grow stronger. They were even willing to relinquish a foundational treasure like the Earth-Fortress Divine Thunder [a powerful earth-attribute divine thunder technique] rather than allow the Xu Clan to gain more power.

Since they could not obtain the Fire-Sun Divine Thunder [a powerful fire-attribute divine thunder technique] in exchange, the Xu Clan naturally refused to sell their Earth-Fortress Divine Thunder. Thus, this third treasure went unsold.

After the Xu Clan descended from the high platform, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator [a cultivator who has solidified their foundation in the Dao] from the Yang Clan took his place. This person was also a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivators. He, too, presented three treasures.

Eldrin Chen glanced over them. The three treasures were: a fire-attribute flying sword of Second Rank High Grade quality, a piece of Millennium Crimson Iron [a rare, fire-imbued iron ore formed over a millennium], and a jade slip scroll.

Eldrin Chen was not surprised by these offerings. The Xu Clan controlled a third-rank low-grade Fire Vein [an underground vein rich in fiery spiritual energy]. Every century, it could produce a Li Fire Crystal [a crystalized essence of Separated Flame energy], and occasionally yielded fire-attribute Heaven and Earth Treasures [rare spiritual materials born from the convergence of heaven and earth energies] like the Millennium Crimson Iron.

Both the Second Rank High Grade flying sword and the Millennium Crimson Iron were rare and precious items. They were traded away swiftly. Finally, the Yang Clan Foundation Establishment Cultivator held up the jade slip and announced.

"This jade slip contains a Purple Mansion Realm [the realm where a cultivator opens their spiritual mansion] cultivation art, named the Verdant Wood Longevity Art. While this art is not renowned for combat prowess, it can grant a Purple Mansion Cultivator an additional one Jiazi-time [a cycle of sixty years] of lifespan."

"If any of you possess a metal-attribute cultivation art of the Purple Mansion Realm, you may seek this old man for an exchange."

Upon hearing the description of that art, Eldrin Chen felt his breath catch slightly.

The preciousness of a Purple Mansion Realm cultivation art was beyond doubt. Moreover, this particular method could extend a Purple Mansion Cultivator's lifespan by a full sixty years—a monumental boon.

A Purple Mansion Cultivator [a cultivator who has established their spiritual foundation within the Purple Mansion realm] possesses a lifespan of four hundred years. If one could cultivate this particular art and procure some life-extending elixirs, could they not surpass five centuries of age? Read, share, and discuss at http://www . audio-novel.com.