Chapter 80 : Starlight Needles and Divine Thunder

In that very instant, Lin Morwen unleashed a volley of starlight needles. The Azure Descent Thousand-Star Needles [a treacherous and insidious magical weapon] were notoriously effective for ambushes, rarely failing their mark.

Fortunately, having nearly fallen victim to them before, Eldrin Chen was prepared this time.

He instantly willed the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss [his lifebound flying sword] to reverse its course. The erupting sword aura carried Eldrin Chen a thousand Zhang-length [approximately three thousand three hundred thirty meters] away, evading the majority of the Azure Descent Thousand-Star Needles.

Seeing the Thousand-Star Needles fail to pierce his sword aura and the protective light curtain of the Bell of Nine Echoes, Eldrin Chen breathed a sigh of relief. Yet, in that same moment, his pupils contracted sharply as a lethal sense of crisis washed over him.

Seizing the opportunity, Lin Lysander activated the Earth-Fortress Divine Thunder Pearl [a treasure that unleashes a powerful earth-element divine thunder], transforming it into a bolt of divine thunder that crashed down.

Given Lin Lysander's cultivation level, he could not unleash the Earth-Fortress Divine Thunder Pearl's full power. However, even a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivators [a cultivator at the advanced stage of the Foundation Establishment realm] caught by such a sneak attack would likely perish on the spot.

As the Earth-Fortress Divine Thunder [a powerful earth-element thunder technique] descended like a bolt from the blue, Eldrin Chen reacted almost reflexively, manifesting the Blazing Heaven Sword [a divine ability that conjures a sword of scorching heavenly flame].

This divine ability, used in combat for the first time since he mastered it, revealed its dazzling, peerless edge the moment it was unleashed.

"*Clang—*"

A golden sword radiance soared into the sky, clashing with the Earth-Fortress Divine Thunder in a resonant ring of metal. Yet, in the blink of an eye, the sword light was shattered and dispersed. The story continues at audio—novel.com.

Eldrin Chen had anticipated this outcome. His cultivation base was far from sufficient, and the might of the Blazing Heaven Sword he unleashed paled in comparison to the Earth-Fortress Divine Thunder Pearl sealed within this Purple Mansion Cultivator [a cultivator who has established their spiritual foundation, the third major realm].

Nevertheless, it was the foremost offensive divine ability in Yu County. Though it failed to block the Earth-Fortress Divine Thunder [a powerful thunder technique drawing upon the essence of the earth element], it managed to diminish its power by thirty percent and stall its advance for the span of a single breath.

A single breath was all the time he needed. Eldrin Chen channeled his power, sending the White Metal Dust-Severing Blade soaring forth once more to intercept the attack.

Crackling with thunderous light, the blast struck the White Metal Dust-Severing Blade with devastating force, causing the weapon to tremble violently. Its spiritual radiance dimmed significantly as it plummeted downward.

Eldrin Chen knew well that the White Metal Dust-Severing Blade had suffered severe damage to its spiritual nature this time. It would likely require several months of careful nurturing within his own energy before it could be wielded effectively again.

Yet, the White Metal Dust-Severing Blade proved its worth as a Second Rank High Grade magical tool. Even with Eldrin Chen only able to unleash seventy percent of its true power, it still managed to blunt the Earth-Fortress Divine Thunder's brilliance by forty percent.

With only thirty percent of its original might remaining, the Earth-Fortress Divine Thunder no longer posed a grave threat. The Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss swelled with the wind, its form expanding. Eldrin Chen's mana [the refined spiritual energy used by cultivators] was exceptionally sharp and pure, a perfect match for this immortal sword. In his hands, the weapon performed with a potency no less than that of a Second Rank High Grade Magical Tool [a high-quality enchanted artifact] at its peak.

A sapphire-hued sword aura cleaved through the heavens, grinding the remnants of the Earth-Fortress Divine Thunder into scattered motes of flickering lightning.

"Disaster!"

Witnessing his ultimate trump card fail to subdue Eldrin Chen, Lin Morwen realized the dire turn of events. His face drained of color as he cried out in alarm, "Lysander, flee!"

"Uncle Morwen!" That Lin Lysander still refused to give up and lunged forward, his face a mask of madness as he cried, "He has consecutively deployed his magical tools; his True Essence [the refined spiritual energy cultivated by a practitioner] must be nearly depleted. If we don't kill him now, when will we ever get another chance?"

Yet at that very moment, Eldrin Chen's Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss [a powerful enchanted sword imbued with the essence of the Separated Flame] swept forth once more, forcing the two magical tools of Lin Lysander into a desperate, faltering retreat.

"A Lifebound Magical Treasure [a magical artifact bound to its user's soul and life force] consumes only thirty percent of the True Essence required by a standard magical tool of the same rank."

"Enough. No words of wisdom can save a soul destined for death."

Witnessing this, Lin Morwen's face paled with terror. He turned and fled, his sword-light carrying him away into the distance.

By abandoning Lin Lysander, he sealed the fate of the battle, leaving no room for doubt in its outcome.

After several dozen more exchanges, a cold glint flashed in Eldrin Chen's eyes. With a decisive command, he unleashed the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss. It cleaved through Lysander's defensive magical tool in a single, devastating strike, severing Lin Lysander's head from his shoulders.

In his final moment, Lin Lysander's eyes remained wide open, blazing with unyielding hatred and resentment.

After a swift search of the battlefield, Eldrin Chen immediately took to the skies on his sword, pursuing the path Lin Morwen had taken in his flight. However, the fierce battle had severely depleted his True Essence, and in the end, he was unable to catch up to Lin Morwen.

The situation was urgent. Eldrin Chen dared not linger. He turned his sword-light and sped back towards Verdant Chariot Mountain without delay.

After a dozen or so days, Eldrin Chen arrived at Pingyang City riding his flying sword and immediately sought out the Old Patriarch.

Seeing his grave expression, the Old Patriarch could not help but step forward and ask, "What has happened?"

Without hesitation, Eldrin Chen recounted the events of his journey to the Old Patriarch. After finishing, he sighed and said,

"Alas, it is a pity we could not eradicate the root of the problem."

"Do not blame yourself for this. The grudge was already sown between us because of the matter concerning the Crimson Flame Spirit Blade."

The Old Patriarch shook his head, his expression turning solemn. "Matters have progressed to this point; a peaceful resolution is beyond us now. It seems following this Lin Clan, we will have to settle this with another confrontation." Your portal to cultivation novels: audio-novel.com.

"By the way, did you secure any evidence?"

Eldrin Chen produced Lin Lysander's Storage Bag [a spatial pouch used by cultivators to store items]. From within, he retrieved a Mother-Child Resonance Stone [a pair of stones magically linked to transmit simple signals or location]. He then found a hidden 'child' stone concealed within the jade vial containing the Sunflower Water Essence [a pure, yin-aligned spiritual essence prized for crafting water-attribute treasures]. Holding them up, he asked, "Will this suffice as evidence?"

"It is more than sufficient," the Old Patriarch affirmed with a nod.

"In this affair, not only will the Lin Clan refuse to let it rest, but neither shall we. With evidence in hand, the path forward is clearer. This old man is confident he can ensure the other great clans do not interfere."

"It is a pity that the Beast Tide Calamity draws ever nearer. To clash now would only deplete the strength of Yu County."

After conversing further, the two began to inventory the belongings left behind by Lin Lysander.

Chen Thalion gazed at Lin Lysander's Storage Bag and could not help but sigh with feeling. "Though Lin Lysander possessed uncommon talent, his temperament was extreme and obstinate. Once such a man grasps power, he can easily bring great calamity upon his own clan."

"Yet individuals of this sort are rare even among cultivators. If a fanatical person does not meet an early end, they may advance further and faster than the average, calculating cultivator."

"Take Lin Lysander here. Reckless he may have been, but in his time, he also achieved Foundation Establishment without the aid of a Foundation Establishment Pill—through sheer force of will."

"What?"

Eldrin Chen revealed a look of astonishment. This was the first he had heard that Lin Lysander had also achieved Foundation Establishment through his own efforts.

Yet something still felt amiss. He could not help but ask, "Then why did I sense that his True Essence [the refined spiritual energy cultivated by a Foundation Establishment cultivator] lacked the depth and sharpness of my own?"

"Do you think everyone is like you?" Chen Thalion shook his head with a wry smile. "Cultivators who achieve Foundation Establishment on their own can fight above their realm, but that typically means a third-layer Foundation Establishment cultivator can rival one at the Foundation Establishment, Mid Stage."

"But someone like you, whose first-layer Foundation Establishment strength rivals the Foundation Establishment, Mid Stage... this old man has never seen such a thing in all his life."

"Among all the Bianzhou Foundation Establishment Cultivators [cultivators who have reached the Foundation Establishment Realm within the Bianzhou region], nearly one-third achieved Foundation Establishment [the second major realm of cultivation where one solidifies their spiritual foundation] through their own efforts. Most of these individuals are Rogue Cultivator [cultivators without a sect or clan affiliation] or members of minor families, who dared to make their desperate attempt only as they neared the age of sixty. Having broken through to Foundation Establishment [the second major realm of cultivation] at the risk of their lives, their future prospects are far inferior to yours."

"The reason Lin Lysander became the second most powerful figure in the Lin Clan is precisely because he attained Foundation Establishment [the second major realm of cultivation] through self-cultivation. If he were to reach the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment, his True Essence [the refined spiritual energy cultivated by a practitioner] would likely be no weaker than this old man's."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen realized his own exceptional nature. He had previously assumed that all who achieved Foundation Establishment [the second major realm of cultivation] through self-effort possessed a level of talent similar to his own.

In truth, his meridians had been tempered for years by Primordial Essence [the pure, foundational energy of creation], resulting in a True Essence [the refined spiritual energy cultivated by a practitioner] far surpassing the ordinary in both density and purity—he was more formidable than he had imagined. This innate advantage, combined with the fact of his self-achieved Foundation Establishment [the second major realm of cultivation], synergistically propelled him to his current standing. This chapter is part of a larger work available at https://audio-novel.com.