Chapter 83 : Clash of Divine Thunder and Crimson Flame

This Verdant Wood and Earth-Fortress Formation [a defensive formation combining wood and earth elements] is composed of two formation tools. These two tools are the Verdant Wood Divine Thunder Banner [a banner that channels the power of wood-element divine thunder] and the Earth-Fortress Abyssal Cauldron [a cauldron that harnesses the defensive power of earth].

The Earth-Fortress Abyssal Cauldron is a Second Rank Middle Grade defensive magical tool. It can rely on the power of the Spiritual Apricot Mountain spirit vein to erect a defensive light barrier, blocking the enemy's attacks.

As for the Verdant Wood Divine Thunder Banner, it is also a Second Rank Middle Grade set of Formation Flags. This formation tool can draw upon the First Wood Essence [the primordial essence of the wood element] from heaven and earth to unleash First Wood Divine Thunder [divine thunder imbued with the power of primordial wood] against its foes.

The power of this divine thunder is extraordinarily formidable; each strike is equivalent to a full-force blow from a Foundation Establishment, Late Stage cultivator. Relying on the formation's power, this First Wood Divine Thunder banner can unleash six bolts of divine thunder.

Once these six thunderbolts are exhausted, it requires an accumulation of thirty-six years of effort to fully restore its power.

At this moment, Lysander Lin activated the Verdant Wood Divine Thunder Banner to counterattack. Everyone heard a thunderous crack like a bolt from the blue, as a verdant divine thunderbolt shot towards Eldrin Chen.

"Be careful!"

Old Patriarch's expression turned grave as he issued the warning. In that hurried moment, he could only channel his Crimson Flame Spirit Blade to slash out, instantly dispersing this bolt of divine thunder.

However, this First Wood Divine Thunder was indeed extraordinary, completely draining the energy of the Crimson Flame Spirit Blade and causing it to fly back, its radiance dimmed.

A flash of triumph crossed Lysander Lin's face. Seizing the opportunity, he unleashed another bolt of divine thunder, this time aiming directly for the Crimson Flame Spirit Blade itself. Dive deeper into the Dao at audio-novel .c om.

If struck squarely by this divine thunderbolt, the Crimson Flame Spirit Blade would suffer grievous damage, rendering it unusable for several months. This would be akin to temporarily severing one of Chen Thalion's arms.

Ultimately, his True Essence [the refined spiritual energy cultivated by a practitioner] was not yet potent enough. As the spiritual radiance of his Life-Bound Magical Treasure [a magical artifact bonded to a cultivator's soul and life force] flickered and dimmed slightly, Chen Thalion suffered a minor backlash. The True Essence within his body faltered for a critical moment, preventing him from immediately mustering it for a counterattack.

At this crucial juncture, Eldrin Chen reacted with lightning speed. He channeled his power into the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss, sending it slashing forward. A surge of azure sword radiance instantly unfurled. Though the sword was also sent flying back, it successfully intercepted this bolt of First Wood Divine Thunder [a divine thunder technique harnessing the power of the Wood element].

Seeing his first strike had failed to achieve its goal, Lysander Lin ignored the damage to his meridians. Forcing his True Essence to surge, he activated the First Wood Divine Thunder Banner once more, unleashing its final four thunderbolts in a single, desperate volley.

The release of these four thunderbolts was akin to facing a simultaneous assault from four Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivators [practitioners who have reached the advanced phase of the Foundation Establishment realm]. An ordinary Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivators caught in this onslaught would likely be mortally wounded on the spot.

Fortunately, the Old Patriarch had already suppressed the backlash in an instant. With a swift gesture, he summoned the Separated Flame Soul-Burning Formation Flags to envelop both of them, then hurled the Ancient Bronze Pagoda [a mystical bronze tower artifact] skyward to meet the attack head-on.

"BOOM—"

A deafening crack, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, echoed as the four divine thunderbolts detonated. They tore through the vast sea of Separated Flame [a potent, purified flame essence], breaching the Separated Flame Soul-Burning Formation. Yet, their power ultimately fell just short, unable to shatter the protective light-screen conjured by the Ancient Bronze Pagoda.

"Impossible!"

Witnessing how even four bolts of First Wood Divine Thunder had failed to injure the pair, utter despair washed over Lysander Lin's face.

With the First Wood Divine Thunder [a powerful thunder technique derived from the Wood element] that could threaten them both now gone, the Verdant Wood and Earth-Fortress Formation [a defensive formation combining the resilience of wood and earth] was crippled, rendered half-useless and forced into a purely defensive posture, passively weathering the assault.

Eldrin Chen continued his relentless assault on the formation, while the Old Patriarch seized the moment to swallow a Recovery Pill [a pill that rapidly restores a cultivator's energy] to replenish his True Essence [the refined spiritual energy cultivated within a practitioner's body]. After half a Shichen-time [one Shichen-time equals two hours], he had recovered seventy to eighty percent of his strength. He promptly redeployed the Separated Flame Soul-Burning Formation [a formation that generates soul-scorching flames] and began the arduous process of slowly wearing down the Verdant Wood and Earth-Fortress Formation.

The Purple Sun Furnace [a treasure furnace that channels the power of the purple sun], the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss [a flying sword imbued with abyssal flame energy], the Blazing Heaven Sword [a sword technique that summons heavenly fire], the Crimson Flame Spirit Blade [a spirit blade wreathed in crimson flames]—one divine ability and magical treasure after another was unleashed in a furious barrage. The onslaught was so intense that it caused the Verdant Wood and Earth-Fortress Formation to tremble violently.

This time, Lysander Lin found himself utterly powerless to turn the tide. After enduring the bombardment for two full Shichen-time [one Shichen-time equals two hours], the defensive light curtain of his formation was finally breached, burned through by the Purple Sun True Flame [a pure flame of solar essence] cascading down from the Purple Sun Divine Furnace [a divine furnace artifact].

"Heaven has forsaken me!"

With his formation shattered, Lysander Lin coughed up a mouthful of rebellious blood, suffering a severe backlash from the broken spell.

With a final roar of defiance, he desperately channeled his remaining power into a streak of sword light, attempting to seize a chance to flee for his life.

But the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss transformed into a six-Zhang-length [one Zhang-length equals three point three three meters] radiant blade that cleaved through the air. With a resonant *clang*, it shattered his defensive magical tool and struck him down mid-flight, ending his life in the void.

Since a deep-seated enmity had already been forged, Eldrin Chen naturally had no intention of letting his foe escape alive. With that single sword strike, he settled accounts with this Lin Clan elder who was at the Foundation Establishment, Early Stage [the early phase of the Foundation Establishment realm].

Simultaneously, Thalion Chen of the Chen Clan swiftly ascended to the summit of Spiritual Apricot Mountain [a mountain named for its ancient spirit apricot tree] and secured control over both the Back Mountain Spirit Spring [a spring rich in spiritual energy] and the precious Spirit Apricot tree [a tree that bears spiritually potent apricots].

After Eldrin Chen finished clearing the battlefield, he discovered Old Patriarch was in the process of dismantling the Verdant Wood and Earth-Fortress Grand Formation [a powerful defensive formation combining wood and earth energies].

Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow, unable to hold back his question. "We went to such great lengths to capture this spirit mountain. Why dismantle the formation now?"

"This Verdant Wood and Earth-Fortress Grand Formation was laid down by the Lin Clan. There's no telling if they left any hidden contingencies within it."

Old Patriarch shook his head as he spoke, then added, "Moreover, I intend to deploy the Separated Flame Soul-Burning Formation [a potent offensive formation that harnesses flame energy to sear the soul] here in its place."

As if sensing Eldrin Chen's lingering confusion, Old Patriarch offered further explanation.

"After all, Mordecai Lin originally hailed from the Lin Clan. Who can say what secret advantages or foundations he might have left for his former clan?" Enjoyed this chapter? Read more at audi novel.com.

"To guard against any unforeseen threat, I plan to use the local spirit vein to set up the Separated Flame Soul-Burning Formation before they arrive. Drawing power from this Second Rank Low Grade Spirit Vein [a vein of earth that channels spiritual energy of moderate quality] will boost the formation's potency by half again, giving us a significant edge in the coming conflict."

Having said his piece, Old Patriarch motioned for Eldrin Chen to assist him in preparing the formation.

Unbeknownst to them both, it was precisely this caution exercised by Chen Thalion that would later save their lives.

The members of the Lin Clan could scarcely imagine that in less than half a day, the duo had already breached the Mountain Guardian Grand Formation protecting Spiritual Apricot Mountain [a mountain named for its ancient spirit apricot trees]. By all reasonable estimation, even two or three cultivators at the Foundation Establishment, Late Stage [an advanced stage of the second major realm of cultivation] should have required two or three days to break through such defenses.

Verdant Ink Mountain lay more than six thousand Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] from Spiritual Apricot Mountain. Even if the members of the Lin Clan reacted immediately, it would take the several Foundation Establishment cultivators over a day to arrive with reinforcements.

Having breached the Verdant Wood and Earth-Fortress Formation in half a day, the pair were left with the better part of a day to prepare. This was ample time to set up the Separated Flame Soul-Burning Formation Flags before the Lin Clan forces could arrive.

By the time the two had finished deploying the Formation Flags and restored their mana [the refined spiritual energy used to cast spells and techniques] by drawing from the Spirit Spring, it was already the Chen hour [the period from 7 to 9 AM] of the following day. The four Foundation Establishment Cultivator of the Lin Clan arrived belatedly.

Taking in the scene, Lin Mordred felt his heart lurch. Unable to contain his fury, his face twisted into a snarl as he roared.

"You old cur, Chen Thalion!"

With that enraged bellow, Lin Mordred immediately summoned and hurled the Thunderbolt Demon-Piercing Shuttle towards his foe.

Chen Thalion's expression remained unperturbed. With a casual lift of his hand, the Separated Flame Soul-Burning Formation erupted, unleashing a torrent of sky-scorching Separated Flame [a potent spiritual flame with soul-burning properties] that engulfed the oncoming Thunderbolt Demon-Piercing Shuttle.

"Damn it!"

Seeing this, Lin Mordred could not help but let his expression shift once more, a flicker of alarm crossing his features.

The Separated Flame Soul-Burning Formation was formidable in its own right. Now, anchored by the local spirit vein, its power surged. Even drawing from a mere Second Rank Low Grade Spirit Vein [a vein of earth that emits spiritual energy of moderate quality], which prevented it from reaching its absolute peak, the formation's might still surpassed what Chen Thalion could muster by channeling his own True Essence [the refined, high-quality spiritual energy within a cultivator's core] by a full fifty percent.

Seeing the situation turn dire, the other three cultivators unleashed their magical treasures, attempting to suppress the Separated Flame Soul-Burning Formation.

Particularly Lin Morwen, who actually summoned a Second Rank High Grade Spirit Talisman. This talisman was named the Frost Soul True Water Talisman [a talisman that unleashes a torrent of spiritually-charged, bone-chilling water].

This was a treasure the Lin Clan had purchased from the Green Sun Sect many years prior, one of the prized reserves hoarded by the Lin Clan cultivators. This item could unleash the Frost Soul True Water [a divine ability that conjures spiritually-charged, freezing water] technique, specifically designed to counter fire-attribute divine abilities and magical treasures.

Yet, powerful as it was, it still fell short compared to the Separated Flame Soul-Burning Formation. As torrents of frigid, spiritually-charged water cascaded down upon the formation, it was akin to pouring oil on a fire, causing the Separated Flame [a mystical, soul-scorching flame] to blaze with threefold intensity.

Seeing they could not breach the Separated Flame Soul-Burning Formation and with their magical treasures ensnared within the formation, Lin Mordred had no choice but to produce the Talisman of the Gale Soul-Cleaving Sword.

Originally, he had intended to use this talisman as his trump card to decisively slay Chen Thalion, but now he was forced to deploy it prematurely.

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