Chapter 71 : The Final Thunder's Descent

Regrettably, the earlier assault on Spirit Lake Isle had drained him too greatly. His spiritual power [the energy cultivated and wielded by practitioners of the mystical arts] was now insufficient, preventing him from unleashing the treasure's full might.

Seeing the moment had arrived, Eldrin Chen once more channeled his power into the Solar Fire Returning Abyss Sword and sent it cleaving forward.

Since advancing to the Second Rank Mid-Grade, the Solar Fire Returning Abyss Sword's potency had grown immensely. Now, as Eldrin Chen unleashed it, the blade transformed into a sword radiance spanning six Zhang-lengths [one Zhang-length equals three point three three meters] and descended. In a single clash, it shattered the luminous barrier sustained by the Treasure Seal.

Immediately after, Eldrin Chen raised his hand and hurled forth the Green Ape Pearl. The treasure crashed down with a force akin to a great mountain bearing down, carrying a terrifying, crushing momentum.

At this moment, Remaining Years Zuo's defensive magical treasure was broken, and his spiritual power was nearly exhausted. Faced with the Green Ape Pearl, there was almost nowhere to hide, no path for escape.

At this life-or-death juncture, Remaining Years Zuo abandoned all thought of flight. His gaze fixed directly on Eldrin Chen, a murderous intent radiating from his very being.

"Let us die together."

As the words fell, he forcibly drew upon a mouthful of his Vital Essence Blood [a cultivator's lifeblood essence, the foundation of their vitality and power], squeezing out the last dregs of his Vital Energy, and unleashed one final divine ability.

A flash of white light erupted, sudden and violent as a bolt from the blue. The heavens and earth echoed with a vast, rolling peal of thunder.

"Beware! It is the Metallic Gold Divine Thunder!" Official source: audio_novel.com. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

Eldrin Chen's pupils contracted sharply, a flicker of astonishment flashing within them.

Among the Five Elements Primordial Solar Divine Thunder, the Metallic Gold Divine Thunder and the Blazing Third Fire Divine Thunder possessed the greatest destructive power. Now, with Remaining Years Zuo at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage unleashing a desperate, life-risking strike, a single, resplendent bolt of thunder could be seen cleaving down from the heavens.

Remaining Years Zuo's desperate attack completely disregarded his own peril, his sole aim to drag Eldrin Chen down with him in death.

As the saying goes, "swift as lightning," a testament to the incredible speed of the Metallic Gold Divine Thunder. The suddenness of this divine thunderbolt caught even Old Patriarch, who was blocking the other end, off guard, leaving him no time to intervene.

In that critical moment, Eldrin Chen could only channel his power into the Solar Fire Ascension Sword to parry the blow. He watched as his Lifebound Immortal Sword was struck with tremendous force, its radiance dimming as it was sent flying backward.

The Metallic Gold Divine Thunder had dimmed considerably, its power greatly diminished, yet its remaining momentum carried it forward relentlessly.

However, that brief moment of blocking was enough. Eldrin Chen poured all of his True Essence [the refined spiritual energy cultivated within a practitioner's body] into the Ninefold Resonance Bell.

The current Ninefold Resonance Bell, having been reforged by the Old Patriarch with the Mystic Iron Magical Artifact from Peaceful Harmony Lin and a large quantity of Five Elements Energy [a refined spiritual essence containing the power of the five elements], had its grade elevated to Second Rank Mid-Grade, its defensive capabilities significantly enhanced.

Although the Metallic Gold Divine Thunder possessed boundless destructive force, having been weakened by sixty percent after grievously wounding the Solar Fire Ascension Sword, its remaining power was ultimately insufficient to breach the defenses of the Ninefold Resonance Bell, renowned for its protective qualities.

"Boom—"

The desperate strike meant to take them both down had failed, and Remaining Years Zuo's face was etched with utter despair.

Before he could utter another word, the Green Ape Pearl [a powerful magical artifact condensed from a demonic ape's core] smashed into him. The impact shattered every bone in his body, and he plummeted from the sky, his blood staining the lake waters crimson.

Eldrin Chen descended on his light-riding technique and found Remaining Years Zuo broken beyond repair. The man was, after all, a Foundation Establishment Late Stage [an advanced stage of cultivation where one's foundation is solidified] Great Cultivator. His physical body, tempered for years by True Essence [a pure form of spiritual energy used for cultivation], possessed astonishing resilience. Even after being struck by the Green Ape Pearl, he clung to the last vestiges of life.

At death's door, Remaining Years Zuo was completely immobilized. Yet, the look in his eyes as he gazed at the two of them still held a flicker of grim resolve.

Eldrin Chen's gaze was icy, but he couldn't help but ask, "For slaughtering an entire town of my Chen Clan's mortals, do you feel any regret now?"

"Mortals…"

A complex emotion flashed in Remaining Years Zuo's eyes, then twisted into a savage, grating laugh.

"Your hearts ache for your slaughtered clansmen. But what of my Zuo Clan?"

"Tens of thousands of my Zuo clansmen were exterminated in a single night! Who remembers *them*?"

"Hahaha! I have no regrets!"

At the final moment, Remaining Years Zuo let out three great laughs.

Tears glistened in his eyes, his expression caught between a smile and a sob, until at last his breath ceased and he passed from this world.

……

Eldrin Chen stood in silence, his heart trembling as he ascended the Spirit Isle Lake.

At the very center of Lake Heart Island, Eternal Spread Chen sat cross-legged at the heart of the formation array, resembling a withered tree on the verge of crumbling to dust.

Gone was his usual steady composure. His face bore a trace of wild abandon and a measure of serene acceptance. His robes had been arranged with meticulous care. Discover more cultivation stories at @udio-novel.com.

Only when Eldrin Chen drew near did he realize the Old Granduncle's internal Vital Energy [the foundational life force cultivated by practitioners] and essence blood had long been utterly exhausted. He had already entered eternal meditation many hours prior.

"The Patriarch expended every last drop of his essence blood, refining it all into Vital Energy to fuel the formation. There is not a single drop of blood left within him,"

said Silas from beside him, her eyes red-rimmed, her voice choked with sobs. She wiped her tears as she carefully adjusted the old man's robes.

Eldrin Chen stood motionless. His lips parted, and he asked in a trembling voice, "Did he... did he leave any final words?"

Caleb trembled, his voice choked with emotion as he spoke. "The Patriarch asked me to tell you... he has no regrets in this life!"

"He said you need not hold a grand celebration for his Sixty-Year Cycle birthday, nor give him a lavish funeral. If one day you achieve Ethereal Ascension [the ultimate ascension to a higher state of being], remember to take his ashes with you."

"Scatter them across that realm. Tell the vast Immortal Realm [the legendary realm of immortals] that Eternal Spread Chen was here!"

"..."

The night was profoundly silent, the world and all its myriad things wrapped in a deep tranquility.

Eldrin Chen stood by the shore of Lake Heart Island, gazing up at the boundless sky, his eyes reflecting the shimmering Cosmic Stellar [the celestial river of stars].

Clad in robes white as snow, he stood there in perfect stillness, silent and unmoving.

"This resplendent Starry River [the Milky Way], like the Great Path [the supreme Dao] itself spanning the heavens, eternal and unchanging."

"This churning Mortal Dust [the ever-flowing river of mortal affairs], where all things ceaselessly transform and pass."

The Old Patriarch appeared beside him, speaking with calm acceptance. "We are all seekers upon the Path, adrift within this Mortal Dust."

"Only by transcending this world and becoming an Immortality Immortal Deity can one be like those eternal Immortality Stellar [celestial bodies], reposing high upon the Nine Heavens Above [the highest celestial realm]."

"Yet this path is far too arduous, long, and fraught with hardship. Should we fail, we will all face this day."

"Eternal Spread Chen... he has merely taken that step before us."

"Path-pursuers within the Mortal Dust [the mundane world of mortal affairs]..." Eldrin Chen murmured to himself, slowly closing his eyes.

The Old Patriarch nodded, speaking with serene acceptance: "'Pursuing the Path, Everlasting Verdure [Pursue the Dao, Achieve Eternal Verdancy], Remembering the Virtuous, Reflecting on Ancestors [Remember the Virtuous, Reflect on the Ancestors], support each other to prosper the clan, Ascendant Immortal, Achieving Immortality [Ascend as an Immortal, Achieve True Immortality].'"

"The Sixteen-Character Clan Genealogy [the sixteen-character ancestral motto] left by our forefather expresses his hope that we would continuously multiply and strengthen, supporting and aiding one another, until finally someone could Ascendant Immortal, Achieving Immortality [ascend as an immortal and achieve true immortality], fulfilling his final wish."

"You possess the greatest natural talent and comprehension our clan has ever seen. Perhaps you truly have the potential to reach that day."

"If you ever face a true moment of mortal peril, then even if it means exhausting the entire clan's strength, we will spare no cost to contribute our humble power and lend you our aid."

"..."

After eliminating the threat posed by Remaining Years Zuo, Eternal Profound Chen and the Third Elder did not depart immediately. He remained on Spirit Lake Isle for half a month, during which time he opened Remaining Years Zuo's Storage Bag [a spatial pouch used by cultivators to store possessions].

As a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage [the third major realm of cultivation, where one builds the foundation for their future path], Remaining Years Zuo possessed considerable wealth. Beyond the three thousand plus Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation], he held numerous other valuable treasures.

Among these treasures, there was only one Second Rank High-Grade [a classification for artifacts, indicating high power within the second major tier] magical weapon: the Venus Severing Dust Blade. The other artifacts, the Glazed Crystal Shortsword and the Treasure Seal [a seal-shaped magical treasure often used for suppression or sealing techniques], were both of Second Rank Mid-Grade [a mid-tier classification within the second rank of artifacts].

In addition, there was a piece of heavenly material and earthly treasure: the Millennium Cold Iron [a rare metal imbued with profound cold energy over a millennium], and a jade slip inscribed with a mystical technique. Both could be considered exceedingly precious finds.

Of these several treasures, the most valuable was naturally the Venus Severing Dust Blade. This item was a Lifebound Magical Treasure [a treasure personally refined and nurtured by a cultivator, sharing a deep connection with their life force] of Second Rank High-Grade. Its power was formidable even among Second Rank High-Grade Magical Treasure artifacts. Original publication: audio-novel .c om - The source of this chapter.