Chapter 96 : Clash of Divine Flames

"A formidable divine ability [a supernatural power cultivated through spiritual arts]."

While Eldrin Chen parried with the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss, Su Mingwei seized the moment to unleash her Life-Bound Magical Treasure [a magical artifact bound to a cultivator's life force and soul], the 'Verdant Wood Divine Flame Canopy'.

This Verdant Wood Divine Flame Canopy was Su Mingwei's signature magical treasure. As the saying goes, wood fuels the fire's might, and fire in turn relies on wood's substance. At her command, torrents of First Wood Divine Flame [a divine flame imbued with the essence of primordial wood] cascaded down.

Fire-attribute magical treasures are most effective against Second-Wood Demon Spirit [a demonic spirit aligned with the secondary wood element]. However, this particular spirit reacted swiftly, summoning a pale azure lotus pedestal that unfurled a radiant barrier, blocking the descent of the First Wood Divine Flame canopy.

"It's the Flood Water Azure Lotus [a mystical lotus plant embodying the essences of flood water and azure wood]."

Eldrin Chen's pupils contracted slightly as he recognized the treasure's origin.

The Flood Water Azure Lotus is a Third Rank Spirit Plant [a spiritual plant of the third rank, suitable for Purple Mansion Realm cultivators], a dual-attribute treasure lotus of water and wood. In the hands of a skilled Artificer [a master craftsman who forges magical treasures], its seedpod could be refined into a Third Rank Magical Tool [a magical tool of the third rank, powerful enough for Purple Mansion Realm use].

The Second-Wood Demon Race [a tribe of demons aligned with the secondary wood element] possesses crude artificing techniques. Despite having this superior material, they had only managed to forge it into a Second Rank High Grade treasure lotus.

Nevertheless, its inherent quality was extraordinary. By deploying the Flood Water Azure Lotus, the Second-Wood Demon Spirit actually countered their fire-attribute treasures, momentarily putting both cultivators in a difficult position.

The Second-Wood Demon Spirit was not one to endure attacks without retaliation. It summoned two magical tools of its own: one was a Flying Sword [a sword enchanted for aerial combat and manipulation] forged from Millennium Lightning-Struck Wood [ancient wood imbued with the power of heavenly lightning], and the other was a First Wood Treasure Pearl [a precious pearl containing the essence of primordial wood]. Both were Second Rank High Grade Magical Tool. Enjoyed this chapter? Read more at audio-novel dot com.

As the magical treasure flew towards her, Su Mingwei summoned a Second Rank High Grade Alchemy Furnace [a specialized vessel for refining pills and elixirs] to block the First Wood Treasure Pearl.

The 'Lightning-Struck Sword' [a sword forged from wood petrified and empowered by heavenly lightning] shot forth wreathed in crackling electricity. Not only was it incredibly swift, but it also seemed impervious to celestial fire and thunder. It successively batted aside several of Su Mingwei's magical tools, aiming straight for her skull.

At the critical moment, Eldrin Chen activated the Violet Radiance Mirror. The treasure released a beam of mirror-light that pinned the Lightning-Struck Sword in place. Unfortunately, Eldrin Chen could only muster seventy percent of the mirror's true power, and thus failed to completely wrest the sword from the air.

Fortunately, being countered by the Violet Radiance Mirror had drained seventy to eighty percent of the Lightning-Struck Sword's radiance. For a time, it would be unable to pose a significant threat.

Seeing its Lightning-Struck Sword impaired, the Second-Wood Demon Spirit hastily recalled the weapon and could only resort to casting spells in battle.

With the Lightning-Struck Sword neutralized, Eldrin Chen breathed a sigh of relief. He then summoned the Purple Sun Furnace, a Second Rank High Grade Magical Tool obtained from the Lin Clan. Its might was also extraordinary, belching forth great torrents of Purple Sun True Flame [a potent violet-hued spiritual fire] to immolate the Second-Wood Demon Spirit.

If the Purple Sun Furnace and the Verdant Wood Divine Flame Canopy were to burn the demon simultaneously, even the protection of its Flood Water Azure Lotus [a mystical lotus embodying the essence of floodwaters] would likely prove insufficient.

At this crucial juncture, the Second-Wood Demon Spirit unveiled another trump card. Eldrin Chen heard a thunderclap roar, and a bolt of azure lightning, writhing like a dragon or serpent, streaked towards the Purple Sun Furnace, illuminating the entire sky.

"First Wood Divine Thunder [a divine thunder technique born from the essence of primordial wood]," Eldrin Chen murmured, his pupils contracting sharply.

He had not anticipated that this Second-Wood Demon Spirit had awakened a second Innate Divine Ability [a powerful natural talent inherent to certain beings].

The might of the First Wood Divine Thunder [a divine thunder technique harnessing the power of the Wood element] was truly extraordinary. If propelled by this demon's True Essence [the refined, potent energy cultivated by a practitioner] and allowed to strike the Purple Sun Furnace [a treasure furnace imbued with the essence of the purple sun], the magical treasure would likely suffer severe damage, requiring several years of careful nurturing before it could be used again.

"*Clang—*"

At the critical moment, Eldrin Chen unleashed his Family Heirloom Divine Ability Blazing Heaven Sword [a formidable sword technique passed down through his family lineage].

A golden sword radiance soared into the sky, its dazzling brilliance illuminating a hundred Zhang-lengths [one Zhang-length equals three point three three meters] of empty space. It collided head-on with the First Wood Divine Thunder, and the resulting explosion of flames swept across nearly a hundred Zhang-lengths of the void.

Although the power of this First Wood Divine Thunder was formidable, it ranked among the lowest of the Five Elements Divine Thunder [divine thunder techniques corresponding to the five fundamental elements], unable to match the sheer destructive force of the Blazing Heaven Sword. Therefore, even though the Second-Wood Demon Race [a demonic race attuned to the secondary Wood element] possessed exceptionally profound True Essence, after breaking through the Blazing Heaven Sword, the thunder's power was greatly diminished.

Seizing this opportunity, Eldrin Chen summoned the Bell of Nine Echoes [a magical bell whose tolls resonate with nine distinct echoes, capable of powerful defense] to block, finally managing to withstand this potent divine ability.

Having failed to land a decisive blow with its first strike, the Second-Wood Demon Spirit [a spirit entity of the Second-Wood demon race] suddenly paled, but it was already too late.

The Purple Sun Furnace and the Verdant Wood Divine Flame Canopy [a defensive canopy woven from verdant wood and divine flame] released billowing True Flame [a pure, potent flame cultivated from one's core energy], which clashed with the light curtain cascading from the Flood Water Azure Lotus [a mystical lotus embodying the essence of flood waters], causing plumes of white steam to erupt into the air.

Simultaneously, Su Mingwei made her move once more. This time, she unleashed a divine ability—it was also the First Wood Divine Thunder.

"*Boom—*"

With a resounding crack, the Flood Water Azure Lotus [a rare spiritual lotus imbued with the essence of flood waters] could no longer hold, blasted open by the First Wood Divine Thunder [a divine thunder technique harnessing the power of primordial wood]. A massive breach appeared, and the Purple Sun True Flame [a purifying true flame of violet solar essence] and the divine fire of Sylvan surged in, engulfing it and drawing forth a shriek of agony.

That Second-Wood Demon Spirit [a powerful demonic entity of the Second Wood element] proved worthy of its status as a demonic being with one foot already in the Purple Mansion Realm [the third major realm of cultivation, where one forms a spiritual mansion]. At the critical juncture between life and death, it forcefully expanded a Mana Shield [a protective barrier formed from concentrated mana] and barely managed to escape.

Yet, having been invaded by the True Flame [a pure and potent flame cultivated from one's core essence], the Second-Wood Demon Spirit had to devote its full power to suppress the True Flame raging within its body. Consequently, its divine abilities inevitably slackened.

Seizing this perfect opportunity, Eldrin Chen's eyes snapped open. The Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss [a lifebound magical sword imbued with the power of Separated Flame] blazed with intensified radiance, shattering the restraints of the divine light from Sylvan. With a resonant *clang*, it cleaved through the air toward the Second-Wood Demon Spirit.

At this life-or-death moment, the Second-Wood Demon Spirit attempted to muster its divine power for a counterattack. Alas, the True Flame seethed within its meridians, causing waves of excruciating pain that prevented it from gathering its True Essence [the refined spiritual energy of a cultivator] in time.

That fleeting instant was all it took. The sword aura manifested by the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss swept across in a devastating arc, severing the head of the Second-Wood Demon Spirit from its body. Access the full story on *audio-novel.com*.

"What a swift immortal sword,"

Su Mingwei murmured, her pupils contracting slightly at the sight. That single sword stroke had evoked a palpable sense of danger even within her.

Having slain this Second-Wood Demon Spirit, Eldrin Chen swiftly stored away the Flood Water Azure Lotus and finally allowed himself a sigh of relief.

However, the successive activations of his magical treasures had drained more than half of his internal True Essence. Feeling his reserves waning, he gritted his teeth and swallowed a One Restoration Pill [a pill that rapidly restores a cultivator's spiritual energy].

With the powerful Second-Wood Demon Spirit slain, Eldrin Chen and Su Mingwei were freed to intervene, finally tilting the scales. The human Foundation Establishment Cultivator [cultivators who have solidified their spiritual foundation] gained the upper hand.

Ordinary Second-Wood Demon Race [demonic beings of the Wood element], lacking magical treasures or divine abilities, could no longer pose a mortal threat to the group.

Another quarter of an hour [one Ke-time equals fifteen minutes] passed, and the battle atop the mountain finally reached its conclusion. Lyra Jiang broke the stalemate, her sword flashing to behead the First Wood Demon King.

With the First Wood Demon King slain and Lyra Jiang now unshackled, the outcome of the conflict was sealed beyond any doubt.

Lyra Jiang took to the field herself. In barely a dozen exchanges, she dispatched Elara Lin's opponent. The remaining Second Rank First Wood Demon Tribe [a tribe of Wood-element demons], faced with such a ferocious Clan Elder [a senior leader of a cultivation clan], were soon routed and scattered in flight.

The group spent half a day purging the three-hundred-Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] earth vein of Second-Wood Demon Spirit, then began to plunder the resources within the First Wood Earth Vein [an earth vein rich in the essence of the First Wood, or Yi Wood, element].

Over the course of three days, they scoured every Mu-area [one Mu-area equals six hundred sixty-six point six seven square meters] of the vein. Laden with a great haul of Spirit Medicine [plants imbued with spiritual energy, used in alchemy] and other treasures, they returned to the mountain peak at the vein's core.

"To think this was actually a Second Rank Middle Grade First Wood Earth Vein,"

Elara Lin could not contain her delighted exclamation within the First Wood Spirit Pool [a pool of concentrated First Wood spiritual essence] deep inside the First Wood Earth Vein.

As a Second Rank Middle Grade First Wood Earth Vein, this Spirit Pool [a pool of concentrated spiritual energy] gathered the First Wood Creation Power [the creative, life-giving power of the First Wood element]. Every sixty years, it would give birth to a single Yi Wood Crystal [a crystalized essence of pure First Wood energy]—a priceless Heaven and Earth Treasure [a rare and precious treasure born from the natural world].

Lyra Jiang [the female cultivator and companion of Eldrin Chen] also nodded, a trace of a smile gracing her features as she said, "Although we did not obtain any Purple Sun Jade [a rare jade imbued with solar energy, used in high-level cultivation] this time, we have acquired two Yi Wood Crystal [crystals of pure First Wood essence, vital for certain breakthroughs]. It seems Su Mingwei's hope of breaking through to the Purple Mansion [the third major realm of cultivation, where one forms a spiritual core] is within reach."

At that very moment, Su Mingwei [a disciple of Lyra Jiang] entered from outside, carrying an account ledger in her hands.

After entering, she presented the ledger to Lyra Jiang and spoke with evident delight, "Master, these are the spoils from this endeavor."

Join our community of readers at audio‑novel.com.