Chapter 85 : Clash of Treasures and Vengeance

"You—"

Ink Achievement Lin was so enraged he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood. Had the fight continued, he estimated he could have subdued Eternal Profound Chen in just one Ke-time [one Ke-time equals fifteen minutes].

But at this critical moment, Ink Respect Lin had faltered, causing the situation to spiral completely out of control. With a Second Rank High-Grade Magical Treasure like the Violet Light Mirror [a magical treasure specifically designed to counter other magical treasures], Eldrin Chen's combat power was nearly equivalent to a Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivator.

If Eldrin Chen and Eternal Profound Chen joined forces, it would likely be Ink Achievement Lin himself who would be buried here. With no other choice, he could only force Eternal Profound Chen back and then turn to flee deep into the void.

Before leaving, he tried to rescue the middle-aged beautiful woman. However, Eldrin Chen raised his hand, using the divine ability Blazing Heaven Sword [a sword technique that manifests searing celestial flames] to block momentarily. Then, he summoned the Solar Fire Returning Abyss Sword. A sapphire-blue sword light swept across the sky, cutting down the injured woman in violet robes amidst the void.

"Ah—!"

Tears streamed down Ink Achievement Lin's aged face as a surge of bitter blood rose in his throat. The killing intent in his eyes was so intense it seemed ready to overflow.

"Eldrin Chen, you damned star of slaughter!"

"I, Ink Achievement Lin, will never forget the enmity of this day!"

Eldrin Chen and the Old Patriarch did not give chase. When a Foundation Establishment Late Stage expert is determined to flee for their life, it is exceedingly difficult to stop them. Continue reading this story at www . audio-novel.com.

Moreover, their spiritual power was severely depleted, Old Patriarch had suffered a backlash, and he now carried internal injuries within his body.

The two of them cleaned up the battlefield and then descended upon Spirit Apricot Mountain. Old Patriarch glanced at Eldrin Chen and smiled faintly, saying, "That old scoundrel has lost his composure."

"From now on, you must be on your guard against him."

Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered slightly. The Lin Clan had a total of seven Foundation Establishment cultivators, and four of them had fallen by his hand. He truly deserved the title of a star of slaughter.

The two Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivators from the Lin Clan did not possess many treasures. In total, there were only five or six Second Rank Low-Grade magical treasure [enchanted artifacts used by cultivators], which held little value for the two of them.

Eternal Profound Chen directly stored these items into his Storage Bag [a spatial pouch for storing items], intending to deposit them into the Clan Treasury later. However, there were still over two thousand Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy]. The two of them split them evenly, fifty-fifty.

After dividing the spirit stones and treasures, the two ascended to the Spirit Spring [a spring imbued with spiritual energy] on Spirit Apricot Mountain. Old Patriarch looked at the Spirit Spring and shook his head with a bitter smile.

"What a pity."

The Spiritual Vein [a subterranean conduit of concentrated spiritual energy] beneath Spirit Apricot Mountain was only of Second Rank Low-Grade quality. The spiritual energy within the Spirit Spring was insufficient to unleash the full power of the Solar Fire Soul-Burning Formation [a formation that harnesses solar fire to burn souls].

Having endured a strike from the Gale Soul-Severing Sword Talisman [a talisman that unleashes a gale capable of severing souls] in this battle, not only were the Solar Fire Soul-Burning Formation Flags [the array flags that power the Solar Fire Soul-Burning Formation] severely damaged, but even this Spirit Spring on Spirit Apricot Mountain suffered a backlash. The entire spring structure had already collapsed.

Without the Spirit Spring [a natural spring that gathers and emits spiritual energy], the spiritual energy of Spirit Apricot Mountain [a mountain known for its spiritual apricot trees] would gradually decline to the level of a First Rank High-Grade [the highest tier within the first major cultivation rank]. To restore it back to Second Rank Low-Grade [the lowest tier of the second major cultivation rank] would require an investment of over ten thousand Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy].

This sum of spirit stones was utterly beyond the current means of the Chen Clan. Furthermore, if they had such funds, it would be far wiser to use them to nurture the Spiritual Vein [a subterranean channel that concentrates and produces spiritual energy] beneath Pingyang City up to Second Rank Mid-Grade [the middle tier of the second major cultivation rank].

Eldrin Chen shook his head, finding no other recourse. "Before the spiritual energy dissipates further," he said, "let us first recover our True Essence [the refined spiritual energy cultivated within a practitioner's body]."

The two of them spent the day on Spirit Apricot Mountain restoring their True Essence. By the time their spiritual power was replenished, a full day had passed, and Lior Chen had only just arrived.

The moment he saw him, the Old Patriarch looked up and asked, "Well?"

"I have already used the Parent-Child Communication Talisman [a set of talismans where a message written on the 'parent' talisman appears on the 'child' talisman] at Sunward Market to inform the five great clans of this matter. As for their reaction, that remains unknown."

The Parent-Child Communication Talisman at Sunward Market was a one-way Communication Talisman [an enchanted slip of paper used for long-distance messaging] of Third Rank Lower Grade [the lower tier of the third major cultivation rank] quality. Words inscribed upon the parent talisman would manifest on the child talisman, but not vice versa.

Its purpose was to allow Sunward Market to call for aid from the various clans at the first sign of an attack.

Given the urgency of the situation, this assault on the Lin Clan was a sudden strike by the Chen Clan, undertaken without prior consultation with the other families.

The great clans of Yu County shared a common breath and destiny; in just over two decades, they would need to stand together against the demon beast tide. Internal strife was, in truth, not welcome news.

To prevent the other great clans from reacting too drastically, Lior Chen used the Parent-Child Communication Talisman from the Sunward Market to relay the news to each clan at the first opportunity. This was also done to steady the hearts of the several great Immortal Clan families within Yu County.

Hearing his words, the Old Patriarch nodded and then said, "Now that the Lin Clan has suffered a great defeat, it is the perfect time for us to press our advantage."

"We go to Verdant Ink Mountain."

"..."

The Lin Clan rose to prominence a little over two centuries ago, yet its lineage stretches back for more than five hundred years. If one looks back more than two centuries, the Lin Clan was merely a minor clan of Vital Essence Refinement cultivators, struggling to survive from one day to the next.

This branch of the family was not without fortune. Over two centuries ago, a clan leader of that generation actually managed Self-Achieved Foundation Establishment. He then exhausted the clan's accumulated resources built up over centuries to elevate their mortal city, Lin City, to the level of a Second Rank Low-Grade spiritual land. Dive deeper into the Dao at audio‑novel.com.

It so happened that a Beast Tide [a massive, destructive surge of demonic beasts] occurred, causing the collapse of a Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan and leaving Verdant Ink Mountain vacant.

The Patriarch of the Lin Clan distinguished himself with Merits [spiritual credit earned through virtuous deeds] during that Beast Tide. Not only did he seize Verdant Ink Mountain ahead of others, but he also obtained a Foundation Establishment Pill [a precious elixir that aids in achieving the Foundation Establishment realm], which he used to nurture a second Foundation Establishment Cultivator for the clan.

Thus, the Lin Clan rose with astonishing speed, becoming one of the acknowledged Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan powers within Yu County.

Verdant Ink Mountain itself was originally a Second Rank Middle-Grade Spiritual Vein [a subterranean conduit of concentrated spiritual energy]. After more than two centuries of careful nurturing by the Lin Clan, this Spiritual Vein was finally elevated to Second Rank High-Grade several decades ago.

"This Verdant Ink Mountain Spiritual Vein [a natural formation that concentrates and channels spiritual energy], it seems to be a rather troublesome matter."

The few of them stood at the foot of Verdant Ink Mountain, their expressions turning grave.

Lior Chen furrowed his brow and said, "The Spiritual Vein here is of a Second Rank High-Grade [a high-quality spiritual vein suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators] grade. The defensive formations are far more powerful than those at Spirit Apricot Mountain, and with Ink Achievement Lin personally holding the fort, I fear even if a Violet Sanctum Cultivator [a cultivator who has opened their Violet Palace, the stage after Foundation Establishment] were to come, they would find it difficult to capture this place quickly."

"Then let's not attack," Eternal Profound Chen also wore a solemn expression. "We'll simply lay siege at the mountain's base and starve them out. I don't believe they'll never emerge."

Eldrin Chen shook his head, a note of helplessness in his voice. "They are entrenched within, sustained by the Spiritual Vein for their cultivation."

"But the spiritual energy here is thin. If we remain stationed here indefinitely, it will likely hinder our own cultivation progress."

As they were discussing this, several streaks of sword light approached from the distant sky.

Eldrin Chen looked up and saw that the arrivals were the Foundation Establishment Cultivator [cultivators who have solidified their cultivation foundation] from the major Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan [powerful clans whose core members have reached the Foundation Establishment stage] of Yu County.

Declaring Brightness Mu, Starry River Meng, and others arrived together. Upon seeing the three, they promptly descended their sword lights and hurried forward.

"Patriarch of the Chen Clan, Fellow Daoist Eldrin, how has it come to this?" Declaring Brightness Mu stepped forward, his face etched with worry and distress.

Old Patriarch [the venerable leader of the Chen family] frowned, his gaze sharp with killing intent. "Two Foundation Establishment [the second major stage of cultivation] cultivators from the Lin Clan [a rival cultivation family] joined forces to ambush my grandnephew. Had my grandnephew not held back some of his true strength, his soul would have long since been severed in the Great Wasteland [a vast, dangerous wilderness region]."

"How can such a grievance of irreconcilable enmity be so easily set aside?"

"However..." Declaring Brightness Mu [a senior cultivator and mediator] said, his expression shifting. He still tried to persuade them: "You are all the decision-makers of Yu County [a county within the cultivation world]. To turn on each other now would only bring grief to your allies and joy to your enemies, letting those demonic fiends gloat with delight."

He paused briefly, then continued, "In my view, why not let this old man act as a peacemaker? Let us all lay down our arms here and now, what say you?"

The family heads surnamed Sun and Zhang, standing nearby, also nodded in agreement. "The Beast Tide [a periodic, catastrophic onslaught of demonic beasts] is nearly upon us. Your Chen and Lin families are the very pillars of Yu County. It is not too late to clasp hands and make peace."

"It is too late." Eldrin Chen [the protagonist, a formidable young cultivator] shook his head, his voice calm yet final. "I have already slain four of the Lin Clan's Foundation Establishment Cultivator [practitioners at the Foundation Establishment realm]. There is no path to reconciliation left." Your portal to cultivation novels: audio-novel*com.