Chapter 91. Yimu(term) Earth Vein

"I have observed that your cultivation has advanced considerably over the years, Fairy. You are likely approaching a breakthrough to Foundation Establishment, Late Stage (Cultivation Realm), are you not?"

Eldrin (Person Name) said with flattery, "My meager achievements are hardly worth comparing to those of Fairy Liu."

Upon hearing this, Liu Rumeng also revealed a faint smile. A few years ago, she had finally advanced further, breaking through to Foundation Establishment, 6th Layer (Cultivation Realm)—a progress that could indeed be considered delightfully remarkable.

After the 2 exchanged pleasantries for a while, the inventory of the 5 Elements essence had been completed.

Liu Rumeng glanced at the ledger, her eyes flickering slightly as she remarked with puzzlement, "This year's 5 Elements Essence seems considerably less than previous years."

"Mm." Eldrin nodded, his tone straightforward. "Over these past few years, I've consumed a fair amount while cultivating divine abilities. The clan also needed to refine several Life-Bound Magical Treasures, so we've indeed used up quite a bit."

"I see." Liu Rumeng nodded thoughtfully, her tone laced with intrigue. "To consume such vast amounts of 5 Elements essence, it appears your divine abilities have advanced remarkably, fellow Daoist."

She invited Eldrin into the inner chamber, and after both parties verified the accounts, the transaction was completed.

This time, the 5 Elements essence was reduced by half compared to previous years. The transaction amounted to merely 5,000-some spirit stones, and the Chen family's profits had also diminished considerably.

After settling the bill, Eldrin (Person Name) did not take his leave. Instead, he chose to remain.

"This time, my visit to Celestial Ruins Mountain (Location) serves 2 purposes: not only to sell the 5 Elements Essence, but also to acquire 2 specific items."

"Oh." Liu Rumeng smiled and inquired, "May I ask what you wish to purchase? As long as it exists within the Heavenly Ruins Pavilion, I have the authority to grant it to you."

A gleam of delight flashed across Eldrin’s face as he promptly inquired, “Might the Heavenly Ruins Pavilion possess jade slips of divine abilities or Spirit-Cleaving Fruits?”

The might of divine abilities is immense, enough to serve as a foundation for any clan. However, mastering these abilities is by no means an easy feat.

The divine abilities are profound and enigmatic, exceedingly difficult to cultivate. They can only be comprehended intuitively, not conveyed through words. The optimal path to mastery lies in continuous meditation upon these mystical arts, through which 1 may gradually unravel their deepest mysteries.

This, however, requires a medium. The Divine Ability Jade Slip serves as such a medium for comprehending divine abilities. It can preserve 1 divine ability, allowing cultivators to observe and contemplate it repeatedly until they successfully master it.

However, the material used for divine ability jade slips is extremely precious, requiring second-order jade to bear the inscriptions, and their crafting is far from easy.

The Chen Clan lacked the means to produce Divine Ability Jade Slips, so they came here intending to purchase 1. Their goal was to inscribe the successfully cultivated Gengjin Divine Thunder into the Divine Ability Jade Slip, making it convenient for the clan leader and several elders to study and comprehend it.

Hearing he wished to purchase these 2 items, Liu Rumeng’s expression shifted subtly. With a light laugh, she said, “The Heavenly Ruins Pavilion still has a few blank divine ability jade slips in stock. I can offer you 1 for 1,000 spirit stones.”

"It's just that the Shattered Origin Fruit is no longer available within the Sky Ruin Pavilion."

Hearing this, Eldrin (Person Name) showed a disappointed expression. If even the Heavenly Ruins Pavilion didn’t have it, he would have to try his luck in the Feng and Ling Prefectures.

However, when Liu Rumeng noticed his expression, she gave a faint smile and continued.

"However, it's not entirely impossible for you to obtain a Spirit-Breaking Pill."

"The Master's mastery of formations is second to none in the Chu Kingdom. Some time ago, while deducing the ley lines, she roughly calculated that within 30,000 li of the Celestial Ruins Mountain, there must be a Yi Wood Ley Line."

"At present, our Master is deducing the location of this earth vein. Once the precise coordinates are confirmed, he will attempt to claim this Wood-Type Earth Veil."

Liu Rumeng spoke, her gaze shifting toward Eldrin (Person Name), the unspoken implication clearer than any words.

Upon hearing this, Eldrin (Person Name) revealed a flicker of pleasant surprise, for he understood all too well what a terrestrial spiritual vein represented.

An untapped Wood Element Earth Vein, even if only a lower-grade tier-3 vein, signified the birth of a vast quantity of spiritual herbs within. Among them were numerous tier-2 spiritual herbs, and there would even be over 10 types of tier-3 herbs suitable for the Purple Mansion Realm.

Most importantly, an unexplored earth vein would always nurture 1 or 2 Yi Wood Crystals (Spiritual Object), and if the grade was sufficiently high, there might even be Purple Sun Jades.

Unlike treasures such as the Li Fire Crystal (Spiritual Object) or Yi Wood Crystal (Spiritual Object), which can only boost a wood spirit root cultivator's chances of breaking through to the Violet Mansion by 20 percent, the Purple Sun Jade...

However, this treasure is not only beneficial to cultivators of all spiritual roots, but it also increases a cultivator's chances of breaking through to the Violet Mansion Realm by 40 percent—a success rate far surpassing that of the former.

Moreover, using the Purple Sun Jade to break through ensures that even in failure, the cultivator will not suffer any harm. As long as 1 adjusts their condition properly, they can even attempt to impact the Zi Mansion realm again within an extremely short period.

Such a profound Purple Sun Jade naturally held a value exceeding that of the Li Fire Crystal (Spiritual Object) by more than double.

At this thought, Eldrin couldn't help but ask, "The Yimu Earth Vein—what does Senior Jiang mean by that?"

Liu Rumeng nodded. "Developing a spiritual vein requires a considerable amount of time. With the beast tide approaching, we don’t have much time left."

"Thus, our Master intends to gather all Foundation Establishment cultivators of Celestial Ruins Mountain to jointly assault that Yi Wood Earth Vein, so we may swiftly retrieve the Yi Wood Crystal and enhance our strength."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin (Person Name) revealed an expression of pleasant surprise. "May I ask when Senior Jiang (Person Name) plans to assault the Wood-Type Earth Vein (Cultivation Resource)?"

"It should be soon," Liu Rumeng remarked. "The Master has deduced the ley line's course and narrowed down the location of the Yimu Earth Vein to an area spanning over 3,000 li."

"Barring any surprises, we should pinpoint the location within 2 months. You'll naturally be summoned to participate when the time comes."

"In that case... my thanks."

After purchasing the jade slip containing divine abilities, Eldrin left the Heavenly Ruins Pavilion and returned to the inn.

Taking advantage of the fact that the Eldrin Earth Vein had yet to be locked, he resolved to first inscribe the Gengjin Divine Thunder. To carve a Divine Ability Jade Slip, 1 must first master the divine ability itself.

Eldrin possessed extraordinary comprehension. As early as several years prior, he had already deciphered the mysteries of Gengjin Divine Thunder and mastered its cultivation. Now, inscribing the Gengjin Divine Thunder into a divine ability jade slip was merely a natural progression requiring no extra effort.

It took him about 5 or 6 days to successfully inscribe the Divine Ability Jade Slip.

"Finally, it is done."

A relieved smile graced his lips. With this divine ability now in their possession, the family would gain another layer of profound heritage for generations to come.

"Only this Azure Sun Sect."

Eldrin furrowed his brows once more. This divine ability was obtained from the Qingyang Sect, and it would likely bring some trouble. "It seems that until our clan produces a Purple Mansion cultivator, we must refrain from recklessly employing this technique."

Just then, a series of knocks echoed from outside his chamber door, and Second Elder Chen Qinghe stepped inside.

This clansman was very close to Eldrin. Eldrin politely poured him a cup of tea and asked with a smile.

"Uncle, what brings you to my humble abode?"

"Elder Liu of the Celestial Ruins Pavilion has asked me to deliver an invitation to you. He wishes to invite you to the annual Grand Barter Convention."

Chen Qinghe spoke as he handed over an invitation.

Eldrin accepted the invitation, opening it briefly to glance inside. He quickly grasped the essence of this Exchange Assembly and remarked with a light smile,

"The trade fair at Celestial Ruins Mountain (Location) still offers some decent treasures. I attended once 10 years ago and managed to exchange for a Blood-Replenishing Ginseng (Spiritual Object). It was precisely that very ginseng that healed both your and Uncle Lior (Person Name)'s injuries."

Chapter 1: The Reborn Youth Mount Canglan, Outer Sect. A dilapidated wooden house stood silently in the mountain breeze. Inside, a pale youth of about 15 or 16 suddenly sat up on his bed, his eyes wide open as he stared blankly at his surroundings. "Have I... crossed over?" He was called Chu Xuan, originally a top-tier hitman on Earth. While carrying out a mission, he was caught in an explosion and perished. Unexpectedly, when he opened his eyes again, his soul had transmigrated into the body of a youth with the same name in this world. This was a world where immortals and demons coexisted, a realm of cultivation where the strong preyed on the weak. The original owner was an outer sect disciple of the Mount Canglan Sect. 3 days ago, during a mission to gather herbs, he was ambushed by someone and severely injured. In the end, he couldn't hold on and passed away, allowing Chu Xuan to take over his body. "Don't worry, since I've inherited your body, I will naturally seek justice for you." Chu Xuan murmured to himself, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his mind, and a flood of memories surged forth. After a long while, Chu Xuan finally sorted through the original owner's memories, and his expression grew increasingly grim. The original owner's background was quite tragic—an orphan with no 1 to rely on. He had managed to join the Mount Canglan Sect by chance, but because of his mediocre aptitude, he had been stuck in the first level of Qi Refining for 3 years, becoming a well-known "waste" in the outer sect. This time, he had been ambushed while gathering herbs, and it was actually a scheme orchestrated by a fellow disciple named Zhao Hu. The reason was simply that the original owner had unintentionally discovered Zhao Hu's illicit affair with a female disciple from the inner sect. To keep his secret, Zhao Hu had decided to silence him. "Zhao Hu..." Chu Xuan's eyes narrowed slightly, a trace of cold killing intent flickering within them. As a hitman, he had always followed the principle of an eye for an eye. Since Zhao Hu had dared to make a move, he would have to pay the price. However, Zhao Hu was already at the third level of Qi Refining. With Chu Xuan's current strength, he was no match for him. He needed to improve his cultivation as soon as possible. With this thought, Chu Xuan closed his eyes and began to inspect his body. The injuries were severe; his meridians were damaged, and his dantian was on the verge of collapse. No wonder the original owner hadn't been able to hold on. If it were an ordinary person, such injuries would likely mean the end of their cultivation journey. But Chu Xuan was different. In his previous life, he had obtained a mysterious cultivation technique called the "Heaven Swallowing Art" by chance. Not only could it devour the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, but it could also absorb the cultivation of others to enhance his own. It was precisely because of this technique that he had become a top-tier hitman in his previous life. "I never thought this technique would come in handy in this world." A faint smile curled at the corner of Chu Xuan's mouth as he began to circulate the Heaven Swallowing Art. Whoosh— The moment the technique activated, the surrounding spiritual energy surged wildly toward him, pouring into his body through his meridians. The damaged meridians and dantian were rapidly healing under the nourishment of the spiritual energy. An hour later, Chu Xuan opened his eyes, a flash of surprise within them. Not only were his injuries completely healed, but his cultivation had also broken through to the second level of Qi Refining! "This Heaven Swallowing Art is truly extraordinary!" Chu Xuan couldn't help but sigh in admiration. At that moment, a burst of noisy conversation came from outside the door. "Chu Xuan, you piece of trash, get out here!" "Still playing dead? If you don't come out now, don't blame me for breaking down your door!" Hearing this, Chu Xuan's eyes turned cold. He recognized these voices—they were Zhao Hu's lackeys. He hadn't expected them to come looking for trouble so soon. Chu Xuan got out of bed, pushed open the door, and walked out. Outside stood 3 outer sect disciples, all with arrogant expressions. The leader, a tall, thin youth named Ma Bao, was Zhao Hu's most loyal dog. When Ma Bao saw Chu Xuan, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes. "You... you're not dead?" Chu Xuan said coldly, "What, disappointed?" Ma Bao quickly regained his composure and said with a sneer, "Since you're not dead, that's even better. Hand over the 100 spirit stones your father left you, and we might consider sparing your life." 100 spirit stones? Chu Xuan's heart stirred as he searched through the original owner's memories. It turned out that before the original owner's father passed away, he had indeed left him a 100 spirit stones. It was just that the original owner had never used them, intending to keep them as a memento. Zhao Hu had likely set his sights on these spirit stones. "Dream on," Chu Xuan said coldly. Ma Bao's expression darkened. "You're seeking death!" With that, he threw a punch directly at Chu Xuan. In his eyes, Chu Xuan, a waste at the first level of Qi Refining, was no match for him at all. However, in the next moment, his expression changed drastically. Chu Xuan didn't dodge or retreat. Instead, he also threw a punch, meeting Ma Bao's head-on. Bam! With a muffled sound, Ma Bao was sent flying backward, crashing heavily to the ground. The other 2 were stunned, staring at Chu Xuan in disbelief. How was this possible? This waste had actually knocked Ma Bao flying with 1 punch? Had the whole world gone crazy? Chu Xuan looked coldly at the 3 of them. "Get lost!" Ma Bao struggled to his feet, his eyes filled with fear. "You... your cultivation..." Only then did he realize that Chu Xuan's aura was actually at the second level of Qi Refining! How was that possible? Weren't his meridians damaged? How could he not only recover but also break through? "Get lost, or don't blame me for being ruthless," Chu Xuan said coldly. Ma Bao's expression changed several times. In the end, he didn't dare say anything more and left with his 2 lackeys in a sorry state. Watching their retreating figures, Chu Xuan's eyes grew increasingly cold. He knew that Zhao Hu would never let this go. He had to improve his strength as soon as possible. With that thought, Chu Xuan turned and walked back into the wooden house. He took out a small box from under the bed. Inside were exactly 1 100 spirit stones. These spirit stones were his starting capital. Chu Xuan held a spirit stone and began to circulate the Heaven Swallowing Art. The spirit stone instantly turned into powder, and the pure spiritual energy within was completely absorbed by him. His cultivation also grew noticeably. Chu Xuan's eyes lit up, and he continued to absorb without stopping. Time passed slowly. Unknowingly, 3 days had gone by. When Chu Xuan absorbed the last spirit stone, his cultivation had already reached the peak of the second level of Qi Refining, just 1 step away from the third level. At that moment, a burst of noisy conversation came from outside the door again. "Chu Xuan, get out here!" Hearing this voice, Chu Xuan's eyes turned cold. Zhao Hu was here.