Chapter 108 : A Perilous Pact with the Wilderness

This time, the Chen Clan had essentially emptied its nest. To prevent information leaks and their home base being raided, even these eighteen high-ranking clan members did not know their mission's objective.

To achieve a swift victory, Eldrin Chen and the other three Foundation Establishment Cultivator disregarded the immense drain on their True Essence. Each of them, riding their swords, carried four or five cultivators as they flew towards the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Wilderness.

After a mere four or five days of travel, the group arrived at a point three hundred Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] from the Ancient Cultivator's Cave.

Only after they descended from their sword radiance did the Old Patriarch reveal the purpose of their journey. Upon learning they were to confront a Purple Mansion Demonic Beast [a powerful monster equivalent to a Purple Mansion realm cultivator], a wave of fear washed over the group.

Chen Alaric trembled, his face etched with worry. "Old Granduncle," he said, "a Purple Mansion Demonic Beast could snuff us out with a single breath. With our level of cultivation, wouldn't joining this fight be a death wish?"

"Set your minds at ease. Clan Patriarch and I will be the vanguard in this battle."

Eldrin Chen spoke up, pausing briefly before continuing, "Your task is simply to channel your True Qi [the refined energy cultivated by practitioners] into the Formation Flags to support Uncle Lior and Seraphina."

Sixteenth Granduncle Chen Lucius gave Chen Alaric a light tap on the head. "All these years, the clan has provided you with resources and stipends precisely for a day like this, when you must fight for its sake," he said sternly. "Do you intend to flee instead?"

"Of course not," Chen Alaric replied, rubbing his head with an awkward chuckle. "I merely fear a pointless sacrifice."

The others offered strained smiles. If Chen Lucius, now ninety-seven winters old, dared to stand and fight, none of them would dream of retreating. Continue your cultivation journey at audio-novel`com.

After all, with the protection of a formation, they were relatively safe as long as the formation remained unbroken.

Seeing a flicker of fighting spirit ignite within the group, Lior Chen let out a sigh of relief. He distributed the Formation Flags and had everyone practice their deployment once more.

The clan cultivators were already trained in the Blazing Solar Skyfire Formation, so they quickly familiarized themselves with the closely related Solar Divine Flame Formation.

The group did not advance rashly that night. Instead, they rested where they were, recovering their True Essence [the refined spiritual energy cultivated by a practitioner] before proceeding towards Yang Alistair's Cultivation Cave.

They moved forward with utmost caution, stealthily closing the distance. Perhaps due to its severe injuries, the Thunder Demonic Roc's spiritual sense was greatly diminished. It failed to detect them until they were within five Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters].

"BOOM—"

With a thunderous crash, the Thunder Demonic Roc burst through the wall of the Ancient Cultivator's Cave and shot out from the mountainside, fleeing into the distance.

Fortunately, the group was fully prepared. The Old Patriarch struck first, his Crimson Flame Spirit Blade transforming into a blade radiance over eight Zhang-lengths [one Zhang-length equals three point three three meters] long that cleaved through the sky towards the beast.

As the Life-Bound Magical Treasure [an enchanted artifact bound to a cultivator's life force, growing in power with them] of a Foundation Establishment ninth layer cultivator, the Crimson Flame Spirit Blade's power surpassed that of ordinary magical treasures of the same rank by at least thirty percent—more than enough to wound a Purple Mansion Demonic Beast.

The Thunder Demonic Roc did not meet the blow head-on. Instead, it beat its mighty wings, banking sharply in an attempt to escape from another direction.

Yet a brilliant azure sword radiance soared into the sky, directly blocking the path of the Purple Palace Demon Roc. As a superior Lifebound Immortal Sword, the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss possessed power thirty percent greater than the Crimson Flame Spirit Blade, even possessing the capability to inflict severe wounds upon the Thunder Demonic Roc.

With the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss ahead and the Crimson Flame Spirit Blade behind, the Thunder Demonic Roc had no time left to change course. It could only unleash a thunderous spell in retaliation.

After all, it was a Purple Mansion Demonic Beast. Though it merely invoked an innate spell rather than a true divine ability, its power was far from ordinary. A serpent of lightning descended, actually managing to parry the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss.

Seeing the Separated Flame Immortal Return Sword blocked, the Purple Palace Demon Roc beat its wings once more to flee. Eldrin Chen's eyes narrowed sharply as he summoned the Metallic Essence Divine Thunder to strike down from above.

"BOOM—"

A thunderous explosion rent the air as the Metallic Essence Divine Thunder transformed into a bolt from the nine heavens. The Pure Yang Divine Thunder divine ability possessed an innate, peerless swiftness, leaving even the Purple Palace Demon Roc unable to evade it in time.

Now, Eldrin Chen's mana was profound and sharp, not inferior to that of an Foundation Establishment Eighth Layer cultivator. The power he could channel through this divine ability was already sufficient to threaten a Purple Mansion Demonic Beast.

The Purple Palace Demon Roc, already dragging its grievously wounded body, naturally dared not receive this attack with its flesh. With no other choice, it could only expand its protective aura to block the blow, then continue beating its wings to surge forward, fleeing desperately into the distant void.

"Do not let it escape!"

Seeing the demonic roc attempting to flee once more, Chen Thalion could not help but shout urgently. The Purple Palace Demon Roc deliberately avoided him, a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment, Peak Stage, making even him struggle to keep pace.

Fortunately, at this moment, Third Elder and the others finally caught up. Lior Chen activated the Solar Divine Flame Formation [a powerful fire-based defensive and offensive array] and unleashed the Separated Flame Heart-Locking Spike [a magical projectile designed to pierce defenses and target the heart].

This Separated Flame Heart-Locking Spike had gathered the power of the Solar Divine Flame Formation, making its might truly astonishing. Its power actually surpassed that of Eldrin Chen's Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss [a lifebound magical sword] by a full fifty percent.

It erupted with a dazzling, spear-like radiance spanning twelve or thirteen Zhang-length [one Zhang-length equals three point three three meters], shooting directly toward the Purple Palace Demon Roc [a powerful third-rank demonic bird], leaving the beast with no avenue of escape.

The strike caught the Purple Palace Demon Roc completely off guard. Although it managed to block the majority of the attack's force with its protective aura, it was still sent reeling backward by the Separated Flame Heart-Locking Spike for a hundred Zhang-length, finally forcing it to a halt.

Furthermore, after successively blocking the Metallic Essence Divine Thunder [a powerful thunder-based divine ability] and the Separated Flame Heart-Locking Spike, its protective aura had been shattered. For a short time, at least, that defensive spell would be of little use.

Seizing the opportunity, the group closed in. It was only then that everyone noticed a massive wound on the Purple Palace Demon Roc's abdomen, within which a pale golden flame still smoldered and burned. For uninterrupted reading, go to audio - novel . com.

"There are remnants of the Western Pole Metallic Essence Flame [a potent, lingering fire ability]. It was struck by the Golden Lion Mastiff's Western Pole Metallic Essence Flame," someone observed.

"No wonder it chose to flee rather than face us in a direct confrontation."

Eldrin Chen glanced at the demonic roc's injury, and this understanding flashed through his mind in an instant.

The Western Pole Metallic Essence Flame was an Innate Divine Ability [a powerful technique inherent to a specific creature or bloodline] of the Golden Lion Mastiff. This divine ability was exceptionally formidable. Once it grievously wounded a foe, the flames would seep into the wounds and meridians, relentlessly scorching the victim's flesh and blood day and night, making it exceedingly difficult to purge.

Even though the Purple Palace Demon Roc possessed formidable cultivation, being subjected to the relentless day-and-night tempering of such True Flame [a potent, purified flame used in cultivation and forging] had left it utterly enfeebled. Not only had its strength diminished by five or six tenths, but it also endured constant, excruciating agony.

"Screech—"

It was, after all, a Purple Mansion Demonic Beast [a powerful demonic creature equivalent to the Purple Mansion cultivation realm]. Even grievously wounded, it retained its own imposing majesty. Seeing the cultivators closing in, a cold glint flashed in the Purple Palace Demon Roc's eyes. Resolving to suppress its injuries, it decided to end the battle swiftly.

With a sudden motion, it opened its beak and spat forth a sword radiance wreathed in crackling lightning, which soared into the air and slashed toward Eldrin Chen.

"Beware! It's the Thunderbolt Blazing Fire Sword!"

Old Patriarch, with his vast experience, immediately recognized it, his face paling with alarm.

The origin of this Thunderbolt Blazing Fire Sword was indeed astonishing. It was the unique Life-Bound Magical Treasure [a powerful artifact intimately linked to its wielder's life force and cultivation] of the Yang Clan, a Purple Mansion Immortal Clan from Ling County. A century ago, the Yang Clan's Purple Mansion Ancestor [a senior cultivator who has reached the Purple Mansion realm], Yang Roland, had forged this very Lifebound Immortal Sword and had relied upon it to dominate Bianzhou.

Eighty-five years prior, when the Beast Tide Calamity [a catastrophic invasion by hordes of demonic beasts] erupted, even the Green Sun Sect lost two of its Purple Mansion Ancestor. The Purple Mansion Immortal Clan of Qing and Yang Provinces also suffered grievous losses. Bianzhou, treated like a neglected stepchild, could not possibly have emerged unscathed.

That very ancestor, Yang Roland, had fallen in battle during the Beast Tide Calamity. Naturally, this Thunderbolt Blazing Fire Sword was lost. No one could have imagined it would end up in the claws of the Thunder Roc tribe.

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