Chapter 101 : Veins of Earth and Mystery

Eldrin Chen continued his analysis of the terrain's configuration, his brow suddenly furrowing as a flicker of doubt and surprise crossed his features.

Noticing his expression, Third Elder who stood nearby asked with concern, "What is it?"

"This Earth Vein [a concentrated flow of terrestrial spiritual energy within the land] seems somewhat anomalous, yet upon closer inspection, I cannot pinpoint anything specific."

Lior Chen shook his head with a faint smile. "The profound mystery of formation arts lies in perceiving the grand patterns of heaven and earth, the Creation [the fundamental act of cosmic genesis and order]. The configurations of mountains and rivers hold boundless subtleties. It is perfectly normal for you to sense something."

Eldrin Chen nodded, yet a persistent feeling lingered in his heart—this Earth Vein felt strangely familiar, as if he had encountered a similar one before.

"Familiar…"

"Wait… the Supple Wood Earth Vein…"

In an instant, Eldrin Chen's pupils contracted slightly as a realization flashed through his mind.

Not long ago, he had witnessed the Supple Wood Earth Vein at Heavenly Ruins Mountain. The mountainous configuration here bore a striking resemblance to that Earth Vein.

The key difference lay in this mountain range, where an exceedingly faint wisp of Essence of Metallic Gold [a refined spiritual substance embodying the pure, sharp, and unyielding properties of the metal element] emanated subtly, its presence almost imperceptibly dim. Find this and other novels at audio-novel.com.

Even a Violet Sanctum Patriarch [a cultivator who has opened the Violet Sanctum, the third major realm of cultivation], if not conducting a meticulous investigation, would likely fail to detect any anomaly.

"A Metallic Gold Earth Vein [a rare, concentrated underground spiritual energy source rich in metallic and earth properties]?"

"Or was my perception mistaken?"

In an instant, Eldrin Chen suppressed the thought. Leaving aside the fact that he currently possessed no means to accurately divine the location of an Earth Vein [a concentrated source of earth-attribute spiritual energy within the land], what could he possibly do even if he found it?

The Chen Immortal Clan was not the Heavenly Ruins Mountain [a powerful, established immortal sect]. If a genuine Earth Vein truly existed here, the Chen Clan simply lacked the strength to claim and hold such a prize.

Should it be discovered, it would likely become a gift for others, sown by their own hands, and could even invite a calamity that would wipe out their entire clan.

Even if he revealed the location of this potential Earth Vein to Exquisite Jiang, the Heavenly Ruins Mountain was over a hundred thousand Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] away. With the Beast Tide [a periodic, massive invasion of demonic beasts] less than two decades away, they would likely be unwilling to divert their strength to garrison such a distant site.

"Whether it exists or not, I must bury this knowledge for now. I will make plans once I possess sufficient power."

Having made his decision, Eldrin Chen turned and said, "Now that we have taken this Mystic Iron Ore Vein [a vein of ore imbued with spiritual energy, used for crafting], we must secure Mystic Iron Mountain [the mountain containing the Mystic Iron Ore Vein]."

"To guard against mishap, I will remain here to oversee the site. I must trouble you, Uncle Lior, to return to Pingyang City and discuss the matter of this mine with Old Granduncle."

To seize this Spirit Mountain [a mountain imbued with concentrated spiritual energy] and properly develop the Mystic Iron Ore Vein [a vein of ore containing Mystic Iron, a metal with arcane properties] is no simple task.

First, a Second Rank Formation [a mid-tier defensive or supportive magical array] must be established upon the Mystic Iron Mountain [the mountain containing the Mystic Iron vein]. Secondly, it would be best to station one Foundation Establishment [the second major stage of cultivation, where one forms a solid foundation for their path] cultivator and over a dozen Vital Essence Refinement [the first stage of cultivation, refining one's vital life energy] cultivators to guard it. This would also allow for the opening of Spiritual Field [fields nourished by spiritual energy to grow rare herbs and plants] upon the mountain's slopes.

This would make efficient use of the mountain's spiritual energy. With the clan's policy of encouraging population growth, the number of cultivators within the Chen Clan will only increase. Eventually, the spiritual energy of Green Chariot Mountain [the Chen Clan's primary stronghold] will become insufficient. Possessing this new mountain will help alleviate the pressure on Green Chariot Mountain's strained spiritual resources.

Furthermore, mining the Mystic Iron Ore Vein will require a significant labor force. If cultivators were tasked with the digging, it would severely impede their precious cultivation time.

Therefore, we must also relocate some mortals here to establish a settlement and mine the Mystic Iron.

Beyond that, to make the Mystic Iron Mountain habitable for mortals, a considerable number of cultivators will be needed to clear the mountain of venomous insects and fierce beasts, and to level the rugged terrain.

Just the task of reshaping the land—if left to mortals—would likely require a thousand of them to match the work of a single Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

"Understood," Lior Chen nodded, his response decisive. "I shall return to Green Chariot Mountain immediately."

Eldrin Chen gave a nod of agreement. After a moment's thought, he added, "The matter of relocating mortals can wait. First, we must acquire a set of formation tools."

"We still need to deploy a Mountain Protection Formation [a defensive array designed to protect a mountain stronghold]. Only then can we securely claim this place."

"Very well, I shall entrust this place to you."

With those words, Lior Chen transformed into a streak of flowing light and soared out of Mystic Iron Mountain.

Only after Lior Chen had departed did Eldrin Chen begin to examine the spoils of this battle. In this fight, he had slain a Second Rank High-Grade Metal-Devouring Beast, obtaining a considerable amount of Mystic Iron.

He made a rough estimate. The crude club of Mystic Iron alone would be enough to smelt eight thousand Jin-weight [one Jin-weight equals zero point five kilograms] of Mystic Iron. If the corpse of the Metal-Devouring Beast were refined with True Flame [a pure, high-temperature flame used in cultivation and forging], it would likely yield several thousand more Jin-weight of Mystic Iron.

Most crucially, after devouring vast quantities of Mystic Iron, the Demonic Beast Inner Pill [the condensed energy core of a demonic beast] of the Metal-Devouring Beast had absorbed its essence, actually giving birth to a large amount of Mystic Iron Essence.

This Mystic Iron Essence was the supreme-grade essence of Mystic Iron. If this material were fused into the Ninefold Resonance Bell, it would likely be sufficient to refine the bell into a top-tier defensive magical treasure [an enchanted artifact used by cultivators]. Its defensive power would likely rank among the very best even within the category of Second Rank High-Grade Magical Treasure. Dive deeper into the Dao at audi0-n0vel.c0m.

"Once matters here are settled, I can entrust this to Old Patriarch and have him enhance the grade of the Ninefold Resonance Bell for me."

Thinking about soon possessing a Second Rank High-Grade defensive magical treasure, which would patch the final weakness in his arsenal, Eldrin Chen revealed an expression of excitement.

With a beaming smile, he sought out Seraphina Chen. This time, he intended to give the Foundation Establishment Pill [a pill that aids in breaking through to the Foundation Establishment realm] to Seraphina Chen.

The clan's distribution of Foundation Establishment Pill required consideration of multiple factors: age, cultivation level, accumulated Merits [a metaphysical "currency" representing good karma or virtuous deeds], seniority, and innate talent. It demanded careful weighing of pros and cons to achieve a result that would satisfy everyone.

There exists a crucial principle: before the age of forty, prioritize the young; after forty, prioritize the elderly. This is because achieving a Foundation Establishment [the second major realm of cultivation, where one solidifies their spiritual foundation] breakthrough before forty grants one an additional chance to attempt the Violet Sanctum [the third major realm, where one opens a mystical inner sanctum] breakthrough compared to the average cultivator. Of course, if someone truly performs a heaven-shaking, monumental service for the clan, their case can be reconsidered.

Although Chen Cyrus is also a suitable candidate, he is currently ranked behind Seraphina Chen.

Chen Cyrus's grandfather, Eternal Cry Chen, fell in battle during the last Beast Tide [a periodic, massive invasion of demonic beasts] at just over one hundred and twenty years of age. By then, he had already repaid the debt for his Foundation Establishment Pill [a precious elixir that significantly increases the chance of a successful Foundation Establishment breakthrough] and left behind over four thousand clan Merits [a metaphysical "currency" representing contributions and good standing within the clan]. Over the years, Chen Cyrus's cultivation consumed a significant portion, leaving a little over three thousand remaining.

This sum of clan Merits alone is still far from sufficient to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill. The clan is generally quite lenient, allowing members to acquire the pill on credit. If a Foundation Establishment attempt truly fails, the debt is simply written off as bad after the cultivator's death; it does not burden their descendants.

This bad debt is absorbed by the family's Clan Treasury, consuming the clan's accumulated reserves—a cost with severe consequences for its long-term strength.

Seraphina Chen's case is entirely different. The Mystic Iron Ore Vein [a vein of ore infused with spiritual energy, used for crafting weapons and tools] she discovered brings the clan nearly a thousand Spirit Stones [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation] annually. Over years and decades, the benefits she has delivered to the clan far exceed one hundred thousand Spirit Stones.

This contribution is simply staggering. The gap in Merits between the two candidates is incomparable. Such extraordinary service must be rewarded heavily to properly motivate other clan members.

Furthermore, if Seraphina Chen receives the Foundation Establishment Pill and her Foundation Establishment attempt fails, it will not create a bad debt of over ten thousand Spirit Stones, thus sparing the Clan Treasury from such a drain.

Therefore, the first right to this Foundation Establishment Pill should rightly fall to Seraphina Chen. In Eldrin Chen's view, the lingering shade of ancestral favor simply cannot compare to the solid gold of contributions earned through one's own deeds—especially when the disparity is this vast.

Having reached this conclusion, he smiled and said, "The reason I summoned you today is to entrust this Foundation Establishment Pill to you."

"But my cultivation is only at the Vital Essence Refinement seventh tier." Although she had anticipated this, Seraphina Chen could not help but say, "The efficacy of a Foundation Establishment Pill lasts only ten years. I simply lack the capability to take this pill."

"Originally, I intended this Foundation Establishment Pill for Cyrus. His ancestors contributed greatly to the clan and left behind three thousand clan Merits."

"However, your service to the clan this time is monumental. The Merits you've earned would likely be measured in the tens of thousands. Naturally, I will support your Foundation Establishment with all my resources."

"You will be fifty after the New Year. Following the normal cultivation path would be too late."

Eldrin Chen spoke calmly, producing three Spiritual Peach. "After refining these three Spiritual Peach, your cultivation should reach the peak of the Vital Essence Refinement 9th Tier. We will then find a way to temper your meridians. Within a few years, you should be ready to attempt Foundation Establishment."

"It will require some expenditure of resources, but the merit you have earned justifies the clan's investment."

"In that case... my deepest thanks."

Seraphina Chen accepted the Spiritual Peach with trembling hands, her face alight with unrestrained joy.

"Do not celebrate too soon." Seeing her excitement, Eldrin Chen smiled faintly. "I will guard this place for three years. If you achieve Foundation Establishment within that time, you will be the one to take over the guardianship of this Mystic Iron Mountain vein."

"Furthermore, once you establish your Foundation Establishment, should Cyrus encounter difficulties in the future, you must lend him your aid."

"Rest assured, I understand this matter well."

She nodded, then added hesitantly, "It's just that Elder Brother Kael over there... I fear he may find it difficult to accept."

"For the clan, you and Kael are both flesh of its hand, equally precious. But the Merits [a metaphysical measure of virtuous deeds and contributions] you have established are many times his. We have no choice but to make a decision based on this."

"This concerns your Path [the journey of cultivation and enlightenment]; you should rightfully step forward without yielding. Besides, this Foundation Establishment Pill [a pill that aids in solidifying one's cultivation foundation] was never truly his to begin with." Eldrin Chen offered a slight smile and nodded, continuing, "The Third Elder has overseen clan affairs for many years. He will certainly handle this matter properly."

"Upon returning, I believe he will personally seek out Kael for a talk."

"..."

Merely four days later, Lior Chen returned to the Mystic Iron Mountain [a mountain rich in spiritually infused iron ore], bringing back a set of Formation [a structured arrangement of artifacts or energy to create magical effects].

"The Verdant Wood and Bulwark Earth Formation?"

Eldrin Chen examined the formation array before him, his brow furrowing slightly. This set had been obtained from the Lin Clan, and he worried there might be hidden contingencies within it.

Seeing his expression, the Third Elder shook his head and said, "Set your mind at ease. Over these past few years, Uncle Eternal Profound has thoroughly mastered the intricacies of this formation. These two Formation Artifact [enchanted artifacts specifically designed to anchor and power a formation] are sound. Once we re-deploy the formation ourselves, we need not fear any of their hidden tricks."

"That puts my mind at ease."

Eldrin Chen gave a nod and began to set up the Formation by relying on the Earth Vein [a powerful, naturally occurring ley line of spiritual energy within the earth].

As a Second Rank Low-Grade Formation Master, he might not yet be capable of forging a Second Rank Mid-Grade Formation from scratch, but deploying a pre-forged Formation was not difficult for him.

After spending roughly three days, with the assistance of the Third Elder, he successfully established the Formation, firmly securing the Mystic Iron Mountain [a mountain rich in a special, spiritually conductive metal] before finally letting out a sigh of relief.

"With this array in place, even if other Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan [a clan whose patriarch has reached the Foundation Establishment realm] harbor any designs, they likely wouldn't dare to act."

After completing the Formation, Lior Chen said with a smile.

He paused, then continued with a hint of hesitation, "After I returned, I spoke with Cyrus. I took it upon myself to promise that if we obtain another Foundation Establishment Pill [a precious elixir that aids in breaking through to the Foundation Establishment realm], his lineage would have priority in exchanging for it."

"Hmm, since you've made that decision, then if a suitable candidate arises, it shall go to his lineage first."

Eldrin Chen nodded, effectively finalizing the matter.

Hearing this, the Third Elder revealed a smile. He understood that within the family, the only ones who could truly make the final call on such significant matters were Eldrin Chen and the Old Patriarch.

As cultivators still needed to be dispatched to cultivate the Spiritual Field [a field imbued with spiritual energy for growing rare plants] and to garrison the Mystic Iron Mountain Path-Field [a mountain path rich in mystical iron ore], and arrangements had to be made for the migration of mortals, the Third Elder did not linger. He flew back to Green Chariot Mountain that very same day.

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