Chapter 131 : A Crucial Choice and a Protective Gift

"You are different from the others."

Lyra Jiang [a powerful female cultivator] said with a smile in her eyes, her tone measured, "You possess the Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Boat [a powerful enchanted vessel]. At a critical moment, you can assemble an elite force to provide support wherever needed and maneuver with ease. Remaining outside Celestial Ruins Mountain [a key strategic mountain stronghold] might allow you to play a more effective role."

After hearing her words, Eldrin Chen [the protagonist, a young cultivator] fell silent for a moment. He understood perfectly well that Lyra Jiang had left the most crucial part unsaid.

His Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Boat, even if deployed within Celestial Ruins Mountain, would still represent a significant combat force.

However, Celestial Ruins Mountain would undoubtedly face the main force of the Demonic Tribe [a hostile race of demonic beings], and might even be assaulted by Demon King [a powerful demonic ruler] at the Golden Core [a high stage of cultivation] realm. The pressure they would endure would be unprecedented.

If they held their ground, all would be well. But if they failed, aside from a fortunate few, the vast majority of cultivators would likely perish within the beast tide composed of hundreds of thousands of Demonic Beast [monstrous creatures infused with demonic energy].

By asking him to stay in Yu County [a county within the cultivation world], Lyra Jiang was ensuring that with the Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Boat in his hands, if the situation became truly hopeless, he would be among those with the greatest chance of escape.

"Do not dwell on it overmuch."

"With me here, even if the Celestial Python Demon King [a legendary and immensely powerful serpent demon] arrives in person, I shall not fear him."

As she spoke, Lyra Jiang took out a white jade bracelet and handed it to Eldrin Chen, her expression turning solemn. This novel is serialized on audio~novel.com. Visit for updates.

"This object is named the Frostheart White Jade Bracelet [a defensive artifact crafted from rare spiritual jade], and it bears the imprint of a strand of my Sword Intent [a cultivator's concentrated will and understanding of the sword path, capable of being projected as a tangible force]."

"Should you ever face a true life-or-death crisis, use this sword to cleave a path forward. Any foe beneath the level of a Golden Core Demon King [a demonic beast that has formed a Golden Core, a powerful core of condensed spiritual energy] can be slain with a single stroke!"

Eldrin Chen accepted the treasure bracelet, his heart trembling faintly. The fact that it could slay a cultivator at the Purple Palace, Late Stage [the advanced stage of the Purple Mansion cultivation realm] with one strike made it abundantly clear that Lyra Jiang had paid a tremendous price to create it.

The bracelet was crafted from Frostheart White Jade [a rare spiritual jade known for its purity and affinity for containing powerful energies], a Third Rank Heaven and Earth Treasure [a natural treasure of significant rarity and power, classified as third rank] worth tens of thousands of Spirit Stone [minerals that store and radiate spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation]. That such a precious material was used to create a single-use magical tool spoke volumes about the artifact's immense value.

A beauty's kindness is the hardest debt to repay. On his journey thus far, he had incurred far too many debts to Lyra Jiang, debts that were becoming impossible to settle.

After a moment of contemplation, Eldrin Chen could not help but speak. "This treasure is far too precious. You should keep it for yourself, to serve as a hidden trump card."

"With my current strength, I have no need for such external aids."

Lyra Jiang shook her head in refusal, her expression carrying a trace of pride.

Some words remained unspoken, but in her heart, she knew that if he remained safe and well, then she too would be at peace.

In the end, Eldrin Chen took the bracelet. He discovered that the white jade treasure fit his wrist perfectly, a clear sign it had been custom-made for him.

His lips parted slightly, the thousand words he wished to speak ultimately suppressed deep within his heart. He merely spoke with a calm voice.

"Without the aid of the Green Sun Sect this time, the Beast Tide Calamity will likely be even more arduous than in previous years."

"Celestial Ruins Mountain must hold back Celestial Python Lake alone. That burden will be immense. Please, take good care of yourself."

In truth, a thousand words clamored to be spoken, but he was not strong enough. In the end, those words remained unvoiced.

Ultimately, he was still not strong enough—unable to share her burden, unable to hold up the sky for her. All he could do was silently pray for her safety and well-being.

The two of them walked for a long time along the peak of Celestial Ruins Mountain, until finally, Eldrin Chen took his leave.

As he departed, he glanced back. There she stood upon the mountain's crest, silently watching him. Her figure was slender, graceful, and flawless, like a peerless immortal maiden from a painting, seemingly untouched by the mortal world.

"This is the last time."

"The last time I let you face a powerful foe alone."

Eldrin Chen silently vowed within his heart. He then channeled his energy into the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss and soared down from Celestial Ruins Mountain.

Upon returning to Heaven's Ruin Mountain Market [a major trading hub for cultivators], Eldrin Chen continued to consolidate his cultivation. He harnessed the power of the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss [his lifebound magical sword] to refine and condense his own True Essence [the purified spiritual energy within a cultivator's body].

Having reached the Foundation Establishment, Late Stage, the spiritual energy required for further advancement far exceeded that of the early and middle stages. Even with the aid of the Spirit Peach [a fruit that accelerates cultivation], he estimated it would take eight or nine years to break through to the Foundation Establishment Eighth Layer.

The Beast Tide Calamity [a periodic invasion of monstrous beasts] was now just over three years away, making another breakthrough before it impossible. However, the feedback from his Lifebound Immortal Sword [a sword forged with and nourished by its wielder's own essence] allowed him to condense his True Essence by thirty percent.

This refined True Essence would enhance the potency of both his divine abilities and the Third Rank Immortal Sword [a powerful enchanted sword] in his hands, granting him a measurable increase in overall strength.

Yet, this period of secluded cultivation lasted a mere seven days before it was interrupted. The day for signing the Heaven's Ruin Mountain Blood Oath [a magically binding pact of mutual defense] had arrived.

Representatives from all nineteen Foundation Establishment Family [clans led by Foundation Establishment cultivators] and the two Purple Mansion Immortal Clan [clans led by Purple Mansion cultivators] of the Three Counties of Bianzhou gathered at Celestial Ruins Mountain to formalize the covenant. Find thousands of chapters at audio-novel.com.

Eldrin Chen and Lior Chen arrived at the Heaven's Ruin Mountain Cultivation Dao Field [the main cultivation grounds on the mountain] to find over a hundred cultivators already assembled.

The lowest cultivation among them was at the Foundation Establishment realm. The crowd included Foundation Establishment-realm Rogue Cultivator [independent cultivators without clan or sect backing] from Celestial Ruins Mountain itself, similar Rogue Cultivator from across the Three Counties of Bianzhou, Foundation Establishment experts from the various great families, and even delegates from the Xu and Yang, Two Great Foundation Establishment Immortal Clans.

Notably, the two Purple Mansion Ancestor [the highest-ranking elders of a clan] themselves were present: Yang Yuanhe of the Yang Family and Xu Darius of the Xu Clan. Both wore expressions of grave solemnity.

Before long, the two Purple Mansion Ancestor, Lyra Jiang and Elara Lin, descended to the center of the dao field.

Elara Lin cast a glance over the assembled group, her expression grave as she began to speak. "Esteemed colleagues, a century ago, during the Beast Tide Calamity [a periodic, devastating invasion by monstrous beasts], our Chu Kingdom Cultivation World [the realm of cultivators within the borders of the Chu Kingdom] suffered grievous wounds."

"Although we have spent these hundred years recuperating and rebuilding our strength, the Green Sun Sect [a major righteous cultivation sect] is now fully occupied with its own troubles. They will not be dispatching any reinforcements to aid us in Bianzhou [a border region of the Chu Kingdom] this time."

"Therefore, we must gather here upon Celestial Ruins Mountain [a strategic mountain stronghold] to forge a new covenant. We must stand united to repel the encroaching tide of the Demonic Tribe [a collective term for monstrous, sentient beast races]."

Having spoken, Elara Lin presented a scroll containing the proposed covenant to those gathered before her.

Eldrin Chen took it and scanned its contents, finding its terms largely unchanged from what had been discussed in prior negotiations.

In truth, over the past few years, the major powers of the Three Counties of Bianzhou [the three counties comprising the Bianzhou region] had engaged in numerous discussions with the masters of Celestial Ruins Mountain. The covenant had been revised and debated many times already; today's proceedings were merely a formality to finalize it.

The essence of this pact did not differ greatly from the old Green Sun Covenant [a previous alliance pact], though many specific details had been substantially altered.

According to this new covenant, during the coming Beast Tide Calamity, all Immortal Clans would mobilize their forces under the unified command of Celestial Ruins Mountain. Any clan acting independently or causing delays that jeopardized the war effort would face the collective wrath and retribution of all righteous powers in Bianzhou after the conflict.

Celestial Ruins Mountain, bearing the brunt of the pressure from the Celestial Python Lake [a territory controlled by powerful demonic tribes], would commit to holding the line against the largest concentration of the Demonic Tribe's forces.

The various Immortal Clans, for their part, could not stand idly by. They were obligated to contribute both personnel and resources to support Celestial Ruins Mountain in this monumental task.

For instance, if the hundreds of Immortal Clan [powerful cultivation families] within Yu County were to act together, they would need to pool fifty thousand Spirit Stone [minerals that store and radiate spiritual energy]. This sum of Spirit Stone is reserved for activating the formation array once the spiritual energy within the Spirit Pool [a concentrated pool of spiritual energy] at Heaven's Ruin Mountain is exhausted.

Beyond contributing funds, each of the Three Counties of Bianzhou must also mobilize thirty percent of its cultivators to form a cultivator army in support of Heaven's Ruin Mountain.

Over the past century, Bianzhou has recuperated and thrived. The populations of both mortals and cultivators have now recovered to their peak levels from a hundred years ago.

In Yu County alone, the number of cultivators now exceeds ten thousand, and Foundation Establishment Cultivator [cultivators who have solidified their spiritual foundation] number over thirty. Combined, the three counties can muster approximately forty Foundation Establishment cultivators and around ten thousand Qi Refinement Cultivators [cultivators in the initial stage of refining their vital energy] to reinforce Heaven's Ruin Mountain.

Aside from the cultivators dispatched to Heaven's Ruin Mountain, the remaining forces of the Three Counties are split. Half remain to guard the various clan Spirit Vein [underground currents of concentrated spiritual energy], while the other half assemble to defend the key Spirit Vein across the Three Counties, ready to provide mutual support when necessary.

Yu County lies closest to the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Wilderness and bears the greatest pressure among the Three Counties, yet it lacks the presence of a Purple Mansion Immortal Clan [an immortal clan led by a Purple Mansion realm expert] to anchor its defenses.

Therefore, both the Xu and Yang clans must each dispatch a Purple Mansion Ancestor [a venerable elder who has opened their Purple Mansion, a higher spiritual core] to garrison there, and Feng County must send a thousand Qi Refinement Cultivators as reinforcements. Your portal to cultivation novels: site: audio-novel.com.