Chapter 131 : A Crucial Choice and a White Jade Bracelet

"You are different from the others."

Exquisite Jiang's eyes held a glimmer of amusement as she spoke calmly, "You possess the Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Ship [a powerful flying vessel capable of slaying demons]. At a critical moment, you could assemble an elite force to provide support wherever needed, and you have the freedom to advance or retreat at will. Remaining outside Heavenly Ruins Mountain [a formidable mountain range and strategic location] might allow you to play an even more effective role."

After hearing her words, Eldrin Chen fell into a contemplative silence. He understood perfectly well that Exquisite Jiang had left the most crucial part unsaid.

His Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Ship would still be a significant combat asset if deployed within Heavenly Ruins Mountain.

However, the forces that Heavenly Ruins Mountain would face were undoubtedly the main army of the Demon Race [a race of malevolent, demonic beings]. They might even face assaults from Demon Kings [powerful demonic rulers equivalent to the Golden Core Stage] of the Golden Core Stage [the third major realm of cultivation, where one forms a solidified golden core of spiritual power]. 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 tide of hundreds of thousands of demonic beasts.

By asking him to remain in Yu County, Exquisite Jiang was ensuring that, with the Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Ship in his possession, he would be among the handful with the greatest chance of escape if the situation became truly hopeless.

"Do not dwell on it,"

"With me here, even if the Heavenly Python Demon King [a legendary and immensely powerful serpent demon ruler] were to arrive in person, I would not fear him."

As she spoke, Exquisite Jiang retrieved a White Jade Treasure Bracelet [an enchanted bracelet carved from white jade] and handed it to Eldrin Chen, her expression turning solemn. Continue your cultivation journey at audio–novel.com.

"This object is called the Icy Heart White Jade Bracelet [a defensive artifact carved from rare spiritual jade], and it bears the imprint of a strand of my sword intent."

"Should you truly face a life-or-death crisis, use this sword intent to clear your path. Any demonic cultivator below the Golden Core Demon King [a powerful demonic entity at the Golden Core stage] can be slain with a single strike!"

"……"

Eldrin Chen accepted the precious bracelet, his heart trembling slightly. To be able to slay a cultivator at the Violet Sanctum Late Stage [the advanced phase of the third major cultivation realm] with a single strike—he didn't need to think hard to understand that Exquisite Jiang must have paid a tremendous price to create this.

The bracelet was crafted from Icy Heart White Jade, a Third-Rank Heaven and Earth Treasure [a rare spiritual material of significant value] worth tens of thousands of Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation]. Yet, it had been fashioned into a single-use magical treasure [an enchanted artifact used by cultivators]. This alone spoke volumes about the object's preciousness.

The kindness of a beautiful woman is the hardest debt to bear. On his journey thus far, he had already owed Exquisite Jiang far too much, a debt that felt increasingly impossible to repay.

After a moment of contemplation, Eldrin Chen couldn't help but speak up. "This treasure is far too precious. You should keep it for yourself, to serve as a final trump card."

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

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

Some words remained unspoken, but deep in her heart, she thought that if he remained safe and well, then she too would be free from worry.

Eldrin Chen finally took the treasure bracelet. He discovered that the White Jade Treasure Bracelet fit his wrist perfectly, as if it had been custom-made for him.

His lips parted slightly, a thousand words rising within him, yet in the end, he pressed them all down into the depths of his heart. He spoke with a calm voice.

"Without the aid of the Verdant Sun Sect this time, the Beast Tide will likely be even more difficult to withstand than in previous years."

"Heavenly Ruins Mountain will have to hold back Heavenly Python Lake alone. The pressure will be immense. Please, take good care of yourself."

In truth, a torrent of words clamored to be spoken, but he was not strong enough. In the end, he could not give them voice.

It all came down to not being 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 Heavenly Ruins Mountain. Finally, Eldrin Chen took his leave.

As he departed, he glanced back. There she stood upon the mountain peak, silently watching him. Her figure was slender, graceful, and flawless, like a peerless immortal maiden from a painting, utterly removed from the Mortal Dust [the mundane world of mortals].

"This is the last time," he vowed to himself.

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

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, his thoughts a silent whisper as he urged the Solar Fire Returning Abyss Sword to descend from the heights of Heavenly Ruins Mountain.

Upon returning to the Heavenly Ruins Mountain Market, Eldrin Chen continued to consolidate his cultivation base. Harnessing the power of the Solar Fire Returning Abyss Sword, he refined his own True Essence [the purified foundational energy of a cultivator].

Having reached the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, the energy required for further advancement far exceeded that of the early and middle stages. Even with the aid of the Spiritual Peach, he estimated it would take eight or nine years to break through to the Foundation Establishment 8th Tier.

The Beast Tide [a periodic onslaught of rampaging demonic beasts] was now just over three years away; another breakthrough was clearly out of reach in time. However, the feedback from his Lifebound Immortal Sword [a sword forged with a cultivator's life force, sharing a profound bond] would allow his True Essence to be refined by an additional thirty percent.

Once his True Essence was further refined, the power he could unleash with both his divine abilities and his third-rank Immortal Sword would increase noticeably, boosting his overall combat strength.

Yet, this period of secluded cultivation was interrupted after a mere seven days. The appointed day for signing the Heavenly Ruins Mountain Blood Oath [a magically binding pact sealed with blood] had arrived. Original publication: audio-novel`com - The source of this chapter.

Important figures from all nineteen Foundation Establishment clans and the two Violet Sanctum Immortal Clan [powerful clans with cultivators at the Violet Sanctum realm] within the Three Counties of Border Province had been dispatched to Heavenly Ruins Mountain to sign the covenant.

Eldrin Chen and Lior Chen arrived at the cultivation Path-Field [a designated area for cultivation practice] on Heavenly Ruins Mountain to find it already gathered with over one hundred cultivators.

The lowest among them were all at the Foundation Establishment realm. The assembly included Foundation Establishment rogue cultivators from Heavenly Ruins Mountain and the Three Counties of Border Province, Foundation Establishment experts from various great clans, and representatives from the Xu and Yang Violet Sanctum Immortal Clan.

Even the two Violet Sanctum Patriarch—Varen Wei of the Yang Clan and Path Abyss Xu of the Xu Clan—had come in person. Each wore an expression of grave solemnity.

Not long after, the two Violet Sanctum Patriarchs, Exquisite Jiang and Elara Lin, arrived at the Path-Field Central.

Elara Lin swept her gaze over the assembled cultivators, her expression grave as she began to speak. "Esteemed fellow cultivators, a century ago, the Beast Tide [a massive invasion of demonic beasts] inflicted grievous wounds upon our Chu Nation Cultivation World."

"Though we have spent these hundred years recuperating and rebuilding our strength, the Verdant Sun Sect is now fully occupied with its own troubles. They will not be dispatching any reinforcements to aid our Border Province this time."

"Therefore, we must gather here upon Heavenly Ruins Mountain to forge a new covenant of alliance, pledging to stand together against the encroaching tide of the Demon Race."

"..."

Having finished her address, Elara Lin presented a scroll containing the proposed alliance treaty to the assembly.

Eldrin Chen took the scroll and examined its contents, finding no unexpected deviations from the terms previously discussed.

In truth, over the past few years, the Three Counties of Border Province and the powers of Heavenly Ruins Mountain had negotiated this pact numerous times, refining its clauses through repeated discussion. Today's ceremony was largely a formality.

The essence of this treaty did not differ greatly from the old Green Sun Covenant, though many specific details had been substantially altered.

According to this new covenant, during the coming Beast Tide, all participating Immortal Clans would mobilize their forces under the unified command of Heavenly Ruins Mountain. Any clan acting independently, thereby jeopardizing the broader war effort, would face collective retribution from the entire cultivation community of the Border Province.

Facing the pressure from Heavenly Python Lake, Heavenly Ruins Mountain will bear the brunt of the Demon Race's main forces.

The various Immortal Clan naturally cannot stand idly by; they must contribute both personnel and funds to aid Heavenly Ruins Mountain.

For instance, the over one hundred Immortal Clan within Yu County must collectively pool fifty thousand Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy]. This sum is intended to power the Formation [a structured array that channels energy for defense or attack] once the spiritual energy within the Spirit Pool [a natural reservoir of concentrated spiritual energy] at Heavenly Ruins Mountain is depleted.

Beyond financial contributions, each of the Three Counties of Border Province must also mobilize thirty percent of their cultivators to form a reinforcement army for Heavenly Ruins Mountain.

Over the past century, Border Province has recuperated and nurtured its strength. Both its mortal population and its cultivator numbers have now recovered to their peak levels from a hundred years ago.

Currently, Yu County alone boasts over ten thousand cultivators, with more than thirty having reached the Foundation Establishment [the second major stage of cultivation, where one's spiritual foundation is solidified] realm. Combined, the three counties can support Heavenly Ruins Mountain with approximately forty Foundation Establishment Cultivator and around ten thousand Vital Essence Refinement [the initial stage of cultivation, focusing on refining one's life force] cultivators.

Aside from the forces dispatched to Heavenly Ruins Mountain, the remaining strength within the three counties will be split. Half will garrison the Spiritual Vein [a subterranean current of concentrated spiritual energy that nourishes the land] of each major family, while the other half will assemble to defend the key Spiritual Vein across the three counties, ready to provide mutual support when necessary.

Yu County, being the closest to the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland, faces the greatest pressure among the three counties, yet it lacks the presence of a Violet Sanctum Immortal Clan [a powerful clan whose patriarch has reached the Violet Sanctum realm] to anchor its defenses.

Therefore, the Xu and Yang Families must each dispatch one Violet Sanctum Patriarch [a clan leader who has cultivated to the Violet Sanctum realm] to take up station there, and Feng County must send a reinforcement of one thousand Vital Essence Refinement cultivators. Discover more cultivation stories at audio . novel . com.