Chapter 153 : The Cauldron and the Sword

Faced with such a formidable Immortal Sword of the Fourth Rank, Exquisite Jiang remained utterly unperturbed. A slight tremor passed between her brows, and from it descended an ancient and unadorned Great Cauldron [a large, enchanted vessel used for alchemy or refining].

"The Six Harmonies and Eight Desolations Cauldron?"

Eldrin Chen's pupils contracted slightly as he recognized the origin of that Great Cauldron. He had never imagined this particular Refining Cauldron [a cauldron specifically designed for refining materials or forging treasures] was also one of Exquisite Jiang's Lifebound Magical Treasures [magical artifacts forged with and bound to a cultivator's very life force and soul].

Exquisite Jiang had broken through to the Violet Sanctum Realm [the third major cultivation stage, where one opens a mystical palace within] at the tender age of twenty-eight. Afterwards, she had been stalled at the Violet Sanctum Peak Stage for nearly two centuries, striving for Spiritual Root Completion [the perfection of one's innate spiritual foundations]. Yet, this long period was far from idle.

Now possessing four Spiritual Roots [the innate conduits that determine a cultivator's affinity and speed for absorbing spiritual energy], she had actually succeeded in forging Four Lifebound Magical Treasures. This Six Harmonies and Eight Desolations Cauldron represented the pinnacle of Exquisite Jiang's artifact-crafting mastery, its power truly Extraordinary.

As the Six Harmonies and Eight Desolations Cauldron descended, it effortlessly intercepted the Ink Snow Immortal Sword, even exerting a palpable pressure that sought to draw the sword into its maw and refine it.

Seeing that even the Ink Snow Immortal Sword could not subdue its foe, a flicker of fury crossed the Heavenly Python Demon King's eyes. It then spat forth a magnificent blade adorned with draconic patterns.

"The Dragon Transformation Blade!"

The onlookers' pupils constricted once more, astonished that the Heavenly Python Demon King possessed such a treasure.

The Dragon Transformation Blade was a treasure saber of the Fourth Rank Mid-Grade. Legend held its blade was forged from Fourth-Rank Treasure Metal [a rare metallic ore imbued with spiritual energy] as its core, then tempered with the blood of a flood dragon. Innate [from the moment of its creation], it carried a wisp of the mighty and baleful aura of that draconic beast. Enjoyed this chapter? Read more at audio-novel . com.

Legend held that the Dragon Transformation Blade contained the profound secret of transformation into a flood dragon. If a serpent demon of Extraordinary bloodline obtained this blade, it could potentially metamorphose into the legendary flood dragon.

The Heavenly Python Demon King had paid an immense price to acquire this treasure from the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor of Azure Wave Lake.

Now, as the Dragon Transformation Blade manifested, it displayed terrifying power, even managing to knock away the Sky-Reaching Ruins Immortal-Slaying Sword with a single blow.

Watching the Dragon Transformation Blade cleave towards her, Exquisite Jiang frowned slightly. For the past century, she had been cultivating a formidable Great God Ability [a supreme divine technique].

The cultivation conditions for that divine ability were exceedingly stringent. During this period, she could not activate it, or all her progress would be lost.

Currently, her progress on that Great God Ability was more than halfway complete. To rashly activate it now would mean a century of arduous cultivation wasted—a truly devastating loss.

"Even if I unleash the divine ability and all my other means, it's not certain I can slay this demon."

"So be it."

With that thought, Exquisite Jiang suppressed the urge to activate her divine ability. Instead, she deployed the defensive energy barrier of the Cultivable Earth Kun Origin Disk [a magical treasure embodying the primordial essence of earth] and, relying on her three Lifebound Magical Treasure [magical treasures bound to one's life force], shifted to a strategy of evasion and harassment.

Seeing that Exquisite Jiang refused to engage him head-on, the Heavenly Python Demon King could do little but fume. "Hmph," he sneered coldly, frustration evident.

"You are merely a Violet Sanctum Cultivator [a cultivator at the Violet Sanctum stage, the third major realm], your spiritual power is far from sufficient."

"Even with a Fourth-Rank Magical Treasure [a powerful enchanted artifact of the fourth rank], how long can you sustain its activation?"

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen below felt his heart settle. He understood clearly that Exquisite Jiang currently possessed four Spiritual Roots [innate affinities for different spiritual elements]. For the fire element, she had the Six Harmonies and Eight Desolations Cauldron; for the metal element, the Heavenly Ruins Immortal-Slaying Sword; and for the earth element, the Cultivable Earth Kun Origin Disk.

It made no sense for her Wood Spiritual Root [innate affinity for the wood element] to lack a Lifebound Magical Treasure [a magical treasure bound to a cultivator's life force and soul]. That Positive Water Verdant Lotus Throne was among the finest Lifebound Magical Treasures, capable of storing a cultivator's spiritual power equivalent to their own reserves. Moreover, Exquisite Jiang's Lifebound Magical Treasure was of an even higher grade.

Suppressing his thoughts, Eldrin Chen focused his mind alongside the others, joining the concerted assault on the Purple Blood Heavenly Python.

"Hssss—"

Facing the combined assault of eight combatants with the strength of Human Race Violet Sanctum [Human cultivators at the Violet Sanctum stage], even the Purple Blood Heavenly Python at the Violet Sanctum Peak Stage [the pinnacle of the Violet Sanctum realm] began to falter.

With a furious hiss, it activated a Third Rank Superior Grade [a high-quality artifact of the third rank] defensive magical treasure [enchanted artifact] in the form of a small bell above its head. While wielding various other treasures to counter the attackers, it maneuvered evasively, trying to buy time.

The group naturally would not let it succeed. Patriarch Yang summoned his Thunderbolt Blazing Fire Sword, launching relentless strikes that steadily compressed the Purple Blood Heavenly Python's space to maneuver.

The Purple Blood Heavenly Python relied on its Third Rank Superior Grade defensive treasure, the 'Purple Blood Pagoda', projecting a violet barrier to protect itself. Simultaneously, it channeled several Fourth-Rank Magical Treasures and mystical techniques to parry the onslaught from all sides.

Yet the sword radiance of the Thunderbolt Blazing Fire Sword was swift as a swimming dragon. As Patriarch Yang's Lifebound Magical Treasure [a cultivator's personally bound and most responsive enchanted artifact], when personally channeled by him, its power neared that of a Third Rank Superior Grade magical treasure [an enchanted artifact used by cultivators]. It actually compressed the Purple Blood Heavenly Python [a powerful serpentine demon beast], making it nearly impossible for the creature to evade.

"A fine opportunity!"

Finally, in a fleeting instant, Xavier Xu seized a moment in the battle. He summoned forth the Golden Fire Dragon Shears [a pair of giant, dragon-shaped shears imbued with golden fire], and with a resounding *clang*, they sheared down, striking the pagoda with a thunderous impact.

That Purple Blood Pagoda [a defensive pagoda treasure] had already withstood numerous assaults from the group's divine abilities and magical treasures. Now, bearing the full-force strike of the Golden Fire Dragon Shears, its protective light barrier dimmed by over ninety percent, teetering on the brink of shattering.

"Cleave—!"

Seeing the Purple Blood Pagoda's defensive barrier reduced to a paper-thin layer, Patriarch Yang's gaze sharpened abruptly. He drew his clan's ultimate treasure, the Mountain-Splitting Soul-Severing Axe [an axe capable of sundering mountains and severing souls], and brought it down in a mighty chop. Read, share, and discuss at audio‑novel.com.

In terms of raw offensive power, the Mountain-Splitting Soul-Severing Axe was not inferior to the Golden Fire Dragon Shears. Its sole distinction was that its speed was considered relatively slow among Third-Rank Magical Treasure [magical treasures of the third rank].

At this moment, the Purple Blood Heavenly Python was so thoroughly suppressed by the group's onslaught it could barely catch its breath. Faced with the descending Mountain-Splitting Soul-Severing Axe, it found itself unable to dodge.

Yet, it proved itself worthy of being a powerful demon beast at the Violet Sanctum 9th Tier [the ninth and highest tier of the Violet Sanctum cultivation stage]. Even confronting the Mountain-Splitting Soul-Severing Axe, a Third Rank Superior Grade Magical Treasure [a top-tier treasure of the third rank], it showed no fear.

Its serpentine pupils suddenly dilated, and it threw its head back, unleashing a heaven-shaking roar. It was executing its innate divine ability, the 'Heavenly Python Devouring Heaven Art' [the Heavenly Python's Heaven-Devouring Technique].

"Not good!"

The moment he saw the Heavenly Python Devouring Heaven Art, Patriarch Yang's expression changed drastically. A sense of foreboding gripped him, and he hurriedly tried to maneuver his Mountain-Splitting Soul-Severing Axe to evade.

However, the cultivation base of the Purple Blood Heavenly Python far surpassed his own. Once this Heavenly Python Devouring Heaven Art was unleashed, its power was terrifyingly immense.

Everyone felt the very fabric of heaven and earth sway, the void trembling violently as if the entire world was being swallowed into the beast's maw.

Though the Mountain-Splitting Soul-Severing Axe possessed the divine might to cleave mountains, it still could not withstand the Purple Blood Heavenly Python's divine ability. To everyone's horror, it was swallowed whole by the python in a single gulp.

"Ah! My magical treasure!"

Watching his Clan-Suppressing Supreme Treasure be devoured, Patriarch Yang felt his vision darken with rage. He frantically drove his Thunderbolt Blazing Fire Sword to attack the Purple Blood Heavenly Python in a frenzy.

"*Screech—*"

A sharp cry of a sword rang out. Elara Lin had used her Frost Soul Coldlight Sword to knock away one of the Purple Blood Heavenly Python's magical treasures, then unleashed a beam of pure white, frigid light towards the beast.

That white treasure was named the Nine-Condensed Profound Ice Spike [a spike forged from profound ice condensed nine times]. It was an ice-attribute magical treasure of Third Rank Superior Grade. This treasure had been forged by Exquisite Jiang in recent years using ten-thousand-year-old profound ice, specifically crafted for Elara Lin.

The Purple Blood Heavenly Python's Heavenly Python Devours Heaven Art was currently suppressing the Mountain-Splitting Soul-Severing Axe and was temporarily unusable. It could only brace its defensive magical treasure to block the attack.

However, that defensive treasure had expended too much of its power and could no longer withstand a single strike from Elara Lin.

The Nine-Condensed Profound Ice Spike shattered its defensive treasure, then tore a grievous wound across its body with a single blow. The bone-chilling cold of ten-thousand-year-old profound ice began relentlessly invading its flesh.

As a cold-blooded serpentine demon, it was particularly vulnerable to ice-attribute magical treasures and divine abilities. Now, wounded by Elara Lin, a Violet Sanctum cultivator with an Ice Spiritual Root, it finally revealed its intent to retreat. It turned and fled, seeking escape into the depths of the void. Find thousands of chapters at audio~novel.com.