Chapter 173 : Pills of Power and Promise

However, the other two were exceptionally rare pill formulas. One was named the Energy-Restoring Origin Pill [a pill that greatly replenishes one's foundational life force and true essence]. This pill greatly replenished one's Vitality [the foundational life force of a living being] and True Essence [the refined spiritual energy cultivated within a practitioner's body]. Even those who had suffered severe depletion of their vital essence could recover it swiftly after consuming this pill.

When the vast majority of cultivators attempted their breakthrough into the Violet Sanctum [the third major realm of cultivation, where one opens a mystical palace within their dantian], they were forced to burn their Vital Essence Blood [a practitioner's lifeblood infused with their vital essence, often sacrificed in powerful techniques] in a desperate, all-or-nothing gamble. Even upon success, they would be left with severely depleted vital essence.

If one possessed this Energy-Restoring Origin Pill, they could save thirty years of recovery time, thereby gaining an additional opportunity to attempt a breakthrough into the Golden Core [the fourth major realm, where spiritual energy condenses into a golden core within the dantian].

Eldrin Chen recalled that the main ingredient for this pill, the third-rank Origin-Returning Ginseng [a rare ginseng known for its potent restorative properties], was cultivated within the clan's Spirit Herb Garden [a garden dedicated to cultivating spiritually infused plants]. Furthermore, its medicinal age should have been nearing maturity in recent years.

The other pill formula was the Green Jade Barrier-Breaking Pill [a pill that aids in breaking through cultivation bottlenecks]. This pill could increase one's chances of breaking through to the Violet Sanctum by ten percent, and its effects could stack with those of the Five Elements Crystal [a crystal containing balanced energy of the five elemental phases].

This formula had always been the exclusive business of the Yuan Immortal Clan [a prominent cultivation clan] within the Yan Kingdom [a kingdom within the cultivation world]. He never imagined this Alchemy Manual [a tome containing pill recipes and alchemical knowledge] would also hold a copy.

Among the remaining four pill formulas, two were of the third-rank middle-grade, while the other two were third-rank superior-grade formulas.

Of the two third-rank middle-grade formulas, one was highly specialized and of limited use, but the other filled Eldrin Chen with pleasant surprise.

That formula was named the Spirit-Nourishing Pill [a pill that nourishes and heals spiritual sense injuries]. This pill could treat injuries to a cultivator's spiritual sense [the extended perception and consciousness of a cultivator], making it a rare treasure for Violet Sanctum Cultivator.

Upon reaching the Violet Sanctum Realm, cultivators must begin practicing arts to temper and refine their spiritual sense. If one's spiritual sense was not sufficiently powerful, breaking through to the Golden Core Realm would be fundamentally impossible. Visit audio_novel.com to enjoy the complete series.

Cultivation arts that temper the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] can indeed make it more refined and concentrated, but prolonged practice often inflicts significant damage upon it.

With the Spirit-Nourishing Pill [a pill that nourishes and repairs the spirit], however, the cultivation process would become twice as effective with half the effort. One might even be able to temper their Primordial Spirit to the Violet Sanctum Peak Stage [the pinnacle of the Violet Sanctum realm] in an extremely short time.

Furthermore, the two Third Rank Superior Grade [the highest quality tier for items of the third rank] pill formulas were exceptionally precious.

One formula was named the Violet Aura Cloud-Vein Pill [a rare breakthrough pill that manifests as a violet-hued cloud]. This was an immensely valuable Barrier-Breaking Pill [a pill that aids in overcoming cultivation bottlenecks], requiring the combined refinement of Purple Sun Jade [a rare jade imbued with solar essence] and the Cloud Vein Fruit [a fruit that grows where spiritual energy condenses like veins in clouds] to create.

Once refined, consuming just one of these pills could increase a Violet Sanctum 6th Tier [a cultivator at the sixth level of the Violet Sanctum realm] cultivator's chance of breaking through to the Violet Sanctum Late Stage [the late stage of the Violet Sanctum realm] by thirty percent.

It was precisely because of its miraculous effects that the price of a single Violet Aura Cloud-Vein Pill hovered around one hundred thousand Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy]. This price was close to half the value of a Third Rank Superior Grade Magical Treasure [a top-tier enchanted artifact of the third rank].

However, the cost of the Purple Sun Jade and Cloud Vein Fruit was exorbitantly high. Refining a single batch of this pill had a base material cost of two hundred thousand Spirit Stones. One would need to successfully produce at least two pills from a single batch just to break even.

Within the entire Chu Nation, the only one capable of refining this pill was a single Fourth-Rank Alchemist [an alchemist of the fourth rank] from the Firmament Sword Sect [a major sword cultivation sect].

Even Exquisite Jiang [a renowned female cultivator], before receiving it as a gift from Eldrin Chen [the protagonist, a rising star cultivator], did not possess the formula for this pill.

The other Third Rank Superior Grade pill formula was also remarkably Extraordinary [a term denoting something rare and outstanding]. That pill was named the Dharma Origin Pill [a pill that directly augments a cultivator's foundational power], a rare Precious Pill [a classification for pills that directly enhance cultivation base] capable of increasing one's cultivation.

After consuming this pill, it can augment a Violet Sanctum Cultivator's cultivation by thirty years of arduous practice. Even a cultivator at the Violet Sanctum Late Stage would, upon taking this pill, have a high likelihood of breaking through to the next minor realm.

These facts alone were not what truly shocked Eldrin Chen. What genuinely astounded him was that this Alchemy Manual was not a third-rank Alchemy Manual.

That Heaven Origin Chen was clearly a senior expert of the Golden Core Realm, yet he had also recorded a Fourth Rank Low-Grade pill formula.

"Golden Core Formation Pill."

Eldrin Chen's eyes blazed with ecstatic delight. Like the Five Elements Spirit Fruit and the Fourth Rank Earth Vein Origin Pearl, the Golden Core Formation Pill could assist a cultivator in breaking through to the Golden Core Realm.

The effects of such a formula were far too crucial. Typically, Golden Core Immortal Clan and major sects would spare no effort to collect it, making it one of the most widely circulated fourth-rank pill formulas.

After meticulously transcribing a copy of the formula as a backup, Eldrin Chen carefully stored it away, finally allowing himself to breathe a sigh of relief.

"The gains from this journey to the Yan Kingdom are truly unprecedented."

Eldrin Chen was thrilled beyond measure. Beyond these treasures, he had also obtained a set of Third Rank Superior Grade Formation artifacts.

The Formation Artifact, the Great Geng Immortal Sword, was a genuine Third Rank Superior Grade magical treasure [an enchanted artifact used by cultivators]. Once he broke through to the Violet Sanctum, it would likely become his trump card, its Slaughter power not inferior to that of the Golden Fire Dragon Shears.

After a trip to Pingyang City, he delivered the Green Jade Barrier-Breaking Pill [a pill that aids in breaking through cultivation bottlenecks] to the Old Patriarch.

Seeing the look of pleasant surprise on the Old Patriarch's face, Eldrin Chen allowed a faint smile to touch his lips before asking.

"Old Granduncle, how is the recovery of your meridians [the energy channels within a cultivator's body] progressing?"

"It has been over a dozen years since my last attempt to break through to the Violet Sanctum [a mid-level cultivation realm]. With another two years of recuperation, I should be ready to make another attempt," the Old Patriarch replied.

The Old Patriarch stroked his beard, a smile returning to his face. "With this Green Jade Barrier-Breaking Pill, my chances should be at least fifty or sixty percent."

"Fifty or sixty percent..." Find this and other novels at audio~novel.com.

Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly. With the recent failure of Varen Wei still fresh in his mind, he felt that a mere fifty or sixty percent chance was not secure enough.

After all, if the breakthrough failed, the Old Patriarch would be set back another twenty years. At over one hundred and fifty years of age, the Old Patriarch did not have many such decades left to waste.

Thinking this, he spoke again. "It would be better if the odds were higher."

"That would require a treasure like the Solar Fire Crystal [a rare crystal imbued with potent solar fire energy]," the Old Patriarch said, his expression shifting before he shook his head with a wry laugh. "Such treasures are not easily obtained."

"While obtaining a Solar Fire Crystal [a crystal imbued with concentrated solar fire energy] might be difficult, it does not mean we cannot acquire other resources."

Eldrin Chen spoke suddenly, his gaze meeting that of the Old Patriarch.

"..."

Half a day later, the two arrived at the Mystic Iron Mountain Path-Field.

Eldrin Chen and the Old Patriarch carefully surveyed the Earth Vein [a subterranean channel of concentrated elemental earth energy], and finally exchanged a look of pleasant surprise.

The Old Patriarch pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "It is indeed a Metallic Gold Earth Vein [an earth vein rich in metallic and golden elemental energies]. With our current mastery of Formation [the art of arranging spiritual energy into arrays], working together to set up a grand array would allow us to open this Metallic Gold Earth Vein in just one month."

Eldrin Chen nodded. Back then, Exquisite Jiang had been able to cleave open a Supple Wood Earth Vein [an earth vein rich in supple wood elemental energy] with a single sword strike. Yet, Eldrin Chen and the Old Patriarch would need to spend a month setting up an array to achieve the same, a stark testament to the vast gap in their power.

After a moment's thought, he asked, "Could there be dangers within the Metallic Gold Earth Vein?"

Eternal Profound Chen shook his head with a smile. "Compared to a Supple Wood Earth Vein, a Metallic Gold Earth Vein harbors far fewer demonic Clan Assembly [a gathering or community of a specific demon race].

"After all, a Supple Wood Earth Vein, by its Innate [its inherent, natural state], fosters vitality and is more prone to giving birth to the Supple Wood Demon Race [a race of demons attuned to supple wood energy]."

"Conversely, within Earth Vein [a vein of concentrated spiritual energy within the earth] containing Metallic Gold [the spiritual essence of the Metal element] or Solar Fire [the spiritual essence of the Fire element] that are below the Fifth Rank [the fifth tier in a grading system for items], it is actually very difficult for Demon Spirit [a spirit born from a demonic beast or a place of concentrated demonic energy] to appear. Even if they do exist, their numbers are exceedingly few."

"..."

Having made their decision, the two began mobilizing personnel to prepare for opening the Metallic Gold Earth Vein.

Now, with the distribution of the eleven Foundation Establishment Pill [a pill that aids in breaking through to the Foundation Establishment realm] obtained from the Beast Tide [a periodic, massive assault by demonic beasts] completed, the number of Foundation Establishment Cultivator [a cultivator who has reached the Foundation Establishment realm] within the Chen Clan had increased from the eight before the Beast Tide to fifteen.

Following the increase in Foundation Establishment Cultivator, the number of Vital Essence Refinement [the first major stage of cultivation, focused on refining the body's vital energy] cultivators in the Chen Clan also began to skyrocket. Currently, the clan's cultivators numbered over five hundred.

As personnel were continuously mobilized, a large contingent of Chen Clan cultivators boarded the Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Ship [a magical treasure in the form of a ship, named for its ability to slay demons] and headed for Mystic Iron Mountain [a mountain rich in Mystic Iron ore], fully prepared for battle.

Seizing the opportunity during the mobilization, Eldrin Chen gathered three Spirit Apricot [a spiritual fruit that can extend lifespan] and sent them to the Wei Immortal Clan for Varen Wei.

The Wei Immortal Clan was naturally profoundly grateful. With these three Spirit Apricot, Varen Wei would gain thirty additional years of lifespan. His hope of breaking through to the Violet Sanctum [the realm following Foundation Establishment] had now reached eighty to ninety percent—enough to alter the very Destiny [the predetermined fate or fortune] of the Wei Clan.

To return to the main thread, three months passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, before the Metallic Gold Earth Vein outside Mystic Iron Mountain, Eldrin Chen and the Old Patriarch stood shoulder to shoulder. Behind them, over a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators and several hundred Vital Essence Refinement cultivators all wore expressions of grave solemnity.

The Old Patriarch wore a smile as he gazed upon the successfully deployed Formation [a structured arrangement of energy nodes and conduits designed to channel and manipulate ambient spiritual power], his expression one of quiet satisfaction.

"The time is nearly upon us," he said. The complete novel can be found at audi0-n0vel.c0m.