Chapter 184 10-Mile Peach Blossom Grove (Time & Distance)

The Old Patriarch and Eldrin did not linger there either. They first made their way to Verdant Chariot Mountain (Location), intending to deploy a third-grade grand formation upon its slopes once more.

"Use the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss as the formation anchor."

After a glance at the ley lines of Verdant Chariot Mountain (Location), Eldrin (Person Name) spoke.

The old clan leader shook his head and declined, "The Immortal Sword is far too precious and rare. It would be a shame to use it for setting up an array formation."

"Use my Li Fire Needle of the Heart-Piercer."

The Tier-3 magic treasure, Li Fire Needle of the Heart-Piercer, was acquired by the old clan leader during the Beast Tide upheaval. To set up this grand formation, the old clan leader contributed his own Tier-3 treasure—the Li Fire Needle of the Heart-Piercer.

Eldrin’s brow twitched slightly as he felt that Chen Changxuan’s words held some merit.

Although the Li Fire Lockheart Needle was precious, the clan had seized over 4 1000 Third-Rank Treasured Gold this time. At worst, they could simply reforge them to craft a new third-order immortal sword for the Old Patriarch.

The 2 made their decision and proceeded to set up a third-tier Slaughtering Array using these Li Fire Needles That Pierce the Heart on Verdant Chariot Mountain (Location).

The Li Fire Lockheart Needle possesses formidable lethality, while Verdant Chariot Mountain (Location), having fortified its defenses over 3 centuries, demonstrates resilience of equal measure. When these 2 forces combine, even an ordinary Zifu cultivator would likely suffer a bitter setback.

After setting up the formation for Verdant Chariot Mountain (Location), only the formation for Pingyang City remained.

Pingyang City was located just over 3 1000 li from Verdant Chariot Mountain (Location). The 2 of them flew the distance in less than 1 shichen (Time & Distance), arriving at the city gates.

After arriving at Pingyang City, the old clan leader surveyed the terrain and pondered for a long while before finally speaking.

"You mentioned whether we could use Pingyang City as the primary array eye, with the 6 towns of Pingyang serving as the secondary array eyes."

"Set up the 7 Star Demon-Slaying Guardian Formation."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin's eyes flickered slightly as he immediately soared into the sky to survey the terrain.

After a long while, a look of delight spread across his face. Having deduced its workings, he realized that once this formation was activated, it would envelop Pingyang City and the surrounding hundreds of miles of mountains and rivers.

By then, the entire Pingyang City and its 6 surrounding towns would be shielded by the formation, while the fertile plains spanning hundreds of miles within the inner perimeter would naturally fall under the formation's protection as well.

By then, the mortals of Pingyang City would be able to venture beyond its walls, establishing villages across the hundreds of miles within the protective formation and cultivating the fertile wilderness.

Moreover, as the spiritual vein of Pingyang City advances in grade, the power of this formation will continue to grow. Theoretically, its maximum range could extend across a 1000-mile radius of the surrounding land.

After a long while, Eldrin descended and spoke to the old clan leader, "To set up this formation, we'll need to make substantial alterations across a vast area."

"First, we need to cultivate 6 second-grade lower-tier spiritual veins, which will require approximately 120,000 spirit stones. Secondly, all 6 towns must be relocated to the formation's eye positions."

The old clan leader also nodded, his expression grave as he said, "Moreover, we still need a third-tier, superior-grade formation disk."

He then turned his gaze toward Eldrin (Person Name). Crafting a top-grade tier-3 magical treasure required superior tier-3 precious metals, and within the Chen Family, only the Western Extreme Gengjin Sword Embryo (Magic Treasure) obtained by Eldrin (Person Name) met the requirements.

"The formation disk isn't much of an issue. I happen to have 1 on hand."

Eldrin spoke as he produced a third-grade, superior-quality formation disk. This disk had been obtained from Taoist Mo's abode and was a matching set with the Great Geng Immortal Sword.

The old clan leader took the array disk, his face lighting up with joy as he said, "With this array disk, this is indeed more than sufficient for our needs."

Setting up the '7 Stars Demon-Slaying Guardian Formation' was no task to be accomplished overnight. For the time being, the 2 of them used this formation disk to deploy a low-grade, 3-tier defensive array.

We shall make further plans only after cultivating 6 new second-grade, low-tier spirit veins to serve as the formation’s keystones and completing the relocation of the 6 towns.

After setting up the formation, Eldrin pondered for a moment before retrieving 2 magic treasures and handing them to the old clan leader.

These 2 treasures were the Thunderous Blaze Sword and Deng Yuanwu's defensive magic treasure.

The Old Patriarch wanted to decline, but Eldrin shook his head and said, "After your breakthrough to the Purple Mansion, the Ancient Bronze Pagoda has become somewhat redundant."

With this defensive treasure, combined with the Glazed Diamond Barrier, your defensive capabilities can truly be considered top-tier among those at the Purple Palace, Early Stage (Cultivation Realm).

The old clan leader accepted the defensive treasure but still declined the Li Fire Sword. "You've already produced the Sura Vajra Banner. Presenting this sword as well would likely impair your combat effectiveness."

"It's fine." Eldrin smiled faintly and said, "I intend to craft a natal magic treasure using Mystic Magnetic Essence Gold."

"After all, I'm only at the first level of the Zi Mansion Realm. Yet now I possess 4 third-tier magical treasures: the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss, the Great Geng Immortal Sword, the Mount Luofo Vajra Seal, and the Ren Water Azure Lotus Throne."

"Next, even if I wished to refine an Auric Magnetic treasure, I no longer possessed the spiritual sense required to control any more magical artifacts."

Hearing this, the old clan leader finally sheathed the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss.

With this sword in hand, once his life-bound magic treasure advanced, the old clan leader would possess 3 third-tier magic treasures.

That Crimson-Gold Banner of the 3 Treasures (Magic Treasure) possessed an extraordinary grade. The formation array contained within it comprised 3 divine abilities—1 more than both the Vajra Banner of Xu Luo and Xu Daoyuan’s Void-Refining Earth Cauldron—making its power exceptionally formidable.

Coupled with 2 divine abilities he had cultivated for many years, the Old Patriarch could truly be said to excel in both offense and defense. His strength was considered quite formidable even among practitioners at the Purple Palace, Early Stage (Cultivation Realm).

After dividing the treasures, Eldrin did not linger any longer and returned directly to Spirit Isle Lake.

After returning to Yu County, he had been constantly occupied, rushing about to break through to the Zifu realm and manage the Gengjin mineral vein. For several years, he had no moment of leisure, and it was only today that he finally let out a sigh of relief.

After returning to Spirit Isle Lake (Location), he deliberately rested for 3 days, clearing his mind and savoring the rare leisure to appreciate the beautiful scenery.

It was the Grain Rain season, and a fine drizzle veiled the sky. Eldrin sat within the pavilion, listening to the rhythmic patter of rain as his gaze lingered upon the peach blossom grove before him.

Over the years, the spiritual peach tree had yielded quite a few spirit peaches. Each time he harvested the peaches, he would scatter the pits across the island. Unbeknownst to him, they had grown to fully cover the 10-Mile Peach Blossom Grove (Time & Distance).

At this moment, the 10-Mile Peach Blossom Grove was in full bloom, its fragrance wafting through the drizzle, creating an exceptionally enchanting and alluring atmosphere.

"Lush is the peach tree; / How brilliant are its flowers."

Eldrin lowered his gaze to the peach blossoms, listening to the rhythm of the rain, breathing in the fragrance of damp earth and blooming petals. A rare tranquility settled in his heart.

Through all these years, he had walked a path of decisive and ruthless combat, his hands stained with far too much blood.

Since leaving Verdant Chariot Mountain (Location), he had devoted nearly every waking moment of his leisure time to rigorous cultivation, for fear gnawed at his heart.

Because of the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root (Spiritual Root), he felt not the slightest sense of security in his heart, fearing that 1 day it would bring unforeseen calamity upon his family.

At times, it unfolded in his dreams—visions of Chen Changqing, of Chen Changyan, of Chen Qinghe. He dreamed of powerful enemies descending overnight, of a centuries-old clan legacy built upon the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root (Spiritual Root) crumbling to dust in a single dawn.

Each time he jolted awake from the dream, it was as if an obsession tightened its grip on his soul. He channeled this into motivation, driving himself to cultivate with ever-increasing fervor.

Along his journey, he had slain far too many Foundation Establishment cultivators, and had even cut down several Golden Core experts. Some of the weaker Golden Core immortal clans, with their entire clans hunting enemies for centuries, might not have accumulated as many kills as he had alone over these few decades.

Chapter 1: The Reborn Eldrin The air in the Nether Abyss trembled as streaks of crimson lightning tore through the heavens. At the bottom of the chasm, a figure clad in tattered black robes slowly rose, his eyes gleaming with the accumulated wisdom of millennia. "9 100 years..." Eldrin's voice echoed through the void, each syllable carrying the weight of forgotten eras. "The Heavenly Dao thought it could erase me, but the Abyssal Heart Art has reached its pinnacle." Around him, spatial rifts swirled like angry serpents, yet they dared not approach within 3 zhang of his form. The very fabric of reality seemed to bow before his newly awakened presence. [System Notification: Host's cultivation base has stabilized at the Great Perfection Stage of the Soul Transformation Realm. Remaining spirit stones: 12,847] Eldrin's lips curved into a faint smile. "A mere dozen millennia, and the world has forgotten the name of the Abyssal Sovereign." His gaze swept across the desolate landscape, pausing where spatial fragments dissolved into motes of golden light. Suddenly, his expression shifted. "The Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss... After all these years, you still remember your master." The ancient blade hummed in response, its crimson edge bleeding shadows that twisted like living darkness. From his spatial pouch, Eldrin produced a jade bottle containing 3 Glacial Soul Pills. Each pill swirled with frost patterns that seemed to capture the very essence of winter. "With these, the final heavenly tribulation..." His words were cut short as the sky above the Nether Abyss began to coalesce into a vortex of azure and violet energy. The very air grew heavy with impending judgment. "So it begins," Eldrin murmured, his fingers tracing arcane patterns in the air. "This time, the heavens themselves shall bear witness." Chapter 2: The Azure Cloud Sect In the outer disciples' compound, young Lin Feng wiped sweat from his brow as he practiced the basic sword forms. His movements were precise, yet lacked the spiritual essence that marked true cultivators. "Still struggling with the Foundation Establishment realm, junior brother?" A mocking voice came from behind him. Senior Brother Wang stood with arms crossed, his blue robes embroidered with silver cloud patterns - the mark of an inner sect disciple. "3 years, and you haven't even condensed your spiritual core. Perhaps you should consider... alternative occupations." Lin Feng's grip tightened on his practice sword. "The path of cultivation requires patience, senior brother." "Patience?" Wang laughed. "You've consumed over a 100 Spirit Gathering Pills and countless meditation sessions. Some are simply not destined for the dao." As the older disciple strode away, Lin Feng's gaze fell upon the ancient jade pendant hanging from his neck - his only inheritance from his mysterious parents. The artifact seemed to pulse with a faint, rhythmic warmth. That night, as moonlight filtered through the window of his humble quarters, the pendant suddenly glowed with ethereal light. Lin Feng watched in astonishment as characters materialized in the air before him - ancient runes that spoke of forgotten techniques and celestial secrets. "The Heavenly Jade Art..." he whispered, his heart pounding with newfound hope. "This changes everything."