Chapter 207 : The Clan's Hidden Treasures

The materials for the Jade Marrow Pill [a pill that refines and strengthens a cultivator's marrow and bones] were not plentiful. Eldrin Chen managed to refine only two batches. Fortunately, those two batches yielded a total of eleven pills, which was a pleasant surprise.

After completing the alchemy, he did not delay. He immediately mounted his sword and flew back to Verdant Chariot Mountain. There, he deposited these second-rank treasure pills into the Clan Treasury for exchange.

When the clan's Clan Patriarch and elders learned of this, those with sufficient Clan Merit Points hurriedly and joyfully exchanged for the precious pills. Those like Nianzhen and Nianfeng, whose merit points were insufficient, scrambled to borrow from other elders within the clan.

The allure of these treasures was simply too great. For instance, a single Jade Marrow Pill would cost two thousand Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy] on the open market. Yet, within the clan, it could be exchanged for the equivalent of merely one thousand two hundred Spirit Stones in merit points.

The Verdant Origin Pill [a pill that nourishes and replenishes one's foundational life force] was also available at the base cost of one thousand six hundred merit points. This was one of the greatest benefits for cultivators within a high-ranking immortal clan. Valuable resources were first offered at low cost to nurture their own members. Only when there was a surplus would they be sold externally at exorbitant prices.

For Rogue Cultivator [cultivators without sect or clan affiliation], acquiring such treasures was not only prohibitively expensive but often outright impossible. In his youth, Eldrin Chen had to travel over one hundred thousand Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] to Scorched Sun Mountain in Yang Province just to purchase a single Verdant Origin Pill.

"Jade Marrow Pill, Verdant Origin Pill..."

"This old man now has hope of breaking into the Foundation Establishment, Late Stage [the advanced phase of the Foundation Establishment realm]!"

Lior Chen was the first to exchange for one Jade Marrow Pill and two Verdant Origin Pill. He could not contain his excitement.

He had broken through to the Foundation Establishment, 6th Layer a few years prior. He had resigned himself to needing seven or eight more years of cultivation before even approaching the threshold of the Foundation Establishment, Late Stage. He never imagined fortune would arrive so suddenly. Dive deeper into the Dao at audio . novel . com.

With this Jade Marrow Pill and the two Verdant Origin Pill, he now possessed a sixty to seventy percent certainty of breaking through to the Foundation Establishment, Late Stage.

At this thought, he excitedly grasped Eldrin Chen's hand and said gratefully, "This time, you and the Clan Patriarch risked your lives in bloody battle against the Demonic Tribe on the front lines, while we remained safely in the rear, reaping the benefits."

"This old man truly feels unworthy of such favor."

"You speak too gravely, Uncle Lior," Eldrin Chen said, helping him up with a gentle smile. "Without you holding the rear, how could we have fought with peace of mind?"

"If you wish to aid us, focus diligently on your cultivation. Should you one day break through to the Purple Mansion realm, you may yet be of great assistance to me."

Eldrin Chen was acutely aware of his own circumstances. Possessing Three Spiritual Roots, his cultivation speed was far inferior to individuals like Lior Chen and the Old Patriarch, who possessed Two Spiritual Roots.

A Purple Mansion Cultivator with Three Spiritual Roots, relying solely on one Life-Bound Magical Treasure and no external aids, typically required forty years to advance a single minor layer.

However, once he forged the Heavenly River Flood Water Sword, he would possess four Life-Bound Magical Treasure. This would significantly slow his cultivation speed, stretching the forty-year cycle for a single layer to one full Jiazi-time [a sixty-year cycle].

With the Third Rank Spirit Peach [a spiritual fruit that grants a decade of cultivation progress], which could be consumed once every three years, he would require approximately eighteen years to break through each subsequent layer.

The cultivation speed for a Purple Mansion cultivator with Two Spiritual Roots was considerably faster. Typically, someone like the Old Patriarch, possessing Two Spiritual Roots and only one Life-Bound Magical Treasure, could advance a minor realm in about thirty years without using external acceleration aids.

With the full support of Eldrin Chen, Old Patriarch cultivated using the Spirit Peach and other resources. It was estimated that he would likely need only around ten years to break through one layer of his Purple Mansion [the third major realm of cultivation, where the cultivator's spiritual foundation expands into a vast internal mansion] cultivation.

It could be foreseen that Old Patriarch's cultivation speed within the Purple Mansion Realm would be faster than Eldrin Chen's, and even Lior Chen and the others could achieve similar progress.

However, Old Patriarch's foundational strength could not compare to Eldrin Chen's. His chance of breaking through to the Golden Core [the fourth major realm, where a cultivator condenses their spiritual essence into a solid, golden core of power] was merely one in ten. Even with the aid of a Core Formation Treasure [a rare treasure specifically used to assist in forming a Golden Core], his chances would only rise to about three in ten—a probability that remained perilously low.

In contrast, Eldrin Chen's profound foundation granted him at least a three in ten chance of achieving the Golden Core. Furthermore, his several Life-Bound Magical Treasure [magical artifacts bonded to a cultivator's life force, growing in power with them] continuously tempered and refined his mana, making it exceptionally pure.

The Flood Water Azure Lotus Platform [a lifebound treasure shaped like a lotus platform, capable of storing vast amounts of pure mana] was particularly significant, as its mana-storing capacity could increase his breakthrough odds by another two-tenths. Thus, even without external aids, his chance of forming a Golden Core was at least six in ten or higher.

Although Old Patriarch's cultivation speed was somewhat faster, a failed attempt to form a Golden Core would require a convalescence period of thirty years.

If luck was against him, or if his willpower, foundation, or mana purity fell just short, he could end up like Mo the Ancient Ancestor of the False Core Realm [a flawed, incomplete state just below a true Golden Core]—exhausting centuries of accumulated effort over multiple attempts, yet forever missing that final, crucial step.

Therefore, by comparison, Eldrin Chen's path forward shone with far greater promise.

As for Lior Chen, he was now unburdened by debt. He cultivated with relentless diligence, possessed the talent of Two Spiritual Roots [a high-grade innate affinity for two of the five spiritual elements], and now enjoyed the backing of a prosperous Purple Mansion Immortal Clan [a powerful clan whose patriarch has reached the Purple Mansion Realm].

At this pace, perhaps in another thirty-odd years, around the age of one hundred and twenty, he could begin his assault on the Purple Mansion realm. This would be over a decade younger than Old Patriarch was during his first attempt to breach that very same threshold.

Returning to the main narrative, after distributing the treasures, Eldrin Chen soared back to Spirit Isle Lake on his flying sword.

No sooner had he returned to Spirit Isle Lake than he witnessed a vortex of spiritual energy churning, a powerful aura steadily growing within it.

"Who is attempting Foundation Establishment [the crucial process of solidifying one's cultivation foundation]?"

Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered, his pupils contracting slightly, before he descended with his sword onto Lake Heart Island.

Silas, who was guarding the entrance to the Spirit Pool [a pool concentrated with spiritual energy], saw him and hurried forward to greet him.

"Uncle." Continue reading this story at audio-novel dot com.

Eldrin Chen nodded, a trace of concern in his voice as he asked, "Is it Lila?"

"Yes," Silas Chen nodded, fiddling with the hem of his robe. "Don't worry, Uncle. Lila has already passed the most critical stage. Her Foundation Establishment is now assured."

"That girl..."

A wave of relief washed over Eldrin Chen, mingled with a lingering sense of apprehension for what could have been.

Within the clan, although there were quite a few Foundation Establishment Cultivator [cultivators who have solidified their foundation and begun their true path of cultivation], none dared claim with certainty they could steadily break through to the Purple Mansion [the third major realm, where one opens a spiritual mansion within their dantian].

An Anomalous Spiritual Root [a rare and superior spiritual root affinity that grants exceptional talent] not only grants a vastly greater chance of breaking through to the Purple Mansion, but also increases one's odds of forming a Golden Core by twenty percent. This is almost equivalent to consuming a Golden Core Formation Pill [a precious elixir that aids in the formation of a Golden Core], making such an individual worthy of being called a "Core Formation Seed."

Across the entire Green Sun Sect and the Three Provinces Region [the region encompassing three provinces], including the sect itself, there were only five or six individuals with an Anomalous Spiritual Root, a testament to the rarity of such prodigies.

If Lila were to perish at the threshold of Foundation Establishment, it would not only be the tragic loss of a young prodigy but also a profound misfortune for the entire Bianzhou region.

Furthermore, having raised Lila himself over many years, she was like a daughter to him. Her untimely demise would leave a deep wound in his heart for a long time.

As the vortex of spiritual energy gradually dissipated, Eldrin Chen finally released a sigh of relief. She had succeeded in her Foundation Establishment breakthrough.

Learning that Eldrin Chen had returned, Lila emerged from her secluded cultivation chamber immediately after her breakthrough. She rushed over joyfully, her voice filled with affection.

"Uncle! I achieved Self-Guided Foundation Establishment [a method of establishing one's foundation without external aids, signifying superior talent and willpower]! See how amazing I am?"

"Silly girl."

Eldrin Chen ruffled her hair, a look of profound pride and relief softening his features. With her Anomalous Spiritual Root and her accomplishment of Self-Guided Foundation Establishment, Lila's future path was destined to be exceptionally bright.

As a reward, Eldrin Chen gifted Lila several superior-grade magical treasures [enchanted artifacts used by cultivators]. He even spent two months crafting three precious Third Rank Spirit Talisman [powerful enchanted scrolls of the third rank] using the harvested hide of the Purple Palace Demon Python [a powerful third-rank demonic serpent], providing them to her for self-defense. Find this and other novels at audio–novel.com.