Chapter 232 : The Demon-Slaying Treasure Vessel

The second Formation is the Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Sword Aura Formation. To activate this formation, it requires seven Purple Mansion cultivators, forty-nine Foundation Establishment cultivators, and four thousand nine hundred Qi Refinement Cultivators working in concert.

Once activated, its power rivals a single strike from a Golden Core, Peak Stage cultivator, not the slightest bit inferior to the Profound Abyssal Heavenly Aegis.

The third Formation is the Crimson Pupil Demon Gaze. Although its power does not match the previous two formations, it can be activated by merely a thousand cultivators and a single Purple Mansion cultivator. Its force barely equals an attack from a Golden Core Cultivator, and its advantage lies in the ability to be released consecutively.

It is a pity that the most powerful divine ability of the Celestial Python Demon King, the Heaven-Devouring Serpent Art, was not preserved. Otherwise, the might of this vessel would have been enhanced by another thirty percent.

The final Formation is the Essence Gathering Formation. This is the core of this Treasure Boat and the source of its energy.

Beyond these, there are miscellaneous formations such as the Levitation Formation and the Flight Formation, but they are only at the level of Third Rank Formation.

It must be said that such a large-scale Treasure Boat is truly a supreme treasure of war. This vessel can carry over ten thousand cultivators at once and travel thirty thousand Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] in a single day, making it an absolute weapon on a grand battlefield.

Of course, such a massive treasure ship is also a voracious consumer of resources. Even when fully charged with the energy stored from a Fourth Rank Spirit Vein, it can often only sustain a single full-powered battle.

If powered by Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation], then each activation of the Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Sword Aura consumes one hundred thousand Spirit Stone. Firing it twice is equivalent to discarding a Third Rank High GradeMagical Tool, illustrating the exorbitant cost of its operation.

In order to transport the cultivators of Yu County, Lyra Jiang brought the treasure ship over, landing it before Verdant Chariot Mountain. Access the full story on audio‑novel.com.

"Quickly, board the treasure ship!"

Eldrin Chen cast a glance at the Chen Clan Cultivators behind him and gave the order.

As soon as his words fell, he soared onto the treasure ship, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Lyra Jiang as they watched the Chen Clan Cultivators boarding below.

"How are the preparations?"

"I have already made five trips. The personnel have all been transported to Qing Province. This is the final shipload."

Lyra Jiang replied with a smile. The Heaven-Devouring Serpent Treasure Boat could transport over ten thousand cultivators in a single journey. In just five trips, it had delivered fifty thousand souls.

Coupled with the cultivators already in Qing Province, the forces for this battle were nearly assembled.

Over a thousand Chen Clan Cultivators swiftly boarded the treasure ship. The cultivators on deck activated the Formation, and the vessel began its flight towards Qing Province.

With the speed of a Fourth Rank Low Grade large-scale Treasure Boat, it traversed over two hundred thousand Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] in merely seven or eight days, arriving at the territory of the Green Sun Sect.

At the foot of Green Sun Mountain, Eldrin Chen beheld the encampment of the cultivator army.

At this moment, the great encampment had gathered a full seventy to eighty thousand cultivators. The number of Foundation Establishment Cultivator [cultivators who have solidified their foundation in the Dao] alone exceeded three hundred. It could be said that the Three Provinces had mustered their full strength.

To thoroughly uproot the malignant tumor that was the Green Sun Sect, many immortal clans had dispatched nearly their entire forces, leaving only a single Foundation Establishment [a cultivator who has solidified their foundation in the Dao] to guard their ancestral homes. The group aboard Eldrin Chen's treasure boat represented the final wave of reinforcements to arrive.

Upon reaching the encampment, Lyra Jiang summoned the various Purple Mansion Cultivator [cultivators who have opened the mystical Purple Mansion within their dantian] aboard the treasure boat for a council of war.

After the customary greetings were exchanged, Lyra Jiang cast her gaze over the assembly and inquired, "Esteemed fellow Daoists, what is the current situation regarding the Green Sun Sect?"

Xavier Xu at her side, his expression grave, replied, "The Green Sun Sect is now cornered within Green Sun Mountain, seemingly prepared to make a desperate, final stand."

"Do they truly possess such resolve?" Eldrin Chen frowned, his voice laced with skepticism. He found it hard to believe that someone of Wei Chongyang's character would willingly die for his sect.

Qian the Ancient Ancestor shook his head. As a Purple Mansion Cultivator [a cultivator who has opened the mystical Purple Mansion within their dantian] native to Qing Province, he understood the Green Sun Sect better than most. "The loyalty of Mo the Ancient Ancestor and Liu the Ancient Ancestor towards Xu the Ancient Ancestor may be questionable," he began. "They were raised within the Green Sun Sect from childhood."

"However," he continued, his tone somber, "their attachment to the sect itself spans centuries of sentiment. With those two now holding command, it is unlikely any dissenters among their ranks would dare, or even be able, to flee."

Lyra Jiang's brow furrowed slightly at this analysis. She then pressed on with another question. "What of Origin-Starting Mountain and Dawn Valley? What is their current status?"

Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered slightly. Both Origin-Starting Mountain and Dawn Valley possessed Third Rank High Grade Spirit Vein [a natural conduit of concentrated spiritual energy], each underpinned by a Third Rank High Grade Earth Vein [a subterranean energy channel linked to the earth's essence].

Because the Formation [a structured array of energy channels and artifacts used for defense or attack] protecting these two Spirit Vein were so formidable, the Green Sun Sect was unwilling to abandon them. Their strategy was to use these strongholds to deplete the strength of the various allied clans.

Qian the Ancient Ancestor had come prepared. Upon hearing this, he stated, "Wei Chongyang is stationed at Origin-Starting Mountain, while Mordecai Lin holds Dawn Valley."

"Before we lay siege to Green Sun Mountain, these two Earth Vein fortifications must be uprooted,"

"Otherwise, we risk being attacked from both front and rear, and they might even break through to assault the ancestral dao fields of our allied clans in the rear."

Lyra Jiang's eyes glimmered faintly before she spoke, her expression calm and composed.

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow. Both men were entangled in karmic ties with the Chen Clan. Mordecai Lin had once used his position to pressure them, and the Lin Clan had ultimately been destroyed by the Chen Clan. This chapter is part of a larger work available at audio-novel[dot]com.

However, the latter had not sought further trouble with the Chen Clan afterwards, showing he understood the limits of his position.

As for Wei Chongyang, his transgressions ran deeper. He was responsible for the death of the Chen Clan's former Clan Patriarch, had forced the clan's hundred cultivators to their doom, and there was also the matter of a slain son. Between them, a final reckoning was inevitable.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen resolved to volunteer. "For Origin-Starting Mountain," he declared, "I will lead the Bianzhou Purple Mansion [the third major stage of cultivation, where one forms a spiritual core] cultivators and forces."

Lyra Jiang [the cultivator known as Lyra Jiang] glanced at him and handed over a Third Rank High Grade Barrier-Breaking Treasure Talisman [a powerful talisman designed to shatter defensive barriers]. "Be careful," she advised.

Eldrin Chen [the cultivator Eldrin Chen] gave a nod and stored the Treasure Talisman [the enchanted paper seal] away.

The defensive Formation [the structured array of magical energy] protecting Origin-Starting Mountain [the mountain named Origin-Starting] was formidable; even an ordinary False Core Cultivator [a cultivator who has formed a flawed, unstable Golden Core] would likely struggle to breach it.

For this assault, Eldrin Chen and Xavier Xu [the cultivator Xavier Xu] would lead the charge. They were accompanied by six combatants possessing Purple Mansion [the third major realm of cultivation] level strength from Bianzhou [the region of Bianzhou], along with several dozen Foundation Establishment Cultivator [cultivators of the second major realm]. Their resolve was firm: to take Origin-Starting Mountain in one decisive strike.

Meanwhile, Qian the Ancient Ancestor [the venerable elder of the Qian Clan] and Fang the Ancient Ancestor [the venerable elder of the Fang Clan] headed for Dawn Valley [the valley named Dawn], equally determined to conquer it in a single, overwhelming operation.

As for Lyra Jiang, she remained with the main force besieging Green Sun Mountain [the mountain stronghold of the Green Sun Sect]. Her task was twofold: first, to guard against the possibility of the Green Sun Sect's Purple Mansion Cultivator [their high-level cultivators] launching a full-scale counterattack from their nest, and second, to be prepared in case Xu the Ancient Ancestor [the powerful elder Xu] made a sudden, unexpected appearance.

It is said that when Eldrin Chen and his contingent arrived before Origin-Starting Mountain, they found the mountain already deserted. Wei Chongyang [the cultivator Wei Chongyang] had vanished without a trace.

Frowning, Eldrin Chen ascended to the peak, where he found Qian Xingming [a cultivator from the Qian Clan] busily ransacking the remaining supplies.

This individual was a Purple Mansion Late Stage Cultivator [a cultivator in the advanced phase of the Purple Mansion realm] from the Qian Clan [the Qian family]. He had only broken through to the Purple Palace, Late Stage [the late stage of the third major cultivation realm] the previous year after consuming a Violet Qi Cloud-Vein Pill [a rare pill that aids in realm advancement].

Seeing him scavenging so calmly, with no signs of a recent battle, Eldrin Chen could not help but ask, "What happened here?"

"Fellow Daoist Qian, you were tasked with encircling Origin-Starting Mountain, so where is Wei Chongyang now?"

"Ah, it's Fellow Daoist Chen! Come, come, take a look at the treasures I've seized."

Seeing Eldrin Chen approach, Qian Xingming said with a smile.

Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow slightly. Xavier Xu beside him inquired, "Fellow Daoist Qian, military affairs take precedence."

"He asked you a question."

Qian Xingming offered an awkward smile and quickly replied, "That Wei Chongyang fled without even engaging in battle. His speed was such that even I could not catch up."

A cold glint flashed in Eldrin Chen's eyes. He turned and led the group back to inspect the Underground Fire Vein [a subterranean channel of concentrated fire-aspected spiritual energy] at the mountain's base.

After a short while, Kael Chen approached from the side and whispered closely to the group.

"That Wei Chongyang fled three shichen-time [a period of two hours] ago."

"Qian Xingming was unwilling to risk his life against Wei Chongyang. He exchanged a few blows with him and then let him go."

Only then did the assembly comprehend that Wei Chongyang possessed cultivation at the Purple Mansion Sixth Layer [the sixth stage of the Purple Mansion realm, a significant level of power] and wielded a Third Rank High Grade Magical Treasure [a powerful enchanted artifact of the third rank, high grade].

Unwilling to risk grievous injury in a bloody confrontation, Qian Xingming had, after merely a few exchanges, allowed Wei Chongyang to depart.

Hearing that Wei Chongyang had been permitted to leave so freely, cold fury settled in the gazes of those present, a simmering anger taking root in their hearts.

To release a tiger back to the mountains today was to invite future calamity; who could say Wei Chongyang would not return to trouble them again? Meanwhile, the Qian Clan had merely earned Wei Chongyang's favor.

"This Qian Xingming..."

Eldrin Chen cast a glance toward the mountain peak, his expression serene as he spoke:

"Do any of you possess a means of tracking, a method to trace Wei Chongyang's trail?" Discover more cultivation stories at *audio-novel.com*.