Chapter 237 : Heavenly Wrath and the Golden Core Duel

The heavens were somber, rent by thunder and lightning.

Winds rose and clouds churned, stirring the very firmament.

The great battle was imminent. Xu the Ancient Ancestor arrived, his fury so potent it had actually triggered an anomaly in the heavens and earth.

A Golden Core Cultivator [a cultivator who has formed a solidified core of spiritual power, transcending mortality] was no longer mortal. He had not yet struck a blow; merely the divine sense [a cultivator's spiritual awareness and will] laced with his wrath had stirred the winds and clouds across three hundred Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters].

"Lyra Jiang!"

"Do you dare oppose me?"

Xu the Ancient Ancestor roared, his icy pupils like flashes of lightning across the sky. An overwhelming aura surged forth.

Rain began to fall from the sky, a torrential downpour that crashed down as if to wash away the dust and cares of the mortal world.

"Hmm."

Lyra Jiang was utterly calm. She took a step, ascending into the heavens. "Let us battle in the sky!" Continue your cultivation journey at *audio-novel.com*.

The wrath of a Golden Core Cultivator [a cultivator who has formed a solidified golden core of power] can sunder the earth for a hundred Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters].

With the vast and potent mana of a Golden Core Cultivator, a full-scale battle would likely cause the earth for hundreds of Li-length around to collapse. It would be a true pity if this Spirit Mountain [a mountain imbued with concentrated spiritual energy] were shattered in the process.

Eldrin Chen looked up to see two figures soaring thousands of Li-length into the sky. A decisive duel was about to commence.

He harbored no worry for Lyra Jiang's safety. Xu the Ancient Ancestor was merely at the Golden Core, 3rd Tier [the third stage of the Golden Core realm] level of cultivation. Even if the Green Sun Sect [a major cultivation sect] possessed some hidden trump cards, they were unlikely to pose a real threat to Lyra Jiang.

The only thing that could deliver a fatal blow to Lyra Jiang was the Mirror of the Vast Heaven. The might of a Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [a pinnacle-grade artifact of immense power] was sufficient to cleave the earth for a thousand Li-length, capable of slaying even a Golden Core, Late Stage [a cultivator in the advanced phase of the Golden Core realm] cultivator with a single strike. Yet, Lyra Jiang had her own countermeasures prepared.

"First, the Purple Palace, Late Stage [cultivators in the advanced phase of the Purple Mansion realm] will accompany me to deal with Green Sun Sect's Mo the Ancient Ancestor and Liu the Ancient Ancestor,"

"The rest of you are to secure the Spirit Medicine Garden [a garden for cultivating spiritually potent herbs], the Scripture Repository, the Treasure Vault, and the spirit pool."

Eldrin Chen declared loudly, taking the lead as he soared on his sword into the heart of Green Sun Mountain.

Each member of their group had been assigned their tasks and immediately began executing the pre-arranged battle plan.

He led Old Patriarch, Qian the Ancient Ancestor, Xavier Xu, Fang the Ancient Ancestor, and the other combatants possessing Purple Palace, Late Stage strength, charging directly toward the core of the Formation [a structured arrangement of energy channels and artifacts used for defense, attack, or cultivation].

There was no need for excessive speculation; the ones presiding over the Formation [a structured arrangement of energy channels and artifacts used to create specific magical effects] must be the two most powerful Ancient Ancestors of the Green Sun Sect.

A force of over thirty Purple Mansion Cultivators [cultivators who have established their spiritual foundation within the Purple Mansion realm] stormed into Green Sun Mountain, completely sealing off the entire Spirit Mountain [a mountain imbued with concentrated spiritual energy]. From the outset, this battle was an unequal confrontation.

Eldrin Chen soon arrived at Heavenly Aegis Peak, where the Formation was located, and there he beheld two aged figures.

The Ancestor Liu sat cross-legged on the ground, his expression serene as he spoke, "You have come."

"Ancestor Liu, Ancestor Mo!"

At the sight of the two, Ancestor Qian gave a slight nod of acknowledgment; these two were old acquaintances of his from many years past.

The Ancestor Mo wore a faint smile. He glanced at the five individuals present and shook his head, saying,

"Only five of you have come? Do you hold our master and disciple in such low regard?"

"The five of us are more than sufficient."

Clad in robes white as snow, Eldrin Chen strode forward, his sword in hand, and spoke with calm finality, "We bid you both to take your final journey."

"Hahaha..." Liu the Ancient Ancestor let out a hearty laugh, nodding with a smile. "I presume you are the renowned Bianzhou Sword Immortal."

"Viewed this way, that makes five combatants of Purple Palace, Late Stage strength. No wonder only five of you came."

As his words fell, his expression abruptly turned solemn.

With a sweep of his long sleeve, he soared into the sky to meet the challenge, an overwhelming aura sweeping across the Firmament.

"Trouble. He is a False Core Cultivator [a cultivator who has forcibly condensed a pseudo-Golden Core, possessing power between the Purple Mansion and Golden Core realms]."

Qian the Ancient Ancestor's expression shifted slightly. The mana of a False Core Cultivator was immensely profound, exceeding that of an ordinary Purple Mansion Great Perfection cultivator by more than fifty percent. Original publication: *audio-novel.com* - The source of this chapter.

The combat prowess of such a cultivator was extraordinary, capable of contending with at least two or three Purple Palace, Late Stage cultivators.

"Vast Sleeve Cosmos Roll."

As Liu the Ancient Ancestor ascended, he channeled his mana to unleash the divine ability 'Vast Sleeve Cosmos Roll' [a technique that gathers Yin and Yang energies within the sleeves, releasing them in a cataclysmic fusion]. This technique gathered the dual energies of Yin and Yang, brewing them within his long sleeves. With a single strike, the energies fused and surged forth, blotting out the heavens.

To all present, it felt as if heaven and earth were overturned, the cosmos inverted. An endless tide of Yin and Yang energies crashed upon them like a raging tsunami.

Fortunately, all present were high-level cultivators of the Purple Mansion Realm [a profound stage of cultivation where one's spiritual foundation expands into a vast internal mansion], each possessing their own unique strengths and methods to handle the situation.

Old Patriarch reacted swiftly. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned the White Metal Star Pearl [a magical treasure composed of seven star-like pearls]. The seven celestial orbs enveloped the void, their internal Yin and Yang energies reversing to stabilize the churning, chaotic forces threatening to overturn them.

Eldrin Chen then deployed the Purple Blood Pagoda [a defensive pagoda forged from demonic essence] to shield the group, preparing to confront Liu the Ancient Ancestor.

At that moment, Old Patriarch stopped him. "This Liu the Ancient Ancestor possesses exceptionally deep reserves of spiritual power. It would be difficult to eliminate him swiftly," he cautioned.

"You go and slay Mo the Ancient Ancestor. Leave Liu the Ancient Ancestor to us."

Eldrin Chen nodded. Although Xavier Xu and Fang the Ancient Ancestor were severely wounded, they could still muster seventy to eighty percent of their combat strength. With four late-stage Purple Mansion Realm combatants facing Liu the Ancient Ancestor, they should be more than capable of holding him at bay.

With that thought, he directed his flying sword towards Mo the Ancient Ancestor. Liu the Ancient Ancestor moved to intercept, but Qian the Ancient Ancestor and the others unleashed their own magical treasures in a coordinated assault, forcing him to furrow his brow and defend himself.

Seeing Eldrin Chen approach, Mo the Ancient Ancestor showed no fear and met him head-on in battle.

After more than a dozen exchanges, Eldrin Chen realized Mo the Ancient Ancestor was at the Purple Mansion Ninth Layer [the peak of the Purple Mansion Realm, just before the Golden Core breakthrough]. His spiritual power was even denser than Eldrin's by a significant margin, making him a formidable opponent.

As a Purple Mansion Cultivator from a major sect, Mo the Ancient Ancestor was not lacking in high-grade treasures. Beyond his Lifebound Magical Treasure [a magical treasure bound to one's life force and soul], the Kunwu Earth-Fortress Bell [a legendary bell known for its immense defensive power], he also wielded two other Third Rank High Grade Magical Treasure [powerful artifacts of the highest quality within the Purple Mansion grade].

One of those magical treasures was a Dark Gold Immortal Sword, and the other was a Gold-Jade Demon-Piercing Shuttle.

This person, with the Kunwu Earth-Fortress Bell [a powerful defensive bell artifact] defending above his head, clashed with Eldrin Chen's Heavenly Separated Twin Swords using his own Dark Gold Immortal Sword and Gold-Jade Demon-Piercing Shuttle, yet he did not fall behind in the slightest.

After roughly another dozen or so exchanges, Eldrin Chen realized it was difficult to suppress his opponent with just these two treasures, so he began to activate his Jade Spirit Eye [a mystical eye technique that grants enhanced perception].

Once this divine ability was activated, a spiritual light flickered within Eldrin Chen's eyes. In a flash, the trajectory of Mo the Ancient Ancestor's attacks seemed to slow down considerably.

Thus, Eldrin Chen finally began to gain the overwhelming upper hand. Relying solely on his two treasures, he pressed his opponent into making countless mistakes and openings, and the Kunxu Earth-Fortress Bell was struck until its radiance grew noticeably dimmer.

"This is bad."

Seeing that if the battle continued like this, Eldrin Chen might find an opening to breach his Defensive Magical Treasure and slay him, a flicker of anxiety passed over Mo the Ancient Ancestor's face. He could no longer suppress the heavy dread in his heart.

With a lift of his hand, he unleashed three divine abilities in quick succession: a blast of Earth-Fortress Divine Thunder [a powerful earth-attribute thunder technique], a strike of Metallic Essence Divine Thunder [a sharp metal-attribute thunder technique], and the 'Metallic Earth Calamity Tribulation Thunder Seal' [a superior combined thunder seal technique].

The Green Sun Sect had collected four of the Five Elements Divine Thunder [a set of supreme thunder techniques based on the five elements], and their thunder-based divine abilities were renowned across many nations.

Their Founding Ancestor was a genius of exceptional talent. He fused the principles of the Metallic Essence [the pure essence of the metal element] and the Earth-Fortress Divine Thunder to create a superior divine ability: this very 'Metallic Earth Calamity Tribulation Thunder Seal'.

As the three divine abilities surged towards him, Eldrin Chen met them without a hint of retreat, unleashing the Metallic Essence Divine Thunder [a thunderous force embodying the sharp, unyielding nature of metal], the Wood-First Divine Thunder [a thunderous force embodying the vital, growing nature of wood], and the Fire-Sun Divine Thunder [a thunderous force embodying the blazing, consuming nature of fire] in swift succession. Yet, he watched as his Yang Fire Divine Thunder [the thunder of pure, active fire] was pierced and shattered by the opposing 'Metallic Earth Calamity Tribulation Thunder Seal' [a seal of thunder that merges the hardness of metal with the calamitous power of earth].

The Metallic Earth Calamity Tribulation Thunder Seal [a seal of thunder that merges the hardness of metal with the calamitous power of earth] retained its devastating momentum, forcing Eldrin Chen to summon his Great Metallic Immortal Sword [a legendary sword forged from the purest essence of celestial metal] in a desperate arc to cleave the remnant force apart.

"Now!"

In that precise, fleeting moment, Mo the Ancient Ancestor struck again. From his sleeve flew a Treasure Talisman [a single-use artifact of immense, pre-sealed power], its radiance eclipsing all else.

This talisman was named the White Metal Soul-Severing Talisman [a talisman that unleashes a blade of spiritual metal capable of cutting the very soul], a Fourth Rank Low Grade [a classification denoting power just at the threshold of the Golden Core realm] artifact. It represented one of the deepest reserves of power Green Sun Sect had accumulated over a millennium. Support the author by reading on audio_novel.com.