Chapter 235 : A Trial of Flame and Fortitude

The two of them took stock and found the casualties from this battle were truly severe.

The number of fallen Foundation Establishment Cultivator alone reached twenty-five, and of the remaining nearly one hundred Foundation Establishment Cultivator, most were wounded, tormented by the Fire Fiend Power [a malevolent, burning energy born from the earth's depths] to an excruciating degree, their combat strength temporarily crippled.

The Chen Clan had not fared well either. Not only had they lost two Foundation Establishment Cultivator in battle, but among the survivors, five had been invaded by the Fire Fiend [a malevolent spirit of flame] energy, including the promising Kael Chen.

Seeing their pained expressions, Eldrin Chen could only say, "The Clan Treasury still holds a few portions of Essence of Final Water [a spiritual essence embodying the ultimate, calming properties of water]. I will refine several batches of Second Rank medicinal elixir upon our return. That should be able to purge eighty to ninety percent of the Fire Fiend Power."

"The remainder should pose no major threat, though it will likely delay their cultivation progress by a few years."

Kael Chen nodded, enduring the searing agony of the Fire Fiend energy within him. Gritting his teeth, he asked, "How does this Fire Fiend Power compare to the physical torment one endures when attempting a breakthrough into the Violet Sanctum [the third major realm of cultivation, where one opens a mystical palace within the body] on one's own?"

Eldrin Chen's pupils contracted slightly. "What are you suggesting?" he asked, unable to hide his concern.

Kael Chen nodded again, his words forced out between clenched teeth.

"I want to try to subdue this Fire Fiend Power. To use this Earth Fire Fiend Energy [a specific, potent form of Fire Fiend energy drawn from the earth] to temper my meridians, to increase my chances of breaking through to the Violet Sanctum."

It had to be admitted, this clan brother's idea was not without merit; it was a perilous path, but one that held a sliver of possibility. Original English translation available at audio_novel.com.

Although the Fire Fiend Power [a chaotic and destructive energy born from the convergence of earth fire and demonic essence] is tyrannical, it can temper a cultivator's will. If one can endure its torment and subdue it, the likelihood of overcoming the tribulations of the physical body in the future increases significantly.

He possessed Three Spiritual Roots [an innate affinity for Fire, Wood, and Earth elements] and the sharp, potent True Essence [refined foundational energy] of a Self-Achieved Foundation Establishment [a cultivator who reached the Foundation Establishment realm through their own efforts, without external aids]. In theory, he could refine the Fire Fiend Power into his True Essence, thereby enhancing its sharpness and tyrannical nature.

In the past, Verdant Origin Chen had merely been tainted by a wisp of Fire Fiend Power and, unable to bear the agony, had ended his own life. This showed that the pain and difficulty involved would be beyond imagination, and perhaps it would be exceedingly hard to accomplish.

After the eruption of the Underground Fire Vein [a subterranean channel of concentrated fire energy] beneath Dawn Valley, the entire Spiritual Vein [a natural conduit of concentrated spiritual energy] was completely corroded by the Fire Fiend [the chaotic entity born from the Fire Fiend Power]. The surrounding area for a thousand Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] was transformed into a land of molten rock.

Countless Spiritual Object [objects imbued with or containing spiritual energy] were buried within the Fire Fiend. It would likely take at least several hundred years for the area to settle completely.

"This Spiritual Vein and the Earth Vein [a terrestrial energy channel related to stability and earth element] are both ruined."

"Even after a century when the Fire Vein [a vein of concentrated fire energy] calms, its grade will have plummeted considerably."

Eldrin Chen let out a sigh and could only lead everyone back to the main camp at the foot of Green Sun Mountain.

"..."

Green Sun Mountain Spiritual Vein.

Upon a towering mountain peak, a solitary figure stood silently before a cave abode.

This person was none other than Patriarch Mo of the Verdant Sun Sect. At this moment, Patriarch Mo, his hair and beard completely white, stood for a long while before finally stepping into the cave abode.

At the Central of the cave abode, an old man clad in verdant robes sat quietly in meditation.

He looked at Patriarch Mo and spoke with a solemn expression, "Junior Brother Mo, what is the current situation?"

"The Soul Lamp [a magical lamp whose flame is linked to a person's life force] of Double Sun Wei and Mordecai Lin have both been extinguished."

"However, the Fire Vein [a subterranean channel of concentrated fire energy] at Dawn Valley has erupted. Those individuals are likely severely wounded. It seems Mordecai did not disappoint our expectations."

Patriarch Mo spoke with a tone of forced calm, yet a profound, hidden sorrow flickered deep within his eyes.

From the very moment he handed the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation Pearl [a treasure that unleashes a devastating heavenly thunder tribulation] to Mordecai Lin, Mordecai Lin had understood the true nature of his mission.

He had been sold to the Verdant Sun Sect as a child, and now, having cultivated to a profound level, his very life was being sold by the sect once more. The cruelty of it was almost unbearable.

Yet, Mordecai Lin had gone. He had departed already carrying the intent to die within him. In the end, he repaid the sect's century of nurturing and his own Karma [the spiritual principle of cause and effect governing one's destiny] with his own blood and bones.

Patriarch Mo finished speaking and turned his gaze to the verdant-robed elder before him. "Senior Brother Liu, did you succeed?"

"It went fairly smoothly."

The verdant-robed elder nodded. He was none other than Patriarch Liu, the Violet Sanctum 9th Tier cultivator of the Verdant Sun Sect.

Patriarch Liu's gaze turned slightly cold, his expression indifferent. "This time, I consumed the sect's treasured quasi-fourth-rank longevity-extending Precious Pill [a rare pill that can extend a cultivator's lifespan]. It granted me another fifty years of life, and I have finally broken through to the Pseudo-Core Realm [a transitional state just below the Golden Core Realm]."

"Those people thought I was bedridden and on death's door, powerless to do anything but watch as they besieged the Verdant Sun Sect."

"When the day of the decisive battle arrives, I will surely give them a tremendous surprise." The complete novel can be found at (audio-novel.com).

Patriarch Mo also revealed a pleased expression, stroking his beard. "After the Underground Fire Vein [a subterranean channel of potent fire energy] erupted at Dawn Valley, many of the Violet Sanctum Cultivator [cultivators at the Violet Sanctum stage] under Exquisite Jiang's command were likely invaded by Fire Fiend [malevolent spirits born from chaotic fire energy]."

"That will delay them for at least half a year. Meanwhile, the Patriarch only needs five months to fully recover and emerge from seclusion."

"Once Uncle Xu leaves seclusion, with a Golden Core Cultivator [a master who has formed a Golden Core, the condensed essence of their cultivation] presiding over the Mountain Protection Formation [a powerful defensive array], even three or five ordinary Golden Core Cultivator would find it impossible to breach our defenses."

"When that time comes, we will make them break their heads against our walls."

"..."

Meanwhile, at the foot of Green Sun Mountain.

Exquisite Jiang looked at the severely wounded group, her elegant brows knitting slightly.

Aside from Eldrin Chen, Eternal Profound Chen, and the highly cultivated Patriarch Qian, every other cultivator of the Violet Sanctum [the third major cultivation stage] who had participated in the battle was grievously injured.

Only around thirty Violet Sanctum cultivators had joined this fight. Yet, before the battle had even truly begun, over a dozen had already been possessed by Fire Fiend [malevolent spiritual entities born of fire and resentment]. It was an inauspicious start indeed.

This was especially problematic for key combatants like Patriarch Fang and Xavier Xu, both at the late Violet Sanctum stage.

Eldrin Chen also recognized the seriousness of their plight and voiced his concern, "With the Fire Fiend possessing them, they likely won't recover their combat strength for some time. Should we postpone the assault?"

"There might yet be a way,"

Exquisite Jiang replied calmly. As a Fourth-Rank Alchemist [a master of pill refinement], she naturally possessed methods to suppress the Fire Fiend.

She continued in a composed tone, "Did we not seize some Third-Rank Shell Pearl [spiritually charged pearls of significant potency] during the battle at Heavenly Python Lake?"

"I still have a few left, which can be refined into Water Essence Evil-Dispelling Pill [a pill that uses water-aligned spiritual essence to purge malevolent energies]. After taking them, they should be able to exert seventy to eighty percent of their combat strength."

True to her word, Exquisite Jiang spent five days refining two batches of the Water Essence Evil-Dispelling Pill.

After consuming the pills, the group expelled roughly sixty percent of the Fire Fiend [a malevolent, fire-aligned spiritual affliction] from their bodies. The remaining injuries could be nursed with other elixirs. Though they were still unable to fight at full power, they could now muster seventy to eighty percent of their battle prowess.

By this point, even though their wounds were not fully healed, Exquisite Jiang decided they could wait no longer.

Exquisite Jiang had meticulously calculated the details of Patriarch Xu's recovery—the nature of his injuries, the efficacy of his healing pills, even the precise duration of his secluded meditation. Her calculations left no room for error.

Now, Patriarch Xu was on the verge of a full recovery. If he emerged from seclusion prematurely, all their previous efforts would be wasted.

Furthermore, once his injuries were completely healed, he would be able to personally command the Formation [a structured array that channels and amplifies spiritual energy for defense or attack]. With a Golden Core Patriarch [a patriarch who has condensed a Golden Core, a solidified core of spiritual power] of his caliber presiding over the Green Sun Mountain's Fourth Rank Mid-Grade [a mid-grade defensive array of the fourth rank] Formation, it was likely that even several Golden Core Cultivator [cultivators who have reached the Golden Core realm] joining forces would struggle to breach it.

The ensuing battle would inevitably become a grueling siege. Even if they succeeded in storming Green Sun Mountain, the cost in manpower and resources would be staggering, resulting at best in a Pyrrhic victory where both sides suffered devastating losses.

"We move now."

Three days later, on Exquisite Jiang's command, tens of thousands of cultivators unleashed a torrent of magical treasures and Divine Ability [supernatural techniques powered by profound spiritual law], launching a furious assault on Green Sun Mountain.

"How could they be so swift?"

Upon Green Sun Mountain, the cultivators of the Verdant Sun Sect all paled, hurriedly activating the Mountain Protection Formation [a defensive array that draws upon the mountain's spiritual veins to create a protective barrier] to resist.

Patriarch Mo's expression also shifted slightly, clearly not expecting Exquisite Jiang to resolve to assault the Mountain Protection Formation so quickly.

On this side, tens of thousands of cultivators were dispatched to continuously drain the Mountain Protection Formation's energy, while the Violet Sanctum [the third major realm of cultivation, where one forms a spiritual core within the body] and Foundation Establishment Cultivator [the second major realm of cultivation, where one solidifies their spiritual foundation] experts stood poised in the void, not immediately joining the fray.

Using lower-realm cultivators to exhaust the Mountain Protection Formation's power, while the higher-realm experts guarded them and waited for the critical moment to strike with full force to breach the formation—this was the optimal strategy. Experience the full epic at audio‑novel.com.