Chapter 237 : Heaven Sundering Duel

The heavens were somber, rent by thunder and the flash of lightning.

Winds rose and clouds churned, stirring the very fabric of sky and earth.

As battle hung on a hair's breadth, Patriarch Xu arrived, his fury so potent it had stirred the heavens themselves into an unnatural state.

A Golden Core Cultivator [a cultivator who has condensed a Golden Core, transcending mortality] was no longer mortal. He had yet to strike a single blow; the sheer force of his wrathful divine sense alone had churned the clouds and winds across three hundred Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters].

"Exquisite Jiang!"

"Do you dare stand against me?"

Patriarch Xu roared, his icy pupils mirroring the celestial lightning, a formidable aura surging forth like a tidal wave.

Rain began to fall from the sky, a torrential downpour crashing down as if to wash away the dust and grime of the Mortal Dust.

"Hmm."

Exquisite Jiang remained utterly calm, stepping forward to ascend into the heavens. "Let us take this battle to the skies!" Access the full story on audio-novel-dot-com.

The wrath of a True Person [a cultivator who has attained the Golden Core realm] can sunder the earth for a hundred Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters].

With the vast and mighty spiritual power of a Golden Core Cultivator, a full-force 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 potent spiritual energy] were shattered in the process.

Eldrin Chen looked up to see two figures soaring into the sky, ascending several thousand Li-length high. A decisive duel was about to commence.

He harbored no worry for Exquisite Jiang's safety. Patriarch Xu was merely at the Golden Core 3rd Tier level of cultivation. Even if the Verdant Sun Sect possessed some hidden trump card, it was unlikely to pose a real threat to Exquisite Jiang.

The only thing that could deliver a fatal blow to Exquisite Jiang was the Heaven's Vault Mirror. The might of this Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [a treasure of the highest grade, capable of subduing powerful demons] was sufficient to cleave the earth for a thousand Li-length. Even a Golden Core Late Stage cultivator could be slain in a single strike. However, Exquisite Jiang also had her own countermeasures prepared.

"All cultivators at the Violet Sanctum Late Stage level, follow me. We shall deal with Patriarch Mo and Patriarch Liu of the Verdant Sun Sect,"

"The rest of you, secure the Spirit Herb Garden [a garden cultivating spiritually potent herbs], the Scripture Pavilion [a repository for cultivation manuals and ancient texts], the Treasure Vault, and the Spirit Pond [a pond brimming with concentrated spiritual energy]."

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 their assigned tasks and immediately began executing the pre-arranged battle plan.

He, along with Old Patriarch, Patriarch Qian, Xavier Xu, Patriarch Fang, and the other combatants possessing Violet Sanctum Late Stage strength, charged towards the core area of the Formation [a complex array of energy channels and symbols used for defense, attack, or cultivation].

There was little room for doubt. The ones presiding over the Formation [a complex arrangement of energy channels and nodes used for defense, attack, or cultivation] were undoubtedly the two most powerful Patriarch [a venerable leader of a cultivation clan or sect] of the Verdant Sun Sect.

A group of over thirty Violet Sanctum Cultivator [cultivators who have opened their Violet Sanctum, the third major realm of cultivation] stormed into Green Sun Mountain, completely sealing off the entire Spirit Mountain [a mountain rich in spiritual energy, often used as a cultivation base]. From the very outset, this battle was an unequal confrontation.

Eldrin Chen soon arrived at the Celestial Stem Peak where the Formation was anchored. There, he beheld two aged figures.

That Patriarch Liu, seated cross-legged on the ground, spoke with a calm expression. "You have come."

"Patriarch Liu, Patriarch Mo!"

At the sight of the two men, Patriarch Qian gave a slight nod of acknowledgment. These two were old acquaintances of his from many years past.

That Patriarch Mo wore a faint smile. His gaze swept over the five present individuals, and he shook his head as he spoke.

"Only five of you have come? Do you hold our master-disciple duo in such low esteem?"

"The five of us are more than sufficient."

Clad in robes white as snow, Eldrin Chen stepped forward, sword in hand. His voice was tranquil yet carried a finality. "Allow us to escort you on your final journey."

"Hahaha..." Patriarch Liu let out a hearty laugh, nodding with a smile. "I presume you are the renowned Border Province Sword Immortal [a famed sword cultivator known for defending the frontier regions]."

"Looking at it this way, that makes five combatants at the Violet Sanctum Late Stage [the advanced stage of the Violet Sanctum cultivation realm]. No wonder only five came."

As his words fell, his expression suddenly turned grave.

With a sweep of his long sleeve, he soared into the air to meet the challenge, an overwhelming aura sweeping across the Heavenly Vault [the vast, dome-like sky above].

"Trouble! He's a Pseudo-Core Realm Cultivator [a cultivator whose power approaches that of the Golden Core Realm but has not fully formed a core]."

Patriarch Qian's face shifted slightly. The spiritual power of a Pseudo-Core Realm Cultivator was immensely profound, exceeding that of an ordinary Great Perfection of Violet Sanctum [the pinnacle stage of the Violet Sanctum realm] by more than fifty percent. Continue your cultivation journey at audio-novel[dot]com.

The combat prowess of such a cultivator was extraordinary, capable of facing at least two or three Violet Sanctum Late Stage cultivators at once.

"Vast Sleeves Enfolding Heaven and Earth."

As Patriarch Liu ascended into the heavens, he channeled his spiritual power to unleash the Divine Ability [a supreme supernatural technique] 'Vast Sleeves Enfolding Heaven and Earth'. This Divine Ability gathered Polarity Dual Energy [the opposing yet complementary forces of Yin and Yang], brewing within his long sleeves. With a single strike, Polarity [the principle of opposing dualities] converged, unleashing a cataclysmic wave that blotted out the sky and covered the earth.

To all present, it felt as if heaven and earth were overturned, the cosmos inverted. An endless tide of Polarity Dual Energy crashed upon them like a furious tsunami.

Fortunately, all present were high-level cultivators of the Violet Sanctum Realm [the third major stage of cultivation, where one opens a mystical energy center within the body], each possessing their own unique strengths and naturally having methods to cope with the situation.

The Old Patriarch reacted swiftly. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned the Venus Stellar Pearl. Seven Stellar Pearl [spherical magical treasures that harness stellar energies] materialized, enveloping the void. Within the pearls, the Polarity Dual Energy [a divine ability that manipulates opposing forces like yin and yang] reversed its flow, stabilizing the whirling and toppling energies of the Polarity Dual Energy.

Eldrin Chen then deployed the Purple Blood Pagoda to shield the group, preparing to strike against Patriarch Liu.

At that moment, however, the Old Patriarch stopped him. "This Patriarch Liu possesses profound and vast spiritual power. I fear he cannot be eliminated swiftly," he cautioned.

"You go and slay Patriarch Mo. Leave Patriarch Liu for us to handle."

Eldrin Chen gave a nod. Although Xavier Xu and Patriarch Fang were severely wounded, they could still muster seventy to eighty percent of their combat prowess. With four combatants at the Violet Sanctum Late Stage [the advanced phase of the Violet Sanctum Realm] level confronting Patriarch Liu, it should be more than sufficient to hold him at bay.

With this thought, he directed his flying sword towards Patriarch Mo. Patriarch Liu, intending to intercept, saw Patriarch Qian and the others unleash their magical treasures in a coordinated assault. He could only frown and focus on defending himself.

Seeing Eldrin Chen charge towards him, Patriarch Mo showed no fear and immediately engaged him in combat.

After a dozen or so exchanges, Eldrin Chen realized Patriarch Mo's cultivation was at the Violet Sanctum 9th Tier [the ninth and penultimate tier of the Violet Sanctum Realm]. His spiritual power was even denser than Eldrin's by a significant margin, making him a formidable opponent.

As a Violet Sanctum Cultivator from a major sect, Patriarch Mo was not lacking in high-grade magical treasures. Besides his Lifebound Magical Treasure [a treasure nurtured with one's life force and soul, growing in power with the cultivator], the Kunwu Bulwark Earth Bell, he also possessed two other Third Rank Superior Grade Magical Treasure [powerful artifacts corresponding to the Golden Core stage of cultivation].

One of those magical treasures [enchanted artifacts used by cultivators] was a Dark Gold Immortal Sword, while the other was a Gold Jade Demon-Slaying Shuttle.

This person defended himself with the Kunwu Bulwark Earth Bell hovering above his head, and with the Dark Gold Immortal Sword and the Gold Jade Demon-Slaying Shuttle, he tangled with Eldrin Chen's Celestial Abyss Twin Swords. Astonishingly, he showed not the slightest sign of being at a disadvantage.

After roughly another dozen or so exchanges, Eldrin Chen realized that relying on these two Immortal Swords alone would be insufficient to suppress his opponent. Thus, he began to activate the Jade Spirit Eye.

Once this Divine Ability [a supernatural technique mastered through cultivation] was invoked, a spiritual light flickered within Eldrin Chen's eyes. In a flash, the trajectory of Patriarch Mo's attacks seemed to slow down considerably.

Consequently, Eldrin Chen finally began to gain the overwhelming upper hand. Using merely his two Immortal Swords, he pressed his foe into making repeated mistakes and openings. The Kunwu Bulwark Earth Bell was also struck until its radiance grew noticeably dimmer.

"This is bad."

Seeing that continuing to fight like this might give Eldrin Chen the chance to breach his defensive treasure and deliver a fatal blow, a flicker of anxiety passed over Patriarch Mo's face. He could no longer suppress the urgency rising in his heart.

With a sweeping motion of his hand, he unleashed three Divine Abilitys in quick succession: one bolt of Bulwark Earth Divine Thunder, one blast of Metallic Gold Divine Thunder, and the 'Metallic Earth Calamity Thunder Seal'.

The Verdant Sun Sect had collected four of the five types of Five Elements Divine Thunder [powerful thunder techniques corresponding to the five fundamental elements]. Their divine thunder Divine Abilitys were renowned and feared throughout the surrounding nations.

Their founding patriarch, a man of truly exceptional talent, had brilliantly fused the Metallic Gold and Bulwark Earth Divine Thunder techniques to create a superior-grade Divine Ability—precisely this 'Metallic Earth Calamity Thunder Seal'.

As the three Divine Ability attacks surged towards him, Eldrin Chen did not hesitate to retaliate. He channeled the Metallic Gold, First Wood, and Blazing Third Fire Divine Thunders in succession. Yet, to his surprise, the Blazing Third Fire Divine Thunder was pierced through by the 'Metallic Earth Calamity Thunder Seal'.

The Metallic Earth Calamity Thunder Seal continued its relentless advance, its power undiminished. With no other choice, Eldrin Chen was forced to summon forth his Great Geng Immortal Sword to cleave the attack apart.

"Now!"

In that very instant, Patriarch Mo struck again. From his hand flew a talisman of dazzling, peerless brilliance.

This talisman was known as the Venus Soul-Severing Talisman [a high-grade talisman capable of severing the soul from its physical vessel], a Fourth Rank Low-Grade artifact. It represented one of the core strategic reserves the Verdant Sun Sect had painstakingly accumulated over a millennium. Original English translation available at site: audio-novel.com.