Chapter 245 Entering the Demon Realm with a Sword
For Eldrin (Person Name), this was merely a minor interlude.
His current deep foray into the demon realm was solely for the Profound Water Crystal (Spiritual Object) within the Celestial Python Lake (Location)'s Ren water vein.
Within the Celestial Python Lake (Location)'s Ren water vein, a single Profound Water Crystal (Spiritual Object) would form once every 10 years. As no new demon king had yet emerged to claim the territory, he intended to seize this opportunity to retrieve the Profound Water Crystals (Spiritual Object) that had accumulated over the years.
Strictly speaking, this still carried considerable peril, but Eldrin was a master of his craft, bold and fearless.
Unless he were to face a Demon King in person, he could cut down even a great fiend of the Purple Palace, Late Stage with a swing of his sword. Since there were no Demon Kings in Celestial Python Lake, he could naturally roam through it with absolute freedom.
At such incredible speed, even if the demon race wished to send messages, it would be utterly impossible—after all, they possessed no treasures like the World's-End Sound-Transmission Mirror (Magic Treasure).
By the time Eldrin fought his way to the heart of Celestial Python Lake, the demonic beasts in the lake finally reacted, scattering frantically in all directions.
"Hmm."
A flicker of delight shone in Eldrin's (Person Name) eyes. He never expected that after 40 years apart, several Zi Mansion beasts would once again emerge from the Celestial Python Lake (Location).
At the forefront was none other than the Black-Horned Python, whose aura had grown increasingly formidable. Blessed with extraordinary bloodline, it was now on the verge of transforming into a flood dragon.
The degeneration of his bloodline had greatly advanced the Black-Horned Python's cultivation, propelling his strength into the eighth level of the Purple Mansion.
"If this scoundrel were to break through to the Golden Core realm, he would likely transform into a Black Flood Dragon (Demon Beast)."
Eldrin's pupils contracted slightly. If he encountered it, he would pursue and eliminate this scourge without hesitation.
That Black-Horned Python possessed extraordinary bloodline power, its strength even surpassing that of the Purple Palace, Perfection Stage (Cultivation Realm). Yet it actually managed to escape by exploiting the complex underwater terrain.
"Hmph."
Watching the fiend escape, Eldrin had no choice but to vent his killing intent upon the other Zifu-level demonic beasts.
He slew a Purple Palace, Mid Stage demonic crocodile, and only when the other monsters scattered did he abandon his thoughts of wholesale slaughter.
The Celestial Python Lake (Location) spanned tens of thousands of miles. Even with his level of cultivation, it was nearly impossible to ferret out all the demonic beasts hiding within.
After slaying a Purple Mansion demon crocodile and collecting its demon core, Eldrin charged into the Ren Shui Earth Vein. Yet within the aqueous depths, he found no trace of Profound Water Crystal—though he did acquire 2 portions of water-attributed heavenly treasures.
1 portion of Icy Jade Condensed Liquid, 1 piece of high-grade Renshui Treasure Gold, along with 2 third-rank shell pearls and over 40 second-rank shell pearls obtained as a bonus.
The clan also raised some Cyan Spirit Clams, but due to the insufficient Numinous Water Qi in Spirit Isle Lake (Location), the clams could never multiply or thrive. They only produced a few clam pearls every 10 years.
At this moment, obtaining these cowrie pearls could be considered a modest replenishment of the clan's reserves.
Although he hadn't found the Profound Water Crystal (Spiritual Object), Eldrin (Person Name) wasn't disappointed. He proceeded directly to the spirit pond and, just as expected, discovered 2 Profound Water Crystals (Spiritual Object) within its depths.
Logically speaking, this Ren Shui Earth Vein should have produced 4 Profound Water Crystals (Spiritual Object) over 40 years, yet now there were only 2. It was highly likely the Black Horned Python had consumed the rest. After obtaining the treasure, Eldrin (Person Name) did not linger. That very day, he rode his sword and flew back toward Huiyu County.
In just 4 days, he fought his way back to Yu County, and astonishingly, not a single Zi Mansion realm beast dared to stand in his path.
Upon returning to Yu County, he heaved a deep sigh of relief.
Although he was invincible on this journey, a trace of fear lingered in his heart—after all, this was the heartland of the demon realm. If he were delayed long enough for a Golden Core demon king to pursue him, he would likely face grave trouble.
Yet everything proceeded with unexpectedly smooth progress.
With his cultivation at the Purple Palace, Mid Stage, he single-handedly charged into the heart of the demon realm with his sword. Along the way, he slew a Zifu-level demonic beast and retrieved the unique treasure of a fourth-order spirit vein before returning unscathed.
Along the way, he was invincible wherever he went, with countless demons and monsters retreating before him. Not a single Zi Fu realm beast dared to stand in his path.
Before even the Golden Core Demon Kings could react, he had already achieved his goal and returned to his clan. After this venture, it was likely that the neighboring humans, demons, and monsters alike would be awestruck by his overwhelming presence.
A sword cultivator’s essence lies in this indomitable, forward-thrusting momentum. Having accomplished such a magnificent feat, it was likely that from this day forth, even cultivators at the Purple Palace, Late Stage would have to show him deference.
For him, this journey had honed his resolve to an even sharper edge. Now, when he summoned his flying sword, it felt as natural as breathing. Every casual swing of his immortal blade carried a trace of unstoppable conviction.
This is the bearing of a Sword Immortal, and a conviction that marches forward without retreat.
On Verdant Chariot Mountain, Eldrin handed over the Profound Water Crystal along with the Ren Water Treasure Gold to Chen Ethan.
When Chen Ethan (Person Name) heard that he had ventured alone into the demon territory and returned with these treasures, his eyes practically gleamed with excitement.
"Uncle Eldrin (Person Name), 1 day I too shall become someone like you."
"Then you must dedicate yourself to cultivation."
Eldrin smiled and patted his head. This lad had extraordinary courage, truly bearing some resemblance to his own demeanor.
After entrusting the Violet Mansion Inner Core to Lior (Person Name) for delivery to Green Sun Mountain, Eldrin (Person Name) finally prepared to depart for the Heavenly Abode Continent (Location).
The Heavenly Abode Continent lies to the southeast of Ji Province, while the Chu Kingdom is situated at the northwestern frontier of Ji Province. To reach the Heavenly Abode Continent, 1 must traverse nearly the entirety of Ji Province.
Eldrin soared across the skies of the Chu Kingdom upon his sword, traversing the Cerulean Peaks Range over a month's journey before arriving at last in the Yan Kingdom.
Yan Kingdom (Location), also known as the Million-Mile Swallow Lake, is connected to the Ji Province River which stretches nearly 10 million li, separating the Cang Kingdom, Ji Kingdom, and Yan Kingdom (Location).
He soared across the 100-1000-mile-wide river on his sword, arriving at the territory of the Ji Kingdom, where he decided to rest for a while.
The Ji Kingdom was the core territory occupied by the Ji Immortal Clan. As a top-tier Golden Core Immortal Clan, they indeed possessed a teleportation formation.
Only a spiritual vein at or above the fourth-tier Golden Core Realm could barely manage to deploy a short-distance teleportation formation spanning 1,000,000 li.
To set up a long-distance teleportation formation spanning tens of millions of miles, a fifth-order spirit vein is required.
Legend has it that within the Sixth-Order Ancestral Vein of the Dao Monarch Holy Land, 1 could even deploy ultra-long-distance teleportation arrays spanning hundreds of millions of miles through the void.
The Ji Clan did not possess many teleportation arrays, yet they were capable of spanning tens of millions of miles to reach the distant void beyond.
For a Nascent Soul immortal clan of this caliber, short-distance teleportation arrays spanning several million li were utterly unnecessary.
A Nascent Soul True Monarch could traverse a million miles in a single night. To them, the entire Ji Continent could be crossed in just a few days' time.
Moreover, with the presence of fifth-tier and even sixth-tier treasure ships, traversing a million li of void was not considered lengthy, and the cost incurred would instead be much lower.
Thus, even the affluent Ji Clan, a prominent immortal family, had only established teleportation arrays between their handful of fifth-grade spirit veins.
After resting in the Ji Kingdom for 3 days and making some inquiries, Eldrin discovered that the Ji Clan's teleportation formation was not connected to the Heavenly Abode Continent.
The reason was simple: the 2 continents were too close, separated by a mere 5 to 6 million li across the border. Deploying a long-distance teleportation array would be wasteful, while a short-distance 1 couldn’t cover the span.
Foundation Establishment cultivators couldn't afford teleportation fees, while those at the Purple Mansion realm could easily traverse such distances—they might as well fly over on their swords directly.
"It seems we still have to cross the Heaven's Spine Mountains (Location)."
With no other choice, Eldrin let out a sigh and could only continue flying toward the Heavenly Abode Continent on his sword.
After traveling in starts and stops for approximately 8 100 1000 miles, Eldrin finally arrived at Heaven's Spine Mountains.
Gazing upon the vast mountain range before him, he couldn't help but feel his scalp tingling with awe.
Legend has it that the Heaven's Spine Mountains (Location) stretch boundlessly, counted among the renowned mountain ranges within the Eastern Wastelands (Location). Only upon witnessing them today did 1 comprehend the sheer terror they embody.
If the vast marshlands spanning hundreds of millions of miles could rank among the top 3 of Eastern Wastelands' famed mountains and great rivers, then the Heaven's Spine Mountains could also secure a position within the top 20-some.
In comparison, even the millions of li-spanning Cerulean Peaks Range (Location) paled into insignificance.
Chapter 1 The Heaven's Spine Mountains (Location) resembled the backbone of some primordial demon god straddling the horizon, stretching over 30 million li in length as they traversed several vast continents, cleaving the majestic Great Wilderness asunder.