Chapter 250 : A Quest for the Sun's Heart

"Ah, truly a child favored by the heavens," he remarked.

Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered almost imperceptibly as he set his teacup down with deliberate calm.

Skillfully steering the conversation away, he continued, "My purpose in coming is to seek the purchase of a Sun Treasure Crystal [a crystalized essence of pure solar energy, used in cultivating powerful Yang-aligned techniques]. I wonder if your esteemed pavilion possesses such a treasure?"

"A Sun Treasure Crystal?" The Qin Surname Purple Mansion Cultivator's brow lifted slightly, a knowing smile gracing his lips. "It seems Fellow Daoist is cultivating a Pure Yang Divine Ability [a powerful technique aligned with the ultimate Yang principle]."

He paused, then shook his head with a hint of regret. "Although our Qin Family has accumulated a small stock, they have all been taken by one of our Ancient Ancestor to cultivate a certain divine ability."

"Your best course is to wait a few more years. When the Yuan Nation Purple Mansion Barter Convention [a grand gathering where Purple Mansion cultivators trade rare resources] commences in five years, you will surely be able to purchase it—provided you can meet the price."

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen gave a subtle, understanding nod, his expression betraying nothing.

Sun Treasure Crystal were exceedingly rare. When they did appear, they often commanded a steep premium from the right buyer. It was likely the Qin family would only offer theirs for competitive bidding at such a Barter Convention.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen rose to take his leave. "It seems I must indeed wait until five years hence."

"Farewell, Fellow Daoist. Walk slowly." Find this and other novels at audio‑novel.com.

The Qin Surname Purple Mansion Cultivator courteously escorted Eldrin Chen out of the shop, then turned and retreated into the inner chambers.

Within those inner chambers, two cultivators were already seated, sipping tea. One, a middle-aged man, looked toward the shopkeeper and inquired.

"Well?"

The Qin Surname Purple Mansion Cultivator bowed slightly and shook his head. "It is not a Dao Body [a rare and profound innate constitution that grants exceptional talent for cultivation]."

The middle-aged man gave an imperceptible wave of his hand, dismissing the shopkeeper.

Once the man had departed, he shook his head in disappointment. "Seeing his remarkable talent, I had hoped he possessed a Dao Body. It seems my expectations were misplaced."

"Seventh Brother."

The elder seated opposite him frowned, his expression turning grave. "Both Ancient Ancestors have long decreed that we are not to target those with a Dao Body who have reached the Purple Mansion [the third major realm of cultivation, where one forms a spiritual mansion within the dantian] realm or higher. Do you still harbor such ambitions?"

"Third Brother..."

The middle-aged man's face flushed with slight embarrassment. He forced a laugh. "I was merely making inquiries. I would not dare take any action."

"As your elder brother, I must still advise you to proceed with caution."

"A bearer of a Dao Body [a rare and exceptional physical constitution] who has cultivated to the Purple Mansion [the third major realm of cultivation] realm will almost certainly possess extraordinary abilities. Such individuals, even if they do not hail from a major power, are often watched over by formidable patrons in the shadows."

"If your actions were exposed, not even our Qin Clan could save you. The entire Qin Family might be dragged down to perish with you."

The elder's expression turned grave, recalling the repeated and stern warnings from the clan's Ancient Ancestor.

As one of the few Golden Core High-Ranking Members within the Qin Immortal Clan, they were among the select few privy to the true, dark origins of the clan's rise to power.

Extracting bloodlines to refine pills, employing the Forbidden Art Dao Body Seizure [a forbidden technique to steal another's exceptional constitution]—such acts had long since crossed the line of humanity.

Even the members of the Qin Immortal Clan lived in constant unease. The origins of their legacy were too vile, too evil, entangled with a terror that the world would never tolerate. Should the truth ever come to light, there would be no place for them in the entire Purple Realm.

Although the Qin Immortal Clan was a Nascent Soul Immortal Clan, the handful of high-ranking members who knew the truth lived in perpetual fear.

If exposed, none of the immortal clans of the Eastern Wastelands, nor even the Dao Lord Sacred Land [a sacred land governed by a supreme cultivator], would suffer them to exist.

It mattered not that they were merely a Newly Advanced Nascent Soul Immortal Clan. Even if they were to produce a Nascent Soul Dao Lord [a supreme expert at the peak of the Nascent Soul realm], survival and escape from the Eastern Wastelands would be far from guaranteed.

Looking at the more recent past, any one of the Tianlu Sect from the Heavenly Abode Continent, Magnus the Virtuous from the Heaven's Spine Mountains, or the Ji Immortal Clan from Ji Continent would have been more than sufficient to utterly annihilate them.

At this moment, the old man's expression turned grave, and he cautioned repeatedly, "Back in the day on Ji Continent, the Second Ancestor, in his attempt to extract the bloodline essence from a bearer of a Dao Body [a rare and supreme physical constitution for cultivation], even stirred the awareness of a truly terrifying entity."

"Had he not fled for his life the instant he sensed danger, he might not have returned alive. So fearful was he of being tracked through his aura that he strictly forbade any disciples of our Qin Clan from setting foot on Ji Continent for many years."

"And that Dao Body bearer was merely at the Qi Refinement Stage [the initial stage of cultivation]. If you were to target a prodigy with a Purple Mansion [the third major cultivation realm] Dao Body, I fear there is an eighty percent chance a major calamity would ensue."

The middle-aged man's pupils contracted slightly, a flicker of retrospective fear crossing his features.

Even after attaining the realm of a Nascent Soul True Lord [the fifth major cultivation realm], Qin Clan's Second Ancestor still harbors a deep-seated dread of Ji Continent, a clear sign that unimaginable horrors lie concealed there. The story continues at audio‑novel.com.

A tremor ran through his heart, and he couldn't help but ask in a hushed tone, "What manner of existence was it back then, to instill such fear even in the Second Ancestor?"

"Perhaps... it was the Ji Clan?"

The old man gazed in the direction of Ji Continent, his eyes filled with profound gravity.

Within that vast territory resides the Ji Clan, a clan that was once a supremely glorious Immortal Immortal Clan [a clan with a history of producing true Immortals].

Throughout the vast stretches of time, that lineage had given birth to several Nascent Soul Dao Lord in succession, and had even produced a legendary Supreme Immortal.

Although the Ji Immortal Clan had declined in the present age, its foundational reserves remained. Its Clan-Suppressing Supreme Treasure, the 'Immortal-Refining Furnace', shook the cosmos with its might. Legend held that when fully awakened, this treasure could contend with both immortals and demons, ranking among the top ten Supreme Treasure of Pure Yang on the Purple Realm's Divine Armaments Ranking.

After leaving the shop belonging to the Qin Clan, Eldrin Chen did not linger within the Qinyuan Market.

In his current state, he possessed neither the power to act against the Qin Clan, nor the courage to definitively verify whether they were behind the events of that year.

Yet, this journey had yielded some insight. Though he could not be absolutely certain, he believed the Qin Clan bore significant suspicion.

"For now, I shall focus on cultivation. I will make my plans after I have broken through to the Golden Core realm, or even achieved Nascent Soul."

Suppressing these thoughts, Eldrin Chen purchased a map of the Heavenly Abode Continent and then soared on his sword towards the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire.

According to Magnus the Virtuous, the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire was an exceptional Spirit-Refining Land [a location with unique properties that aids in tempering and refining one's spiritual essence]. Having come to the Heavenly Abode Continent, he naturally would not miss the opportunity.

He flew northward by sword for over two million Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters], finally locating the legendary Flaming Prison Sea of Fire in the northern borderlands of the Heavenly Abode Continent.

"So this is the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire?"

Gazing upon the vast and boundless expanse of fire ahead, Eldrin Chen could not help but swallow hard.

What a desolate and deadly place this was. The Flaming Prison Sea of Fire [a legendary sea of magma and eternal flames] stretched for a million Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters], its landscape a tapestry of molten rock and dancing flames.

Here, there was no trace of life, only an endless aura of slaughter and annihilating fire. Had he not seen it with his own eyes, Eldrin Chen would have thought he had descended into a world of pure damnation.

"The Flaming Prison Sea of Fire," he murmured.

"No wonder it is described as a sea of fire, a prison of flames."

A tremor ran through Eldrin Chen's heart as he recalled the origins of this Flaming Prison Sea of Fire.

It was said that eight thousand years ago, this place had once been a formidable Demonic Cultivator Forbidden Land known as Blood Demon Ridge [the mountain stronghold of a blood demon lineage], ruled by a Demon Monarch [a supreme ruler among demonic cultivators] whose power had once cowed the ages.

That era was now shrouded in the mists of time, so distant that even the historical records Eldrin Chen had read contained only fragmented whispers of the tale.

The Peerless Dao Lord [a title for a cultivator of unparalleled mastery], Jiang the Sovereign Emperor, had come from the Central Ancestral Domain [the mythical heartland of the cultivation world]. A cataclysmic war erupted between him and the forces of Blood Demon Ridge. In that conflict, a Supreme Treasure of Pure Yang [an artifact of ultimate righteous power] was shattered, and the ancient Blood Demon Ridge was utterly razed from the earth.

In the aftermath of that single, world-shaking battle, the Earth's Lung [a profound geological node of fiery energy] beneath Blood Demon Ridge was pierced. This triggered an endless surge of Earthfire Power [primordial fire energy from the planet's depths] that completely incinerated the demonic stronghold, transforming it into the million-Li-length expanse of the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire that existed today.

Only after that time did a great multitude of cultivators, leading ordinary mortals in their wake, begin the arduous migration from the Central Province Ancestral Land [the mythical heartland of ancient human civilization]. They settled and multiplied, gradually giving rise to the Heavenly Abode Continent [a vast continent within the cultivation world] and the Ji Continent Cultivation World [the specific cultivation realm encompassing the Ji Continent] as we know them today.

In truth, the Cultivation World [the interconnected realms where cultivators pursue immortality] of the several great continents nearby all flourished and took shape in the generations following that cataclysmic war.

"Generation upon generation of ancient sages and heroes carved out our territories, spilling their blood in fierce battles against the demonic hordes for the sake of our Human Race."

"Thus, through their sacrifice, was the prosperous Cultivation World [the interconnected realms where cultivators pursue immortality] we see today forged." Find this and other novels at audio . novel . com.