Chapter 255 : Legacy of the Flaming Prison

Strictly speaking, this Spiritual Vein had been corrupted by subterranean fire into a Fire Fiend Spiritual Vein [a spiritual energy vein tainted by malevolent fire essence], now saturated with boundless baleful energy [a corrupt and destructive form of spiritual power].

Only a Golden Core Cultivator [a cultivator who has condensed their spiritual energy into a solid Golden Core] would dare absorb the spiritual energy here, so heavily laced with Fire Fiend essence [the corrupt energy of malevolent fire spirits].

"Senior."

The group paid their respects with a reverent bow. Only then did the Recluse of Elegant Verse step forward to the man's body and retrieve his Storage Bag [a spatial artifact for storing items].

This was not the moment to divide spoils. Eldrin Chen first retrieved the Formation Artifact [the core artifact controlling a formation] of the Fourth-Rank Formation [a powerful defensive or offensive magical array], then spoke.

"Let us depart first. We shall divide the treasures once we are outside."

"Wait a moment."

Before leaving, the Recluse of Elegant Verse paused thoughtfully, then collected the man's remains. "We have incurred a Karma [a metaphysical debt or connection from this encounter]. Let us take the senior's bones with us, lest they be devoured by demonic beasts."

"Agreed. Place the senior's remains upon my Purple Blood Boat."

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen could not help but regard the man with greater esteem. Continue reading this story at *audio-novel.com*.

Several days later, the group, carrying the remains of the senior and their spoils, steered the Purple Blood Boat out of the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire.

After departing the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire, they descended upon a desolate mountain range. Over the next few days, they worked to break the seals on the Storage Bag. When they finally opened it, they could not help but stare in astonishment.

As a cultivator at the Golden Core Late Stage, the deceased had carried relatively few magical treasures, merely a handful. However, the bag contained seventeen precious ancient texts.

Soon, among the texts, they found a letter, which revealed the man's origins.

"I am Path Sun Lin, an Elder of the Verdant Void Sect, a major sect of the Eastern Sea."

"When the Demonic Abyss Cataclysm descended, my Verdant Void Sect stood firm with heroic sacrifice. All three of our Infant Soul True Lord fell in battle."

"I escaped with a portion of our legacy, reaching the Eastern Region Great Wasteland, only to be coveted by lesser men for the inheritance I carried..."

It turned out this man was named Path Sun Lin, formerly the Legacy Transmission Elder of the Verdant Void Sect, an Infant Soul Sect from the Eastern Sea. Three centuries ago, the Verdant Void Sect met with catastrophe. Path Sun Lin fled with a portion of the sect's legacy to the Eastern Region Great Wasteland.

Although Path Sun Lin managed to fight his way out of the encirclement, he was grievously wounded and his power greatly diminished. Upon arriving in the Eastern Region Great Wasteland, the legacy he carried made him a target of envy, inevitably leading to successive battles.

This Senior Lin's cultivation had reached the Golden Core 9th Tier. However, during his desperate breakout, his Lifebound Magical Treasure and his signature magical treasure [an enchanted artifact used by cultivators] were shattered. The relentless battles he faced upon reaching the Eastern Region Great Wasteland caused most of his remaining treasures to be lost or destroyed.

In the end, he cast a forbidden art and fled into the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire [a legendary sea of eternal, scorching flames]. Yet, he could not withstand his grievous wounds. Using his final fourth-rank defensive magical treasure [an enchanted artifact used by cultivators], the 'Golden Radiance Glazed Lamp', he set up a defensive Formation [a structured array that channels energy for protection or attack]. After leaving this letter, he passed away.

"Alas."

Eldrin Chen let out a sigh.

Even at the moment of his death, Path Sun Lin was filled with a towering, unquenched hatred.

He left behind two unfulfilled wishes. The letter stated that to inherit his legacy and path, one must shoulder two burdens of Karma [a metaphysical debt or obligation arising from one's actions, binding fate].

The first was to avenge him by slaying his murderer, Celestial Star Child [a Daoist title meaning 'Child of the Heavenly Stars']. That Celestial Star Child was the foremost rogue cultivator of the Tianlu Continent. Three hundred years ago, he was merely at the Golden Core Late Stage [the advanced phase of the Golden Core cultivation stage]. Yet now, his strength had cultivated to the very peak of Golden Core Perfection [the perfected, flawless state of the Golden Core realm].

The second was to journey to the Eastern Sea Cultivation World [the vast, spiritually rich cultivation realm of the Eastern Sea], seek out the legacy treasure of the Verdant Void Sect, and rebuild the sect's lineage.

Even if one did not personally inherit the Verdant Void Sect's path, one was obligated to find a suitable successor for its legacy.

Whoever accepted this Karma must swear a Heart Demon Blood Oath [a binding oath sealed with blood and one's spiritual essence, failure invites inner demons]. They were bound to fulfill these two tasks within five hundred years.

The reward for this burden was the seventeen ancient tomes left behind by Path Sun Lin.

The ancient texts brought by Path Sun Lin were truly Extraordinary. There were merely seventeen volumes in total.

Yet, they contained one Infant Soul Cultivation Art, two Great God Ability, and the rest were cultivation arts of the Golden Core Realm. They could be considered the foundational legacy of the Verdant Void Sect.

To prevent these arts from being disseminated, the Infant Soul True Lord of the Verdant Sun Sect had placed restrictive seals upon them.

Unless one possessed the specific method to unlock them, even an ordinary Golden Core Cultivator would find it difficult to open them. Moreover, any rash attempt would cause the texts to self-destruct.

It was precisely because of this that the severely wounded Path Sun Lin was able to employ a forbidden technique to escape with his life. Back then, had his pursuers not wanted to capture him alive, Path Sun Lin would have perished in the ambush.

Now, the only entity that knows this unlocking method is the Fourth Rank Superior Grade Magical Treasure, the Golden Radiance Glazed Lamp. Immerse yourself in the complete world at audi novel.com.

The artifact's sentience is nearly on par with a human's. Unless one swears a Heart Demon Blood Oath [a binding vow enforced by one's inner demons], it adamantly refuses to impart the method to anyone.

"A pity,"

"To inherit this path, it seems we must become entangled in this Karma [the principle of cause and effect governing actions and their consequences]."

Recluse of Elegant Verse shook his head, a sense of reluctance stirring within him.

Given his innate talent and current strength, there was almost no hope of achieving vengeance within five hundred years. If he were to swear a Heart Demon Blood Oath [a binding vow where failure to fulfill it creates a demonic obstruction in one's cultivation path], it would likely hinder his future cultivation journey.

The other two also frowned. An Inner Demon [a manifestation of one's own mental and spiritual flaws that obstructs cultivation] might not necessarily wait five hundred years to manifest. If they knowingly swore a blood oath while understanding the difficulty of revenge within that timeframe, this Inner Demon could become the greatest obstacle on their path of cultivation.

Eldrin Chen glanced at the group, pondered for a moment, and then spoke. "I can shoulder this Karma [the cosmic principle of cause and effect, where actions create consequences that must be resolved]."

"Either this legacy belongs to me now. After I obtain the method, I will allow each of you to choose one cultivation art capable of reaching the Golden Core 9th Tier [the pinnacle of the Golden Core stage, the ninth and final tier]."

"This Golden Radiance Glazed Lamp [a magical lamp that emits a brilliant golden light], along with the other treasures, I can also yield to you."

Upon hearing this, the three of them fell into contemplation, their hearts stirring with a measure of temptation.

Even at its peak, the Verdant Void Sect possessed only three Infant Soul Cultivation Art [esoteric methods for cultivating the Infant Soul realm]. The tome before them represented the very foundation of the Verdant Void Sect's legacy; naturally, it would not be shown to outsiders.

They would not bear the Karma, yet they would receive three cultivation arts of the Golden Core 9th Tier. Moreover, that Golden Radiance Glazed Lamp was a supreme magical treasure of the Fourth Rank Superior Grade [the highest quality tier within the Fourth Rank of magical treasures]. Its value was likely equivalent to at least five or six million Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation].

As a cultivator at the Golden Core Perfection [the state of having perfected one's Golden Core foundation], many of the miscellaneous items on Path Sun Lin's person appeared as exceedingly precious treasures in the eyes of the group.

Furthermore, within the Storage Bag [a spatial artifact for storing items] were several Fourth-Rank Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures [rare spiritual materials and treasures born from heaven and earth]. If sold, they could likely be exchanged for two or three million Spirit Stones. All things considered, these treasures represented a more advantageous deal for the three rogue cultivators.

After all, the three were rogue cultivators; even if they obtained numerous cultivation arts, they could only practice one at a time.

In contrast, the Golden Radiance Glazed Lamp [a powerful lamp artifact that emits a golden, purifying light] was a treasure second only to the Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [a legendary artifact renowned for its power to suppress demons]. Even a Golden Core Late Stage [the advanced stage of the Golden Core cultivation realm] expert would covet it.

With this treasure in hand, unless he broke through to the Infant Soul Realm [the realm where a cultivator's nascent soul is formed], it could serve as his ultimate protective artifact for his path. If used for trade, it was valuable enough to exchange for three or four Golden Core Formation Pill [a precious elixir that aids in forming a Golden Core].

Thinking this, the Recluse of Elegant Verse exchanged a glance with his two companions, then nodded and said, "Then let it be so."

"Splendid."

Eldrin Chen smiled faintly. He swore the Heart Demon Blood Oath [a binding oath sworn on one's blood and heart demon, with severe consequences for breaking it] to obtain the method, then selected three suitable Golden Core [the Golden Core cultivation realm] cultivation arts of matching attributes and gave them to the trio.

Once the transaction was complete, the group specifically swore a blood oath of secrecy, only then allowing relieved smiles to grace their faces.

This expedition concluded with everyone satisfied. He had gained the precious legacy and the Infant Soul Cultivation Art [a profound art for cultivating the Infant Soul realm], while the other three had divided a substantial haul of valuables.

After storing the pile of ancient texts, Eldrin Chen allowed a smile to touch his lips, planning to peruse them at his leisure in the days to come.

Although this venture had incurred Karma [the spiritual law of cause and effect governing actions and their consequences], he had gained seventeen Golden Core cultivation arts for nothing. The foundation of his clan was about to receive a monumental boost.

Especially that Infant Soul Cultivation Art [a profound technique for nurturing the nascent soul of a cultivator], it was a treasure that even an Infant Soul Immortal Clan [a powerful clan whose patriarch has attained the Infant Soul realm] would covet, sufficient to serve as a priceless heirloom for a clan's legacy. Continue reading this story at audio - novel . com.