Chapter 266. 16 Years in Seclusion (Time & Distance), Clan Leader Purple Palace, Late Stage (Cultivation Realm)

The Fang Immortal Clan (Organization) exhausted its accumulated resources and borrowed another 500,000 spirit stones from the Qian Clan, finally gathering 2,000,000 spirit stones to purchase 1.

That Xavier (Person Name) emptied his entire coffers, producing wealth accumulated over 3 100 years. Yet lacking any remarkable mastery of the 100 Arts of Cultivation, and having expended considerable resources on his own training, he now possessed fewer than 100,000 spirit stones.

Left with no other choice, he sold off all the mid-to-low grade Tier 3 magical instruments he possessed, yet only managed to accumulate a little over 300,000 spirit stones.

The Xu Clan naturally spared no effort in assisting Xavier. To purchase this Golden Core Formation Pill (Spiritual Object), each of the clan's 6,000-plus cultivators contributed a substantial sum of spirit stones, completely depleting the clan treasury's accumulated reserve of 500,000 spirit stones.

He then sold off a dozen or so third-grade magical instruments that had been stockpiled over the years, yet managed to gather only a little over 1.4 million spirit stones.

At this rate, unless we liquidate the family's foundational assets or sell our ancestral treasure, we still won't be able to gather the full amount.

Xavier was reluctant to sell off the family estate, nor could he bear to part with the clan's heirloom treasure. Thus, he approached the Chen Family, borrowing 600,000 spirit stones by mortgaging his shares in the Cangkun Mountain ley lines.

According to the terms of this pledge, the proceeds from this spiritual vein of the Xu family for the next 50 years shall be transferred to the Chen family.

The Xu Clan held a 50-5 percent share in Cangkun Mountain (Location). The mountain's spiritual veins yielded first and second-tier materials annually, generating over 10,000 spirit stones in revenue for them. This alone brought substantial benefits to the Chen Family.

Additionally, within the spirit vein, a single Self-Earth Crystal would form every 30 years, along with some third-grade earth-attribute heavenly and earthly treasures.

These items were all of considerable value, with many being treasures that required paying a premium to acquire. Eldrin estimated their worth to be around 300,000 spirit stones—this would serve as interest for the Chen family.

The Xu family, having obtained the funds, purchased the Golden Core Formation Pill (Spiritual Object) with immense satisfaction. They continued gathering resources and treasures for Xavier (Person Name), seemingly preparing to exhaust all their efforts to help him achieve a Golden Core breakthrough before the Beast Tide erupted.

Lending out 600,000 spirit stones in 1 go had nearly drained the Chen family's savings accumulated over many years.

Fortunately, the clan's current financial situation was quite robust. In recent years, they had managed to accumulate an annual surplus of several tens of thousands of spirit stones, which kept them from falling into dire straits.

After all, the Chen family's business empire now ranked first among the Purple Mansion Immortal Clans of the Chu Kingdom.

The third-grade superior spiritual vein of Mount Qiyuan and the underground fire vein alone brought the family an annual income of 30,000 spirit stones, not to mention the several other spiritual mountain veins they possessed.

Thanks to the gradual expansion of their enterprises over the years, even with 5 Elders, several dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators, and thousands of Qi Refining cultivators, the clan continued to thrive in comfort.

It is said that Eldrin returned from Verdant Chariot Mountain and delivered the Li Fire Crystal to Caleb Chen before commencing his secluded cultivation.

His cultivation had remained at the fifth level of the Violet Mansion for many years, and now he could finally sense the threshold of the sixth level.

After 3 months in seclusion, he had finally broken through to the sixth level of the Violet Mansion as naturally as water flows in its course.

At this stage, his spiritual power now rivaled that of a Great Perfection Eldrin cultivator, marking yet another significant leap in his combat prowess.

"It seems breaking through to the Purple Palace, Late Stage (Cultivation Realm) before the beast tide arrives is as certain as sunrise."

A faint smile graced Eldrin's lips. Once he broke through to the Purple Palace, Late Stage, his power would undoubtedly experience a tremendous surge.

Although he had broken through to the sixth level of the Zi Mansion, he did not slacken in his cultivation. Instead, he prepared to practice the Qingxu Body Refining Art.

The Verdant Void Body Tempering Art was the exclusive physical cultivation technique of the Verdant Void Sect. Though the sect was not particularly renowned for body refinement, this legacy originated from a Nascent Soul-level institution, making it unquestionably 1 of the most supreme body tempering arts throughout the entire Chu Kingdom.

Although a cultivator's spiritual energy could temper the body, the process remained relatively slow due to its gentle nature and lack of specialized refinement properties.

Eldrin's body had been tempered by the Primordial Violet Aura, granting him a physique that was far from weak. In time, he would inevitably cultivate his physical form to the Perfection Stage of the Violet Mansion.

However, this process requires a considerable amount of time. Cultivating the Verdant Void Body Tempering Art now merely accelerates it.

"With the aid of the False Core Demonic King's Flesh Blood Treasure Pill, my physical body is certain to achieve great mastery in this cultivation."

Eldrin retrieved the Azure Lion Mastiff's flesh-and-blood treasure pill, murmuring under his breath with practiced composure.

He swallowed the precious pill in 1 gulp and began to circulate his cultivation technique to refine it.

With a thunderous roar, the Flesh and Blood Treasure Pill was swallowed. As the vast, surging vital essence was absorbed by him, the strength of his physical body rapidly grew more and more powerful.

Time flies, swift as flowing water.

Chapter 1 On this day, Eldrin awoke from his secluded cultivation. He calculated with his fingers and discovered he had been in closed-door training for 16 years.

15 years passed in the blink of an eye. Throughout this time, he had devoted himself to secluded cultivation, rarely emerging from his meditation chamber.

Unbeknownst to him, his physical body had already reached the Great Perfection of the Violet Mansion, and his cultivation was on the verge of touching the threshold of Purple Palace, Late Stage (Cultivation Realm).

If he were given just a year or 2 more to adjust his condition and accumulate some true essence, he would be confident in breaking through to the Purple Palace, Late Stage (Cultivation Realm).

And during these years of his seclusion, both the Chu Kingdom (Location) and the Chen Immortal Clan (Organization) had been undergoing constant changes.

After 3 months in seclusion, Caleb made his second attempt to break through to the Violet Mansion realm. This time, after consuming a Li Fire Crystal, he succeeded in his breakthrough, becoming the sixth Violet Mansion cultivator in his family.

At a mere 1 100 and 17 years of age, the Eldrin cultivator was considered exceptionally outstanding. Although he had not broken through to the Eldrin Realm through his own cultivation, his abundant lifespan left open the possibility of advancing to the Golden Core Realm in the future.

5 years later, the old clan leader achieved perfection in his cultivation. Having consumed 2 Violet Qi Cloud Vein Pills, he broke through to the Purple Palace, Late Stage (Cultivation Realm).

Another 10 years passed, and Elara (Person Name), Xavier (Person Name), and Patriarch Fang successively attempted to break through to the Golden Core Realm, yet each fell just 1 step short.

Fortunately, the Golden Core Formation Pill (Spiritual Object) truly lived up to its exorbitant price of 2,000,000 spirit stones. Though it didn’t enable them to achieve a full breakthrough, it allowed them to advance to the False Core realm.

If a False Core cultivator were to attempt a breakthrough to the Golden Core realm again, they would already possess a 30 percent chance of success. The 3 of them could now be considered to have a sliver of hope for reaching the Golden Core stage in the future.

Especially Elara (Person Name), who possessed a unique spiritual root, had a 20 percent chance of breakthrough even without external aids. Now that she had advanced to the False Core Realm (Cultivation Realm), her chances of forming a Golden Core would be significantly higher if she could obtain another Golden Core Formation Pill (Spiritual Object).

Although this would only form an inferior-grade Golden Core, achieving an early breakthrough to the Golden Core Realm might grant him 1 additional opportunity to impact the Nascent Soul Realm in the future.

In truth, with Elara's innate talent, she could attempt to break through to the Golden Core Realm without relying on external aids. However, doing so would drastically reduce her chances of success.

Most crucially, the Golden Core Formation Pill (Spiritual Object) could stabilize the False Core, granting cultivators a tenfold certainty to remain at the False Core realm.

Without the aid of a Golden Core Formation Pill (Spiritual Object), failed breakthroughs would often leave cultivators with only a 50 percent chance of remaining in the False Core realm. Should they fail to stabilize even at this pseudo-stage, the entire breakthrough attempt would be rendered futile.

Another point is that if 1 fails to form the Golden Core with the aid of items like the Golden Core Formation Pill (Spiritual Object), they would only need 30 years of recuperation. Without such external aids, failure would inevitably result in severe injuries.

Chapter 1: Rebirth of the Immortal Emperor The sky tore open with a flash of crimson lightning, illuminating the ashen face of the Immortal Emperor Chu Xuan. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, staining his moon-white robes. Before him stood his most trusted disciple, Lin Feng, whose eyes now burned with treacherous ambition. "Master," Lin Feng's voice dripped with mock reverence, "your 9-cycle Heavenly Tribulation approaches. Why not pass the Primordial Chaos Pearl to your humble disciple? I shall ensure your legacy endures." Chu Xuan laughed bitterly, his gaze sweeping across the treacherous peaks of the Boundless Mountain. "For 10 1000 years I nurtured you, yet you covet my supreme treasure. Very well... let us see if you can withstand my final technique!" His hands wove through intricate seals, summoning forth the primordial power that had slumbered within him for millennia. The very fabric of reality trembled as 9 golden dragons materialized behind him, their roars shaking the heavens. "Impossible!" Lin Feng staggered back, face pale with terror. "The 9 Dragons Heavenly Art - you've reached the Great Perfection stage!" But it was too late. The golden dragons converged, their magnificent forms dissolving into a sea of light that consumed everything. As his consciousness faded, Chu Xuan felt the Primordial Chaos Pearl shatter, its fragments scattering across the cosmos. *** Chu Xuan's eyes snapped open. The scent of medicinal herbs filled his nostrils, mingling with the musty odor of old wood. He found himself in a simple room, lying on a hard wooden bed. His new body felt weak, memories flooding his mind like a broken dam. He was now Chu Xuan, 15-year-old disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect. A mere Foundation Establishment realm cultivator - the lowest of the low. "To think the mighty Immortal Emperor would be reborn in such a body," he murmured, examining his pale hands. The spiritual energy within him was thin, barely enough to circulate through his meridians. The door creaked open, revealing a young girl in azure robes. Her eyes widened when she saw him awake. "Young master! You're finally conscious! The sect master said you might not survive after what Young Master Li did to you..." Chu Xuan searched the boy's memories. Li Yang, son of a prominent elder, had beaten the original Chu Xuan to death over a trivial dispute. The boy's poor cultivation base - only the third level of Foundation Establishment - had made him an easy target. "Help me up," Chu Xuan commanded, his voice calm yet authoritative. The girl, Xiao Ling, hurried to assist him. "The annual inner sect disciple selection is in 3 days. With your injuries..." Chu Xuan waved her off. "3 days is more than enough." He closed his eyes, sensing the spiritual energy around him. Though thin, it was sufficient for his needs. The Heavenly Emperor Scripture - the supreme cultivation technique he had created in his previous life - began circulating automatically. The energy in the room stirred, swirling toward him like a vortex. Xiao Ling gasped as visible strands of spiritual light converged on Chu Xuan's body. Within moments, he broke through to the fourth level of Foundation Establishment. Then the fifth. The sixth... When he finally opened his eyes, golden light shimmered within their depths. He had reached the ninth level of Foundation Establishment - the peak of this realm - in a single afternoon. Xiao Ling stared in disbelief. "Young master... your aura... it's like the core disciples!" Chu Xuan stood, his movements fluid and powerful. "Fetch me a set of clean robes. And find out where Li Yang is training today." "But young master, Li Yang is already at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment! He's favored to become an inner disciple this year!" A cold smile touched Chu Xuan's lips. "Exactly." *** The training grounds buzzed with activity. Dozens of outer sect disciples practiced their forms under the watchful eyes of elders. At the center stood Li Yang, surrounded by sycophants as he demonstrated the Flaming Palm technique. "Observe closely," Li Yang announced pompously. "This is what true mastery looks like!" His palms glowed crimson as he struck a training dummy, leaving smoldering handprints on its surface. Murmurs of admiration rose from the crowd. "Fellow disciples," a calm voice cut through the chatter. "I believe you owe me something." All eyes turned to Chu Xuan, who stood at the edge of training grounds with his hands behind his back. His aura was restrained, giving no indication of his true power. Li Yang's face darkened. "You? What could you possibly want, trash?" "A life," Chu Xuan said simply. The crowd fell silent. Li Yang stared for a moment before bursting into laughter. "You want revenge? With your pathetic third level cultivation?" Chu Xuan's gaze remained steady. "The strong prey on the weak - isn't that the law of cultivation? Today, I shall teach you what true strength means." He took a single step forward. The ground trembled. Another step, and the air grew heavy with invisible pressure. Li Yang's smile vanished, replaced by unease. "Impossible... your aura..." Li Yang stammered. Chu Xuan didn't bother responding. He simply raised a hand, fingers curling into a peculiar seal. The spiritual energy in the training grounds went wild, coalescing into the form of a massive golden hand that descended toward Li Yang. "Heavenly Hand Seal!" an elder gasped. "That's a core sect technique! How does an outer disciple know it?" Li Yang desperately unleashed his Flaming Palm, but his crimson flames shattered against the golden hand like glass against stone. The hand closed around him, lifting him into the air. "Mercy!" Li Yang choked out, his face turning purple. Chu Xuan's eyes held no pity. "In my previous life, I showed mercy to my disciple, and it cost me everything. I won't make the same mistake twice." With a slight squeeze of his fingers, the golden hand tightened. A sickening crunch echoed across the silent training grounds before the hand vanished, dropping Li Yang's lifeless body to the ground. The disciples stared in horrified fascination. Chu Xuan paid them no mind, retrieving a spatial pouch from Li Yang's belt. Inside, he found what he was looking for - 1,500 spirit stones and several healing pills. "From today," Chu Xuan announced, his voice carrying across the grounds, "I am taking Li Yang's spot in the inner disciple selection. Any objections?" No 1 dared speak. As he turned to leave, a voice rang out from the direction of the main hall. "Who dares cause trouble in my training grounds?" Elder Wang descended from the sky, his robes fluttering around him. His powerful Core Formation realm aura pressed down on everyone present. Chu Xuan met his gaze calmly. "This disciple was merely settling a personal matter." Elder Wang's eyes narrowed. "You killed another disciple? The punishment for that is death!" "According to sect rules," Chu Xuan countered, "disciples may settle disputes through combat, provided both parties agree. Li Yang accepted my challenge before these witnesses." The elder's face darkened. "You think wordplay will save you? I'll test your skills myself!" He thrust his palm forward, releasing a wave of crushing pressure. The surrounding disciples staggered back, but Chu Xuan stood firm, his robes whipping about him. To everyone's astonishment, he raised his own hand, meeting the elder's strike head-on. The collision created a visible shockwave, kicking up dust in all directions. When it cleared, Chu Xuan remained standing in the same spot, completely unharmed. Elder Wang stared in disbelief. "How can a Foundation Establishment realm withstand my attack?" Chu Xuan smiled faintly. "Perhaps you should reconsider who is testing whom." His aura began to climb, golden light radiating from his body. The spiritual energy around them stirred again, this time forming intricate patterns in the air. The elder's eyes widened in recognition and fear. "That formation... it's impossible! The Grand Primordial Formation was lost millennia ago!" "Nothing is impossible," Chu Xuan said softly, "for those who walk the true path." He made a slight gesture, and the formation activated, wrapping Elder Wang in bands of golden light. The elder struggled, but found he couldn't move an inch. Chu Xuan stepped forward until they were face to face. "I'll make this simple. You will report that Li Yang died during training. In return, I won't reveal the fact that you've been embezzling sect resources for years." Elder Wang's face went pale. "How... how could you know?" "I know many things," Chu Xuan said. "For instance, that you're stuck at the early Core Formation stage because of a flawed cultivation method. Help me, and I might help you overcome it." The offer hung in the air between them. Greed and fear warred in the elder's eyes before he finally nodded. "What do you want?" "Access to the scripture repository," Chu Xuan said. "And no interference in my affairs." After a long moment, Elder Wang nodded again. The golden bands dissolved, freeing him. "The repository will be open for you tomorrow at dawn." As the elder departed, the disciples watched Chu Xuan with newfound awe and terror. None understood what had just happened, but they all recognized 1 thing - the Azure Cloud Sect would never be the same. Chu Xuan paid them no mind, his thoughts already turning to the future. The Primordial Chaos Pearl might be shattered, but its fragments were still out there somewhere. And he would find them, no matter how long it took or how many realms he had to cross. His journey to reclaim his throne had just begun.