Chapter 268 : A Path Forged in Silence

Eldrin Chen remained silent, a profound stillness settling upon him as he withheld his words.

His gaze rested upon the teacup before him, watching the few tea leaves drift and settle within the liquid. A wisp of ethereal, Dao-infused azure smoke curled upwards from the cup.

He lifted it, took a small sip, then set it down again. His voice was calm as he spoke, "I do not know what lies upon the road ahead."

"But I believe that as long as I grow stronger, I can lend you a hand, helping you to walk a little farther."

The gap between major cultivation realms meant a difference of hundreds, even thousands of years in lifespan. Sometimes, a single helping hand was all it took to ensure their companionship for a very long time.

In the past, when he was at the Foundation Establishment realm, he had considered the Li Fire Crystal [a rare crystal imbued with the essence of fire] to be an incomparably precious treasure. Yet now, having reached his current level of cultivation, while the Li Fire Crystal remained costly, it was merely a matter of paying a certain price to obtain it.

As for treasures like the Golden Core Formation Pill [a legendary pill that aids in the formation of a cultivator's Golden Core], they might seem priceless beyond measure now. But in the future, after he broke through to the Golden Core realm, or even achieved the status of a Nascent Soul True Lord, such treasures might become commonplace, obtainable for a mere price.

These treasures would perhaps be nothing extraordinary, requiring only the payment of a certain cost to acquire.

Departing from Pingyang City, Eldrin Chen made a trip to Green Sun Mountain to spend the day with Lyra Jiang, then returned to Spirit Isle Lake to enter seclusion and attempt his breakthrough to the Purple Palace, Late Stage.

More than a century had passed. Under the nourishing feedback from the Spirit Peach Tree, the Spirit Vein [a natural conduit of concentrated spiritual energy within the earth] at Spirit Isle Lake had already advanced to the Third Rank High Grade level. The complete novel can be found at audio novel.com.

Having cultivated for many years in such an environment, Eldrin Chen had never lacked for spiritual energy [the vital energy that flows through all living things and the world], and his cultivation progress had always been exceptionally swift.

Mentioning the Spirit Peach Tree naturally brings to mind the Ancient Spirit Apricot Tree, which has now also advanced to the Third Rank Middle Grade.

The Spirit Apricot Tree blooms once every three years, bears fruit over the next three, and ripens over the final three. Consuming its fruit can extend one's lifespan by thirty years.

However, the yield of the Spirit Apricot Tree is meager. Even a Third Rank Middle Grade tree produces only six Spirit Apricot [a fruit that can extend a cultivator's lifespan] every nine-year cycle.

These Spirit Apricot command an exorbitant price, each fetching one hundred thousand Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation]. To prevent covetous eyes, the Chen Clan had previously dared not put them up for sale.

Over the years, the Third Rank Spirit Apricot have ripened three or four times. Most of the harvested fruit was consumed by the older generation who had toiled for the clan, such as Nianqian and Alaric. Meng Aethelstan of the Meng Clan also obtained a few.

The remaining Spirit Apricot were stored within the Clan Treasury. It was only at the most recent Chu Kingdom Barter Convention that the Chen Clan brought out three as a finale, which were purchased by Purple Mansion Cultivator [a cultivator who has established their Purple Mansion, the third major realm] from the Chu Kingdom.

But let us return to our main narrative.

After Eldrin Chen returned to Spirit Lake Isle, he spent his time cultivating while also organizing his cultivation arts. In the blink of an eye, a full year had passed.

On this day, Eldrin Chen finally felt his mana [cultivated spiritual energy used to power spells and techniques] become perfectly harmonious, touching the threshold of the Purple Mansion, Late Stage.

"The time has come."

His eyes flickered slightly as he proceeded directly into the Spirit Pool [a pool of concentrated spiritual energy used for cultivation] to begin his secluded cultivation and breakthrough to the Purple Palace, Late Stage [the advanced stage of the Purple Mansion cultivation realm].

Given his profound foundation and accumulated reserves, aided by the Violet Qi Cloud-Vein Pill [a high-grade pill that aids in cultivation breakthroughs], breaking through to the Purple Palace, Late Stage was as natural and effortless as water flowing downhill.

It took merely a few days for him to successfully advance to the Purple Mansion Seventh Layer [the seventh layer of the Purple Mansion realm], after which he immediately began to refine and consolidate his newly expanded mana.

Refining one's mana after a breakthrough is, in fact, a far simpler task. He completed this step in the span of a single month.

"It is done."

Sensing the surge of power within him, Eldrin Chen allowed a smile to grace his features.

After breaking through to the Purple Palace, Late Stage, his mana reserves had swelled by another fifty percent. Even before this breakthrough, his meridians had been exceptionally broad and robust, granting him mana comparable to a cultivator at the Purple Mansion Ninth Layer [the ninth and final layer of the Purple Mansion realm].

Now, with this latest fifty percent increase, his mana had ascended yet again, finally reaching a level that could rival an ordinary False Core Cultivator [a cultivator who has formed a flawed or incomplete Golden Core].

With his current cultivation and mana reserves, he was now capable of unleashing seventy to eighty percent of the Crimson Sun Void-Immolating Crucible's [a powerful magical treasure] true might. His combat prowess was poised for an explosive leap forward.

Most crucially, having reached this stage, Eldrin Chen's Life-Bound Magical Treasure [an enchanted artifact bound to a cultivator's soul] could also advance further, reaching the level of Fourth Rank [a high grade of power for magical treasures].

"A Fourth Rank Magical Treasure [a powerful enchanted artifact of the fourth rank]," he murmured.

Eldrin Chen felt a surge of excitement. Within the vast expanse of the Chu Kingdom, there were currently only a little over twenty Fourth Rank Magical Treasure [powerful enchanted artifacts of the fourth rank].

A Fourth Rank Immortal Sword [a fourth-rank sword of immense power] was potent enough to achieve unity of body and blade. He had coveted Lyra Jiang's Heaven's Ruin Immortal-Slaying Sword for many years. Now, he could finally elevate his own Lifebound Immortal Sword [an immortal sword bound to his soul] to the status of a Fourth Rank Immortal Sword.

"First, I shall advance the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss," he decided.

He whispered to himself, his heart pounding as he drew forth the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss. This sword had followed him for countless years; it was only right for it to be the first to ascend to Fourth Rank. Immerse yourself in the complete world at *audio-novel.com*.

"*Hmm—*"

A clear, resonant sword cry echoed through the chamber.

The immortal sword possessed a spirit of its own. The azure-blue blade circled him, shimmering with anticipation for its impending ascension.

Advancing a single Lifebound Immortal Sword to Fourth Rank Low Grade required Five Elements Essence [a refined spiritual essence containing the power of the five elements] valued at approximately two hundred fifty thousand Spirit Stone [minerals that store spiritual energy, used for cultivation and currency]. The cost was, frankly, staggering.

Fortunately, in preparation for the advancement of the immortal swords, the clan had been accumulating resources for several decades. Not only had the Five Elements Essence [a refined spiritual essence containing the power of the five elements] within the clan been steadily stockpiled, but a significant amount had also been purchased from outside. This was barely sufficient to advance two treasures.

Eldrin Chen gathered a vast quantity of Dual Separated Flame and Metallic Essence Qi [a potent spiritual energy combining the properties of Separated Flame and Metallic Essence]. After expending a full three months, he finally succeeded in elevating the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss to the Fourth Rank Low Grade realm.

"It is done!"

"*Clang—*"

Gazing upon the radiant immortal sword before him, Eldrin Chen's face broke into an expression of ecstatic joy.

The Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss trembled faintly, then in an instant, it soared into the heavens, spiraling high amidst the firmament.

Suppressing the wild elation in his heart, Eldrin Chen looked up at the circling immortal sword in the sky. Above the void, dark clouds gathered like a lid, and a mass of Tribulation Clouds [ominous clouds that herald a heavenly trial] began to converge.

"The Treasure Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [a trial of heavenly thunder that befalls a treasure upon its ascension]," he murmured.

Observing the vast expanse of Tribulation Clouds, Eldrin Chen's expression turned grave.

When a cultivator breaks through to the Golden Core realm, they must endure the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [a trial of thunder and lightning sent by the heavens]. Similarly, when a Magical Treasure [an enchanted artifact used by cultivators] ascends to the Golden Core grade, it too faces the descent of the Treasure Heavenly Thunder Tribulation.

A Golden Core Cultivator [a practitioner who has formed a solid golden core of spiritual power] faces nine bolts of Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [a trial of divine lightning sent by the heavens to test cultivators during major breakthroughs], while a Magical Treasure [an enchanted artifact used by cultivators] undergoing its Treasure Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [the heavenly lightning trial specifically for empowering high-grade magical treasures] faces only three. However, each of these three bolts possesses power equivalent to a full-force strike from a Golden Core Cultivator.

Countless cultivators have watched their Life-Bound Magical Treasure [a magical treasure spiritually bonded to its owner, growing in power with them] shatter during its ascension, unable to withstand the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation due to insufficient inherent power or material strength.

"This is somewhat reckless."

Gazing at the gathering Heavenly Thunder Tribulation clouds in the sky, Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed deeply.

This was his first time elevating a Life-Bound Magical Treasure, and lacking sufficient experience, a tremor of apprehension gripped his heart.

He had believed the formidable power of the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss [a legendary immortal sword imbued with the essence of Separated Flame] would allow it to withstand a Fourth Rank [the Golden Core Realm] Heavenly Thunder Tribulation after its advancement. Yet, standing before the impending cataclysm, a sliver of fear remained.

Although the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss possessed immense might, ranking among the supreme immortal swords even at the Third Rank [the Purple Mansion Realm], its material foundation ultimately fell short of true Fourth Rank grade. No one could guarantee it would emerge from the heavenly lightning unscathed.

"It must succeed."

Eldrin Chen murmured, his heart heavy and his expression grave.

The Treasure Heavenly Thunder Tribulation is a trial of extraordinary power, a tribulation bestowed by the Heavenly Dao to awaken the spirit within high-grade Magical Treasure.

Once it has weathered the Treasure Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [a cataclysmic trial of heavenly thunder that a nascent magical treasure must endure to gain sentience] and been bathed in the heavenly Dao's sweet dew, the Magical Treasure [an enchanted artifact used by cultivators] will give birth to a true Treasure Spirit [the sentient consciousness or soul of a powerful magical artifact].

A Fourth Rank [equivalent to the Golden Core realm] Magical Treasure possesses an intelligence comparable to that of a young child. However, at this stage, the Treasure Spirit is merely a nascent consciousness and struggles to fully command the inherent power of the Magical Treasure itself.

Upon reaching the Fifth Rank and becoming a Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [a supreme-grade artifact of immense power capable of subduing demons], its capabilities become truly astonishing.

If a Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure has accumulated sufficient energy, it can engage in combat independently. At least until its energy is depleted, the combat prowess it unleashes is not inferior to that of a Nascent Soul True Lord [a cultivator who has reached the Nascent Soul realm] exerting their full power.

Thus, it is said that a single Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure is almost equivalent to half a Nascent Soul True Lord, which illustrates the profound reverence and value accorded to such treasures. Find this and other novels at audio . novel . com.