Chapter 269 : The Lifebound Sword's Trial

The Treasure Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [a specific, powerful heavenly trial that targets only lifebound treasures] targets only Life-Bound Magical Treasure [a magical treasure forged with a cultivator's life essence, growing in power alongside them]. Ordinary Magical Treasure [enchanted artifacts used by cultivators], even those of Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [a supreme-grade treasure specifically designed to suppress demonic forces] caliber, will not attract a Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [a trial by heavenly lightning, a common test of power and legitimacy in cultivation].

This is because Life-Bound Magical Treasure possess immense growth potential, whereas ordinary Magical Treasure ultimately have limited latent capacity.

Furthermore, the Treasure Heavenly Thunder Tribulation is not only devastatingly powerful, but the immortal sword Magical Treasure must overcome it entirely on its own. Its master cannot intervene with any external means, lest it provoke an even more dreadful Heavenly Thunder Tribulation. Eldrin Chen could only watch with a grave expression, awaiting the arrival of the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation.

In the sky, Tribulation Clouds [ominous, energy-charged clouds that herald a heavenly trial] churned and roiled. The Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss circled and danced through the air, calmly awaiting the arrival of the vast and mighty Heavenly Thunder Tribulation.

"BOOM—"

After roughly half a Ke-time [fifteen minutes], a sudden, deafening peal of thunder shattered the sky's silence.

Eldrin Chen looked up to see a blinding bolt of lightning descend from the heavens, striking directly toward the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss.

Freshly forged and at the peak of its nascent power, the Lifebound Immortal Sword [an immortal-grade sword bound to its wielder's life and soul] showed no fear. In that instant, it erupted with a dazzling aura of sword energy and met the bolt head-on.

The power of this sword strike was astonishing, comparable to the full might of a Golden Core First Layer [the first stage of the Golden Core cultivation realm] cultivator. It forcefully annihilated that first bolt of Heavenly Thunder Tribulation.

However, having weathered the impact of this heavenly thunder, the radiance of the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss visibly dimmed, a clear sign that its power had been significantly depleted. For uninterrupted reading, go to audio-novel dot com.

"This is somewhat troublesome."

Eldrin Chen felt a pang of worry. The Treasure Heavenly Thunder Tribulation consisted of three full strikes, each comparable to a full-force blow from an Golden Core, Early Stage cultivator.

At this moment, he could no longer channel his mana into the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss to aid it. He feared the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss itself might be in peril.

"BOOM—"

Even as he spoke, another bolt of thunder descended from the heavens.

This thunderbolt was of extraordinary power. It struck the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss with such force that its radiance was nearly extinguished, its potency greatly diminished.

"This is bad."

Eldrin Chen's expression turned grave. With the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss's power almost exhausted, relying on its physical body alone to withstand the next attack was its only recourse.

Although this Lifebound Immortal Sword was forged from resilient materials and had been tempered with vast quantities of Five Elements Essence [a refined spiritual essence containing the power of the five elements], its core substance was not of Fourth Rank grade. He feared that even if it blocked this final Heavenly Thunder Tribulation strike, it would suffer grievous damage.

In that very Eldrin of hesitation, the final bolt of the Treasure Heavenly Thunder Tribulation crashed down from the sky.

The Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss [Eldrin's lifebound immortal sword] took the blow head-on with its blade, suffering grievous damage in an instant. Fine, hairline cracks became faintly visible upon its translucent, glazed-crystal body.

"My Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss [Eldrin's lifebound immortal sword]!"

Witnessing his treasured weapon wounded, a pang of heartache shot through Eldrin Chen.

Yet, at that very moment, a shower of sweet, restorative dew descended from the heavens, sprinkling over the Lifebound Immortal Sword [a cultivator's personally forged and soul-bound sword].

As the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss [Eldrin's lifebound immortal sword] absorbed the heavenly nectar, the web of fine cracks began to mend with astonishing speed, its radiance intensifying by another threefold.

"*Huummm*—"

With a resonant hum of sword-song, the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss [Eldrin's lifebound immortal sword] shot excitedly back to hover before Eldrin Chen.

Gazing at the Lifebound Immortal Sword [a cultivator's personally forged and soul-bound sword] before him, Eldrin Chen felt a surge of both elation and lingering dread.

The sword's resilience and strength were extraordinary, forged as it was by fusing with Li Fire Crystal [a rare crystal imbued with the essence of Separated Flame] and superior-grade Western Pole Metallic Essence [a peerless metallic ore from the Western Pole], then tempered within the Sword-Cleansing Pool [a mystical pool that purifies and refines spiritual weapons].

Yet even so, it had nearly been shattered beneath the Treasure Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [the heavenly thunder calamity that tests a newly forged magical treasure]. This time, he had gravely misjudged the devastating might of the Treasure Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [the heavenly thunder calamity that tests a newly forged magical treasure].

If it were an ordinary Life-Bound Magical Treasure [an enchanted artifact bound to a cultivator's soul], it would most likely have been shattered into fragments by the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [a trial of divine lightning that tests a treasure's worthiness].

"It seems that to have sufficient confidence in weathering the Treasure Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [the heavenly trial a magical treasure must endure to ascend in rank], it is best to integrate a Fourth Rank [a grade of power equivalent to the Golden Core realm] Heaven and Earth Treasures [rare materials born from the convergence of heaven and earth's essence]," Eldrin Chen murmured to himself.

He temporarily set aside thoughts of elevating his Heavenly River Flood Water Sword, his Magnetic Treasure Mirror, and his Flood Water Azure Lotus Platform.

The primary reason was the excessive peril involved. The foundational materials of these Magical Treasure [powerful enchanted artifacts] were ultimately not of the Fourth Rank, and the time they had been nurtured within him paled in comparison to his Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss. To rashly attempt their advancement now risked their utter destruction.

This was especially true for the Flood Water Azure Lotus Platform. Of all his treasures, its watery nature made it most vulnerable to suppression by heavenly thunder. To safely ascend it, he would first need to find a Fourth Rank Water Essence Treasure Pearl [a pearl containing the purified essence of water, of Golden Core grade] to bolster its potency and resilience.

"A single Fourth Rank Heaven and Earth Treasures costs at least five hundred thousand Spirit Stone [minerals that store and radiate spiritual energy, used as currency]," he calculated inwardly. Support the author by reading on audio-novel dot com.

"As for a precious treasure like a Water Element Treasure Pearl [a pearl imbued with the concentrated essence of the water element], its value starts at two million Spirit Stone, and such items are as much a matter of fate as they are of wealth—encountered by chance, not by design."

"It seems plans for advancing my other Magical Treasure must be deliberated upon with great patience."

With a slightly heavy heart, Eldrin Chen set aside his ambitions for his other treasures.

He journeyed to Verdant Chariot Mountain and issued a clan decree to seek out Heaven and Earth Treasures from across the world. Then, he turned his focus to a new endeavor: forging his fifth Life-Bound Magical Treasure.

Several years prior, when he deduced the Earth-Fortress Sovereign Scripture, he had also naturally deduced the crafting method for the earth-attribute Magical Treasure known as the 'Earth-Fortress Sovereign Bell'.

Now, having broken through to the Purple Palace, Late Stage, Eldrin Chen decided that since a swift breakthrough to the Golden Core realm was unlikely in the short term, he would instead forge his fifth Life-Bound Magical Treasure to refine and temper his spiritual power [the cultivated energy within a cultivator's body].

Although forging a fifth Life-Bound Magical Treasure from scratch would delay a decade of arduous cultivation and slightly slow his future progress...

...the benefits it offered in combat prowess and the profound effect of refining his spiritual power made the trade-off entirely acceptable.

The purer a cultivator's spiritual power, the greater their certainty in breaking through to Golden Core becomes, and the quality of the Golden Core itself can be enhanced. This core is the crystallized essence of a cultivator's power and foundation for future ascension.

This principle is crucial for future breakthroughs to Nascent Soul and even beyond to the Primordial Spirit realm [the highest spiritual core of an advanced cultivator]. Many cultivators appear to progress with astonishing speed, yet they often find themselves utterly stalled later because their spiritual power lacks sufficient purity and refinement.

This impurity affects not only their combat strength after a breakthrough but also their very chances of successfully breaking through at all.

Countless cultivators remain trapped before the thresholds of Golden Core and Nascent Soul, failing breakthrough after breakthrough, all because their spiritual power was never refined to the necessary degree of purity, leaving them perpetually half a step short of their goal.

But let us return to the matter at hand.

After searching the Clan Treasury for a short while, Eldrin Chen found a piece of superior-grade Earth-Fortress Primordial Stone, and he could not help but reveal a flicker of delight on his face.

This Earth-Fortress Primordial Stone [a rare ore imbued with the essence of earth] is an earth-attribute Heaven and Earth Treasure [a rare and precious natural treasure]. It can be used to forge a Third Rank High Grade [a high-grade treasure suitable for Purple Mansion Realm cultivators] Defensive Magical Treasure [an enchanted artifact designed for protection], with a value exceeding one hundred thousand Spirit Stones [minerals that store and radiate spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation]. The clan had no source of such a treasure. Upon inquiry, he learned that over a decade ago at a Barter Convention [a grand gathering for cultivators to trade resources], the Old Patriarch [the venerable leader of the Chen Clan] had exchanged a single Third Rank Longevity Spirit Apricot [a spirit fruit that can extend a cultivator's lifespan] for it.

Shaking his head with a faint smile, Eldrin Chen understood in his heart that the Old Granduncle [a respectful term for an elder uncle] had prepared this specifically for him.

He searched through the Clan Treasury [the central vault where the clan stores its resources] and, as expected, found a single Geng Metal Crystal [a crystallized essence of metallic energy]. Furthermore, only he had the authority to claim it.

"That Old Granduncle [a respectful term for an elder uncle]," he murmured to himself.

Eldrin Chen shook his head with a wry laugh and took the Geng Metal Crystal [a crystallized essence of metallic energy].

In truth, the Earth-Fortress Sovereign Bell [a powerful defensive bell treasure] could also be refined using a Wu Earth Crystal [a crystallized essence of earth-fortress energy] as a key material. However, after some consideration, Eldrin Chen decided to proceed with the Geng Metal Crystal [a crystallized essence of metallic energy].

Integrating the Geng Metal Crystal [a crystallized essence of metallic energy] into the bell would undoubtedly enhance its rigidity significantly. Combined with the inherent resilience of the Earth-Fortress Primordial Stone [a rare ore imbued with the essence of earth], the defensive power of this treasure promised to be formidable, while also gaining a measure of offensive capability. With all materials assembled, Eldrin Chen naturally set about forging the Earth-Fortress Sovereign Bell [a powerful defensive bell treasure].

To save time, he flew directly to Green Sun Mountain [a major spirit mountain and sect stronghold] to utilize the power of the Fourth Rank Underground Fire Vein [a powerful subterranean fire energy source] for refining the Earth-Fortress Sovereign Bell [a powerful defensive bell treasure].

Given his current level of cultivation and the aid of the Fourth Rank Underground Fire Vein [a powerful subterranean fire energy source], forging the Earth-Fortress Sovereign Bell [a powerful defensive bell treasure] presented no great difficulty.

After merely one month, the treasure was successfully completed, its grade elevated to Third Rank High Grade [a high-grade treasure suitable for Purple Mansion Realm cultivators].

After consuming another mouthful of Primordial Essence [the purest form of spiritual energy, the foundation of creation], the potential grade limit of this bell was elevated by yet another tier.

"It is done." Official source: audio-novel dot com. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.