Chapter 263 : Inner Pill's Desperate Gambit

Its gaze turned icy and murderous as it fixed upon Eldrin Chen. Were it not for Eldrin Chen seizing the critical moment and forcing it back time and again, it would have long since broken free to safety. It would never have been driven to this desperate pass.

At this thought, its killing intent boiled over. It opened its maw and spat forth a streak of azure radiance, hurling it directly at its foe.

"Fall back, now!"

The others, witnessing this, cried out in warning even as they rallied to provide support.

This object was the Inner Pill [the condensed life-force core of a demon beast] of the Verdant Lion Mastiff. Having now broken through to the Pseudo-Core Realm, its Inner Pill was already undergoing a metamorphosis towards a true Golden Core.

As such, this Inner Pill had become the Verdant Lion Mastiff's most potent trump card, its power verging on the domain of the Golden Core Realm.

As the Verdant Lion Mastiff's Inner Pill shot towards him, Eldrin Chen's expression remained unflinching. He understood clearly: if he retreated now, the beast would surely exploit the opening to shatter their encirclement and flee.

For aside from himself, none of the others present could deliver a single, decisive blow capable of slaying the Verdant Lion Mastiff.

In that case, the demonic beast could afford to pay the price of a grievous wound to break through their ring and seize its chance for escape.

Resolved, Eldrin Chen summoned forth the Crimson Sun Void-Burning Furnace. Instantly, a crimson sun blazed into existence in the heavens, unleashing a torrent of searing Crimson Sun True Flame to engulf the Verdant Lion Mastiff's hurtling Inner Pill. This chapter is part of a larger work available at audi0-n0vel.c0m.

"This is bad."

The moment it saw the Crimson Sun Void-Burning Furnace, the Verdant Lion Mastiff felt its heart sink, a flicker of despair crossing its features.

After all, it was a Fourth-Rank Magical Treasure [a powerful enchanted artifact]. While Eldrin Chen's cultivation base could not match that of a Golden Core Cultivator, by channeling the power of this treasure, he was more than capable of severely wounding or even slaying a Pseudo-Core Realm Cultivator.

Facing the searing flames of the Crimson Sun Void-Burning Furnace, the Verdant Lion Mastiff's Inner Pill [the condensed core of a demon beast's power] was grievously wounded in mere moments, forcing it to swallow the damaged core back down.

Immediately after, the Crimson Sun True Flame [a divine flame technique] surged forth, and the Crimson Sun Void-Burning Furnace itself descended from the sky, aiming to capture the Verdant Lion Mastiff within the Treasure Furnace.

Once sealed inside the Crimson Sun Void-Burning Furnace, even a Golden Core Demon King might be refined into nothing but ashes.

The Verdant Lion Mastiff desperately tried to flee, but the others struck in succession, forcing it back until it was finally drawn into the maw of the Crimson Sun Void-Burning Furnace.

"Success."

Eldrin Chen's face lit up with triumph. The Crimson Sun Void-Burning Furnace was, after all, a Fourth-Rank Magical Treasure. A Golden Core Demon King might still have a slim chance to break free, albeit at a terrible cost.

But for a demon beast of the Pseudo-Core Realm to be sealed within? There was simply no possibility of escape.

He channeled more of his magical power, intensifying the drive on the Crimson Sun Void-Burning Furnace [a legendary alchemical furnace that burns with the essence of the sun]. In the mere span of a few breaths, the Verdant Lion Mastiff [a powerful, lion-like demonic beast] sealed within the furnace was utterly refined.

The Treasure Furnace [a specialized furnace for refining spiritual treasures] was truly extraordinary. As its lid opened, a Flesh and Blood Precious Pill [a potent elixir refined from the condensed vital essence of flesh and blood], a quasi-fourth-rank Inner Pill [the condensed spiritual core of a high-level demonic beast], and several Third Rank Superior Grade magical treasures flew forth from within.

That Flesh and Blood Precious Pill had been concocted from the distilled flesh and blood essence of the Verdant Lion Mastiff. Consuming it could greatly enhance the strength of one's physical body.

During a breakthrough to the Golden Core [the third major realm of cultivation, where one forms a solidified golden core of spiritual power], the three foundational treasures of Vital Essence, Energy, and Spirit [the core aspects of a cultivator's being: physical body, internal energy, and soul] are indispensable. A more robust physical form significantly increases one's chances of successfully advancing to the Golden Core realm.

After slaying the Verdant Lion Mastiff, the group began reoccupying Scorching Sun Mountain while simultaneously launching a pursuit of the fleeing Violet Sanctum Demon Race [a powerful faction of demonic cultivators].

They pursued for three shichen-time [a period of six hours]. During this chase, Eldrin Chen beheaded two more great demons, while the others also achieved minor victories.

By the time Exquisite Jiang returned with the corpse of the Azure-Maned Lion King [the ruler of the lion demon kin], they had finally cleansed Scorching Sun Mountain of the Demon Race presence.

The party gathered before the Spirit Pool [a pool brimming with concentrated spiritual energy] on Scorching Sun Mountain to tally their spoils. To their astonishment, they discovered that in this single battle, they had actually slain nine Violet Sanctum Demonic Beast [demonic beasts equivalent to the Violet Sanctum realm of human cultivators].

Compared to the Violet Sanctum Demonic Beast with their exceptional escape techniques, the Foundation Establishment [the second major realm of cultivation] demonic beasts simply could not outrun the group. Astoundingly, Eldrin Chen and the others slaughtered over five hundred of these lesser beasts.

Such is the cruel nature of war. When a battle is lost, high-level cultivators still possess a fair chance of survival. However, for Vital Essence Refinement [the first major realm of cultivation] and Foundation Establishment Cultivator [practitioners of the second major realm], escaping with their lives becomes a thousand times more difficult.

After this battle, some of the Foundation Establishment and Violet Sanctum Demonic Beast in Scorching Sun County managed to escape, but the lower-tier demonic beasts of the county were not so fortunate.

Having been occupied for seventy years, Scorching Sun County had seen its population of low-tier demonic beasts swell to over one hundred thousand.

These beasts, with their dim intelligence, could not traverse the tens of thousands of Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] of territory to flee. Facing the subsequent purge by the various Immortal Clan [powerful cultivation families] from the three prefectures, they could only become materials for alchemy and artifact forging for the regions' low-level cultivators.

The silver lining was that for Future some time, the price of low-tier magical treasure [enchanted artifacts used by cultivators] in the three prefectures would drop significantly, making the next Beast Tide [periodic, massive invasion by demonic beasts] somewhat easier to withstand.

After reviewing the battle's results, Eldrin Chen revealed a faint smile. "With the Azure-Maned Lion King and the Verdant Lion Mastiff slain this time, the next Beast Tide should be much more manageable."

"Indeed," another voice agreed. "Seventy years ago, when Scorching Sun County fell, our Qian Clan lost two Violet Sanctum [a major cultivation stage] elders." Find this and other novels at http://www . audio-novel.com.

"Time passes swiftly. It feels like yesterday, yet now we have finally reclaimed our ancestral lands."

A Violet Sanctum Cultivator from the Qian Clan sighed beside him, his expression a complex mix of sorrow and joy.

Only one cultivator, surnamed Wang, wore a bitter expression. He was the clan leader of the Wang Clan, a Violet Sanctum Immortal Clan.

This battle had claimed the life of only one Human Race Violet Sanctum Cultivator, but that casualty was his Wang Clan's newly-advanced Violet Sanctum elder. This filled him with profound anguish.

Although the Chen Clan also brought newly advanced Violet Sanctum cultivators, individuals like Kael, Lior, and Lila were all protected by Eldrin Chen and the Old Patriarch, and thus did not encounter overly formidable opponents.

The newly advanced Violet Sanctum cultivator from their Wang Clan was somewhat weaker in strength. By unfortunate coincidence, he encountered the Verdant Lion Mastiff [a powerful lion-mastiff hybrid demon beast] amidst the chaotic battle and was slain by it within a few exchanges, leaving no time for rescue.

Seeing the relieved expressions on everyone's faces now, Patriarch Wang spoke with a tone of deep sorrow, "This old man has but eighty years of lifespan remaining. Currently only at the Violet Sanctum 6th Tier realm, and with my clan nephew fallen in this battle, what is to become of my Wang Clan hereafter?"

A moment of solemn silence followed. Then, Exquisite Jiang's eyes flickered with thought as she spoke, "Within the Underground Fire Vein [a subterranean channel of fiery spiritual energy] beneath Scorching Sun Mountain, there remain two Solar Fire Crystal [crystals imbued with concentrated solar flame essence] and one piece of Purple Sun Jade [a rare jade that absorbs and refines solar energy]."

"I shall give you those two Solar Fire Crystal as compensation. As for the Purple Sun Jade, I will refine a batch of Violet Aura Cloud-Vein Pill [a pill that strengthens the spiritual veins and aura] and provide you one at cost price."

Upon hearing this, Patriarch Wang expressed profuse gratitude, "Thank you, Patriarch Jiang! Thank you, Patriarch Jiang!"

With the matter of compensation settled, the group turned to dividing the spoils of the battle.

Though the fight had been swift and chaotic, the treasures seized were not insignificant.

After the fall of the Azure-Maned Lion King, Exquisite Jiang acquired not only its carcass and Inner Pill [the condensed core of a demon beast's cultivation] but also a Fourth Rank Low-Grade magical treasure [an enchanted artifact] named the 'Azure Aura Blade'.

The remaining nine Violet Sanctum Demonic Beast contributed a total of eighteen Third-Rank Magical Treasure [enchanted artifacts of the third rank], averaging less than two per cultivator.

However, once Exquisite Jiang refined the demon beasts' Inner Pill [the condensed core of a demon beast's cultivation] into Foundation Establishment Pill [a pill that aids in solidifying one's cultivation foundation], each family could expect to receive three or four Foundation Establishment Pill on average. This outcome represented a substantial gain for all involved.

Among the spoils, the Verdant Lion Mastiff contributed the most, surprisingly possessing three Clan-Suppressing Supreme Treasure [a powerful artifact used to protect and stabilize a clan's fortune].

These were the Azure Mastiff Immortal Sword, the Thunderbolt Golden Sun Halberd, and the Blue-Patterned Hexagonal Shield.

Gazing at the Thunderbolt Golden Sun Halberd, Percival Pan spoke with tears welling in his aged eyes, "Esteemed friends, this weapon was the Lifebound Magical Treasure [a treasure bound to its owner's life force, often perishing with them] of my Pan Clan's previous patriarch."

"He fell in battle years ago, holding the line to cover our clan's retreat. I would willingly forgo other treasures. I implore you not to contest me for this one."

The others felt a pang of sympathy, yet they were reluctant to part with the Thunderbolt Golden Sun Halberd. After all, only three Clan-Suppressing Supreme Treasure were present.

Such an artifact was crucial, whether as a cornerstone of a clan's legacy or as a Tribulation Transcendence Treasure [a treasure used to survive heavenly tribulations]. Percival Pan, being only at the Violet Sanctum 6th Tier [the sixth level of the Violet Sanctum realm], fell somewhat short in his ability to offer equivalent value for it. Join our community of readers at www . audio-novel.com.