Chapter 271 : Alliance at the Demon Cave

The beautiful consort beside Taicang the Venerable cast a glance at the two of them, her gaze settling on Eldrin Chen as she spoke.

"This gentleman must be the famed Sword Immortal of Chu Kingdom, Fellow Daoist Chen, I presume?"

"Indeed, he is."

Lyra Jiang replied with a smile, then turned to Eldrin Chen and said, "This is Taiqing the True Person of the Verdant Immortal Sect."

"An honor to meet you, True Person."

Although cultivators typically interacted based on their own respective standings, Eldrin Chen's exceptional potential and formidable strength, coupled with his connection to Lyra Jiang, meant that even these Golden Core Cultivator were willing to treat him as a peer.

After the initial greetings were exchanged, Lyra Jiang's gaze turned towards the Demon Cave Cavern, her expression turning grave as she spoke.

"What is the situation?"

"Brother Taicang has brought the Verdant Ancient Formation Plate and the Heavenly Fire Demon-Refining Grand Formation. I have already brought the Firmament Immortal Sword."

"Now, not even a fly could escape from this Demon Cave Cavern." Experience the full epic at www . audio-novel.com.

Zhang Sect Master stroked his beard, his gaze flickering with a trace of solemn contemplation.

Eldrin Chen gave a nod of agreement. A treasure like the Firmament Immortal Sword, a Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [a weapon of immense power specifically designed to vanquish demonic entities], naturally required no further elaboration.

The Verdant Ancient Formation Plate was a Fifth Rank Formation Plate [a powerful artifact used to deploy and control grand formations]. This plate was once a demon-refining Formation Plate, but it suffered grievous damage during the Demonic Abyss Cataclysm over three hundred years ago. Its grade has since fallen to the quasi-fifth rank.

Yet, even in its diminished state, the power of this verdant Formation Plate, when combined with the Heavenly Fire Demon-Refining Grand Formation [a grand formation that harnesses celestial fire to purify demonic beings], remains sufficient to suppress and slay Golden Core, Late Stage Demonic Cultivator.

At that moment, Taicang the Venerable approached. He was a lean, elderly man with an air of immortal grace and dignified bearing.

He glanced at Lyra Jiang and could not help but ask, "Might I inquire if you have also managed to invite the esteemed Mirror of the Vast Heaven [a legendary magical treasure said to reflect the heavens themselves]?"

"Yes," Lyra Jiang nodded, her tone calm and measured. "I have requested the senior's presence. However, the Mirror of the Vast Heaven's power has not yet fully recovered. It will not intervene unless the situation becomes truly critical."

"That will be more than sufficient."

Taicang the Venerable gave another nod. Among the five Golden Core Ancestor present, Zhang Sect Master was at the Golden Core, Late Stage, while Taicang the Venerable himself possessed cultivation at the sixth layer of the Golden Core realm.

With the two of them acting in concert, augmented by the might of the Firmament Sword, they should be capable of handling most contingencies. Inviting the Mirror of the Vast Heaven was merely a precaution against unforeseen calamities.

After all, that Demon Cave Cavern is a Demonic Cultivator Forbidden Land [a territory strictly controlled and inhabited by demonic cultivators]; even three or five ordinary Golden Core Cultivator [cultivators who have formed a Golden Core, a solidified mass of spiritual energy] venturing inside might not emerge alive, let alone pacify the Demonic Cultivator [practitioners who use malevolent, often soul-consuming methods to advance their cultivation].

"We must still proceed with caution."

Zhang the True Person [a Golden Core realm cultivator] said with a grave expression, "The Demon Cave Cavern holds profound and deep reserves. It possesses means to counter a Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [an artifact of immense power specifically designed to suppress demonic forces]; otherwise, we would have purged it long ago."

"Five hundred years ago, even my Master [teacher or mentor in the cultivation arts], wielding the Firmament Immortal Sword [a legendary immortal-grade sword], could only manage a disheveled and hasty escape after attacking its depths."

Hearing this, the others nodded, a sense of gravity settling in their hearts.

The group spoke no more, continuing to wait for the arrival of the Violet Abyss Sect [a major cultivation sect].

They waited for ten full days. Seeing that the others still had not arrived, Lin the Elder from the Firmament Sword Sect [a sect renowned for its sword cultivation techniques] could not help but remark, "What is the matter with the two fellow Daoists from the Violet Abyss Sect today? Why have they still not come?"

As they were speaking, several streaks of radiant light flew over from the horizon.

The arrivals were Spirit Consort, the Immortal Maiden [a cultivator of high status and power], who approached with over twenty Golden Core Cultivator in tow, landing beside the assembled group.

Lyra Jiang [a cultivator from the Jiang Clan] narrowed her eyes slightly and asked, "Sister Spirit Consort, why have the others not come today?"

"I was just about to speak of it."

Spirit Consort, the Immortal Maiden took a steadying breath, her expression turning grave. "The Demonic Ape of Demonic Ape Mountain has fallen into demonic corruption."

"What?!"

The others' faces paled with shock, a collective gasp escaping their lips.

Though Demonic Ape Mountain is now territory of the Demonic Tribe, a millennium ago it was, like Demon Cave Cavern, a Demonic Cultivator Forbidden Land.

Back then, the entire Chu Kingdom Cultivation World marshaled its strength to annihilate Demonic Ape Mountain in a single great war. A master who cultivated the Pure Yang Dao Method [a righteous cultivation art harnessing the power of pure yang energy] used his divine abilities to refine the mountain, transforming it into a Tribulation Ruins [a place scarred by immense destructive power, often from a failed tribulation or great battle]. Find thousands of chapters at audio-novel*com.

The Violet Abyss Sect has a lineage spanning over eight hundred years. Eight centuries ago, the lands now held by the Violet Abyss Sect were ruled by the Purple Sun Sect, which also practiced the Pure Yang Dao Method. Their domain even encompassed the territory of Demonic Ape Mountain.

Their master resided at the Spirit Vein [a natural conduit of concentrated spiritual energy] within Demonic Ape Mountain, using the Pure Yang Dao Method to continuously refine the Demonic Spring [a spring tainted by demonic energy], intending to transform it into a Spirit Mountain [a mountain imbued with potent spiritual energy].

However, the Green Flood Dragon Demon Emperor later broke through to the late Nascent Soul [the realm where a cultivator forms a spiritual infant, a major milestone] stage. In a single war, he destroyed the Purple Sun Sect, seized this Human Race Spirit Mountain, and caused the refinement of the Demonic Spring to fail utterly, abandoned at the halfway point.

Subsequently, the Spirit Vein at Demonic Ape Mountain was handed over by the Green Flood Dragon Demon Emperor to the Demonic Ape Tribe.

The Violet Abyss Sect inherited a portion of the legacy from the Purple Sun Sect and has consistently been engaged in conflict with Demonic Ape Mountain.

At this moment, Spirit Consort, the Immortal Maiden wore a grave expression, her voice heavy as she declared, "That demon ape Demon King has fallen into demonic corruption by drawing power from the Demonic Spring. Since his corruption, his strength has increased dramatically, allowing him to break through to the Golden Core, Late Stage."

"To guard against the demon ape Demon King, Sister Violet Consort has taken the Violet Abyss Furnace to the Borderlands."

Upon hearing this, the assembled group exchanged uneasy glances, their faces all etched with deep concern.

The Demon Chariot Demon King's breakthrough to the Golden Core, Late Stage was dire enough, but even more terrifying was its potential to restore Demonic Ape Mountain into a Demonic Cultivator Forbidden Land once more. This posed a significant threat to the entire Chu Kingdom.

Taiqing the True Person, standing nearby, could not hold back his question. "With a subordinate Demon King succumbing to demonic corruption, will the Green Flood Dragon Demon Emperor truly do nothing?"

"Demonic beasts and monsters are cut from the same cloth—they are the ancient enemies of our Human Race. In the eyes of the Green Flood Dragon Demon King, as long as this does not threaten its own position and the corrupted one continues to heed its commands, the nature of the power matters little."

"Furthermore," he continued, "once the demon ape Demon King is corrupted, it ceases to be a pure member of the Demonic Tribe. This allows it to circumvent the pact between the Green Flood Dragon Demon Emperor and the Ji Clan, enabling it to attack our Chu Kingdom without waiting for the century-long truce to expire."

Having lived for over eight hundred years, Zhang the True Person understood the deeper intricacies of such matters all too well.

He let out a weary sigh and surveyed the group. "Without the Violet Abyss Furnace, do we still proceed with this campaign?"

The assembly fell into a somber silence. The Violet Abyss Divine Flame [a purifying flame effective against demonic beings] of the Violet Abyss Furnace was the bane of demonic monsters and the primary weapon for assaulting the Demon Cave Cavern.

Now, before the battle had even commenced, this crucial supreme treasure was rendered unusable. It was an inauspicious start, a profoundly ill omen.

Seeing the hesitation among the group, Taicang the Venerable rose to his feet. "Esteemed colleagues," he declared, "if we do not act against the Demon Cave Cavern now, I fear it will become a calamity of immense proportions in the future."

"The Beast Tide Calamity [a periodic, massive invasion of demonic beasts] will erupt in little over a decade. If we fail to slay at least one or two of their great demons, we will face dire consequences."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of those present shifted subtly, a shadow of concern passing over them.

Observing their demeanor, Taicang the Venerable pressed his advantage. "With the addition of a Golden Core [the third major realm of cultivation, where one forms a solidified golden core of power] expert, the strength of the Demon Cave Cavern has surged significantly," he continued, his voice grave.

"Our Verdant Immortal Sect is already caught between the pincers of the Black Eagle Demon King and the Demon Cave Cavern. I fear we may not withstand the pressure."

The others nodded in grim agreement. Black Eagle Ridge harbored not one, but two Demon King [a powerful demonic beast ruler equivalent to a Golden Core cultivator]. The Demon Cave Cavern was home to an ancient demon of the Golden Core, Late Stage.

Yet, Taicang the Venerable himself was only at the sixth layer of the Golden Core realm. The other two Golden Core experts of the Verdant Immortal Sect were merely at the Golden Core, Early Stage. Their combined strength was likely insufficient to hold the line.

If these two Great Demonic Monster [a term for a powerful demonic entity] strongholds were allowed to run rampant, even the mighty Firmament Sword Sect would find it difficult to subdue them.

Now, the Violet Abyss Sect must confront a new Demonic Cultivator Forbidden Land [a region tainted and controlled by demonic cultivators]. When that time comes, the Heaven's Ruin Alliance will also face a pincer attack from the forces of Celestial Python Lake and Earth Lion Ridge.

This situation is profoundly unfavorable. A single misstep could inflict unprecedented devastation upon the Chu Kingdom Cultivation World [the realm of cultivators within the borders of the Chu Kingdom].

At this thought, the assembled leaders exchanged solemn glances. Zhang the True Person [a cultivator who has attained the Golden Core Realm] steeled his resolve and declared,

"Even if it demands a significant price, we must utterly eradicate the Demon Cave Cavern."

"And if we cannot achieve that, we must at least slay one or two of those Golden Core Elder Demon [ancient, powerful demonic cultivators who have reached the Golden Core Realm]." This chapter is part of a larger work available at AUDIO-NOVEL.COM.