Chapter 280 : Forging the Thousand-Demon Slaying Sword

Eldrin Chen emerged from his Seclusion Chamber.

He gazed out with a tranquil heart, yet a tide of complex emotions swelled within him.

In the path of cultivation, talent, comprehension, and resources determine one's lower limits. Yet, what truly defines the upper bounds is often a matter of obsession, perseverance, courage, and innate brilliance.

Kael Chen had journeyed to this point, tempered into a man of extraordinary will, possessing no small measure of daring and decisiveness.

Such a man, if he did not fall upon the Dao's path, might travel exceedingly far.

The Heaven-Devouring Serpent Treasure Boat spent over a dozen days traversing the vast Hundred-Thousand-Mile Wilderness, finally arriving at Green Sun Mountain.

Eldrin Chen did not depart immediately. Instead, he utilized the Underground Fire Vein beneath Green Sun Mountain to refine the Black Abyss Ancient Gold.

This Black Abyss Ancient Gold was a Fourth Rank Heaven and Earth Treasures [a rare treasure born from the convergence of heaven and earth's spiritual essence]. However, it was heavily infused with Demonic Fiend Qi [a malevolent and corrupting energy]. To forge it into the Thousand-Demon Slaying Sword, Eldrin Chen would need to expend considerable effort.

Indeed, this proved true. Even with the aid of the Underground Fire Vein, the process of refining this sword was exceedingly troublesome for Eldrin Chen.

First, he harnessed the power of the earthfire, spending Forty-Nine Days to thoroughly purge and temper the Demonic Fiend Qi from within the sword. Original publication: audio–novel.com - The source of this chapter.

He then refined it for a full one hundred and eight days using the Fourth Rank [the fourth major stage of cultivation, equivalent to the Golden Core Realm] earthfire, finally melting the Thousand-Demon Slaying Sword into a liquid substance.

At this stage, the difficulty diminished significantly. Eldrin Chen began reshaping the sword's body. Over the course of seven days, he meticulously inscribed the formation runes of the Thousand-Demon Slaying Sword into it, ultimately forging the Sword Embryo [the nascent, unawakened form of a magical sword] for the Thousand-Demon Slaying Sword.

Upon its completion, this sword's grade had already reached the quasi-Fourth Rank level. It only required slaying a Golden Core Realm [the fourth major stage of cultivation, where one forms a solidified golden core of spiritual power] Demonic Beast [a monster that has absorbed spiritual energy and gained power, often hostile to humans] and refining its spirit soul into the blade to ascend it to a true Fourth Rank treasure.

"A fine Immortal Sword."

Gazing at the dark Sword Embryo before him, a flicker of joy passed through Eldrin Chen's eyes. This sword was a bane to demons and monsters. With it in hand, his capabilities in the days to come would be significantly enhanced.

Carrying this sense of satisfaction, he emerged from the Seclusion Chamber [a specially prepared room for undisturbed meditation and cultivation] and prepared to seek out Lyra Jiang.

He had just stepped out when he saw a streak of sword light in the sky flying towards Green Sun Mountain. The radiance descended upon the mountain peak and transformed into a woman of slender, graceful figure and breathtaking beauty.

"Who approaches?"

Eldrin Chen's eyes narrowed slightly. The woman's aura, though restrained, felt vast and profound, even more powerful than that of a cultivator at the Golden Core Great Perfection [the pinnacle stage of the Golden Core Realm, just before attempting to form a Nascent Soul] stage.

At that very moment, Lyra Jiang appeared. She exchanged greetings with the woman and then called Eldrin Chen over to join them.

Within the grand hall of the Green Sun Sect, three figures sat facing one another.

Lyra Jiang gazed at the woman and, with a smile, introduced her to Eldrin Chen: "This is Freya Ji, a dear and cherished friend of mine from my youth."

"Her purpose in coming here concerns the matter of the Demon Cave Cavern."

Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered with a trace of recognition as the significance of that name dawned upon him.

Freya Ji was a legendary beauty renowned across the Ji Continent. As the direct daughter of the Ji Clan Patriarch, though her age was similar to Lyra Jiang's, she had already cultivated to the realm of Golden Core Great Perfection.

Although she possessed only Three Spiritual Roots, she was born with the rare Dao Body known as the 'Profound Yin Constitution' and had successfully formed a Superior Golden Core.

Wielding her formidable divine abilities, Magical Treasure [enchanted artifacts used by cultivators], and the potent spiritual power of her Superior Golden Core, Freya Ji had once clashed with an Nascent Soul, Early Stage Demon Emperor [a ruler among demonic beings] without being at a disadvantage.

That Freya Ji carefully scrutinized Eldrin Chen for a moment before giving a slight, approving nod.

After the introductions were complete, Lyra Jiang cut straight to the heart of the matter: "Regarding the Demon Cave Cavern affair, how shall we proceed this time?"

"This scheme was jointly laid by the Green Flood Dragon Demon Emperor and the Black Malignancy Demon Monarch. They have long since prepared their contingencies and escape routes."

Freya Ji shook her head and spoke. As her words fell, the hearts of the two men sank slightly.

Sure enough, Freya Ji continued, "The situation at the Ridge of the Black Fiend is unstable, tying down several of our True Lord."

"Several Demon Emperor under the command of the Green Flood Dragon Demon Emperor have also begun to move, pinning down our other True Lord."

"Therefore, this time, I am still the only one dispatched."

Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow and asked, "Is it truly impossible to eradicate the Demon Cave Cavern?"

"It is not entirely impossible." Your portal to cultivation novels: site: audio-novel.com.

Freya Ji shook her head again and explained, "But a full-scale war erupting here would leave the Chu Kingdom scarred and shattered regardless of the outcome, with hundreds of millions of commoners displaced. Are you willing to accept that?"

"Furthermore, my father and the Green Flood Dragon Demon Emperor have both half-stepped into the Nascent Soul Realm."

"My father is currently at a critical juncture in his secluded cultivation. To act rashly now would likely undo all his progress."

Eldrin Chen fell into a brief, contemplative silence, the confusion in his heart suddenly clearing.

Ji Clan Patriarch and the Green Flood Dragon Demon Emperor—one whose veins flow with the blood of an Immortal, the other a descendant of the Black Dragon Demon Progenitor whose own bloodline has evolved to the very cusp of dragon transformation—are both beings of extraordinary rarity.

Whichever of these two formidable existences first steps into the Nascent Soul Realm [the realm where a cultivator's spirit forms a powerful, independent entity] will irrevocably alter the balance of power across the Eastern Wastelands.

Should the Ji Clan Patriarch break through to the Nascent Soul realm, he would undoubtedly consolidate the strength of the hundred continents surrounding the Ji Continent, transforming the entire Ji Continent into a land under the dominion of a Dao Lord Sacred Land [a sacred land ruled by a supreme Dao Lord].

At that point, would the Ji Immortal Clan tolerate a being on the verge of becoming a dragon coiled so close to their own doorstep?

The primary reason the Demon Emperors of Azure Wave Lake have begun their machinations against the Chu Kingdom is to force the Ji Clan Patriarch out of his secluded cultivation, thereby delaying his breakthrough to become a Nascent Soul Dao Lord.

"If that is the case," Eldrin Chen said, his expression turning grave as a sense of foreboding washed over him, "then the Chu Kingdom is in grave peril, is it not?"

"Indeed."

Freya Ji nodded, her voice calm as she explained, "My father and the Green Flood Dragon Demon Emperor once signed a pact binding for three thousand years. Two thousand five hundred of those years have already passed."

"In the coming centuries, as the time for my father's Nascent Soul breakthrough draws ever nearer, their patience will wear increasingly thin."

"Even if they dare not violate the pact and strike directly, they will ceaselessly seek other means to intervene."

She sighed, her voice tinged with sorrow and compassion. "For the Chu Kingdom, the future Beast Tide Calamity [a periodic, devastating invasion by monstrous beasts] will become even more perilous."

Eldrin Chen remained silent, a faint tremor stirring within his heart.

He understood all too well. To a Nascent Soul Dao Lord [a supreme cultivator who has formed a Nascent Soul and commands profound power], a mere minor kingdom truly meant little.

Not just one small nation plunged into chaos—even if ten Chu Kingdom were to be destroyed in exchange for the birth of a single Nascent Soul Dao Lord, it would still be considered a tremendous gain.

The Eastern Wastelands stretched for hundreds of millions of Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters]. Vast continents as expansive as the Ji Continent numbered over eight hundred, yet there were only three Dao Lord Sacred Land [sanctified lands ruled by a Nascent Soul Dao Lord].

Combined, the three sacred lands held fewer than ten Human Race Dao Lord [a title for a Nascent Soul realm master], and the majority of these Dao Lord were stationed along the Eastern Sea Coast.

One more Nascent Soul Dao Lord could safeguard the peace of a hundred continents, allowing countless billions of the Human Race to thrive and multiply. Their very existence was the greatest Merit Points [a metaphysical "currency" representing good karma or virtuous deeds].

Now, situated on the borderlands of the Chu Kingdom, the Chen Clan found themselves in the most precarious position amidst this turmoil.

Even if the forces of Azure Wave Lake [a powerful demonic territory] feared the Ji Clan's Supreme Treasure of Pure Yang [a supreme artifact of pure yang energy], the 'Immortal-Refining Furnace' [a legendary furnace capable of refining even immortals], and dared not wage open war, minor provocations from places like the Demon Cave Cavern [a notorious demonic stronghold] would be enough to inflict severe damage upon the Chu Kingdom Cultivation World.

"You need not worry overly much," she said.

Freya Ji shook her head and spoke calmly, "The covenant from those years was sealed by the Green Flood Dragon Demon Emperor with a blood oath [a magically binding vow sealed with one's own vital essence]. Should he tear up the agreement and act directly, it would hinder his future breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm."

"Moreover, he is not far from his dragon transformation [a process where a powerful serpentine creature ascends to become a true dragon], and likely has little energy to spare for such matters."

"Thus, he will only resort to covert maneuvers, indirectly supporting his subordinate Demonic Beasts, and will not truly engage us in a full-scale conflict."

"Should their actions become too overt, we will summon the immortal clans from the other nations of Ji Continent to join the fray."

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen felt a slight easing of the tension in his heart.

Yet he understood clearly that a Nascent Soul Immortal Clan would not lightly summon cultivators to war.

For once such forces clashed, it was likely that numerous Golden Core cultivators, and even Demon Emperors and True Lords, would fall. Therefore, both sides exercised extreme restraint. Dive deeper into the Dao at audio-novel[dot]com.