Chapter 282 : A Legacy of Loss and Longevity

"Several matters have become intertwined, bringing both fortune and misfortune."

Old Patriarch shook his head, a sigh escaping his lips as he continued.

Eldrin Chen raised an eyebrow, picking up his teacup to take a small sip.

"Tell me."

"Your RonanGranduncle passed away some days ago."

As he spoke, Old Patriarch's face clouded with sorrow. Over two centuries had rushed by, and the cultivators of his generation were nearly all gone.

Eldrin Chen's fingers trembled slightly before he set the teacup down.

The next Beast Tide Calamity [a periodic invasion of demonic beasts] would arrive within seven or eight years. Chen Thalion was now over two hundred and forty years old, and that Meng Aethelstan was several years his senior, having already passed two hundred and fifty.

The reason Meng Aethelstan had lived until now was that he had consumed three Spirit Apricot [a spiritual fruit known for extending lifespan]. One of them, a Third Rank Spirit Apricot, had been specifically sent to him by Eldrin Chen.

In total, the three Spirit Apricot had granted Meng Aethelstan fifty additional years of life, sustaining him until his recent passing. Access the full story on audio . novel . com.

After the passing of Meng Aethelstan, all the friends from Old Patriarch's youth had also passed away in meditation, leaving no peers of his generation among the cultivators.

Even the friends he made after reaching the Purple Mansion [the third major realm of cultivation, where one's spiritual foundation is solidified into a mansion-like structure] realm, such as Xavier Xu, a False Core Cultivator [a cultivator who has formed a flawed or incomplete Golden Core], would have a lifespan of just over one Jiazi-time [a sixty-year cycle] remaining, unless they broke through to the Golden Core [the fourth major realm, where spiritual energy condenses into a radiant, durable core] realm or consumed a Longevity Treasure [a rare spiritual item that can extend a cultivator's lifespan]. .72 Literature Website Chen Thalion's expression trembled slightly, tinged with a touch of desolation, as he said, "Before his death, my cousin Ronan's final wish was to nurture a Purple Mansion Cultivator [a cultivator who has reached the Purple Mansion realm] for the clan."

"That Celestia Meng brought a sum of Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation] and sold her a Li Fire Crystal [a spiritual crystal containing the essence of Separated Flame, used for cultivation breakthroughs] for sixty thousand Spirit Stone."

Old Patriarch stated calmly. Buying a Li Fire Crystal for sixty thousand Spirit Stone was essentially the rock-bottom price for such an item.

Generally, a Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan [a clan whose power is anchored by cultivators in the Foundation Establishment realm] wishing to purchase this item would need to pay a premium, reaching eighty to one hundred thousand to acquire one.

Old Patriarch continued, then added with composure, "This price represents a personal favor on my part. I will contribute thirty thousand Spirit Stone to cover the shortfall."

Eldrin Chen gave a faint nod, then smiled. "Our Granduncle [a respectful term for a father's uncle], watching from the heavens, would surely be pleased."

"Alas, it is the least I could do."

Old Patriarch sighed, reining in some of his sorrow.

He then seemed to recall something, and a smile returned to his face. "There is another piece of joyous news. You will be most pleased to hear it."

"Oh?"

Eldrin Chen revealed a flicker of surprise; it seemed a joyous occasion had indeed arrived.

Observing his expression, Old Patriarch chuckled, stroked his beard, and called out to a clansman outside the grand hall.

"Go and bring Soren Chen here."

"As you command."

A clan cultivator acknowledged the order and hurried away.

A moment later, the man returned, leading a child of six or seven years.

With a single glance at the boy, Eldrin Chen let out a soft, astonished sound. He immediately activated his Jade Spirit Eye [a mystical eye technique that perceives spiritual qualities] to inspect the child, and his face blossomed into a smile of pure delight.

"A Thunder Spiritual Root [a rare and powerful elemental affinity for lightning]?"

Joy shone on Eldrin Chen's face. No wonder the Old Patriarch had said he would be pleased.

Cultivators with an Anomalous Spiritual Root [a rare and exceptional type of spiritual root that grants unique affinities and advantages] possess extraordinary talent, and when attempting to break through to the Golden Core [the third major stage of cultivation, where one forms a solidified core of spiritual energy] realm, it is sufficient to increase their chances of success by twenty percent.

The Old Patriarch smiled kindly and gestured for Chen Soren to come forward.

"Soren, this is your Uncle Eldrin. Come and pay your respects to your granduncle."

Chen Soren was naive and bewildered. His tender little face paled slightly as he looked at the two Ancient Ancestors with a trace of fear.

He looked up and saw the two Ancient Ancestors sitting there serenely, yet they seemed like two towering mountains of ten thousand Zhang-length [one Zhang-length equals three point three three meters] in height, their presence as majestic as the sun and their aura transcendent, akin to that of immortals.

One was clad in robes white as snow, his figure handsome and upright, like an exiled immortal descended to the mortal dust. The other also appeared youthful; his aura, though restrained, held a dormant power as vast as the ocean. Find thousands of chapters at www . audio-novel.com.

They did not look like a granduncle and the Ancient Ancestor of the clan, but rather seemed younger than his own parents.

Fortunately, he remembered his parents' and elders' repeated admonitions before coming: he must be exceedingly respectful to the Ancient Ancestors and obey them diligently.

Thinking of this, he promptly prostrated himself on the ground and said respectfully, "Soren pays his respects to the Ancient Ancestors, and to Granduncle."

"Good child."

Old Patriarch let out a hearty laugh and patted the boy's head, signaling for him to rise.

He then turned to Eldrin Chen and said, "This Chen Soren is six years old this year. He was recently discovered to possess a Thunder Spiritual Root [a rare spiritual affinity for the element of thunder]. I intend to keep him by my side for guidance."

"Understood."

Eldrin Chen smiled and nodded, then took out several treasures to present to Chen Soren as gifts for their first meeting.

The addition of another Thunder Spiritual Root meant the clan had gained another potential seed for a future Golden Core [the third major realm of cultivation, where one forms a solidified golden core of spiritual energy] expert, a thought that brought him considerable joy.

Over the past one hundred and thirty years, the clan's mortal population had swelled from less than two hundred thousand to over five million, and the number of cultivators had reached five to six thousand. Yet, this was the very first Anomalous Spiritual Root [a rare and powerful spiritual root that deviates from the standard five elements] to appear.

With this newfound joy, the spirits of both men were lifted considerably.

After spending half a day in Pingyang City, Eldrin Chen recalled the matter concerning Yu Qingyan and decided to travel by flying sword to the Spirit Source Mountain Market.

Just before his departure, the Old Patriarch called out to him, offering a reminder. "There is one more matter I nearly forgot to mention."

"A new Demon King [a ruler among demonic beasts, equivalent to a Golden Core realm cultivator] has recently emerged in the Celestial Python Lake [Heaven-Devouring Serpent Lake]. It is that Black-Horned Serpent. You must be cautious in the future."

"A new Demon King?"

Eldrin Chen's eyes narrowed slightly. With the Beast Tide Calamity drawing near, it was hardly a surprise that a Demon King had emerged within Celestial Python Lake, just as anticipated.

What troubled him was the identity of that Demon King—it was none other than the former Black-Horned Serpent. Having clashed with Eldrin Chen on two prior occasions, their enmity ran deep. It seemed a final, decisive confrontation was inevitable.

Noting his expression, the Old Patriarch nodded gravely. "That Black-Horned Serpent has received the patronage of Azure Wave Lake. Its bloodline has now regressed to its ancestral form, transforming into a Black Flood Dragon. It has broken through to the Golden Core realm."

"A Black Flood Dragon..."

Eldrin Chen's expression turned solemn. Creatures of the flood dragon lineage possessed formidable innate power, their potential rivaling that of a Human Race cultivator who had formed a Superior Golden Core. Such beings were capable of challenging opponents two minor realms above their own.

Having metamorphosed into a true flood dragon, that former serpent was now a creature of prodigious talent. Likely, even at the Golden Core First Layer, its combat prowess would match that of a cultivator at the Golden Core, 3rd Tier.

The gap between the Golden Core, 3rd Tier and the Golden Core First Layer was vast. While three False Core Cultivators might join forces to contend with a first-layer Golden Core cultivator, opposing a third-tier opponent would require at least five such False Core Cultivators.

Even with three Fourth Rank Immortal Sword Magical Treasures in his possession, facing such an adversary would be perilous. In a solo confrontation, escape would likely be his only viable option.

"It seems I must find a way to refine the Heavenly River Flood Water Sword to the Fourth Rank as well," he concluded, his voice resolute.

As this thought flickered through his mind, Eldrin Chen realized that the Heavenly Separated Twin Swords could only merge into one when they were of the same rank. If one was stronger than the other, the imbalance between Yin and Yang would inevitably cause the fusion to fail.

Now that the Heavenly Separated Twin Swords could not unite, he had lost his greatest trump card. To survive the impending Beast Tide Calamity [a periodic, devastating invasion of demonic beasts], he would need to devise another strategy.

Suppressing his thoughts, Eldrin Chen bid farewell to the Old Patriarch. Then, merging his body with his sword, he soared through the skies toward Ling County.

The speed of a Fourth Rank Immortal Sword [a powerful enchanted blade of the fourth rank] was such that it could chase the stars and outpace the sun, traversing two hundred thousand Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] in a single day. Although Spirit Source Mountain lay over a hundred thousand Li-lengths from Pingyang City, such a distance was trivial at Eldrin Chen's current velocity.

In merely half a day's time, Eldrin Chen arrived at Spirit Source Mountain. His sword radiance descended like a falling star, alighting upon the mountain's Spirit Vein [a geological formation that concentrates and emits spiritual energy]. Original English translation available at https://audio-novel.com.