Chapter 286 : The Jade Exchange and the Missing Crystals

Since the Purple Sun Jade [a rare jade imbued with solar essence] was offered first, there was little room for choice. In the end, the Chen Clan exchanged the Spirit Vein [a natural conduit of concentrated spiritual energy] of their Spirit Island for that single piece of Purple Sun Jade.

After the transaction was concluded, the group returned to the Chu Kingdom. Upon arriving, Eldrin Chen immediately began gathering the supplementary medicinal ingredients from the clan's Clan Treasury.

Among the auxiliary herbs required for the Creation Green Essence Pill [a high-grade pill that refines and enhances one's spiritual foundation], aside from the Purple Sun Jade and the Five Elements Treasure Crystals [crystals containing the purified essence of the five fundamental elements], the other required Spirit Medicine [plants cultivated with and containing spiritual energy] were not excessively rare.

Leveraging the influence of the Chen Clan, they managed to gather all the common ingredients within a mere half-month.

However, the five Five Elements Crystals were far more precious. The Chen Clan currently possessed only a few remaining, and they could only muster a single Profound Water Crystal [a crystal of pure Water Element essence], a single Li Fire Crystal [a crystal of pure Separated Flame (Li Fire) essence], and one Geng Metal Crystal [a crystal of pure Metallic Essence (Geng Metal)].

Carrying these three treasure crystals, he then took to his flying sword and journeyed to Green Sun Mountain to seek out Lyra Jiang.

Upon meeting Lyra Jiang, he recounted the entire affair to her and then produced the Thousand-Year Green Essence Ganoderma [a spiritual fungus of immense age and potency], saying,

"I have gathered three of the Five Elements Treasure Crystals, but alas, we still lack the First Wood Crystal [a crystal of pure First Wood (Yi Wood) essence] and the Wu Earth Crystal [a crystal of pure Earth-Fortress (Wu Earth) essence]."

"That is not difficult," she replied. "I have a Wu Earth Crystal here. As for the First Wood Crystal, while it is relatively scarce in the Chu Kingdom, it can be substituted with an Yi Wood Crystal [another form of Wood Element crystal]. My First Wood Earth Vein [an earth vein rich in First Wood energy] at Celestial Ruins Mountain still holds two remaining Yi Wood Crystal."

Lyra Jiang also revealed a hint of a smile. Gazing at the Thousand-Year Green Essence Ganoderma, she said, "Among Fourth Rank Pill, the difficulty of refining this Creation Green Essence Pill is considered relatively simple." Your portal to cultivation novels: audio-novel . com.

"I should be able to produce around four pills. When the time comes, Elara Lin and your family's Old Granduncle will have a greater hope of breaking through to the Core Formation realm."

She took the Yi Wood Crystal and the Wu Earth Crystal, leading Eldrin Chen to the Fourth Rank Earthfire Chamber.

For this Pill refinement, Lyra Jiang would still take the lead, with Eldrin Chen assisting from the side.

Now, Lyra Jiang was already a Fourth Rank Middle Grade Alchemist. Furthermore, since successfully refining the Sub-Golden Core Pill, Eldrin Chen's alchemy skill had also reached the level of a Quasi-Fourth Rank alchemist, allowing him to provide significant help in processing the medicinal ingredients.

The two of them jointly refining the Creation Green Essence Pill was a tedious and lengthy process of simmering the Spirit Medicine. They toiled for over a month before successfully processing the hundreds of portions of Spirit Medicine.

At this stage, it was time to begin simmering the Verdant Origin Ganoderma. Lyra Jiang processed the ingredients while reminding him, "Fourth Rank Spirit Medicine is exceedingly difficult to simmer. One must patiently extract its medicinal properties bit by bit."

"Remember, do not let impatience take hold. Otherwise, the fire will become too fierce, damaging too much of the medicinal essence, and the gain will not be worth the loss."

Eldrin Chen's expression was solemn and focused. He did not intervene in the processing of the Fourth Rank Spirit Medicine. With his current cultivation and Alchemy skill, handling Fourth Rank Spirit Medicine would likely fail to preserve much of its efficacy.

Even if he managed a successful refinement by force, the Pill Success Rate would be extremely low. For now, leaving it to Lyra Jiang to handle was the most prudent course.

He observed attentively from the side, watching as Lyra Jiang processed the various Spirit Medicine. He felt his understanding of Alchemy growing ever more profound. In just half a month's time, Lyra Jiang finally gathered all the medicinal essences together. After repeatedly refining them with her True Flame [a cultivator's purified flame used for alchemy and forging], she succeeded in concocting this furnace of Creation Green Essence Pill [a rare pill that enhances a cultivator's spiritual foundation and vitality].

"Success."

Watching the four Creation Green Essence Pill fly out from the furnace, a glint of joy flashed in Eldrin Chen's eyes. Producing four pills in one batch meant that after he, Old Patriarch, and Elara Lin each used one, there would still be one remaining.

Lyra Jiang kept one Creation Green Essence Pill for herself and handed the remaining three to Eldrin Chen, then said with a smile.

"It has been a long time. Walk with me for a while."

"Mm."

Eldrin Chen nodded and walked quietly beside her along the paths of Green Sun Mountain.

The sun set in the west, its dying light spilling across the distant sky and painting the earth in hues of gold.

Among the mist-wreathed peaks and ridges of the Spirit Mountain, several immortal cranes beat their wings in flight, their elegant forms carrying an aura of sacred purity.

The two stood in silent companionship at the mountain's summit, gazing into the distance. The last rays of the setting sun bathed them, casting two long, trailing shadows upon the ground.

He held her hand, turning his head to gaze upon her peerlessly beautiful countenance. He sensed within her an aura of solitary pride and lofty detachment, as sacred and awe-inspiring as a legendary immortal maiden, yet tinged with a wordless loneliness.

Suddenly, Eldrin Chen felt his heart stir. He grasped her hand and, unable to restrain himself, spoke.

"This time, let us fight side by side."

"Agreed."

She nodded, her grip on his hand tightening, as if she were holding onto an entire world.

Departing from Green Sun Mountain, Eldrin Chen rode his flying sword back to Yu County.

He first went to Pingyang City to find the Old Patriarch, then handed over the Creation Green Essence Pill. For uninterrupted reading, go to www . audio-novel.com.

The Old Patriarch received the Creation Green Essence Pill and could not contain his excitement. "With this pill in hand," he said, voice trembling, "this old man may truly harbor a sliver of hope for a breakthrough into the Core Formation realm in the future."

"Rest assured," Eldrin Chen declared with boundless fervor, a confident smile on his face. "With the Beast Tide Calamity imminent, we are determined to help you slay one or two Golden Core Demon King."

Thus did Eldrin Chen speak, his words brimming with heroic ambition.

He did not linger long in Pingyang City, Eldrin Chen returned to Spirit Isle Lake and began a period of secluded cultivation to ingest the Creation Green Essence Pill.

The miraculous effects of this Creation Green Essence Pill were indeed extraordinary. Upon consuming it, he felt a surge of potent energy coursing through his meridians, continuously widening their pathways.

Although minute fissures appeared in his meridians throughout this process, the pill's energy constantly repaired them. His meridians not only healed but grew even more resilient and robust.

Having achieved Self-Guided Foundation Establishment and cultivated unaided by external aids all the way to the Purple Mansion Seventh Layer, his mana reserves were already comparable to those of a False Core Cultivator.

Now, with his meridians widened by another thirty percent, their capacity for mana increased proportionally. His mana pool would likely rank among the most formidable even within the ranks of False Core Cultivator cultivators.

After broadening his meridians, Eldrin Chen did not immediately emerge from seclusion.

Instead, he retrieved the Heavenly River Flood Water Sword and began the process of refining Five Elements Essence [a refined spiritual essence containing the power of the five elements] into this immortal sword.

Back at Green Sun Mountain, Eldrin Chen had already utilized the power of the Fourth Rank Underground Fire Vein to smelt and fuse the Heavenly River Immortal Sword into this blade, elevating its material quality to the Fourth Rank level.

Fourth Rank Treasure Metal [a rare metal of exceptional quality suitable for crafting fourth-rank treasures] is notoriously difficult to melt. Fortunately, with the assistance of the Fourth Rank Underground Fire Vein for tempering, the process of refining the pill liquid consumed a full three months of Eldrin Chen's time.

Refining the Five Elements Essence was also a time-consuming and laborious task. Eldrin Chen nearly exhausted the clan's entire stockpile of Water-Flood Divine Thunder and Metallic Essence Qi [the refined spiritual energy of the Metal element] for the purpose.

This single effort consumed Five Elements Essence [a refined spiritual essence containing the power of the five elements] valued at two hundred fifty thousand Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation]. After several months of dedicated work, the sword finally advanced to the Fourth Rank [a grade of power for artifacts and cultivators].

"*Clang—*"

Upon reaching the Fourth Rank, the Heavenly River Flood Water Sword [a powerful immortal sword imbued with the essence of the Heavenly River's floodwaters] erupted with dazzling radiance. It soared into the heavens, its unparalleled sharpness cleaving through the air as it danced and weaved.

Watching the Tribulation Clouds [ominous clouds that gather to unleash heavenly punishment upon those or things defying the natural order] churning and rolling in the sky, Eldrin Chen felt a profound sense of certainty in his heart.

As a superior-grade offensive immortal sword, even before fusing with the Fourth Rank Treasure Metal [a rare and potent metal of the fourth rank, used to forge powerful treasures], the Heavenly River Flood Water Sword had possessed a fifty percent chance of surviving the Treasure Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [a trial by heavenly lightning that artifacts must endure to solidify their power and grade]. After successfully integrating the Fourth Rank Treasure Metal, its chances of success were absolute, a full one hundred percent.

As expected, after three bolts of Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [heavenly lightning sent as a trial or punishment] descended, the Heavenly River Flood Water Sword drank deeply of the Heavenly Tribulation Immortal Nectar [a potent, condensed essence left behind by heavenly tribulation lightning] that rained down. Its sword radiance surged once more, increasing in intensity by more than thirty percent.

"A fine treasure indeed."

Gazing at the Heavenly River Flood Water Sword, a surge of excitement welled up within Eldrin Chen.

With the forging of this sword complete, he would now possess four formidable supreme treasures: the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss [a sword imbued with the power of Separated Flame from the Abyss], the Heavenly River Flood Water Sword, the Earth-Fortress Sovereign Bell [a defensive bell treasure embodying the unyielding power of earth], and the Crimson Sun Void-Immolating Crucible [a cauldron capable of refining with the intense flames of the crimson sun]. Dive deeper into the Dao at https://audio-novel.com.