Chapter 281 : The Demon Cave's Unyielding Stand

The three of them conversed for a while longer, not concluding until the sun had set.

Freya Ji did not depart immediately. She stayed at Green Sun Mountain to accompany Exquisite Jiang for several days before finally flying towards the Demon Cave.

Her purpose for this journey was to suppress the Demon Cave, yet even she found it difficult to pacify the Demon Cave in a single campaign. She could only station herself before its entrance, holding the line.

The Demonic Spring within that Demon Cave was of a grade not inferior to a Fifth Rank Spiritual Vein. Furthermore, the Demon Cave itself had been corrupted for thousands upon thousands of years. Assaulting it was, in truth, no less difficult than storming a Human Race Fifth Rank Spirit Mountain.

Within the environment of the Demon Cave, Demonic Cultivators would see their combat prowess surge by thirty percent, while Human Race cultivators would need to expend their spiritual power [the energy cultivated and used by practitioners of the mystical arts] to resist the pervasive baleful aura [a corrupting, negative energy].

In a short skirmish, the disparity might only be that thirty percent. But once a prolonged battle ensued within, one would find their spiritual power reserves depleting far faster than those of the Demonic Cultivators. This created a total gap of a full sixty percent.

Even with Freya Ji's formidable strength, she could not single-handedly breach the entire Demon Cave.

The most critical factor was that Demonic Spring. As long as that Demonic Spring remained, breaching the Demon Cave any number of times would be ultimately futile.

In the past, Mordecai Lin had used a precious Heavenly Thunder Tribulation Pearl to destroy a Third Rank Superior Grade Underground Fire Vein. The primary reason he could detonate the Underground Fire Vein was because the energy within a Fire Vein was inherently volatile and explosive.

If it had been any other type of Earth Vein—be it metal, wood, water, or earth—it would have been impossible to shatter, unless one employed a Fifth Rank Heavenly Thunder Tribulation Pearl. For uninterrupted reading, go to audio - novel . com.

This type of Earth Vein [a major energy channel within the earth] constitutes a grand Earth Vein network. Once its grade reaches the Fourth Rank or higher, it often converges the power of a landmass spanning a hundred thousand or even a million Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters], making it impossible to be shaken by mortal strength.

High-grade Spiritual Vein [a vein of concentrated spiritual energy] are quite similar. A Fifth Rank Spiritual Vein is itself connected to the earth's core. Even if it were shattered by a Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [a supreme artifact for subduing demons], it could eventually reconverge into a Spiritual Lake [a lake formed from condensed spiritual energy] in the future.

In truth, even Demonic Cultivator [cultivators who follow demonic or unorthodox paths] wishing to destroy a Spiritual Vein above the Fourth Rank must expend tremendous effort. For instance, when Yan Old Demon destroyed the Third-order Spiritual Vein of the Yang Clan, he slaughtered countless mortals, using their blood to pollute and corrupt it into a blood spring.

A Demonic Spring [a spring tainted by demonic energy] is even more exceedingly difficult to destroy. Even a Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure can only temporarily suppress it; it requires refinement through the Primordial Solar Path Art [a cultivation art harnessing the power of the primordial sun] to be truly purified.

In the past, the final sect master of the Violet Sun Sect, whose cultivation had reached Golden Core Perfection [the perfected stage of the Golden Core realm], attempted to refine the Demonic Spring at Demonic Ape Mountain. The Violet Sun Sect used the Primordial Solar Path Art to slowly temper it, prepared to spend a century on the task.

Unfortunately, he had only refined it for one Sixty-Year Cycle [a cycle of sixty years] before the intervention of the Demon Race [the race of demons] caused his efforts to come to naught. This is why the present Demonic Ape Demon King was able to revive it once more.

The reason for this, apart from the Demonic Spring being as deeply rooted as a malignant tumor, was also the insufficient cultivation of the Violet Sun Sect sect master. Had an Infant Soul True Lord [a True Lord of the Infant Soul realm] refined it using the Primordial Solar Path Art, it would not have required such an immense span of time.

Returning to the main thread, after Freya Ji departed, Eldrin Chen did not linger long at Green Sun Mountain either. The very next day, he returned to Spirit Isle Lake.

With the next Beast Tide [a massive onslaught of demonic beasts] merely a dozen or so years away, he still wished to advance one or two more Fourth-Rank Magical Treasure [magical treasures of the fourth rank] before the second Beast Tide arrived.

Upon returning to Spirit Lake Isle, his days settled back into their usual, steady rhythm.

"..."

In the blink of an eye, several years passed in a rush.

Over the Heavenly Spirit Isle Lake, dark clouds blotted out the sky. The Azure Verdant Spirit Fish in the lake had all sunk to the bottom, trembling in fear.

Farther away, flocks of Violet-Striped Goose hid within the Reed Marsh, not a single one daring to emerge.

In the sky, a golden Ancient Bell hovered silently. It possessed an aura of supreme dominance, like a Chaos Ancient Bell suppressing heaven and earth.

The Bulwark Earth Sovereign Bell was undergoing its tribulation. This Lifebound Magical Treasure possessed extraordinary defensive power. After being nurtured and refined by Eldrin Chen for several years and further infused with large quantities of Metallic Gold and Bulwark Earth energies, it had finally reached the Fourth Rank Low-Grade. It now had sufficient confidence to withstand the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [a divine trial of lightning and thunder that magical treasures must endure to ascend in rank].

"BOOM—"

Thunder roared. A brilliant Thunderclap descended from the heavens, striking directly at the golden Ancient Bell.

The bell was indestructible. It simply allowed the Treasure Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [the specific heavenly tribulation faced by magical treasures] to crash upon its body, leaving only a faint scorch mark from the lightning.

Witnessing this scene, Eldrin Chen felt a slight sense of relief in his heart. He understood that this treasure's chances of successfully passing the Treasure Heavenly Thunder Tribulation were virtually one hundred percent.

As expected, with the descent of three rumbling Treasure Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [a powerful heavenly trial that tests and refines magical treasures], the Bulwark Earth Sovereign Bell [a defensive magical treasure] emerged bearing only minor, inconsequential wounds, having successfully weathered its promotion through the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [a celestial trial of thunder and lightning].

"Truly worthy of a superior-grade defensive treasure," he remarked.

Eldrin Chen gave a calm nod. The efficacy of magical treasures varied greatly, and so too did their chances of surviving the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation.

Although the material of the Bulwark Earth Sovereign Bell was only of Third Rank Superior Grade [a high-quality material rank], its nature as a defensive artifact naturally granted it a high probability of success in weathering the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation after its promotion.

Offensive treasures like the Solar Fire Returning Abyss Sword [a sword imbued with solar fire energy] also possessed a measure of confidence in facing the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation, yet the peril involved was not insignificant. To ensure ample assurance of success, it was best to first refine and fuse Fourth-Rank Treasure Metal [a precious fourth-rank metallic ore] into its form.

As for auxiliary treasures like the Positive Water Verdant Lotus Throne [a throne that aids cultivation through positive water energy], the difficulty of surviving the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation was far greater. At the very least, it would require an exceedingly precious Water Essence Treasure Pearl [a pearl containing the concentrated essence of water] to grant it the strength to endure the trial. This chapter appears courtesy of audio-novel . com.

Stowing the Bulwark Earth Sovereign Bell, Eldrin Chen descended onto Lake Heart Island [an island at the center of a spirit lake]. His gaze fell upon the Spirit Pool [a pool brimming with concentrated spiritual energy] within the island, and his brow furrowed slightly.

A vortex of spiritual energy manifested over Lake Heart Island, violently drawing in the ambient energy and funneling it into the Seclusion Chamber [a chamber for closed-door cultivation] located within the Spirit Pool.

"Three attempts at secluded cultivation, and finally, success."

A flicker of delight passed through Eldrin Chen's eyes.

Not long ago, Silas Chen emerged from her third secluded cultivation retreat, having successfully broken through to the Violet Sanctum Realm [the third major stage of cultivation, where one opens and refines their internal spiritual sanctum].

At merely one hundred and thirty-seven years of age, achieving the Violet Sanctum at this stage of life, while not exceptionally peerless, is still considered a notably solid accomplishment.

After all, she attained this breakthrough through her own efforts without external aid. Such self-reliant Violet Sanctum Cultivator [a cultivator who has reached the Violet Sanctum stage] often sees their chances of later advancing to the Golden Core [the fourth major stage, where spiritual energy condenses into a solid golden core] increase by ten to twenty percent, placing her potential close to that of a typical prodigy with a Variant Spiritual Root [a rare and superior innate talent for cultivation].

"She has successfully pierced through her Violet Sanctum Heavenly Vein [the primary spiritual meridian crucial for the Violet Sanctum breakthrough]. It seems she will need another month to fully convert and stabilize her spiritual energy into Violet Sanctum-grade mana," Eldrin Chen observed.

Witnessing the family welcome another Violet Sanctum expert, a wave of quiet satisfaction washed over Eldrin Chen.

He summoned Lila and said with a gentle smile, "I must make a trip to Pingyang City. I need you to stand guard and assist your elder sister Silas during her stabilization period."

"Understood," she replied.

Lila gave a firm nod, then after a moment's hesitation, added, "While you were in secluded cultivation recently, a... sister came looking for you."

"Oh?" Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered with mild interest. "Who was it?"

"She gave her name as Verdant Mist Yu. She said she had urgent business to discuss with you."

"I understand."

Eldrin Chen soared out of Spirit Isle Lake on his flying sword, heading first to Pingyang City.

Within Pingyang City, he found Old Patriarch. They had not seen each other for some time, as both had been focused on advancing their Lifebound Magical Treasure [a magical artifact bound to its owner's life force and cultivation].

Yet today, Eternal Profound Chen wore an unusual expression. His face was grave and contemplative, a mix of worry and a flicker of something like joy.

The two sat facing each other. Without asking immediately, Eldrin began the ritual of preparing tea.

Clad in white robes, Eldrin Chen moved with practiced grace. He took the Enlightenment Tea Leaves [a spiritual tea that aids in meditation and clarity of thought], warmed the pot, measured the leaves, heated the cups, and poured the infusion—a fluid, elegant performance that was a pleasure to behold.

Once the tea was ready, he passed a cup to Old Patriarch and said with a smile, "Every time I visit, I can't resist tasting the freshest batch of Enlightenment Tea."

After a moment, observing the elder's pensive look, he asked gently, "What matter troubles you so?" Discover more cultivation stories at *audio-novel.com*.