Chapter 299 : Conquest of the Celestial Veins

With their current strength, assaulting a Third Rank Spirit Vein [a spiritual energy source of the third rank] was a relatively straightforward affair. Eldrin Chen did not mobilize the Heaven-Devouring Serpent Treasure Boat [a large magical vessel]. Instead, he borrowed Lyra Jiang's Green Sun Treasure Boat [a swift, elite-class magical vessel].

This vessel was merely a small Treasure Boat [a magical flying ship], yet its speed far surpassed that of the Heaven-Devouring Serpent Treasure Boat. Furthermore, having been integrated with a Void Gem [a rare gemstone that manipulates spatial properties], it could still transport three hundred individuals, making it a formidable weapon for elite strike forces.

Piloting the Green Sun Treasure Boat, Eldrin Chen led Old Patriarch and over a dozen other Purple Mansion Cultivator [cultivators who have established their Purple Mansion, the third major cultivation realm] across a campaign spanning several hundred thousand Li-lengths [a Li-length equals five hundred meters]. They finally succeeded in capturing the seven Third Rank Spirit Vein and five Earth Vein [a concentrated vein of earth-attribute spiritual energy] within the Celestial Python Lake territory.

Among these Spirit Vein [a natural conduit of concentrated spiritual energy], the Purple Mansion Cultivator level Demonic Beast [monstrous beasts that cultivate demonic energy] had either been slain by Eldrin Chen or, having received advance warning, fled into the territories of Demonic Ape Mountain and Earth Lion Ridge, utterly incapable of resisting their advance.

Nearly one hundred Second Rank Spirit Vein [spiritual energy sources of the second rank] remained. However, Eldrin Chen chose not to deal with them personally. These were to be the rewards for the Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan [immortal clans whose patriarchs have reached the Foundation Establishment realm]; they could claim them through their own efforts.

After expelling or exterminating the high-ranking members of the Demonic Tribe [organized tribes of demonic cultivators and beasts] within the Celestial Python Lake region, Eldrin Chen led the group back to the lake's heart.

Upon meeting Lyra Jiang, they immediately convened a debriefing assembly.

During the assembly, Eldrin Chen said with a smile, "After this campaign, the great demons at the Purple Mansion [the third major cultivation realm] level and above within the Celestial Python Lake territory are either dead or have fled. For hundreds of thousands of Li-lengths, there are no high-tier Demonic Beast left."

"Your efforts are appreciated,"

Lyra Jiang replied with a pleased expression. With the high-tier Demonic Beast of the Celestial Python Lake territory eradicated, only those below the Foundation Establishment [the second major cultivation realm] remained. This chapter appears courtesy of audio~novel.com.

These Demonic Beast possess limited intelligence, yet their numbers seem inexhaustible. Even if a dozen or twenty Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan were to migrate here, it would likely take over a century to clear out the majority of them.

To truly pacify the land to a state where ordinary mortals could thrive and multiply, as in the Chu Kingdom, would likely require several centuries of persistent cleansing efforts.

However, for the next several decades to a century, the territories of the Celestial Python Lake will undoubtedly become a veritable paradise for the Human Race's Rogue Cultivator and Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment cultivators alike.

After all, these Low-Rank Demonic Beast, stripped of the protection of higher-tier Demonic Beast, will become prime targets in the eyes of Rogue Cultivator and the various great clans. Opportunities to hunt Demonic Beast so freely have never been so plentiful.

Returning to the matter at hand, seeing the joy on everyone's faces, Lyra Jiang distributed a set of ledgers among the assembly.

"These detail the compensation for the fallen, the merits earned in battle, and the spoils of our victory," she announced.

"Let us discuss the specifics of their distribution."

At Lyra Jiang's words, the group turned their delighted gazes toward the ledgers.

Eldrin Chen took one of the ledgers and glanced through it. Even with prior expectations, his heart stirred with profound excitement the moment he saw its contents.

This war was an unprecedented victory for the Chu Kingdom, the likes of which had not been seen for centuries. The kingdom's territory had expanded by nearly one-third. The spoils of such a triumph naturally far exceeded anything from past conflicts.

The spoils of war were primarily divided into three categories: first, the flesh-and-blood Magical Treasure [enchanted artifacts] held by the Demonic Beast [monstrous beasts]; second, the Heaven and Earth Treasures [rare materials born from the convergence of natural energies]; and third, various fixed assets such as Spirit Mountain [mountains imbued with spiritual energy] and Earth Vein [subterranean currents of elemental power].

Among the portable wealth, the captured Fourth Rank Magical Treasure [powerful enchanted artifacts] numbered five in total, while Third Rank Magical Treasure [lesser enchanted artifacts] numbered over thirty. There were also the remains and Inner Core [crystalline cores containing a beast's condensed power] of two Demon King [powerful demonic beast rulers].

Of those Fourth Rank Magical Treasure, the ones Eldrin Chen claimed were a Black Flood Dragon Immortal Sword [a sword forged with the essence of a black flood dragon] and a Dao Ruins Crown [a crown imbued with the mysteries of a fallen Dao], both Fourth Rank Low Grade [powerful but not the pinnacle of their rank] Magical Treasure.

Lyra Jiang also secured two items: a Crimson Scorpion Heart-Piercing Spike [a venomous, soul-targeting spike] and a Crimson Flame Gold Pearl [a pearl blazing with crimson-gold fire]. The final piece was the Heavenly Heart Bracelet [a bracelet that harmonizes with celestial intent], which served as the formation anchor for Celestial Python Lake.

Among these Fourth Rank Magical Treasure, Eldrin Chen directly exchanged for the Black Flood Dragon Immortal Sword and the Crimson Flame Gold Pearl. The Crimson Flame Gold Pearl could be fused into the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss [his lifebound sword], enhancing both its material foundation and its destructive potential.

The remaining treasures fell into Lyra Jiang's hands. Even if she did not use them personally, these Fourth Rank Treasure [objects of immense power] could serve as formation anchors or be traded with Golden Core Cultivator [powerful cultivators] for crucial resources.

Although this battle yielded two Fourth Rank [powerful] Demonic Core [crystalline demonic beast cores], the Heaven's Ruin Alliance no longer possessed the Heavenly Heart Herb [a rare herb that calms the mind and stabilizes the spirit], the other primary ingredient for the Golden Core Formation Pill [a pill that aids in forming a Golden Core]. The Heavenly Heart Herb was worth over a million Spirit Stone [currency and cultivation aids], and obtaining it would likely require an equivalent Fourth Rank Treasure for trade.

The others had also earned considerable merit from the campaign, but it was still insufficient to exchange for a Fourth Rank Magical Treasure.

Although Xavier Xu and Fang the Ancient Ancestor, both False Core [cultivators with a pseudo-Golden Core] Ancient Ancestor [venerated elders], had significant battle merits, it was still not enough to trade for a Fourth Rank Magical Treasure. Most crucially, their true goal was the Golden Core Formation Pill, so they naturally dared not divert their resources.

There were over thirty Third Rank Magical Treasure. Eldrin Chen exchanged for two Third Rank High Grade [near the peak of their rank] Magical Treasure to be held in reserve for clan members facing future tribulations. The remainder were distributed among the many Purple Mansion [powerful cultivators] and the few Foundation Establishment Cultivator [mid-level cultivators] who had performed extraordinary deeds.

The skeleton of the Black Flood Dragon Demon King was also given to Lyra Jiang. She intends to open her furnace and refine several Flesh and Blood Treasure Pill [a potent pill refined from the flesh and blood of powerful demonic beasts, used to enhance a cultivator's physical constitution and vitality]. The bones will be used to construct a second large-scale war treasure boat.

The investment required for a large-scale war treasure boat is exceedingly high. Even one of merely Fourth Rank Low Grade requires a cost of several million Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation].

However, large-scale war treasure boats are supreme treasures for assaulting Spirit Mountain [a mountain imbued with concentrated spiritual energy, often serving as a cultivation base]. They are also exceptionally suited for large-scale troop deployments and serve as the primary means for mortals to migrate across kingdoms and continents. Naturally, the more, the better.

The flesh, blood, and Inner Core [the condensed spiritual core of a demonic beast, a valuable cultivation resource] from the Purple Mansion Demonic Beast were also considerable. The flesh and blood were naturally divided among the various Purple Mansion Immortal Clan. In total, there were fifteen Inner Core.

These Inner Core will be personally refined by Eldrin Chen. After distributing the compensation for the fallen, they will be offered for exchange to the various clans among the Chu Kingdom Cultivators.

After dividing the treasures and Inner Core from the high-tier Demonic Beast [a beast that has absorbed spiritual energy and gained monstrous power], the assembly turned their discussion to the distribution of the Heaven and Earth Treasures [rare and potent materials born from the convergence of natural energies]. This chapter is part of a larger work available at https://audio-novel.com.

This campaign had secured one Fourth Rank Spirit Vein [a vein of earth radiating potent spiritual energy, suitable for high-level cultivation] and one Fourth Rank Water Vein [a subterranean current imbued with powerful water-attribute spiritual energy]. The remainder included seven Third Rank Spirit Vein and Earth Vein [a vein of earth imbued with specific elemental spiritual energies, distinct from a general Spirit Vein].

From these Spirit Mountain and Earth Vein, the spoils included as many as seventeen Five Elements Treasure Crystals [crystallized essence containing the balanced power of the five elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth], over thirty various Third Rank Heaven and Earth Treasure [naturally formed treasures of significant power], and more than twenty Third Rank Spirit Medicine [plants imbued with potent spiritual energy, used in high-level alchemy]. Among these were also six Water-Flood Divine Thunder treasure crystals.

It could be foreseen that capturing Heaven-Devouring Serpent Lake [the vast lake territory once ruled by the serpentine demonic beasts] would greatly alleviate the scarcity of Water-Flood Divine Thunder treasure crystals within the Chu Kingdom.

"Divide these treasures amongst yourselves as you see fit."

Having taken the most valuable Water Element Treasure Pearl [a precious pearl imbued with the essence of water], Eldrin Chen naturally felt it improper to claim a share of these Third Rank Treasure [magical items of the third rank].

However, the Chen Clan was not without its gains. Five Purple Mansion Cultivator [cultivators who have established their Purple Mansion, the third major cultivation stage] from the Chen Clan had participated in the battle, accounting for one-sixth of the Purple Mansion [the third major cultivation stage] forces fielded by the Heaven's Ruin Alliance, and they also had the Old Patriarch, whose power rivaled that of a False Core Combat Power [a cultivator whose strength approaches the Golden Core realm but who has not fully formed their core].

Thus, the Old Patriarch made the decision to directly exchange for four Profound Water Crystal [crystals of condensed and profound water essence] and several other Third Rank Heaven and Earth Treasure [natural treasures of the third rank, formed by heaven and earth].

The remaining Third Rank Spirit Medicine [medicinal herbs of the third rank, rich in spiritual energy] would be refined into high-grade Pill [elixirs used for cultivation] by Eldrin Chen and Lyra Jiang, allowing the others to exchange their battle merits for them.

Seeing that everyone had divided the Heaven and Earth Treasures [precious materials naturally formed by the world], Lyra Jiang waved her hand, using her mana to construct a map of the four hundred thousand Ten-Thousand-Mile Territory [a vast territory spanning ten thousand Li-lengths] stretching from Celestial Python Lake to Celestial Ruins Mountain.

Gazing upon the illusory map, everyone present could not help but feel a surge of excitement.

The treasures distributed earlier were merely transient wealth. The true foundation for a clan's eternal legacy lay in Spirit Mountain [mountains imbued with concentrated spiritual energy] and Earth Vein [the spiritual energy currents that flow through the earth].

Observing their expressions, Lyra Jiang smiled faintly and said, "Esteemed allies, as I now occupy Celestial Python Lake, I intend to rename it Heaven's Ruin Lake, and this entire territory shall henceforth be known as Heaven's Ruin Province."

"Since Heaven's Ruin Lake is under my dominion, I will grant the Spirit Mountain [mountains imbued with concentrated spiritual energy] below the Third Rank [the third major rank of cultivation power] within Heaven's Ruin Province as rewards. The immortal clans under the banner of the Heaven's Ruin Alliance, as well as Purple Mansion [the third major cultivation stage] Rogue Cultivator [cultivators not affiliated with any major clan or sect], may exchange for them according to their battle merit ranking."

"As previously agreed, seventy percent of the second-rank Spirit Mountain [mountains imbued with concentrated spiritual energy] must be reserved for Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan [clans whose strongest members have reached the Foundation Establishment realm] and Rogue Cultivator [cultivators not affiliated with any major clan or sect]." This content originates from audi novel.com. Please respect copyright.