Chapter 304 : Pearls of Power and Ancestral Might

Suppressing his thoughts, Eldrin Chen spent a few more days with Lyra Jiang before finally soaring back to Yu County on his flying sword.

In Pingyang City, he met with the Old Patriarch. Over the past few years, the Ancient Ancestor's lifespan had approached two hundred and sixty years, yet his aura had grown even more profound and robust. Astonishingly, he had cultivated his way to the Purple Mansion Ninth Layer.

This lifted Eldrin Chen's spirits further. He couldn't help but remark, "With your cultivation having advanced another step, Old Granduncle, you will likely be able to attempt the Golden Core realm once more within a decade."

"I owe much of that to your Third Rank Spirit Pearl [a high-grade spiritual pearl that enhances cultivation speed]," the Old Patriarch replied with a smile.

After securing Celestial Python Lake, Eldrin Chen and Lyra Jiang had discovered three precious Shellfish King Pearl [a rare pearl from a high-grade spirit clam that accelerates cultivation] within its depths.

These Shellfish King Pearl could increase the cultivation speed of a Purple Mansion Cultivator. Years ago, Eldrin Chen himself had received such a gift from Lyra Jiang, which had allowed him to break through rapidly to the Purple Palace, Mid Stage.

After reaching the Purple Palace, Late Stage, Eldrin Chen's progress had slowed considerably, delayed by a decade spent forging the Earth-Fortress Sovereign Bell.

Yet, he was still confident of reaching the Purple Mansion Great Perfection within thirty years, primarily thanks to obtaining these Shellfish King Pearl.

A single Shellfish King Pearl could be used for thirty years. Eldrin Chen had taken two: one for himself and the other intended for the Old Patriarch.

As they conversed, Eldrin Chen produced the Crimson Sun Void-Immolating Crucible. "My purpose in coming," he said, "was to entrust this artifact to you." Official source: audio-novel-dot-com. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

"With my current cultivation level, I likely cannot unleash the full might of this treasure as effectively as you can."

Old Patriarch said this, yet still took the Fourth Rank Magical Treasure [a powerful enchanted artifact of the fourth rank] into his hands.

By now, Eldrin Chen already possessed four Fourth Rank Lifebound Immortal Sword Magical Treasure [fourth-rank immortal swords bound to his very life essence]: the Heavenly Separated Twin Swords, the Thousand-Demon Slaying Sword, and the Earth-Fortress Sovereign Bell.

Generally speaking, a cultivator at the Golden Core, Early Stage [the initial phase of the Golden Core realm] could barely manage to wield three or four Fourth Rank Magical Treasure [magical treasures of the fourth rank] with their spiritual sense.

The reason Eldrin Chen could command four such treasures was twofold: his spiritual sense rivaled that of a true Golden Core [Golden Core realm] expert, and his Life-Bound Magical Treasure [magical treasures fused with his life essence] consumed only thirty percent of the spiritual energy required by ordinary treasures of the same rank.

However, with his Purple Palace, Late Stage [late-stage Purple Mansion realm] level of spiritual energy, he had no remaining capacity to activate a fifth Fourth Rank Magical Treasure.

Chen Thalion primarily cultivated the Solar Separated Flame Scripture [a scripture of the Solar Separated Flame path], allowing him to unleash this treasure's maximum potential. Thus, the Crimson Sun Void-Immolating Crucible [a crucible that incinerates with crimson solar flames] would not be wasted in his possession.

Departing from Pingyang City, Eldrin Chen returned to Spirit Isle Lake and resumed his methodical routine of accumulating spiritual energy.

His cultivation philosophy emphasized unwavering perseverance. Over the years, no matter how demanding his duties became, he never neglected his daily cultivation regimen unless circumstances made it truly impossible.

Amidst this cycle of day-in, day-out cultivation, another half-year slipped by almost unnoticed.

On this day, after absorbing the Primordial Essence [the purest form of spiritual energy from the dawn] and completing his cultivation exercises, Eldrin Chen rose to his feet.

He lifted his gaze towards the Peach Blossom Grove before him, only then realizing that spring had returned once more, and the peach blossoms had fallen, carpeting the ground.

"Another year, another bloom of peach blossoms," he murmured.

A sense of serene delight washed over Eldrin Chen, and his eyes settled on a figure moving gracefully within the Peach Blossom Grove.

At the grove's far edge, a woman clad in a gown white as snow held a branch of peach blossoms, her head bowed slightly as she inhaled its subtle fragrance.

She looked towards Eldrin Chen, her bright eyes holding a pure, gentle smile. "The blossoms here are truly beautiful. I never tire of coming to see them each year."

"Here, help me put this on," she said.

A smile touched Eldrin Chen's eyes as he took the peach blossom branch and carefully tucked it into her flowing dark hair.

Instantly, the petals of the blossom hairpin seemed to glow with vibrant color, as if the entire Peach Blossom Grove had gained a new layer of beauty.

"Such beauty was not born of mortal womb, but surely grew from a peach tree's bloom," he whispered, an old verse coming to mind.

For a reason he could not name, Eldrin Chen was moved and took her hand.

"Such a silver tongue you have."

Lyra Jiang chided with a faint blush, yet her slender hand, almost of its own accord, tightened its grip on his.

The gentle spring breeze for ten Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] pales before your grace, as peach blossoms blanket the murmuring stream.

In the babbling brook nearby, several fish chased after floating peach petals, mistaking them for food. They swallowed, then seemed to regret it, flipping to show their pale bellies and staring with vacant eyes. After a long moment, they swam away in apparent disgust.

Eldrin Chen walked upon Lake Heart Island, accompanying Lyra Jiang as they admired the Ten-Mile Peach Blossom Grove. Original English translation available at audio-novel . com.

Yet the sight stirred a girlish whimsy in Lyra Jiang, and she tugged at him, smiling. "It has been too long since I heard you play the qin [a seven-stringed Chinese zither]. Play a melody for me today."

"As you wish."

Eldrin Chen nodded. Clad in robes of pristine white, he settled beneath a Spirit Peach Tree, placed the qin upon his knees, and sat cross-legged. His gaze, resting upon her, was filled with tender affection.

"This piece is called—Myth."

His fingertips glided, and a long, lingering melody from the zither arose, as if a chant echoing across a thousand years of time.

She listened quietly, her bright eyes reflecting the peerlessly handsome man in white. His pristine robes shone brilliantly, seeming to emit a hazy radiance that dimmed the splendor of the Ten-Mile Peach Blossom Grove by three parts.

Gazing at that figure, she lowered her eyes and stepped forward. A snow-white long skirt fluttered amidst the swirling rain of petals.

Beneath the Spirit Peach Tree, he gazed at her tenderly, playing a melody that did not belong to this mortal realm. Her graceful form unfolded within the music, dancing a dance that did not belong to that world of red dust.

The Spirit Peach Tree seemed touched, shedding a boundless shower of blossoms.

A dance amidst the flowers, a zither beneath the tree.

He played the zither of a past life in the petal rain; she danced the dance of this present moment amidst the peach blossoms. It was as if two separate eras were merging across the divide of time.

On the distant lakeshore, Silas stood silently. Her eyes looked up at that pair of figures, listening to the zither's song and watching the dance, yet her heart felt as if it had sunk into a bottomless abyss.

She felt she could scarcely breathe, only then realizing that her face was already streaked with tears.

Some emotions are fated to be like standing at the edge of an abyss, like treading on thin ice—untouchable, unthinkable.

Even if one yearns, one must spend a lifetime concealing it…

As the final note faded, the souls of the two seemed to draw closer.

Lyra Jiang nestled in his embrace, her usual sharpness softened, replaced by a rare tenderness.

Gazing at a tree of peach blossoms, she said with a gentle smile, "The Beast Tide Calamity [a periodic, devastating invasion of monstrous beasts] has ended. In two months, the Barter Convention [a grand gathering for cultivators to trade rare resources] will be held in Ji Nation."

"Mm, let us go together."

Eldrin Chen held her tightly, as if embracing the entire world.

The Chu Kingdom Golden Core Cultivator [a powerful cultivator who has formed a Golden Core, the third major stage of cultivation] Barter Convention is typically convened once every Jiazi-time [a sixty-year cycle]. An additional session is only called following the conclusion of a Beast Tide Calamity.

This was a rare opportunity. Not wishing to miss the convention, the pair did not linger long and departed Yu County early.

Ji Nation lies several million Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] from Chu Kingdom. However, a Golden Core Realm [the third major stage of cultivation, marked by the formation of a Golden Core] cultivator can traverse two hundred thousand Li-length in a single day, making a journey of millions of Li-length a matter of little consequence.

The two spent one month crossing the Cerulean Peaks Range and Yan Kingdom, finally arriving within the borders of Ji Nation.

The Barter Convention [a large-scale gathering for cultivators to trade rare and valuable items] this time was held at the Ji Continent Trading Post [the largest and most renowned trading hub within the Ji Continent].

This Ji Continent Trading Post was the grandest Cultivation Market [a designated area where cultivators gather to trade goods and services] among the several nearby continents. Even within the vast expanse of the Eastern Wastelands [a legendary and perilous region bordering the known world], it ranked among the most prominent.

Therefore, whenever the Ji Continent Barter Convention was convened, not only would Golden Core Cultivators [powerful cultivators who have condensed their spiritual essence into a solid Golden Core] from Ji Continent attend, but practitioners from nearby great continents like Heavenly Abode Continent and Thousand Star Continent would also traverse the formidable natural chasms separating the lands to arrive.

"The Ji Continent Trading Post,"

Gazing upon the Ji Continent Trading Post before him, a look of profound awe flashed in Eldrin Chen's eyes.

This was his first visit to the market of Ji Continent, and his first glimpse of a trading post of such immense scale.

Compared to this place, all the major markets of the Chu Kingdom, and even the Qinyuan Market in Yuan Nation on the Heavenly Abode Continent, paled into insignificance. Support the author by reading on *audio-novel.com*.