Chapter 304 When the Peach Blossom Tree Grows Up

Suppressing his thoughts, Eldrin spent a few more days with Lyra before riding his sword back to Yujun.

In Pingyang City, he met with the Old Patriarch. Over the past few years, the venerable elder's lifespan had approached 2 100 and 60 years, and his aura had grown substantially more profound. Surprisingly, he had cultivated all the way to the ninth level of the Purple Mansion.

This lifted Eldrin’s spirits even further. He couldn’t help but remark, “Elder Uncle, with your cultivation having advanced yet again, I suspect you’ll be able to attempt the Golden Core Realm once more within 10 years.”

"Much credit goes to your third-tier spirit pearl."

The old clan leader said with a smile, "After taking control of Celestial Python Lake, Eldrin and Lyra discovered 3 precious King Shell Pearls from its depths."

The Shell King Pearl could enhance the speed of cultivation for Purple Palace realm cultivators. In the past, Eldrin had also received this treasure as a gift from Lyra, which enabled him to swiftly break through to Purple Palace, Mid Stage.

After breaking through to the Purple Palace, Late Stage, Eldrin's cultivation speed had significantly slowed due to the decade spent forging the Earth Fortress Imperial Bell.

Yet now, he was confident he could reach the Great Perfection of the Purple Mansion within 30 years, primarily because he had obtained these few King Shell Pearls.

A single King Shell Pearl could last for 30 years. Eldrin took 2 of them—1 for his own use, and the other intended for the old clan leader.

As the 2 were conversing, Eldrin brought out the Crimson Sun Void-Immolating Crucible: "I came here to entrust this artifact to you."

"With my level of cultivation, I'm afraid I cannot unleash the full potential of this artifact as you can."

The old clan leader spoke, yet still took hold of this fourth-order magic treasure.

Eldrin now possessed 4 fourth-rank lifebound immortal sword treasures: the Sky-Severing Twin Swords, the 1000-Demon Slaying Sword, and the Earth-Sovereign's Imperial Bell.

Generally speaking, a cultivator at the Golden Core, Early Stage could barely manage to manipulate 3 or 4 fourth-tier magic treasures with their spiritual sense.

Eldrin could simultaneously activate 4 artifacts because his spiritual sense rivaled that of a Golden Core cultivator. Moreover, his life-bound magical treasure consumed only 30 percent as much spiritual energy as other treasures of the same rank.

But with his Purple Palace, Late Stage cultivation, he no longer had the strength to activate a fifth fourth-order magic treasure.

Chen Changxuan primarily cultivated the Sunflame Sutra, enabling him to unleash the full potential of this treasure. The Crimson Sun Void-Immolating Crucible (Magic Treasure) falling into his hands was by no means a waste of its power.

After leaving Pingyang City, Eldrin returned to Spirit Isle Lake and methodically continued to accumulate spiritual power.

He believed cultivation was a matter of unwavering persistence. Over the years, no matter how demanding his circumstances became, he never neglected his daily cultivation practice unless it was truly impossible to fulfill.

Amid such day-after-day cultivation, another half year slipped by unnoticed.

That day, Eldrin finished absorbing the Primordial Purple Qi and completed his cultivation practice.

He rose to his feet and lifted his gaze to the peach blossom grove before him, only then realizing that spring had returned once more, leaving the ground carpeted with fallen petals.

Another year, the peach blossoms bloom.

Eldrin felt his spirits lift, his gaze drawn straight to the figure amidst the peach blossom grove.

At the end of the peach blossom grove, a woman clad in snow-white robes gently held a peach blossom branch, lowering her gaze to inhale its subtle fragrance.

She gazed at Eldrin, her bright eyes holding a trace of pure laughter. "The peach blossoms here are truly beautiful. I never grow tired of coming for my annual visit."

"Come, help me put it on."

Eldrin's eyes sparkled with mirth as he gently took the peach blossom branch and carefully tucked it into his flowing, ink-black tresses.

In an instant, the petals of the peach blossom hairpin grew so vibrant they seemed to drip with color, as if the entire peach blossom forest had been touched with newfound radiance.

"Beauty is not of mortal birth, but blossoms from the peach tree's heart."

Suddenly, Eldrin was moved to take her hand.

"Smooth talker."

Lyra's cheeks flushed slightly as she murmured, but without her realizing it, her delicate hand gripping his tightened imperceptibly.

The 10-Mile Peach Blossom Grove (Time & Distance) shed its petals, filling the mountain stream.

Beside the murmuring stream, several fish chased after peach blossom petals to nibble, only to mistakenly swallow the dog's food. Their bellies promptly turned upward, eyes glazing over with the vacant stare of the dead. After a moment of apparent misfortune, they swam away in dismay.

Eldrin walked along the lakeside isle, accompanying Lyra as they admired the 10-Mile Peach Blossom Grove.

Yet it stirred a maidenly whim in Lyra’s heart. Tugging his sleeve, she laughed, “It’s been ages since I last heard you play the qin. Will you perform a melody for me today?”

"Good."

Eldrin nodded. Clad in pristine white robes, he settled beneath the spirit peach tree with his zither resting across his knees. His gaze held a trace of indulgence as he watched her.

"This melody is called—Mythology."

Her fingers glided, drawing forth a lingering melody from the strings, like a chant echoing across a 1000 years.

She listened quietly, her bright eyes reflecting the peerless man in white. His robes blazed with such radiance, as if emanating a hazy luminescence that made even the 10-Mile Peach Blossom Grove (Time & Distance) pale by 3 shades.

Gazing at that figure, she stepped forward with her eyes lowered, a snow-white gown fluttering amidst the swirling rain of blossoms.

Beneath the spirit peach tree, he gazed tenderly at her while playing a melody that transcended the mortal realm. Her graceful form unfolded within the music's embrace, dancing a dance that belonged not to this earthly dust.

The spirit peach tree seemed to sense something, shedding a boundless shower of blossoms.

Amidst the blossoms, a dance unfolds; beneath the tree, a zither's tale is told.

He strummed the zither of past lives amidst the falling blossoms, while she danced the dance of this world amid the peach flowers—like 2 fragments of time intertwining across separate realms.

By the distant lakeside, Silas stood in silence, her gaze lifted toward the pair of figures. As she listened to the zither's melody and watched the dance, her heart seemed to sink into an abyss without end.

She felt a suffocating tightness in her chest, only then realizing tears had been streaming down her face.

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

Even if the thought arises, it must be concealed for a lifetime...

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

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

Gazing at the blossoming peach tree, a faint smile graced her lips as she remarked, "The beast tide has been quelled. The Grand Bartering Assembly shall convene in the Kingdom of Ji 2 months hence."

"Mm, let's head over together."

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

The Exchange Convention for Core Formation cultivators in Chu Kingdom (Location) is typically held once every 60 years, with an additional session convened only after the suppression of the beast tide.

The opportunity was rare. Not wanting to miss this trading assembly, the 2 did not linger and departed Yu County early.

The Ji Kingdom was millions of li away from the Chu Kingdom (Location), but Golden Core Realm cultivators could traverse 2 100 1000 li in a single day. A distance of several million li ultimately meant little to them.

The 2 spent 1 month traversing the Cerulean Peaks Range (Location) and Yan Kingdom (Location), finally arriving at the borders of Ji Kingdom (Location).

The trade fair this time was held at a market located right within the Ji Continent Trading Post.

The Ji Continent Trading Post was the largest cultivation market among the neighboring continents, ranking among the most prominent even within the entire Eastern Wastelands.

Thus, whenever the Jizhou Trade Assembly was held, not only would the Golden Core cultivators of Jizhou attend, but even practitioners from neighboring continents such as the Heavenly Abode Continent and the 1000 Stars Continent would traverse the vast chasms between lands to arrive here.

“Ji Continent Trading Post (Location)。”

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

This was his first time visiting Jizhou Market, and his first glimpse of such an enormous trading hub.

Compared to this place, whether it was the major marketplaces of the Chu Kingdom or the Qin Yuan Market of the Yuan Kingdom in the Heavenly Abode Continent, they all fell far short.