Chapter 299 : Swift Conquest of Spiritual Veins

With their current strength, assaulting a Third-order Spiritual Vein [a spiritual energy source of the third rank] had become a relatively simple matter. Eldrin Chen did not mobilize the Celestial Python Treasure Ark [a massive treasure ship]. Instead, he borrowed Exquisite Jiang's Green Sun Treasure Ark [a swift, smaller treasure vessel].

This ark was a small treasure ship, its speed far surpassing that of the Heavenly Python Treasure Ship. Furthermore, because it was integrated with Void Gem [a rare spatial mineral], it could still transport three hundred people, making it a formidable weapon for elite cultivators in swift-strike operations.

Piloting the Green Sun Treasure Ark, Eldrin Chen led the Old Patriarch and over a dozen other Violet Sanctum Cultivator [cultivators at the Violet Sanctum realm] on a campaign spanning hundreds of thousands of Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters]. They finally succeeded in capturing the seven Third-order Spiritual Vein and five Earth Vein [geological formations rich in earth-attribute spiritual energy] within the Heavenly Python Lake territory.

The Violet Sanctum Demonic Beast [demonic beasts at the Violet Sanctum realm] residing in these Spiritual Vein were either slain by Eldrin Chen or, having received advance warning, fled into the territories of Demonic Ape Mountain and Earth Lion Ridge. Unable to withstand the assembled force, the enemy defenses crumbled upon contact.

Nearly one hundred Second Rank [second rank] Spiritual Vein remained. However, Eldrin Chen chose not to handle these personally, reserving them as rewards for the various Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan [clans whose patriarchs have reached the Foundation Establishment realm]. Those clans could mobilize their own forces to claim them.

After expelling or exterminating the high-level Demon Race [demonic beings] within the Heavenly Python Lake region, Eldrin Chen led the group back to Heavenly Python Lake itself.

Upon meeting Exquisite Jiang, they immediately convened a debriefing council.

During the council, Eldrin Chen said with a smile, "After this campaign, the great demons at the Violet Sanctum [Violet Sanctum realm] level and above within the Heavenly Python Lake territory have either perished or fled. For hundreds of thousands of Li-length, no high-tier demonic beasts remain."

"Your efforts are appreciated,"

Exquisite Jiang replied, her face graced with a smile. With the high-tier demonic beasts of the Heavenly Python Lake territory eliminated, only creatures below the Foundation Establishment [Foundation Establishment realm] remained. Original publication: @udio-novel.com - The source of this chapter.

These demonic beasts possess limited intelligence, yet their numbers seem inexhaustible. Even if a dozen or twenty Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan [a clan whose core members have reached the Foundation Establishment stage] were to migrate here, it would likely take over a century to clear out the majority of them.

To truly pacify the land to the point where ordinary mortals could thrive and multiply, as they do in Chu Nation, would likely require several centuries of relentless cleansing efforts.

However, in the Future [a conventional term for a coming period of time] decades or even a century from now, the territory of Heavenly Python Lake is certain to become a veritable paradise for rogue cultivators of the Human Race and for Foundation Establishment Cultivator [cultivators who have solidified their cultivation foundation] who are still in the Vital Essence Refinement [the initial stage of cultivation focused on refining one's life force] stage.

After all, these low-tier demonic beasts, stripped of the protection of their higher-tier kin, will become prized targets in the eyes of rogue cultivators and the various great clans. In ordinary times, hunting such beasts was never this easy.

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

"These record the compensation for the fallen, the merits earned in battle, and the spoils of war."

"Let us discuss their specific distribution."

At Exquisite Jiang's words, everyone looked at the ledgers with eager anticipation.

Eldrin Chen took a ledger and glanced through it. Even though he had anticipated the scale, seeing the figures laid out still stirred a profound sense of excitement within him.

This war was a victory unseen in Chu Nation for centuries. The nation's territory had expanded by nearly a third. The spoils of such a triumph naturally far surpassed anything from previous conflicts.

The captured resources were primarily divided into three categories: the first consisted of flesh-and-blood magical treasures wielded by the demonic beasts; the second were Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures [rare and precious spiritual resources]; and the third were various fixed assets such as Spirit Mountain [mountains rich in spiritual energy] and Earth Vein [subterranean currents of spiritual energy].

Among the movable spoils, the Fourth-Rank Magical Treasure [magical artifacts of the fourth rank] obtained numbered five in total, while there were over thirty Third-Rank Magical Treasure [magical artifacts of the third rank], along with the corpses and Inner Pill [the condensed energy core of a demonic beast] of two Demon King [powerful demonic beings equivalent to the Golden Core realm].

Among those Fourth-Rank Magical Treasure, the ones Eldrin Chen secured were a Black Flood Dragon Immortal Sword [a sword forged from or imbued with the essence of a Black Flood Dragon] and a Path Ruins Crown [a crown artifact named 'Path Ruins'], both being Fourth Rank Low-Grade [low-grade fourth-rank] magical treasures.

Exquisite Jiang also claimed two items: one was a Crimson Scorpion Heart-Piercing Nail [a venomous nail-like weapon], and the other was a Crimson Flame Golden Pearl [a golden pearl radiating crimson flames]. The final item was the Heavenly Heart Bracelet [a bracelet named 'Heavenly Heart'], which served as the Formation Artifact [a core artifact used to anchor and power a formation] for Heavenly Python Lake.

Among these several Fourth-Rank Magical Treasure, Eldrin Chen directly exchanged for the Black Flood Dragon Immortal Sword and the Crimson Flame Golden Pearl. The Crimson Flame Golden Pearl could be fused into the Solar Fire Returning Abyss Sword [his primary sword, named 'Solar Fire Returning Abyss'], enhancing both the material quality and the potency of the blade.

The remaining items fell into the hands of Exquisite Jiang. Even if she did not use these fourth-rank treasures personally, they could serve as Formation Artifact or be traded with Golden Core Cultivator [cultivators who have formed a Golden Core] for crucial resources.

Although this battle yielded two fourth-rank Demon Core [the energy core of a high-level demonic beast], the Heavenly Ruins Alliance no longer possessed the other key ingredient for the Golden Core Formation Pill [a pill that aids in forming a Golden Core]: the Heavenly Heart Grass [a rare spiritual herb]. Valued at over a million Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy], obtaining this herb would likely require an equivalent fourth-rank treasure for exchange.

The others also accumulated significant military merit, but it was still insufficient to exchange for a Fourth-Rank Magical Treasure.

Although Xavier Xu and Patriarch Fang, both Pseudo-Core Realm [cultivators at a stage just below forming a true Golden Core] Patriarch, had considerable merit, it was not enough to trade for a Fourth-Rank Magical Treasure. Most crucially, their goal was the Golden Core Formation Pill, so they naturally dared not spend their accumulated Merits [a metaphysical currency representing contributions and good karma].

There were over thirty Third-Rank Magical Treasure. Eldrin Chen exchanged for two Third Rank Superior Grade [superior-grade third-rank] magical treasures to be kept for the clan's cultivators to use during future tribulations. The remainder were distributed among the many Violet Sanctum [cultivators at the Violet Sanctum realm] and the few Foundation Establishment Cultivator [cultivators at the Foundation Establishment realm] who had rendered exceptional service.

The remains of the Black Flood Dragon Demon King were also given to Exquisite Jiang. She intended to fire up her alchemical furnace to refine several Flesh and Blood Precious Pill [potent elixirs refined from the vital essence of powerful demonic beasts], while the bones would be used to construct a second large War Treasure Ship.

The investment required for a large War Treasure Ship is immense. Even a Treasure Ship of merely Fourth Rank Low-Grade quality costs several million Spirit Stones [minerals that store and radiate spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation] to construct.

However, large War Treasure Ships are supreme treasures for assaulting Spirit Mountains [mountains imbued with potent spiritual energy], are perfectly suited for large-scale troop deployments, and serve as the primary means for mortal populations to migrate across kingdoms and continents. Naturally, the more, the better.

The flesh, blood, and Inner Pills [the condensed energy cores of demonic beasts] from the Violet Sanctum Demonic Beasts were also plentiful. The flesh was naturally divided among the various Violet Sanctum Immortal Clans. In total, there were fifteen Inner Pills.

These Inner Pills would be personally refined by Eldrin Chen. After distributing compensation for the fallen, they would be offered for exchange to the various cultivation families of the Chu Nation.

After dividing the treasures and Inner Pills from the high-tier demonic beasts, the group turned their discussion to the allocation of the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures [rare and potent spiritual resources formed by heaven and earth]. Original publication: audi0-n0vel.c0m - The source of this chapter.

This campaign had secured one Fourth-Rank Spiritual Vein [a vein of concentrated spiritual energy, ranked fourth in potency] and one fourth-rank Water Vein [a vein of concentrated water-element spiritual energy]. The remaining spoils included seven Third-order Spiritual Veins and Earth Veins [veins of concentrated earth-element spiritual energy].

From these Spirit Mountains and Earth Veins, they had seized as many as seventeen Five Elements Treasure Crystals [crystals containing the refined essence of the five elements], over thirty various Third-Rank Heaven and Earth Treasures, and more than twenty Third-Rank Spirit Herbs. Among these were also six Positive Water Treasure Crystals [pure yang-aligned water-element crystals].

It was foreseeable that capturing Heavenly Python Lake would greatly alleviate the scarcity of Positive Water Treasure Crystals within the Chu Nation.

"You may decide on the distribution of these treasures amongst yourselves."

Having taken the most valuable Water Essence Treasure Pearl [a precious pearl containing the pure essence of water], Eldrin Chen felt it would be improper to claim a share of these Third-Rank Heaven and Earth Treasure [third-tier spiritual treasures] as well.

However, the Chen Clan was not without its gains. Five of their Violet Sanctum Cultivator [cultivators at the Violet Sanctum Realm] had participated in the battle, constituting one-sixth of the Heavenly Ruins Alliance's Violet Sanctum [Violet Sanctum Realm] combatants. Furthermore, they had the Old Patriarch, whose power rivaled that of the Pseudo-Core Realm [a state approaching the Golden Core Realm].

Thus, the Old Patriarch took charge, directly exchanging for four Positive Water Crystal [crystals of pure yang water energy] and several other Third-Rank Heaven and Earth Treasure.

The remaining Third-Rank Spirit Herbs [third-tier spiritual herbs] would be refined into high-grade elixirs by Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang, to be exchanged by the others using their battle merits.

Once the distribution of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures [rare spiritual resources] was complete, Exquisite Jiang waved her hand, using her magic power to conjure a map of the four hundred thousand Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] territory stretching from Heavenly Python Lake to Heavenly Ruins Mountain.

Gazing upon the ethereal map, everyone present could not suppress their rising excitement.

The treasures they had just divided were merely transient wealth. The true foundation for any Immortal Clan's enduring Immortality [the state of being an immortal] lay in Spirit Mountain [mountains rich with spiritual energy] and Earth Vein [the spiritual arteries of the land].

Observing their expressions, Exquisite Jiang offered a faint smile. "Esteemed allies," she began, "I have claimed Heavenly Python Lake and intend to rename it Heavenly Ruins Lake. This entire domain shall henceforth be known as Heavenly Ruins Prefecture."

"Since I occupy Heavenly Ruins Lake, I shall grant the Spirit Mountain below the third rank within Heavenly Ruins Prefecture as rewards. The Immortal Clan [clans with immortal heritage] under the Heavenly Ruins Alliance, as well as rogue cultivators at the Violet Sanctum [Violet Sanctum Realm], may exchange for them according to their battle merit ranking."

"As previously agreed, seventy percent of the Second Rank [Second Rank] Spirit Mountain must be reserved for Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan [Immortal Clans at the Foundation Establishment Realm] and rogue cultivators." Find this and other novels at audio-novel . com.