Chapter 323 : The Violet Consort's Hidden Ascension

As for the Violet Abyss Sect, they were unable to participate in this battle. Yvonne the Violet Consort of the Violet Abyss Sect had vanished decades prior, departing the Chu Kingdom with the Violet Abyss Furnace. Even Spirit Consort, the Immortal Maiden and Hibiscus, the Immortal Maiden were unaware of her whereabouts.

Eldrin Chen surmised that Yvonne the Violet Consort had most likely gone into seclusion to attempt a breakthrough into the Nascent Soul Realm [the stage where a cultivator's spirit forms an independent, immortal entity]. The upper echelons of the Violet Abyss Sect had likely accompanied her to serve as guardians for her tribulation.

The birth of a Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul [a Nascent Soul formed in perfect harmony with the Heavenly Dao, representing the pinnacle of potential] would inevitably shake the foundations of dozens of surrounding continents.

If the breakthrough were attempted within the Chu Kingdom, neither the Green Flood Dragon Demon Emperor nor the Demonic Cultivator [cultivators who use malevolent, often sacrificial methods to gain power] would stand idly by, likely triggering a cataclysmic conflict.

And indeed, this was precisely the case. Not only had Yvonne the Violet Consort left the Eastern Wastelands, she had done so with the covert support of the Ji Clan.

Breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm consumes a vast amount of spiritual energy and requires the assistance of at least a Fifth Rank Spirit Vein [a place of immense natural spiritual power]. Given the Ji Clan's unstinting support, it was clear that Yvonne the Violet Consort would soon become one of the hidden aces of the Human Race within the Ji Continent.

Returning to the matter at hand, Eldrin Chen and Qian the Sect Master personally led the assault to the gates of Demonic Ape Mountain. Fighting side by side, they slew over a dozen Demonic Cultivator at the Purple Mansion Realm [the stage where a cultivator's spiritual foundation solidifies into a 'Purple Mansion' within their dantian], forcing the host of fiends from Demonic Ape Mountain to retreat and barricade themselves within their mountain stronghold.

With the Demonic Cultivator thus trapped, the two simply took up positions outside Demonic Ape Mountain, effectively laying siege to this Demonic Cultivator Forbidden Land.

Simultaneously, the war machines of the Heaven's Ruin Alliance and the Firmament Sword Sect began to grind into motion. A great host of cultivators started to converge, transported by numerous Treasure Boat [enchanted vessels used for long-distance travel].

After centuries of development, the strength of both the Heaven's Ruin Alliance and the Firmament Sword Sect had grown substantially. Support the author by reading on audio-novel`com.

Particularly the Heaven's Ruin Alliance, the number of Golden Core Cultivators [cultivators who have formed a Golden Core, a major milestone] participating in this campaign has already exceeded a dozen. The Chen Clan alone has dispatched five: Kael Chen, the Old Patriarch, Lior Chen, Lila, and Silas Chen.

The Heaven's Ruin Sect has also contributed three: Elara Lin, Su Mingwei, and the recently ascended Liu Seraphina.

Among the allied Immortal Clans [powerful cultivation families], the Xu Clan and the Qian Clan also have Golden Core experts present. Qian Changxu of the Qian Immortal Clan, a Golden Core Cultivator who broke through less than a decade ago, is among them. This count does not even include the two Dao companions of Eldrin Chen.

To ensure the complete eradication of the Demonic Cultivators [cultivators who use malevolent and blood-based arts], Eldrin Chen left Liu Seraphina, Kael Chen, and Lior Chen behind to guard against potential attacks from the Demonic Tribe [tribes of sentient demonic beasts]. Virtually all remaining Golden Core Cultivators from the alliance have been mobilized for this offensive.

The number of cultivators below the Golden Core Realm participating is also substantial. The total count of Purple Mansion Cultivators [cultivators who have opened their Purple Mansion, the spiritual core] from the entire Chu Kingdom who have joined the battle has even surpassed three hundred.

This figure is more than three times greater than it was during Eldrin Chen's youth.

The reason lies not only in the flourishing development of the Chu Kingdom itself but also in their conquests of Heaven's Ruin Province and Earth Lion Province.

The Heaven's Ruin Province alone is half the size of the original Chu Kingdom, while the territory of Earth Lion Province approaches the expanse of the kingdom's former heartlands.

Such vast territories naturally yield abundant resources. As these lands were gradually developed, dozens of small and micro Spirit Stone Mines [veins of Spirit Stones, the mineral currency and cultivation aid] have been discovered, not to mention the wealth of other materials.

Now, the Chen Immortal Clan alone boasts forty-three Purple Mansion Cultivators and over two hundred Foundation Establishment Cultivators [cultivators who have solidified their foundation, the stage after Qi Refinement].

In truth, as the trend of Self-Guided Foundation Establishment within the Chen Clan had gradually cooled over these years, and the number of cultivators resorting to the Foundation Establishment Pill [a special elixir that aids in breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm] had steadily increased, a significant portion of these three hundred-plus individuals had already achieved their breakthrough using such pills.

Returning to the main subject, with the massive redeployment of cultivators, it took merely half a year before they had Demonic Ape Mountain surrounded so tightly that not even a drop of water could leak through.

Eldrin Chen did not act immediately. After handing the Mirror of the Vast Heaven [a mystical treasure capable of vast perception] over to the Old Patriarch, he proceeded directly via the Teleportation Formation to the Yan Kingdom and the cultivation grounds of the Heaven's Ruin Sect.

"How is the situation?"

Upon arriving at the Heaven's Ruin Sect, Eldrin Chen could not help but ask immediately.

Lyra Jiang, who was guarding before the spirit pool, also wore a grave expression.

The Heaven's Ruin Sect's grounds were the former ancestral lands of the Deng Clan, possessing a Spirit Vein [a natural conduit of spiritual energy] of the Fourth Rank Middle Grade. Being relatively distant from the Demonic Tribe Territory, it had been chosen as the final site for the advancement of the Glazed Armor of the Three Treasures [a legendary suit of armor].

"It should be within the next three months."

As Lyra Jiang spoke, a flicker of anticipation shone in her eyes.

Eldrin Chen gave a nod, his gaze settling upon the spirit pool before him. Within its depths, a suit of glazed armor, shimmering with a tri-colored treasure light, rotated slowly.

It glowed with an inner light, ceaselessly drawing upon the spiritual energy within the spirit pool, continuously igniting the Spiritual Treasure Formation Runes embedded within the treasure armor.

The power of those Spiritual Treasure Formation Runes was extraordinary; illuminating even a single strand consumed a vast amount of spiritual energy. Having now drawn upon the energy from eight separate Fourth Rank Spirit Vein, it had only managed to illuminate roughly seventy to eighty percent of them.

One could say the cost was immense. Once a Spirit Vein [a natural conduit of concentrated spiritual energy] was drained of its energy, it required a full Jiazi-time [a sixty-year cycle] to recover its peak potency. During that period, the concentration of spiritual energy within the Spirit Vein would diminish by thirty to fifty percent.

Yet, despite this, their anticipation remained boundless. The greater the amount of spiritual energy the Glazed Armor of the Three Treasures absorbed, the more formidable its ultimate power promised to be.

Time seemed to lose meaning. Then, one day, the formation runes upon the Glazed Armor of the Three Treasures finally ignited completely.

Strand after strand of spiritual treasure-grade formation runes erupted with dazzling radiance, each thread thrumming with a terrifying, heaven-shaking, earth-quaking divine might. Join our community of readers at audio_novel.com.

*Crack-crack-crack—*

Amidst a series of crisp, shattering sounds, vast quantities of impurities were forcibly expelled from the Glazed Armor of the Three Treasures. Its very substance was undergoing a sublime transformation.

Finally, the Glazed Armor of the Three Treasures disassembled. Individual components flew out, assembling themselves upon Lyra Jiang's form with seamless precision.

Once clad in the treasure armor, Lyra Jiang discovered it was actively adapting to her physique. It ultimately transformed into a resplendent, form-fitting gown of plate, perfectly accentuating her graceful and alluring figure.

Gazing upon her flawless form, Eldrin Chen felt a sudden dryness in his throat. He reached out and pulled her close, whispering, "How does it feel?"

Her cheeks flushed a delicate pink. Lyra Jiang willed the treasure armor to shift, transforming into an elegant, flowing gown. A look of pure delight graced her features as she exclaimed, "The Glazed Armor of the Three Treasures [a legendary defensive treasure forged from three-colored glazed crystal] is truly extraordinary!"

As Lyra Jiang explained its wonders, Eldrin Chen came to understand the profound mysteries of the Glazed Armor of the Three Treasures's divine abilities.

As a Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [a treasure of the highest order, capable of subduing demonic forces], the Glazed Armor of the Three Treasures possessed three spiritual treasure divine abilities. The first was the Glazed Diamond Body [a defensive technique that renders the cultivator's body and spirit as hard and radiant as glazed diamond].

This ability protected both the cultivator's spirit soul and physical form, capable of withstanding curses and divine abilities of Great Divine Ability [a high-tier classification for immensely powerful supernatural techniques] grade, even those from the Unorthodox Path [heretical cultivation methods that often employ ruthless or forbidden arts].

The second ability was named Triple Treasure Glazed Aegis [a protective barrier manifesting as a three-colored glazed energy shield]. This technique could project a formidable tri-colored glazed energy shield, an exceptionally powerful defensive art for refining one's Demon God [a powerful demonic entity or a state of demonic cultivation].

Furthermore, the inherent defensive power of the Glazed Armor of the Three Treasures was immense. Once Lyra Jiang donned this treasure, even without actively invoking its protective abilities, its base defense alone was sufficient to withstand attacks from ordinary top-grade Magical Treasure [enchanted artifacts used by cultivators, more powerful than mere Magical Tools].

The third ability was called Triple Treasure Glazed Spirit Augmentation Art [an auxiliary technique that temporarily and dramatically amplifies the cultivator's spiritual energy reserves]. This was the auxiliary divine ability of this Demon-Subduing Treasure, capable of temporarily and greatly enhancing a cultivator's mana reserves.

With Lyra Jiang's current cultivation level, donning the Glazed Armor of the Three Treasures would significantly boost her mana reserves once more, reaching ninety percent of that possessed by a Golden Core Cultivator [a cultivator who has formed a Golden Core, a major milestone representing immense power].

With such a formidable augmentation, her combat prowess might not be far inferior to that of Ignatius the Blazing Lord.

The sole drawback is that the Glazed Armor of the Three Treasures [a legendary defensive treasure] possesses a finite reservoir of energy. After each major battle, it requires a full century to naturally replenish its power.

Unless they can ascend to the Nascent Soul [the realm where a cultivator's spirit forms an independent, immortal entity] and use their own Nascent Soul Qi [the pure, potent spiritual energy of a Nascent Soul cultivator] to directly recharge the Glazed Armor of the Three Treasures, it can only be deployed as a final, desperate trump card, reserved for the most dire of circumstances. Join our community of readers at audio-novel dot com.