Chapter 328 : A Promise Forged in Battle

Xavier Xu took the ledger and glanced at it, unable to suppress a look of pleasant surprise.

However, a trace of regret soon surfaced on his face. Although the spoils from this battle were immense, his own contribution had not been significant. The merit points he earned would at most be enough to exchange for a single Golden Core Formation Pill [a rare and precious pill that aids in forming a Golden Core], and he had already promised that his share of the battle's gains would go to Eldrin Chen.

Eldrin Chen cast a calm glance his way, then said with a faint smile, "In this battle, you held back a Demonic Tribe Golden Core [a cultivator who has formed a solidified core of condensed spiritual energy]. In the future, when we have Golden Core Formation Pill available, I will sell one to your Xu Clan at half price."

"My deepest thanks."

Upon hearing this, Xavier Xu bowed deeply, his excitement palpable. Not long ago, Xu Darius had also reached the ninth layer of the Purple Mansion [the spiritual palace realm within a cultivator's body], but the Xu Clan had been struggling to gather the resources needed to purchase a Golden Core Formation Pill.

The chance to acquire one at half price meant the Xu Clan might yet nurture a second Golden Core Cultivator in the future.

"There is no need for such formalities."

Eldrin Chen replied with detached calm, his gaze shifting to the ledger in his hand. A genuine smile touched the corners of his eyes.

The spoils from this campaign were unprecedented. As per the usual classification, the captured assets were divided into three main categories: fixed assets, Spirit Medicine [plants imbued with spiritual energy used in alchemy] and Inner Core [the condensed energy core of a powerful beast], Heaven and Earth Treasures [rare natural materials formed by the convergence of heaven and earth's spiritual essence], and Magical Treasure [enchanted artifacts used by cultivators].

The fixed assets referred to the Spirit Mountain [a mountain rich in spiritual energy] and Earth Vein [a subterranean channel of concentrated earth-element spiritual energy] of Earth Lion Ridge. Within a radius of several hundred thousand Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] around Earth Lion Ridge, there was one Fourth Rank Spirit Mountain, one Fourth Rank Earth Vein, twelve Third Rank Spirit Vein [a vein of spiritual energy of the third rank], six Third Rank Earth Vein, and over seventy Second Rank Spirit Vein. Find thousands of chapters at audio-novel[dot]com.

In accordance with the prior agreement, the Third Rank Spirit Vein [a spiritual energy source suitable for Purple Mansion cultivators] and the Earth Vein [a terrestrial energy source that nourishes the land and produces earth-attribute treasures] were not claimed by Eldrin Chen and Lyra Jiang. Instead, they were left for distribution among the various Immortal Clan [powerful cultivation families with a long heritage].

The Fourth Rank Spirit Mountain [a mountain suffused with spiritual energy potent enough for Golden Core cultivators] at Earth Lion Ridge and its underlying Earth Vein [the physical location where the earth energy converges] were claimed by Eldrin Chen and Lyra Jiang. This Spirit Mountain and Earth Vein were exceptionally rich in resources. Their spiritual energy was abundant enough to sustain the cultivation of six or seven Golden Core Cultivator [practitioners who have formed a solidified core of spiritual power], and the material wealth they could generate would allow the pair to amass a vast fortune.

According to Eldrin Chen's estimation, this Fourth Rank Middle Grade [a specific quality level within the Fourth Rank] Spirit Mountain contained enough fertile ground to cultivate several hundred *mu-area* [approximately sixty-six thousand six hundred sixty-seven square meters] of high-grade Spirit Farmland [land enriched by spiritual energy for growing spiritual crops]. In theory, it could even support the growth of fourth or fifth-rank Spirit Medicine [plants imbued with spiritual properties used in alchemy].

Furthermore, the Earth Vein would naturally condense one Earth Essence Treasure Pearl [a precious pearl formed from concentrated earth essence] every Jiazi-time [a sixty-year cycle], and every few decades it would produce a precious Fourth Rank Heaven and Earth Treasures [a rare natural treasure formed by the convergence of heaven and earth energies].

In addition, the Earth Vein contained seven or eight mineral veins of varying sizes. The annual output of Heaven and Earth Treasures from these veins was estimated to be worth around one hundred thousand Spirit Stone [minerals that store and radiate spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation].

Moreover, the Spirit Mountain was home to an Earth Spirit Fruit Tree. The Earth Spirit Fruit it bore were rich in creation-nurturing spiritual energy, their effect similar to that of the Fire Spirit Fruit Tree on Green Sun Mountain.

It could be said that by securing this Spirit Mountain, the path of cultivation for Eldrin Chen and Lyra Jiang would become significantly smoother in the years to come.

The second category of spoils consisted of Spirit Medicine and Inner Core [the condensed spiritual core of a powerful beast]. The group had obtained three Demonic Beast Inner Core [the inner core of a demonic beast, a potent alchemical ingredient]: one from an early-stage Golden Core, Early Stage Golden Lion Mastiff, one from a mid-stage Golden Core, Mid Stage Savage Ox Demon King, and one from a late-stage Golden Core, Late Stage Earth Lion Demon King.

These three Inner Core were of exceptional quality and should be sufficient to refine just over ten Golden Core Formation Pill [a legendary pill that significantly aids in the formation of a Golden Core].

As for the Spirit Medicine, they had gathered no small amount: five specimens of Fourth Rank Spirit Medicine and over fifty specimens of Third Rank Spirit Medicine.

Among these five Fourth Rank [the fourth major stage of cultivation, equivalent to the Golden Core Realm] Spirit Medicine [rare plants imbued with potent spiritual energy, used in alchemy], two were Heavenly Heart Herb [a rare spiritual herb that stabilizes the heart and mind during profound cultivation breakthroughs]. This should be sufficient to attempt two separate alchemical refinements of the Pill [a refined medicinal pellet condensed from spiritual essences] known as the Golden Core Formation Pill [a legendary pill that aids in the formation of a cultivator's Golden Core, the core of their power].

Besides the Heavenly Heart Herb, Eldrin Chen recognized the other three Spirit Medicine as well. One was a Thousand-Year Green Essence Ganoderma [a spiritual fungus that has absorbed the essence of heaven and earth for a millennium], another was a Cloud-Returning Flower [a mystical flower said to gather and condense the essence of drifting clouds], and the final one was a Nirvana Fruit [a miraculous fruit rumored to contain the power of rebirth and renewal].

The value of the Thousand-Year Green Essence Ganoderma was self-evident. The Cloud-Returning Flower served as the primary ingredient for both the 'Cloud-Returning Tribulation-Breaking Pill [a supreme pill that helps a cultivator overcome the heavenly tribulation when advancing from the early to the mid-stage of the Golden Core Realm]' and the 'Cloud-Returning Creation Pill [an even rarer pill that assists in the perilous breakthrough from the mid to the late stage of the Golden Core Realm]'.

The Cloud-Returning Tribulation-Breaking Pill was a key treasure for breaking through to the Golden Core, Mid Stage [the middle phase of the Golden Core Realm, where the cultivator's core solidifies and power grows exponentially]. Its refinement required not only the Cloud-Returning Flower but also a Five Elements Treasure Pearl [a precious pearl containing a balanced essence of all five fundamental elements]—a Fourth Rank treasure in its own right—to be fused together in the alchemical process.

As for the Cloud-Returning Creation Pill, it was a treasure pill for advancing to the Golden Core, Late Stage [the advanced phase of the Golden Core Realm, where power approaches its peak before the next great tribulation]. Crafting this pill required two stalks of the Cloud-Returning Flower to be combined and refined with a piece of Creation Treasure Jade [a jade of immense rarity that holds a spark of primordial creative energy].

Due to the scarcity of this flower and its extensive, critical uses in high-level alchemy, its price had always remained astronomically high. The value of a single stalk often reached over two million Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation].

Generally speaking, the material cost alone for a single attempt to refine a Cloud-Returning Creation Pill could reach a staggering five million Spirit Stone. If the alchemical process yielded fewer than three pills, the endeavor would be considered a financial loss.

Compared to the previous herbs, the final Nirvana Fruit was arguably the most precious of all. This particular fruit's grade was as high as Fourth Rank High Grade [the pinnacle quality within the Fourth Rank, indicating immense spiritual potency].

Legend held that using it as the main ingredient, supplemented by one thousand and eighty auxiliary herbs, one could refine a furnace of the mythical Nirvana Treasure Pill [a legendary pill capable of restoring a cultivator's physical body and cultivation base even if it has been completely destroyed]. With this treasure, a Golden Core Cultivator [a practitioner who has successfully formed a Golden Core, the condensed essence of their cultivation] could recover their physical form and cultivation level even if their body was utterly ruined.

The three Inner Core [the condensed spiritual core of a powerful demonic beast, a valuable alchemical ingredient] and the five stalks of Spirit Medicine were all priceless treasures. Lyra Jiang naturally had no intention of trading them away. She planned to keep them for the future—to refine into needed Pill or to exchange with high-ranking cultivators for other essential treasures.

Beyond the Spirit Medicine and Inner Core, what brought the greatest joy to the assembly was undoubtedly the captured Magical Treasure and the Heaven and Earth Treasures [rare natural wonders imbued with profound spiritual power].

The spoils of this battle included countless low-grade Magical Treasure, Demonic Beast materials, and the like, which naturally held little interest for the gathered experts. Items below the Third Rank were left for the various Immortal Clan to exchange amongst themselves. What truly stirred their hearts were the few Fourth Rank Magical Treasure and Heaven and Earth Treasures [rare natural wonders imbued with profound spiritual power].

Among those Heaven and Earth Treasures [rare natural wonders imbued with profound spiritual power], the Earth Essence Treasure Pearl was claimed by Lyra Jiang to be refined into an Origin-Returning Tribulation-Breaking Pill. The Primordial Treasure Metal was exchanged by Eldrin Chen, who intended to fuse it into his Earth-Fortress Sovereign Bell to enhance that treasure's potency.

The Great Kun Mother Stone was also taken by Lyra Jiang. Once her Earth-Fortress Earth Origin Disk assimilated this material, its substance and power would increase significantly.

The Profound Earth Sinking Stone was secured in exchange, destined to be forged into a Fourth Rank Formation Plate. This was preparation for when the Pingyang City Spirit Vein ascended to the Fourth Rank realm, at which point it would replace the core plate of the Seven Stars Demon-Refining Grand Formation.

The two pieces of Celestial Star Jadeite held unique value. Lyra Jiang planned to craft them into a Jade Vial and a Treasure Box, vessels meant to store precious Fourth Rank Spirit Medicine and Pill. With that, the several Fourth Rank Heaven and Earth Treasures [rare natural wonders imbued with profound spiritual power] were cleanly divided between the two. Published by http://www . audio-novel.com. All rights reserved.

Yet compared to these treasures, the Magical Treasure truly represented the lion's share of the spoils.

Due to the involvement of the Deng Clan, the number of Fourth Rank Magical Treasure captured far exceeded initial expectations. In total, an astonishing eleven such treasures were seized.

Among these, four were of Fourth Rank High Grade caliber: the 'Diamond Lion-Dragon Seal' from the Earth Lion Demon King, the Crimson-Gold Glazed Armor and Purple-Gold Glazed Armor from the Deng Clan, and the Vast Cold Ethereal Void Vase.

Of these treasures, the Diamond Lion-Dragon Seal was an offensive Magical Treasure. Forged from Fourth Rank High Grade Treasure Metal, its power was sufficient to shatter a mountain range spanning one hundred Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] with a single blow.

Eldrin Chen possessed quite a few offensive Magical Treasure [enchanted artifacts used by cultivators], and since the Thousand-Demon Slaying Sword was on the verge of advancing to Fourth Rank High Grade [a high-tier classification for powerful artifacts], it was taken by Lyra Jiang for the process.

The Crimson-Gold Glazed Armor and the Purple-Gold Glazed Armor were components of the legendary Myth [a story or legend of divine origin] Magical Treasure known as the 'Seven Treasures Glazed Armor'. It was said this Seven Treasures Glazed Armor was an armor used by true Immortals, a treasure mortals could scarcely hope to forge successfully.

Thus, a mighty ancient figure had divided its essence into seven parts, creating methods to craft seven distinct Life-Bound Magical Treasure [a magical treasure bound to a cultivator's life force]. Legend held that if any three of these components were combined, their combined rank would elevate by an entire major realm.

The Deng Clan had managed to forge two of these single-treasure glazed armors. Their clear intent was to gather a set of three pieces of the Seven Treasures Glazed Armor, to synthesize them into the Glazed Armor of the Three Treasures and allow it to ascend to the realm of a Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [a pinnacle-grade artifact capable of suppressing demons], thereby aiding future clan members in weathering the great tribulation of Nascent Soul [the realm where a cultivator forms their spiritual infant].

Lyra Jiang already possessed two top-tier Defensive Magical Treasure [magical treasures specialized for protection]—the Earth-Fortress Earth Origin Disk and the Green Sun Demon-Suppressing Pagoda—and thus had little need for these two armors. Consequently, she gave them both to Eldrin Chen.

The final item, the Vast Cold Ethereal Void Vase, was also a superior Magical Treasure, but Lyra Jiang did not particularly fancy it. She casually passed it on to Elara Lin instead. Discover more cultivation stories at audio-novel . com.