Chapter 331 : Alliance's Vengeance and the Spirit Vein

With this thought, he turned his gaze toward Eldrin Chen and spoke, "So it is Fellow Daoist Chen. However, this Spirit Vein [a natural conduit of spiritual energy within the earth] is, after all, an asset of Yan Kingdom. Even if you wish to intervene, I'm afraid it would not be appropriate, would it?"

"Oh."

Eldrin Chen acknowledged with a single syllable, then stated calmly, "Two months ago, my Heaven's Ruin Alliance launched an assault on Earth Lion Ridge."

"The Deng Immortal Clan colluded with the Demonic Tribe [a collective term for intelligent, non-human races that cultivate demonic arts]. Three of their Ancient Ancestor [a venerable, high-ranking elder of a clan or sect] figures swarmed out in full force, joining the Earth Lion Ridge Demon King [a powerful ruler among demonic beasts] to lay an ambush for us using the Taiyi Heaven-Sealing Formation [a powerful array designed to isolate and trap its targets]."

"Fortunately, we had prepared countermeasures and shattered their scheme in a single battle, breaking the alliance of the Deng Clan and the Demonic Tribe. Of the Deng Clan's three Ancient Ancestor, two perished and one was grievously wounded."

His words were icy, his tone carrying a sharp, unyielding edge.

Here, his gaze shifted back to the two men, his voice tinged with a cold, mocking laugh. "My Heaven's Ruin Alliance fought a bloody, desperate battle, sacrificing ourselves to root out and slay the Golden Core [the third major realm of cultivation, where one forms a solidified golden core of power] traitors within the Deng Clan."

"And yet, you two have seized the Deng Clan's Spirit Mountain [a mountain rich with spiritual energy, ideal for cultivation], claiming the greatest spoils for yourselves. What kind of absurd, unjust logic is that?"

"This..."

The complexions of Yuan Aethelstan and his companion shifted dramatically. Only now did they realize that by attempting to drive him away without even hearing the facts, they had already managed to offend Eldrin Chen. Official source: audio-novel*com. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

In truth, the reason Eldrin Chen did not reveal his identity first and instead engaged them in a skirmish was precisely because Yuan Aethelstan possessed an overbearing nature; it was a slight disciplinary measure.

Of course, expecting the Yan Nation Immortal Clan Alliance to relinquish benefits already within their grasp without a confrontation was an impossibility.

As expected, witnessing Eldrin Chen's formidable strength and the proven fact of his eradication of the Deng Clan, the two members of the Yuan Clan finally showed signs of retreat.

Yuan Aethelstan's face paled slightly, and he could only lower his head in apology: "So that is the cause and effect. This Spirit Mountain of the Deng Clan is indeed rightfully yours to claim, Fellow Daoist."

"I shall withdraw from the Spirit Island shortly. Please accept these three Water Spirit Fruit [spiritual fruits imbued with the essence of water] as my apology."

As he spoke, Yuan Aethelstan still presented the three Water Spirit Fruit to Eldrin Chen.

Eldrin Chen accepted the Water Spirit Fruit and then strode onto the Spirit Island. Finding the Water Spirit Fruit Tree still intact, he let out a faint sigh of relief.

The Spirit Mountain and its Earth Vein [a subterranean channel of concentrated earthly spiritual energy] were not going anywhere. As long as the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root [a rare spiritual plant born from the convergence of heaven and earth energies] remained, he would not suffer a loss in the long run.

The two Golden Core [the third major realm of cultivation, where one forms a solidified golden core of spiritual power] cultivators from the Yuan Clan followed behind Eldrin Chen. Yuan Aethelstan glanced at Eldrin Chen and, mustering his nerve, attempted to reclaim his wife's Lifebound Immortal Sword [a cultivator's personally forged and soul-bound immortal-grade sword].

"Fellow Daoist Chen, my wife's Lifebound Immortal Sword..."

"Oh."

Eldrin Chen turned around, a faint, knowing smile playing on his lips as he regarded the two men. Instead of answering, he posed a question of his own: "The Deng Clan Purple Mansion Cultivator [a cultivator who has established their foundational spiritual mansion] was hunted down by Yan Kingdom. You must have seized a considerable portion of their resources, haven't you?"

"This..." Yuan Aethelstan's expression shifted slightly. Gritting his teeth, he replied, "The Chen Clan aided Yan Kingdom in excising that malignant tumor. Our Yuan Clan is willing to offer a single Void Gem [a rare spatial-aligned crystal used in crafting teleportation arrays] as compensation."

At the mention of the Void Gem, a flicker of interest passed through Eldrin Chen's eyes.

The man was shrewd. He understood that having acquired a Spirit Vein [a natural conduit of concentrated spiritual energy], Eldrin would need a Void Gem to craft a Teleportation Formation [a magical array for instantaneous travel across vast distances]. Thus, he had offered precisely that item.

Had he offered any other treasure, Eldrin Chen might have pressed him to yield more. But with this particular prize now in hand, Eldrin, in a rather agreeable mood, saw little point in pursuing the matter further.

After all, the Deng Clan cultivators had scattered to the winds with their wealth. No one could truly know how much the Yuan Clan had managed to seize. Attempting a full accounting would be a futile endeavor.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen retrieved the Violet Path Immortal Sword and exchanged it for the single Void Gem.

The two men from the Yuan Clan, having reclaimed their immortal sword, departed from Deng Clan Island with their tails between their legs.

As for Eldrin Chen, he did not immediately attend to the disposition of the Deng Clan's Spirit Mountain [a mountain imbued with potent spiritual energy]. Instead, he took to the skies on his sword, making his way first to Yan Lake Island.

That Yan Lake Island was the most vital Spirit Island within Yan Kingdom. Situated at the heart of the kingdom's Water Element Cycle [the natural circulation and flow of water-based spiritual energy], it possessed a Fifth Rank Spirit Vein [a supreme-grade spiritual energy source].

Nearly two millennia ago, the Ji Clan discovered this Water Vein [a concentrated source of water-element spiritual energy]. They deliberately nurtured a Fifth Rank Spirit Vein here and permanently stationed a Nascent Soul True Lord [a supreme cultivator whose soul has formed an independent infant form] to guard the location.

The Nascent Soul True Lord currently overseeing the island was named 'Ji Feiye', known by the title Feiye the Night's Bane. He belonged to the same generation as Freya Ji and was considered a nephew of the current Ji Clan Patriarch.

Feiye the Night's Bane had broken through to the Nascent Soul realm two centuries prior, at the remarkably young age of just over four hundred years. He had now cultivated to the second layer of the Nascent Soul realm. It was said he had forged an Earthly Dao Nascent Soul [a Nascent Soul formed through profound connection with the earthly laws], and barring unforeseen circumstances, he was destined to reach the Nascent Soul Late Stage. He was counted among the rare prodigies of the Nascent Soul realm.

After arriving at Yan Lake Island, Eldrin Chen respectfully presented his visiting card [a formal request for an audience] and waited quietly for Feiye the Night's Bane's summons.

Contrary to his expectations, a mere half-day after his card was delivered, the Ji Clan invited him to the reception hall for a discussion. Find this and other novels at https://audio-novel.com.

Following the Ji Clan's Golden Core Cultivator [a cultivator whose spiritual energy has condensed into a solid golden core] guide, Eldrin Chen felt a trace of solemnity. This was not his first encounter with a True Lord [an honorific title for a Nascent Soul cultivator], but meeting a Nascent Soul True Lord alone was a first.

Walking through the corridors, the Ji Clan attendant led Eldrin Chen to the entrance of the grand hall. With a courteous smile, he spoke.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, the True Lord awaits within the hall. You may enter."

"My thanks for your guidance."

After offering a courteous greeting, Eldrin Chen then stepped into the grand hall.

Upon entering the hall, he immediately noticed a man in black robes seated ahead. The man's face was as flawless as jade, his eyes as deep as the starry sky, and his long black robe was surprisingly embroidered with dragon patterns.

Eldrin Chen sensed that the other's aura was restrained, yet his bearing was one of extraordinary nobility—an innate, intrinsic regality that radiated from within.

Suppressing his thoughts, he promptly bowed and saluted, saying, "I pay my respects to the True Lord [a title for a powerful cultivator who has reached the Nascent Soul Realm]."

The black-robed man's gaze was calm, seemingly appraising Eldrin Chen with a single glance. After a long moment, a faint smile touched his lips.

"There is no need for such formality."

"Let us interact as peers."

"That would not be proper." Eldrin Chen's expression shifted slightly, and he hurriedly replied, "You are a peerless True Lord, Senior. How could this junior dare to overstep?"

"Hahaha."

Feiye the Night's Bane [a title meaning 'Bane of the Night'] laughed heartily, then with a wave of his sleeve, gestured for Eldrin Chen to take a seat.

He personally poured a cup of tea for Eldrin Chen, then began his tale in a measured tone: "The Ji Clan and the Jiang Clan have been sworn allies for ten thousand years. My Ji Clan Patriarch's paternal aunt is Lyra Jiang's mother."

"I, the Ji Clan Patriarch, am her maternal cousin. You are her Dao Companion. By that reckoning, I should address you as 'Uncle'."

"This..."

Eldrin Chen was momentarily stunned, struggling to process this revelation. He had never imagined Lyra Jiang's seniority within the clan hierarchy was so profound.

Even the Ji Clan Patriarch was of her generation. By that logic, aside from the Nascent Soul Dao Lord [a supreme cultivator who has formed their Nascent Soul and comprehended a profound Dao], likely no one held a higher generational rank than she did.

Among cultivators, where age gaps could span centuries or millennia with ease, generational lines were notoriously difficult to trace. Thus, the common practice was for individuals to establish their own relationships independent of formal lineage.

A Nascent Soul [the spiritual core formed after the Golden Core stage] cultivator's lifespan stretched three thousand years. With various life-extending methods, living for six thousand or even nearly ten thousand years was not unheard of. In such an immense span, a mortal lineage could proliferate into billions.

Under these circumstances, formal seniority became virtually impossible to maintain. Even within the same clan, precedence was typically determined by cultivation realm, with closer relatives perhaps maintaining informal bonds in private.

The blood tie between Feiye the Night's Bane and the Clan Lord was likely distant. The only plausible reason for a True Lord [an honorific title for a powerful cultivator, often at the Nascent Soul realm] of his stature to interact with Lyra Jiang as an equal was this:

Lyra Jiang's father's cultivation realm must have transcended the Nascent Soul stage, placing him even above the Ji Clan Patriarch, who stood at the Half-Step Primordial Spirit [a transitional state between Nascent Soul and the next major realm, the Primordial Spirit] threshold. Find thousands of chapters at audio-novel-dot-com.