Chapter 338 : A Gathering of Golden Cores

The visitor from the Verdant Immortal Sect was an unfamiliar Golden Core cultivator. Upon arrival, he raised a toast to Eldrin Chen, saying, "This humble Daoist's title is Mingwu. I owe my breakthrough into the Golden Core realm largely to your Golden Core Formation Pill [a supreme elixir that aids in forming a cultivator's Golden Core]."

"Today, my Master, Taiwu the True Person, is truly unable to get away, so I have come in his stead to offer congratulations. I hope you will not take offense, Fellow Daoist."

"You are too courteous, Fellow Daoist Mingwu,"

Eldrin Chen replied with a smile, drinking a cup of spirit wine in acknowledgment.

In addition to the three new Golden Core cultivators from Chu Kingdom and the Cerulean Peaks Range, the Yan Kingdom had also gained one.

This man was named Zhang Yuanxu. After the fall of the Deng Clan, he had obtained a portion of their legacy and, seizing the opportunity, broke through to the Golden Core realm, even forging a Middle Golden Core [a Golden Core of intermediate quality and potential].

After his breakthrough, Zhang Yuanxu's confidence soared. He had initially harbored thoughts of demanding Six Stars Island from the Chen Clan to serve as his personal Dao field. However, witnessing the formidable presence of Eldrin Chen now, he hastily suppressed such ambitions.

Eldrin Chen and his Dao companion were formidable in their own right. They had also nurtured two Golden Core cultivators in Chen Thalion and Elara Lin, and had Xavier Xu willingly serving as their vanguard.

The Heaven's Ruin Alliance now boasted a full five Golden Core Cultivators. With such strength, among all the powers within the Six Kingdoms of Ji Continent, fewer than five Golden Core Immortal Clans could truly contend with them. Zhang Yuanxu knew he was in no position to challenge them and could only stand to the side, offering a placating smile.

The Golden Core celebration banquet lasted for three days and three nights before the attending cultivators gradually began to disperse. Official source: AUDIO-NOVEL.COM. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

After the crowd had dispersed, Eldrin Chen allowed the gentle smile to fade from his face.

He and Lyra Jiang stood upon Green Chariot Mountain Peak, watching the departing cultivators vanish into the distance. "With the grand ceremony marking our ascension to a Golden Core Immortal Clan now concluded," he said calmly, "we should be able to enjoy a period of relative peace."

"Fewer troubles would indeed be welcome,"

Lyra Jiang nodded in agreement, though a slight frown creased her brow. "However, this Golden Core celebration has also placed us firmly upon the stage of Ji Continent," she continued.

"Can we still remain hidden in the shadows?"

Eldrin Chen shook his head with a wry smile. Their strength had been revealed in piecemeal through the successive campaigns of recent years. Even a deliberately low-key ceremony for their Golden Core ascension could not have concealed their true power.

Furthermore, the rise of a new Golden Core Immortal Clan was a rare event across the entire kingdom, let alone one as formidable as the Chen Clan. Such a powerful Golden Core Immortal Clan could not escape notice.

Consider the premier Golden Core Immortal Clan of Wei Nation. When Wei Magnus broke through to the Golden Core, Late Stage, his celebration had drawn over twenty Golden Core Cultivator from various nations.

By comparison, the Chen Clan had been exceedingly modest.

Such banquets served a dual purpose: to commemorate the clan's elevation to a Golden Core Immortal Clan, and to project power, deterring potential challengers and securing a favorable position in the future allocation of resources, which in every kingdom was invariably based on demonstrated strength.

For example, the medium-sized Spirit Stone Mine [a mineral deposit rich in Spirit Stones] on Ji Continent was originally jointly occupied by the Three Great Sects. Back when Lyra Jiang had just broken through to the Golden Core [the third major realm of cultivation, where one forms a solidified golden core of spiritual power] realm, in order to secure the resources of Green Sun Mountain, she promised to cede the Green Sun Sect's share of the medium-sized Spirit Stone Mine to the Violet Abyss Sect and the Firmament Sword Sect.

In truth, given the current strength of Lyra Jiang and Eldrin Chen, they were qualified to propose a reallocation of the medium-sized Spirit Stone Mine. However, as their clan's holdings had grown increasingly vast over the years, they had refrained from raising the issue to avoid antagonizing the two great sects.

Regardless, demonstrating a portion of one's strength at a crucial moment can resolve many unnecessary troubles.

The banquet hosted by the Chen Clan was, in essence, also a means to safeguard their own interests and deter those with ill intentions.

Following this grand ceremony celebrating their ascension to a Golden Core Immortal Clan [a clan powerful enough to have at least one Golden Core realm cultivator as its pillar], the difficulties they faced regarding their two Spirit Vein [a natural conduit of concentrated spiritual energy within the earth] holdings in the Yan Kingdom would ease considerably. The situation should stabilize for at least two Jiazi-time [a cycle of sixty years].

After two Jiazi-time, when Eldrin Chen and Lyra Jiang had advanced further in their cultivation, they would no longer need to worry about schemers and malcontents.

Furthermore, with the enhanced prestige of the Chen Immortal Clan, the safety of Chen Clan disciples venturing out into the world would increase significantly.

After all, even the most ruthless Rogue Cultivator [an unaffiliated cultivator operating outside of clans or sects], accustomed to murder and plunder, would think twice before provoking a powerful Golden Core Immortal Clan.

After the Golden Core celebration concluded, Eldrin Chen and Lyra Jiang returned to Spirit Isle Lake.

Life settled back into its usual tranquil rhythm. Eldrin Chen divided his time between studying the ancient texts of his predecessors and refining his own cultivation art.

With this round of cultivation art derivation, two decades slipped by unnoticed. During this time, Eldrin Chen advanced all five of his cultivation arts to the sixth layer of the Golden Core [the third major stage of cultivation, where one's spiritual energy condenses into a solid, golden core] realm.

Furthermore, after deriving the Five Elements Origin-Returning Scripture to its sixth Golden Core layer, Eldrin Chen once again managed to deduce a new divine ability from within this art. This ability was named Solar True Flame [a pure yang flame of immense power, capable of incinerating evil].

The reason this divine ability remained a Pure Yang Divine Ability [a divine ability imbued with the purifying, righteous energy of pure yang, supremely effective against demonic and yin-based entities] was a deliberate choice by Eldrin Chen. The world had long suffered under the scourge of demonic fiends, and he developed this Pure Yang Divine Ability specifically to bolster his arsenal for confronting such evils in the future.

While deriving the cultivation arts, Eldrin Chen also spent years comprehending the Great Divine Ability [a supreme and powerful supernatural technique] known as 'Phantom-Splitting Sword Art' [a sword art that creates multiple phantom sword projections]. He finally succeeded in mastering this technique, thereby gaining an overwhelmingly powerful area-of-effect Great Divine Ability.

Having advanced the arts to the sixth layer of the Golden Core realm, he paused his derivations for the moment. A faint smile touched his lips as he spoke to Lyra Jiang.

"My spiritual energy has grown noticeably denser of late. It seems the breakthrough to the Golden Core Second Layer is imminent." This chapter is provided by audio-novel.com (official site). Support the original.

"Good. I will stand guard for you," Lyra Jiang replied, a glimmer of joy appearing in her eyes.

For high-level cultivators, the passage of time holds little meaning; decades can vanish in the blink of an eye during deep cultivation.

Unnoticed, over fifty years had passed since the second Beast Tide Calamity [a periodic catastrophe where hordes of demonic beasts rampage across the land]. Eldrin Chen was now just over two hundred years of age.

Forty years had passed since his breakthrough into the Golden Core Realm [the third major stage of cultivation, where one's spiritual power condenses into a solid, golden core]. While the multitude of his Life-Bound Magical Treasure [a cultivator's personally forged and soul-bound enchanted artifact] had delayed his progress somewhat, he had finally brushed against the threshold of the Golden Core Second Layer.

The Golden Core Second Layer held no true bottleneck for him. This period of secluded cultivation was not long; merely seven days later, he successfully advanced to the Golden Core Second Layer.

As he emerged from seclusion, Lyra Jiang greeted him with a smile. "While you were in closed-door cultivation, Yu Qingyan came looking for you in a hurry. She has been waiting."

"Oh."

Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered slightly. "What is the matter?"

"I did not inquire deeply," Lyra Jiang replied with a gentle smile. "But it seems to concern some affairs over at the Heavenly Abode Continent."

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen nodded. The two of them proceeded together to the reception hall.

Yu Qingyan had been waiting for some time. Upon seeing Eldrin Chen arrive, she promptly rose to her feet. "I pay my respects to both Ancient Ancestor [a title of great reverence for a senior, founding, or extremely powerful cultivator within a clan or sect]."

"With a century of friendship between us, such formalities are unnecessary."

Eldrin Chen's gaze sharpened, now noticing that Yu Qingyan had already broken through to the False Core Realm [a pseudo-Golden Core state, less stable and powerful than a true Golden Core]. It appeared she had already consumed a Golden Core Formation Pill [a precious elixir that significantly aids in the formation of a Golden Core].

Thinking of this, he smiled and said, "It seems the day of your Golden Core [the third major realm of cultivation, where one's spiritual energy condenses into a solid, golden core] breakthrough is not far off."

Yu Qingyan possessed the aptitude of a Wind Spiritual Root [an affinity for the element of wind, allowing for cultivation of wind-based arts]. Now just over two hundred and sixty years old, and having inherited part of the wealth from Lin Daoyang of the Ethereal Void Sect, her hopes for a second attempt at the Golden Core realm were quite substantial.

Yet, Yu Qingyan let out a bitter laugh. "Six years ago, I exhausted my fortune to purchase a Golden Core Formation Pill [a rare and potent elixir designed to aid in the formation of a Golden Core] for my breakthrough attempt. In the end, I fell just short. Now, to try again... I lack the Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation] to buy another."

Eldrin Chen gave an imperceptible nod. Although Yu Qingyan had once amassed considerable wealth, she had expended the greater part of her resources. Acquiring another Golden Core Formation Pill would indeed be a formidable challenge.

Suppressing these thoughts, Eldrin Chen poured her a cup of tea. "What brings you to me today?" he inquired. For uninterrupted reading, go to audio-novel`com.