Chapter 360 : The Perilous Path of Foundation

Lior Chen had remained solitary for many years, without a cultivation partner or any wives or concubines. Throughout that time, he and Verdant Grace Chen had only harbored mutual affection for one another, yet they never took the step to be together.

It was only in recent years, after the Verdant Generation lineage was reduced to just the two of them, that he and Verdant Grace Chen finally bared their hearts to each other and became a cultivation couple.

After the two became partners, Verdant Grace Chen gave birth to a son, who was none other than Remembrance Path Chen.

Remembrance Path Chen possessed extraordinary talent. He was a cultivator with a Wind Spiritual Root [an innate affinity for wind-based spiritual energy], and at merely nineteen years of age, he was held in extremely high regard by the clan. They believed he had the potential to reach the Golden Core [the third major stage of cultivation, where spiritual energy condenses into a solid core] realm.

However, the path of Self-Achieved Foundation Establishment [the perilous method of breaking through to the Foundation Establishment realm without external aids] is one where failure means death. Even Remembrance Path Chen, with his Variant Spiritual Root [a rare and powerful type of innate spiritual affinity], ultimately fell on this very road.

"Alas."

Eldrin Chen also sighed. For a cultivator with a Variant Spiritual Root, attempting Self-Achieved Foundation Establishment offered only about a fifty percent chance of success.

Even with the aid of an Essence Gathering Pill [a pill that concentrates spiritual energy to aid in breakthroughs], the odds only rose to sixty percent. This probability was not low, but neither was it particularly high.

Within the clan in recent years, quite a few cultivators had attempted the path of Self-Achieved Foundation Establishment. Previously, Thinking Courtyard Chen, who possessed a Thunder Spiritual Root [an innate affinity for thunder-based spiritual energy], had also fallen on this very path.

Self-Achieved Foundation Establishment, the Mortal Shell Tribulation [a body-refining tribulation faced during major breakthroughs], and the act of independently breaking through to the Golden Core realm—these are three of the great trials one must pass to forge a Superior-Tier Golden Core [the highest quality of Golden Core, granting immense power and potential]. This is a path that is far from easy to walk. This chapter is part of a larger work available at audio-novel .c om.

Aside from cultivators possessing a Heavenly Spiritual Root [the highest grade of spiritual root talent], those in this world who dare claim they are certain to forge a Superior-Tier Golden Core [the highest grade of Golden Core foundation] are truly exceedingly rare. Countless cultivators have stumbled and fallen upon this very path.

Lior Chen had placed immense hope in Remembrance Path Chen, yet he could never have imagined his son would falter at this very first step. This blow struck him with devastating force.

Old Patriarch also shook his head, speaking with helpless resignation, "In the face of such a matter, any words of comfort are pale and powerless."

"Your Uncle Lior had a son late in life, and now, with white hair, he must send off the black-haired youth. Go and speak with him."

"That seems the only course left."

So saying, Eldrin Chen strode out of the great hall.

He rode his sword to Green Chariot Mountain, and indeed, within the Hinter Peaks, he found Lior Chen.

"Have you also come to offer me comfort?"

Lior Chen stood silently before the courtyard, a solitary figure. A cultivator at the Violet Sanctum Late Stage [the final stage of the Violet Sanctum realm], merely two hundred and some years old, he should have been in the prime of his vigor. Yet now, a subtle stoop seemed to weigh upon his shoulders.

Eldrin Chen simply stood quietly beside him, offering no words, merely keeping him company in that silent vigil for a long, long while.

After a long while, he answered with a question of his own: "Do you believe the dead can return to life?"

"If the dead could be revived, it would defy the Heavenly Path and the natural order of Reincarnation [the cycle of death and rebirth]. How could such a thing be possible?"

Lior Chen's brow furrowed slightly before he shook his head and replied.

Eldrin Chen nodded, offering no rebuttal. Instead, he pointed to a nearby withered stalk of grass.

"Clan Uncle, watch."

Lior Chen lifted his gaze. He saw Eldrin Chen channel his spiritual power [the cultivated energy that fuels a cultivator's abilities] and pour it into the lifeless plant.

As the energy flowed in, a wisp of vitality sparked within the withered stalk. Death was reversed into life; the plant sprouted anew, unfurling fresh leaves before finally blossoming into a delicate, vibrant flower.

Having accomplished this, Eldrin Chen gazed at the flower and posed another question: "Clan Uncle, why do you think this plant's vitality could be reversed?"

"Because your spiritual power nurtured it. Your profound cultivation forcibly reversed its state of decay."

"If reviving a person defies the Heavenly Path, then did my act of reviving this plant today also defy the Heavenly Path?"

Eldrin Chen spoke, a sharp glint flashing momentarily in his eyes.

He plucked the flower, held it to his nose for a gentle sniff, and said calmly, "Mortals cannot revive this flower, and cultivators cannot revive a person. But that is merely a matter of insufficient power."

"In my view, so-called limits of human capability are simply a lack of sufficient strength."

"If human power is insufficient, then what of transcending human limits to become an Immortality [the state of eternal life and power achieved by supreme cultivators] immortal or demon? Could they manage it? I believe they could at least help recover lost memories."

"Moreover, Heaven-Defying Fate Alteration [the act of defying destiny and altering one's predetermined fate], pursuing that sliver of hope, is the very pursuit of cultivators like us."

"If I were you..." Read, share, and discuss at audio-novel .c om.

Eldrin Chen paused, glancing at Lior Chen.

He sighed and finally strode away, leaving only his parting words echoing behind: "I would only strive to become stronger, not wallow in despair and lose all will to fight."

After Eldrin Chen departed, Lior Chen stood in place, silent for a long time.

Finally, he straightened his back, the fire of determination rekindling in his gaze as he watched the retreating figure and said.

"Eldrin, I understand now."

"......"

Seeing that Lior Chen had regained his resolve on the path of cultivation, Eldrin Chen felt a slight sense of relief.

If Lior Chen had failed to emerge from his despair this time, it would have been exceedingly difficult for him to break through to the Golden Core Realm. Now that he had reclaimed his Dao-heart, transforming his loss into a driving obsession, it might even increase his chances of successfully forming his Golden Core.

He did not linger long at Green Chariot Mountain. After spending two days at Spirit Isle Lake, Eldrin Chen proceeded to the Firmament Sword Sect.

Within the sect's Fourth-Rank Sword Cleansing Pool [a mystical pool used to purify and empower immortal swords], he began the process of cleansing and refining his Celestial Abyss Twin Swords.

The Sword Cleansing Pool possessed remarkable efficacy. It could not only enhance the power of an Immortal Sword, but also purge impurities from within the blade and strengthen the sword's physical body.

Over their journey, Eldrin Chen's Celestial Abyss Twin Swords had absorbed numerous forging materials. For instance, the Solar Fire Returning Abyss Sword had, over time, integrated six or seven different materials such as Millennial Crimson Iron, Solar Fire Crystal, Western Pole Metallic Gold, and Blazing Fire Gold Crystal.

While these materials had greatly augmented the swords' might, their differing natures meant that, despite years of careful nurturing and tempering, some residual impurities inevitably remained.

Beyond simply increasing the power of his Celestial Abyss Twin Swords, his primary goal for this cleansing was to utilize the power of the Sword Cleansing Pool to thoroughly refine away these impurities. This preparation was crucial for the future integration of even higher-grade materials, paving the way for their eventual advancement into Lifebound Spiritual Treasure [a cultivator's personally bound and nurtured magical artifact].

As Eldrin Chen's cultivation gradually deepened, further deducing his Lifebound Magical Treasure [a magical artifact intrinsically linked to a cultivator's life force and cultivation path] to advance it into a Lifebound Spiritual Treasure [a higher-grade lifebound artifact with enhanced spiritual power and connection] required making preparations in advance.

Deducing the formula for a Lifebound Spiritual Treasure was no small feat. Fortunately, Eldrin Chen possessed exceptional comprehension. He had also successively obtained the refinement methods for three Lifebound Spiritual Treasure: the Ancient Vast Sea Scroll, the Slanting Sun Wheel, and Selene's Ring. Thus, he was confident he could deduce his Celestial Abyss Twin Swords into a Lifebound Spiritual Treasure before his breakthrough to the Infant Soul realm [the stage where a cultivator's nascent soul forms].

The current purification and tempering of the twin swords was precisely to lay the groundwork for their future promotion to Lifebound Spiritual Treasure. For only a Lifebound Spiritual Treasure could be elevated into a Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [a pinnacle-grade treasure of immense power capable of subduing demons]. This was crucial for Eldrin Chen's combat prowess and his confidence in surviving the Infant Soul Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [the heavenly thunder tribulation one faces when attempting to form an infant soul].

There was no doubt about it. Eldrin Chen, who had forged a Great Encompassing Golden Core [a perfect, all-encompassing golden core foundation], would undoubtedly face a Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [a trial of heavenly lightning] far beyond ordinary imagination once he attempted to break through to the Infant Soul Realm.

To speak of Eldrin Chen's endeavors, he secluded himself within the Firmament Sword Sect for a full ten years before finally completing the purification of his Celestial Abyss Twin Swords.

Upon returning to Yu County from the Firmament Sword Sect, Exquisite Jiang had already emerged from her own cultivation session. A look of joy appeared on Eldrin Chen's face the moment he saw her.

"You've already broken through to the Sixth Layer of the Golden Core Realm," he said. "It seems it's time to prepare the Returning Cloud Creation Pill [a pill that aids in advancing through the Golden Core stages] for you."

"I only broke through a few years ago, so it's not particularly urgent," she replied.

She glanced at Eldrin Chen and continued, "Last year, Lila failed in her attempt to charge into the Golden Core Realm, but she did advance to the Pseudo-Core Realm [a quasi-Golden Core state]. I sent her a Sun-Returning Tribulation-Dispelling Pill [a pill that helps stabilize cultivation and dispel tribulation backlash]."

"Matters of this nature are well within your purview to handle." Discover more cultivation stories at audio-novel . com.