Chapter 374 : The Calamity's Approaching Shadow

Mentioning the Beast Tide Calamity [a periodic invasion of demonic beasts], Eldrin Chen realized that only a few years remained until the next one would descend upon them.

This would be the third Beast Tide Calamity he had weathered; over two centuries had flowed by in the blink of an eye.

At this thought, Eldrin Chen smiled wryly. "Two centuries have passed in a flash. The calamity I once viewed as the heavens collapsing now seems... manageable."

"Indeed," Lyra Jiang agreed with a soft laugh. "So long as the Azure Wave Lake [a powerful demonic beast territory] does not stir, overcoming this Beast Tide Calamity should not pose an overwhelming challenge."

"Yet caution is still warranted," Eldrin Chen nodded, his expression turning grave. "I shall first return to the clan and set preparations for the Beast Tide Calamity in motion."

"The Heaven's Ruin Alliance must also begin its preparations,"

Lyra Jiang added. Every Beast Tide Calamity required the mobilization of vast resources and personnel, necessitating years of advance planning.

Setting aside the further refinement of his remaining Life-Bound Magical Treasure [a cultivator's personally bonded enchanted artifact], Eldrin Chen went directly to Pingyang City. After conferring with the Old Patriarch to finalize the calamity preparations, he proceeded to Verdant Chariot Mountain to seek out Lior Chen, who oversaw the Elder Council.

However, upon returning to Verdant Chariot Mountain, he found Ethan Chen emerging from the mountain peak, his face pale and his aura [the spiritual energy field surrounding a cultivator] frighteningly weak.

Ethan Chen looked at Eldrin Chen, his spirit seemingly broken. "Clan Uncle," he said, his voice hollow with defeat, "I have failed." This chapter is provided by http://www . audio-novel.com. Support the original.

Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly as he perceived that Ethan Chen's aura was now exceedingly weak and frail, a clear sign that his attempt to break through to the Golden Core [the third major realm of cultivation, where one's spiritual power condenses into a solid, radiant core] had ended in failure.

Ethan Chen had not used a Golden Core Formation Pill [a rare and potent elixir that significantly increases the chances of successfully forming a Golden Core], and this breakthrough attempt had not only failed to succeed but had also failed to even coalesce a False Core [a semi-stable, inferior pseudo-core that can form from a failed breakthrough, offering some power but no true advancement].

The price for this was far too steep. Without a Yang-Returning Calamity-Dispelling Pill [a legendary restorative pill said to mend the profound damage caused by a failed cultivation breakthrough], it would be equivalent to wasting an entire Jiazi-time [one Jiazi-time equals sixty years]. And how many such cycles of Jiazi-time does a Purple Mansion Cultivator [a cultivator who has opened the Purple Mansion, the second major realm, within their dantian] truly have to waste?

"Since you walk the path of the Sword Dao [the Way of the Sword, a martial and philosophical discipline focused on the sword], you should understand that a Sword Cultivator [one who specializes in sword-based cultivation arts] must possess unyielding resilience and the fortitude to charge forward without hesitation,"

"A momentary setback is merely tempering your Sword Dao. It should serve to strengthen your resolve, not shatter it."

Eldrin Chen patted his shoulder, his expression gentle and consoling.

Hearing his words, Ethan Chen nodded, pulling himself out of his despondent state.

He had journeyed far to reach his current standing; his cultivation was considered top-tier even among the Purple Mansion experts of the Chu Kingdom, and his Dao-heart [the unwavering will and spiritual foundation of a cultivator] was naturally exceptional among his peers. He had merely been momentarily ensnared by the sting of defeat.

Seeing him reclaim his confidence, Eldrin Chen allowed a faint smile to touch his lips. The two of them walked to the edge of the cliff, standing side by side as they gazed upon the distant sea of clouds. Only then did Eldrin Chen ask, "How did it fail?"

In truth, Eldrin Chen was somewhat puzzled. Given Ethan Chen's solid foundation and the fact he had consumed the Creation Green Essence Pill [a high-grade pill that profoundly refines and augments a cultivator's spiritual essence], both the depth and purity of his mana should have been more than sufficient.

Logically speaking, even if he couldn't achieve a breakthrough to the Golden Core [the third major realm of cultivation, where one's spiritual energy condenses into a solid, golden core] in one attempt, the chance of forging a False Core [a flawed, unstable precursor to a true Golden Core] should have been quite high. Yet this time, he couldn't even succeed in forming a False Core, which left Eldrin Chen feeling somewhat surprised.

Upon hearing this, Ethan Chen revealed a bitter, wry smile. "This time, I was on the very cusp of success. But at the final moment, the conflict between my Water-Fire Spiritual Roots [innate spiritual affinities for the opposing Water and Fire elements] within my body caused the Golden Core to collapse midway through its formation."

"Water and Fire oppose and clash with each other..."

Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow, letting out a sigh after a long moment of silence. "From now on, you cannot continue cultivating the Solar Separated Flame Scripture. You must switch to a new cultivation art specifically designed to harmonize Water and Fire."

"The Clan Treasury does contain one such manual—the 'Flood Water Heavenly Flame Scripture' [a cultivation art that seeks to balance the powers of flood water and celestial flame]. It can lead one to the Golden Core Ninth Layer [the peak of the Golden Core realm]. You could attempt to switch to it; it might resolve this issue."

However, Ethan Chen shook his head with firm resolve. "I have already made my decision. Rather than cultivating to the Golden Core Ninth Layer and then paying a tremendous price to switch arts later, it is better to forge the path most suited to myself right now."

"Create your own cultivation art?"

Eldrin Chen's pupils contracted slightly. Having personally spent years deducing and refining cultivation arts, he understood deeply that the path of self-creation was not an easy one to walk.

He and Lyra Jiang both practiced arts of their own creation, but not everyone possessed the same level of talent and insight as this husband-and-wife pair.

Given Ethan Chen's current cultivation base and foundation, he could barely begin the process of creating his own art. How far he could ultimately travel down that path would depend entirely on his innate comprehension and insight.

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen let out a sigh. "Once you walk this path, I fear it will delay your progress for at least one Jiazi-time [a sixty-year cycle]."

"By the time you break through to the Golden Core [the third major realm of cultivation, where one's spiritual energy condenses into a solid core] realm, you will likely be over three hundred years old. Do you understand the cost this entails?"

Ethan Chen understood this principle perfectly. Breaking through to Golden Core in one's two hundreds was fundamentally different from doing so in one's three hundreds.

It meant he would have one fewer opportunity in the future to attempt a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul [the fourth major realm, where one's spirit forms an independent entity] realm—an opportunity that could very well determine his ultimate fate.

And that was the optimistic scenario. If things did not go smoothly, if he could not resolve the conflict between his water and fire spiritual energies, he would waste vast stretches of time and might even miss the optimal window for his Golden Core breakthrough entirely.

Ethan Chen drew a deep breath. "Clan Uncle, you once taught me: 'Those who learn from me will live; those who merely imitate me will perish.'" This chapter is provided by *audio-novel.com*. Support the original.

"With my cultivation at the Purple Mansion Great Perfection [the peak of the third major realm] stage, I defeated a False Core Cultivator [a cultivator who has formed an inferior, unstable golden core]. The world calls me the Little Sword Immortal of Chu Kingdom, hailed as the second Eldrin Chen."

"But now I am beginning to understand. Blindly imitating your form leads only to a superficial likeness, a hollow shell without the true spirit. I have not forged my own path; I am merely a vessel that has comprehended its own heart."

Clad in robes of white, Ethan Chen stood silently at the cliff's edge, a trace of melancholy shadowing his brow.

At lower realms, one could rely on imitation, following the trails blazed by predecessors. But upon reaching the realms of Golden Core and especially Nascent Soul, one must gradually carve out a path of one's own.

He shook his head, a flicker of unwavering resolve finally settling in his gaze. "I have come to understand," he declared, "that just as no two leaves in this world are identical, neither are there two paths that are exactly the same."

"To forge a Superior Golden Core [the highest grade of Golden Core foundation], I must personally create a cultivation art that harmonizes water and fire. Only then will I truly comprehend how to achieve perfect synergy between my Water-Fire Spiritual Roots [innate affinities for the water and fire elements]."

"Even if this process consumes several Jiazi-time [a sixty-year cycle], it will be worth it, so long as it grants me true understanding of the method, of what cultivation truly is."

"Uncle Eldrin, I admire you. I aspire to be someone like you... but I do not wish to be merely your shadow."

Eldrin Chen listened in silence, a profound sense of joy for Ethan Chen blossoming within his heart.

Only then did he realize—unnoticed, the passage of time had woven its threads. Ethan Chen was now two hundred and ten years old. He was no longer the child who once trailed at his heels. The brash edge of youth had long since tempered into a resilient and keen-edged fortitude.

Reaching out, Eldrin Chen placed a hand on Ethan Chen's shoulder, his voice filled with paternal pride. "All things in this world hold their own mysteries and principles. To grasp their essence, mere book knowledge and innate talent are insufficient."

"One must act, must personally engage. One must observe with meticulous care and seek deep understanding. Only then can the underlying rules of their operation be revealed."

"That you have come to understand this truth brings me great joy."

As he spoke, Eldrin Chen retrieved a command token and handed it to Ethan Chen. "Take this token. The scriptures within the Clan Treasury are now fully open to your study." Original publication: audio-novel . com - The source of this chapter.