Chapter 375 : Legacy of the Dual Polarity Thunder

"Take this Yang-Returning Calamity-Dispelling Pill [a potent elixir that restores vitality and dispels misfortune] to recover from your injuries first. And this Dual Polarity Divine Thunder [a profound cultivation art harnessing the power of opposing divine thunders] should also provide some inspiration for your own art creation."

After a moment's thought, he produced another Divine Ability Jade Slip [a jade slip containing the knowledge of a divine ability], along with a second Yang-Returning Calamity-Dispelling Pill [a potent elixir that restores vitality and dispels misfortune], and handed them over.

Ethan Chen accepted the three treasures, his voice filled with soaring ambition and unwavering resolve. "Wait for three Jiazi-time [a cycle of sixty years], Uncle, and then come see me again."

"I will surely transform into a dragon and soar through the heavens, stirring the winds and clouds of the world."

"Good. I will await that day."

Uncle and nephew stood side by side, hands clasped behind their backs, gazing from the cliff's peak at the rising sun amidst the sea of clouds.

Not long after, Ethan Chen entered the Scripture Repository [the clan's hall containing countless cultivation scriptures and arts], immersing himself completely in the ocean of ancient texts. Day and night, he devoted himself to the arduous contemplation of creating his own cultivation art.

Meanwhile, Eldrin Chen traveled to Heaven's Ruin Lake and sought out Kael Chen, who was stationed there.

Several years had passed, yet Kael Chen remained clad in his signature black robes, his features strikingly handsome and his bearing increasingly peerless and extraordinary. Upon seeing Kael Chen, Eldrin Chen stated plainly, "Ethan has failed."

"As expected." For uninterrupted reading, go to audio–novel.com.

Kael Chen's countenance was serene, his eyes exceptionally profound and deep.

Eldrin Chen nodded slightly and said calmly, "And you?"

"A Superior Golden Core [the highest grade of the Golden Core cultivation stage, representing immense potential and purity]?" Kael Chen's expression was open and untroubled. "It is not difficult."

Eldrin Chen offered a faint smile. He understood that Kael Chen's Dao-heart [the cultivator's fundamental will and spiritual core] had now settled; his path was clear. A cultivator with such conviction possessed a spirit nearly impossible to shake.

For his clan brother, forging a Superior Golden Core held only one possible outcome: success. If the first attempt failed, he would try a second. If the second failed, a third. There was no other path, no room for any alternative.

Such unwavering resolve proved that after subduing the Demonic Fiend Qi [a corrupting, malevolent energy], his Dao-heart had become unassailable—likely impervious even to the whispers of inner demons.

Thinking this, Eldrin Chen allowed a genuine smile to touch his lips. This elder brother of the clan had truly come into his own.

"In a couple of years, I will attempt my Golden Core breakthrough,"

Kael Chen said, glancing at Eldrin Chen. "I will need to borrow a tribulation-resisting Magical Treasure [an enchanted artifact used by cultivators] from you."

"Consider it done."

Eldrin Chen gave a solemn nod. The might of the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [the divine trial of lightning and thunder faced when advancing to the Golden Core realm] for a Superior Golden Core [the highest grade of Golden Core formation] was extraordinary. A single Fourth Rank Magical Treasure [a powerful enchanted artifact] would likely be insufficient. He decisively handed over both the 'Abyssal Sinking Stone Cauldron' and the 'Azure-Gold Ancient Bell' to Kael Chen.

After meeting with Kael Chen, Eldrin Chen returned to Spirit Isle Lake and resumed the arduous process of tempering his Life-Bound Magical Treasure [a magical treasure bound to a cultivator's life force and soul].

By the time he had successfully tempered all Five Lifebound Magical Treasures, he discovered that two and a half years had slipped by.

Emerging from his Seclusion Chamber [a dedicated room for undisturbed cultivation] after completing the tempering of the five Magical Treasure [enchanted artifacts], Eldrin Chen was personally sought out by the Old Patriarch, who exclaimed with unrestrained joy, "Kael has succeeded in his breakthrough! He has forged a Superior Golden Core!"

"He truly succeeded?"

Eldrin Chen exchanged a knowing glance with Lyra Jiang, a look of understanding passing between them.

Breaking through to the Golden Core [the third major realm of cultivation, where one condenses their spiritual power into a solid core] was one of those endeavors that seemed impossible to the uninitiated, yet straightforward to those who had mastered the path.

Many failed repeatedly, but Kael Chen's cultivation base, spiritual sense, and physical body had all reached perfection. Coupled with his formidable willpower, his chances of success had always been substantial.

For this self-guided attempt at the Golden Core breakthrough, Eldrin Chen had estimated the odds of success at no less than fifty percent. Thus, the outcome fell squarely within his expectations.

With the Beast Tide Calamity [a periodic cataclysmic invasion by hordes of demonic beasts] looming on the horizon, Kael Chen's Golden Core Banquet [a celebratory feast held to honor a cultivator's advancement to the Golden Core realm] was kept deliberately simple and subdued.

The various Immortal Clan [powerful cultivation families] that were gathering at Heaven's Ruin Lake took the opportunity to present their congratulatory gifts, and the Chen Clan also held a modest Golden Core Banquet [a celebratory feast for a cultivator's advancement to the Golden Core Realm].

After the Golden Core Banquet concluded, Eldrin Chen sought out Lior Chen and said, "Your cultivation has reached its peak, Uncle Lior. You should seize the moment to enter seclusion and attempt your breakthrough to the Golden Core Great Perfection [the pinnacle stage of the Golden Core Realm]."

Lior Chen shook his head, declining. "The Beast Tide Calamity [a periodic invasion of monstrous beasts] is set to erupt within the next few months. I will wait until it has passed before attempting to ascend to the Golden Core Realm."

Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow, a sense of unease settling in his heart.

The Old Patriarch [the venerable leader of the clan], observing from the side, spoke up. "You are a cultivator at the Purple Mansion Great Perfection stage, three centuries old, and a prime candidate for our clan's next Golden Core. If you join the battle, you will undoubtedly become a primary target for the Demonic Tribe [the monstrous beast factions]."

"But the Beast Tide Calamity is upon us. I should contribute my strength," Lior Chen insisted. For the best reading experience, visit audio‑novel.com.

After exchanging glances, Eldrin Chen proposed a solution. "Very well. You shall take command of Pingyang City's Mountain Guardian Grand Formation [a powerful defensive array]. With you guarding Pingyang City, we can fight with greater peace of mind."

With Eldrin Chen's decree, the matter was settled.

Time flowed swiftly, and several more months passed in the blink of an eye.

Unlike previous years, the Chu Kingdom had mustered a vast host of cultivators for this conflict. Their forces were formidable, a true testament to their gathered strength.

Lyra Jiang and Eldrin Chen personally took command at Earth Lion Ridge, while the Old Patriarch, Elara Lin, and Kael Chen—three Golden Core [the third major stage of cultivation, where one's spiritual power condenses into a solid golden core] cultivators—stationed themselves at Heaven's Ruin Lake.

The Firmament Sword Sect's Qian the Sect Master and Ling Changxu, both Golden Core Cultivator [a cultivator who has reached the Golden Core realm], also arrived at Heaven's Ruin Lake with tens of thousands of cultivators to assist in the defense. Even the Verdant Immortal Sect dispatched Taiwu the True Person to Earth Lion Ridge to bolster the garrison.

With such formidable strength and the ability to reinforce each other via the Teleportation Formation [a magical array that allows instantaneous travel across vast distances], Eldrin Chen was confident that unless a Nascent Soul Demon Emperor [a demonic beast that has cultivated to the Nascent Soul realm, equivalent to a human Nascent Soul cultivator] appeared, even multiple Golden Core Demonic Tribe [a collective term for tribes or factions of demonic beasts and cultivators] would be unable to breach their defenses.

Furthermore, the Nascent Soul Demon Emperor from Azure Wave Lake was under the constant, watchful eye of the Ji Immortal Clan. Should it make any move, the Ji Immortal Clan would undoubtedly intervene. Therefore, Eldrin believed no major catastrophe was likely to occur.

Just as the military forces of the Chu Kingdom were gathering in Heaven's Ruin Province and Earth Lion Province, the Beast Tide Calamity [a periodic, massive invasion of demonic beasts] quietly began its assault.

However, after more than half a month of conflict, Eldrin Chen sensed something amiss. He realized that this Beast Tide Calamity had not seen a single Demon King [a powerful demonic beast leader, typically at the Golden Core realm or higher] take to the field.

Only vast hordes of Low-Rank Demonic Beast [demonic beasts of low cultivation rank, equivalent to the Qi Refinement or Foundation Establishment realms] surged against the great Spirit Mountain [a mountain imbued with concentrated spiritual energy, often used as a cultivation base], and they were swiftly cut down by the armies of the Human Race.

"What scheme is the Demonic Tribe plotting now?"

Within the grand hall of Earth Lion Ridge, a group of Golden Core Ancestor [a venerable elder who has reached the Golden Core realm] communicated via the World's-End Sound-Transmission Mirror [a magical artifact for long-distance communication], their expressions filled with puzzlement.

Frowning deeply, Qian the Sect Master could not help but voice his thoughts, "Could it be that, seeing the explosive growth of our Chu Kingdom's power, the Demonic Tribe feels it lacks the strength to confront us? Perhaps they intend to recuperate and build up their forces, waiting for the next opportunity to strike our kingdom?"

"Controlling the board is impossible," Eldrin Chen frowned, then stated, "We have been monitoring Crimson Scorpion Ridge, the Savage Ox Ancient Plains, and Great Kun River all this time, yet the figure of the Demon King [a powerful ruler among demonic beasts] remains unseen."

"This is highly unusual. I fear there is deception at play."

As they were speaking, a streak of flowing light suddenly descended from beyond the heavens.

Lyra Jiang took it and glanced over it, her expression darkening slightly as a look of grave seriousness settled upon her features.

Seeing her expression, the others quickly asked, "What has happened?"

"It is a Conscription Decree [an official order for military mobilization] from the Ji Clan."

Lyra Jiang said, handing the Conscription Decree to Eldrin Chen.

Eldrin Chen took one look, and his pupils involuntarily contracted. It turned out that an undiscovered Void Gemstone Mine [a mine producing gems infused with spatial energy] had been found at Azure Wave Lake. Using the Void Gem [a gemstone containing spatial energy] produced there, they had actually set up over a dozen Teleportation Formation [magical arrays for instantaneous travel over vast distances].

Leveraging these Teleportation Formation, they had managed to link over a dozen surrounding Demon King territories into a single network. This time, Azure Wave Lake used this hidden trump card to mobilize forces. In a single night, several dozen Golden Core Demon King [demonic beast kings possessing power equivalent to the Golden Core realm] launched an assault on the Qi Kingdom.

In that one battle, the Qi Kingdom suffered a grievous defeat. Seven Golden Core [cultivators at the Golden Core realm] perished on the spot, and five more had their physical bodies destroyed. The number of lower-realm cultivators who fell was beyond count.

In this battle, nearly half of Qi Kingdom's Golden Core Cultivator [powerful cultivators who have condensed a Golden Core of spiritual energy] were slain, a loss that ignited the full, thunderous wrath of the Ji Clan. They vowed to wage a great war against Azure Wave Lake. Official source: audio_novel.com. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.