Chapter 376 : The Gathering of Golden Cores

"This time, the Demon Race has established Teleportation Formations across more than a dozen Spiritual Veins [underground channels that concentrate and radiate spiritual energy], effectively consolidating their forces into a single entity. How should we respond?"

Upon learning of this situation, Elara Lin could not help but ask.

A sense of unease settled over the assembly. Eternal Profound Chen also inquired, "What about the Ji Clan?"

"This conscription order from the Ji Clan has summoned the Golden Core Cultivators [cultivators who have formed a solid Golden Core, a major milestone] from the Wei, Yan, Cang, Chu, and Qi nations, along with those from the Ji Nation itself,"

Eldrin Chen stated calmly, a flicker of gravity passing through his eyes. "If this battle truly escalates, it could very well reach the level of True Lord [a powerful cultivator who has reached the Primordial Spirit realm] engagement."

"A battle between True Lords?"

The Golden Core True Persons [cultivators who have formed a Golden Core] present felt their hearts tremble. Once forces of that magnitude clashed in earnest, it was certain that True Lords and Demon Emperors [rulers of powerful demon factions] of the Infant Soul [the cultivation realm above Golden Core, where the cultivator's nascent soul is formed] level would fall. Regardless of the final victor, the casualties would be immense.

Azure Wave Lake did not wish for the Ji Clan Patriarch to break through to the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator, representing a higher state of being], yet they were unwilling to engage the Ji Clan in a fight to the death. The memory of the Demon Emperor slain by the Ji Clan four centuries ago was still vivid.

This was precisely why Azure Wave Lake had repeatedly intervened indirectly but never committed their forces directly. They would not act lightly, for doing so would signify an end to all peace between the two sides, destined to end with one party's downfall.

For the Demon Race, the optimal moment to strike against the Ji Clan would be the very instant the Ji Clan Patriarch attempted his breakthrough to the Primordial Spirit Path Lord [a True Lord who has mastered their Path, a higher state of cultivation]. Meanwhile, the Ji Clan was also scheming, seemingly waiting for the right opportunity to clear the path of obstacles for their Patriarch in advance. For the best reading experience, visit *audio-novel.com*.

However, if the Demon Emperor [the supreme ruler of the demonic forces] were truly and utterly enraged, triggering a full-scale war involving Infant Soul [the Nascent Soul stage of cultivation] level powers ahead of schedule, then this conflict would become unimaginably brutal—a battle so momentous it would be etched into the annals of Ji Continent history.

Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang exchanged a glance, a shared unease settling in their hearts.

They understood. As the day for Ji Clan Patriarch to guide and receive his Heaven Soul [a celestial destiny or fate] drew ever nearer, the patience of the demonic and monstrous forces would inevitably wear thin.

The demons and monsters had schemed first at the Demon Cave and then against Qi Nation, not hesitating to deploy Grand Granary Old Demon and several hidden agents.

Now, they had even risked exposing a trump card as significant as the Void Gem Mine Vein [a rich vein of Void-attuned spirit gems]. This truly signaled their growing desperation. These three successive, heavy blows were aimed at weakening the strength of Ji Continent.

They also sought, by dealing a crippling blow to the cultivators of Qi Nation's Immortal Realm [the realm of immortal cultivation], to force Ji Clan's hidden reserves into the open.

This way, when the time came for Ji Clan Patriarch to attempt his breakthrough to the Primordial Spirit [the Primordial Spirit stage of cultivation], their chances of successfully disrupting the process would be far greater.

Regardless, after suffering such a grievous loss, the Ji Immortal Clan could not possibly stand idly by while the cultivators of Qi Nation's Immortal Realm bled. The coming battle promised to be a vicious and hard-fought one.

"..."

On the very next day after the Communication Talisman [a magical talisman used for long-distance communication] arrived, a figure clad in black robes reached Chu Nation.

The visitor was the avatar of Noctis the True Lord. This True Lord [a powerful cultivator who has attained the True Lord realm] had summoned all the Golden Core Cultivator [cultivators who have formed a Golden Core, a solidified mass of spiritual energy] who had fought under Eldrin Chen, gathering them together in the main hall of Earth Lion Ridge.

"We pay our respects to the True Lord."

Upon seeing Noctis the True Lord, everyone hurriedly bowed with reverence.

"There is no need for such formality." Noctis the True Lord sat calmly at the center of the hall. With a single glance at the assembly, his opening words took them all by surprise: "The Demon Race [a race of beings that cultivate demonic arts] have known when to quit while they are ahead. They withdrew their forces yesterday."

"What?"

Eldrin Chen was momentarily stunned but quickly grasped the situation.

In this battle, the Demon Race had revealed their trump cards. By slaying seven Human Race Golden Core cultivators and severely wounding the cultivation world of Qi Nation, they had already reaped significant gains.

If they continued to fight, the swift and powerful retaliatory strike of the Ji Continent Cultivation World would likely cause them to suffer a major setback, turning this great victory into a minor one or even a defeat.

After all, the strength of a Human Race Golden Core cultivator typically surpassed that of their Demon Race counterpart by a slight margin, and the power of the Ji Immortal Clan was somewhat greater than that of Azure Wave Lake.

By quitting while they were ahead now, they could consolidate their current gains. Waiting another hundred years to fight again would not be a loss.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen turned his gaze towards Not Night Ji. While the Demon Race [the collective term for sentient, often malevolent, non-human creatures that cultivate] might wish to cut their losses and retreat, since Noctis the True Lord [a title meaning 'Lord of the Night'] had come here in person, it was likely he had no intention of letting them go so easily.

Sure enough, Noctis the True Lord spoke again, his voice firm. "This battle, we must strike back. We will reclaim what we have lost and turn this defeat into victory."

"Then how should this battle be fought?"

Exquisite Jiang asked calmly, a subtle light flickering in her eyes.

Not Night Ji glanced at Exquisite Jiang and gave a respectful nod before continuing. "We have already deduced the location of the Demon Race's Void Gem Mine Vein [a subterranean deposit rich in Void Gems, rare crystals attuned to spatial energies]."

"This time, our objective is to seize that Void Gem Mine Vein. We need to obtain a supply of Void Gem [crystals that resonate with void/spatial energy, crucial for advanced formations] to link the cultivation realms of the Six Kingdoms of Ji Continent [a major continent divided into six powerful human kingdoms] into a unified network." Find this and other novels at audio-novel`com.

The assembled cultivators exchanged uneasy glances. The Fourth-Rank Spirit Mountain [a mountain peak imbued with potent spiritual energy, suitable for high-level cultivation] within the Six Kingdoms of Ji Continent were each occupied by major Immortal Clan [powerful, long-established families of cultivators]. Many of these clans harbored deep-seated rivalries amongst themselves. To establish a Teleportation Formation [a magical array enabling instantaneous travel over vast distances] connecting directly to another clan's territory would be akin to leaving one's own Spirit Mountain [a mountain rich in spiritual energy, serving as a clan's base] wide open to invasion.

In truth, the Demon Race itself was riven by profound internal strife. Many demonic species were natural predators and prey to one another, viewing each other as little more than sustenance.

The fact that these Demon Race could gather without immediately tearing each other apart was astonishing enough. It was utterly perplexing how they had agreed to mutually deploy such interconnected formation arrays.

As if sensing their collective apprehension, Not Night Ji shook his head slightly. "The pressure from Azure Wave Lake [a powerful demonic force or territory] is becoming unbearable. They have forcibly compelled the various Demon King [a powerful rank among demon cultivators, equivalent to a high-level human cultivator] to install the formation arrays and sign binding pacts. These agreements strictly forbid using the Teleportation Formation networks to attack one another."

"Moreover, the fall of several Demon King territories in recent years, such as Earth Lion Ridge and Heavenly Python Lake, has put pressure on the Demon Kings, which is why they signed this agreement."

Eldrin Chen was somewhat surprised. It turned out that the Demon Race uniting as one was also related to their slaying of several Golden Core Demon Kings over the past two centuries. These Demon Race had sensed the aggressive posture of the Human Race and were already feeling some pressure.

This time, the Demon Race had actually considered attacking Chu Nation first, but after some deliberation, they ultimately chose Qi Nation.

The reasons were that Chu Nation lacked both a Fifth Rank Spiritual Vein and an Earth Vein [a terrestrial energy leyline]. Furthermore, even if they conquered Chu Nation, Yan Kingdom had the Verdant Azure Mountains as a natural barrier.

Most crucially, Chu Nation possessed three Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasures and had Teleportation Formations for mutual support.

Under such circumstances, regardless of whether the Demon Race could actually conquer Chu Nation, even if they threw their full might into the assault, everyone could simply escape via the Teleportation Formations.

In that case, while the demons might seize empty Spirit Mountains, the cultivators of Violet Sanctum realm and above from the Chu Nation Cultivation World would remain largely intact.

If the Demon Race paid such a steep price, even going so far as to reveal their hidden card—the Void Gem Mine Vein—and yet failed to slay multiple Golden Core Cultivators, then they would have essentially lost the gambit.

"Within the Six Kingdoms, we will each cultivate one Fourth-Rank Spiritual Vein and establish a cultivation market city."

Not Night Ji stated, then continued, "When the time comes, the major Immortal Clans of the Six Kingdoms will jointly hold shares and operate these six market cities. We will also deploy Teleportation Formations on them, to be used for mutual reinforcement among the Six Kingdoms in critical moments."

"That is indeed an excellent plan."

Patriarch Qian was also pleased. According to this method, Chu Nation would establish a fourth-rank immortal cultivation market town and possess a Teleportation Formation [a mystical array capable of instantaneously transporting people or objects across vast distances] connecting to the other Six Kingdoms.

For the various great Immortal Clan [powerful families whose members cultivate the path of immortality] of Chu Nation, this would add a new source of revenue.

However, this was clearly not the moment to dwell on that topic. Eldrin Chen glanced at Noctis the True Lord and asked calmly, "Does the True Lord [a title for a cultivator who has reached the Golden Core realm] mean to suggest we should attack the Void Gem Mine Vein [a mineral vein rich in Void Gems, a rare spiritual ore]?" Read the full novel exclusively on audio_novel.com.