Chapter 382 : The Patriarch's Cultivation Revelation

After all, the Heaven's Vault Mirror was merely a Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [a top-tier artifact specifically designed to suppress demonic beings]. While its explosive combat power in a short burst was not inferior to an Infant Soul [the nascent soul stage of cultivation] cultivator, restoring the energy it consumed was a troublesome affair.

Ever since the Demonic Chariot Cataclysm [a great calamity involving a demonic chariot] over four hundred years ago, the Heaven's Vault Mirror had been engaged in major battles almost every century, incurring no small amount of energy depletion.

To restore sufficient combat power would require waiting several decades at the very least. Contemplating this, Eldrin Chen could only suppress the thought for now.

"Then we shall wait a few more years and make our plans after we return from our travels."

"..."

Having temporarily set aside dealing with the Demon Cave [a cave infested with demons], Eldrin Chen proceeded to Pingyang City.

The Old Patriarch was pondering over a cultivation art. Upon seeing him, the patriarch immediately said, "Eldrin, you've come at the perfect time. Quickly, explain this Solar Solar Fire Scripture [a scripture of supreme solar fire] to me."

The Solar Solar Fire Scripture was, after all, a Golden Core Realm [the golden core stage of cultivation] technique. Its deeper mysteries were profoundly arcane. Having cultivated the Solar Solar Fire Scripture for many years, Eternal Profound Chen harbored several lingering doubts about this art.

Now that the very creator of the technique was before him, the Old Patriarch could ask Eldrin Chen directly, naturally sparing himself the arduous labor of solitary contemplation.

The two of them discussed the cultivation art for half a Shichen-time [one Shichen-time equals two hours]. Only after the Old Patriarch's doubts were fully resolved did a look of deep satisfaction finally grace his features. Your portal to cultivation novels: audio - novel . com.

Eternal Profound Chen set down the cultivation manual and poured a pot of tea for Eldrin Chen before speaking, "I still don't know the reason for your visit today."

"Exquisite has broken through to the Golden Core Late Stage," Eldrin Chen stated calmly.

"Truly?"

The Old Patriarch's face lit up with joy. He paced for a moment before adding, "With her cultivation speed, aided by the Spiritual Peach [a mystical fruit that greatly enhances cultivation], wouldn't she be able to attempt the Infant Soul Realm [the stage where a cultivator's nascent soul is formed] within a century?"

"Without Heavenly Path Energy [the supreme-grade spiritual energy required for the highest breakthroughs], the Infant Soul Realm is likely still far off,"

Eldrin Chen shook his head and explained. For individuals like Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang, the true goal was naturally the Heavenly Path Infant Soul [the most perfect and powerful form of the nascent soul, forged with Heavenly Path Energy].

While Earthly Path Energy [a high-grade spiritual energy] was precious, it could still be purchased with sufficient Heavenly Crystal [a purified, high-density form of Spirit Stone]. The Heavenly Path Energy, however, required both profound fortune and significant backing to obtain.

Fortunately, the once-in-a-millennium event known as the Heaven and Earth Resonance [a cosmic alignment that showers the world with rare energies] would also bestow Heavenly Path Energy. The next occurrence of this celestial opportunity, however, was still roughly over two hundred years away.

Suppressing these thoughts, Eldrin Chen spoke again, "Once we break through to the Golden Core Late Stage, the clan's supply of Five Elements Essence [a refined spiritual essence containing the power of the five elements] will no longer meet our consumption needs. I wish to further expand the scale of our cultivators."

"Increase the number of clan cultivators?"

Old Patriarch's eyes flickered slightly as he shook his head. "We have over thirty million mortals. Pingyang City already encompasses the surrounding several thousand Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters], and the mortal population is nearing its limit."

"To increase the population further, we would either have to relocate all the other clans from Yu County, or we must find a new location for our clan's main settlement."

Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow; this was a significant problem.

Mortals have extremely high requirements for their living environment. Without suitable geographical conditions, they simply cannot survive.

For instance, within the Eastern Region Great Wasteland, mountains often soar tens of thousands of Zhang-lengths [one Zhang-length equals three point three three meters] high. Many areas, while vast, are like insurmountable chasms to ordinary mortals.

Furthermore, the Eastern Region Great Wasteland teems with venomous insects and fierce beasts. Reclaiming the primordial plains, where weeds have run wild for hundreds of millions of years, is a task of immense difficulty.

"Bring me the map."

Eldrin Chen had someone fetch the map of the Chu Nation. After studying it intently for a long while, a look of pleasant surprise dawned on his face.

Pointing at the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland, his eyes gleaming, he declared, "The terrain of this Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland is relatively flat, and multiple rivers traverse it, sufficient to irrigate countless fields. Once fully developed, it could sustain several billion mortals."

"The Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland?"

The Old Patriarch furrowed his brow. The Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland was ancient beyond measure. For many years, it had served as a buffer zone between the Border Province and the Demon Race.

In the past, when the Heavenly Python Lake still existed, every major conflict saw the Demon Race cross the vast expanse of the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland to attack the Chu Nation. In the aftermath, tens of thousands of demonic beasts would inevitably scatter and disperse throughout the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland.

These demonic beasts multiplied and thrived within the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland, their numbers proving nearly impossible to eradicate. It was only in the last century or two that the situation had improved somewhat.

Even so, the population of Demon Race creatures within remained immense, and the venomous insects and savage beasts it bred were still a plague that defied complete extermination.

Contemplating this, the Old Patriarch fell silent for a moment before speaking. "Within the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland, the Demon Race forces can, in theory, be hunted down continuously. The true trouble lies with the venomous insects and savage beasts it spawns."

"Reclaiming such land would be no small feat. Without two or three centuries of relentless effort, it would never be suitable for mortal habitation." Experience the full epic at (audio-novel.com).

"Then we burn it."

Eldrin Chen declared with unwavering resolve. He gestured, drawing a wide circle in the air to encompass the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland. "This Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland is vast, its terrain choked with wild grasses. We will set the entire Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland ablaze."

"We will deploy a force of ten thousand clan cultivators, rotating in shifts to hunt down the demonic beasts and venomous creatures within the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland."

"Then, each autumn when the grasses of the Great Wasteland wither and die, we will set the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland on fire. If we scorch the earth three Chi-lengths deep [one Chi-length equals one third of a meter] and continue this for decades, we will surely incinerate the majority of the venomous insects and savage beasts within the Great Wasteland."

Old Patriarch's pupils contracted slightly. If they were to use great fires to burn the venomous insects and then have over ten thousand cultivators take shifts day and night to slay the insect and beast swarms...

...day after day, year after year, it would indeed be enough to exterminate ninety-nine out of a hundred of the demonic beasts and venomous insects within the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland.

However, this would require mobilizing vast amounts of manpower and resources. The annual stipends for over ten thousand cultivators alone would consume over one hundred thousand Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy]. Moreover, setting the mountains ablaze would likely have a significant impact on the environment of the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland.

Considering this, the Old Patriarch spoke, "If we burn the land every year, might it turn the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland into a true desert?"

"Wild grasses cannot be burned away by fire; they sprout anew when the spring winds blow."

Eldrin Chen shook his head, a faint smile gracing his lips. "As long as there is sufficient water, the prosperity of the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland can be assured."

Only then did the Old Patriarch nod in agreement, offering his own strategic counsel with a smile. "We can proceed step by step. First, we can cultivate numerous Third-order Spiritual Vein [a vein of earth that concentrates spiritual energy of the third rank] within the Eastern Region Great Wasteland and establish cities upon them."

"Each city would house anywhere from one hundred thousand to one million people, garrisoned by Foundation Establishment Cultivator [cultivators who have solidified their cultivation foundation] and Violet Sanctum Cultivator [cultivators who have opened their Violet Sanctum, a higher stage of cultivation]."

"By the time our clan ascends to become an Infant Soul Immortal Clan [a clan powerful enough to have cultivators at the Infant Soul stage], the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland should be sufficiently adapted for mortal habitation. Then, we can freely expand the population."

As the Old Patriarch spoke, his brow suddenly furrowed again. "However, with this plan, we will face a shortage of Foundation Establishment Cultivator to garrison all these new settlements."

"We are short on Foundation Establishment [the second major stage of cultivation] personnel."

Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow. In recent years, most of the clan's cultivators had chosen to attempt Self-Achieved Foundation Establishment [breaking through to the Foundation Establishment realm without external aids], and many among them possessed the potential to reach the Violet Sanctum [the third major stage of cultivation] realm.

However, this also resulted in the clan having a considerable number of Violet Sanctum Cultivators [cultivators at the Violet Sanctum stage], yet far fewer Foundation Establishment Cultivators [cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage] compared to a typical Golden Core [the fourth major stage of cultivation] clan.

Generally speaking, a Golden Core Immortal Clan [a clan powerful enough to have a Golden Core stage cultivator as its pillar] would have at least three hundred Foundation Establishment Cultivators to start with, let alone a top-tier Golden Core Immortal Clan like the Chen Clan.

Yet, the current number of Foundation Establishment Cultivators in the Chen Clan was still less than one hundred, significantly fewer than an ordinary Golden Core Immortal Clan.

Although the clan had passed the phase of fervent pursuit of Self-Achieved Foundation Establishment, and the number of cultivators opting to use Foundation Establishment Pills [pills that aid in breaking through to the Foundation Establishment realm] was gradually increasing, the proportion attempting the self-achieved path remained remarkably high.

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen spoke, "Perhaps I should find a method to increase the chances of success for Self-Achieved Foundation Establishment."