Chapter 414 : A Superior Golden Core Forged

However, Eldrin Chen pondered for a moment before shaking his head and saying, "This time we have slain three Demon King-rank beasts, including the Golden Core, Late Stage Roc Demon King. Once refined into Golden Core Formation Pill [a supreme pill that aids in forming a cultivator's Golden Core], it will be sufficient for our needs for the next hundred years."

"Aunt Elara has walked the path from the clan's decline to its current standing. As long as she lives, we must ensure she receives her share when resources allow; there is no question about it."

Hearing Eldrin Chen's words, the Old Patriarch revealed a warm smile. "Your consideration truly gladdens my heart."

The Old Patriarch paused, then added with a chuckle, "By the way, your Lila is also exceptional. A few years back, she successfully forged a Superior Golden Core [the highest grade of Golden Core foundation, representing immense potential]."

"Oh."

Eldrin Chen's face lit up with joy. Lila achieving a Superior Golden Core was within his expectations.

That girl possessed an Anomalous Spiritual Root [a rare and powerful spiritual affinity], granting her a twenty percent innate advantage in Core Formation [the process of forming a Golden Core]. Having achieved both Self-Guided Foundation Establishment [breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm without external aids] and Self-Guided Purple Mansion Breakthrough [breaking through to the Purple Mansion Realm without external aids], her ability to break through to the Golden Core [the third major realm of cultivation] unaided was indeed foreseeable.

Thinking of Lila's Superior Golden Core, Eldrin Chen inquired further, "And how fares Ethan these days?"

"He remains immersed within the Scripture Repository [the clan's library of cultivation manuals and ancient texts]. I fear he will not emerge for some time yet."

The Old Patriarch said with a sigh. Forging a new cultivation art was no simple feat. For Ethan Chen to carve his own path and discover a method to harmonize the opposing forces of water and fire [a reference to his cultivation path] would likely be a long and arduous journey. Immerse yourself in the complete world at site: audio-novel.com.

This process would consume a vast amount of time, and it was uncertain whether the effort would ultimately prove worthwhile.

Seeing the expression on Old Patriarch's face, Eldrin Chen quickly changed the subject. "By the way," he said, "with the aid of the power within the Ancient Primordial Inscription, I have devised a life-preserving technique for the Foundation Establishment Realm."

"Now that I've returned to the clan, I wish to find someone to test it on, to see if any refinements are needed."

"That can be easily arranged," Old Patriarch nodded with a smile. "Every year, there are quite a few clansmen who attempt Self-Guided Foundation Establishment. I can offer several slots and have them volunteer."

Eldrin Chen added, "The Spirit Gathering Dao Protection Formation is, after all, a Fourth Rank Formation. The clan will need to take pains to gather the necessary materials for its deployment."

"Leave that matter to me."

After bidding farewell to the Old Patriarch, Eldrin Chen and Lyra Jiang returned to Spirit Isle Lake.

Lyra Jiang retrieved the Glazed Armor of the Three Treasures and submerged it within the spirit pool, allowing it to absorb spiritual energy and undergo its metamorphosis to advance in rank.

Watching the Glazed Armor of the Three Treasures voraciously devour spiritual energy, Lyra Jiang performed a quick calculation with her fingers and said, "For this treasure to ascend to the level of a Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure, it appears it will need to cycle through seven or eight different Fourth Rank Spirit Vein and require seven or eight years of dedicated effort."

Eldrin Chen nodded, pondered for a moment, and then spoke. "As for my Nether Stone, to purge the lingering Netherworld [the underworld or realm of the dead] aura from it, I will need to make a journey to the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire."

"Should we wait a while longer?" Lyra Jiang spoke, weighing her words carefully. "After all, Ignatius the Blazing Lord is a Pseudo True Lord [a cultivator whose power approaches that of a True Lord], his strength far surpasses that of a False Nascent Soul Cultivator [a cultivator who has formed a flawed or incomplete Nascent Soul] like Alaric the True Person."

"Would it not be better to wait until our Glazed Armor of the Three Treasures [a powerful defensive armor forged from three types of precious materials] ascends to the rank of a Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [a treasure of the highest order, capable of suppressing demonic forces]? By then, our chances of subduing Ignatius the Blazing Lord would be significantly greater."

Eldrin Chen pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "Refining the Netherworld [the underworld or realm of the dead] Qi [the vital energy that flows through all living things] within the Nether Stone [a rare stone imbued with the essence of the underworld] will take nearly a full Jiazi-time [a sixty-year cycle], even with the aid of Ignatius the Blazing Lord's Fifth Rank True Flame [a powerful flame of the fifth rank, capable of refining even the most stubborn materials]."

"As Feiye the Night's Bane once said, the Ji Clan would make a major move within three Jiazi-time. One hundred and ten years have already passed since then."

"By that calculation, we have at most a little over one Jiazi-time left to prepare. Therefore, refining the Netherworld Qi can no longer be delayed."

"Moreover, that ancient site only opens once every thirty years. It has been nearly ninety years since our last entry. If we miss this opportunity, we would have to wait another thirty years."

Hearing this, Lyra Jiang could only nod in agreement. "Very well. Let us wait another three months. Once I complete my seclusion and break through to the Golden Core Eighth Layer [the eighth layer of the Golden Core realm], I will have a few more cards to play against Ignatius the Blazing Lord."

"Agreed."

Eldrin Chen gave a firm nod and began standing guard for her cultivation session.

To be precise, Lyra Jiang's impending breakthrough was not a natural culmination; her accumulation of spiritual power still fell short by a few years.

However, to achieve an early breakthrough, she consumed a Fourth Rank Pill that forced rapid growth [a type of elixir that accelerates cultivation at the cost of future stability], which significantly hastened the increase in her cultivation base.

The consequence of taking such a pill was that before her future breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm [the stage where a cultivator forms their immortal spiritual core], she would need to spend an additional decade meticulously tempering and refining her spiritual energy to restore it to its former, pristine purity.

Three months later, Lyra Jiang finally emerged from her secluded cultivation.

After her breakthrough to the Golden Core Eighth Layer [the eighth layer of the Golden Core cultivation stage], the pair did not linger. They immediately and discreetly took to their flying swords, setting course directly for Heavenly Abode Continent.

Speed was of the essence on this journey. In a mere two months, they traversed the Heaven's Spine Mountains and crossed into the territory of Heavenly Abode Continent.

Once past the mountains, they wasted no time. Their destination was the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire [a legendary and perilous fiery realm], and they arrived just in time for its periodic opening. Published by audio-novel-dot-com. All rights reserved.

Before entering the ancient ruins, Lyra Jiang spoke with grave seriousness, "We must not underestimate Ignatius the Blazing Lord. Caution is paramount."

"Understood," Eldrin Chen nodded, then added reassuringly, "But there's no need for excessive worry. Last time we came here, I was merely at the Golden Core, Early Stage, and you were only at the Golden Core, Mid Stage."

"Now, our strength has surged by leaps and bounds. Even if we cannot defeat Ignatius the Blazing Lord, we should be more than capable of preserving our lives. Furthermore, we have the aid of the local Formation [a powerful array of magical energy] and two Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [artifacts of supreme power designed to vanquish demonic forces]."

Hearing his words, Lyra Jiang felt a measure of reassurance settle in her heart.

The two of them immediately stepped through the now-opened Formation and entered the ruins.

Perhaps because they had completely eradicated the Golden Core Spirit ninety years prior, they encountered no spirit guardians blocking their path this time.

"Time is short. Let us be swift and decisive."

With those words, Eldrin Chen merged his body with his sword and shot towards the depths of the ruins.

Transformed into streaks of sword light, they soared through the air. They had not flown for long before a massive shockwave erupted at the horizon.

A crimson figure, towering a thousand Zhang-length high like a Demon God, stood at the edge of the world.

It bore horns upon its head, its body was etched with countless restraining formation runes, and it held aloft the sun and moon in its hands.

A closer look revealed that the great sun cradled in its left hand was a shattered Setting Sun Treasure Wheel, while the bright moon raised in its right was the Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure, the Moonlight Treasure Wheel.

"This fiend..."

Eldrin Chen drew a sharp breath. This Ignatius the Blazing Lord was indeed terrifying.

Even while bearing the suppression of the Formation [a structured arrangement of magical energy for defense or confinement], it could still single-handedly contend against two Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [artifacts of immense power specifically designed to suppress demonic entities]. Such divine might was truly terrifying to the extreme.

Even more astonishing was the boundless Crimson Flame Qi [a potent, blazing fire-type spiritual energy] boiling within its form. As it clashed fully with the two Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure, for a time it actually suppressed them so fiercely that their radiant glows dimmed considerably.

"This is bad. This fiend seeks to break free!"

Eldrin Chen stated gravely. He understood clearly that this Formation was flawed; every thirty years of operation, a single flaw would appear. It was precisely because of this flaw that they had been able to enter.

Now was precisely the period of the Formation's flaw. For Ignatius the Blazing Lord, this was the optimal moment to break its confinement.

If allowed to unleash its divine power unchecked, it might truly succeed in escaping. Furthermore, even if it failed this time, it could further grievously wound the Formation, until one day it would inevitably slaughter its way out from within the Formation's grasp.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen summoned forth the Heavenly Separated Twin Swords [a pair of legendary celestial blades] and unleashed a sweeping slash. "We must act! We absolutely cannot allow it to break free!" This chapter appears courtesy of AUDIO-NOVEL.COM.