Chapter 436 : The Demon King's Ambush

This was not a sign of the Spirit Clam Demon King's stupidity. Its intelligence was nearly on par with that of a Human Race Golden Core cultivator [a practitioner who has formed a solid, golden spiritual core, marking a major advancement].

However, it resided deep within the heart of Demonic Tribe territory and had rarely clashed with the Human Race for many years. The Demonic Tribe beings it usually encountered were mostly of low intellect; how could it have ever encountered such cunning schemes and treachery?

Caught completely off guard, the Spirit Clam Demon King immediately fell victim to the trap laid by Eldrin Chen and Lyra Jiang.

With the level of power Lyra Jiang now commanded for a sneak attack, and wielding the Demon-Subduing Immortal Sword [a sword of immense power specifically forged to vanquish demonic entities], the poor Spirit Clam Demon King did not even realize what was happening before its life was ended with a single, decisive sword stroke.

"Let's go."

After slaying the Spirit Clam Demon King, the two retrieved the Water Element Treasure Pearl. Without pausing to plunder the demon king's other treasures, they immediately retreated and slipped back into Chu Kingdom territory.

By the time the Demonic Tribe forces reacted, the pair had already returned to Chu Kingdom, and the opportunity to pursue them had been lost.

Upon their return to Spirit Isle Lake, Eldrin Chen gazed at the Spirit Clam Pearl [a lustrous pearl formed within a spirit clam, rich with condensed spiritual energy] in his hand and remarked, "This went far more smoothly than we anticipated."

"It was merely the advantage of surprise. Next time we act, the other Demon Kings [powerful rulers among demonic beasts] likely won't fall for the same trick," Lyra Jiang shook her head, though a trace of satisfaction still graced her features.

The two of them went to the Clan Treasury and retrieved a portion of Fourth Rank Star Treasure Metal. They combined it with the other materials and refined it into a single Supreme Grade Magical Treasure Star Pearl. For the best reading experience, visit audio-novel[dot]com.

After refining the Star Pearl, Eldrin Chen brought it to Pingyang City.

Upon seeing Eldrin Chen, the Old Patriarch smiled and said, "Your timing is perfect. You are the best person to handle the transplantation of the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root [a spiritual root of exceptional quality, born from the convergence of heaven and earth's essence]."

It turned out that during this period, the Old Patriarch had finally identified a suitable location for transplanting the Spiritual Root [the innate conduit within a living being that determines their ability to absorb and cultivate spiritual energy].

Without delay, Eldrin Chen took matters into his own hands. He carefully excavated the Enlightenment Tea Tree along with a large mass of its native soil. He then transported it via a treasure boat to the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Wilderness.

After several days of travel, they came to a stop in the central region of the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Wilderness, upon a vast and expansive plain.

A mighty Ronan [a great river, named after a legendary figure] flowed across the plain, its course stretching into the seemingly infinite depths of the Great Wilderness.

Upon the banks of this great Ronan, a majestic city stood tall. Within its walls, a population of over a million mortals had already made their home.

Gazing down upon the wilderness below, the Old Patriarch said with a satisfied smile, "This city is named Ancient Desolate City. We have been developing this land for over sixty years now. It is more than sufficient to sustain mortal life."

"The location of Ancient Desolate City lies within a region of Ancient Primordial Hills and Wilderness. For countless eons, it has been a place of tangled undergrowth, with scarcely a tall tree to be seen."

Several major rivers, including the Ronan River, traverse the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Wilderness and flow through this region. Once developed, they could facilitate water transport for the mortal populace.

The well-developed river network, combined with the relatively flat terrain—a topography common to most of the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Wilderness—makes this area quite rare within the broader Eastern Wastelands.

Eldrin Chen descended with the Enlightenment Tea Tree and transplanted it at the city's heart, nourishing it with three mouthfuls of Primordial Essence [the most fundamental and purest form of spiritual energy].

After completing these tasks, he finally spoke: "I intend to devote myself to comprehending the Divine Ability. The matter of relocating the population will require your careful attention."

"Focus on your cultivation with peace of mind."

The Old Patriarch nodded. From now on, he would reside within the Ancient Desolate City, overseeing the clan's migration efforts.

Eldrin Chen returned to Yu County, and life settled back into its former tranquility. One day, he took up the Enlightenment Tea [a tea that aids in profound meditation and comprehension] and began deducing the principles of the Triad Divine Thunder.

According to Eldrin Chen's estimation, the power of the Triad Divine Thunder should reach the realm of a Great Divine Ability [a supreme and immensely powerful supernatural technique].

Deducing a Great Divine Ability would undoubtedly be an immense challenge, but success would grant him another ultimate trump card to hold in reserve.

The Fourth Rank Enlightenment Tea produced by the Enlightenment Tea Tree is an exceedingly precious treasure for Golden Core Cultivator.

This Heaven and Earth Spirit Tea [a rare tea infused with the essence of heaven and earth, prized for its profound effects on the mind] possesses extraordinary efficacy. After consuming it, the comprehension ability of a Golden Core Cultivator [a cultivator who has formed a solidified core of spiritual energy within their dantian] is greatly enhanced. An ordinary Golden Core Cultivator who drinks a single cup of this spiritual tea will find their insight increased more than threefold for a period of three months.

Eldrin Chen's innate comprehension is of a caliber rarely seen since ancient times. The amplifying effect of this spiritual tea is therefore less pronounced for him, yet it still significantly elevates his perceptive faculties.

With the assistance of this tea, Eldrin Chen's speed in comprehending the Triad Divine Thunder [a powerful divine ability involving the synergistic combination of three distinct elemental thunder techniques] increased considerably. His deductions and refinements of the Triad Divine Thunder advanced step by steady step.

In truth, as his cultivation base had deepened over time, his understanding of various Divine Ability [supernatural techniques powered by profound comprehension of the Dao] and cultivation arts had grown ever more profound. Now, wholly focused on deducing this Triad Divine Thunder, his progress accelerated markedly.

With his mind free from distraction and all his energy channeled into unraveling the Divine Ability, the pace of his advancement surged dramatically for a time.

In the blink of an eye, seven full years passed. On this day, Eldrin Chen channeled his mana, manifesting the three divine thunders: the Wood-First Divine Thunder [the divine thunder of nascent wood, representing growth and vitality], the Water-Flood Divine Thunder [the divine thunder of deluge waters, representing fluidity and overwhelming force], and the Fire-Sun Divine Thunder [the divine thunder of the blazing sun, representing purification and destructive yang energy]. A look of intense concentration flashed in his eyes.

"Water nourishes wood; wood fuels fire. Yet water and fire oppose and extinguish each other." This chapter appears courtesy of http://www . audio-novel.com.

"These three thunders converge, striving to form a tripartite, self-sustaining cycle of power."

"Success or failure hinges on this single attempt."

Eldrin Chen murmured to himself. During this period of cultivation, he had used the Wood-First Divine Thunder, Water-Flood Divine Thunder, and Fire-Sun Divine Thunder as his foundation, continuously deducing and evolving the principles of the First-Wood Divine Thunder. Now, he had reached the critical juncture.

As the Dao Runes of the three divine thunders continued to intertwine, the gaze of Eldrin Chen grew increasingly grave. At that very moment, one of the runes dimmed, and the entire structure of the Triad Divine Thunder Dao Runes began to unravel.

"Disaster."

Seeing the situation turn dire, Eldrin Chen's pupils constricted sharply. He immediately began to disperse the Dao Runes.

Alas, his speed was a fraction too slow. The infinite Dao Runes erupted, and a wisp of the resulting backlash overflowed. This mere overflow was enough to shatter the entire Cultivation Chamber with countless fissures.

Fortunately, the Cultivation Chamber was densely inscribed with Formation [a structured arrangement of energy channels and runes used for various purposes, from defense to cultivation], which contained the force of the blast within the chamber itself. Otherwise, the strike would have likely sunk the earth for a hundred Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] in every direction.

"What happened?"

Lyra Jiang rushed in from outside, her voice laced with concern as she inquired.

"It is nothing," Eldrin Chen shook his head, sweeping the dust away with a flick of his sleeve. "Merely a wisp of overflow from the backlash. It could not harm me."

Lyra Jiang took his hand, her worry evident. "Do not rush your cultivation. We have time aplenty. You must not let impatience take root."

"I understand."

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod and stepped out from within the Seclusion Chamber.

He strolled along the corridor, only then realizing that winter had arrived without his notice. Goose-feather-like snowflakes drifted ceaselessly from the sky, laying a blanket of white frost upon the earth of Spirit Isle Lake.

In the distant Ten-Mile Peach Blossom Grove, the once-blooming peach blossoms were gone, replaced by snow-laden, withered branches.

Flocks of Purple-Striped Wild Goose huddled amidst the frost, seemingly unwilling to stir in the depths of winter.

Standing before the pavilion, Eldrin Chen breathed in the crisp, icy air and shook his head. "These past years," he said, "have been spent either rushing about to battle, secluded in cultivation, or handling myriad affairs."

"It has been far too long since we last truly beheld the snows of the Southern Kingdom."

The frost and snow of Spirit Isle Lake are counted among its most breathtaking sights. Yet, snow is a rare visitor to the Eastern Wastelands, making this spectacle all the more precious.

Lyra Jiang draped a thick cloak over his shoulders, feeling as if the figure before her had grown even more imposing. "The winters of late," she remarked softly, "seem to grow ever colder." This content originates from site: audio-novel.com. Please respect copyright.