Chapter 450 : The Patriarch's Burden and the Golden Core Dream

In recent years, Old Patriarch had made it a practice to journey to the Six Kingdoms of Ji Continent nearly every decade. His travels served a dual purpose: resolving disputes between the Chen Clan and the Immortal Clan of other nations, and overseeing the accounts of various marketplaces. This kept him exceedingly busy.

"Fortunately, Teleportation Formation [magical formations for instantaneous travel over vast distances] now connect the nations of Ji Continent, saving me a great deal of time spent on travel and preventing my cultivation from being completely neglected."

After recounting the clan's affairs over the years, Old Patriarch said with a smile.

Seeing the expression on Old Patriarch's face, Eldrin Chen sighed. "This time, we have brought back five Five Elements Spirit Fruit [fruits imbued with the spiritual essence of the five primal elements, prized for aiding cultivation breakthroughs]. They should be distributed among the clan's Purple Mansion Cultivator [cultivators who have established their spiritual foundation within the Purple Mansion realm]."

"If a few more Golden Core [cultivators who have condensed their spiritual energy into a stable, crystalline Golden Core] can emerge, we can recall Uncle Lior to manage affairs. It would be best for you to focus on reaching Golden Core Great Perfection [the pinnacle stage of the Golden Core realm] as soon as possible."

These years had been extraordinarily busy for Eldrin Chen's cultivation, and without him noticing, his age had approached three hundred and fifty years.

After more than three centuries of development, and particularly since its ascension to a Golden Core Immortal Clan [a clan powerful enough to have Golden Core cultivators as its pillars] two centuries prior, the number of Purple Mansion Cultivator within the Chen Clan had surpassed one hundred.

This growth was primarily due to the Self-Guided Foundation Establishment [a method of establishing one's spiritual foundation without external aids, leading to greater potential]. Over the years, the clan had produced one hundred and fifty-two cultivators who achieved Foundation Establishment [the foundational stage where a cultivator's spiritual energy is solidified] through this method. Of these, eighty-nine had broken through to the Purple Mansion [the realm where one's spiritual consciousness is housed and refined], a success rate far exceeding the expectations of ordinary Golden Core Immortal Clan.

Among these Purple Mansion Cultivator, many possessed exceptional talent. This included five cultivators with Anomalous Spiritual Root [rare and powerful spiritual affinities that deviate from the standard five elements]. Their cultivation progressed with astonishing speed; several had already reached Purple Mansion Great Perfection [the peak of the Purple Mansion realm] and were poised to attempt a breakthrough into the Golden Core realm.

Considering this, Old Patriarch also stated, "Let them choose their own path. If they wish to attempt Core Formation [the process of condensing a Golden Core] on their own, we will not interfere. If they desire to use a Golden Core Formation Pill [a precious elixir that significantly increases the chances of successfully forming a Golden Core] and the Five Elements Spirit Fruit, that is also their choice." Find this and other novels at audio-novel-dot-com.

"Very well."

Eldrin Chen gave a nod. Achieving Core Formation through one's own efforts was a path fraught with immense difficulty. While the clan had many cultivators,

human nature was a tapestry of countless threads, each individual's experiences and temperament unique. Some possessed a lofty spirit, unwilling to settle for forging an Inferior Golden Core [a lower-grade Golden Core, limiting future potential]. Others, however, lacked such steadfastness of Dao-heart [the cultivator's fundamental will and alignment with their path] and did not ardently pursue the way of immortality.

Once this matter was settled, Eldrin Chen said no more on the subject, his expression shifting to a smile. "You shall undertake your closed-door cultivation here to break through to the Golden Core, Late Stage. I will stand guard for you."

"Agreed."

Old Patriarch nodded and proceeded directly into the Seclusion Chamber to begin his secluded meditation aimed at breaking through to the Golden Core, Late Stage.

Having broken through to the Golden Core Sixth Layer many years prior, Old Granduncle had spent over a decade refining and tempering his mana. Now, having consumed two Creation Origin-Returning Pill [a high-grade pill that aids in consolidating cultivation and returning to one's origin], his advancement to the Golden Core, Late Stage was as natural as water flowing downhill.

Half a year later, when he emerged from the Seclusion Chamber, Eldrin Chen greeted him with a smile. "With this breakthrough to the Golden Core, Late Stage, you now stand among the foremost figures within the Golden Core realm."

"You flatter me. I am still far from matching your level."

Though Old Patriarch demurred with a laugh, a trace of justifiable pride nevertheless colored his expression.

The mana of a Middle Golden Core [a high-quality core formed during the Golden Core stage] far surpasses that of others in the same realm. Once his White Metal Star Pearl [a magical pearl forged from celestial star metal] is fully refined and he can deploy the White Metal Seven Stars Grand Formation [a powerful stellar array formation], and with the Golden Radiance Blazing Fire Sword [a sword that channels golden flame] in hand, he should be able to hold his own, if only briefly, even against a False Nascent Soul Cultivator [a cultivator who has attempted but not fully achieved the Nascent Soul realm].

After his breakthrough, Old Granduncle did not linger long at Spirit Isle Lake. He had many pressing matters to attend to, chief among them gathering the Five Elements Essence [a refined spiritual essence containing the power of the five elements] needed for Eldrin Chen to advance his Lifebound Spiritual Treasure [a cultivator's personally bound and nurtured magical artifact].

After the Old Patriarch departed, Eldrin Chen set to work on tempering the Void Gem [a rare gemstone imbued with spatial properties], aiming to fuse it into his Mirror of Yin, Yang, and Void [his lifebound treasure mirror that manipulates opposing forces and space].

The Void Gem proved exceedingly difficult to refine. He spent a full seven years just to melt and integrate it into his lifebound Treasure Mirror. The subsequent task of inscribing the formation runes consumed another year.

With this step complete, Eldrin Chen had successfully forged the vessel-embryo for his Lifebound Spiritual Treasure. All that remained was to fuse it with the Five Elements Essence to bring the artifact to its final, awakened state.

Holding the completed vessel-embryo, Eldrin Chen said to Lyra Jiang with a smile, "For a Fifth Rank Treasure [a treasure of immense power, equivalent to the Nascent Soul stage] like the Mirror of Yin, Yang, and Void, it requires four types of Five Elements Qi [the fundamental energies of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth]—Metallic Essence [the pure energy of Metal], Refined Gold [a further purified form of Metallic Essence], Water-Flood Divine Thunder [a thunder technique imbued with the power of Flood Water], and Separated Flame [the essence of a potent, isolated flame]—to achieve a state of perfect yin-yang equilibrium."

"Once the Five Elements Essence is fully gathered, I can finally advance this Lifebound Spiritual Treasure."

Lyra Jiang also wore an expression of joy, though it was tinged with regret. "It's a pity my research into the Spiritual Treasure Chapter [a section of a cultivation manual detailing spiritual treasure creation] for the Lifebound Incarnation [a technique to create a separate, lifebound avatar] isn't complete. If it were successfully refined, our strength would increase significantly."

"Once the Lifebound Incarnation advances to the Spiritual Treasure [a sentient, immensely powerful magical artifact] realm, it transforms into a Second Primordial Embryo [a second foundational spiritual self]. Refining something of that level is no simple task,"

Eldrin Chen shook his head, his tone one of resigned understanding.

The method of Lifebound Incarnation practiced by Lyra Jiang is, in essence, a technique for cultivating a Second Nascent Soul [a second, independent spiritual core]. Once cultivated to the Fifth Rank [a high level of power], it transforms into a Second Primordial Embryo [the nascent form of a second soul], which is equivalent to a second Nascent Soul [the spiritual core of a high-level cultivator].

Legend has it that once this External Incarnation Body [a body cultivated from one's own essence to house a portion of the soul] reaches the Nascent Soul Realm, it will become her true Second Nascent Soul.

That is a legitimate path to immortality. A Second Nascent Soul is nearly indistinguishable from the original soul in its capabilities, a method far more profound than merely forging a Life-Bound Magical Treasure [a treasure intimately connected to a cultivator's life force].

However, cultivating a Second Nascent Soul disperses the spiritual power of the original soul. Eldrin Chen was unwilling to overly fragment his primary spirit and thus did not choose this particular path of cultivation.

"It seems I can only complete the derivation of the lifebound primordial embryo after the Beast Tide Calamity [a periodic invasion of monstrous beasts] has concluded,"

Lyra Jiang sighed softly, stating the matter thus. Continue your cultivation journey at audi novel.com.

After waiting another year, the Old Patriarch finally managed to gather the Five Elements Essence [a refined spiritual essence containing the power of the five elements] that Eldrin Chen required and delivered it to him.

Upon receiving the Five Elements Essence, Eldrin Chen said, "The Beast Tide Calamity will arrive within five years. We must prepare a contingency. We cannot ascend this Lifebound Spiritual Treasure [a treasure bound to one's soul and cultivation] within Ji Continent."

"Then we should go to the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire," Lyra Jiang suggested, her eyes glinting. "That land is a sea of molten rock, virtually devoid of life. Ascending the Magical Treasure [an enchanted artifact of great power] there would certainly catch the Demonic Tribe [a faction of malevolent, monstrous beings] off guard."

"That is an excellent plan. After the ascension, we could also invite the venerable Sun and Moon Twin Wheels [a pair of legendary celestial treasures] to emerge from seclusion and lend us their aid."

Eldrin Chen nodded, agreeing with Lyra Jiang's assessment.

Since the decision to depart had been made, speed was naturally of the essence. To avoid any leaks this time, they once again forsook the Teleportation Formation and instead boarded the Flying Crane Treasure Boat.

That Flying Crane Treasure Boat was a small Treasure Boat refined from the remains of the Celestial Crane Demon King of The Vast Sea. After Eldrin Chen fused a Fourth Rank Void Gem into it, its grade had reached the level of Quasi-Fifth Rank.

Though it possessed no offensive power, it was inscribed with an extremely high-grade flight formation rune, capable of traversing six hundred thousand Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] in a single day—a speed exceeding even that of a supreme-grade immortal sword by more than fifty percent.

They flew for less than half a month before arriving at the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire and entered the ruins to begin the advancement of the Lifebound Spiritual Treasure.

Advancing the Mirror of Yin, Yang, and Void required the consumption of four thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine strands of Five Elements Essence [a refined spiritual essence containing the power of the five elements], with each strand being synthesized from ten thousand wisps of Five Elements Essence.

The Chen Clan Cultivators had long since used an Alchemy Furnace to refine these wisps into the required four thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine strands of Five Elements Essence, saving Eldrin Chen a vast amount of time.

Even so, it took Eldrin Chen nearly two years to fully infuse all the Five Elements Essence into the Life-Bound Magical Treasure.

"Finally complete."

On this day, as Eldrin Chen fused the final wisp of Five Elements Essence into the Lifebound Spiritual Treasure, the Mirror of Yin, Yang, and Void finally succeeded in its advancement, transforming into a dazzling treasure radiance that soared into the heavens. Your portal to cultivation novels: audio-novel dot com.