Chapter 461 : A Demon Ancestor's Oath

Dorian Ji fell into a contemplative silence, standing motionless atop the Heavenly Vault.

The Black Dragon Demon Ancestor was an ancient True Dragon who had attained Immortality [the state of being undying and unchanging]. His cultivation ranked among the top ten within the Purple Seal Realm. If such an existence were to interfere with his path to enlightenment, even the Human Race Path Lord [a master who has comprehended a fundamental law of reality] from the Eastern Region Great Wasteland would have to pay a tremendous price to stop him.

Furthermore, for an entity at the Black Dragon Demon Ancestor's level, promises were not given lightly. His Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] was attuned to the Great Path [the fundamental laws of the cosmos], and his every action subtly resonated with its profound mysteries.

Once a promise was made, it became a matter of his Dao Heart [the cultivator's core conviction and will]. To break it would be to betray his own heart, inviting rejection from the Great Path. Thereafter, his chances of comprehending the opportunity to ascend to immortality would become exceedingly slim.

Since he was willing to give his word, it meant that when Dorian Ji attempted his breakthrough to the Primordial Spirit realm, this ancient Black Dragon would certainly not intervene.

As long as the Black Dragon Demon Ancestor did not act, the difficulty of Dorian Ji's External Tribulation [heavenly trials and calamities faced during cultivation] would be greatly reduced, and his chances of successfully becoming a Primordial Solar Path Lord [a Path Lord whose enlightenment is aligned with the primordial essence of the sun] would increase significantly.

"This Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor has had his physical body severed by my hand. Reforging it will take at least three hundred years."

"Moreover, even if he eventually reconstructs his fleshly form, the path to transforming into that primordial Azure Dragon and breaking through to the Primordial Spirit Demon Ancestor realm will undoubtedly be fraught with immense difficulty."

"He is already incapable of obstructing my path to enlightenment."

Having reached this conclusion, Dorian Ji gave a slight nod and spoke with calm finality. "Agreed." Enjoyed this chapter? Read more at audio~novel.com.

Seeing Dorian Ji grant passage, the Green Jade Heaven-Measuring Ruler coiled around the Infant Soul of the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor and vanished into the depths of the void in the blink of an eye.

After the Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor departed, the Grand Elder of Ji Clan furrowed his brow and asked, "Are we truly letting them leave just like that?"

"What else can we do?" Dorian Ji sighed, shaking his head. "At present, we lack the strength to confront the Black Dragon Demon Ancestor."

"That Azure Flood Dragon Demon Emperor is on the verge of transforming into a true dragon. A pity we cannot finish this in one decisive stroke!"

The Grand Elder of Ji Clan also shook his head, a trace of helplessness coloring his expression.

Dorian Ji said no more. Descending from the sky, he glanced at Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang, giving a slight nod of acknowledgment.

He offered no lengthy speech, simply stating, "This great victory owes much to the efforts of all present."

"Now that we have achieved a complete triumph, it is naturally time to reap the fruits of victory."

Everyone's faces lit up with joy. Since Dorian Ji spoke of reaping the fruits of victory, it surely meant seizing several of the Demon Race's Fifth Rank Spiritual Vein [a high-grade site rich in spiritual energy].

Sure enough, the Grand Elder of Ji Clan used his magic power to conjure a phantom topographic map. Pointing at four Spirit Mountain [mountains imbued with potent spiritual energy] on the map, he declared, "The Azure Wave Lake domain holds three Fifth Rank Earth Vein [high-grade terrestrial spiritual energy channels], and the Golden Rhino Bloodline possesses one Fifth Rank Spiritual Vein."

"These several Spiritual Vein [a subterranean channel that concentrates and emits spiritual energy] are respectively Azure Wave Lake, Golden Rhino Ridge, Python-Crocodile Lake, and also Verdant Lotus Isle."

Grand Elder of Ji Clan said, casting a glance at the assembled Mortal Path [a foundational cultivation method for mortals] cultivators: "Azure Wave Lake is untouchable, but Golden Rhino Ridge, Python-Crocodile Lake, and Verdant Lotus Isle we can seize."

"To prevent the Demon Race from destroying the Spiritual Vein, we must act immediately. Remember, speed and decisiveness are paramount."

Having decided to capture the three Fifth Rank Spiritual Vein [a high-grade spiritual vein suitable for powerful cultivators], the group immediately mobilized their forces. The Ji Clan Patriarch personally led the assault on Python-Crocodile Lake, being the closest to Azure Wave Lake.

Golden Rhino Ridge was assigned to several True Lord [a high-level cultivator title] from the Ji Clan, while the assault on Verdant Lotus Isle was led by Eldrin Chen and his companion, along with Violet Consort Yan, Freya Ji, and four or five others with their retinues.

Verdant Lotus Isle was originally the territory of the Golden Flood Dragon Demon Emperor, possessing a Fifth Rank Low-Grade Spiritual Vein and a Fifth Rank wood-attributed Earth Vein [a terrestrial energy channel that nourishes plant life and spiritual roots].

The Golden Flood Dragon Demon Emperor had fled for its life from the grand formation, not even daring to return to Verdant Lotus Isle. When the group arrived, they found the local Demon King [a powerful demon ruler] had also scattered, with only a few reluctant Demon King remaining, coveting the treasures of the place.

The ensuing battle held no surprises. Eldrin Chen used the Polarity Void Mirror [a magical mirror that can stabilize or disrupt space] to seal the void. Under the group's relentless combined assault, they successfully captured this immensely valuable Fifth Rank Spiritual Vein.

After securing Verdant Lotus Isle, Eldrin Chen discovered that upon the isle's wood-attributed Earth Vein grew a 'Creation Green Jade Lotus'.

This 'Creation Green Jade Lotus' was an exceedingly rare Worldly Spiritual Root [a plant of profound spiritual significance that can absorb and refine vast amounts of energy]. It was said to be a descendant born from a Lotus Seed of the Immortal Realm's Innate Spiritual Root [a primordial spiritual plant born with the world itself], the 'Creation Verdant Lotus', inheriting a trace of its Innate Spiritual Root bloodline.

The Creation Verdant Lotus [a legendary spiritual lotus] before their eyes was not overwhelmingly astonishing, yet its grade had reached the Fourth Rank Superior Grade [a high level of spiritual quality], making it a rare Worldly Spiritual Root [a spiritual plant of profound natural origin].

Every part of this Creation Verdant Lotus was a wondrous treasure of heaven and earth: its Lotus Seed, its seedpod, its Lotus Root, and even its Lotus Leaf.

Consuming the Lotus Seed could enhance a cultivator's cultivation base; the seedpod was a supreme material for forging magical treasure [enchanted artifacts]; the Lotus Root was said to be usable in crafting an External Incarnation [a separate physical avatar]; and the Lotus Leaf was also an exceptionally unique Exotic Treasure [a rare and peculiar enchanted object].

"A pity its grade is a bit low,"

sighed Violet Consort Yan. Had this Creation Green Jade Lotus [another name for the Creation Verdant Lotus] been of Fifth Rank [the next major tier of spiritual quality], merely the Lotus Seed it produced each cycle would have made True Lord [a high-level cultivator] experts covet it.

Although Fourth Rank Superior Grade was separated from Fifth Rank Low-Grade by only a single tier, the gap between them was more than tenfold. The story continues at audio-novel`com.

Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered slightly before he spoke. "This Creation Verdant Lotus is useful to me. I shall exchange my share of the battle merits for it later."

"Agreed," Violet Consort Yan nodded, then smiled. "Just share some of the Lotus Seed with my sister, Spirit Consort, when the time comes."

After taking stock, they found the Verdant Lotus Isle held no small number of treasures. The most precious among them was a Fifth Rank Low-Grade Wood Vein [a concentrated ley line of wood-attributed spiritual energy].

Within this Fifth Rank Wood Vein, a single piece of Wood Vein Precious Jade [jade crystallized from the vein's essence] would be nurtured every thousand years. Furthermore, it was home to a great abundance of Positive Water Verdant Lotus [a type of spiritual lotus that thrives on pure yang water energy].

Although most of these Positive Water Verdant Lotus [a type of spiritual lotus imbued with pure water energy] were not of a high grade, they were crucial treasures for refining the Positive Water Verdant Lotus Throne [a powerful spiritual artifact shaped like a lotus throne], filling both Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang with immense joy.

"It seems we should secure this Earth Vein [a subterranean channel of concentrated earth-type spiritual energy]," Eldrin Chen remarked.

Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang conferred in low voices, beginning to calculate whether they could exchange for this Fifth Rank Spiritual Vein [a high-grade source of spiritual energy, ranked fifth in a nine-tier system].

After roughly seven or eight days, once the group had finished cataloging the Spiritual Vein [a natural conduit of concentrated spiritual energy] on Verdant Lotus Isle, the Ji Clan once again summoned everyone together.

That day, within the great hall of Demonic Ape Mountain, over a dozen Infant Soul True Lord [cultivators who have reached the Infant Soul stage, a high level of spiritual attainment] had gathered.

Among these individuals, aside from the husband-and-wife pair Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang, along with Violet Consort Yan and Ethereal Mistress Ling, the remainder were all True Lord [a title for high-ranking cultivators, often at the Infant Soul stage or above] from the Ji Clan.

The Ji Clan Patriarch cast his gaze over the assembly and said with a faint smile, "This victory and its bountiful harvest owe much to the efforts each of you contributed."

"On behalf of the Ji Clan, this old man offers you all his thanks."

"You honor us too much, True Lord," Ethereal Mistress Ling promptly replied with a respectful bow. "In this battle, we merely offered our meager assistance. Such a great triumph was ultimately due to your masterful planning and strategy."

The Ji Clan Patriarch gave a slight nod, then casually handed a ledger to the group. "Review this first," he instructed. "Once you have seen its contents, we shall discuss the distribution of rewards."

Eldrin Chen took the ledger and, after a brief glance, his face lit up with astonishment.

He had anticipated significant gains from this battle, but he never imagined the spoils would be so staggeringly immense.

In this campaign, the Ji Clan had laid plans against Azure Wave Lake, ultimately slaying the Golden Rhino Demon Emperor, the Five-Colored Heaven-Devouring Python, the Crimson Flood Dragon Demon Emperor, and the Frost Flood Dragon Demon Emperor.

Adding the Female Demon Emperor of the Golden Rhino Bloodline slain by Eldrin Chen, they had eliminated a total of five Infant Soul Demon Emperor [powerful demonic rulers at the Infant Soul cultivation stage]. Access the full story on audio-novel[dot]com.