Chapter 526 : The Vast Sea's New Dominion

Old Patriarch [the venerable leader of the clan] spoke excitedly for a long while, his words a torrent of information as he detailed the various specialties of The Vast Sea [the vast and boundless ocean region].

The bounty and resources of The Vast Sea far surpassed those of Ji Continent [the continent where the Ji Clan holds sway]. Many treasures considered priceless and exceedingly rare on Ji Continent were found here to be both abundant and remarkably affordable.

When Old Patriarch finally finished, Eldrin Chen smiled and closed the ledger. "You have worked hard these past days, Old Granduncle [a respectful term for a senior elder]," he said warmly.

"However, Lyra and I have only recently made our breakthroughs. There are still far too many matters requiring our attention. The day-to-day governance of The Vast Sea will still rely on your venerable guidance."

"As for the matter of the twenty-three Golden Core Immortal Clan [powerful clans led by Golden Core Realm cultivators] seeking to join the Heaven's Ruin Alliance [the alliance led by Eldrin Chen], you may negotiate the terms with them directly."

"Leave it to me," Old Patriarch replied with a confident nod.

Old Patriarch smiled inwardly. Governing a newly subjugated great continent was no simple task.

It required not only profound cultivation strength to command respect and maintain order, but also considerable political acumen and a vast reservoir of time and energy to manage its myriad affairs.

Eldrin Chen naturally had little time to spare for such administrative minutiae. In contrast, Old Patriarch, having recently broken through to the False Nascent Soul [a quasi-Nascent Soul state, powerful but not a true Nascent Soul] realm, required a period of consolidation and rest before attempting his next advancement. This interval was the perfect opportunity for him to take charge of The Vast Sea.

Seeing his Old Granduncle already shifting into his busy demeanor, Eldrin Chen chuckled. "Let us first go and arrange the Teleportation Formation [a magical array for instantaneous travel over vast distances]," he suggested. Join our community of readers at audio-novel-dot-com.

Subsequently, Eldrin Chen and several other Formation Master [a cultivator skilled in creating and manipulating magical formations] personally took action. Within mere days, they had deployed Teleportation Array Disk [a formation plate that enables instantaneous travel over vast distances] across the seven Spirit Island [islands rich in spiritual energy] under their control.

They then discovered three Formation Plate [a tool used to anchor and control a magical formation] remained unused. Eldrin Chen personally ventured deep into The Vast Sea [a vast and perilous oceanic region]. There, he slew three of the most formidable Demon King [a ruler among demonic beasts, equivalent to a Golden Core realm cultivator] and established Formation [a structured arrangement of energy and symbols to produce a magical effect] to create Teleportation Formation [a magical array designed for instantaneous travel].

The Golden Core [the third major realm of cultivation, where one forms a solidified core of spiritual power] cultivators of the Chen Immortal Clan seized this opportunity to strike. They drove the Demonic Monsters [beasts and creatures corrupted by demonic energy] of The Vast Sea into a frantic retreat. Those Demonic Monsters at or above the Golden Core Realm began fleeing The Vast Sea entirely.

By this point, the Chen Clan had established preliminary control over The Vast Sea. Even if the Demonic Monsters of The Vast Sea ever sought to return, they would find it nearly impossible to overcome the interconnected network of Spirit Island linked by the Teleportation Formation.

"After a span of Millennium [a period of one thousand years], our Human Race has finally driven back the Demonic Monsters once more."

"Will The Vast Sea finally know peace again?"

Witnessing the retreat of the Demonic Monsters and the Human Race reclaiming dominion over The Vast Sea, countless cultivators living within its expanse wept with emotion. They would no longer have to endure a life of constant peril and uncertainty.

An elder Golden Core cultivator, having lived for over a thousand years, shed tears of profound feeling. Recalling the trials of the past, he personally took up his sword and joined the cultivators of the Chen Immortal Clan as they charged into the territories of the Demonic Monsters, determined to reclaim the ancestral lands for the Human Race.

Seizing this favorable tide, innumerable Human Race cultivators also took action. They spontaneously contributed their strength and resources to hunt down the Demonic Monsters, igniting a great war against the hundreds of millions of Demonic Monsters that still roamed The Vast Sea.

Meanwhile, Eldrin Chen, his monumental deeds known yet his name unheralded, quietly withdrew from the fray and returned to Frostbitten Expanse Island.

He proceeded directly into the Underground Fire Vein [a subterranean channel of concentrated fire energy] beneath Frostbitten Expanse Island, his brow furrowing slightly as he surveyed the nine fractured and scattered Fourth Rank Fire Vein [a vein of earth imbued with potent fire essence].

After observing for a long while, Lyra Jiang at his side finally inquired, "What is your assessment? Can it be repaired?"

"Before, I would have had little confidence. But now, it presents no problem."

Eldrin Chen replied, his gaze serene. He now dwelled perpetually within the state of Heaven and Man Resonance [a profound state of unity between the cultivator and the natural world, granting immense clarity and insight]—a state typically accessible only to a Pure Yang Dao Lord [a supreme cultivator who has mastered the Dao of Pure Yang].

Even a figure like the Ji Clan Patriarch, a Half-Step Dao Lord [one who has nearly ascended to the realm of a Dao Lord], could only enter such a state briefly and under specific, conducive circumstances.

Empowered by Heaven and Man Resonance, Eldrin Chen's already prodigious comprehension was elevated to its zenith, every moment akin to a state of near-enlightenment.

After a moment's contemplation, he stated calmly, "Magnus the Virtuous once attempted to reconnect the severed veins of the Heaven's Spine Mountains. Though he did not fully succeed, his methods were profoundly effective."

"The Underground Fire Vein before us is far less complex than the Heaven's Spine Mountains. My capabilities are more than sufficient."

With those words, he began to deduce and formulate a Vein-Continuation Method [a specialized art for mending and reconnecting damaged spiritual or elemental veins].

Eldrin Chen spent a full year on the task. He drew upon the essence of Magnus the Virtuous's approach, adapted it to the local conditions, and ultimately forged his own unique Vein-Continuation Method.

He inscribed the Vein-Continuation Method [a secret art for mending and reconnecting severed spiritual earth veins] into a Jade Slip [a jade tablet used to store information through spiritual imprinting]. Then, he said to Lyra Jiang, "This method of mine originates from the techniques of Magnus the Virtuous, though I have made only minor modifications. To truly surpass him one day, there is still a long road ahead."

Lyra Jiang took the Jade Slip and examined its contents. A smile graced her lips as she replied, "To innovate and create a Vein-Continuation Method perfectly suited for this specific Underground Fire Vein [a subterranean vein of concentrated fire-aspected spiritual energy] in merely one year's time is a feat rare in any era, ancient or modern."

Eldrin Chen offered a modest smile in return, offering no further words. He summoned his attendants to bring forth the necessary treasures and began the intricate work of laying down the Formation [a complex arrangement of spiritual tools and energy channels designed to produce specific magical effects].

After three months of diligent labor, he completed the deployment of the Vein-Continuation Method. Before their eyes, the Underground Fire Vein seemed to be drawn by an unseen force, its scattered energies slowly converging towards a central core.

Observing this, he gave a satisfied nod. "The Formation is now complete. It will require the span of one Jiazi-time [a sixty-year cycle] for the severed Earth Vein [a natural conduit of earth-aspected spiritual energy within the world] to fully fuse, coalescing into a single Fifth Rank [a grade denoting power and rarity, with Fifth Rank being exceptionally potent] Underground Fire Vein."

As he spoke, he paused in contemplation. Then, from his Storage Bag [a spatial pouch capable of holding vast quantities of items], he retrieved the Bloodthirsty Demonic Sword and the Soul-Devouring Spear. With a decisive motion, he cast both of these Demonic Treasure [powerful artifacts forged and infused with demonic energy] into the heart of the churning Underground Fire Vein. Find this and other novels at http://www . audio-novel.com.

Witnessing this, Lyra Jiang could not help but ask, "By casting these two Demonic Treasure into the vein, do you intend to smelt them down for Treasure Metal [a refined, spiritually conductive metal used in crafting high-grade artifacts]?"

"Precisely," Eldrin Chen affirmed with a nod. "Both the Bloodthirsty Demonic Sword and the Soul-Devouring Spear are Fifth Rank Demonic Treasure, their foundations steeped in deeply entrenched Demonic Qi [a corrupt and malevolent form of spiritual energy]."

"Even if we were to purify and destroy them using the Solar True Flame [a pure, yang-aligned flame of immense purifying power], extracting usable Treasure Metal would still consume a great deal of time."

"It is far more efficient to leverage the power of the Fire Vein itself to melt away the Demonic Qi and refine the Fifth Rank Treasure Metal. This way, we avoid squandering a vast amount of our precious time."

Whether refined by a True Lord [a cultivator who has reached the Nascent Soul Realm] or with the aid of an Underground Fire Vein [a subterranean channel of concentrated fire energy], melting down a Demonic Treasure [a powerful artifact forged with demonic energy] would invariably consume an entire Jiazi-time [a sixty-year cycle].

While his Solar True Flame [a pure, sun-derived flame used for purification and refinement] would hasten the process considerably, since the Underground Fire Vein was available, why not make use of it?

Returning to the matter at hand, with the Teleportation Formation [a magical array for instantaneous travel across vast distances] now established, the remaining trivial affairs of this place were finally settled.

Eldrin Chen was at last free from his labors and prepared to return to the Ji Continent to assimilate the gains from his breakthrough into the Nascent Soul [the realm where a cultivator's spirit forms a nascent soul, a major leap in power and longevity].

After bidding farewell to the Old Patriarch, the two flew directly back to the Azure Lotus Continent. No sooner had they arrived than Chen Selene from Verdant Chariot Mountain rushed to meet them, her face alight with unrestrained joy.

"Ancient Ancestor [a respectful title for a venerable clan progenitor], it has advanced! The Spirit Vein [a natural conduit of concentrated spiritual energy essential for cultivation] has advanced!"

"It has ascended?"

Eldrin Chen's expression mirrored her elation. Since losing the Spirit Apricot Tree [a mystical tree that radiates and concentrates spiritual energy], the ambient spiritual energy around Verdant Chariot Mountain had been dwindling year by year. For them to now sense the Spirit Vein advancing could mean only one thing.

The Spirit Peach Tree [an even rarer spiritual tree known for its potent life-extending and energy-enhancing fruits] at Spirit Isle Lake must have finally achieved its own breakthrough. This would have expanded the tree's sphere of spiritual influence far enough to envelop Verdant Chariot Mountain, three thousand Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] away, within the reach of its enhanced Spirit Vein.

With this realization, Eldrin Chen immediately boarded the Teleportation Formation and departed for Spirit Isle Lake.

Upon arriving at Spirit Isle Lake [a vast lake dotted with islands rich in spiritual energy], Eldrin Chen was immediately greeted by a wave of vast and potent spiritual energy. He could not help but draw in a deep, invigorating breath, filling his lungs with the rich ambient Qi [the vital energy that flows through all living things].

In a few swift strides, he reached the side of the Heaven and Earth Spirit Peach Tree [the primordial mother tree of the grove, a treasure of heaven and earth]. He discovered that every peach tree within the Ten-Mile Peach Blossom Grove was laden with fruit, each a genuine Spirit Tree [a tree that naturally gathers and radiates spiritual energy, its fruit imbued with power].

"Three thousand First Rank Spirit Peach Trees [the most common grade of spirit peach tree], three hundred Second-Rank Spirit Peach Trees [a higher grade tree producing more potent fruit], over thirty Third-Rank Spirit Peach Trees [a rare grade, its fruit valuable for high-level cultivation], and three Fourth Rank Spirit Peach Trees [an exceedingly rare treasure, its fruit containing immense spiritual power]." This chapter is provided by audio-novel-dot-com. Support the original.