Chapter 191 : A Thunderbolt of Vengeance

Daoyang Pan wore a visage twisted with fury, his voice dripping with ice as he declared, "During the Beast Tide Calamity [a catastrophic invasion by monstrous beasts], your Green Sun Sect betrayed the Green Sun Covenant [a sacred pact of mutual defense]. Xu the Ancient Ancestor fled without a fight, leaving my Pan Clan to face near-total annihilation."

"After the Beast Tide Calamity subsided, your sect did not distribute a single Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy] in compensation for the fallen."

"Today, I, Percival Pan, have come to demand justice for the millions of wronged souls of my clan."

As their words hung in the air, the Defensive Formation [a protective energy barrier] finally buckled and shattered completely.

Heryn Li suffered a violent backlash, coughing up a mouthful of blood on the spot. His face contorted in panic, and he immediately summoned an escape light, preparing to flee for his life.

"He's using an Escape Art Divine Ability [a mystical technique for rapid flight or teleportation]!" someone cried out in alarm.

"Don't let him escape!"

The swiftest to react was Daoyang Pan. This Purple Mansion Ancestor [a cultivator who has reached the Purple Mansion stage] with a Thunder Spiritual Root [an innate affinity for lightning-based cultivation] possessed his own Escape Art Divine Ability. In an instant, he transformed into a streak of Violet Thunderbolt [a powerful lightning-based movement technique] that cleaved the sky, intercepting Heryn Li.

He unleashed a barrage of thunderbolts, striking Heryn Li and sending him reeling backward, blood spraying from his wounds.

Having resolved to sever all ties with the Green Sun Sect, none present would allow a tiger to return to the mountains. Xavier Xu channeled his spiritual energy into the Heavenly Gold Fire Dragon Shears [a pair of enchanted, dragon-shaped scissors that unleash golden fire], sending it slashing forth. With a single blow, it sent both of Heryn Li's Magical Treasure [enchanted artifacts used by cultivators] flying, forcing him into a desperate, scrambling retreat. Dive deeper into the Dao at audio-novel.com.

In that very instant, Eldrin Chen seized the opportunity, channeling the Metallic Essence Divine Thunder to strike down, shattering Heryn Li's Protective Aegis.

Pitiful Heryn Li was merely at the Purple Mansion Second Layer. Facing the combined assault of four opponents each possessing combat power at the Purple Palace, Mid Stage, all his techniques were crippled within the span of a few exchanges.

Although he possessed an Escape Art Divine Ability, granting him no ordinary means of flight, it proved utterly futile before the Thunder Escape Art Divine Ability.

After a mere dozen or so clashes, Eldrin Chen found his opening and cleaved the man's head from his shoulders with a single sword stroke.

"Fellow Daoist Chen is indeed a born seed of a Sword Immortal [a master of the sword path in cultivation]," Xavier Xu remarked, stroking his beard with a grave expression after the battle concluded.

"Were you to wield a Third Rank Immortal Sword [a powerful enchanted sword of the third rank], your combat prowess would likely surpass even this old man's by a fair margin."

Eldrin Chen maintained a placid countenance, responding with humility, "It was but a minor skill. With Brother Xavier's capabilities, you would have slain him in a few more moves regardless."

By now, the fighting upon the mountain had also ceased. Cangkun Mountain held only a dozen or so Foundation Establishment cultivators and over a thousand Qi Refinement Cultivators from the Green Sun Sect.

Assaulted by the combined force of over forty Foundation Establishment experts from several great clans, and with two Purple Mansion Ancestor—Thalion Chen and Yang Yuanhe—joining the fray, they were utterly annihilated in moments.

The mountain fell silent, the brief but fierce conflict leaving only the whisper of the wind through the bloodied stones.

The group ascended Cangkun Mountain and redeployed a Third Rank Formation before proceeding directly into the heart of the Earth-Fortress Earth Vein.

Upon entering the Earth Vein, they soon arrived at the locations of the Purple Sun Pool and the Earth Vein Source.

After a brief inspection, Eldrin Chen revealed a smile and said, "Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Xavier. It appears the next Earth-Fortress Crystal will be born within ten years."

Xavier Xu smiled. A Foundation Establishment Female Cultivator from the Xu Clan had already opened four-tenths of her Purple Mansion Dao Meridian. With this Earth-Fortress Crystal and the subsequent purchase of an Azure Jade Barrier-Breaking Pill, her chances of breaking through to the Purple Mansion realm would likely exceed sixty percent.

Furthermore, by occupying this Earth Vein from now on, the Four Great Purple Mansion Immortal Clans would gain an additional Five Elements Treasure Crystals every two Jiazi-time [a cycle of sixty years], representing a significant increase in resources.

"Moreover, it seems the Purple Sun Jade within this Purple Sun Pool will still require another thirty years to fully form,"

Eldrin Chen continued, his gaze fixed on the Purple Sun Pool with a flicker of covetous desire.

The Purple Sun Jade was not only the supreme treasure for breaking into the Purple Mansion realm but could also be refined into the Violet Qi Cloud-Vein Pill—a crucial Pill for advancing to the Purple Palace, Late Stage. How could they not covet it?

Xavier Xu glanced at the others and proposed, "This Purple Sun Jade takes a full century to form. If we take turns claiming it, the wait would be far too long."

"Why not wait for it to form, then refine it into a full cauldron of Violet Qi Cloud-Vein Pill for our four clans to share?"

Everyone nodded in agreement, accepting this method.

Seeing their assent, Xavier Xu allowed a smile to grace his features. In truth, he harbored a subtle scheme of his own.

Having recently broken through to the Purple Mansion Sixth Layer, he estimated that in thirty years he would approach the threshold to assault the Purple Palace, Late Stage. Refining a furnace of Violet Qi Cloud-Vein Pill [a high-grade elixir that aids in breaking through the Purple Palace realm] at that time would significantly bolster his chances of a successful breakthrough.

After examining the two most crucial treasures, the group rested for two days. Finally, the party of Foundation Establishment Cultivators took stock of the spoils from this battle.

On this day, the Old Patriarch held an account ledger, smiling as he announced, "From this engagement, we have seized one hundred thirty thousand Spirit Stones [minerals that store and radiate spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation], two Third Rank Magical Tools [powerful enchanted artifacts], one set of a Third Rank Formation [a powerful defensive or offensive magical array], and various other materials including several Second Rank Magical Tools."

"Furthermore, this Ji Earth Spiritual Vein [a rich underground channel of concentrated earth-attribute spiritual energy]. Henceforth, the first and second-rank materials it nurtures annually within the Earth-Fortress Vein [the fortified core section of the earth spiritual vein] will yield an income of twelve thousand Spirit Stones for us." This novel is serialized on audio‑novel.com. Visit for updates.

After reviewing the ledger, smiles blossomed on everyone's faces.

Xavier Xu, having perused the accounts, said with delight, "Regarding the immediate spoils and the future recurring income, let us distribute everything according to the pre-agreed ratios. What say you all?"

The group exchanged glances, finding no cause for objection. Both the Old Patriarch and Eldrin Chen wore satisfied smiles.

From this distribution alone, the Chen Clan would receive over thirty thousand Spirit Stones, along with a considerable amount of other resources. Moreover, henceforth, the Chen Clan would receive an annual share of three thousand Spirit Stones in profit from the Earth Vein [the spiritual energy channel]. This was by no means a small sum.

Seeing everyone's agreement, Xavier Xu spoke again: "From Heryn Li, we obtained two Magical Treasures [enchanted artifacts used by cultivators]. Combined with the components retrieved after dismantling the Formation [a structured array of magical energy], we have a total of four Third Rank Magical Treasures."

"Our Xu Clan and the Yang Family each contributed one Third Rank Middle Grade Magical Treasure to set up the Formation. Therefore, the Earth-Fortress Divine Thunder Banner and the Celestial Kun Treasure Seal shall rightfully belong to our two families."

Eldrin Chen exchanged a glance with the Old Patriarch and naturally had no objections. The remaining two Magical Treasures were merely of Third Rank Low Grade quality. The Chen Clan did not claim these treasures, opting instead for several tens of thousands of Spirit Stones [minerals that store and radiate spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation].

The Chen Clan had just ascended to become a Purple Mansion Immortal Clan and was currently in urgent need of nurturing its Spirit Vein [a subterranean current of concentrated spiritual energy]. Furthermore, Eldrin Chen had slain so many foes on his path that the clan was not lacking in Third Rank Low Grade Magical Treasures for the time being.

After the distribution of these treasures, few items remained. Only three Jade Slips [slabs of jade used to store information through spiritual imprinting] brought a pleasant surprise to Eldrin Chen.

Among the three Jade Slips, the first recorded a cultivation art named the Verdant Wood True Flame Art. This technique could lead a cultivator to the Purple Mansion Seventh Layer and was a Wood-Fire Dual Attribute Purple Mansion Cultivation Art.

The families each made a copy of this technique. Eldrin Chen and the Old Patriarch could not help but reveal their delight.

The clan's existing Wood Attribute Cultivation Art could only reach the Foundation Establishment, Mid Stage, while its two Fire Attribute Cultivation Arts were too domineering and unsuitable for Elara Chen to practice. With this new technique acquired, the path of Aunt Elara would become much smoother in the future.

The second Jade Slip contained the refinement method for a type of Life-Bound Magical Treasure [a treasure forged with a cultivator's life essence, granting unique power but binding it to their fate]. This Magical Treasure was named the Verdant Wood Heart Lamp, a wood-fire dual attribute Life-Bound Magical Treasure capable of unleashing a formidable Divine Ability [a supernatural power derived from profound cultivation].

It was evident that Heryn Li also possessed Wood-Fire Dual Spiritual Roots [an innate affinity for both wood and fire spiritual energies], as his most crucial treasures were of the wood-fire dual attribute. One could say Elara Chen had encountered no small measure of serendipity.

The final Jade Slip [a storage medium for information, typically made of jade] contained the technique for Sword Flight [a divine ability allowing a cultivator to ride a flying sword for high-speed travel]. Within it was also recorded the method for the First-Wood Divine Thunder [a divine thunder technique embodying the essence of primordial wood], which became the second divine thunder ability in Eldrin Chen's growing arsenal. Continue reading this story at audio-novel.com.