Chapter 498 : A Perilous Journey Through Demon Lands

The two of them spoke no further. They rented a Cultivation Cave on Demon-Suppressing Island, rested for two days, and then prepared to depart.

Before parting, Eldrin Chen summoned Sylas Ye and instructed him with a solemn expression, "My journey this time is fraught with peril, and it would be unwise for me to bring you along."

"While I am gone, remain within the Cultivation Cave and focus on your cultivation. Do not venture out lightly, lest you invite unnecessary trouble."

Upon hearing this, Sylas Ye nodded, his face etched with concern. "If your journey is so dangerous, Master, is there any way this disciple can assist?"

Eldrin Chen smiled and shook his head. "Devote yourself to your cultivation. In the future, when your cultivation reaches greater heights, you may indeed lend me your strength."

"This disciple understands," Sylas Ye replied with grave seriousness.

Having given his instructions to Sylas Ye, Eldrin Chen departed from Demon-Suppressing Island that very day.

The two of them flew towards the Blood God Sea Region. After traversing several million Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters], they entered territory controlled by Demonic Cultivator [cultivators who use malevolent, often blood-based or soul-consuming methods to advance their power].

They passed by numerous large and small Spirit Island [islands rich in spiritual energy] occupied by Demonic Cultivator, navigating with extreme caution. They stuck to remote, uninhabited stretches of sea, and whenever they chanced upon any Demonic Cultivator, they struck with lethal precision, leaving no survivors.

Because the Demon-Subduing Immortal Sword [a legendary sword artifact] created far too conspicuous a spectacle when flying at full speed, they reduced their velocity, riding upon faint, subtle trails of light. They traveled within the cloud layers tens of thousands of Li-lengths above, which inevitably slowed their pace considerably. Continue your cultivation journey at audio . novel . com.

Traveling in this manner, advancing and halting intermittently while stealthily concealing their auras, it took them over half a year to finally draw near to Kalo Demon Isle.

"Ahead lies Kalo Demon Isle."

Gazing at the colossal island spanning hundreds of thousands of Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] before him, Eldrin Chen murmured with a grave expression.

Beside him, Lyra Jiang also furrowed her brow. This Garuda Island was now occupied by the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon [a powerful race of demons from beyond this realm], hosting millions of demonic beings and Demonic Cultivator [cultivators who use demonic or unorthodox methods to gain power].

To seize control of the Formation [a complex magical array or defensive structure], they needed to infiltrate the very Spirit Vein [a subterranean channel of concentrated spiritual energy] core of the Kalo Demon Isle's Formation. Only there could they utilize the contingency left by the Ethereal Void Sect to reclaim command of this grand array.

However, slipping past the Demonic Cultivator to reach the Formation's control nexus was no simple feat.

Eldrin Chen's brow remained knotted. He had concealed his form, observing the periphery of Garuda Island for over a month. Finally, a smile touched his lips as he declared, "I have a plan."

Meanwhile, upon a Fifth Rank [a realm of power equivalent to the Nascent Soul stage] demonic isle countless millions of Li-lengths away, a man clad in blood-red robes opened his eyes.

This was none other than Lorcan, Scion of Lethe, the one who had clashed with Eldrin Chen within the Boulder Sea Region.

At this moment, Lorcan, Scion of Lethe's gaze sharpened slightly. He could not help but mutter to himself, "Their aura... Why would they come here?"

"What is the matter?"

The guardian of Lorcan, Scion of Lethe, that Black-Robed True Lord, spoke up, his tone laced with hesitation.

He saw Lorcan, Scion of Lethe furrow his brow as he focused his senses, then relayed the detection of Eldrin Chen and his companion's auras before adding.

"I can sense their presence, yet I am unable to divine their precise location."

"Then they must possess an artifact or technique that conceals them from heavenly scrutiny [a method to obscure one's fate or location from divination]."

So said the Black-Robed True Lord, before continuing, "The Blood-Robed Elder Demon holds a treasure called the 'Heavenly Secrets Mirror' [a mystical mirror capable of piercing through obscurations to reveal secrets of fate]. It should be able to pinpoint the duo's whereabouts."

The Blood-Robed Elder Demon was a True Lord [a high-level cultivator] of the Demonic Path [the unorthodox and malevolent cultivation path] active in the nearby seas, and also one of the nominal disciples of the Blood God Ancient Ancestor.

This Demonic Cultivator [a practitioner of the demonic cultivation path] possessed profound skill. In his early years, he had seized the Spiritual Treasure [a powerful enchanted artifact] known as the Heavenly Secrets Mirror from a Human Race True Lord [a human cultivator of the True Lord realm]. He then defiled and refined it using Demonic Path methods, transforming it into a Heavenly Secrets Demonic Treasure [a demonic version of the mirror, tainted by evil energies].

Thinking of this, Lorcan, Scion of Lethe sneered coldly, "Go then and borrow that Heavenly Secrets Mirror. They dared to ruin my plans and now have the audacity to come to the Demonic Abyss Blood God Sea Region [a sea region under the influence of the Blood God Ancient Ancestor]? This young master is determined to see them slain!"

At that moment, upon a reef outside Kalo Demon Isle, Eldrin Chen had located the vital node of the demonic isle's defensive Formation [a structured arrangement of energy for defense or other purposes].

The so-called Sect Formation's vital gate [a critical weak point or control mechanism] is often a contingency left by the cultivator who set up the Formation, intended to prevent the Formation from being used against them should it ever fall into another's hands.

The predecessor of Kalo Demon Isle, Ethereal Void Island, naturally also had such a contingency in place. Its founding patriarch, Vast Sea True Lord, laid this contingency in the southeastern corner of Ethereal Void Island.

However, such contingencies are typically top-secret, known to no more than three individuals within the entire Sect.

Eldrin Chen was originally unaware of it as well. Yet, after arriving at Kalo Demon Isle and observing for several days, he discovered the contingency's location was actually hidden within Vast Sea True Lord's Ancient Vast Sea Scroll.

"This is the place," he said.

Eldrin Chen gazed at the unique reef before him, a faint smile gracing his features. Support the author by reading on audio-novel`com.

"The Eastern Facing Reef, where one gazes upon the vast sea, contemplates the meaning of the boundless ocean, and comprehends the Dao of the endless waters."

This was a passage from the Ancient Vast Sea Scroll. It meant that Vast Sea Founding Patriarch, upon this very rock of enlightenment, had grasped the profound truth of the boundless sea and thus created the Ancient Vast Sea Scroll.

Upon finding this unique reef, Eldrin Chen understood the contingency laid by Vast Sea Founding Patriarch.

With a calm and composed expression, he stepped onto the unique reef. He then activated the method inscribed upon the Ancient Vast Sea Scroll Painting and opened a small, concealed array.

As the Formation activated, the two of them perceived invisible ripples passing through the void. Only then did they realize the view before them had opened up dramatically, revealing an endless, boundless ocean stretching to the horizon.

Viewed from elsewhere, this would merely be a magnificent and turbulent expanse of sea, nothing particularly extraordinary.

However, gazing from atop the reef, Eldrin Chen saw the intricate circulatory pathways of water essence laid bare before their eyes.

These were the veins of the Water Element Cycle [the fundamental circulation of water-element spiritual energy] spanning millions of Li-lengths. They could clearly discern how every wisp of Water Essence Power [the spiritual energy inherent to the water element] within The Vast Sea flowed, its origin and its destination.

This was the operating principle of this ocean, one of the fundamental rules governing the cyclical nature of all things between heaven and earth.

"So that's how it is,"

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, beholding the vast sea before him. He finally understood why Vast Sea Founding Patriarch had been able to comprehend the Vast Sea Power [a divine ability harnessing the boundless power of the ocean] here, achieving a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Late Stage in one fell swoop.

This was a wondrous place within the world. Even a Golden Core True Person [a cultivator who has formed a Golden Core, the condensed essence of their cultivation], if they meditated and sought enlightenment here year after year, contemplating the vast and boundless Vast Sea Power, might possibly comprehend a Great Divine Ability [a supreme and powerful supernatural technique].

Furthermore, such a place made it easiest to enter an Epiphany State [a profound state of sudden enlightenment and clarity]. At this moment, Eldrin Chen felt fortune touch his spirit; an ineffable sense told him his destined opportunity had arrived.

"Guard me while I cultivate,"

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, seated upon the reef, and began to contemplate the profound mysteries of the Vast Sea Power [a divine ability embodying the boundless power of the ocean].

It was not long before he entered a state of enlightenment, feeling as if the infinite secrets of the vast azure seas were unfolding before his very eyes.

Unconsciously, he advanced one of the Five Elements Cultivation Art [a supreme cultivation art based on the five fundamental elements]—the 'Heavenly River Flood Water Scripture'—to the Nascent Soul [the stage where a cultivator forms their immortal soul] realm. Furthermore, he deduced the Spiritual Treasure Chapter [a chapter detailing the forging and use of spiritual treasures] from this scripture.

Not only that, he also comprehended a Water Attribute Grand Divine Ability. This Divine Ability [a supernatural power or technique] was an auxiliary Great Divine Ability [a powerful category of supernatural techniques] capable of devouring the Water Essence Power [the fundamental spiritual energy of the water element] from heaven and earth and rapidly converting it into Mana [the spiritual energy used to fuel spells and techniques].

According to Eldrin Chen's estimation, once this Divine Ability was mastered, as long as he stood upon rivers, lakes, or seas, his Mana would be virtually limitless.

Even if he were upon the Spirit-Severed Sea [a vast, spiritually barren ocean], he would no longer need to fear the danger of depleted Mana.

Moreover, this Divine Ability could manipulate the Water Essence Power between heaven and earth to form a protective barrier of aqueous essence. If used over the Eastern Sea, its defensive power would even surpass that of the Glazed Armor of the Three Treasures [a legendary defensive magical treasure]. Continue reading this story at http://www . audio-novel.com.