Chapter 543 : Awakening of the Verdant Soul

That figure merely stood there with hands clasped behind its back, yet its silent presence was like a Demon Emperor [a ruler of demonic beings] reigning from the heart of an abyss.

Eldrin Chen's footsteps halted. Gazing upon the figure before him, he felt as if he stood at the edge of a fathomless chasm, treading upon thin ice. A pressure so immense it bordered on suffocation surged within his heart.

Within these ruins, only one being could possibly exert such overwhelming pressure upon him: the Earthly Soul [one of the three foundational souls in cultivation lore, representing the earthly and corporeal aspect] of the Verdant Daoist.

Suppressing his profound discomfort, he clasped his hands in salute and asked, "How did you know I would come, Senior?"

The Earthly Soul remained silent for a long moment. It simply gazed at Eldrin Chen, its pupils holding an undying thread of killing intent, yet also a trace of muddled, bewildered confusion.

Only after a considerable time did it finally withdraw that murderous aura. Then, it spoke with unsettling calm, "My Life Soul [the soul governing life force and vitality] was extinguished a Millennium ago. For all these years, I have drifted in a haze, my consciousness fragmented and unclear."

"Had it not been for the faint resonance of shared blood I sensed upon your entry into these ruins, this sliver of my spirit might never have awakened."

Eldrin Chen listened quietly, finally understanding. The moment he had stepped into the ruins, the Earthly Soul of the Verdant Daoist had sensed him. A lingering wisp of its soul and obsession had stirred, temporarily restoring its lucidity.

The Earthly Soul studied Eldrin Chen intently for several moments before stating, "If my guess is correct, you have come seeking the legacy treasures I left behind in my former life."

"That is correct," Eldrin confirmed. The story continues at audio-novel*com.

Eldrin Chen gave a nod and spoke, "I have come for the Heavenly Dao Qi [the supreme, purest energy of the Heavenly Dao, the cosmic order]."

The Earthly Soul [the soul aspect tied to the mortal world and fate] inclined its head slightly. With a flick of its sleeve, a Storage Bracelet [a magical artifact for storing items in a separate spatial dimension] flew before Eldrin Chen.

It spoke with detached calm, its tone measured. "All remaining treasures of my Vast Sea Chen Clan are contained herein. Indeed, there is one portion of Heavenly Dao Qi within. Yet, alas, that Heavenly Dao Qi..."

Hearing the slight pause in its voice, Eldrin Chen felt a cold weight settle in his heart.

He hurriedly opened the Storage Bracelet to look. Inside, he found four or five precious, unique treasures. These included two pieces of Five Veins Treasure Jade [a rare jade harmonized with the energies of the five elemental phases] and two portions of Earth Mother Qi [the nurturing, foundational energy of the earth]. Most valuable of all was a single strand of Heavenly Dao Qi.

However, all these treasures had undergone a shocking transformation. They were now tainted by a mass of inky-black Demonic Fiend Qi [the corrupt, malevolent energy of demons and fiends] and bitter resentment, infused with a sinister and aberrant power.

"This is bad."

Eldrin Chen's heart sank. Among these treasures, the two pieces of Five Veins Treasure Jade were also polluted by the Demonic Fiend Qi, but at least they could still be purified using Pure Yang Magical Power [a divine ability that channels the pure, scorching energy of the sun].

The Earth Mother Qi, though tainted, could also be cleansed and purified if one could procure a sufficient quantity of Heart-Purifying Spirit Liquid [a rare spiritual liquid that cleanses impurities from both objects and the soul].

But the Heavenly Dao Qi demanded absolute purity and authenticity. Born at the very edge of the Nine Heavens [the nine celestial realms above the mortal world], it was the clearest, most pristine energy between heaven and earth. Once contaminated by the turbid energies of the mortal realm, its efficacy would be drastically diminished.

The Heavenly Dao Qi [the purest form of spiritual energy aligned with the Heavenly Dao] before him was now tainted by Demonic Fiend Qi [a malevolent energy born of demonic and fiendish sources] and lingering resentment. If used to attempt a breakthrough to the Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul [the Nascent Soul realm achieved through the orthodox Heavenly Dao path], it would likely amplify the power of one's Inner Demon Power [the inner demons and mental tribulations a cultivator faces] to an extreme degree.

Even if one barely succeeded in the breakthrough, the cultivator would be tormented day and night by these inner demons and resentful thoughts. This could very well lead to a drastic change in temperament, causing them to descend into madness and become a deranged Demonic Cultivator [a practitioner who cultivates using demonic, unorthodox, and often cruel methods].

"This Heavenly Dao Qi is unusable," Eldrin Chen declared, his voice heavy with finality.

Gazing at the polluted Heavenly Dao Qi with a heart full of anguish, Eldrin Chen reluctantly stored the Storage Bracelet [a spatial artifact used for storing items] away.

He had come here brimming with confidence, determined to find the Heavenly Dao Qi for Kael Chen. To think it would all end in empty-handed disappointment was a bitter blow to his spirits.

As he accepted the legacy treasure, the azure Earthly Soul [one of the three souls in Daoist cosmology, representing the corporeal and earthly aspects] observed him for a long moment before speaking again. "This legacy is but a contingency I left for the bloodline of the Chen Clan [the Chen family] to rise again from the ashes. It is not the true, ultimate treasure of my personal inheritance."

"If you can agree to one condition of mine, I shall entrust that true inheritance to you."

"Oh?" Eldrin Chen's interest was instantly piqued.

His heart leaping with sudden anticipation, Eldrin Chen quickly asked, "The condition you wish me to agree to... could it be to seek vengeance for you and slay the Black Dragon Demon Progenitor [the ancient progenitor of the Black Dragon demonic lineage]?"

The azure Earthly Soul shook its head, its tone calm and detached. "That Black Dragon Demon Progenitor has lived for tens of thousands of years. Unless you can ascend to the very pinnacle and Ascend to Immortal Eternity [achieve true immortality and eternal life], even a cultivator at the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul realm would find it nigh impossible to slay such a being."

"To demand you confront it would be an unreasonable burden, and he is not the one I despise most."

"The one I want you to kill is the master of the Blood Demon Cave, Hemlock the Bloodweaver…"

As the Earthly Soul [one of the three foundational souls in a cultivator's being, representing the connection to the mortal world and earthly desires] spoke, Eldrin Chen quickly understood the origins of Hemlock the Bloodweaver.

That Blood Demon Cave was one of the most formidable Demonic Cultivator Forbidden Land [places of immense demonic power and danger, shunned by orthodox cultivators] within the Star Lake Ancient Domain, and Hemlock the Bloodweaver was its sovereign lord.

That Hemlock the Bloodweaver was a Half-Step Demon Progenitor who had successfully guided his Earthly Soul. Not only was this demon's cultivation immensely powerful, but he also possessed a weapon known as the Heavenly Demon Blood-Transforming Saber.

That Heavenly Demon Blood-Transforming Saber was one of the Pure Yin Demonic Treasure [demonic artifacts of supreme Yin-aligned power, infamous for their terrifying potency] that shook the heavens. It was said to have been forged by a Nascent Soul Realm [the realm of cultivation where one forms a nascent soul, a miniature spiritual avatar] patriarch of the Demonic Path [the collective term for cultivators who follow unorthodox, often malevolent methods], who refined an Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon [a powerful demonic entity from beyond this world] into it and blood-sacrificed the countless living beings of several great continents during its creation. Immerse yourself in the complete world at site: audio-novel.com.

The lethality of this demonic saber was in no way inferior to a Pure Yang Spiritual Treasure [a supreme treasure of pure Yang energy, the pinnacle of orthodox magical artifacts]. Even a Nascent Soul Dao Lord [a supreme expert who has reached the Nascent Soul Realm and comprehended profound Dao principles] would frown upon facing it. No one knew how it had fallen into the hands of Hemlock the Bloodweaver.

Mentioning Hemlock the Bloodweaver, the Earthly Soul revealed a surge of overwhelming killing intent. "He and I have been mortal enemies for several Millennium [a period of one thousand years]. We have clashed numerous times over the ages."

"Back then, I had laid down multiple contingencies. By all logic, even if my breakthrough failed, it should not have led to the threat of complete annihilation."

"But Hemlock the Bloodweaver employed a curse to ambush me in secret. That is why this Celestial Vault Isle was destroyed, transformed into a lifeless wasteland [a place of utter desolation and death, devoid of life and spiritual energy]."

Eldrin Chen listened for a time, finally understanding that the reason Verdant Daoist had fallen to such a state was largely due to the pivotal role played by Hemlock the Bloodweaver.

The reason Celestial Vault Isle was saturated with the baleful resentment of Demonic Fiend Qi [the corrupted spiritual energy of demons and fiends] was also deeply connected to the curse arts of Hemlock the Bloodweaver. As a descendant of the Chen Clan, Eldrin Chen could not help but feel a sliver of killing intent towards that Hemlock the Bloodweaver.

Yet, recalling the terrifying might of the Heaven-Demon Blood-Transforming Divine Blade [a legendary demonic blade capable of severing both flesh and soul], Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow and said, "The power of that Heaven-Demon Blood-Transforming Divine Blade is boundless. Even a Nascent Soul Dao Lord [a supreme cultivator whose soul has taken infant form] could be cleaved in two with a single careless mistake."

"My current cultivation is still insufficient. I fear I lack the power to slay him."

"I understand this naturally. You may slay him once your cultivation is sufficient in the future." As the Verdant Remnant spoke, its gaze grew solemn. "I possess three treasures. If you agree, they shall all be yours."

With a sweep of its sleeve, it manifested three Jade Slip [slivers of jade used to store information or techniques]. Eldrin Chen took them and examined them, finding that two of the Jade Slip contained records of one cultivation method and one Divine Ability [a supreme supernatural power born from profound cultivation].

That method was named the Heaven-Seizing Vein Creation Art [a supreme art for nurturing Earth Veins to receive their spiritual feedback]. It was a peerless technique for cultivating an Earth Vein [a spiritual artery of the world] and thereby receiving its spiritual nourishment in return.

The Heaven-Seizing Vein Creation Art encompassed a complete system of methods including spells for nurturing Spirit Vein [a vein of concentrated spiritual energy], Formation [magical arrays], and Divine Ability. Once the promotion to an Earth Vein succeeded, one could cultivate by drawing upon the power of the Heaven and Earth Ancestral Vein [the primordial spiritual artery of heaven and earth]. Thereafter, as long as the Ancestral Vein did not perish, one's cultivation would advance by leaps and bounds.

"This is a path. If one can walk it to its end, it becomes a Path to Immortal Ascension [a legendary method to transcend mortality and ascend to immortality]. One might truly ascend and become an immortal."

The Verdant Remnant murmured, its gaze pensive as it said, "A pity I failed."

Eldrin Chen was profoundly shaken. In the depths of his soul, he sensed that this cultivation method, if followed to its ultimate conclusion, might yield astonishing, earth-shattering results. Perhaps it truly held the potential to Ascend to Immortal Eternity [to transcend mortality and achieve everlasting life as an immortal being].

He withdrew his gaze and turned his attention to the Divine Ability [a supreme supernatural power or technique] contained within another Jade Slip [a jade tablet used to store information or cultivation methods]. For uninterrupted reading, go to audio–novel.com.