Chapter 552 : The Transcendent's Five Centuries

The newcomer's visage was that of a youth, yet his bearing was transcendent beyond measure, akin to an exiled immortal wandering the mortal dust.

He seemed the very axis of this world. Merely seated there in meditation, he drew all brilliance from heaven and earth unto himself, coalescing into a radiant aura that enveloped him, as if he were on the verge of ascension.

An Immortal [a being who has transcended mortality and attained eternal life] remains untainted by worldly cares, their sleeves billowing with winds that sweep across ten thousand Li-lengths.

The onlookers marveled inwardly, feeling as if they gazed upon a deity, as if they beheld a celestial being. Their vision was filled entirely by that figure robed in snow-white.

Swiftly, the assembly regained their composure and hurriedly rose to offer their salutations.

"We pay our respects to the True Lord [a title for a cultivator who has reached the Golden Core realm]."

Seated upon the Creation Azure Lotus Platform [a mystical dais shaped like a blue lotus, used for meditation and cultivation], Eldrin Chen regarded the crowd with serene grace, a wave of quiet reflection washing over him.

Time flowed like a song, the mortal world churning like a relentless tide. In the blink of an eye, five hundred years had passed.

He recalled five centuries past, when he was but a minor Qi Refinement [the foundational stage of cultivation where one refines their vital energy] cultivator. His days were spent tending Spirit Fish [fish infused with spiritual energy, often used as food or for their essence] and cultivating Spirit Farmland [fields nourished by spiritual energy to grow special crops], desperately striving for a single Foundation Establishment Pill [a precious elixir that aids in breaking through to the Foundation Establishment realm].

Now, the years had slipped away like sand. Here he sat upon this lofty dais, surveying over ten thousand cultivators below, yet scarcely a familiar face from those bygone days remained. This content originates from audio-novel .c om. Please respect copyright.

Of the figures from those bygone days that can still be seen today, aside from the few from the Chen Clan, there are only a handful of others, such as Celestia Meng and Xavier Xu.

Eldrin Chen looked up. Upon the Lotus Platform [a sacred dais shaped like a lotus flower, used for important gatherings and discourses], he saw Xu Darius, he saw Xavier Xu whose lifespan was nearly exhausted, and he also saw Qingci the Recluse and his wife.

After exchanging a glance with them, Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod, then gathered his focus and spoke.

"Before the discourse begins, you must understand my rules."

"Since you have come to listen to my discourse on the Dao [the fundamental principle or path of cultivation and existence], you naturally accept the karmic ties [the principle of cause and effect governing actions and their consequences] associated with me. I do not demand that you repay any favor to me in the future."

"However, should you achieve any measure of success in your cultivation in the days to come, you must also extend your protection to the younger generations of our Human Race. If you encounter those deranged Demonic Monsters, you must act to vanquish them, safeguarding the Hundreds of Millions of Living Beings of our people."

Upon hearing this, the assembly became solemn and respectful, their expressions turning serious as they replied in unison, "We shall heed the teachings of the True Lord [a title for a powerful cultivator who has attained a high realm of enlightenment]."

Eldrin Chen nodded slightly, then stated calmly, "Then let this Grand Dao Discourse Assembly [a grand gathering where a master cultivator imparts wisdom on the Dao] commence."

For this discourse, Eldrin Chen proceeded from the fundamental to the profound, yet remained thoroughly pragmatic. He spoke of the critical bottlenecks and hidden intricacies faced at each stage of cultivation.

The cultivators present had attained realms no higher than Golden Core [the stage where a cultivator forms a solidified core of spiritual energy within their dantian, a major milestone]. They were still far from the stage requiring deep comprehension of the Dao's mysteries. For them, having the secrets and obstacles of each cultivation realm clarified was the most tangible form of Dao and principle they could receive.

Eldrin Chen began with the Fire Spiritual Root and proceeded to explain in detail, one by one, the cultivation methods and key principles for the Foundation Establishment Realm pertaining to the Five Elements Spiritual Root.

Among these were many treasures that aid in breakthroughs, as well as methods and secret arts for tempering one's foundation, all of which greatly broadened the horizons of the listeners, significantly enhancing both their experience and their Deep-Seated Foundation.

After finishing the discourse on cultivation methods for the Foundation Establishment realm, Eldrin Chen continued, "For a Foundation Establishment Cultivator seeking to break through to the Purple Mansion [the third major realm of cultivation, representing the formation of a spiritual core residence], the greatest obstacle is the Mortal Tribulation [a critical trial that severs mortal ties and refines the cultivator's spirit for ascension]."

"I possess twenty-seven methods, all of which can help a cultivator increase their chances of breaking through to the Purple Mansion."

Such crucial methods captivated not only the Foundation Establishment Cultivator present but also caused many Purple Mansion Cultivator to listen with rapt attention.

As he elaborated, Alistair Lu and the others could not help but feel ecstatic, sensing the path ahead widening before them, their hearts swelling with excitement.

Among these twenty-seven methods, besides the mainstream Five Elements Treasure Crystals, some were teachings passed down from Magnus the Virtuous, while others were insights Eldrin Chen had gleaned during his leisure over the years.

Many of these methods were rather unorthodox and difficult to use in combination with others, yet they still significantly increased the likelihood of a breakthrough to the Purple Mansion.

After fully explaining these methods, Eldrin Chen glanced at Alistair Lu and the others seated at the forefront of the Foundation Establishment cultivators and added a word of caution, "However, while these methods are beneficial, most of them primarily work by reducing the difficulty of piercing through the Purple Mansion Heavenly Meridian [the crucial spiritual channel that must be opened to access the Purple Mansion realm]."

"Using such methods, once you break through, may also diminish a cultivator's latent potential, likely making the Dao path ahead more arduous."

"If you wish to tread a longer path upon the Dao, it is best to employ methods such as the Fire Baleful Qi Body Tempering Art or the Abyssal Body Forging Art."

Eldrin Chen stated plainly. The Fire Baleful Qi Body Tempering Art was a technique Kael Chen had created after tempering his body with Fire Fiend Qi [a violent, corrosive spiritual energy associated with the fire element].

The Abyssal Body Forging Art, on the other hand, was created by Eldrin Chen himself. This art was comparatively much gentler. It was a Body Tempering Cultivation Art [a discipline focused on physically strengthening the cultivator's body]. When a Foundation Establishment Cultivator [a cultivator who has solidified their spiritual foundation] practiced it to its peak, it could greatly enhance the cultivator's meridians and physical form.

Mastering this art was sufficient to increase one's chances of a breakthrough into the Purple Mansion [the realm where the cultivator's spiritual consciousness and energy condense into a 'Purple Mansion' within the dantian] by ten percent. Achieving Perfection in it could increase those chances by a full thirty percent.

However, the Abyssal Body Forging Art was arduous to cultivate. For a Foundation Establishment Cultivator to reach Mastery required one full Jiazi-time [a cycle of sixty years]. Achieving Perfection demanded vast resources and innate talent.

Even so, its effects were astonishing. Merely reaching Mastery granted a ten percent increase in breakthrough odds, making it far safer than tempering techniques using Fire Fiend Qi. It was the unparalleled choice for widespread adoption. Support the author by reading on audio-novel.com.

Upon receiving this method, Alistair Lu felt as if he had obtained a priceless treasure. He murmured to himself with immense joy, "My constitution is extraordinary; I have always progressed with astonishing speed in body-tempering arts."

"If I can petition the Chen Clan for this art, I will surely cultivate it to Perfection. My chances of breaking through to the Purple Mansion will then be vastly increased."

His heart swelled with excitement, but he noticed Eldrin Chen on the platform had begun lecturing on the bottlenecks of Purple Mansion Realm cultivation. He immediately focused and listened with rapt attention.

The more he listened, the more he felt scales fall from his eyes. After a long while, he could not help but whisper in awe, "So within the Golden Core [the realm where spiritual energy condenses into a solid, golden 'core' of power], there are also distinctions of Superior, Middle, and Inferior grades of Golden Core."

"It is fortunate that I had the honor to hear the True Lord's discourse on the Dao today. Had I attempted to break through to the Purple Mansion realm by relying solely on Five Elements Treasure Crystals during my solitary cultivation, I would have surely regretted it for the rest of my life."

Alistair Lu felt a wave of fearful relief. He recalled the time not long ago when he was attempting his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment.

Back then, had it not been for the Lu Clan's intention to purchase a Foundation Establishment Pill [a potent elixir that aids in solidifying one's cultivation foundation] for him... yet, in the end, they had to abandon the plan due to insufficient Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation].

If he had used a Foundation Establishment Pill to force his breakthrough back then, he likely would not have the qualification to sit in this foremost row today.

Alistair Lu felt cold sweat beading on his forehead, overwhelmed by a sense of immense fortune. Being born into a Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan [a clan where the patriarch has reached the Foundation Establishment realm] was originally his greatest limitation, yet now, having the fortune to hear a True Lord's discourse, he had inadvertently avoided countless fate-altering missteps.

"The discourse on the Purple Mansion realm ends here. Let us now speak of the Golden Core realm."

Eldrin Chen spoke calmly, then waved his hand to cast a restrictive barrier, isolating the foremost row where the Golden Core cultivators sat.

The content pertaining to the Golden Core realm was profoundly advanced, even touching upon key secrets for breaking through to Nascent Soul. If such knowledge were to fall into the hands of Demonic Monsters, it could pose a grave threat to the Human Race. Naturally, he would explain it separately.

Presently, there were over one hundred Golden Core Cultivators. More than thirty of them were loose cultivators with no sect affiliation, while the remainder, though hailing from Various Great Immortal Clans, were almost all stewards and elders of the Heaven's Ruin Alliance.

Their presence here to listen to the discourse on the Golden Core realm was contingent: either they had paid a substantial fee for the privilege, or they had already honored Eldrin Chen as their teacher, becoming half-formal, half-acknowledged disciples under his tutelage. Enjoyed this chapter? Read more at audio–novel.com.