Chapter 588 : A Pact Forged in Lightning

Hearing this, the two men's faces paled slightly, and a flicker of trepidation passed through their hearts.

Given his many years of friendship with Eldrin Chen, Xavier Xu disregarded the hierarchy of cultivation realms, stood up, and cupped his hands in salute. "Please, True Lord, instruct us."

Eldrin Chen nodded and then spoke. "I can lend you a Spiritual Treasure [an enchanted artifact of great power] to face your tribulation. I can also lease the Five Veins Infant Transformation Formation [a formation that aids in the transformation of the infant soul] to you. Furthermore, I can permit you to attempt your breakthrough on my Chen Clan's Fifth Rank Spiritual Vein [a high-grade vein of concentrated spiritual energy]."

"With these safeguards from my Chen Clan, your chances of breaking through to the Infant Soul [the stage where a cultivator's nascent soul is formed] should be around four or five in ten. You should also have sufficient confidence to survive the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [the trial of heavenly lightning that tests a cultivator's foundation]."

Upon hearing this, joy surged in their hearts, but they quickly regained their composure.

Quentin Qiu cupped his hands and could not help but ask, "Dare I inquire, Senior, what would the price be?"

"You are not foolish," Eldrin Chen said with a light laugh before continuing. "After your breakthrough, you must become Elders of the Heavenly Ruins Alliance. Henceforth, if we face a major conflict, you are duty-bound to heed the commands of our Chen Clan."

Quentin Qiu's heart trembled slightly upon hearing this. Signing such an agreement would essentially make them guest Elders of the Chen Clan. If the Chen Clan were truly embroiled in a great war, they could not simply stand aside.

The status of an Infant Soul True Lord [a venerable master who has formed their nascent soul] was extraordinary. Such existences were revered figures wherever they went. The thought of becoming mere pawns on the front lines was emotionally difficult to accept.

Xavier Xu, however, agreed swiftly. He cupped his hands and said, "Without the aid of the Chen Clan, this old man likely would never have broken through to Golden Core [the stage of forming a golden core of spiritual power]. I would have perished centuries ago. How could I have reached the threshold of Infant Soul like I have today?" For the best reading experience, visit audio-novel dot com.

"A scholar dies for one who truly knows him. For such a grace that paved my path to the Dao, I, Xavier Xu, have no way to repay it. Even if Your Excellency had not mentioned it, I would willingly serve as your vanguard."

Upon hearing this, Quentin Qiu revealed a bitter smile. Without Eldrin Chen's support, his hope of breaking through to the Infant Soul [the stage where a cultivator's nascent soul is formed] realm would be slim indeed. In a few hundred years, he would likely perish completely. To worry about face after achieving Infant Soul now was nothing but a joke.

With this thought, he also cupped his hands and said, "I am fortunate to receive the support of the True Lord [a title for a cultivator who has reached the True Lord realm]. If this junior achieves success this time, I will surely repay your grace with all my strength in the future."

"There is no need for such formalities."

After the two signed the contract, Eldrin Chen smiled and handed them two Nascent Soul Formation Pill [a precious elixir that aids in forming the nascent soul].

Refining the Nascent Soul Formation Pill would take some time. These two were the last from the Chen Clan's reserves, so he gave them to the two first to aid their breakthrough into the Infant Soul Realm.

After bestowing the Nascent Soul Formation Pill, he added with a smile, "Rest assured, your status will be akin to that of honored guests of my Chen Clan. Unless it concerns important matters, I will not casually dispatch you."

"..."

After seeing the two off, Eldrin Chen began the work of refining Golden Core Formation Pill [an elixir that aids in condensing the Golden Core].

The harvested Demon King Inner Pill [the condensed energy core of a powerful demon] were enough for over sixty cauldrons' worth of refining. The quantity was truly immense, and transforming them all into Golden Core Formation Pill would be no light task.

Eldrin Chen expended tens of millions of Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy] to purchase all the necessary supplementary herbs from Azure Luan Province, then began the process of refining the Golden Core Formation Pill [a legendary pill that aids in the formation of a cultivator's Golden Core].

For this batch of Golden Core Formation Pill, Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang collaborated, assisted by several dozen alchemists responsible for preparing the medicinal ingredients.

With the most time-consuming and laborious task of ingredient preparation handled by others, the two of them, using their own profound cultivation bases, could refine a single cauldron of Golden Core Formation Pill in merely half a month.

Even so, these sixty-plus cauldrons of pills consumed three full years of Eldrin Chen's time.

After successfully refining the Golden Core Formation Pill, Eldrin Chen allowed himself a sigh of relief. Following a rest period of over a month with Exquisite Jiang, they commenced the refinement of the Nascent Soul Formation Pill [a supreme elixir that assists in the breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm].

This was not their first attempt at crafting the Nascent Soul Formation Pill. Their experience and alchemical skill now far surpassed their earlier capabilities.

For the first cauldron, Eldrin Chen used the Inner Pill [the condensed life essence core of a powerful demon beast] of the Golden Rhino Demon Emperor, a being whose cultivation had reached the Infant Soul 3rd Tier [a high level within the Nascent Soul stage]. Its primal essence was exceptionally potent, yielding three Nascent Soul Formation Pill from that single batch.

The second cauldron utilized the Inner Pill of the Greenjade Demon Emperor, whose power was even greater, having attained the Infant Soul 4th Tier. This refinement produced a full five Nascent Soul Formation Pill.

Having secured eight Nascent Soul Formation Pill, Eldrin Chen stored them away with a sense of satisfaction. Aside from the one pill promised to Path Master Unreal, the Chen Clan now held a reserve of seven.

With these seven Nascent Soul Formation Pill as a foundation for the future, should suitable candidates arise, the clan might yet nurture several more Infant Soul True Lord [a title for a powerful Nascent Soul stage cultivator].

Upon hearing that Eldrin Chen had successfully refined the Nascent Soul Formation Pill, Eternal Profound Chen was the first to seek him out. Gazing at the pill with evident delight, he said, "I wish to request one Nascent Soul Formation Pill for Lior."

Eldrin Chen smiled and nodded. "Within our clan, Uncle Lior is the sole cultivator currently at the Golden Core 9th Tier. Who else should we support if not him?"

Currently, the Chen Clan boasts over forty Golden Core Cultivators. However, the clan's rise has been swift, and most of its Golden Core cultivators are less than four hundred years old, with over eighty percent being around three hundred years of age.

The majority of these Golden Core Cultivators broke through to the Golden Core realm less than a century ago, their cultivation still at the early or middle stages. Only three have reached the Golden Core Late Stage: Silas Chen, Chen Caleb, and Lior Chen.

Among these three, the siblings Silas Chen have only recently broken through to the seventh layer of the Golden Core Stage. Only Lior Chen has cultivated to the Golden Core Perfection, making him the most suitable candidate to utilize the Nascent Soul Formation Pill.

With this in mind, Eldrin Chen handed the Nascent Soul Formation Pill to the Old Patriarch and spoke thoughtfully, "Uncle Lior's lifespan is nearing six hundred years. I fear his chances of a single breakthrough attempt are not great." Your portal to cultivation novels: site: audio-novel.com.

"Please watch over him closely and strive to help him break through to the Infant Soul [the nascent soul stage of cultivation] before he reaches eight hundred years of age."

Eternal Profound Chen nodded in agreement. Eight hundred years was a critical threshold. If one failed to reach the Infant Soul by then, they would be forced to use a Longevity Pill [a pill that extends the user's lifespan] to replenish their vitality.

Yet, consuming a Longevity Pill at that stage meant forfeiting one of the precious opportunities to extend one's lifespan by a millennium after achieving the Infant Soul.

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen inquired, "How are the breakthrough preparations proceeding for Quentin Qiu and Xavier Xu?"

Eternal Profound Chen shook his head and sighed, saying, "The foundation of Xavier Xu was insufficient; he only managed to break through to the False Infant Soul Realm [a flawed and unstable version of the Infant Soul realm]."

"However, Quentin Qiu succeeded, barely forging a Mortal Path Infant Soul [an Infant Soul formed through the path of mortal cultivation, considered of lower quality]."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen nodded in understanding. Breaking through to Infant Soul [the nascent soul stage of cultivation] heavily depended on one's foundational strength and accumulated essence. Xavier Xu had only a Lower-Tier Golden Core [the lowest grade of Golden Core foundation]. Even with the aid of a Nascent Soul Formation Pill [a pill that assists in forming the Infant Soul] and the Five Veins Infant Transformation Formation [a formation array that channels energy to aid the soul transformation], his chances were merely thirty to forty percent—his hope of success was never great.

This made him somewhat concerned for Lior Chen. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "The clan still has some Verdant Lotus Seed [seeds of a spiritual lotus that can purify and strengthen one's foundation]. Let us send one to Uncle Lior as well."

"I understand."

With that, Eternal Profound Chen took the Nascent Soul Formation Pill and departed in haste.

After Eternal Profound Chen had left, Eldrin Chen turned to Exquisite Jiang and said, "We have now gathered both the Snow Element Ginseng [a ginseng imbued with the essence of frost and snow] and the Fire Element Ginseng [a ginseng imbued with the essence of flame]. I wish to begin the alchemical process to refine the Polarity Precious Ginseng Pill [a precious pill that harmonizes opposing elemental forces]."

Exquisite Jiang shook her head, a slight frown creasing her brow. "But to refine the Polarity Precious Ginseng Pill, one needs the corresponding alchemical formula. Unfortunately, we do not possess it."

"It is of no consequence," Eldrin Chen replied with a calm smile. "Knowing the primary ingredients, I can deduce the formula. It should not pose a significant problem."

As he spoke, Eldrin Chen produced the Snow Element Ginseng and the Fire Element Ginseng and began to examine them closely. This chapter is provided by audio~novel.com. Support the original.