Chapter 608 : The Legacy of Eight Trigrams Island

"Indeed."

Thalion Chen could not help but smile as well, realizing that he was being overly greedy.

He had come from days of hardship. There was a time when the Chen Clan had only a handful of members, barely scraping by, and they would have split a single Second Rank Magical Treasure [a mid-grade enchanted artifact] in two if they could. Who could have imagined that now, they would have more than enough Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [a supreme-grade artifact specialized for vanquishing demons] to spare?

Thinking of this, a faint smile touched his lips. "Once the Eight Trigrams Demon-Refining Banner [a banner artifact that refines demons using the power of the Eight Trigrams] is forged, I will place all of my Spiritual Treasures [powerful enchanted artifacts] into the Clan Treasury for the use of future generations of our clan."

Eldrin Chen nodded in agreement and said, "Let us first set up a Formation [a mystical array or defensive barrier] for this Spirit Island."

Because of the presence of the Eight Trigrams Treasure Tree, Eldrin Chen named this Spirit Island Eight Trigrams Island.

The Earth Vein [a subterranean channel of concentrated earth energy] beneath Eight Trigrams Island contained only a single Fourth Rank High Grade Spirit Vein [a vein of concentrated spiritual energy]. Fortunately, the presence of a Fifth Rank High Grade subterranean Wood Vein [a vein of concentrated wood-element energy] allowed Eldrin Chen to leverage the power of the Earth Vein to establish a Fifth Rank Formation.

After deploying the Mountain Guardian Grand Formation, he then set up a Fourth Rank Teleportation Formation [a mystical array for instantaneous travel over great distances], linking it to Immortal Apricot Island. Only then did he smile and say, "With the Teleportation Formation and the Fifth Rank Mountain Guardian Grand Formation in place, the security of Eight Trigrams Island is assured for the future."

"It is a pity that the grade of the Spirit Vein here is still somewhat low. We will have to wait until it advances to the Fifth Rank before we can station Nascent Soul Cultivators [practitioners who have formed their Nascent Soul, a core of spiritual energy] here to garrison it."

Thalion Chen nodded thoughtfully upon hearing this. After a moment's consideration, he suggested, "How about we assign Silas to garrison this place?" Find this and other novels at audio-novel dot com.

"That would be acceptable."

Eldrin Chen gave a nod. Within the clan at present, Golden Core Cultivator [a cultivator who has formed a solidified golden spiritual core within their dantian] manpower was stretched thin. Being assigned to guard a territory and cultivate in peace was considered the most leisurely of duties.

Given Silas Chen's talent at the Middle Golden Core [the intermediate stage of the Golden Core realm] stage, it was better for her to strive for a swift breakthrough to Golden Core Great Perfection [the pinnacle stage of the Golden Core realm] as soon as possible, to pave the way for the Nascent Soul Realm [the realm where a cultivator's spiritual essence condenses into an infant-like soul form]. Assigning her this tranquil post was the optimal choice.

Immediately, Eldrin Chen summoned Silas Chen. Upon seeing her, he smiled and said, "Your cultivation progress has been commendable. It seems you have not been idle these years."

"You flatter me, Uncle."

A faint smile touched Silas Chen's eyes, her expression brightening.

Thanks to the merit she had earned from discovering the Earth Mother Qi [a pure, nurturing spiritual essence associated with the earth element] during the expedition to The Vast Sea, Silas Chen had enjoyed an abundant supply of cultivation resources in recent years.

Thus, although she had broken through to the Golden Core [the realm of the solidified golden spiritual core] later than her elder brother Caleb Chen, she had now progressed faster, reaching the eighth layer of the Golden Core realm.

At her current pace of cultivation, she would likely be able to attempt a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Realm [the realm of the nascent soul] within a single Jiazi-time [a cycle of sixty years].

By that time, her age would be approximately six hundred and forty-some years, granting her at least two attempts at the breakthrough before reaching eight hundred years of age.

Considering the innate talent of Silas Chen, Eldrin Chen smiled faintly and said, "You achieved a Self-Guided Purple Mansion Breakthrough [a rare and superior method of advancing to the Purple Mansion realm without external aid], your foundation is slightly more robust than that of an ordinary Middle Golden Core [a cultivator at the middle stage of the Golden Core realm]."

"I have also prepared the Earth Mother Qi [a pure and potent earth-attribute spiritual energy, essential for major breakthroughs] for you. I hope you can break through the barrier of the Nascent Soul [the realm where a cultivator forms their spiritual infant] in a single attempt."

Silas Chen's eyes flickered slightly. She lowered her head and said hurriedly, "That Earth Mother Qi is exceedingly precious. Ethan likely needs it more than I do."

"There is no need for such modesty."

Eldrin Chen chuckled before continuing, "Back when the family was merely a Golden Core Immortal Clan [a clan whose highest power is a Golden Core cultivator], you secured both the Earth Mother Qi and the Fire Vein Treasure Jade [a rare jade imbued with fire-attribute spiritual energy from an earth vein] for the clan. Your contributions remain significant even today. Who else should receive this Earth Mother Qi if not you?"

Silas Chen's eyes reddened slightly. After stealing a glance at him, she fell silent, offering no further words.

Seeing her expression, Eldrin Chen sighed. "Guard this place well and focus on your cultivation. Strive to break through to Nascent Soul as soon as possible."

With these words, he withdrew, unwilling to linger on the matter.

Only Silas remained standing in place, silently watching his retreating figure for a long while before finally releasing a soft sigh.

Eldrin Chen returned to the Azure Lotus Continent and summoned several of the clan's Nascent Soul True Lord [a title for a powerful cultivator who has reached the Nascent Soul realm].

After everyone had assembled, he informed them of the situation at Eight Trigrams Island.

Upon hearing this, Lila's face lit up with delight. "With the addition of a new Fifth Rank Wood Vein, we have gained a vast new source of low-grade spiritual wood," she said. "The construction of the Crimson Flood Dragon War Junk can now officially commence."

"Precisely so," Eldrin Chen affirmed.

Elara Lin also nodded, a pleased expression gracing her features.

A Fifth Rank War Treasure Boat is a weapon of immense strategic importance. Even one of Fifth Rank Low Grade caliber is a treasure weighty enough to serve as a Clan-Suppressing Foundation for any Nascent Soul Immortal Clan.

Generally speaking, only those Nascent Soul Immortal Clans with legacies stretching over a Millennium or more have any hope of possessing a single Fifth Rank Low Grade War Treasure Boat. Dive deeper into the Dao at audio-novel`com.

For the Chen Clan, which has only been a Nascent Soul Immortal Clan for a mere century, to forge its own War Treasure Boat is an achievement that would inspire envy in countless Immortal Clans across the land.

Forging a Fifth Rank Treasure Boat is no simple task. Beyond the crucial keel crafted from the bones of a Fifth Rank Demonic Beast, it requires a staggering quantity of low-grade spiritual wood for its hull.

This wood cannot be of too low a grade, however. First-rank spiritual wood would rot within two centuries, rendering the treasure boat utterly useless.

Furthermore, the formation arrays that can be inscribed upon first-rank wood are limited, and it cannot withstand the rigors of intense battle. Only spiritual wood of the second rank or higher meets the necessary requirements.

Spirit Wood of the Second Rank and above, once specially treated, often possesses an exceptionally long lifespan, capable of enduring for a Millennium without deterioration. Thereafter, as long as it undergoes a major overhaul every Millennium, replacing the Second Rank Spirit Wood can ensure the treasure ship's potency remains undiminished.

However, the amount of Second Rank Spirit Wood required to forge a treasure ship is truly staggering. According to Eldrin Chen's estimates, crafting a single Fifth Rank Low Grade treasure ship would consume over a million individual stalks of Second Rank Spirit Wood.

Although Second Rank Spirit Wood is not highly valuable, with a market price ranging from six hundred to eight hundred Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy] each, the Chen Clan's Deep-Seated Foundation [profound and extensive accumulated resources] could likely drive the bulk purchase price down to four or five hundred Spirit Stone per stalk.

Coupled with the consumption of Third Rank and Fourth Rank Spirit Wood, the material cost alone for a single treasure ship soars to several hundred million Spirit Stone, not even accounting for the immense labor required for its construction.

One could say the cost of forging a single treasure ship would drain the Deep-Seated Foundation accumulated by a Nascent Soul Immortal Clan [a clan led by a Nascent Soul realm cultivator] over an entire Millennium. Even with the Chen Clan's formidable Deep-Seated Foundation, undertaking such a project would be a crippling financial blow.

Fortunately, the Chen Clan now possesses two Fifth Rank Wood Vein [a spiritual land vein brimming with potent wood-element energy] to support them, which would resolve the majority of the Spirit Wood cost for the ship's construction.

With the materials now assembled, Eldrin Chen declared, "Then let us summon the clan's Artificer [masters of magical crafting and artifice] and commence the forging of the treasure ship at once."

At the Chen Clan's command, a summons went out across The Vast Sea and Chen Nation. Within moments, several thousand Artificer of the Second Rank and above were mobilized, converging upon Azure Lotus Continent to participate in the monumental task of crafting the Fifth Rank Treasure Boat for the clan.

Forging a Fifth Rank Treasure Boat was no simple feat; even the preparatory work for the materials was immensely complex.

To craft a treasure ship of such exalted rank demanded materials of the highest purity. Each piece of Spirit Wood first had to be tempered by True Flame [a cultivator's purified, essence-fueled flame], then infused with Five Elements Essence [a refined spiritual essence containing the harmonized power of the five elements] to ward against rot, pests, and the ravages of time.

Furthermore, each plank must be inscribed with Dao Patterns [mystical symbols that channel and shape spiritual energy] and then submerged in water for three years to absorb Water Essence Power [the pure, nourishing energy inherent in water].

After Three Years Later, the spiritual wood will have become incredibly durable, impervious to insect infestation and water rot, and its usable lifespan will be extended to an extraordinary length.

Only then can the spiritual wood be retrieved, and the necessary Dao Patterns [mystical symbols that channel and shape spiritual energy] for forging the treasure ship be carved onto each individual plank. For the best reading experience, visit audio—novel.com.