Chapter 611 Invitation from the Tianlu Sect Leader

"Many thanks for your generous gift, True Lord."

Upon hearing this, everyone's faces lit up with joy.

They weren't refining the fifth-grade treasure ship for nothing. Every time they processed a segment of spirit wood during this period, they received a sum of spirit stones. Though the profit was pitifully low compared to crafting second-grade magical treasures, the sheer volume from the Chen family made it worthwhile.

Each person processed several 100 second-level spirit woods, elevating the crafting proficiency of every second-level Artificer present by at least 1 or 2 tiers.

Eldrin paid little heed to the crowd's gratitude. Having successfully forged a fifth-tier treasure ship, his spirits soared as he withdrew and flew toward the Green Lotus Isle.

No sooner had he returned to Green Lotus Isle than he found Chen Changxuan waiting for him. The elder approached without preamble and said, "A few days ago, the Second Elder of the Heavenly Reed Sect paid a visit to Verdant Chariot Mountain, expressing his desire to invite you for a discussion at the Heavenly Reed Mountain."

Heavenly Abode Sect?

Eldrin exchanged a glance with Lyra, his eyes flickering slightly as he remarked, "To summon us for a face-to-face discussion... it seems the adversaries within the Blazing Inferno Abyss are far more troublesome than we anticipated."

The old clan leader also nodded at the sight and said, "In recent years, news from the Heavenly Abode Continent (Location) suggests that the master of the Heavenly Abode Sect recently retreated in defeat from the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire, clearly having suffered a hidden setback."

"In that case, I shall go take a look first."

Lyra also spoke, then set off together with Eldrin toward the Heavenly Abode Continent.

When the 2 arrived at Mount Tianlu, they found that the Second Elder of Tianlu, Elder Longbeard, had been waiting for a long time.

The Long-whiskered True Monarch beamed with delight upon seeing the 2 visitors. "Though you have traveled from afar and our sect leader should have welcomed you personally, he is currently indisposed. We beg your forgiveness, Fellow Daoists."

"Oh?" Eldrin exchanged a glance with Lyra, offering a serene smile as he spoke, "Merely a trivial matter. There's no need for such formalities."

The Long-Bearded Daoist nodded and gestured with his hand. "Please follow me, both of you."

The group strode toward Mount Tianlu, and before long, they met the master of Tianlu Sect within a cave abode nestled beside a spiritual spring.

Within the cave abode at this moment, the master of the Celestial Abode Sect, clad in Daoist robes, coughed twice with a pallid complexion before remarking with a tinge of envy, "After all these years apart, I never imagined both Fellow Daoists would advance your cultivation with such astonishing speed."

"Alas, this old man remains trapped at the Nascent Soul, 6th Tier (Cultivation Realm), unable to advance even a single step for a full millennium."

Eldrin's eyes flickered slightly. The master of the Heavenly Abode Sect was a genuine Nascent Soul cultivator. For such practitioners, the late Nascent Soul stage represented a monumental threshold—the hope of breaking through to late Nascent Soul through 1's own efforts was vanishingly slim.

Even with the aid of the Heavenly Dao Pill (Spiritual Object), the certainty of breaking through to the late Nascent Soul stage did not exceed 30 percent. If 1's spiritual power was even slightly deficient, the hope would become utterly negligible.

The successive attempts by the Heavenly Abode Sect Master to acquire Heavenly Dao Pill (Spiritual Object) in hopes of breaking through to the late Nascent Soul stage had nearly depleted over half of the sect's accumulated resources. Yet, despite these efforts, that elusive realm remained frustratingly beyond reach.

With this thought, Eldrin couldn't help but worry about the old clan leader's path of cultivation.

He took a deep breath, and after a moment of silence, he recalled the matter at hand and spoke: "Fellow Daoist, have you sought me out this time regarding the matter of the Balrog in the Flaming Sea of the Infernal Prison?"

"Fellow Daoist, your foresight is truly uncanny."

At the mention of this, the master of Tianlu Sect nodded, his expression turning grave.

He hesitated for a moment, as if wanting to say something, yet the words seemed to linger unspoken on his lips.

Seeing this, Eldrin (Person Name) spoke up, "If you sincerely seek assistance, it would be best to state your purpose clearly."

"Sigh…"

The Sect Master of Tianlu sighed softly, yet still began to recount the tale in a measured tone.

As he narrated, Eldrin quickly grasped the situation within the Blazing Abyss of Flames.

The Fiery Prison and Sea of Flames was originally the forbidden land for demonic cultivators known as the Blood Demon Ridge, once dominated by the Blood Demon Dao Lord. It stood as the foremost demonic cultivation forbidden land within the Eastern Wastelands (Location).

Who was the Blood Demon Dao Lord? His cultivation had reached the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul realm, and his strength ranked among the top 3 supreme powerhouses in this world.

The Blood Demon Reincarnation Art he pioneered, along with the cultivation method of the 9 Blood Demon Seeds, rank among the top 3 supreme demonic divine abilities in this realm.

At that time, the Blood Demon Dao Lord's power was unparalleled. His 9 Blood Demon Avatars alone were equivalent to 9 Divine Soul Dao Lords, their overwhelming might suppressing the entire Eastern Wastelands. He was hailed as the foremost figure among the demonic path of the Violet Realm.

The downfall and utter destruction of the entire Eastern Sea cultivation world back then, and even that of the Eastern Wastelands (Location), were directly linked to the Blood Demon Dao Lord.

Yet the current Blood God Dao Lord, who now dominates the eastern sea's cultivation world, was merely a disciple under the Blood Demon Patriarch back in those days—hardly anyone of great significance.

Such a demonic path overlord dominating the Eastern Wastelands (Location) naturally posed a grave threat to human cultivators.

Later, when Emperor Jiang arrived from the Central Ancestral Domain, his first major adversary along the way was none other than the Blood Demon Ancestor. The 2 engaged in 3 full-scale battles.

In the final battle, Emperor Jiang’s cultivation had already reached a state bordering on immortality, and with his own power alone, he eradicated the Blood Demon Ridge.

However, the Blood Demon Ancestor possessed combat prowess that could startle immortals, and was by no means an easy foe to slay.

To eradicate him completely, Emperor Jiang had no choice but to shatter a Supreme Treasure of Pure Yang (Magic Treasure), piercing through the earth's lungs beneath the Crimson Demon Ridge. This unleashed boundless subterranean fire, reducing the ridge to ashes and transforming it into what is now a blazing inferno spanning millions of miles.

Recalling this past event, the Master of the Heavenly Abode Sect took another deep breath and said, "After the destruction of the Blood Demon Ridge, the boundless essence of the fire veins surging from the earth's core converged in the Inferno Prison Sea, ultimately forming a Tier 5, top-grade underground fire vein."

"After the fall of Blood Demon Ridge, the rootless demonic energy seeped into the underground fire veins, merging with their primordial essence. Through millennia of gestation, this fusion ultimately gave birth to the Infernal Demon race."

Eldrin listened as he spoke at length, finally drawing a deep breath after what seemed an age.

He exchanged a glance with Lyra, finally understanding the origins of Crimson Flame the Blazing Lord they had encountered in the ruins of the Sun and Moon Sect all those years ago.

And so it was. Back in those days within the ancient ruins, Crimson Flame the Blazing Lord (Person Name) had been born from a fifth-grade upper-tier subterranean fire vein, yet remained completely untouched by demonic corruption.

Thus, he fled the underground fire vein and was forced to follow its currents to the ruins of Tianluzong (Sect), where he confronted the Sun-Moon Twin Wheels (Magic Treasure) for thousands of years.

After understanding these matters, Eldrin felt a surge of excitement. That was a top-grade, fifth-tier earth vein! The supreme treasure it nurtured would likely be immensely valuable even to late-stage Nascent Soul powerhouses.

At this thought, he finally asked with a grave expression, "How formidable are the Infernal Fiends within the Blazing Abyss of Flames, that even a fellow cultivator like you was forced to retreat?"

Upon hearing this, Lyra’s gaze sharpened slightly. The Heavenly Abode Sect was a Clan with 5 Nascent Soul Elders (Organization), yet even its leader—whose cultivation had half-stepped into the late Nascent Soul stage—had been powerless to act.

Moreover, with the Heaven's Abode Sect possessing their ultimate treasure, the Heaven's Crucible Decree, even a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator would find it difficult to suppress them in theory.

Hearing this, the Heaven’s Abode Sect Master shook his head, his gaze grave as he said, “Within the Flaming Prison’s Sea of Fire, there are 5 Flame Demon True Lords whose cultivation has reached the True Lord Realm.”

Chapter 1 The Azure Cloud Sect's recruitment ceremony had just concluded. Lin Xuan stood at the foot of the mountain, gazing up at the mist-shrouded peaks, his heart surging with emotion. After 3 long years of arduous cultivation, he had finally met the criteria to join the sect. A white-robed elder floated down from above, his voice echoing like a distant bell: "Those who wish to enter our sect must first pass the Trial of the Heart. This trial will test your determination and talent for the Dao." Lin Xuan took a deep breath and stepped into the swirling formation. Countless illusions immediately assailed him—demonic temptations, memories of past lives, and visions of future tribulations. But his Dao heart remained steadfast, his will as unyielding as tempered steel. After the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the illusions dissipated. The elder nodded in approval: "Not bad. You withstood the assault of 108,000 heart demons. From today onward, you shall be an outer sect disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect." The elder tossed him a jade token and a small bag. "Here are 1,000 spirit stones and 3 Foundation Establishment Pills. Remember, our sect's core cultivation method—the 9 Transformations Heavenly Art—requires accumulating spiritual power through 9 cycles of great revolution. Each breakthrough demands enduring heavenly tribulation." Lin Xuan clasped his hands in gratitude. Just as he was about to speak, a fiery light streaked across the sky. A crimson flying sword descended, its point embedding into the bluestone pavement before him. "This is the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss," a voice rang out. "I hear a new junior brother has joined us. Consider this my gift." A young man in brocade robes landed lightly, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. His gaze swept over Lin Xuan as if evaluating something. The elder's expression turned serious. "Eldrin, mind your manners." Eldrin (Person Name) chuckled, retrieving the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss (Magic Treasure). "Don't be so tense, Elder. I'm just here to welcome our new junior brother." He leaned close to Lin Xuan's ear and whispered, "The Azure Cloud Sect is far more complicated than you imagine. I suggest you visit the Mission Hall tomorrow—there's a task there that might interest you." After Eldrin left, the elder sighed. "That Eldrin is the young master of the Flaming Cloud Valley. Though his methods are... unorthodox, he rarely harms fellow disciples. Still, you should be cautious in your dealings with him." Lin Xuan nodded, storing the spirit stones and pills. He understood that his path of cultivation had only just begun. In this vast world of immortals, where the strong were revered, he would need to tread carefully at every step. That night, beneath the cold moonlight, Lin Xuan sat cross-legged in his new quarters. He consumed a Foundation Establishment Pill and began circulating the basic cultivation technique. Strands of spiritual energy gathered from all directions, slowly seeping into his meridians. He knew that to stand firm in this world, he needed to rapidly enhance his strength. The so-called "simple task" Eldrin mentioned was undoubtedly anything but simple. But since he had set foot on this path, he would face whatever challenges came his way. After all, this was a world where the law of the jungle prevailed—a realm where cultivators defied the heavens to reshape their destinies.