Chapter 610 : A Sect's Perilous Invitation

"Our gratitude for the reward, True Lord."

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

They had not been crafting the Fifth Rank Treasure Ship for free. For each piece of Spirit Wood they processed during this period, they received a sum of Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy]. While the profit was pitifully low compared to forging a single Second Rank magical treasure [an enchanted artifact used by cultivators], the sheer volume commissioned by the Chen Clan made it worthwhile.

Each person had handled several hundred pieces of Second Rank Spirit Wood, elevating the forging skills of every Second Rank artifact-smith present by at least one or two levels.

Eldrin Chen paid little mind to their thanks. Elated by the successful completion of the Fifth Rank Treasure Ship, he took his leave and flew towards Verdant Lotus Isle.

No sooner had he returned to Verdant Lotus Isle than he found Eternal Profound Chen waiting for him. The elder spoke immediately: "A few days ago, the Second Elder of Heavenly Reed Sect came to Green Chariot Mountain. He wishes to invite you for a discussion at Heavenly Hut Mountain."

"The Heavenly Reed Sect?"

Eldrin Chen exchanged a glance with Exquisite Jiang, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Inviting us for a face-to-face meeting... it seems the adversaries within the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire are more troublesome than we anticipated."

Seeing their reaction, the Old Patriarch nodded in agreement. "Recent news from the Tianlu Continent indicates the Heavenly Reed Sect Master was forced to retreat from the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire not long ago. Clearly, they suffered a setback."

"In that case, I shall go and see for myself." This chapter appears courtesy of audi novel.com.

Exquisite Jiang [the Immortal Maiden of Exquisite Jade] also spoke, then set off with Eldrin Chen [the Sword Immortal of the Returning Abyss] towards the Tianlu Continent [the Celestial Deer Continent].

When the two arrived at Heavenly Hut Mountain [the Mountain of the Heavenly Reed Abode], they found that the Second Elder [the Second Elder] of the Heavenly Reed Sect, Longbeard True Lord [the True Lord of the Long Beard], had been waiting for them for some time.

Upon seeing the two, Longbeard True Lord said with delight, "You have traveled a great distance. Our Sect Master should have personally welcomed you, but he is currently unwell. I hope you will not take offense, Fellow Daoists."

"Oh?" Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang exchanged a glance. Eldrin Chen replied with a calm smile, "Such formalities are unnecessary for such a minor matter."

Longbeard Path Master [the Path Master of the Long Beard] nodded and gestured with his hand. "Please, follow me."

The group proceeded into Heavenly Hut Mountain, and before long, they met the Heavenly Reed Sect Master [the Master of the Heavenly Reed Sect] within a Spirit Spring Cave Abode [a cave dwelling nourished by a spiritual spring].

Inside the cave abode, the Heavenly Reed Sect Master was clad in a simple Daoist robe. His face was pale as he coughed twice before speaking with a tone of envy, "It has been many years. I did not expect your cultivation progress to be so swift, Fellow Daoists."

"Alas, I remain trapped at the Infant Soul 6th Tier [the sixth level of the Infant Soul stage], unable to advance a single step further for a thousand years."

Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered slightly. This Heavenly Reed Sect Master practiced the Earthly Path Infant Soul [the Earthly Path method for cultivating the Infant Soul]. For cultivators of this path, the Infant Soul Late Stage [the Late Stage of the Infant Soul realm] was a formidable barrier. The hope of breaking through to the Infant Soul Late Stage on one's own was exceedingly slim.

Even with the aid of a Heavenly Path Pill [a supreme elixir that aids in realm advancement], the chance of a breakthrough to the Infant Soul Late Stage would not exceed thirty percent. If one's spiritual energy was even slightly lacking, the hope would be vanishingly small.

The Heavenly Reed Sect Master had purchased the Heavenly Path Pill [a pill said to aid in comprehending the Heavenly Path] on several consecutive occasions in an attempt to break through to the Infant Soul Late Stage [the advanced stage of the Infant Soul cultivation realm]. This had nearly exhausted the greater part of the Heavenly Reed Sect's accumulated wealth and resources. Yet, despite his efforts, he remained unable to cross the threshold into that elusive realm.

At this thought, Eldrin Chen could not help but feel concern for the Old Patriarch's Path [the lifelong journey of cultivation and enlightenment].

He took a deep breath. After a moment of silence, he turned his mind to the matter at hand and spoke, "Fellow Daoist, have you sought me out this time regarding the matter of the Flame Demon [a race of demons born from and wielding elemental fire] within the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire [a vast, perpetually burning sea of flames]?"

"Fellow Daoist's foresight is truly remarkable," the other replied.

At the mention of this matter, the Heavenly Reed Sect Master nodded, his expression turning grave.

He hesitated, seeming to weigh his words, caught between the desire to speak and a lingering reluctance.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen spoke again, "If you sincerely seek assistance, it would be best to lay out the situation clearly."

"Alas..."

With a sigh, the Heavenly Reed Sect Master finally began to recount the tale in detail.

As his narrative unfolded, Eldrin Chen quickly grasped the situation within the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire.

The Flaming Prison Sea of Fire [a region of perpetual, searing flames] was once the Blood Demon Ridge [a mountain range infamous for demonic cultivation], a Demonic Cultivator [practitioners who use malevolent and often sacrificial methods to gain power] Forbidden Land [a dangerous, restricted area]. It was the foremost such stronghold within the Eastern Region Great Wasteland [a vast, perilous wilderness in the eastern continent], dominated by the Blood Demon Path Lord.

Who was this Blood Demon Path Lord? He was a figure of immense power, his cultivation having reached the Great Perfection of the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator, representing a high level of power] realm. In strength, he ranked among the top three supreme powerhouses of this world.

The Blood Demon Reincarnation Grand Art [a supreme demonic technique focused on blood sacrifice and reincarnation] he pioneered, along with the method to cultivate nine Blood Demon Clone [powerful avatars created from blood and demonic essence], were considered among the top three supreme Demonic Path [the school of cultivation that embraces dark, destructive, and often sacrificial arts] Divine Ability [supernatural powers and techniques mastered by cultivators] in this realm.

In his time, the Blood Demon Path Lord's might was unparalleled. His nine Blood Demon Clone alone were equivalent to nine Primordial Spirit Path Lord [cultivators who have reached the Primordial Spirit realm and mastered a profound cultivation path], his dominance casting a shadow over the entire Eastern Region Great Wasteland. He was hailed as the foremost figure of the Demonic Path within the Purple Seal Realm [the name of this particular world or continent].

The eventual collapse and ruin of the entire Eastern Sea Cultivation World [the world of cultivators centered around the Eastern Sea], and indeed the Eastern Region Great Wasteland itself, were directly linked to the actions of the Blood Demon Path Lord.

As for the Blood God Path Lord who now holds sway over the Eastern Sea Cultivation World, in those bygone days he was merely a disciple under the Blood Demon Patriarch [another title for the Blood Demon Path Lord], not yet a figure of any great significance. This novel is serialized on site: audio-novel.com. Visit for updates.

With such a Demonic Path colossus entrenched in the Eastern Region Great Wasteland, he naturally became the most dire threat to the Human Race [the collective of human cultivators and mortals] cultivators.

Later, when Imperial Sovereign Jiang journeyed from the Central Ancestral Domain [the mythical central heartland of the cultivation world], his first great adversary was this very Blood Demon Patriarch. The two clashed in three monumental battles.

By the final confrontation, Imperial Sovereign Jiang's cultivation had ascended to the Near-Immortal Realm [a realm of power bordering on true immortality]. With his own might, he purged and leveled the Blood Demon Ridge.

Yet, the Blood Demon Patriarch, whose combat prowess could startle even immortals, was not so easily slain.

To utterly annihilate him, Imperial Sovereign Jiang was forced to shatter a Primordial Solar Supreme Treasure. This act pierced the Earth's Lung [the deep, vital energy source of the land] beneath Blood Demon Ridge, unleashing boundless subterranean fire energy that completely incinerated the ridge, transforming it into the present-day million-Li-length Flaming Prison Sea of Fire.

Recalling this history, Heavenly Reed Sect Master drew another deep breath and said, "After the fall of Blood Demon Ridge, the endless Fire Vein [a vein of concentrated fire energy within the earth] essence that surged from the Earth's Lung gathered within the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire. Astonishingly, it coalesced into a Fifth Rank High-Grade Underground Fire Vein."

"Unexpectedly, after the ridge's destruction, rootless demonic energy also poured into that Underground Fire Vein. It merged with the Fire Vein essence within and, after several millennia of gestation, ultimately gave birth to the Flame Demon Race."

Eldrin Chen listened to his detailed account, and only after a long while did he take a deep breath himself.

Exchanging a glance with Exquisite Jiang, he finally understood the origin of the Crimson Flame True Lord they had encountered within the ruins of the Sun and Moon Sect.

The truth was indeed so. That Crimson Flame True Lord from the ruins had been born from the Fifth Rank High-Grade Underground Fire Vein, yet had not been fully corrupted by the demonic energy.

Thus, he fled the Underground Fire Vein, forced to follow its energy currents until he reached the Heavenly Reed Sect ruins. There, he remained locked in a stalemate with the Sun and Moon Twin Wheels for thousands of years.

Understanding these events, a surge of excitement stirred within Eldrin Chen's heart. A Fifth Rank High-Grade Earth Vein [a major terrestrial energy channel]! The supreme treasure it could nurture would likely be of immense value even to a great power at the Infant Soul Late Stage.

With this thought, his expression turned grave as he asked, "How formidable is the strength of the Flame Demon Race within the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire, that even you, Fellow Daoist, were forced to retreat?"

Upon hearing this, Exquisite Jiang's gaze also sharpened slightly. The Heavenly Reed Sect boasted five Infant Soul cultivators, including a Heavenly Reed Sect Master whose cultivation was half a step into the Infant Soul Late Stage. Yet even they had been helpless.

Moreover, the Heavenly Reed Sect still possesses their Sect-Suppressing Supreme Treasure, the Heavenly Furnace Command [a powerful artifact used to command and control a sect's foundational furnace]. Logically speaking, even a cultivator at the Infant Soul Late Stage [the advanced phase of the Infant Soul cultivation realm] might not be able to suppress them.

Hearing this, the Heavenly Reed Sect Master shook his head, his gaze turning grave as he said, "Within that Flaming Prison Sea of Fire [a vast, infernal sea of perpetual flames], there are five beings whose cultivation has reached the True Lord Realm [a high-level cultivation realm], and they are all Flame Demon True Lord [True Lords who have mastered demonic flame arts]." Read, share, and discuss at @udio-novel.com.