Chapter 613 : Sword Storm in the Fiery Depths

"Hmph."

Exquisite Jiang let out a cold snort and surreptitiously pinched Eldrin Chen.

Eldrin Chen drew a sharp breath and quickly changed the subject. "Since it's getting late, let's prepare to make our move."

With the decision to act made, the group of fifteen True Lord [a high-ranking cultivator] steeled their resolve, beginning to adjust their states in preparation for the coming battle.

A moment later, Eldrin Chen and the other twelve True Lord joined forces. They piloted the Treasure Ship [a large, enchanted vessel] and led over two thousand cultivators in an assault into the heart of the Underground Fire Vein [a subterranean network of fiery spiritual energy channels]. Only Eternal Profound Chen and two others remained behind to maintain the defensive Formation [a structured array of magical energy].

No sooner had they entered the depths of the Underground Fire Vein than Eldrin Chen saw streaks of fiery light lashing towards them. A seemingly endless tide of low-tier Flame Demon [demonic beings born of fire essence] surged forth, launching relentless assaults against their ranks.

The Flame Demon Monarch [the ruler of the flame demons], seeing they faced over a dozen True Lord, was clearly attempting to wear down their spiritual energy reserves with these expendable low-tier hordes.

Exquisite Jiang observed the scene and commanded Elara Lin, "Elara, act swiftly."

"Understood."

Elara Lin gave a firm nod. In an instant, she activated the Myriad Swords Transcendent Demon-Slaying Grand Formation [a supreme sword formation technique that unleashes countless ethereal blades]. A storm of sword-light erupted, crisscrossing the cavern with unstoppable force, relentlessly grinding the endless waves of Flame Demon to dust. Join our community of readers at audio‑novel.com.

In the mere blink of an eye, tens of thousands of Flame Demon were slain, instantly shattering the enemy forces before them into a routed retreat.

Simultaneously, over a thousand Violet Sanctum Cultivator [cultivators at the Violet Sanctum realm] also unleashed their attacks, using the Treasure Ship as a bastion to assault the Flame Demon horde.

The great battle raged for three Shichen-time [a period of two hours] before the Flame Demon were finally broken and driven back in utter defeat.

Seeing the lower-tier Flame Demon scattered and slain, Eldrin Chen transformed into a streak of sword-light and shot forward, his killing intent palpable as he declared, "Now!"

The twelve True Lord [cultivators at the True Lord realm] saw this and surged toward the heart of the Underground Fire Vein. The Flame Demon Monarch could no longer contain itself and finally emerged, radiating boundless murderous intent.

"Human Race, you seek death!"

A roar that shook the heavens and earth echoed forth. Eldrin Chen looked up to see five towering Demon God figures wreathed in flame, each blotting out the sky, striding toward them.

They bore a striking resemblance to the former Crimson Flame True Lord, yet their bodies were wreathed in pitch-black demonic flames and they stood far more colossal.

The leading Flame Demon Monarch stood three thousand Zhang-length [one Zhang-length equals three point three three meters] tall, gripping a crimson war spear like a pillar holding up the sky. With a cold gaze, it thrust its weapon forward in a devastating strike.

"Beware!"

Exquisite Jiang's gaze sharpened. She summoned the Heavenly Ruins Immortal-Slaying Sword to parry, only to watch it be sent flying back by the impact.

"It's a Companion Spiritual Treasure [a magical treasure that grows and evolves alongside its master, forming a deep symbiotic bond]," Eldrin Chen realized with a sharp intake of breath.

He and Exquisite Jiang moved in perfect unison, joining forces to confront the Flame Demon Monarch together.

The Flame Demon Monarch's Companion Spiritual Treasure was truly formidable. Born from the Fire Elemental Power within an Underground Fire Vein, it had reached the Fifth Rank High-Grade. Its power of Slaughter [a divine ability focused on pure, overwhelming destructive force] was virtually peerless under the heavens.

Not daring to be careless, the two unleashed their full arsenal of Spiritual Treasures, meeting the Flame Demon Monarch head-on in a fierce clash.

The others were not idle either. They moved with disciplined precision according to their battle plan, each seeking to swiftly eliminate their designated foe.

Though the four Flame Demon True Lords were powerful, they were instantly overwhelmed and forced onto the defensive under the concerted assault of the group.

Violet Consort Yan and Ethereal Mistress Ling, their coordination honed by long partnership, swiftly joined forces to besiege the weakest of the Flame Demon True Lords.

Both possessed combat power at the Infant Soul Mid Stage. Working in tandem, they easily cornered their demonic opponent, leaving it with no path of escape. Seizing the opportunity, Lila summoned her Frost Soul Jade-Condensing Pagoda and brought it crashing down.

"Aaaargh—!"

Flame Demon True Lord let out a wretched scream as his physical body was utterly shattered by the Frost Soul Jade-Condensing Pagoda. Seeing this, Violet Consort Yan immediately activated her Innate Great God Ability, the Violet Cosmos Void-Severing Blade, and in an instant, she cleaved the Infant Soul [the nascent spiritual core of a cultivator] of the Flame Demon True Lord in two.

"How dare you!"

In the span of mere moments, a Flame Demon True Lord had been slain.

The Flame Demon Monarch [a powerful ruler among flame-aligned demons] erupted in fury. He thrust his crimson war spear to parry the fierce assault, then unleashed his Innate Great God Ability, the 'Flame Demon Blood Sword' [a demonic sword art fueled by blood and flame]. A blade of black and crimson light surged forth, aimed directly at Lila.

"Do you truly think I do not exist?"

Eldrin Chen snorted coldly. Channeling the combined power of the Celestial Abyss Twin Swords, a dazzling torrent of sword energy erupted, intercepting the Flame Demon Blood Sword. Find thousands of chapters at audio novel.com.

With perfect synchronicity, Exquisite Jiang also struck. She summoned the Two Polarities Divine Light [a divine light capable of freezing and immobilizing], pinning the crimson war spear in place.

"Aaaargh—!"

Seeing his attacks thwarted, the Flame Demon Monarch roared in rage, relentlessly driving his spear against the duo.

Alas, this demon's combat prowess was somewhat weaker than even an ordinary Infant Soul Late Stage cultivator. His only notable advantage was his near-limitless magical power within the Underground Fire Vein [a subterranean channel of potent fire-aspected spiritual energy]. Yet, how could this possibly overwhelm Eldrin Chen and his companion?

With the Flame Demon Monarch unable to provide support, Lila and the others naturally unleashed their full power, swiftly encircling and besieging the few remaining Flame Demon True Lord.

In the time it takes to burn a single incense stick [a conventional short duration, roughly fifteen to thirty minutes], two of the Flame Demon True Lord at the Infant Soul Early Stage were slain on the spot. Only the Flame Demon at the Infant Soul Mid Stage and the Flame Demon Monarch remained, struggling desperately to hold their ground.

"Hahaha!"

Manipulating the Heavenly Furnace Command to deliver a devastating blow to his foe, the Heavenly Reed Sect Master laughed heartily. "It seems this battle is as good as won!"

"It should be so."

Hearing this, smiles spread across everyone's faces. Once the Infant Soul Mid Stage Flame Demon was slain, the remaining fight would be of little concern.

"Slay them! Slay them all!"

Seeing the dire situation, the Flame Demon Monarch immediately summoned a crimson treasure lotus. The artifact unfurled, projecting a fiery red protective aura that deflected the attacks of Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang, allowing the demon to charge toward the location of the besieged Flame Demon True Lord.

"It's the Fire Source Treasure Lotus!"

Eldrin Chen's eyes narrowed slightly in recognition. The Fire Source Treasure Lotus was a rare Spiritual Object of the Fifth Rank High-Grade [a high-tier classification for cultivation resources and artifacts], a priceless treasure whether used for refining elixirs [spiritual pills] or forging magical treasure [enchanted artifacts used by cultivators].

The Flame Demon Monarch [a powerful demon lord of the flame element] before them held a Fire Source Treasure Lotus [a rare spiritual lotus born from a pure fire source] that had been refined into a Superior Spiritual Treasure [a top-tier enchanted artifact]. Its defensive power could truly be described as formidable.

Especially within this Underground Fire Vein [a subterranean river of concentrated fire energy], the potency of the Fire Source Treasure Lotus was amplified by more than thirty percent. It actually managed to withstand the assaults of Eldrin Chen [the protagonist, a powerful cultivator], making it difficult for him to breach its defenses.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen channeled his power, causing the Celestial Abyss Twin Swords [a pair of legendary divine swords] to merge and slash forward. He then shouted, "We cannot let them regroup!"

"BOOM—"

At the critical moment, a dazzling bolt of Two Polarities Divine Thunder [a divine lightning technique harnessing the power of opposing polarities] erupted from the void, striking the Flame Demon Monarch and sending it flying backward.

It was Elara Lin [a skilled cultivator and ally]. Having routed the Flame Demon [lesser flame demons] with the Crimson Flood Dragon Treasure Ship [a mighty enchanted vessel shaped like a crimson flood dragon], she seized the moment to unleash the Two Polarities Divine Thunder mounted on the Treasure Ship [the enchanted vessel], repelling the Flame Demon Monarch.

Seizing this opening, Ethereal Mistress Ling [a swift and graceful swordswoman] struck with perfect timing, her blade severing the head of the Flame Demon True Lord [a high-ranking flame demon commander] in one clean stroke.

"It is done."

With the last Flame Demon True Lord slain, no matter how powerful the remaining Flame Demon Monarch was, it could not possibly withstand the combined assault of over a dozen True Lord [a high rank of cultivator, equivalent to a Nascent Soul stage expert].

Yet, just as expressions of triumph began to grace the faces of the group, an overwhelmingly majestic and terrifying aura erupted from the very core of the ancient ruins.

"BOOM—"

A deafening roar echoed between heaven and earth. In the distance, the boundless sea of molten rock parted, revealing a divine demonic figure seated cross-legged between the sky and the ground. Towering ten thousand Zhang-lengths [one Zhang-length equals three point three three meters] high, its entire body flowed with crimson flames.

It sat silently within the magma, an indescribable force field enveloping the world. The sensation was like the tolling of an ancient, colossal bell, its vibrations striking directly at the hearts of all present.

And at the farthest edge of the endless sky, a brilliant, dazzling golden divine light descended from the heavens, enveloping its form. Vaguely, it seemed as if a small, dazzling sun—as radiant as a Stellar [a celestial body of immense spiritual power]—was falling from the sky.

"This..."

The onlookers stared dumbfounded, watching the continuously falling radiance at the horizon. Their hearts pounded violently within their chests.

Eldrin Chen also felt his mouth go dry. He remained silent for a long while.

In an instant, he understood the cause and effect of the situation.

The ten-thousand-Zhang-tall Flame Demon before them was a Flame Demon Monarch Sovereign [a supreme ruler among flame demons] who had already received its Earth Soul [the earthly aspect of a cultivator's tripartite soul]. It was now in the process of receiving its Heaven Soul [the heavenly aspect of the soul, tied to destiny] to break through into the Primordial Spirit Realm [the realm of the unified spiritual core].

Once this creature succeeded in its breakthrough, it would become a Molten Rock Demon Ancestor [a progenitor-level demon lord of magma and flame] of the Primordial Spirit Realm, ascending to become the supreme, peerless existence at the very pinnacle of this world.

They—Eldrin Chen himself included—were nothing more than a fleeting part of a Heavenly Tribulation [a cataclysmic trial of heavenly punishment that tests cultivators].

"To think," he murmured, a wry realization dawning, "I have become the very Heavenly Tribulation [a cataclysmic trial of heavenly punishment that tests cultivators] that the Flame Demon Monarch Sovereign [a powerful demonic sovereign] must overcome to ascend to the Primordial Spirit realm [the spiritual core realm of a cultivator, representing a profound advancement]." Your portal to cultivation novels: audio-novel dot com.