Chapter 632 : The Ancestral Tree's Ascendant Dawn

Since there were still no clear leads on how to awaken Verdant Consort [the ancient spirit bound to the Verdant Emperor's Immortal Hall], and her thousand-year deadline was not yet pressing, Eldrin Chen temporarily set the matter aside and began a period of secluded cultivation, aiming to advance his cultivation base to the Infant Soul Mid Stage [the fourth major realm of cultivation, where the nascent soul is formed and refined] as swiftly as possible.

Time flowed on relentlessly, and in what seemed like a blink, more than twenty years had passed.

Early one morning, as Eldrin Chen emerged from his cultivation chamber, he found Lila [his adopted daughter, a girl with a mysterious past] already waiting at the entrance for quite some time.

Her expression seemed particularly bright. Upon seeing Eldrin Chen, she spoke up immediately: "Word has come from Eight Trigrams Island [a sacred island known for its geomantic formations and spiritual trees]. They say Silas [Chen Xianyan, Eldrin's nephew] is preparing to attempt his Infant Soul [the fourth major realm of cultivation] breakthrough."

"Oh?"

A flicker of joy crossed Eldrin Chen's face. He promptly rose and set off for Eight Trigrams Island.

Upon arriving at Eight Trigrams Island, he noticed the Eight Trigrams Treasure Tree [a mystical tree that draws power from the eight trigrams formation] growing there had become even more wondrous and divine, clearly teetering on the brink of its own advancement.

Eternal Profound Chen [Chen Changxuan, Eldrin's granduncle and a senior elder] had arrived a step earlier. Seeing Eldrin Chen, he smiled faintly. "It seems the Eight Trigrams Treasure Tree will advance within thirty years. That means I can finally begin preparations for my Eight Trigrams Demon Refining Banner [a powerful banner artifact designed to refine and subdue demonic entities]."

"I shall lend you my aid when the time comes,"

Eldrin Chen replied with a calm smile. The method for forging the Eight Trigrams Demon Refining Banner was already established. They merely needed to make slight modifications, adapting it into the crafting method for a Lifebound Spiritual Treasure [a type of magical treasure that forms a deep, symbiotic bond with its wielder, growing in power alongside them]. Join our community of readers at audio-novel`com.

This task was not overly difficult for the two of them. As seasoned True Lord [a high-level cultivator realm] cultivators now, they were far removed from their days as mere Foundation Establishment [the foundational stage of cultivation] novices. For Eldrin Chen to lend Eternal Profound Chen a hand was merely a matter of accumulating some experience.

As they conversed, they arrived at Silas Chen's cultivation abode.

Upon seeing Silas Chen, Eldrin Chen asked with a grave expression, "What are your chances of success in this breakthrough?"

Silas Chen glanced at Eldrin Chen, pondered for a moment, and replied, "Approximately thirty to forty percent."

Eldrin Chen nodded upon hearing this. Cultivating the same Earthly Path Foundation [a foundational cultivation technique], both Elara Lin and the Old Patriarch had first broken through to the False Infant Soul Realm [a pseudo-realm before the true Infant Soul stage] before finally crossing the threshold into the true Infant Soul [the stage where a cultivator forms their nascent soul], a process that had consumed two hundred years.

However, Silas Chen had tempered his Dao-heart and will by overcoming the Mortal Shell Tribulation [a tribulation related to shedding the mortal body] four times to reach the Violet Sanctum [a cultivation realm], giving him a somewhat more solid foundation and deeper reserves.

Considering this, Eldrin Chen handed Silas Chen the Nascent Soul Formation Pill [a pill that aids in forming the nascent soul] and the Earthly Path Energy [a type of spiritual essence], then added a Creation Verdant Lotus Seed [a miraculous seed of a verdant lotus], saying, "Go to Verdant Lotus Isle. Use the Wood Vein Nascent Soul Transformation Formation [a formation that harnesses wood-attribute spiritual veins to aid in soul transformation] there to attempt your Infant Soul breakthrough."

Silas Chen did not refuse. With the appointed time of the Demonic Abyss Cataclysm [a prophesied calamity] drawing ever nearer, breaking through to Infant Soul a single day sooner meant he could contribute his strength to the Chen Clan that much earlier.

The group arrived at Verdant Lotus Isle, and Silas Chen prepared for his breakthrough attempt.

Yet, recalling Lila's struggle with her Inner Demon [a manifestation of one's inner demons and mental obstacles], Eldrin Chen handed her the Icy Heart Demon-Subduing Mirror [a magical treasure that calms the mind and suppresses inner demons]. With a solemn expression, he advised, "The Inner Demon Tribulation [the tribulation of facing one's inner demons] is no trivial matter. This mirror can suppress Inner Demon. Take it to protect yourself."

"Thank you."

Silas Chen's eyes grew slightly red. For her, the difficulty of the Inner Demon Tribulation [a tribulation where cultivators face their inner demons and psychological flaws] indeed surpassed that of the Infant Soul Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [the thunder tribulation one must survive to solidify the Infant Soul cultivation realm].

This time, she had already borrowed a Golden Lotus Demon-Subduing Pill [a high-grade elixir that helps stabilize the mind and suppress inner demons during tribulation] from the clan. She hadn't expected Eldrin Chen to still worry about her failing the tribulation and to send this Icy Heart Demon-Subduing Mirror [a magical treasure that calms the mind and wards off demonic influences] to aid her.

Once Silas Chen had made all her preparations, she began her secluded cultivation to attempt the breakthrough into the True Lord Realm [the cultivation realm above the Golden Core stage, also known as the Nascent Soul or Infant Soul stage].

The breakthrough was exceptionally prolonged, a full half-year passing in the blink of an eye. Just as Eldrin Chen began to worry, a massive vortex of spiritual energy manifested in the sky above, violently drawing in and funneling spiritual energy [the vital energy that flows through all living things and the world] down into the secluded chamber.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen let out a sigh of relief. Since the spiritual energy had begun to converge, it meant she had already surmounted the most critical hurdle of forming her Infant Soul [the nascent spiritual form of a cultivator, a core achievement]. What remained was the process of continuously absorbing spiritual energy to replenish and solidify her nascent Infant Soul.

No one knew how much time had passed before the Tribulation Cloud [ominous clouds that gather before a heavenly tribulation, crackling with destructive energy] gradually coalesced in the heavens. Only then did Silas Chen emerge from the Seclusion Chamber.

Breaking through to the Infant Soul Realm represented an ultimate sublimation and metamorphosis. Having succeeded, she now carried an aura of transcendent grace.

Giving a slight nod to the gathered onlookers, Silas Chen then stepped into the sky, ascending to face her Infant Soul Heavenly Thunder Tribulation.

The process of enduring the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [a trial by lightning sent by the heavens to test a cultivator's worthiness] proceeded in an orderly fashion. To survive this tribulation, she had borrowed the Defensive Spiritual Treasure [a powerful artifact designed primarily for protection] known as the Golden Crow Divine Fire Shield [a shield imbued with the essence of the legendary Golden Crow and divine fire]. With such preparation, her confidence in a successful breakthrough was greatly increased.

"Success."

Watching her successfully block several bolts of Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [the divine trial of heavenly thunder that tests cultivators seeking to ascend to higher realms], Eldrin Chen knew her chances of overcoming this tribulation were exceedingly high.

And indeed it was so. If a cultivator like Silas Chen, backed by a top-tier Infant Soul Immortal Clan [a powerful clan whose patriarch has attained the Infant Soul cultivation realm], could not pass the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation, then likely seventy percent of all True Lord [a title for cultivators at the Golden Core realm] in the world would fail their Infant Soul [the realm above Golden Core, where the cultivator's nascent soul forms] tribulation.

As the saying goes, the strong grow ever stronger. Among the many Path Lord Sacred Land [holy lands ruled by a Path Lord, a cultivator at the Primordial Spirit realm] within the Human Race, most possess more than one Primordial Spirit Path Lord [a cultivator who has reached the Primordial Spirit realm and comprehended a Path]. This is because with the unwavering support of a senior expert, the odds of a breakthrough increase dramatically.

Furthermore, the emergence of a new Primordial Spirit [the cultivation realm where one's spiritual essence coalesces into a primordial spirit] cultivator further deepens the foundational strength [the accumulated resources, heritage, and latent power of an organization] of the Path Lord Sacred Land, creating a virtuous cycle of growth.

Yet, the beginning is always the hardest part. Without the exhaustive, all-out support of a predecessor, how incredibly difficult it is to break through to the Primordial Spirit Path Lord realm. The story continues at audio - novel . com.

Returning to the matter at hand, Silas Chen successfully weathered the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation and descended from the sky.

"Hahaha!"

Old Patriarch stroked his beard and laughed heartily, his expression one of immense satisfaction. "Our Chen Clan has welcomed another True Lord into its ranks. This calls for a grand feast to celebrate!"

The birth of another Infant Soul True Lord [a True Lord who has successfully advanced to the Infant Soul realm] was no small matter. An Infant Soul True Lord commanded immense respect; within the vast expanse of the Three Veins Ancient Domain, such individuals were figures of renown, their names known far and wide.

The Chen Clan held a grand banquet at Green Chariot Mountain. Many fellow cultivators associated with the Chen Clan attended, offering their respects, and the festivities continued for several months before finally concluding.

"..."

Once the Infant Soul [the third major stage of cultivation where the nascent soul is formed] celebration banquet concluded, another invitation soon found its way into Eldrin Chen's hands.

After reading it, he set the invitation aside and remarked with a smile, "The Heavenly Reed Sect Master has finally taken that crucial step forward and broken through to the Infant Soul Late Stage [the advanced phase of the Infant Soul realm]."

"Oh?"

Exquisite Jiang's expression also brightened with pleasure. An advancement to Infant Soul Late Stage was no trivial matter.

While the Three Veins Ancient Domain [a vast and ancient cultivation region] was home to many Infant Soul True Lord [a title for powerful cultivators at the Infant Soul stage], only around thirty or so had reached the lofty heights of Infant Soul Late Stage. For the Heavenly Reed Sect Master to attain this level signaled that the Heavenly Reed Sect had truly restored its former glory.

After a moment of contemplation, she said, "He is, after all, a fellow Daoist [a respectful term for a fellow cultivator] we have fought alongside. We should prepare congratulatory gifts and pay him a visit."

"Agreed."

Eldrin Chen nodded as well. With the Earthfire Profound Crystal Sword [a powerful magical treasure forged from rare earthfire crystal] in his possession, the Heavenly Reed Sect Master's breakthrough to Infant Soul Late Stage likely meant his combat prowess could now rival that of cultivators at the Great Perfection of Infant Soul [the peak stage of the Infant Soul realm, just before the next major breakthrough].

Three months later, Eldrin Chen prepared a congratulatory gift and traveled together with Exquisite Jiang to the Heavenly Reed Sect.

Upon their arrival, the Heavenly Reed Sect Master personally came forward to greet them, speaking with exceptional courtesy, "Your timing is impeccable. I have a good friend I would like to introduce to you both."

The group proceeded to a mist-enshrouded immortal mountain, where they discovered more than twenty True Lord [a high-ranking cultivator who has mastered their chosen path] gathered.

Among them were two cultivators at the Infant Soul Late Stage [the final phase of the Infant Soul cultivation realm]. One was their acquaintance, Nine Rivers Path Master, and the other was a man clad in verdant robes.

While Nine Rivers Path Master was familiar, it was the verdant-robed man who drew attention. An aura of Indestructibility Sword Intent [a sword will so pure and unyielding it seems capable of cleaving through anything] coiled around him, radiating a sharp, divisive intent.

"A Sword Cultivator," Eldrin Chen thought to himself.

His mind stirred. The sword intent emanating from the man before him was of an extraordinary purity, marking him unmistakably as a true Sword Cultivator [a cultivator who dedicates their entire path to the mastery of the sword]. Original English translation available at audio–novel.com.