Chapter 673 : Triumph of the Abyssal Sword

The Demonic Ship [a type of enchanted vessel used by demonic cultivators] possessed limited speed and had suffered severe damage during the siege battle. Apart from five that were captured, the rest were utterly destroyed in the combat.

This resounding, earth-shaking victory arrived with a suddenness and delight that sent waves of ecstatic joy through the ranks.

Once the battlefield was cleared, Eldrin Chen led the forces back to Star Sun Island.

Along the way, many offered their praises to Eldrin Chen. Tianlu Sect Master clasped his hands in salute and declared, "This great triumph is owed entirely to the strategic planning of Eldrin, the Abyss."

"Had you not laid down the Two Extremities Earthfire Sword Formation [a powerful sword formation harnessing opposing energies of earth and fire] in advance, we would likely have been locked in a bitter and protracted struggle."

Eldrin Chen shook his head with a faint smile. "You honor me too much, Brother Tianlu. Without the Earthfire Mysterious Crystal Sword [a mystical sword imbued with earth and fire energies] provided by the Fellow Daoist [a respectful term for a fellow cultivator], I could never have established such an array."

"You are too modest, Eldrin, the Abyss."

Desolate Wilderness Sect Master also smiled, adding his praise. "It is the Fellow Daoist's Celestial Fire Mana [a profound cultivation art channeling celestial fire energy] that is truly astonishing. We all know the defensive might of a Fifth Rank Treasure Boat [a high-grade enchanted vessel], and the Lord of the Six-Wings Demon Race was a cultivator at the Nascent Soul Great Perfection [the pinnacle stage of the Nascent Soul realm]. Yet, he could not withstand a single strike from your sword."

"Such fearsome power is likely beyond even an Ancient Ancestor [a venerable, supremely powerful senior cultivator] at the Half-Step Primordial Spirit [a transitional state approaching the Primordial Spirit realm]."

Amidst this chorus of acclaim, the group returned to the shores of Star Sun Island. This chapter is part of a larger work available at audio-novel . com.

Upon arriving at Star Sun Island, Eldrin Chen found numerous cultivators collapsed upon the ground. Their faces were deathly pale, and many resembled withered trees. Some had even perished, their Mana [the spiritual energy used to fuel spells and techniques] utterly drained.

Witnessing this scene, Eldrin Chen's heart clenched. These were the cultivators who had been channeling Mana into the Two Extremities Earthfire Sword Formation. In his haste to swiftly defeat the powerful enemy, Eldrin Chen had forcibly drawn upon their Mana to activate the sword formation.

The result was devastatingly brutal. The millions of cultivators supplying Mana had their vital foundations severely injured. Over thirty percent of the Qi Refinement Cultivators [cultivators at the initial stage of cultivation] had suffered such grievous damage to their essence that their chances of a breakthrough to Foundation Establishment [the second major stage of cultivation] were likely severed forever. Countless others had perished on the spot.

Yet, had he not forcibly drawn that Mana at that critical moment, he would have been unable to unleash the nine sword strikes in succession. He would have missed the optimal opportunity to slay the Demonic Monsters.

If the Two Extremities Earthfire Sword Formation had not shattered the demonic forces then, breaking their will to fight, they would have retained most of their strength. The ensuing battle would have descended into an even more protracted and bloody stalemate.

Regardless of the reasoning, the fact that these people had fallen because of Eldrin Chen left a profound and somber weight upon his heart.

Lyra Jiang noticed the look on Eldrin Chen's face and offered words of solace. "In any great war, there is always death. Given the scale of our victory, our losses this time are among the lightest possible."

"In this battle, even you and I could not guarantee we would survive. For most of these low-level cultivators, merely being alive is fortune enough."

"I understand,"

Eldrin Chen nodded, his gaze hardening with renewed resolve.

Though a sliver of compassion and mercy resided within his heart, he was by no means a rigid or foolish man. He understood the principle of decisive action when required, a truth evidenced by his resolute unleashing of those nine sword strikes without hesitation.

Suppressing these fleeting thoughts, Eldrin Chen instructed Ethan Chen, "For the cultivators who presided over the Formation [a structured arrangement of power, often for defense or amplification] in this battle, ensure their military merits are fully rewarded first. Healing resources are also to be prioritized for them."

"I shall arrange it immediately."

With that, Lior Chen set off to handle the matter.

After these matters were delegated, the various True Lord [a title for cultivators who have reached the Golden Core realm] returned to the Grand Hall.

After a brief calculation, the Desolate Wilderness Daoist exclaimed with wild joy, "In this battle, we have slain over thirty True Lord of the Six-Winged Demon Race. Their Demonic Ship [a vessel powered by demonic energy] and lower-ranked cultivators have also been utterly annihilated. We should report this to all domains to bolster morale."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions brightened with delight. Slaying over thirty True Lord and crushing a demonic army of ten million was no small victory for the Vermilion Bird Constellation Archipelago.

After disseminating the news, they promptly began a preliminary tally of the spoils, discovering the battle had yielded a considerable amount of resources.

Unfortunately, most of the Demonic Cultivator's supplies consisted of items from the Demonic Path [the unorthodox cultivation path that harnesses demonic or malevolent energies], such as Blood Crystal [crystals condensed from blood essence and demonic energy], Nether Stones, and Demonic Treasure [artifacts forged with demonic energy]. The majority were useless to the Human Race.

The few useful items, like that Fifth Rank Demonic Ship and some Fifth Rank Demonic Treasure, could only be melted down for their raw materials.

Eldrin Chen took charge of incinerating the useless demonic remains and then spent three days restoring the Formation on Star Sun Island. Only after this labor was complete did he convene another council of True Lord.

At the assembly, Eldrin Chen addressed the gathered leaders. "Now that the Six-Winged Demon Race has been routed by our forces," he declared, "the time has come to dispatch our people to reclaim the subsidiary Spirit Island."

"It is only fitting," came the unanimous agreement.

Kael Chen nodded in assent and added, "The Six-Winged Demon Race is reduced to a mere seven Nascent Soul Heavenly Demon. Their spirit is surely broken, and without the aid of their Fifth Rank Demonic Ship, they no longer pose a credible threat."

All those present nodded in unison, endorsing the proposal to retake the Formation Eye.

As they voiced their agreement, a faint smile touched Eldrin Chen's lips. He was about to speak further when a violent tremor suddenly shook Star Sun Island to its core. The radiant glow of the grand Formation flickered and dimmed dramatically. Find this and other novels at *audio-novel.com*.

From the distant northern horizon, where the Black Tortoise Star Palace stood, the spiritual light of its entire Formation network winked out, plunging that sector into darkness.

"Impossible!"

Tianlu Sect Master's face contorted with shock, his expression one of utter disbelief and horror.

The destruction of the distant Black Tortoise Star Palace Formation could mean only one thing: the entire archipelago of Formation Eye supporting it had fallen dark.

Yet within the Black Tortoise Star Palace Archipelago [a major defensive archipelago in the northern seas], the Seven Constellation Spirit Islands [seven core islands forming a powerful constellation formation] and sixty-seven Fifth Rank Primary Star Spirit Islands [islands serving as key nodes in the defensive formation]—so many Formation Eye [the critical control points of a magical formation]—had all fallen in such a short span. Such a catastrophic collapse was exceedingly rare, even across several Millennium [a period of one thousand years].

Desolate Wilderness Daoist [the leader of the Desolate Wilderness Sect], his expression frantic and eyes filled with terror, said, "The Black Tortoise Star Palace Archipelago was governed by the Wang Clan [a prominent immortal clan], an Nascent Soul Immortal Clan [a clan led by a Nascent Soul realm powerhouse] from the Extreme Northern Ice Plains [a vast, frozen northern territory]. It was garrisoned by several hundred True Lord [a Golden Core realm cultivator]. How could it have been overrun so swiftly?"

Eldrin Chen also paled significantly. He glanced at the assembled True Lord and saw most had turned ashen, their faces etched with fear and a palpable desire to retreat.

Their terror was justified. If even the formidable Black Tortoise Star Palace Archipelago had fallen, how could their own Vermilion Bird Archipelago [the southern defensive archipelago], lacking a Nascent Soul Dao Lord [a supreme expert at the Nascent Soul realm] to anchor its defenses, possibly hold?

In this critical moment, Eldrin Chen steadied his spirit and spoke urgently, "Do not panic. Our immediate priority is to ascertain what has transpired at the Black Tortoise Star Palace [the central fortress of the northern archipelago]."

"Yes, yes, of course."

Desolate Wilderness Daoist quickly agreed, drawing a deep breath. "The White Tiger Star Palace Archipelago [the western defensive archipelago] is also anchored by Dao Lord Nine Abysses [a powerful Nascent Soul expert]. Let us send word to inquire of their situation."

"Right, right. Send word swiftly."

The others echoed the sentiment, and they immediately contacted the White Tiger Star Palace Archipelago.

Not long after, a reply arrived from the White Tiger Star Palace Archipelago and found its way into the hands of Eldrin Chen.

After reading it, Eldrin Chen quickly grasped the full picture. He took a deep breath before speaking. "Esteemed colleagues, Dao Lord Wang of the Extreme Northern Ice Plains was ambushed by four Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] realm Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon [demonic beings from beyond this world]. His physical body was destroyed by the Heavenly Demons."

"Now, his Primordial Spirit has fled the Black Tortoise Star Palace, which is why the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon were able to breach the defenses of the Black Tortoise Star Palace Archipelago."

Upon hearing this, the assembly hurriedly scanned the letter's contents. One by one, their faces darkened with dismay and grave concern.

The Third Elder of the Tianlu Sect, his temper flaring, could not contain himself. "How could Dao Lord Wang be so reckless?" he blurted out, his voice sharp with frustration. "To charge into battle without first ascertaining the enemy's strength—such folly!" Read the full novel exclusively on audio—novel.com.