Chapter 661 : A Priceless Talisman for the Coming Cataclysm

"If every Immortal Clan were to cling to life and fear death, then who would stand against the great calamity?"

Eldrin Chen shook his head and sighed, saying, "Someone must always stand at the forefront, to exert their strength for the sake of all living beings of the Human Race."

"To have such resolve, you are truly worthy of being a pillar of our Human Race."

Cosmos Heaven's Punishment revealed a gratified smile and personally recorded his name in the register.

Then, he took out a spiritual talisman and handed it to Eldrin Chen, saying, "This cataclysm is no ordinary matter. This talisman was inscribed by my master and contains the defensive divine ability 'Setting Sun God Shroud' from the Art of Divine Subjugation."

"This talisman could originally be used three times. There remains but one opportunity for activation. If used wisely in a moment of peril, it may grant you a sliver of hope for survival."

"This..."

Eldrin Chen's heart trembled. A talisman personally inscribed by the Long River Path Lord was undoubtedly a priceless treasure beyond measure.

For Cosmos Heaven's Punishment to entrust it to him, it was likely that the Long River Path Lord had personally indicated it, allowing Cosmos Heaven's Punishment to further strengthen their bond with him.

With the Demonic Abyss Cataclysm approaching, the value of all resources within the Eastern Region Great Wasteland had skyrocketed. This spiritual talisman, a Sixth Rank treasure of immeasurable worth, would likely cause even great powers at the Half-Step Primordial Spirit level to fight desperately for it. Access the full story on audio-novel dot com.

Given the personal wealth of Cosmos Heaven's Punishment, it was likely impossible and certainly something he would not be willing to part with, entrusting such an item to me.

With this thought, Eldrin Chen clasped his hands and said, "This item is a priceless treasure to me. Having received it today, Eldrin will bear this favor in mind and will certainly find a way to repay it in the future."

"There is no need for such solemnity."

Cosmos Heaven's Punishment shook his head with a smile and then said, "We are both destined to tread the path of a Path Lord [a master of a profound cultivation path]. In the days to come, let us simply support each other as fellow travelers."

Eldrin Chen said no more. With utmost care, he accepted the Setting Sun God Aura Talisman [a powerful defensive talisman imbued with the aura of a setting sun deity]. After giving a solemn nod, he finally took his leave.

At the same time, high above in the void, two figures of transcendent immortal grace were gathered, engaged in a game of strategy. They were none other than Long River Path Lord and Heaven Abandoned Lin.

The Heaven Abandoned Path Lord [a title for a master of the Heaven Abandoned cultivation path] glanced at the retreating figure of Eldrin Chen before speaking. "What exceptional qualities does this person possess, to earn such high regard from you, Brother Long River?"

"His innate talent, his Dao Heart [the unwavering core of a cultivator's will and cultivation], and even his Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] are all Extraordinary. I foresee he will undoubtedly become one of our peers in the future."

Long River Path Lord placed a piece on the board and said with a gentle smile, "After all, it is merely a Sixth Rank Low-Grade [a classification for the power level of a cultivation resource] spiritual talisman. Using it to help my disciple forge a favorable connection is hardly a waste of resources."

"Then why not give it to him yourself?"

"You fail to grasp the nuance," Long River Path Lord replied with a faint smile. "What I gave him was a reward from a superior. What Heaven's Punishment gave him was a gesture of fellowship."

"A senior's favor can one day be exhausted. But the mutual exchange of gifts between fellow cultivators deepens bonds over time."

Heaven Abandoned Path Lord's sword-like brows twitched, his expression dismissive. "So many convoluted twists and turns, even for bestowing a simple gift. If you devoted this much scheming to your cultivation, you might have broken through to the Primordial Spirit Late Stage [the advanced stage of spiritual core formation] long ago."

"Each person walks their own path. I do not cultivate the Sword Path [the Dao of the Sword]; our ways are different."

Long River Path Lord spoke calmly, his smile fading. "What of the matter I entrusted to you?"

Heaven Abandoned Path Lord ceased his movements. With a flick of his sleeve, he produced a white jade Treasure Box and handed it to Long River Path Lord.

Long River Path Lord took the white jade Treasure Box and opened it with great care. Inside lay a single Immortal Apricot [a mythical fruit of immortality], brimming with Primordial Solar Origin [the pure, primordial essence of the sun] and emanating a soft, ethereal radiance.

Observing his expression, Heaven Abandoned Path Lord stated plainly, "This Immortal Apricot, born from the Nirvana Immortal Apricot Tree [a legendary tree whose fruit grants rebirth], can grant you a second life, restoring you to your peak condition."

"With this treasure, I can add another ten thousand years to my lifespan. Finally, there is a glimmer of hope for me to break through to the Primordial Spirit Late Stage."

Long River Path Lord spoke, then shook his head with a sigh. "A pity I used several life-extending Spiritual Object [objects imbued with spiritual power] in my earlier years. Now, this is my last chance to employ such a Life-Extending Treasure [a magical artifact that prolongs life]."

"Otherwise, this old man might still have a sliver of hope to comprehend the Path Principles Power [the fundamental laws governing reality and cultivation] and attempt to break through to the Ascendant Immortal Realm [the legendary realm of becoming a true immortal]."

Heaven Abandoned Lin watched in silence, not uttering a single word.

Whether it was mastering the Path Principles Power or condensing an Immortal Path Fruit [the ultimate fruit of one's cultivation path, signifying supreme achievement], both were endeavors of immense difficulty.

Many peerless, supreme Path Lord [a master who has comprehended the principles of their cultivation path] might cultivate in the Mortal Dust [the mortal world, filled with worldly attachments] for tens of thousands of years, yet still fail to grasp the Path Principles Power.

As for those capable of mastering the Path Principles Power within ten thousand years, they were prodigies of legendary rarity, the kind seen perhaps once in an era. Throughout the entire Purple Seal Realm [a vast and ancient cultivation world], only one person in tens of thousands of years had achieved this: Imperial Sovereign Jiang.

Even if Long River Path Lord consumed the Nirvana Immortal Apricot [a legendary fruit said to grant a form of rebirth or extended lifespan], he would likely only have one lifetime's worth of longevity left. Whether he could break through the bottleneck of the Primordial Spirit Late Stage [the advanced stage of spiritual core development] and cultivate to the Great Perfection of the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] was itself an unknown, let alone achieve Ethereal Ascension [the transcendent process of shedding the mortal body and ascending to a higher state of being]. Join our community of readers at audio-novel[dot]com.

Yet, despite this reasoning, Heaven Abandoned Lin spoke again, "One must still try. What if he succeeds?"

"..."

After presenting the gifts, Eldrin Chen did not immediately depart from the Long River Holy Land [a sacred land of cultivation].

This gathering of several thousand True Lord [a high-ranking cultivator title] was a grand event occurring only once in a millennium within the Eastern Barrens [the vast, untamed eastern wilderness], and such an occasion naturally included a grand Barter Convention [a large-scale gathering for cultivators to trade treasures and resources].

With the Demonic Abyss Cataclysm [a periodic, cataclysmic surge of demonic energy from the depths] imminent, both Spiritual Treasure [enchanted artifacts used by cultivators] and spirit talismans had become urgently needed supplies. Some sought to sell their surplus treasures to profit from the situation, but the majority were focused on acquiring more artifacts to bolster their own reserves.

With many buyers and few sellers, prices naturally soared skyward.

From what Eldrin Chen knew, the value of spirit talismans had risen by forty percent, while the price of Spiritual Treasure had increased by fifty percent. Strategic goods like Formation Flag [flags used to set up defensive or offensive arrays] and Treasure Ship [magical flying vessels] saw their prices climb in a straight line.

Even so, demand still outstripped supply. In contrast, cultivation arts and Divine Ability [powerful supernatural techniques requiring long-term mastery], which represented foundational legacies, had seen their prices dip slightly.

However, Eldrin Chen did not have many Heavenly Crystal [a high-grade, purified form of spiritual energy crystal] on hand, and his clan was not lacking in Spiritual Treasure or talismans. There was naturally no need for him to pay inflated prices for such items.

He waited at the Barter Convention [a large-scale gathering for cultivators to trade goods] for three days. After purchasing a few stalks of Fifth Rank [a classification denoting high quality and potency] Spirit Herb [plants imbued with spiritual energy, used in alchemy], he ceased buying further treasures.

Among these Fifth Rank Spirit Herb, two were primary ingredients for the Fifth Rank Restoration Pill. Eldrin Chen intended to use them to refine Restoration Pill [pills that restore a cultivator's spiritual energy reserves].

In addition, there were two stalks of Coagulation Blood Fruit [a rare fruit known for its potent blood-coagulating and healing properties], which could be used to refine the Solar-Returning Coagulation Pill—an exceptionally precious Fifth Rank Mid-Grade [a specific tier within the Fifth Rank classification] healing elixir.

Finally, there was one stalk of Demon-Refining Flower [a flower with properties that suppress and purify demonic energy], which could refine the Demon-Subduing Pill [a pill used to suppress demonic corruption or influence]. Eldrin Chen bought it as a precaution for unforeseen circumstances.

Once these medicinal ingredients were purchased, Eldrin Chen immediately withdrew from the Barter Convention.

Before his departure, he sought out the Grand Elder of the Heaven's Profound Sect, Path Master Hong, and inquired with a smile, "I wonder, Fellow Daoist, if you still possess any Positive Water Immortal Pear [a rare spiritual fruit that can extend one's lifespan]?"

Upon hearing this, Path Master Hong's expression turned hesitant. Not long ago, the sect master of the Heaven's Profound Sect had exhausted his lifespan and passed away in meditation. Now, the sect no longer had a Half-Step Primordial Spirit [a cultivator whose spiritual core is halfway to becoming a Primordial Spirit] cultivator to serve as its pillar.

Furthermore, the Positive Water Immortal Pear tree within the Heaven's Profound Sect was now withering. From this point on, each Positive Water Immortal Pear used would be one less, with no replacements forthcoming.

In all honesty, he was reluctant to part with any Positive Water Immortal Pear. However, the thought of Eldrin Chen's connections with the Ji Clan gave him pause.

"I've heard this Returning Abyss Path Master [a title meaning 'Master of the Returning Abyss Path'] possesses combat prowess not inferior to a late-stage Infant Soul [the stage of cultivation where the nascent soul is formed] cultivator," he mused. "With our Heaven's Profound Sect now in decline, perhaps it would be wise to forge a connection. Should misfortune befall us in the future, he might offer his support." Experience the full epic at audio-novel dot com.