Chapter 664 : A Parting at the Spirit Mountain

Therefore, for each battle of the Demonic Abyss Cataclysm [the great war against the demonic invasion], even accounting for only the ten years spent traveling back and forth, recuperating, and fighting, it requires at least a full thirty years in total.

Once the Outer Realm Demon God [a powerful demonic entity from beyond this world] is willing to pay any price to force open the Demonic Abyss Heavenly Scar [a massive, unstable rift connecting to the demonic realms] for several decades, then this war could stretch on for more than one Sixty-Year Cycle [a complete cycle of sixty years, a significant unit of time in fate and destiny].

For Vital Essence Refinement [the first major stage of cultivation, focusing on refining one's life force] and Foundation Establishment Cultivator [cultivators who have solidified their foundation for future advancement] cultivators, how many sixty-year cycles does a single lifetime hold?

Thus, for the cultivators parting ways here today, if they cannot advance their cultivation during this great calamity, then this farewell may very well be their final, eternal parting.

Ethan Chen was unwilling to dwell on this somber topic. After a long silence, he finally spoke, "I heard you encountered a significant opportunity, comprehending a Great God Ability [a powerful divine-level technique or supernatural power], and even unexpectedly obtained a Spiritual Treasure [a sentient or highly potent enchanted artifact]."

"Why not join forces with me in this battle and try to slay an Infant Soul Heavenly Demon [a demonic being whose power is equivalent to a human cultivator's Infant Soul stage]?"

"Oh?" Clear Heart Path Master's eyes flickered with interest. After a long moment, however, he shook his head with a bitter smile. "You... even when asking for help, you do it with such unshakeable confidence."

"..."

At the peak of Spirit Mountain, Eldrin Chen watched the cultivators continuously boarding the ships with an impassive expression, then picked up a ledger to glance through its contents.

The ledger recorded the military forces and material resources mobilized for this campaign under the banner of the Chen Clan. For the best reading experience, visit audio - novel . com.

For this campaign, the Chen Clan had mobilized nearly its entire strength. They had conscripted a total of one million two hundred thousand cultivators, stockpiled over one billion three hundred million Spirit Stones [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation], and amassed supplies worth over ten billion Spirit Stones, including various types of Spirit Rice [spiritually enriched grains that nourish cultivators], spiritual talismans, magical treasures [enchanted artifacts used by cultivators], Formation Flags [flags used to set up and power defensive or offensive arrays], and other materials.

Among this force, aside from the Infant Soul True Lords [cultivators who have formed their Infant Soul, a nascent spiritual form], there were a full three hundred seventy-four Golden Core Cultivators [cultivators who have condensed their spiritual energy into a solid Golden Core]. Of these three hundred seventy-four, one hundred three were Golden Core Cultivators from the Chen Clan itself.

A careful calculation revealed that, almost imperceptibly, it had already been over three hundred years since the Chen Clan ascended to become an Infant Soul Immortal Clan [a clan recognized for having cultivators at the Infant Soul realm].

The clan had developed rapidly over these years. Back during the bloody battle against the Violet Jade Demon Emperor in the Vast Sea, the Chen Clan had only a little over thirty Golden Core Cultivators.

Now, more than two hundred years later, the number of Golden Core True Persons [an honorific title for Golden Core cultivators] within the Chen Clan had swelled to one hundred twenty-nine, a several-fold increase.

However, the Chen Clan's rise was relatively recent. Aside from a handful of elders like Ethan Chen, most of the others had advanced within the last two or three centuries, with the eldest among them being only around five hundred years old.

They could not compare to the closeness shared between the earliest few Golden Core cultivators and Eldrin Chen. Consequently, Eldrin Chen had not provided them with the same level of support as he had for figures like the Old Patriarch and Silas Chen, resulting in slower progress in their cultivation compared to the older generation.

Currently, most of their cultivation bases were at the Golden Core Mid Stage. Few had just broken through to the Golden Core 7th Tier, and only a handful had reached the Golden Core 8th Tier. The fastest among them were likely still one or two Sixty-Year Cycles [a cycle of sixty years] away from approaching the threshold of the Demonic Path Infant Soul realm.

After briefly reviewing the ledger, Eldrin Chen turned his gaze to Lior Chen beside him and inquired, "What is the situation over in the Vast Sea?"

Lior Chen replied, "The boarding is nearly complete. Only the final batch remains, and they can be assembled within three days."

Eldrin Chen nodded, his gaze sweeping towards the distant Heavenly Vault. Within the Boundless Void, over a dozen Fourth-Rank Treasure Ship vessels were flying towards the Verdant Lotus Isle.

The arriving ships belonged to the Feast Kingdom. After disembarking from her Treasure Ship, Violet Consort Yan went straight to the group of Mortal Path cultivators. "For this Demonic Abyss War, I'll have to hitch a ride with you all. I appreciate your trouble."

"Between us, there's no need for such formalities."

Exquisite Jiang said with a smile. Violet Consort Yan did not possess a Fifth Rank War Treasure Ship [a massive vessel designed for transporting armies across vast distances], and thus had no means to launch a campaign spanning hundreds of millions of Li-lengths. She could only travel aboard their Treasure Ship.

In truth, it wasn't just Violet Consort Yan. Path Master Unreal, Ethereal Mistress Ling, Patriarch Mo-ink, and others had all communicated with Eldrin Chen, seeking passage on the Chen Clan's Treasure Ship to travel to the End of the Demonic Abyss for the battle.

With the addition of cultivators from these several factions, the Chen Clan's War Treasure Ship would be loaded with a full two million cultivators, heading to wage war in the Eastern Sea Cultivation World.

Fortunately, the Chen Clan had also forged the Golden Rhino Treasure Ship. Otherwise, the Crimson Flood Dragon Treasure Ship alone could not have held so many. They would have had to use the Eastern Barrens Immortal Alliance's War Treasure Ship, which would not have been as convenient as using the ships of allies.

Eldrin Chen waited for half a month until everyone had boarded the Treasure Ship and all the Infant Soul True Lord [cultivators who have formed their Primordial Spirit, a powerful spiritual core] had gathered. Only then did he command the Crimson Flood Dragon Treasure Ship to set sail for the Heavenly Ridge Mountain Range.

They were not departing alone for this campaign. Besides Eldrin Chen and his immediate faction, over a dozen Infant Soul powers from the vicinity—including the Heavenly Star Sect, the Heavenly Reed Sect, and even the Celestial Barrens Province—were to assemble at the Heavenly Ridge Mountain Range.

Upon reaching the Heavenly Ridge Mountain Range, Eldrin Chen saw that the mountain peaks were already gathered with over a dozen Fifth Rank War Treasure Ship vessels, most hailing from various Infant Soul factions.

The primary reason so many factions have gathered at Vast Righteousness Peak is precisely because of the presence of Vast Righteousness True Lord.

By now, the Ji Clan has long since departed for the Eastern Sea Cultivation World to oversee the grand strategy. As one of the paramount powerhouses within the Three Veins Ancient Domain, Vast Righteousness True Lord naturally serves as the core figure for over a dozen surrounding great continents.

After exchanging greetings with the various True Lord [a title for powerful cultivators who have reached the Primordial Spirit realm], Eldrin Chen sought out Vast Righteousness True Lord.

"Your timing is perfect," the True Lord said as Eldrin arrived.

Seeing him approach, Vast Righteousness True Lord handed a letter to Eldrin Chen.

Eldrin opened it, and a look of understanding dawned on his face. The letter was a dispatch order from the Eastern Barrens Immortal Alliance, urging Vast Righteousness True Lord to lead this assembled force to the Eastern Sea Cultivation World with all haste. Experience the full epic at *audio-novel.com*.

Setting the letter down, Eldrin inquired, "Since the army is now assembled, it is indeed time to consider departure."

"Indeed," the True Lord affirmed.

Vast Righteousness True Lord nodded, then spoke after a moment of contemplation, "The Outer Realm Heavenly Demon [powerful demons from beyond this world] are no ordinary foe. In this great battle, you should stay close behind me. Remember, do not rashly deploy troops on your own initiative."

"Understood," Eldrin replied.

Eldrin Chen nodded, his expression turning grave with caution.

Approximately half a month later, the fleet of Treasure Ship made their final resupply within the Heavenly Ridge Mountain Range. There, they used the abundant spiritual energy of the mountains to fully recharge the vessels' power reserves before setting course for the Eastern Barrens Cultivation World.

A grand procession of eighteen War Treasure Ship sailed forth with an awe-inspiring majesty, their destination the Eastern Sea Cultivation World.

A Fifth Rank War Treasure Ship could traverse a million Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] in a single day. Such a supreme clan-protecting artifact moved with an unstoppable momentum. It forged ahead fearlessly, cutting directly across demonic territories without a single demonic entity daring to stand in its path.

After a journey lasting over two years, they finally crossed the Star Lake Ancient Domain and arrived at the borders of the Eastern Sea Cultivation World.

On this day, as the Treasure Ship sailed over the vast Eastern Sea, a group of True Lord [cultivators who have attained the True Lord realm, a high stage of cultivation] gathered together, their faces etched with anxious impatience as they gazed upon the endless ocean stretching before them.

This was Eternal Profound Chen's first visit to the Eastern Sea Cultivation World, and he found the overwhelming emptiness unsettling. Unable to contain himself, he asked, "How much farther until we reach the front of the Demonic Abyss?"

Having been here once before, Eldrin Chen shook his head. "We have a long way yet. We've only just reached the Offshore Cultivation World. The distant sea is still hundreds of millions of Li-length away."

"And the location of the Demonic Abyss lies at the very edge of the Distant Sea Cultivation World. It will likely take several more years to get there."

"That far?"

Lila [the young girl] was somewhat taken aback and couldn't help but frown as she said, "The spiritual energy [the vital force used for cultivation] stored within the Crimson Flood Dragon Treasure Ship is running dangerously low. If this continues, I fear it won't be able to sustain us for much longer."

"We'll find a suitable place to replenish the spiritual energy in a few days," Eldrin Chen replied.

As Eldrin Chen spoke these words, he saw the Verdant Spirit True Lord approaching.

Upon seeing Eldrin Chen, the Verdant Spirit True Lord offered a slight smile and said, "Fellow Daoists [a respectful term cultivators use for each other], my master requests your presence." Discover more cultivation stories at www . audio-novel.com.