Chapter 689 : A Gathering of Path Lords

The Long River Path Lord, Alkaid the Star Lord, and Dorian Ji standing nearby all remained silent.

Figures of the Path Lord [a supreme cultivation realm] level were paramount, untouchable existences within the Purple Seal Realm. Such individuals prized their dignity and face; an ordinary person, even if harboring resentment, would never dare to act so brazenly.

Only someone like Heaven Abandoned Lin, whose combat prowess could startle even immortals, could afford to treat them with such open contempt.

"Enough, enough," said the Long River Path Lord after Heaven Abandoned Lin had finished venting. "The Drifting Snow Palace needs the Wang Clan to share their burden. Furthermore, Nine Abyss Lu is also one of the Heaven-Propping Pillar [a legendary artifact symbolizing stability and support] of the Southern Desolation Cultivation World."

"To sever ties with them completely would likely harm the unity of the righteous path within the Purple Seal Realm."

Having said this, the Long River Path Lord swept his gaze over the assembled group. He then distributed an ancient-looking jade slip to each person. "These are your merit records and the compensation ledgers for the fallen. Review them first."

"Our gratitude, Patriarch."

Everyone received their jade slip and immediately sent their spiritual sense [a cultivator's extended consciousness] probing within to examine the contents.

Eldrin Chen's spiritual sense quickly scanned the document. The compensation disbursed by the Eastern Barrens Immortal Alliance was indeed the full amount agreed upon beforehand.

According to the stipulated standards, the death of a single cultivator at the Infant Soul Early Stage [the initial stage of the Nascent Soul realm] entitled their clan to receive two Nascent Soul Formation Pill [a precious pill aiding in the formation of a Nascent Soul]. For one at the Mid Stage, an additional one hundred Heavenly Crystal [a high-grade form of spiritual energy crystal] were provided. For the Late Stage, the compensation was supplemented by three hundred Heavenly Crystal. This chapter appears courtesy of (audio-novel.com).

In addition, the Earthly Path Infant Soul [a foundational cultivation art] was supplemented with one Earthly Path Energy [a spiritual essence aligned with earthly principles], while the Heavenly Path Infant Soul [a cultivation realm] was supplemented with one Heavenly Path Energy [a spiritual essence aligned with heavenly principles].

This compensation was already substantial, for in the wake of such a cataclysm, to have gathered this much in reparations was considered the utmost act of benevolence and duty fulfilled.

Compensation for those below the Infant Soul [a core cultivation stage] realm was distributed in Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy] and equivalent materials. Eldrin Chen calculated and found that the Chen Clan was entitled to compensation worth over one billion Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy].

This sum, combined with the vast amount of war materiel the Chen Clan had requisitioned earlier, should be just enough to fully distribute the compensation owed to the cultivators who had fallen in this war.

After reviewing the compensation details, Eldrin Chen let out a slight sigh of relief, then turned his gaze to the record of military achievements.

In this battle, the military exploits achieved by the Chen Clan could be described as unprecedentedly glorious.

Throughout the conflict, Eldrin Chen led his forces first in shattering the Six-Winged Demon Clan, then successively annihilated formidable enemies, slaying the Lord of Flame Demons who was at the Half-Step Primordial Spirit Realm [a cultivation stage].

Furthermore, beyond Chariot Water Island, he completely eradicated the Garuda Demon Monarch who possessed the Heavenly Demon Immortal-Slaying Sword [a legendary demonic blade]. Finally, leading the main army at the White Tiger Star Palace, he decisively turned the tide of the war for the Human Race.

It could be said that in this war, the Merits [a metaphysical currency representing virtuous deeds and karma] amassed by Eldrin Chen were second only to those of the various Primordial Spirit Path Lord [powerful cultivators], making him the foremost among all Infant Soul True Lord [a title for powerful Infant Soul cultivators].

According to the current calculation of military achievements, the Merits [a metaphysical currency representing virtuous deeds and karma] earned by the Chen Immortal Clan astonishingly amounted to sixty-eight high-grade war Merits [a metaphysical currency representing virtuous deeds and karma].

According to the exchange rate, a single high-grade Merits [a metaphysical currency representing virtuous deeds and accumulated karma] is equivalent to one hundred Heavenly Crystal [a purified, high-density form of spiritual energy crystal]. The value of these high-grade Merits alone amounts to several thousand Heavenly Crystal, a fortune that likely surpasses the total wealth of many Half-Step Primordial Spirit [cultivators who have half-stepped into the Primordial Spirit realm] cultivators.

After confirming the amount of his Merits, Eldrin Chen exchanged a glance with Exquisite Jiang before turning his gaze to the catalog of treasures listed under the military contributions.

The treasures listed in the military contributions catalog were exceedingly numerous, with the lowest-tier items being astonishingly valuable Fifth Rank Spiritual Objects [spiritual objects of the fifth rank, a very high grade].

Among them, the treasures at the very top were truly extraordinary, for there were a full ten strands of Heavenly Path Energy [a rare and potent energy essence drawn from the Heavenly Path, the fundamental laws of the cosmos].

This Heavenly Path Energy is a treasure one encounters by chance, not by seeking. Even a Infant Soul Late Stage [a cultivator at the Late Stage of the Infant Soul realm] great power would need a millennium to gather a single strand. Although the Chen Clan possessed considerable foundation and heritage, they were in dire need of such a resource.

However, the price of Heavenly Path Energy was exorbitantly high, with each strand valued at ten points of Merits. Even Eldrin Chen could not afford to exchange for more than a few.

After several rounds of calculation, Eldrin Chen decisively exchanged for three strands of Heavenly Path Energy, intending to reserve them as part of the clan's strategic reserves and foundation.

After securing the three strands of Heavenly Path Energy, Eldrin Chen shifted his attention to the other treasures. Among the multitude of listed items, he discovered ten priceless pieces of Five Source Divine Jade [a divine jade containing the purified essence of the five fundamental elements].

The Five Source Divine Jade was of immense value. When an Infant Soul True Lord [a True Lord cultivator at the Infant Soul realm] refines it for the first time, it can increase their spiritual power by thirty percent and even holds the potential to grant enlightenment into the legendary Five Elements Arcane Power [a profound divine ability harnessing the power of the five elements].

Eldrin Chen's own Heavenly Flame Arcane Power [a divine ability manifesting heavenly flames] was precisely comprehended after refining the Fire Source Divine Jade [the fire-attribute variant of the Five Source Divine Jade] contained within a piece of Five Source Divine Jade.

However, the Five Source Divine Jade [a supreme spiritual jade containing the essence of the five primal elements] stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Heavenly Path Energy [a primordial energy embodying the laws of heaven], both being paramount treasures of the Infant Soul Realm. Its value is such that it requires ten high-grade Merits [a metaphysical currency representing accumulated virtuous karma] to exchange for one.

Such treasures can only be nurtured within a Fifth Rank High-Grade Earth Vein [a powerful spiritual ley line of the fifth rank], and even then, only one piece is born every thousand years, making them exceedingly rare. Now that they had encountered a Fire Source Divine Jade [a divine jade containing the pure essence of fire], they naturally had no intention of letting it slip away.

After a moment of contemplation, Exquisite Jiang transmitted her voice to Eldrin Chen: "The Earth Vein within the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire [a legendary sea of eternal flames] is due to nurture another Fire Source Divine Jade in the coming years. That one could be exchanged for other types of Five Source Divine Jade."

Eldrin Chen nodded in agreement. He observed that among the available Five Source Divine Jade, aside from the three pieces of Fire Source Divine Jade, there were also four pieces of Water Origin Primordial Spirit Divine Jade [a divine jade imbued with the primordial spirit of water], with the remaining three being Metal Origin Divine Jade [a divine jade containing the pure essence of metal].

Among the Ancestral Vein [the most potent and ancient spiritual ley lines] controlled by the Human Race in the Eastern Region Great Wasteland, there were no Sixth Rank wood or earth attribute Ancestral Vein. Therefore, the scarcity of such treasures was to be expected.

"Scarcity dictates value. Let's exchange for the Metal Origin Divine Jade," Find this and other novels at *audio-novel.com*.

Eldrin Chen mused, about to finalize the exchange for the Metal Origin Divine Jade, when the Long River Path Lord offered a reminder: "The Metallic Gold Treasure Flag [a flag treasure of metallic essence] within the Master of Featherflight Pavilion's Five Directions Treasure Flags [a set of five directional flag treasures] was destroyed. This jade should be reserved for him to repair his Treasure Flag."

"My thanks for the reminder."

With Long River Path Lord having spoken thus, Eldrin Chen had no choice but to exchange for two pieces of Water Origin Divine Jade [a divine jade containing the pure essence of water] instead.

After acquiring these five treasures of immeasurable worth, the number of high-grade Merits remaining in their possession dwindled to a mere eighteen.

After a moment of contemplation, Eldrin Chen directly exchanged his merits for some precious Fifth Rank Spiritual Objects [rare materials of the fifth tier, used for crafting powerful artifacts and elixirs], healing elixirs, and three precious strands of Earthly Path Energy [a profound energy essence aligned with the earthly element, crucial for high-level cultivation and artifact refinement].

The Chen Clan suffered severe losses in this battle. Several Fifth Rank Spiritual Treasures [powerful enchanted artifacts of the fifth tier] were destroyed, including Lila's Superior Spiritual Treasure [a top-tier artifact within its rank], the Frost Soul Jade-Condensing Pagoda.

While these external losses were significant, the core issue lay with the five Lifebound Spiritual Treasures [artifacts intimately connected to a cultivator's life force and cultivation base] belonging to Exquisite Jiang. Most were severely damaged in the effort to rescue Eldrin Chen and would require rare Fifth Rank Spiritual Objects to repair.

The injuries sustained by the several Infant Soul [the cultivation realm above the Golden Core stage] cultivators of the Chen Clan also necessitated precious healing elixirs for a swift recovery.

After this series of exchanges, the battle merits in Eldrin Chen's hands were completely depleted, but he had gained a considerable number of extraordinary and valuable items in return.

Seeing this, the others also acted without delay, exchanging all their accumulated battle merits. Each of them emerged with a harvest that was evidently quite substantial.

Once the treasures were exchanged, the crowd dispersed. Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang were about to leave the cave abode as well when Dorian Ji detained them and led them to his temporary quarters.

Dorian Ji glanced at Eldrin Chen and said with a faint smile, "You performed admirably in this battle. Were it not for your efforts, the human Clan Assembly [a grand gathering of allied clans] would have suffered significant losses."

He paused briefly, not waiting for Eldrin Chen's reply, then continued with a grave expression, "However, there is one matter you must be wary of. That Garuda Demon Monarch [a high-ranking demon lord of the Garuda lineage] was the direct descendant of the Garuda Heavenly Demon [a supreme demonic entity of the Garuda race]."

"By slaying the Garuda Demon Monarch, you have likely invited considerable trouble upon yourselves."

Having said this, Dorian Ji produced a jade pendant and handed it to Eldrin Chen, then spoke: "This treasure is called the Celestial Mechanism Protection Jade [a jade talisman that shields the wearer from esoteric curses]. It can defend against attacks from Demonic Path Curse Technique [a sinister art that inflicts harm through metaphysical curses], a type of Divine Ability [a supernatural power or technique mastered by cultivators]."

"Keep it on your persons, and be wary of Demonic Path [a school of cultivation that embraces dark, destructive, or unorthodox methods] Primordial Spirit [a high cultivation stage where one's spiritual essence condenses into an independent, powerful spirit] experts who might employ such curse arts to strike from the shadows." Published by http://www . audio-novel.com. All rights reserved.