Chapter 702 : The Primordial Sword's Forging

At this thought, Sea-Calmer Path Master sighed once more and said, "That Blood-Refining Old Demon was also a man of exceptional talent. It is regrettable that he has failed yet again."

"Counting carefully, this is already his fourth failed attempt at a breakthrough. I wonder if you and I will one day find ourselves similarly trapped at this realm."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen fell silent for a moment, though a sense of relief soon washed over him.

He now commanded two distinct Arcane Power. Furthermore, with the Sixth Rank Heavenly River Treasure Gold obtained from the ruins of Celestial Dome Island, Eldrin Chen was certain he could forge a Primordial Solar Immortal Sword.

By that time, judging by Eldrin Chen's profound foundation, his chances of breaking through to the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] realm would be at least eighty percent, far exceeding the current predicament.

With this in mind, he offered words of comfort: "Breaking through to Primordial Spirit has always been an immensely difficult trial for Demonic Cultivators. You, Brother Sea-Calmer, carry great Merit [a metaphysical "currency" representing good karma or virtuous deeds] upon your person. Your future breakthrough is assured, a matter of certainty."

"Then I shall take your auspicious words to heart."

Sea-Calmer Path Master let out a hearty laugh, his confidence visibly restored.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen pondered for a moment before asking, "By the way, Brother Sea-Calmer, have you heard of any unusual movements within the Fallen God Ancient Domain?"

"You mean... concerning the Fallen God Patriarch?" Experience the full epic at audi0-n0vel.c0m.

Sea-Calmer Path Master [Varen Wei] paused for a moment, then frowned and said, "There hasn't been any particular movement. However, I heard that during the Demonic Abyss Cataclysm [the great upheaval at the Demonic Abyss], a Black Lotus [a mysterious and ominous black lotus] flew in from beyond our realm and fell into it. It's unclear if there is some scheme behind it."

"Why? Why are you concerned about this?"

"Ah." Eldrin Chen [the protagonist Eldrin Chen] paused briefly, then smiled and replied, "It's just that one should pay a little attention to a Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] demon ancestor of that level."

Though he said this, a subtle weight settled in Eldrin Chen's heart.

The Black Lotus was an object of ill omen. A Black Lotus that could fly in from beyond the heavens likely had an origin even more chilling to contemplate.

He felt a pang of worry for Verdant Ruins Path Lord [the esteemed cultivator known as the Verdant Ruins Path Lord], yet he understood that with his current level of cultivation, attempting to meddle in affairs of such magnitude would be nothing short of suicide. He could only suppress the unease stirring within him.

"..."

Not long after Sea-Calmer Path Master's arrival, the Barter Convention [a grand gathering for cultivators to trade rare resources] officially commenced.

This time, the Barter Convention was attended by just over one hundred and fifty Infant Soul True Lord [cultivators who have formed their Infant Soul, a major milestone]. The number was neither particularly large nor small.

This was within Eldrin Chen's expectations. During the previous Demonic Abyss Cataclysm, roughly two out of every ten Infant Soul True Lord from the Three Veins Ancient Domain [the ancient land of the Three Veins] had perished. Furthermore, many survivors were still recuperating from their injuries. It was only natural, therefore, that fewer had come this time.

As the host of this Barter Convention, Eldrin Chen was the first to step onto the high platform. With a faint smile, he produced several treasures and addressed the assembly,

"Esteemed guests, the Barter Convention commences today. If any among you have need for the items in my hand, you may offer a price for an exchange."

As the first to present goods for trade, Eldrin Chen naturally did not let the opportunity pass. He brought forth no small number of treasures.

Among them were ten Nascent Soul Formation Pill [a supreme elixir that aids in the formation of the Nascent Soul, a cultivator's spiritual infant], two portions of Earth Mother Energy [a profound earth-attribute spiritual essence], several vials of Fifth Rank Precious Pill [high-grade elixirs suitable for cultivators at the Primordial Spirit realm and above], over a dozen Fifth Rank Spirit Talisman [powerful enchanted scrolls of the fifth rank], three or four Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [top-tier artifacts specifically designed to suppress demonic beings], and several pieces of Five Veins Precious Jade [a rare spiritual jade said to contain the condensed essence of five spiritual veins].

"So this is the treasure he has? Nothing more than this?"

"With the famed reputation of the Returning Abyss Path Master, I expected he would produce something truly remarkable for sale. Who would have thought he's just a pauper."

The moment these treasures were displayed, Eldrin Chen caught the faint whisper of a sound transmission [a secret method of communication using spiritual energy].

The speaker was none other than Celestial Mechanism Fang of the Fang Immortal Clan. He was seen with a red-robed woman in his embrace, a sneer playing on his features as he exchanged these private words.

Although Celestial Mechanism Fang was using sound transmission, he made little effort to truly conceal it. With his Half-Step Primordial Spirit [a transitional state between the Golden Core and the full Primordial Spirit realm] spiritual sense, Eldrin Chen heard every word clearly.

Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow slightly, his gaze turning cold as it swept over Celestial Mechanism Fang.

"This..."

Celestial Mechanism Fang felt a bone-chilling cold surge through him, his words catching in his throat, an inexplicable thread of fear taking root.

However, Eldrin Chen could not be bothered to dwell on it. He simply continued, "Esteemed guests, let the Barter Convention [a formal gathering where cultivators trade rare resources] commence."

Compared to the Barter Convention of yesteryears hosted by the Featherflight Pavilion or the Heaven's Profound Sect, where astonishingly valuable Superior Spiritual Treasure [a high-grade enchanted artifact] were often unveiled, the opening offerings this time were indeed somewhat meager.

Yet, for Eldrin Chen, the truly precious treasures were reserved for his own use, naturally making him reluctant to part with them.

Fortunately, as the first to take the stage, there was virtually no chance his items would fail to find a trade. Find thousands of chapters at site: audio-novel.com.

This was especially true for the Nascent Soul Formation Pill [a legendary elixir that aids in forming the Nascent Soul, a core stage of cultivation]. With the Demonic Abyss Cataclysm [a great calamity involving demonic incursions] having just subsided, the various Immortal Clan [powerful, long-lived cultivation families] were eager to replenish their strength. Most pills fetched a high price of nearly fifty Heavenly Crystal [a purified, high-density form of spiritual energy currency] each.

After selling the dozen or so Fifth Rank Treasure [powerful artifacts corresponding to a specific cultivation tier] in his possession, Eldrin Chen found himself holding treasures and materials worth over one thousand Heavenly Crystal.

The second to ascend the platform was Sea-Calmer Path Master. He directly produced a violet shield of the Fifth Rank High-Grade [a specific, advanced tier within the Fifth Rank classification] and announced:

"This Glazed Azure Scale Shield, was a Spiritual Treasure [an enchanted artifact used by cultivators] I employed in my younger years. Today, I offer it for trade. Those in need may step forward to negotiate."

Eldrin Chen's expression shifted slightly. The Glazed Azure Scale Shield was a Defensive Spiritual Treasure [an enchanted artifact designed for protection] that Sea-Calmer Path Master had used for over a thousand years. It could be considered a rather fine Superior Spiritual Treasure [a high-grade enchanted artifact].

However, during the last Demonic Abyss Cataclysm [a great calamity involving a demonic abyss], Sea-Calmer Path Master had exchanged it for an even more powerful Quasi-Primordial Solar Spiritual Treasure [an artifact approaching the legendary level of Primordial Solar treasures]. Only then did he feel willing to part with this shield and put it up for sale.

"Summer Reign possesses Water-Wood Dual Spiritual Roots [an innate affinity for both the Water and Wood elements]. This treasure aligns with her Spiritual Root [innate elemental affinity], so it would be suitable to purchase for her defense," Eldrin thought to himself.

Having made this decision, Eldrin Chen sent a voice transmission: "Brother Sea-Calmer, I shall take this item."

Seeing it was Eldrin Chen who wanted it, Sea-Calmer Path Master smiled and said, "A typical Superior Spiritual Treasure usually costs around eight hundred Heavenly Crystal [a high-purity form of spiritual energy crystal]. But since it's for you, I can offer a discount. How about seven hundred and fifty Heavenly Crystal?"

"My thanks, then."

Eldrin Chen offered a slight smile and completed the transaction with Sea-Calmer Path Master.

The value of a single Superior Spiritual Treasure was equivalent to eight Inferior-Grade Spiritual Treasure [low-grade enchanted artifacts]. This illustrated the vast disparity that could exist even among items categorized as Spiritual Treasure [enchanted artifacts].

In the subsequent trades, no other treasures of exceptional rarity appeared.

There were, however, several Tribulation Crossing Flower [a rare herb used to aid in surviving heavenly tribulations] for sale. These flowers served as a crucial catalyst for cultivating the Nirvana Tribulation Transmigration Art [a profound technique for rebirth after a tribulation], making their price exceedingly steep. Each one was priced at two hundred Heavenly Crystal.

However, the planted Tribulation Crossing Flower [a rare spiritual herb said to aid cultivators in surviving heavenly tribulations] would require at least three hundred years to mature. To prevent a repeat of the tragedy that befell Lior Chen, Eldrin Chen purchased three of the plants at a premium price.

Watching him acquire the Tribulation Crossing Flower, Silas Chen sighed and said, "If Uncle Lior had cultivated the Nirvana Tribulation Transmigration Art [a legendary art that allows the soul to survive and reincarnate after a failed tribulation], perhaps there would have been a chance for him to return."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen fell into a heavy silence. The sacrifice of Lior Chen, who had perished to save him, remained an eternal wound in his heart, a pain he still struggled to release.

The treasures that followed were numerous, but most were of mid to low-grade Fifth Rank [a classification for powerful artifacts and resources], offering little further use to Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang.

Thus they remained occupied for seven or eight days before the Barter Convention [a grand gathering where cultivators trade rare resources and artifacts] finally concluded.

After the Barter Convention ended, the various Infant Soul True Lord [a title for cultivators who have formed their Infant Soul, a core spiritual entity] bid their farewells one by one. Ethan Chen sought out Celestial Mechanism Fang directly, his expression cold and resolute, stating:

"I hear you are a newly ascended Infant Soul [the realm where a cultivator's nascent soul is formed]. I too have only recently broken through. I wish to test my skills against yours." Read the full novel exclusively on audio-novel .c om.