Chapter 707 : The Nascent Soul Crucible

After giving the Six Harmonies Pagoda to Lila, the gains from this Barter Convention were reduced to just the Glazed Azure Scale Shield.

This treasure was specifically intended for Summer Reign Xia, but as she was still in secluded cultivation, Eldrin Chen decided to keep it for now, planning to hand it over upon her emergence.

He sought out Exquisite Jiang, handed her the list, and said with a smile, "These six individuals will attempt their Infant Soul Realm breakthroughs within the next century. Therefore, I intend to open the alchemy furnace and refine Nascent Soul Formation Pill [a supreme elixir that aids cultivators in forming their Infant Soul]."

Exquisite Jiang nodded, then pondered for a moment before adding, "Like Swallow's talent is also exceptional. Let us include her as well."

"Very well," Eldrin Chen agreed.

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod of acknowledgment. Like Swallow Meng was the foremost prodigy of the Meng Clan, possessing a Water Spiritual Root [an innate affinity for water-element spiritual energy], one of the Heavenly Spiritual Root [the highest grade of innate spiritual affinity]. Years ago, Star Grace Meng had placed great hopes upon her, leveraging the Chen Clan's connections to have her formally accepted as a disciple under Elara Lin.

Perhaps inheriting Elara Lin's temperament, Like Swallow Meng's Dao Heart [the cultivator's core will and determination] was not sufficiently firm. Lacking the fortitude to overcome the Mortal Shell Tribulation [a critical trial that refines the physical body], she had relied on external treasures to break through to the Violet Sanctum Realm, thereby failing to lay the foundation for a Superior-Tier Golden Core [the highest quality core formation].

It was precisely for this reason that while her peers like Support Revive Chen were only at the fifth or sixth layer of Golden Core, she had already cultivated to the Ninth Layer of Golden Core.

This pace was even swifter than that of Ye Verdant Peak, who was at the Golden Core 7th Tier, and Withering Liana Gu, who was at the Golden Core 8th Tier.

It must be noted that Ye Verdant Peak and Withering Liana Gu had been disciples under their respective masters for many years and were several decades, nearly a century, older than Like Swallow Meng. Enjoyed this chapter? Read more at audio-novel`com.

Of course, this was also related to her possessing a Heavenly Spiritual Root [a supreme-grade spiritual root granting exceptional cultivation speed], which gave her a cultivation speed far surpassing that of Support Revive Chen and Literature Abyss Lu and others, who had Multiple Spiritual Roots [spiritual roots of mixed elemental affinities, generally slower to cultivate].

As for Ye Verdant Peak, his foundation was that of Five Spiritual Roots [a spiritual root with all five elemental affinities]. Although bolstered by his Primordial Solar Path Body [a rare constitution aligned with the pure yang energy of the sun], his cultivation speed still fell far short of a Heavenly Spiritual Root. This was especially true since he also had to simultaneously nurture five Lifebound Magical Treasure [magical treasures bound to a cultivator's life force, requiring constant spiritual energy infusion].

Withering Liana Gu possessed the Triple Lunar Constitution [a constitution deeply attuned to the triple phases of the moon] and the innate talent of Three Spiritual Roots [a spiritual root with three elemental affinities]. By all logic, she should have long since reached the threshold of the Infant Soul [the Nascent Soul stage, where the cultivator's spiritual core forms into a nascent soul]. However, she was originally a Dual Spiritual Root [a spiritual root with two elemental affinities]. In her early years, she had spent a full century's effort to perform Spiritual Root Completion [a profound technique to refine and complete one's spiritual root foundation].

Returning to the main point, regardless of their foundational depth, Like Swallow Meng was, after all, the only disciple under their tutelage with hope of reaching Infant Soul. Exquisite Jiang still intended to offer her support.

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen said with a smile, "Ruyan is, after all, a Heavenly Spiritual Root. Although she has no hope of reaching the Heavenly Path [a legendary cultivation art] Infant Soul Realm, she is still worthy of cultivation."

"Let us allocate one strand of the clan's Earth Mother Energy [a pure, nurturing spiritual essence drawn from the heart of the earth] to her."

"Very well."

Exquisite Jiang gave a slight smile. Although the Chen Clan did not currently possess an abundance of Earth Mother Energy, given their present strength and scale, acquiring a few strands would not strain their resources to the breaking point.

After all, Earth Mother Energy was not as exceedingly rare as Heavenly Path Energy [a supremely rare spiritual energy associated with heavenly laws]. It could be nurtured and emerge from a Fifth Rank Earth Vein [a fifth-grade terrestrial spiritual energy leyline] every thousand years. As long as one could afford the price, it could be purchased relatively easily.

However, Heavenly Path Energy was far too scarce. Even if one possessed sufficient Heavenly Crystal [a purified, high-grade form of spirit crystal], without the proper connections and avenues, it would be virtually impossible to acquire.

Having decided to refine the Nascent Soul Formation Pill, the two of them immediately set about preparing the cauldron and beginning the process.

Eldrin Chen's alchemy skills had long since reached the Fifth Rank High-Grade level. After Exquisite Jiang entered the Celestial-Mortal Symbiosis realm, her alchemy prowess had also seen a tremendous leap forward.

Now, as they refined the Nascent Soul Formation Pill once more, their success rate had increased dramatically. Astonishingly, they managed to produce a total of eleven Nascent Soul Formation Pill pills.

This result was truly remarkable. The three Fire Luan Demon Emperor had cultivation bases merely at the Infant Soul Early Stage. Theoretically, the medicinal potential of a single Infant Soul core could only yield a maximum of four Nascent Soul Formation Pill pills.

Yet they had produced eleven, a number that approached the absolute limit of the materials' potency. Even the most elite Fifth Rank High-Grade alchemists would likely have to concede defeat before such a feat.

After successfully refining the pills, Eldrin Chen carefully stored the eleven Nascent Soul Formation Pill with great satisfaction. A smile spread across his face as he said, "With this batch of Nascent Soul Formation Pill, within a century, our clan will undoubtedly have more than ten Infant Soul True Lord cultivators."

"At that time, our Chen Clan will firmly secure its position among the ten great Infant Soul Immortal Clan clans of the Three Veins Ancient Domain."

Exquisite Jiang also felt a surge of joy. A powerful Infant Soul Immortal Clan could not be sustained by just one or two individuals alone.

This was especially true now that Eldrin Chen's cultivation was reaching ever greater heights, and the enemies he provoked grew correspondingly more formidable. The Chen Clan needed sufficient strength of its own to deter such threats.

Furthermore, both of them harbored hopes of reaching the Primordial Spirit realm [the spiritual core of a cultivator]. Without a reliable cohort of Infant Soul True Lord allies to assist them, their chances of successfully weathering the Primordial Spirit Tribulation [the heavenly trial to ascend to the Primordial Spirit realm] in the future would be greatly diminished.

With this thought, she spoke, "Breaking through to the Infant Soul [the stage where a cultivator's spiritual core takes the form of a nascent infant] is a matter of sooner rather than later. It is time for us to end our seclusion and place the Nascent Soul Formation Pill [a legendary pill that aids in the formation of a cultivator's nascent soul] into the Clan Treasury."

"Agreed."

Eldrin Chen nodded and stepped out from the Seclusion Chamber.

However, the moment he emerged, he found Eternal Profound Chen waiting outside the chamber, his expression grim.

Seeing the look on the Old Granduncle's face, Eldrin Chen's heart sank with a sudden foreboding. Exchanging a glance with Exquisite Jiang, he could not help but ask, "Old Granduncle, has something happened?"

The Old Patriarch sighed, his expression turning gravely solemn as he spoke.

Eldrin Chen's gaze sharpened, a cold dread settling in his heart as his premonition solidified.

As Eternal Profound Chen recounted the events, Eldrin Chen quickly grasped the situation. Not long ago, several Golden Core Cultivator [cultivators who have condensed their spiritual energy into a solid golden core] from the Chen Clan branch on the Ethereal Void Continent had traveled an immense distance of hundreds of millions of Li-lengths to reach Green Chariot Mountain, seeking the Old Patriarch and pleading for the Ancestral Vein [the main lineage of the clan] to uphold justice on their behalf.

It turned out that, not long before, the Chen Clan branch on the Ethereal Void Continent had been suddenly attacked by a powerful enemy. Only a small portion of clansmen, who happened to be away from the clan's lands at the time, managed to escape the calamity.

"To single-handedly annihilate the Ethereal Void Continent Branch in such a short time, the perpetrator's strength must be at least at the Infant Soul Late Stage [the third major stage of cultivation, where the nascent soul is fully formed and powerful]."

Eternal Profound Chen spoke, his gaze filled with immense gravity.

Exquisite Jiang pondered silently for a moment before saying, "The Ethereal Void Continent is located within the Long River Ancient Domain. Demons and monsters at the Infant Soul [the nascent soul stage] would never dare act so brazenly there. Therefore, the attacker can only be a Human Race True Lord [a title for cultivators who have reached the Primordial Spirit stage, the fourth major realm]."

"Great powers at the Infant Soul Late Stage are rare to begin with, and those who bear a grudge against us are rarer still. We hardly need to guess who it is."

"It must be the Fang Clan." Eldrin Chen sighed and then said, "Let us go to the Ethereal Void Continent."

"..."

Several months later, Eldrin Chen arrived at the Path-Field [a clan's primary cultivation estate and headquarters] of the Chen Clan on Ethereal Void Continent.

The Spirit Mountain [a mountain rich in spiritual energy, often a clan's foundation] of the Chen Clan on Ethereal Void Continent was now utterly destroyed. The Fifth Rank Spiritual Vein [a subterranean current of concentrated spiritual energy] had been shattered. The attacker had been merciless, clearly intent on leaving not a single treasure for the Chen Clan.

Gazing upon the devastated Spirit Mountain, Eldrin Chen remained silent. He activated the Great Deduction Polarity Stars Path [a profound divination technique] to deduce and reconstruct the scene before the Path-Field and Spirit Mountain were destroyed.

Within the reconstructed vision, he saw only a single streak of sword light cleaving down from the Nine Heavens [a poetic term for the highest heavens], obliterating the vast Fifth Rank Spirit Mountain with one devastating strike.

"It is the Heaven-Sundering God-Slaying Sword [a legendary divine sword capable of cleaving the heavens and slaying gods]. It seems Mystery Heir Fang truly was the one who struck."

Eldrin Chen's gaze turned icy, his voice dripping with lethal intent as he spoke.

Exquisite Jiang also wore a grave expression. After a long moment of contemplation, she said, "Mystery Heir Fang lacks the confidence to defeat us outright and dares not risk mutual destruction in a direct confrontation."

"Yet he dared to move against the Chen Clan branch on the Illusory Void Continent [a vast continent shrouded in shifting illusions and ethereal energies]. He has calculated that we, too, would be unwilling to escalate into a full-scale war."

Eldrin Chen also nodded in agreement. He understood perfectly the current stalemate between the Chen Clan and the Fang Clan [the Fang Clan, a powerful rival immortal clan]. Original publication: *audio-novel.com* - The source of this chapter.