Chapter 742 : The Pavilion Master's Longevity Gambit

"Alas."

Master of Featherflight Pavilion [the leader of the Featherflight Pavilion] let out a sigh, suppressing the surge of sorrow within him.

Although he was merely a Pseudo-Primordial Spirit [a cultivator who has attained a flawed or incomplete Primordial Spirit realm] and had no further path for advancement, he had nonetheless broken through to the Primordial Spirit Realm [the realm of the Primordial Spirit, a major milestone in cultivation].

Henceforth, his lifespan for this incarnation would extend to ten thousand years. Currently, he was less than six thousand years old. Adding the three thousand years of extended life granted by the three Spiritual Object [a rare object imbued with spiritual power, often used for cultivation or longevity] he had previously consumed, Future [a title referring to a being associated with the concept of Future] still had at least another seven thousand years to live.

Moreover, he still had one remaining opportunity to use another longevity-extending Spiritual Object. If he could later obtain a Sixth Rank [a grade denoting supreme quality] Nirvana Immortal Apricot [a legendary fruit said to grant rebirth and immense longevity], he could live for another full incarnation, gaining an additional ten thousand years of life. One could say his remaining lifespan was still profoundly long.

After all, to live for over twenty thousand years—though it still fell short of the heaven-and-earth-spanning longevity of a true Immortal [a being who has ascended to immortality]—could, compared to the billions upon billions of mortal beings, barely be called the lifespan of a Longevity [a place or state associated with extreme longevity] being.

Thinking of this, a faint smile touched the lips of the Master of Featherflight Pavilion.

He invited Eldrin Chen and Violet Flame True Lord [a True Lord renowned for his mastery of violet flames] into the Great Hall [the main ceremonial hall] and, with exceptional courtesy, said with a smile, "Henceforth, there is no need for you to address this old man as Path Lord [a title for a master who has comprehended a profound Dao Path]. You may simply call me Brother Featherflight."

Eldrin Chen's brow twitched slightly. He understood that the Master of Featherflight Pavilion, conscious that he was merely a Pseudo-Primordial Spirit Path Lord [a Path Lord whose foundation is the flawed Pseudo-Primordial Spirit realm], felt he lacked the face to presumptuously use the title of Path Lord before them.

Nevertheless, Eldrin Chen offered a gentle smile and shook his head. "Pavilion Master, you have indeed forged your Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a high-level cultivator]. You naturally deserve the honorable title of Path Lord." This chapter is provided by audio_novel.com. Support the original.

"Indeed, you have more than earned it."

Violet Flame True Lord also nodded, speaking with a gentle smile.

Upon hearing this, Master of Featherflight Pavilion's eyes flickered slightly, yet he still shook his head and said, "Having weathered this tribulation together, the two of you and I can now be considered close confidants. It would be more fitting for us to interact as peers."

"Then I thank you, Brother Featherflight."

Seeing his insistence, Eldrin Chen and Violet Flame True Lord relented, continuing to treat Master of Featherflight Pavilion as an equal.

Only then did Featherflight Path Lord speak again, choosing his words carefully. "You have aided this elder brother in overcoming the External Tribulation [a trial of heavenly punishment targeting the physical body and cultivation base]. By all rights, I owe you a substantial reward."

"However, my Featherflight Pavilion is currently as poor as a church mouse, with no treasures worthy of a gift. I can only make a shameless promise."

At this point, Featherflight Path Lord stood up and solemnly cupped his hands towards the two. "In the future, when you two face your own Primordial Spirit Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [the heavenly tribulation to ascend from the Nascent Soul stage to the Primordial Spirit stage], this elder brother will certainly lend his aid to repay the grace shown to me today."

"Brother Featherflight, with your word, my heart is at ease."

Violet Flame True Lord could not help but reveal a smile upon hearing this.

For Eldrin Chen and him, the reason they had risked offending enemies to help Featherflight Path Lord transcend his tribulation was precisely to gain a future ally who could aid their own path to the Dao [the ultimate truth and principle of the universe].

Although Featherflight Path Lord was merely a Pseudo-Primordial Spirit [a cultivator who has attained a spiritual form akin to, but not fully, the Primordial Spirit realm], he still possessed the combat power of a true Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and highest mortal cultivation stage of a cultivator]. Even if he could not match a genuine Primordial Solar Path Lord [a supreme title for a cultivator who has perfectly merged with the primordial yang energy of the sun], dealing with ordinary Half-Step Primordial Spirit [cultivators who have partially stepped into the Primordial Spirit realm] would likely be effortless for him.

If he could refine a Primordial Solar Spiritual Treasure [a magical artifact imbued with the pure essence of the primordial sun] or master a Primordial Solar Great God Ability [a divine technique channeling the supreme power of the primordial sun], his combat prowess would far surpass that of an existence like Sea-Calmer Path Master, and he should be able to hold his own against newly ascended Primordial Spirit cultivators.

Only after Featherflight Path Lord made this promise did he smile at the two and say, "This elder brother has just broken through to the Primordial Spirit realm and needs to enter seclusion promptly to consolidate his foundation. I shall not detain you two any longer."

"Then we shall take our leave."

Eldrin Chen clasped his hands in farewell and departed from the Great Hall.

Once outside the Great Hall, Exquisite Jiang could not help but ask, "How did it go?"

Eldrin Chen shook his head, glancing back at the Featherflight Pavilion behind them. "He is consolidating his realm. It will likely take two or three hundred years."

"Alas." Exquisite Jiang sighed, a note of regret in her voice. "The Master of Featherflight Pavilion was quite well-prepared. It is a pity he fell just short, ultimately missing the chance to attain the Primordial Solar Great Path [the supreme Dao path aligned with the primordial essence of the sun]."

"Regardless, achieving the Primordial Spirit realm is a tremendous fortune in itself."

Eldrin Chen spoke with serene composure, then added with a light smile, "Once he emerges from seclusion, the strength of the Featherflight Pavilion will undoubtedly increase significantly. The Three Veins Ancient Domain will, in essence, have gained a minor Path Lord Sacred Land [a sacred land presided over by a Path Lord, a powerful cultivator who has comprehended a fundamental Dao Path]."

"That is true," she conceded.

Exquisite Jiang nodded in agreement, yet continued, "Judging from today's events, it seems that in the future, if we wish to transcend the Primordial Spirit Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [the cataclysmic lightning tribulation faced when advancing to the Primordial Spirit realm], we will need to prepare Primordial Solar Spiritual Treasure [magical treasures of the highest solar grade, possessing immense power]."

"Tribulation Transcendence Spiritual Treasure [treasures specifically forged to aid in surviving heavenly tribulations]?"

Upon hearing this, a trace of vexation flickered across Eldrin Chen's face.

Based on the nature of this Primordial Spirit Heavenly Thunder Tribulation, it appeared that without a Primordial Solar Spiritual Treasure, only cultivators with Four Spiritual Roots [a superior innate spiritual foundation] or Five Spiritual Roots [the pinnacle innate spiritual foundation] could claim a success rate exceeding fifty percent. Read the full novel exclusively on audio–novel.com.

Cultivators with Three Spiritual Roots [a moderate innate spiritual foundation] or fewer, due to insufficient Lifebound Spiritual Treasure [a cultivator's personally bonded and nurtured magical treasure], possessed cultivation energy that was both less refined and less abundant. Their chances of success likely dwindled to a mere thirty percent.

To truly have hope of surviving the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation, one would require either a Primordial Solar Spiritual Treasure or some other exceptionally rare and powerful treasure.

Yet, even a Primordial Solar Spiritual Treasure like the Azure Abyss Sword would suffer grievous damage if used to weather a Heavenly Thunder Tribulation. The tribulation lightning was overwhelmingly tyrannical; it would injure the very artifact spirit [the sentient consciousness within a high-grade magical treasure] of the treasure itself.

Typically, after a Primordial Solar Spiritual Treasure was used to endure a Primordial Spirit Heavenly Thunder Tribulation, it required years, even decades, of careful nurturing with spiritual energy to restore its former might. Furthermore, the artifact spirit's spiritual essence and sentience would be permanently diminished.

For a Primordial Solar Spiritual Treasure [a sentient treasure of immense power, born from the primordial sun's essence] to consecutively aid three Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core realm of a cultivator] cultivators in withstanding their Heavenly Thunder Tribulation [the heavenly trial of thunder that tests a cultivator's foundation] would consume the precious Sixth Rank treasure known as 'Spirit-Awakening Holy Water' [a sacred liquid capable of restoring the spiritual intelligence of sentient treasures]. Otherwise, the treasure would grow progressively weaker, ultimately losing its sentience and the ability to revive autonomously.

For a Primordial Solar Spiritual Treasure, losing its sentience is nearly equivalent to the death of its spiritual soul.

The cost was truly immense. Therefore, the promise made by the Azure Abyss Sword [a legendary sword named for its deep, abyssal blue hue] to aid Eldrin Chen in overcoming his Primordial Spirit Heavenly Thunder Tribulation was an astonishingly significant commitment.

Eldrin Chen understood clearly that unless he could procure the 'Spirit-Awakening Holy Water', the Azure Abyss Sword would most likely not risk its very existence to help anyone other than himself face the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation.

With this thought in mind, Eldrin Chen pondered for a moment before speaking, "It seems that in the future, once our cultivation is sufficient, we must strive to acquire one or two more Primordial Solar Spiritual Treasure."

"..."

Traveling via Teleportation Formation [magical arrays designed for instantaneous travel over vast distances], the group returned to Myriad Ruins Province [a province famed for its countless ancient ruins] before long.

Eldrin Chen did not return to Spirit Isle Lake [a lake renowned for its spiritual energy and serene isles]. Instead, he went directly to the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire [a region of perpetual, mystical flames] to begin preparing for the alchemical refinement of the Heavenly Path Pill [a legendary pill said to aid in comprehending the Heavenly Dao].

Counting the years, Eldrin Chen had been cultivating for over one thousand one hundred years. Throughout this time, the high-grade elixirs for the Chen Clan had almost exclusively been refined by him and Exquisite Jiang, granting him an exceptionally rich reservoir of experience.

With his innate comprehension, his alchemical skill, while not yet having reached the Sixth Rank level, had already ascended to the pinnacle of the Quasi-Sixth Rank [a state just half a step below the Sixth Rank] realm.

Although this was his first attempt at refining the Heavenly Path Pill [a legendary pill said to guide one's cultivation closer to the Heavenly Path], he possessed considerable confidence in achieving a successful batch. The true question lay in how many pills he could successfully condense from the process.

Mindful of the preciousness of the Heavenly Path Energy [a rare and potent spiritual essence required for high-level alchemy], Eldrin Chen dared not be the slightest bit careless. He even first employed the Great Deduction Polarity Stars Path [a profound divination art] to ascertain the most auspicious moment before finally commencing the refinement.

Thus, time flowed swiftly by, a full three years consumed in the meticulous endeavor.

On this day, Eldrin Chen's expression was one of utmost gravity as he continuously channeled incantations to operate the Crimson Phoenix Furnace [a legendary alchemical cauldron].

After an immeasurable span, the Superior Spiritual Treasure [a classification for top-tier enchanted artifacts] gave a faint tremble. The lid atop the precious cauldron opened silently, and three immaculately white Precious Pill [pills of exceptional quality and potency], wreathed in cloud-like patterns, flew forth from within.

"Success."

Eldrin Chen swiftly gathered the three Precious Pill, a look of elation finally breaking through his focused demeanor.

Beside him, Exquisite Jiang wiped the sweat from her brow, withdrawing the Samadhi Fire [a pure, potent flame used in alchemy and cultivation] from beneath her own alchemical furnace. "Three pills from a single batch," she said with delighted surprise. "With sufficient spiritual power, you might even be capable of refining the Primordial Solar Precious Pill [an even more legendary solar-aligned pill]." Continue reading this story at audio—novel.com.