Chapter 785 : The Dao of Solitude

However, such peerless Immortal Maidens who have attained the Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul [the highest grade of Nascent Soul cultivation, harmonized with the Heavenly Dao] would naturally look down upon those inferior to myself.

The predicament is that most male cultivators of exceptional talent are often claimed early by other female cultivators, and the vast majority already have more than one concubine.

Unwilling to lower themselves and finding the remaining options unworthy, they instead dedicate their hearts wholly to pursuing the Great Dao [the ultimate path of cultivation and enlightenment].

Only when they feel they have no confidence to advance further would they even consider other possibilities.

For them, unless they find a Dao Companion who can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with myself, like Lilith, Mistress of Desire did with Kael Chen, they would rather become a concubine to a Nascent Soul Dao Lord [a supreme cultivator who has reached the Nascent Soul realm and comprehended a Great Dao] than marry someone beneath them.

After all, with their innate gifts, if a Nascent Soul Dao Lord were to support them with all his might, they might still have a sliver of hope to break through to the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core and highest essence of a cultivator, a realm beyond Nascent Soul].

Compared to becoming a concubine, the union between Verdant Enchantress Palace Master and Dao Lord Maris can be considered a match made in the heavens, a true fairy-tale romance.

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen inquired further, "And what of the recent Heaven and Man Resonance [a celestial phenomenon where heaven and earth resonate, often bestowing great fortune]? What was the outcome?"

"Three strands of Heavenly Dao Qi [the purest essence of the Heavenly Dao, a supreme treasure for cultivation] descended upon the Guyuan Mountain Range, and another three fell upon the Heaven's Spine Mountains,"

Old Patriarch recounted methodically, then stated calmly, "We secured one of these strands. A disciple of Maris the Sea Steader obtained another. The remaining four fell into the hands of others." Discover more cultivation stories at audio_novel.com.

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen nodded in agreement.

While not considered exceptionally rare or precious for a Nascent Soul Dao Lord [a supreme cultivator whose soul has taken nascent form], Heavenly Dao Qi [a strand of primordial energy embodying a fragment of the Heavenly Dao's will] still represented a not insignificant amount of wealth.

Even after his breakthrough into the Primordial Spirit Realm [the realm where a cultivator's spirit transcends mortality], Maris the Sea Steader had only managed to gather six strands of Heavenly Dao Qi from the depths of the Nine Heavens [the nine celestial layers above the mortal world].

In truth, with his cultivation at the Primordial Spirit Realm, Maris the Sea Steader possessed the power to gather even more of this energy.

However, the amount of Heavenly Dao Qi nurtured within the Purple Realm [a higher plane of existence] was finite. If a Nascent Soul Dao Lord took too much, the Cultivators of the World [the collective body of all practitioners in the world] would naturally receive less.

Therefore, the Heaven and Earth Will [the collective consciousness and natural order of the world] within the Purple Realm imposed a limit. Beyond the initial, larger allotment granted upon breakthrough—which varied based on one's innate foundation—a Nascent Soul Dao Lord could only gather three more strands every Millennium [a period of one thousand years].

Exceeding this quota would invite a Karmic Burden [a metaphysical debt of cause and effect that must be resolved], requiring a significant price to be paid for its resolution.

The thought that a junior from his clan, without any prior arrangement on his part, had managed to seize Heavenly Dao Qi filled Eldrin Chen with a surge of delight. "Which young scion has proven so remarkably capable this time?" he asked with evident pleasure.

"One of the Xing Generation [a specific generational cohort within the Chen Clan]. His name is Chen Xinghong."

Old Granduncle [an elder of the Chen Clan] was also visibly pleased, and once he began speaking of the clan's promising younger generation, his words flowed forth in an enthusiastic torrent.

Xinghong Chen was the favored son of heaven among the Xing Generation and also the most exceptionally gifted individual within their ranks. He was a peerless Heaven's Chosen with a Heavenly Spiritual Root, and he possessed the Yi Wood Dao Body [a Dao Body constitution aligned with the Wood element of the Five Phases].

That Yi Wood Dao Body, similar to Ignatius the Violet Flame's Violet Flame Dao Body, is one of the Five Elements Dao Body [constitutions intrinsically linked to the fundamental powers of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth].

This type of constitution cannot be considered a Superior Grade Dao Body, but it holds one uniquely advantageous trait: the lifespan of its possessor is extraordinarily long.

Taking Xinghong Chen as an example, although he had only recently broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm, his lifespan was already twice that of other Nascent Soul Cultivators at the same stage.

This was not even the most astonishing part. Legend spoke of an advanced version of the Yi Wood Dao Body—the fabled Yi Wood Longevity Body [the Wood Element Longevity Body]. Cultivators with such a superior constitution possessed lifespans several times longer than their peers.

If one cultivated to the Primordial Spirit Realm [the realm of the spiritual core], they could live for forty to fifty thousand years in a single lifetime. With the aid of a Longevity Treasure [a treasure that extends lifespan] like the Nirvana Immortal Apricot, living for one hundred to two hundred thousand years would be entirely within reach.

From this perspective, in terms of lifespan alone, the Yi Wood Longevity Body was not inferior to the Black Tortoise Demon Progenitor, and the Black Tortoise was a Mythical Immortal Seed [a constitution of mythical beings with potential for immortality] not weaker than the True Dragon. This Xinghong Chen possessed the Yi Wood Dao Body. Although it could not compare to the Yi Wood Longevity Body, if he could break through to the Primordial Spirit Realm, he would become the clan's Clan-Suppressing Foundation [a foundational pillar ensuring the clan's stability for generations].

Even if he could not ascend to immortality in the future, he would likely be able to safeguard the clan's peace and security for at least tens of thousands of years.

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen could not help but express his heartfelt approval. "For the past several hundred years, I have not overly involved myself in the clan's affairs, great or small. I never imagined such a promising talent would emerge from among our descendants."

"Very well. After I conclude this seclusion, I shall go and meet this Xinghong Chen."

Old Patriarch smiled upon hearing this, stroked his beard, and said, "After all, this is a rising star of the clan. It is indeed fitting for you to meet with him personally."

"There is no great hurry."

Eldrin Chen stood up, his gaze settling upon the fiery red jujube tree atop the Fire Vein, and spoke, "By my reckoning, the time has come to advance the grade of this Crimson Fire Immortal Jujube Tree."

It turned out that three years prior, the Crimson Fire Immortal Jujube Tree had already reached the Fifth Rank High Grade. It was now but A Step Away from becoming a Sixth Rank Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root.

At its current stage, the Crimson Fire Immortal Jujube Tree could bear nine Crimson Fire Immortal Jujube every Millennium, fruit potent enough to aid nine Nascent Soul True Lord in breaking through to the late-stage of their realm.

Yet, this was its limit. To ascend further, it required the aid of Primordial Essence [the purest, most foundational energy of creation]. This chapter is provided by audio—novel.com. Support the original.

The two arrived before the Crimson Fire Immortal Jujube Tree. After a careful observation, Eldrin Chen exhaled nine mouthfuls of Primordial Essence, allowing them to merge into the tree's very being.

Having absorbed the nine breaths of Primordial Essence, the Crimson Fire Immortal Jujube Tree shattered an invisible shackle in the depths of its existence. Its foundation and latent potential underwent a startling metamorphosis.

Upon the Crimson Fire Immortal Jujube Tree, wisps of profound Violet Qi [auspicious purple energy signifying supreme fortune and destiny] enveloped its crimson leaves and branches, gestating and evolving even more astonishing Dao Patterns [natural inscriptions containing the principles of the Great Dao].

Eldrin Chen performed a series of calculations. After a long moment, he finally spoke, "Advancing to a Sixth Rank Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root is no simple feat. I estimate it will require another Ten Sixty-Year Cycles before the Crimson Fire Immortal Jujube Tree completes its ascension."

"Ten Sixty-Year Cycles?"

Thalion Chen fell into deep contemplation. After a long silence, he finally spoke: "As long as the Crimson Fire Immortal Jujube Tree ascends to the Sixth Rank realm, then within three hundred years, I am confident I can elevate this Earth Vein to Sixth Rank as well."

"That is good."

A smile touched Eldrin Chen's lips. By this calculation, within a Millennium, the Chen Clan would possess a priceless Sixth Rank Ancestral Vein.

With a heart full of joy, Eldrin Chen traveled next to Immortal Apricot Island, Azure Lotus Continent, Spirit Isle Lake, and Eight Trigrams Island. At each location, he expended his Primordial Essence [the purest, most fundamental energy of creation] to help the clan's major Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root [a rare plant that gathers and refines the spiritual energies of heaven and earth] overcome their cultivation bottlenecks.

The clan's Spirit Peach Tree, Creation Azure Lotus, and other Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root had, under Eldrin Chen's care, advanced to the Fifth Rank High Grade over the years, reaching the absolute limit of their potential.

Now, nourished by Eldrin Chen's Primordial Essence, these Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root could resume their growth. Though the time required for each Spiritual Root to advance varied, their eventual ascension to the Sixth Rank realm was merely a matter of time.

After handling these matters, Eldrin Chen proceeded to Verdant Chariot Mountain and summoned the clan's newly ascended Nascent Soul cultivator, Xinghong Chen.

This Xinghong Chen was still relatively young. Blessed with exceptional talent and the clan's generous resources, he had broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm at just over five hundred years of age.

By all rights, such a peerless Heaven's Chosen [a title for a cultivator of extraordinary, heaven-blessed talent] would be a figure to awe entire continents, one whom even Nascent Soul Late Stage powerhouses would regard with respect. Such individuals were naturally proud and ambitious. Read the full novel exclusively on audio-novel . com.