Chapter 821 : Whispers of the Outer Realm Demon

With this thought, Eldrin Chen inquired, "For Cosmos Heaven's Punishment to achieve a breakthrough into the Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator] realm is truly a joyous occasion."

"However, with Star Lord Alkaid's failed breakthrough this time, I fear the Alkaid Star Palace may never recover its former glory."

"Indeed," Exquisite Jiang agreed with a sigh, her tone tinged with regret. "It is said Star Lord Alkaid had already successfully drawn upon his Heaven Soul [a celestial destiny or fate]. Yet, at the critical moment, he was overcome by an Inner Demon [a demon born from one's own heart demons and negative emotions]. The reports claim his soul was seized and scattered, leading to his demise."

"Oh?" Eldrin Chen's gaze sharpened, a flicker of surprise crossing his features. "The Stellar Palace is an ancient Immortal Inheritance [a legacy of cultivation arts and techniques passed down from immortals]. How could they lack treasures to subdue Inner Demon?"

"I do not know."

Exquisite Jiang shook her head, her expression turning grave. "Perhaps his heart was too impatient, creating a flaw in his mental state that the Inner Demon exploited."

"Yet, in recent years, whispers have spread among the Path Lord [a master of a particular cultivation path] of the Eastern Region Great Wasteland. Some suggest the Outer Realm Demon God [a powerful demonic entity from beyond this world] did not wish to see the 'Big Dipper Seven Stars Demon Refining Grand Formation' [a grand formation that refines demons using the power of the Big Dipper stars] reappear in the world and deliberately struck from the shadows."

"The machinations of an Outer Realm Demon God?"

Eldrin Chen frowned, then drew a deep breath. "It seems we must tread with even greater caution, lest we too fall prey to the schemes of the Outer Realm Demon God."

"My thoughts exactly," Exquisite Jiang replied. "I have heard that within the Lotus Pond of the Western Pole Serene Spirit Temple, there exists a supreme demon-subduing treasure—the 'Merit Golden Lotus' [a golden lotus born from accumulated merit, capable of suppressing all evil]. It can vanquish all manner of wickedness and pacify karmic obstructions." Continue your cultivation journey at audio_novel.com.

"I thought that if an opportunity arose, I could exchange for it to advance my Primordial Golden Lotus Throne [a powerful spiritual artifact shaped like a lotus throne], to better guard against the hidden schemes of that Outer Realm Heavenly Demon [a powerful demonic entity from beyond this world]."

Eldrin Chen's eyes lit up, and he said directly, "Then there's no time like the present. Since the Demonic Abyss Cataclysm [a periodic, world-shaking calamity] is still one Sixty-Year Cycle [a period of sixty years] away, let us go directly to the Western Pole Eternal Sands Domain [a vast desert realm at the western extremity]."

"Not so fast."

Exquisite Jiang shook her head, stopping him as she said, "Not long ago, news came from the Eastern Sea Cultivation World [the world of cultivators centered around the Eastern Sea] that Freya has successfully broken through to the Primordial Spirit realm [the spiritual core stage of cultivation]."

"Violet Consort has now also completed her cultivation cycle. Her intention is to attempt a breakthrough to the Primordial Spirit Realm [the realm of the Primordial Spirit] before the Demonic Abyss Cataclysm arrives."

Only after Exquisite Jiang finished speaking did Eldrin Chen understand the reason.

Unlike Exquisite Jiang, that Violet Consort Yan inherited the legacy of the Violet Cosmos Path Lord [a title for a master of the Violet Cosmos cultivation path]. Long ago, before his passing, Demon-Slayer Jiang [a title meaning 'Jiang the Demon Slayer'] had already arranged her cultivation path.

Aside from cultivation arts and Heavenly Path Energy [a rare and potent form of spiritual energy], Violet Consort Yan actually possessed one Primordial Spirit Pill [a legendary pill that aids in breaking through to the Primordial Spirit realm].

However, this Primordial Spirit Pill was exceedingly precious. Given Violet Consort Yan's strength at the time, she could not safely possess it. Thus, this pill was left in the safekeeping of the Central Ancestral Domain [the central, most ancient region], specifically with the Zhang Immortal Clan [the Zhang Clan of Immortals], a long-time allied family of the former Kiang Clan.

That Zhang Immortal Clan from the Central Ancestral Domain was also an ancient Immortal Clan [a clan with a history of producing Immortals]. In the past, they had given birth to an Ancient Immortal [an Immortal from ancient times]. Although their current strength was far from its former glory, they remained a Path Lord Sacred Land [a holy land ruled by Path Lords] possessing several Path Lord [masters who have comprehended their own Dao Path].

The Kiang Clan entrusted this Primordial Spirit Pill [a supreme elixir for advancing one's spiritual core] to the Zhang Clan for safekeeping, with the agreement that Violet Consort Yan would retrieve it once she had attained the Half-Step Primordial Spirit [a transitional state just below the full Primordial Spirit Realm].

It was precisely for this reason that when Exquisite Jiang retrieved the two Primordial Spirit Pills back then, she did not contemplate keeping one for her personal use.

Now that Violet Consort Yan had broken through to the Half-Step Primordial Spirit Realm, it was time to retrieve the Primordial Spirit Pill and attempt her charge into the true Primordial Spirit Realm [the realm of the spiritual core].

After explaining the whole story, Exquisite Jiang pondered and said, "The Primordial Spirit Pill is immensely precious. Violet Consort is merely a Half-Step Primordial Spirit and fears that once she possesses the pill, she will draw covetous gazes."

"That is why she sought us out, wishing for our company on this journey."

"Very well,"

Eldrin Chen nodded, then mused, "Our path to the Western Pole Lands will conveniently pass by the Central Ancestral Domain. A stop at the Zhang Clan would be opportune."

"Then I shall send a reply to Violet Consort."

Seeing this, Exquisite Jiang could not help but reveal a faint smile.

She was her close confidante of many years, their friendship spanning nearly two millennia. Naturally, she too wished to see Violet Consort Yan successfully ascend to the Primordial Spirit Realm.

"..."

Early the next morning, Exquisite Jiang sought out Violet Consort Yan. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the group did not linger and set off directly for the Central Ancestral Domain.

They traveled westward via Teleportation Formation [a magical array that allows instantaneous travel over vast distances]. After several months, they arrived within the borders of the Central Ancestral Domain.

Shortly after entering the Central Ancestral Domain, Lila frowned and remarked, "The spiritual energy [the vital energy that flows through all living things and the world itself] here in the Central Ancestral Domain is remarkably thin."

Within the lands of the Central Ancestral Domain, any place with a trace of spiritual energy was already claimed territory. The remaining unclaimed lands possessed spiritual energy so sparse it was startling.

In the Eastern Region Great Wasteland, the wild mountains and desolate forests were never without Demon Beasts [monstrous creatures tainted by demonic energy], and they seemed almost impossible to eradicate completely. Continue your cultivation journey at AUDIO-NOVEL.COM.

Yet here in the Central Ancestral Domain, as Eldrin Chen swept his divine sense [a cultivator's extended spiritual perception] across tens of thousands of Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters], he found not a single Demon Beasts. Instead, the land was filled with mortal farmers and settlements; even venomous insects and fierce beasts were a rare sight.

The reason for this stark contrast lay in the practices of the Central Ancestral Domain. The great Immortal Clan [powerful families with long lineages of cultivators] here had deployed Spirit Gathering Formation [magical arrays that draw in and concentrate ambient spiritual energy], relentlessly siphoning the world's spiritual energy for themselves.

The sheer number of cultivators and Immortal Clan was so vast that nearly all the spiritual energy between heaven and earth had been drawn into their Spirit Mountain [mountains rich with spiritual energy] and Path-Field [cultivation estates]. This left the spiritual energy in the wilderness so depleted it reached its absolute limit.

The spiritual energy here was less than one-fiftieth of what could be found in the wilds of the Eastern Region Great Wasteland. It was so scarce that it could no longer even nurture the birth of Demon Beasts.

Eldrin Chen estimated that even a cultivator with a Heavenly Spiritual Root, if they cultivated within the Central Ancestral Domain without the aid of a Spirit Mountain [a mountain peak rich in spiritual energy], would likely never be able to break through to the Vital Essence Refinement Mid Stage in their entire lifetime.

Seeing this, Verdant Consort also shook her head and said, "The number of high-level cultivators in the Central Ancestral Domain equals several Eastern Region Great Wastelands, and the number of low-level cultivators exceeds that of the Eastern Region Great Wasteland by more than tenfold. Naturally, the spiritual energy [the vital energy that flows through all living things and the world] is insufficient."

"Indeed. Who would have thought that within the vast expanse of the Eastern Region Great Wasteland, the conditions for cultivation would be so arduous? No wonder, despite knowing the dangers of other territories, all the major Immortal Clans [powerful families of cultivators] are venturing outward."

Eldrin Chen also shook his head, unable to suppress a sigh as he spoke.

Now he vaguely understood the importance of the Eastern Region Great Wasteland and the Eastern Sea Cultivation World. The Central Ancestral Domain had been developed to its limit, and its capacity to sustain Primordial Spirit Path Lords [cultivators who have reached the Primordial Spirit realm and comprehended a Path] had also reached its peak.

Currently, the Central Ancestral Domain was guarded by a full three Demigod Patriarchs and dozens of Primordial Spirit Path Lords, appearing incomparably powerful. Yet, it could no longer support the cultivation of any more practitioners.

Although the strength of the Human Race in the two great cultivation domains of the Eastern Sea and the Eastern Region Great Wasteland was not formidable, this was not because those lands were incapable of producing Primordial Spirit Path Lords or peerless prodigies.

In fact, every thousand years, these two regions gave birth to at least one or two newly ascended Primordial Spirits [cultivators who have formed their spiritual core]. It was only because of the Demonic Abyss Cataclysm [a great calamity originating from a demonic abyss] that occurred every millennium, which continuously drained the lifeblood of these two Immortal Realms [worlds where cultivation is practiced], that they struggled to recover their peak strength.

If the Eastern Region Great Wasteland and the Eastern Sea Cultivation World were lost, then the cultivation resources controlled by the Purple Seal Realm Human Race would shrink by more than half, and their strength would grow weaker with each passing conflict.

Unless a heaven-defying Immortal like Imperial Sovereign Jiang, born to face the tribulation, were to emerge, what could an increasingly weakened Purple Seal Realm possibly use to resist the Outer Realm Demon Gods?

"Judging solely by the thinness of the spiritual energy [the vital energy that flows through all living things and the world], the competition for resources within the Central Ancestral Domain is likely even fiercer than in our own Eastern Region Great Wasteland."

The thought flashed through Eldrin Chen's mind before he firmly suppressed it.

He glanced at Exquisite Jiang and Lila beside him, then shook his head with a light laugh. "But that is no concern of ours. Let us first proceed to the Zhang Immortal Clan to retrieve the Primordial Spirit Pill [a supreme elixir that aids in the formation of a cultivator's Primordial Spirit]." The story continues at AUDIO-NOVEL.COM.