Chapter 103: The Sudden Rise of Golden Core Phenomenon
Gathering Immortals Tower.
As Lin Changan began guarding this area, the top floor of the Gathering Immortals Tower was vacated for him.
Likewise, the surrounding cultivators also knew that with this Foundation Establishment cultivator stationed here, the business actually became even more booming.
However, during this period, Tianxuan City remained as bustling and lively as usual during the day, but at night, it became eerily quiet, as if under curfew.
At this moment, on the top floor, Lin Changan was holding a Spirit Brush, fully focused and solemnly drawing a talisman.
The brush moved like a dragon. At the exact moment he finished, the pale golden talisman paper beneath suddenly emitted bursts of cold air.
At the center of the talisman appeared a large character ‘寒’ (cold).
"Cold Ice Talisman."
Looking at his masterpiece, Lin Changan couldn't help but reveal a satisfied smile and nod. From acquiring it to successfully crafting it, he had taken only a little over two months.
"Although my own Talisman Master skills have already reached the second rank, for an ordinary Talisman Master to learn a new talisman, it usually takes at least half a year to grasp it thoroughly.
It seems that while I may lack somewhat in spirit root aptitude, I do have extraordinary perception."
Lin Changan was quite pleased with himself. He had achieved his current level entirely through his own efforts.
"The Cold Ice Talisman can instantly freeze and restrict an opponent’s movement. Cultivators with shallow cultivation might even have cold air infiltrate their bodies."
As for the effects of the Cold Ice Talisman, Lin Changan secretly nodded. Now he had yet another means of self-defense.
However, in recent times, his alchemical skills had been somewhat neglected.
But it couldn’t be helped. After all, at the Gathering Immortals Tower, drawing talismans was manageable and didn't take much time, whereas refining a single furnace of pills would take at least several hours.
Moreover, pill refinement would leave behind too many traces.
"It’s better to wait until the unrest in Tianxuan City passes. Once I return to my cave abode, I’ll refine pills in secret."
Caution avoids major mistakes. Lin Changan remained calm as still water.
Actually, whether or not Master Lu of the Blackwater Turtle had successors in Tianxuan City didn't matter to him. As long as this Master Lu could live another hundred years, that was enough.
"As long as Master Lu can hold on for another hundred years, a little turmoil is acceptable."
In a hundred years, he would surely reach the peak of Foundation Establishment. By then, he would be planning for Golden Core. However, in the impoverished land of Yue Country, Golden Core resources were far too scarce.
After all, even back then, Master Lu had to venture far into the Sea Abyss of Beasts in order to form a core.
"But that’s still too far off. For now, I must secretly improve my alchemical skills."
Lin Changan pondered silently. Only by advancing his alchemical skills to the second rank could he accelerate his cultivation speed.
He actually knew as well—his Regenerative Body was more suitable for body cultivation, but where could he find the time and resources to start from scratch?
Even now, he had to seize every day and dared not slack off in the slightest.
……
Time flowed on. Heavy snowflakes drifted over the skies of Tianxuan City.
【Lifespan: 58/210】
"Fifty-eight years old. With the nourishment of wood-element cultivation methods, my lifespan has increased by two years."
Clad in a green robe, Lin Changan sat upright in the Gathering Immortals Tower, gazing out the window at the blizzard-swept Tianxuan City, letting out a faint sigh.
Time truly flew. In the blink of an eye, Tianxuan City had already been established for eight years.
Scenes of life at Bamboo Mountain Marketplace continuously overlapped with those of Tianxuan City in his memory.
This brought a slight wave of emotion to Lin Changan.
"Many familiar faces from Bamboo Mountain Marketplace have come over. Now they’ve all gotten used to it."
Time was the most terrifying force between heaven and earth. Whether you were a commoner or a mighty Golden Core Ancestor, none could halt the passage of time.
Likewise, time would make one accustomed to everything.
Just like now, he had already grown used to this place, and even many cultivators from Bamboo Mountain Marketplace were gradually adapting.
"Look! What is that!"
Suddenly, an uproar erupted within Tianxuan City. Countless cultivators looked up in shock toward the sky.
Above Tianxuan City, the wind and clouds churned, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth converged in great amounts.
"Could this be the phenomenon of Golden Core!"
At this moment, Lin Changan atop the Gathering Immortals Tower was staring at the phenomenon above Tianxuan Peak with a face full of shock.
He had never seen a Golden Core phenomenon before, only heard about it.
Therefore, Lin Changan dared not slack in the slightest. He hurriedly activated the Spirit Eye, gazing in astonishment at the sky, where a massive amount of spiritual energy visibly began to converge.
Meanwhile, the entire Tianxuan City had erupted into chaos.
“Is it Master Lu’s disciple attempting Golden Core?”
“Haha, I’ve seen it! I’ve seen it! This is the Golden Core phenomenon…”
“It’s coming from the direction of Tianxuan Peak.”
“This is the Golden Core phenomenon!”
In an instant, the entire Tianxuan City was boiling over, with countless cultivators staring in shock at the fluctuating phenomenon in the skies above the central mountain of Tianxuan City.
For countless cultivators who might never witness such a scene in their entire lives, seeing the Golden Core phenomenon now naturally left them stunned.
“Has the Golden Core begun!”
On the Gathering Immortals Tower, Lin Changan opened his ink-black eyes, the reflection of the vortex of spiritual energy between heaven and earth flickering in his pupils.
At this moment, within a hundred-mile radius centered on Tianxuan City, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth grew unusually agitated.
All Qi Refinement cultivators within the city could feel an inexplicable pressure.
As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, Lin Changan was even more sensitive to the fluctuations of spiritual energy.
And in the moment following the sudden emergence of the phenomenon, cultivators within Tianxuan City quickly realized what was happening and hurried back to their homes—this was no time to be outside watching the spectacle.
“Fellow Daoists, Master Lu’s disciple is undergoing Golden Core. Today, all charges at the Gathering Immortals Tower are waived. Fellow Daoists, please…”
Inside the Gathering Immortals Tower, Shen Lie and Lu Qingqing hurried out at the first moment, beginning to evacuate the guests from the restaurant.
At this point, how could these cultivators still care about drinking and feasting? They rushed back to their cave abodes.
“All cultivators are to return home immediately, shut doors and windows tight. Anyone wandering outside after one incense stick’s time will be treated as a robber cultivator!”
Atop the Gathering Immortals Tower, a commanding voice filled with the might of a Foundation Establishment cultivator rang out, giving a sense of security to some of the panicking crowd.
It was Lin Changan, who had long since soared to the rooftop of the Gathering Immortals Tower, dispersing the cultivators in his jurisdiction with the pressure of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
The same scene was being reenacted all throughout Tianxuan City.
“But this feeling… it’s really not bad.”
Standing atop the snow-covered roof, looking down from above, this bird’s-eye view gave Lin Changan a sense of secret delight.
No wonder everyone wanted to climb higher. Cultivators were the same.
Back when he was in the Qi Refinement stage during times of chaos, he could only hide at home. Now that he was in the Foundation Establishment Realm, he could remain composed.
Just then, a loud roar echoed through the skies above Tianxuan City.
“Old Ghost Huang of the Palace of Blazing Fire, and those from the Pavilion of Mystic Sound—if any of you dare act presumptuously in Tianxuan City today, this old man will fight to the death!”
Master Lu’s voice resounded through the sky with inherent authority. Immediately after, terrifying auras of Golden Core cultivators emanated from Blazing Fire Peak and Mystic Sound Peak.
“Master Lu, when we invited you to guard Tianxuan City back then, it wasn’t to hand it over to you!”
“That’s right, Lu Turtle! Others may fear you, but the Palace of Blazing Fire does not. Tianxuan City isn’t yours. There was no such clause in the original agreement.”
“Fine! Fine! Very well! Then let’s settle this by force!”
Master Lu laughed in fury and bellowed. In the next instant, the terrifying figure of a third-rank Blackwater Turtle appeared in the sky.
The fearsome aura of a late-stage third-rank spirit beast swept across heaven and earth.
“Do you think we’re afraid of you!”
The Golden Core elder surnamed Huang from the Palace of Blazing Fire roared coldly with unshaken authority, showing no fear as he directly met the confrontation head-on.