Chapter 162: Final Core Pill
Over the skies of Tianxuan City, among the three spirit clouds that had gathered, one suddenly began to disperse.
“Did it fail?!”
Inside his cave abode, Lin Chang’an stared fixedly with his Spiritual Eye at the changes in the three Core Formation phenomena.
Although he had never seen a failure before, he had at least witnessed a success.
The Core Formation phenomenon atop Blazing Fire Peak—most likely, it had failed.
Immediately after, the condensation phenomenon atop Mystic Sound Peak also began to disperse, but unlike the sudden vanishing of the previous one, it faded away slowly.
This scene was entirely beyond Lin Chang’an’s understanding, leaving him utterly bewildered.
……
Just then, the sorrowful cry of an eagle pierced through the skies.
Under countless astonished gazes of cultivators, a third-rank demon beast had fallen—just like that?
“Lu Turtle, you shameless!”
“Master Lu, in this world you are the most untrustworthy of all!”
The two Core Formation late-stage cultivators from the Palace of Blazing Fire and the Shensword Sect, upon seeing a third-rank demon beast fall in an instant, hastily fled, cursing furiously over their shoulders.
At that moment, standing upon the back of the late third-rank Blackwater Turtle, Master Lu looked indifferent, his fingertips still holding a talisman that glimmered with ghostly light.
“This old man has roamed the cultivation world for so many years. If I were bullied so easily by you juniors, wouldn’t I have lived in vain?”
Master Lu spat to the side with contempt, his expression disdainful, as the talisman in his fingers slowly dissipated.
Although the two fleeing cultivators saw this scene clearly, neither dared risk testing him again.
“Damn this old turtle, he even has a Nascent Soul Realm Talisman Treasure.”
“I don’t believe it. This old turtle can’t live forever. Once this old thing is gone, what can a newly-advanced Core Formation girl rely on to hold out?”
Before departing, the yellow-robed Core Formation True Lord of the Palace of Blazing Fire spoke venomously:
“Lu Turtle, I’ll see just how much longer you can live!”
With one third-rank demon beast slain, the other two fled at a speed no slower than the cultivators.
After all, survival instincts made demon beasts react even faster than humans.
Atop the Blackwater Turtle, Master Lu sneered coldly.
Live longer than him? His lifespan was over eight hundred years; by calculation, he still had more than two hundred and fifty years left to live.
Even by endurance alone, he could outlast this generation of Core Formation cultivators from the two major sects.
The next day.
“Look quickly, thunderclouds rolling!”
Above Tianxuan Peak, thunder flickered amid the Core Formation clouds, accompanied by five-colored radiance, extraordinarily beautiful.
Now, countless cultivators outside Tianxuan City returned one after another, staring in shock at this Core Formation phenomenon.
It lasted for several hours before slowly dispersing, restoring the skies to normal.
Once again, it was a day of clear skies and gentle winds, as though everything before had been nothing but an illusion.
Soon after, joyous news spread from Tianxuan City.
“Master Lu’s disciple has formed a Core—two Core Formation True Lords now sit in town!”
Joy instantly filled Tianxuan City. Numerous rogue cultivators, young and old, who had long lived in fear of annihilation, burst into tears of relief.
“Formed a Core!”
“They really formed a Core!”
“Haha, heaven favors us rogue cultivators!”
Indeed, after Master Lu’s disciple in Tianxuan City formed a Core, no one was happier than these scattered cultivators.
“One True Core, one False Core!”
As a guest elder of Tianxuan City, Lin Chang’an naturally received a detailed report.
Upon learning that Su Miaoyin had formed a True Core while Song Tingfeng had formed a False Core, Lin Chang’an revealed sudden realization.
“So that’s how it is—failure and False Core phenomena look like this.”
Witnessing four Core Formations with his own eyes, he saw that both Fairy of Rainbow Skirt and Su Miaoyin had condensed True Cores, and through his Spiritual Eye, the quality of their Cores seemed about the same.
Lin Chang’an could not help but envy them. This was the advantage of having a good father—and it also confirmed Master Lu’s secret technique to improve spiritual roots.
“The Heaven-Mending Pill, truly enviable.”
As for the failed Core condensation on Blazing Fire Peak, it was the Han Family cultivator who had previously purchased a Core Formation Spirit Item at Tianxuan City’s first auction.
Unfortunately, his foundation was too shallow, and he failed nonetheless.
Song Tingfeng, meanwhile, had only managed to condense a False Core.
With the success of Su Miaoyin’s Core Formation, the news began spreading from Tianxuan City to the Yue Kingdom and even across the Seven Kingdoms.
……
Palace of Blazing Fire.
“Damn it! Lu Turtle, I’ll see how long you can keep protecting that girl!”
The yellow-robed Chief Elder furiously smashed the table before him, his eyes blazing with unquenchable wrath.
“When you die, what can a mere newly-formed Core Formation girl do? Even if she inherits the late third-rank Blackwater Turtle, in the cultivation world strength is what matters most.
This old man has just the need for a late third-rank demon beast’s Core!”
Shensword Sect.
“Pity. Man proposes, heaven disposes. Perhaps Master Lu truly has great fortune—his disciple really formed a Core. Judging by the phenomenon, its quality is not inferior to that girl from Mystic Sound Pavilion.”
“Chief Elder, why be so discouraged? Even if we face one more Core Formation cultivator, with the Shensword Sect and Palace of Blazing Fire united, what does it change? In absolute strength, they can only hold out for a while longer.”
Though debate was rife within the Shensword Sect, under this pressure both sects realized they could no longer fight separately.
They must join hands and cooperate wholeheartedly to defeat Mystic Sound Pavilion and Tianxuan City. Otherwise, with so few resources in the Yue Kingdom, there would be no room for four major forces.
……
Tianxuan City.
“Haha, Brother Lin, we’ve struck it rich, truly struck it rich!”
On the top floor of Juxian Tower, Old Hu’s face glowed red with excitement as he clapped his hands, tallying the enormous profits.
Beside him, Old Jia sighed deeply. Out of caution, he had not invested much, so his gains were relatively meager.
Ghost Three Blades and He Yan, meanwhile, stared enviously at the accounts.
The two of them had invested everything they could, but with little skill and limited resources, their stake had been small.
Of course, the largest investors had been Lin Chang’an, Hu Jin, and Yun Yao.
In Tianxuan City, many had previously acquired numerous land deeds for spirit fields. But when the situation looked grim, they panicked and sold them off at low prices.
Who could have guessed that right after they cut their losses, Su Miaoyin would successfully form a Core? Those people now regretted so bitterly they nearly turned green with envy.
“Old Hu, your family wealth is truly not thin.”
“Of course! My ancestors even produced a Core Formation cultivator—almost a Nascent Soul powerhouse, in fact.”
Seeing Old Hu showing off, everyone burst into laughter.
Lin Chang’an laughed as he pointed at him. Rarely in life did one find two or three true friends. At least with Old Hu, there was no need to worry about scheming or hidden tricks.
As for Yun Yao, though she rarely showed any particular skills, her wealth was actually the greatest among them.
Lin Chang’an secretly sighed to himself—sure enough, banditry and looting did bring riches. When Yun Yao plundered the Treasure Pavilion of the Palace of Blazing Fire, who knew how much she had taken.
“Brother Lin, we’ve made a fortune this time! With these cultivation resources, we won’t need to worry anymore—why risk our lives now?”
Old Hu laughed heartily. Indeed, they had bought low at just the right time, and now their profits overflowed.
Lin Chang’an also raised his wine cup, smiling at the crowd:
“Come, let’s drink to our future, to Tianxuan City.”
“Drink! We must drink—Tianxuan City is truly the land of fortune for Old Hu!”
In Tianxuan City, joy and sorrow coexisted.
Those cultivator families who had sold their properties prematurely were utterly dumbfounded.
At this point, how could they be willing to leave?
Tianxuan City’s rich spiritual energy—who would abandon their home for the unknown dangers of elsewhere? Even a dog would know the better choice.
Especially now, with both Su Miaoyin and Master Lu standing openly as True Core cultivators, alongside two False Core disciples.
Together with the late third-rank Blackwater Turtle and early third-rank Gold-devouring Mouse,
Even if Master Lu were to depart one day, the foundation of Tianxuan City now rivaled that of any of the three great sects of the Yue Kingdom.
Tianxuan City had such a foundation, how could it willingly give it up?
Thus, many cultivators were filled with regret.
“The beast tide has passed, Tianxuan City will probably be lively for quite some time.”
“Yes, this time Tianxuan City’s demon-beast resources have drawn the eyes of many merchant guilds from across the Seven Kingdoms.”
“That’s just right, our black market can seize this opportunity to make some profit and recover the losses of the past half year.”
At the banquet, everyone was filled with laughter and joy. At the very least, they had won their bet—the difference was only in how much each had gained.
Meanwhile, Yun Yao had altered her appearance with a magical artifact. With a calm expression, her gaze flickered with memories as she looked at the layout of Juxian Tower.
Shen Lie and Lu Qingqing had both grown old, but everyone was living well.
“Perhaps we are no longer fellow travelers.”
Yun Yao sighed inwardly. Even if they met again, what would it matter? During this beast hunt she had seen Li Yifan, Wei Yingying, and Shen Fan, the descendants of her old acquaintances.
Secretly, she had lent them some aid, but the chasm between Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining remained.
Even just-advanced Li Yifan still lacked the foundation to compare with them.
She still had her own road to walk.
……
“A Core Formation celebration?”
After returning to his cave abode, Lin Chang’an looked at the invitation from Tianxuan City and smiled.
“Indeed, now that Tianxuan City’s momentum is soaring, with a newly-formed Core cultivator and a False Core cultivator, it should be celebrated.”
In the Seven Kingdoms, forming a True Core meant becoming one of the players in the great game.
Every Core Formation cultivator would hold a grand celebration, to display strength and reassure the people.
“With such a foundation, Tianxuan City will surely not withdraw easily from the Yue Kingdom’s situation.”
Putting the invitation away, Lin Chang’an returned to his cave abode. Sensing the fluctuations within, he nodded in satisfaction.
A double blessing—Tianxuan City’s situation was secure, and within his cave abode, the Wind-Chirp Bird was breaking through. Judging by the stabilized aura, success was near.
“At last, my Quasi–third-rank Demon Core wasn’t wasted.”
“Moo!”
The Azure-Horned Bull walked over with a fawning look, its large eyes staring toward the cave abode with visible concern.
Though it disliked the bird, at least it meant another companion. If the master ever used it to lure enemies again, there would at least be another to take the hit.
“All right, you should also cultivate diligently, strive to break through to third rank in the future.”
With the Wind-Chirp Bird’s breakthrough to mid second-rank, Lin Chang’an was in great spirits. He even rewarded the Azure-Horned Bull with a Spirit Fruit.
Now he possessed two mid second-rank spirit beasts. His strength far exceeded ordinary rogue cultivators. Even compared to Foundation Establishment cultivators of sects and great clans, his foundation was unmatched.
“Two mid second-rank spirit beasts—this isn’t something ordinary cultivators can raise.”
Lin Chang’an was utterly satisfied. Now, even facing a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, he dared to contend.
More importantly, the Wind-Chirp Bird’s breakthrough would greatly aid him in exploring cave abode relics in the future.
……
Next, the entire Tianxuan City felt as though an aged dragon had regained its vitality.
Where once eyes had been dull with despair and uncertainty, now they shone with hope.
Though many had fallen in the beast tide, death was long familiar in the cultivation world.
The city’s bright future and prosperity now overshadowed the cries behind it.
Black Market.
“Brother Lin, the Core Formation celebration of Tianxuan City is a major event! All Foundation Establishment cultivators in the city have been invited. When the time comes, I, Old Hu, must wear a new magical robe.”
Seeing Old Hu’s beaming face, it was clear he had earned a fortune recently from buying at the bottom.
“Magical robes, you’re right. Such a solemn celebration does call for us to wear a new robe.”
Lin Chang’an also nodded with a smile.
The magical robe had many benefits. Beyond showing respect for the Core Formation celebration, it was itself a fine defensive magical artifact.
“Brother Lin, we don’t have many spirit fields left to sell, but the shop deeds will rise further in value after some time.”
Old Hu gestured happily, making Lin Chang’an smile and nod.
Now, even among Foundation Establishment cultivators, they were considered quite wealthy.
Just then, the sound of sorrowful cries rose again from downstairs, ruining their good mood.
Old Hu scowled in disgust, snapping:
“The Qin Family dares call themselves a great clan? Back then, everything was written in black and white. Now they want to take back their shops?
Ridiculous! During the half-year beast tide, I, Old Hu, met this man—he mocked us as gamblers.”
Old Hu spoke loudly, making no attempt to hide his words—it was meant for those downstairs to hear.
Lin Chang’an remained calm. Just as Old Hu had said, they had borne the risk back then.
One could not only see them laughing today and forget the risks they had taken before.
At this moment, Qin Feng came upstairs. Upon seeing Lin Chang’an and Old Hu, his eyes reddened with regret.
“Fellow Daoist Lin, Fellow Daoist Hu, please, for the sake of us all being Foundation Establishment cultivators, return the shops once owned by my Qin Family.”
Before Lin Chang’an could reply, Old Hu sneered and mocked:
“Well, if it isn’t Old Qin. I remember someone once said us gamblers were least deserving of pity. I even told you back then—if you regretted it, you could redeem your shop. But someone was far too disdainful.”
Facing Old Hu’s jibes, the Qin Family Patriarch’s face thickened as he cupped his fists apologetically.
“Fellow Daoists, I admit my mistake. Please be generous. For the previous properties, my Qin Family will add twenty percent more for you.”
“Twenty percent!”
Hearing this, Lin Chang’an was infuriated by his shamelessness. Did he think that because they were fellow Foundation Establishment cultivators, they would simply concede?
If this precedent was set, what use would there be in running a black market?
Besides, who had cared for their risks back then?
If the situation had turned out differently, would anyone pity them?
“Fellow Daoist Qin, the value of these shops has already more than doubled. I believe in time they’ll rise even higher.”
“Moreover, we exchanged them for Foundation Establishment Pills. Your Qin Family used those pills to add another Foundation Establishment cultivator during the beast tide. And now you act like this—are you not afraid of being laughed at?”
Lin Chang’an’s calm words made his stance perfectly clear.