What is Fellow Daoist He up to?
Could it be that forming a Three-Law Golden Core isn't enough for him? Does he intend to add a fourth law?
Li Fan, who had been standing guard nearby, couldn't help but ponder.
If he succeeds, all will be well.
But I fear greed may lead to ruin instead.
However, this was the most critical moment of core formation, and Li Fan couldn't possibly interrupt He Zhenghao.
He had no choice but to wait patiently with quiet apprehension.
I wonder what Fellow Daoist He's fourth law might be?
When I came with him earlier, he never mentioned it. There's no reason he would keep this from me.
Does that mean he gained new insights during the core formation process itself? Li Fan pondered silently.
He didn't have to wait long for answers.
Just half a day later, the Three Undersea Faults below suddenly began shaking violently, as if struck by an undersea earthquake.
This wasn't the resurgence of Earth Vein’s or Mountain River’s powers. But rather... Li Fan's expression tightened, and his demeanor grew serious.
He raised his guard, staring intently at the scene below.
As the tremors intensified, cracks rapidly appeared across the seabed and mountain ranges, spreading and widening.
Within moments, the hundred-li expanse of the Three Undersea Faults was covered in fissures, looking like they were about to shatter at any moment.
The shaking grew even more violent. It was as if something was bursting out from below!
Dull explosions echoed from the deep seabed, rumbling without end.
Li Fan glanced at He Zhenghao, but the man’s expression showed no changes. It seemed he had been waiting precisely for whatever lay hidden in the sea’s depths.
After a moment's consideration, Li Fan did not intervene.
Activating a Trace-Eradicating Talisman for safety, he retreated to a distance, planning to watch events unfold as a bystander.
The earth roared, the seabed collapsed, and the Three Undersea Faults began crumbling.
Just as this natural wonder was nearly destroyed from within, the deeply buried object finally revealed itself.
A majestic three-tiered palace complex spanning dozens of li suddenly appeared before Li Fan's eyes.
The entire structure emanated an ancient, weathered aura. And on the highest building, the words “Taiyuan Palace” could faintly be seen.[1]
What's this? The emergence of a sect’s ruins? Li Fan was astonished, as he'd never heard of ruins on such a massive scale in previous simulation cycles.
Could the law fluctuations from He Zhenghao's core formation process have disrupted the ruins' seal?
As Li Fan speculated, the earth continued its relentless roaring. The sounds of grinding and crushing grew audible.
Boom!
Something seemed to shatter completely, and the seabed fully collapsed.
To Li Fan's astonishment, the Taiyuan Hall palace complex began slowly rising upward.
Not good!
Li Fan's expression changed.
Seeing the massive structure about to collide with them from below, he could no longer hesitate. He reached out to grab He Zhenghao and bring him out of the structure's range.
But just then, He Zhenghao's voice transmission reached his ears.
"Fellow Daoist, don't mind me! I have my own means of escape!"
Li Fan didn’t stand on ceremony. His figure flickered repeatedly through space, and he quickly left the danger zone.
Looking back, he couldn't help but worry for He Zhenghao.
He saw the man sitting upright and solemn, positioned directly above the ascending palace complex.
He Zhenghao neither dodged nor avoided the massive complex that was about to crash into him with unstoppable momentum.
Instead, his face lit up with joy, and he declared clearly, "Heaven aids me!"
The phantom of an array diagram manifested above his head. Facing the oncoming buildings, He Zhenghao rapidly formed a series of hand seals.
Yellow and blue light spread out, forming a gigantic net that blocked the path of the ascending palace.
Yet, moments later, this enormous net was torn to shreds.
Against such a colossal structure, it was as flimsy as paper, utterly incapable of delaying it for a single moment.
But the net served as a buffer, saving He Zhenghao from being immediately crushed to death.
Amidst the wildly scattering yellow and blue energies, He Zhenghao coughed up a large mouthful of blood and rapidly retreated.
As he fled, he reached out with both hands, making a slight grasping motion, as if seizing something from the architectural mass.
Once He Zhenghao was safe, Li Fan hurried forward to check his injuries.
He Zhenghao seemed utterly unconcerned with his own health. Wiping the blood from his lips, he stared at the rising structure, his eyes growing increasingly bright.
“Can mountains and rivers fly?
“Indeed, they can!”
Then, his face erupted into ecstatic joy.
“The Law of Ascension... This is the Mountain River Ascension’s Law...
“Earth Vein, Mountain River, Hidden Abyss, Ascension!
"With all four laws complete, my Golden Core is achieved!"
He Zhenghao burst into wild laughter.
Before his words fully faded, a violent fluctuation erupted from his body, forcing Li Fan to retreat far away.
The yellow representing Earth Vein's Law;
The azure-blue of Mountain River's Law;
The deep black of Hidden Abyss's Law
The purple-white of Ascension’s Law;
All appeared simultaneously around He Zhenghao.
They formed a swirling vortex of multicolored energy, intertwining and merging.
Centered around the Mountain River Hundred Veins Array Diagram, they converged.
Witnessing this spectacular scene from the side, Li Fan couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.
To think Fellow Daoist He actually succeeded.
A Four-Law Golden Core cultivator... They must be exceedingly rare, even across the entire Congyun Sea.
From this day forward, his status will be utterly transformed.
This Ascension’s Law, much like Hidden Abyss's Law before it, resonates subtly with the Mountain River Hidden Dragon Art he cultivates.
Who would have thought that the very site he chose for his breakthrough would conceal such ruins.
This is He Zhenghao's destined fortune.
Using divine sense, Li Fan perceived the palace complex, which was still continuing to accelerate as it ascended.
It was about to breach the ocean's surface.
However, the scale of the architectural complex also seemed to be shrinking.
This is no illusion. If so...
A realization struck Li Fan in that instant.
During his twelfth lifetime, Li Fan had once heard a tale.
In Anchor Year 22, a cave dwelling had risen from the seabed in the northwestern part of the Congyun Sea, then flown directly toward Jiushan Province.
Many curious cultivators had followed to investigate.
None ever returned, and their fates remained unknown.
So it was that cave dwelling?
Li Fan felt a sudden understanding.
Like an artifact, it can change sizes and fly at will. Which sect could these ruins belong to, to possess such abilities?
Hmm... Perhaps I should spread the word and let other cultivators scout the path for me.
It’s such a mystical sect residence, preserved so perfectly. It's bound to attract many cultivators interested in investigating.
Li Fan's mind instinctively began weaving schemes.
Before long, a peculiar fluctuation interrupted his thoughts.
In He Zhenghao's abdomen, a Golden Core was about to take shape.
The surface of the Golden Core revealed the faint traces of an array diagram.
As his aura surged dramatically, He Zhenghao successfully formed his core.
Simultaneously, a substantial influx of cultivation feedback flooded into Li Fan's dantian.
1. Guys this is Taiyuan, not Taiyan ☜