176: Chapter 176 Mid-stage Golden Core!

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The mass of Zixiao Peak expanded along with the influx of spiritual power.

In that moment, the thousand-zhang giant peak rose several dozen zhang higher. The rocks on the mountain's surface cracked and peeled away, revealing new mountain rock beneath that flowed with Purple-gold patterns.

Within the Thunder Pool.

Shi Jian's massive body slowly floated to the surface.

His size was another circle larger than it had been several years ago...

Threads of Purple-gold lightning arcs wandered through his pure white fur. At the end of every strand of hair hung a tiny bead of lightning.

His eyes snapped open.

Within his Thunder Pupils, it was no longer just simple purple-gold light; instead, nine Lightning sigils rotated and flowed deep within his pupils...

At this moment, Shi Jian advanced to the Mid-stage Golden Core!

“Roar—!”

A wild beast's cry resounded through heaven and earth. A terrifying pressure whistled like a mountain flood, completely releasing the pent-up frustration accumulated over many years...

Shi Jian stood up and shook his soaking wet fur.

Countless water droplets splashed in all directions. Every drop of Lightning liquid that hit the ground left behind a charred, scorched mark...

“Twenty years, I've finally broken through!”

Shi Jian howled wildly, his aura surging. He moved his neck, and immediately the bones throughout his body cracked and popped; he was filled with power from head to toe.

This feeling couldn't be better!

Zixiao's voice rang out in his mind: “Congratulations, stupid bear. At the Mid-stage Golden Core, you can be considered a figure of some standing in this world.”

“A figure of some standing?”

Shi Jian laughed. “Wait until I reach the Golden Core Late Stage before deciding if I'm a figure or not. The Middle Stage... is just so-so.”

“You bear, really...”

Zixiao was speechless. “How many Golden Cores are there in the entire Ming Prefecture combined? For a Yao Beast to cultivate to this level, you're still not satisfied?”

“The current Profound Spirit Continent is the territory of the Human Race.”

“Whenever a wild Yao breaks through to the Golden Core, they are inevitably suppressed immediately. The few remaining Golden Core Yao Beasts are all guardian Spirit Beasts of Nascent Soul sects, their lives controlled by others.”

“Now that you've cultivated to the Golden Core as a free being, it's enough!”

“I don't know how a bear like you was born so cunning, actually coming up with the method of infiltrating the Human Race to act as a Spirit Beast...”

“Plus, by using a Dao Oath as a shackle, those forces who want to control you have no way to truly take you away by force. If they did, it would violate the Dao Oath and your Foundation would be destroyed.”

“And those great forces want you to be used by them, so naturally they can't take you away by force. This creates a stalemate...”

“Tsk tsk~”

“If every member of the Yao Race was like you, the Human Race would probably have been wiped out by you all long ago.”

Hearing this, Shi Jian ignored him. He slightly raised his head and released his Divine Sense, sensing someone approaching in an instant...

A moment later, a white streak of light flew over from the direction of the southern mountains.

The speed wasn't fast; it was calm and unhurried.

Surrounded by clouds and mist, Daoist Yun Du arrived via flight. This entrance was truly a bit showy.

...

Daoist Yun Du landed halfway up Zixiao Peak. Higher up, the thunderclouds were too dense and posed a threat even to Golden Core Cultivators.

“Fellow Daoist Shi Jian, this poor Daoist has arrived a bit late. Congratulations on your Breakthrough to the Mid-stage Golden Core!”

Daoist Yun Du cupped his hands from a distance, his hair and beard fluttering in the thunderous wind. The smile on his face was sincere; he likely had something to ask of him.

Seeing this, Shi Jian transformed into a bolt of lightning and landed beside Daoist Yun Du.

“Mm. Brother Yun, is something the matter?”

Daoist Yun Du smiled. Seeing Shi Jian's perfunctory attitude, he wasn't annoyed; having cultivated for many years, he had long grown used to this bear's temperament.

From his sleeve, he took out a jade-green bottle and held it out on his palm.

“Dao-Transforming Essence-Gathering Dew, a good item I've cherished for many years. Today, in honor of your joy, I give it to Brother Shi.”

“This item is of some benefit to stabilizing one's cultivation. Keep it well, Brother Shi.”

With a hook of his claw, the jade bottle fell into Shi Jian's palm.

He wasn't polite, nor did he decline.

“Sit.”

The man and the bear went to a stone pavilion and sat opposite each other, overlooking the entire Yunjian Mountain Range from Zixiao Peak.

The sea of clouds surged, and the mountains were like islands.

“How have things been outside these years?” Shi Jian asked.

“Still the same.”

Daoist Yun Du picked up his whisk and gently brushed the Thunder-dust from his shoulder. “It's quite peaceful. The Taiqing Sect and Xuanqing Sect continue to huddle together, and the Liang Kingdom remains quiet.”

“The Jin State is gasping for its last breath, and our Qingcang Kingdom is also developing quietly.”

“The Protectorates of each province are functioning normally and are quite prosperous. Quite a few Golden Core Cultivators have emerged in recent years; every side has successors.”

“Is there any news from True Monarch Fang Yi's side?”

“None.”

Daoist Yun Du shook his head. “True Monarch Fang Yi has been in seclusion all these years, supposedly attempting to reach the Nascent Soul Mid-stage, though I don't know if it's true.”

“Inside the Shangqing Sect, they've changed a batch of managers, but it doesn't have much to do with a remote place like ours.”

Shi Jian nodded and didn't ask further.

Such was the general trend; though it seemed peaceful, the undercurrents never stopped.

But those major events, the games played at the Nascent Soul level and above, were not for him to worry about at his level, so there was no need to ask more.

By the time he found out, the situation would most likely have already been settled.

The two—no, the man and the bear—were silent for a moment.

Daoist Yun Du suddenly sighed.

“Fellow Daoist, besides congratulating you, I have one more matter I'd like your help with.”

Shi Jian's ear twitched. “Speak.”

“It's about Tianfan.”

Yun Tianfan... Shi Jian had an impression of this name...

He seemed to be Daoist Yun Du's younger clan brother, the Grand Elder of White Cloud Temple, with a cultivation at Foundation Establishment Perfection. His attainment in the Cloud Dao was quite profound.

Over the years, most of the internal affairs of White Cloud Temple had been managed by this person.

“What happened to him?”

Daoist Yun Du's expression was complex, containing expectation, worry, and more of an indescribable emotion.

“Tianfan is over two hundred years old this year.”

Shi Jian slightly raised his eyes.

Two hundred years. For a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, more than half of his Lifespan was gone. Even with Medicinal Pills to extend his life, he would only live another hundred years or so at most.

“He's going to charge for the Golden Core?”

Daoist Yun Du nodded. “He's been stuck at Foundation Establishment Perfection for forty years. His Foundation has been solidified to the limit; there's no further room for progress.”

“If he delays any longer, it will not only be unhelpful, but because his Lifespan is shortening, cracks will appear in his state of mind, and a fear of death will arise.”

“It's time to make the charge.”

Shi Jian nodded, agreeing with this judgment.

Once a Foundation Establishment Cultivator reached a certain age, if they didn't break through, there was only the path of death. Rather than waiting for the end, it was better to give it their all.

“Then what about his heaven and earth qi?” Shi Jian asked the critical question.

To form a Golden Core, one needed heaven and earth qi.

This was an ironclad rule with no exceptions.

Those who could forcibly condense heaven and earth qi during the Breakthrough process without relying on external heaven and earth qi were, without exception, all Heavenly Spiritual Roots or some kind of top-tier Prodigy possessing a special spirit body!

Daoist Yun Du's face darkened slightly as he shook his head.

“There is none.”

Shi Jian's claw paused.

“The Cloud Dao blessed land at Baifeng Cloud Gorge has not yet fully formed and cannot produce heaven and earth qi. Tianfan... he plans to forcibly break through the pass.”

Forcibly breaking through the pass.

Without the help of heaven and earth qi, relying solely on one's own cultivation and comprehension of the Dao to forcibly condense a Golden Core—this path wasn't impossible.

But the success rate was practically infinitesimal.

A Dual Spiritual Root might have a sliver of hope, for a Three-Element Spiritual Root it was one in ten, for a Four-Element Spiritual Root it was almost certain death, and for a Five-Element Spiritual Root, there was no possibility of success.

Shi Jian was silent for a while.

“You came to me because you want me to act as his Protector?”

“Yes.”

Daoist Yun Du said solemnly: “The Three trials of the Golden Core are each more dangerous than the last. If Tianfan should suffer Qi Deviation while charging the pass,”

“Or if he triggers a backlash from the celestial phenomena, with you sitting in guard nearby, we can at least ensure the safety of the surrounding Disciples...”

“I will act as a Protector myself, but... having two Golden Cores guarding together is ultimately more secure.”

Shi Jian glanced at the old Daoist.

He read the words Daoist Yun Du hadn't spoken.

Daoist Yun Du wasn't afraid of being unable to protect others; he was afraid he wouldn't be able to stop himself from intervening. Yun Tianfan was his clan brother, his companion for over a hundred years.

If the attempt to break through failed and his life hung by a thread,

Daoist Yun Du could hardly guarantee that he could watch rationally from the sidelines.

And any external intervention would lead to the absolute destruction of the person forming their core.

So he needed Shi Jian to be there.

He needed a calm, detached third party who could stop him at a critical moment. Clearly, Daoist Yun Du had no confidence in Yun Tianfan's Core Formation.

“Fine.”

“Just call me when the time comes.”

Daoist Yun Du let out a long sigh of relief and solemnly cupped his fists.

“Thank you, Fellow Daoist.”

“In half a year, Tianfan will begin his charge. At that time, I will come again to invite you.”

Shi Jian gave an “mm” and then transformed into a flash of lightning, vanishing into the summit of Zixiao Peak. For a time, dark clouds gathered and wild lightning converged.

The summit was once again shrouded, cutting off all investigation.

Seeing this, Daoist Yun Du tactfully rose to take his leave, departing as a streak of white light.

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