Chapter 395 Slaying a Golden Core (3)

“The scene was extremely grim. The initial guess is that a Golden Core Powerhouse was responsible, as there was no trace of a Nascent Soul Great Power’s aura.”

Lie Mountain heard this and waved his hand. “You are dismissed. Continue monitoring the True Martial Sect for any activity. Report back immediately if you find anything.”

“Yes, sir.”

After Li Jianfeng left, Lie Mountain’s expression was grim and unsettled.

First, the Demon Suppression Array became unstable, and now even a Golden Core Powerhouse has died under mysterious circumstances.

The situation was deeply worrying.

‘I hope I’m just overthinking things.’

*Sigh.*

‘Such troubled times.’

…

「That night.」

Liang Cheng was meditating on a barren mountain outside Lin Wu City.

As long as the Golden Core is not destroyed, the physical body will not die.

This time, his injuries had seemed severe, but his foundation remained unharmed. After regulating his breath through meditation, he was mostly recovered. This was the true power of a Golden Core Powerhouse.

Before meeting Elder Huang, although he couldn’t heal completely, he needed to at least recover enough that his combat strength wouldn’t be affected. He could then take his time to fully recuperate later.

The battle with Bai Yeli during the day had given him new insights into Martial Dao True Intent. He closed his eyes, carefully replaying that final moment.

[Sword Intent: Middle Level (83,721/200,000)]

[Fist Intent: Middle Level (79,236/200,000)]

‘It seems that honing my skills through battle truly is the best way to advance my Martial Dao True Intent.’

He then took out Bai Yeli’s Storage Ring. Unfortunately, it was sealed with a Prohibition. Liang Cheng didn’t dare try to force it open, so he couldn’t access its contents.

‘It seems I’ll need to learn about Forbidden Arrays when I return to the Sect. Besides, the Locking Sky Array from that battle still gives me chills.’

‘It’s a method of self-protection, after all.’

‘But how did Bai Yeli know my route? There must be something strange going on. I need to investigate carefully and find out what’s behind this.’

After reviewing the gains and losses from the battle, Liang Cheng stood up.

Although he still had some minor injuries, they were no longer severe enough to prevent him from seeing Elder Huang.

…

「Lin Wu City.」

The Alchemy Room in the back hills of the Martial Arts Academy.

By the time Liang Cheng landed in the small courtyard, it was nearly dusk.

He hadn’t alerted anyone. Concealing his aura, he silently pushed open the door to the Alchemy Room. Elder Huang was squatting in front of a furnace, fanning the flames.

His hair was a mess and his gray robes were splotched with oil stains—the same old slovenly appearance.

Hearing the door open, Elder Huang didn’t even turn around. “Who are you looking for?”

“You.”

The fan in Elder Huang’s hand paused. He slowly turned his head, and upon seeing Liang Cheng’s face, he froze for a second before resuming fanning the fire. His words, however, were full of meaning.

“You’ve made quite some progress, kid.”

Liang Cheng had completely concealed his aura; even he hadn’t noticed him.

Liang Cheng walked over and sat down across from him. Even though he was now in the Golden Core Realm, he still couldn’t see through Elder Huang.

‘Golden Core?’

‘Or Nascent Soul?’

“What are you here for?”

Liang Cheng got straight to the point. “I’d like to ask you about someone again.”

“Who?”

“The Cold Pool Wanderer.”

Elder Huang’s hand froze.

“Didn’t you ask about him last time? I just happened to know him back in the day, that’s all.”

Liang Cheng wasn’t in a hurry.

“Elder Huang, I saw his afterimage in the Demon Suppression Array. After thinking it over, I believe you are the only one who can clear up my confusion.”

Hearing this, Elder Huang stopped fanning. The furnace fire crackled, casting deeper shadows on the wrinkles of his face.

After a long moment, he finally spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse.

“You really saw him?”

Liang Cheng nodded.

“Inside the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda?”

Liang Cheng nodded again.

Elder Huang put down his fan, stood up, and walked to the window, gazing at the darkening sky outside.

“I never thought you’d get this strong in such a short time, kid. The fact that you could see him means you’ve already broken through to the Golden Core.”

Elder Huang still couldn’t sense Liang Cheng’s aura, but his tone was one of absolute certainty.

Liang Cheng was taken aback and decided to release his aura. Elder Huang, however, frowned.

“You’re injured?”

Liang Cheng nodded, not trying to hide it.

Frowning, Elder Huang got up and rummaged around until he found a bottle of elixirs.

“Great Returning Pills. You’ve had them before. Lucky for you, I still have a bottle here.”

Liang Cheng accepted it, swept it with his Divine Sense, and without hesitation, swallowed one.

He channeled his Crossing the Sea True Intent. His injuries were already minor, but now they healed even faster, and in a matter of moments, he was fully recovered.

Elder Huang didn’t ask what had happened, merely looking up as if lost in thought.

“Since you’ve already ascended to the Golden Core Realm, I suppose I can tell you a story.”

“Once, there was a genius disciple of the Penglai Sect. He achieved Core Formation at twenty-eight, and by thirty-six, the entire Sect said he would surely reach the Nascent Soul Realm within a hundred years.”

“And then?”

“Then he entered the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda.”

“And met the strongest Loose Cultivator of that era, the Cold Pool Wanderer.”

As he said this, a complex emotion flickered in Elder Huang’s eyes.

“The Cold Pool Wanderer was already on the verge of breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm. But after he came out of the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda, his spirit was broken and his drive was completely gone.”

“After that, he no longer prepared to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm. Instead, he traveled all over the Seventy-Two Islands Overseas, and no one ever saw him again.”

“That’s the story as I know it. Do you still have questions?”

“You saw his phantom image. Did he leave any instructions?”

Liang Cheng fell silent, then slowly said, “He only said one sentence: ‘Come back after you reach the Nascent Soul Realm.'”

After hearing this, Elder Huang suddenly laughed.

“Nascent Soul? So what if it’s the Nascent Soul Realm?”

When he finished laughing, he looked at Liang Cheng.

“Actually, regarding the Cold Pool Wanderer, you shouldn’t have come to me. You should go to Profound Ice Island. His descendants, with the surname Tan, live there.”

“Of course, whether you can find them or not is your business.”

Hearing this, Liang Cheng recalled that when he received the Cold Pool Wanderer’s legacy, he was indeed asked to look after his Tan-surnamed descendants. This trip would be a way to resolve that Cause and Effect.

“Thank you, Elder Huang.”

Elder Huang waved his hand dismissively and squatted down again to fan the fire.

“Oh, right. There was a huge commotion in the Outer Sea earlier. It seems that was your doing, kid. A lot of people have gathered there now, so when you go to Profound Ice Island, you should bypass that area.”

Before Liang Cheng could deny it, he started shooing him away.

“Go, go, go. Don’t disturb my Alchemy. Get out of here.”

Liang Cheng nodded, stood up to take his leave, and walked out the door.

Inside the Alchemy Room, only the crackling of the furnace fire remained.

After a long while, Elder Huang muttered to himself.

“‘Someone with a Perfect Dao Foundation Golden Core actually exists? Cold Pool Wanderer… to think your words would come true two hundred years later. Could there really be hope?'”

At this, he couldn’t help but break into a grin.

‘If that’s the case, then I’ll just have to wait and see.’

…

「The Outer Sea.」

Three streaks of sword light descended upon the ravaged patch of sea where Liang Cheng and Bai Yeli had fought.

The seawater within a hundred-mile radius was still murky, with the corpses of countless fish and shrimp floating on the surface. The island had completely vanished, leaving only a few reefs breaking the water.

The lingering, violent energy fluctuations in the air were proof that a great battle had taken place here.

“It’s Senior Brother Bai’s aura,” one of them said in a low voice. “There’s another aura, but it’s chaotic and unidentifiable.”

“Search! We’ll turn this entire sea upside down if we have to, but find a clue!”

The three figures spread out, their Divine Senses fully extended, searching inch by inch.

A moment later, one of them retrieved Bai Yeli’s body from the seabed.

“Return at once and report to the Sect Master!”

The sword lights shot into the sky once more, disappearing into the night.