Chapter 145: Seizing the Golden Core, Deploying the Sword Formation!
Chapter 145: Seizing the Golden Core, Deploying the Sword Formation!
Suddenly, another powerhouse materialized out of thin air! With a single palm strike, he routed the demon beast, filling the fat man’s heart with unexplained dread!
Weighing his options, he absolutely could not tolerate the other party capturing his demon beast. Though the newcomer’s appearance was fleeting, the magic power displayed was vast and unfathomable, like the heavens and the sea! Recognizing he could not resist it, the fat man instantly channeled all his Crimson Flame Zhenqi, forming a giant hand. It joined the intertwined currents of Crimson Flame and Mysterious Metal Zhenqi from the demon beast, collectively surging upwards to confront the black giant hand suspended mid-air!
Whoosh! Like a tidal wave crashing, the ocean’s roar shaking the heavens! The black giant hand flicked back instantly but failed to grasp the demon beast as intended!
Meanwhile, the crimson giant hand unleashed by the fat man shattered into countless fiery sparks, scattering in all directions. The entire cavern seemed deluged by falling stars and flaming rain, forcing Mu Yuan and his companions to quickly circulate their qi for protection.
“Impressive ability!”
The earlier voice resonated once more. Black light flashed in the cavern, revealing an odd figure robed entirely in black!
“The Monster Saint!”
Mu Yuan’s heart jolted. The arrival was unmistakably the Monster Saint!
Yet, the Monster Saint’s aura felt different from what Mu Yuan remembered. It fluctuated wildly, strong at times, weak at others, seemingly unstable and hard to control. Instantly, Mu Yuan understood: the Monster Saint had indeed suffered severe injuries on Mount Kunlun!
The five disciples surnamed Lu also saw the manifested Monster Saint. Terror seized them. Though they couldn’t see the true face hidden beneath the hood, the description provided by their sect elders matched perfectly!
‘Evil demon,’ Senior Brother Lu silently vowed, ‘you won’t escape today!’ A flicker of clear light flashed on his hand, and a jade talisman appeared.
When the Monster Saint appeared, Mu Yuan remained secretly vigilant, observing Senior Brother Lu. He saw the jade talisman in Lu’s grasp, three fingers wide, five inches long. Clear light flowed over its surface like a living thing, densely carved with strange talismanic symbols. Senior Brother Lu casually shattered it!
The talisman transformed into an intense mass of bright, flowing radiance, enveloping Senior Brother Lu and the four fellow disciples behind him!
“Junior Sister Xing!” Senior Brother Lu bellowed, reaching out to grab Xing Yuzhu. “This demon has immense power! Quickly, flee with me!”
He intended to pull her away with them!
“You think you can flee?!”
The Monster Saint roared loudly. Black light shimmered at the back of his head, detaching a wisp of brilliance that solidified into a dazzling giant hand, radiating multiple hues of light, grabbing towards the five Kunlun disciples!
“I’m not leaving!”
Xing Yuzhu glanced back. Monk Yuan Kong was quite far from her, too distant for protection. Seeing Senior Brother Lu reaching for her, she knew he intended to use the “Dodge Heaven Spirit Talisman” to escape. Clenching her teeth, she twisted her body and darted towards Monk Yuan Kong instead!
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
The sound of rending air filled the cavern! Just before the Monster Saint’s black radiance giant hand reached them, the space around the five Kunlun disciples rippled like disturbed water. They vanished without a trace!
“Heh, the Dodge Heaven Spirit Talisman,” the Monster Saint murmured, completely unconcerned. His eyes flickered, hinting at unspoken thoughts.
Mu Yuan hesitated for a moment, then finally stepped forward. He bowed respectfully to the Monster Saint, performing a standard Taoist salute. “Senior, are you well?”
The Monster Saint chuckled darkly. “Kid, we meet again. Our paths truly intertwine. However, troubles brew today. I have matters to settle and must soon depart!” He turned his head, his gaze locking onto the fat man. Two beams of eerie, emerald light shot from his eyes. “Dare to obstruct me? Truly audacious!”
Swept by the Monster Saint’s gaze, every hair on the fat man’s body stood on end! But he stood at the Peak of Qi Refining, just a step away from manifesting his Primordial Spirit! With an internal surge of Zhenqi, warmth suffused his body, dispelling the chill. He stood tall and defiant, refusing to speak.
‘He seems seriously injured! Heaven aids me!’ the fat man thought swiftly. ‘Killing a Primordial Spirit Cultivator and devouring his Primordial Spirit would grant me immeasurable insights into the secrets of the Primordial Spirit realm and Eternal Life!’
His mind made up, he bellowed! Crimson radiance, like sweeping wildfire, poured from his entire body. Nine colossal fire dragons materialized behind him, coiling and writhing with ferocious fanged mouths and dazzling firelight! He pointed, and they surged forward, twisting and entangling towards the Monster Saint!
“Skyburning Fire Dragon Qi! You save me effort!”
Burdened by his wounds, the Monster Saint had no wish to entangle. He simply released the Primordial Chaos Golden Chalice! Glinting golden light streamed forth, swallowing all nine fire dragons in an instant!
Realizing the Monster Saint was not to be trifled with, the fat man stomped the ground! The earth cracked, fissures opening as subterranean flames erupted! His entire body transformed into a flickering cluster of flames! It twisted violently a few times and disappeared! Seeing the situation turn dire, he fled instantly!
“Escape? Impossible!”
Nine rays of yellow light burst violently from the Primordial Chaos Golden Chalice! They instantly solidified into nine yellow dragons, baring claws and fangs, their scales starkly visible! They plunged into the ground like eels!
Deep beneath the surface, thunderous booms echoed—shockwaves of explosions! A pillar of intensely hot flame, coiled and bound by the nine yellow dragons, erupted violently back up through the fissure!
“Aaaahhh!!!”
A piercing, desperate scream tore from the pillar of fire! It was the fat man from earlier!
But now he was utterly wretched! His clothing lay completely shredded. Countless thin, invasive strands of yellow light, like venomous snakes, scurried wildly through his pores, wreaking havoc!
The meridians and acupoints within the fat man’s body became starkly visible, his whole form transparent like clear glass! Massive clusters of red light within transformed into fiery dragon, serpent, and python-like energies, rampaging left and right! Yet, they were ruthlessly sealed inside his body by the yellow light constricting his pores!
The Monster Saint sneered softly. “Thought my injury made me weak enough to defy? You were wrong.” He stepped closer, his emerald gaze piercing and menacing. “Today, I shatter your cultivation… but spare your life!”
His right hand flashed brilliantly, glowing with jade-like radiance! It pressed down directly onto the fat man’s Dantian!
Pure white strands of light shot from the Monster Saint’s fingertips! Snaking through the air, they plunged straight into the fat man’s lower abdomen!
Now everyone witnessed the spectacle! The pure white light threads coiled within the fat man’s Dantian like countless tiny, writhing dragons and snakes! They swept away vast swathes of the yellow light! Finally, they tightly coiled around a perfectly round, flawlessly smooth fiery-red Golden Core at the very center!
The Monster Saint gave a strange, triumphant laugh! The threads bound the core entirely, and with a gentle tug… he wrenched it out! The fat man shrieked in agony! His skin rippled like ocean waves as countless red threads raced like lightning through his body! Wherever they passed an acupoint, the yellow light coiled around it drew out strands of his power!
Everyone stared, dumbstruck and horrified!
The capture of the fat cultivator, the escape of the Kunlun disciples, the Monster Saint’s strikes—all happened with blinding speed, like lightning flashing through clouds!
Mu Yuan stared at the Golden Core extracted from the fat man’s Dantian. It was perfectly round, flawless, glowing fiery red like an egg yolk! Countless swirling, fading-and-appearing Talismanic Script and seals covered its surface! This was the hallmark of the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining – condensing all magical spells and divine abilities into runes and seals, engraved directly onto the Golden Core! In combat, the cultivator needn’t gather qi or visualize the technique; a single mental thought would activate these seals to conjure the desired spell instantly!
Beside these seals flowed thin, darting currents—crackling lightning, whirling winds, and brilliant sparks! Clearly, the cultivator had weathered the Eightfold Triple Tribulation (Wind, Fire, Lightning), achieving resonance between Heaven and Man. His Golden Core had been purified, tempered… needing only the final stage of Tempering and Nurturing to transform his Zhenqi, shatter the core, and form the nascent infant Primordial Spirit!
‘What transcendent skill!’ Mu Yuan marveled inwardly. ‘I thought the ‘Rebirth Longevity Demon Art’ was the supreme technique for refining and absorbing captured Zhenqi and life force! But this person wields a secret art directly seizing the Golden Core! If given to another at the Refining Righteous Energy Peak, they could instantly grasp its mysteries and leap to the power of Elixir Formation!’ Everyone present felt shock at the Monster Saint’s sinister divine ability!
“Audacious demon! Still wreaking havoc here?” Thunderous shouts erupted! Instantly, four intensely bright, wondrous beams of light dazzled everyone! Accompanied by roars and strange howls, the four lights intertwined, solidified, and coalesced into four fragmented, glittering beasts of starry radiance!
The Azure Dragon occupied the East! The White Tiger reared powerfully in the West! The Vermilion Bird soared and danced in the South! The Black Tortoise crouched low in the North!
Four ancient-looking elders appeared! All gray-haired with flowing white beards, dressed in violet robes with billowing sleeves. Before each floated a shimmering sword of brilliant radiance! They encircled the Monster Saint! These were the four elders of Langfeng Summit, alerted by the Dodge Heaven Spirit Talisman!
Qian Hua! Qian Bing! Qian Huo! Qian Wu!
All four were Primordial Spirit Cultivators—top experts of Langfeng Summit!
In the great Kunlun sect: Langfeng Summit housed four Primordial Spirits; Xuanpu Hall housed four; Tianyong City had only three; the true number within Kunlun Palace remained mysterious, deeply concealed!
Qian Hua commanded the Azure Dragon Seven Stars Sword Art!
Qian Bing wielded the White Tiger Seven Stars Sword Art!
Qian Huo controlled the Vermilion Bird Seven Stars Sword Art!
Qian Wu manipulated the Black Tortoise Seven Stars Sword Art!
Together, they deployed the Four Symbols Sword Formation to ensnare and slay the Monster Saint!
Such immense power! Those trapped inside the cave trembled with fear, terrified of being caught in the crossfire. Desperate thoughts of escape flooded their minds!
The subdued demon beast now crouched at the Monster Saint’s feet—perhaps cowed by his might, or perhaps ensnared by unseen tricks—appearing much more docile. It too was trapped within the Four Symbols Sword Formation!
Each colossal divine beast trailed a vast comet-like tail of radiant light! This tail plunged back into the Mud Pill Palace between the brows of its respective ancient elder! The beasts surged and struck against the barrier!
Xing Yuzhu observed the Four Elders summon their distinct Primal Spirit Dharma Body projections—the sinuous Azure Dragon, the roaring White Tiger, the soaring Vermilion Bird, the silent Black Tortoise! She sighed with admiration, “All four Elders cultivate at the Primal Spirit Dharma Body stage! Fellow sect brothers activating this sword formation in concert! It seems this Monster Saint faces unavoidable justice!”
‘Not necessarily,’ Mu Yuan thought privately, though he spoke nothing aloud.
Seeing the situation devolve, Monk Yuan Kong offered no comment. He simply turned and rushed straight towards the fiery Earth Vein!
‘This monk possesses immense determination!’ Mu Yuan assessed silently. Intensely aware, he felt the Great Sun Fire Curse clinging onto the fiery Earth Vein like leeches. It focused intently, voraciously extracting essence! Pockets of incredibly pure, potent Fire Elemental Energy rushed into the Great Sun Fire Curse! After a few spirals, they were deposited within the Nine Dragons Blazing Fire Pearl!
True, the Earth Vein, while not massive, extended for miles. The combined efforts of the Great Sun Fire Curse driving the Nine Dragons Blazing Fire Pearl could only capture a minuscule fraction—truly nine oxen losing one measly hair! Nevertheless, the gains acquired were immensely beneficial!