Although this type of cave dwelling is not considered high-end in Luoyun Immortal City, the rent is still eight hundred Spirit Stones per month, which amounts to more than nine thousand Spirit Stones a year.

Just the rent for one year is a huge sum for an ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivator!

After renting the cave dwelling, Gong Yang wasted not a moment, eagerly rushing towards its location with Xu Ping and Duan Shuang.

...

Two hours later.

The three of them arrived at the entrance of the cave dwelling.

Upon entering the cave, the interior was elegantly arranged, spacious and bright, with a Spirit Vein winding through the earth, continuously emitting rich Spiritual Qi.

Gong Yang walked into the cultivation chamber, sitting cross-legged on a cushion, beginning to regulate his breath to recover, ensuring he was in the best condition to break through to the Golden Core.

Meanwhile, Duan Shuang and Xu Ping waited silently outside the cave dwelling.

Outside the cave was a serene courtyard, surrounded by various Spiritual flowers and Immortal herbs, emitting a faint fragrance.

Duan Shuang and Xu Ping sat opposite each other, the surroundings silent and still, rendering the atmosphere somewhat oppressive and tense.

"Fellow Daoist Xu, do you think Fellow Daoist Gong has a high chance of breaking through to the Golden Core this time?"

An expression of hesitation appeared on Duan Shuang's delicate and pretty face. After pondering for a long time, she couldn't help but ask.

Xu Ping was silent for a moment before slowly saying, "Since Fellow Daoist Gong chose to attempt breaking through to the Golden Core Realm now, he must have a certain degree of confidence!"

Even so, given Gong Yang's current age, attempting the breakthrough, even if fully prepared, has a much lower probability compared to younger Foundation Establishment cultivators under a hundred years old.

However, Xu Ping understood that Gong Yang did not have much time to wait any longer.

If he missed this opportunity, as his age grew, the possibility of breaking through to the Golden Core would only become increasingly slim.

"Let's hope so!" Duan Shuang sighed softly.

Her feelings were not just because of the deep friendship over the past decades she shared with Gong Yang.

It was also because Gong Yang's attempt to break through to the Golden Core involuntarily reminded her of the moment she would face in her own future, stirring complex emotions within her.

...

...

In the days that followed, Duan Shuang and Xu Ping persisted in guarding outside the cave, silently standing watch.

Within the cave dwelling, Gong Yang had already devoted all his energy and focus to cultivation.

Time quietly passed by, with a month's time fleeting by unnoticed.

One day, a sudden strange and intense wave of Spiritual Power erupted from the previously tranquil cave dwelling.

The wave was like a giant stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly breaking the usual silence.

The previously calm Spiritual flowers and Immortal plants seemed to be drawn by some powerful force, trembling slightly.

"It's starting!"

Duan Shuang and Xu Ping, who were meditating in the courtyard, abruptly opened their eyes.

Exchanging a glance, they instantly understood that Gong Yang was preparing to break through the Golden Core bottleneck.

As time progressed, the Spiritual Power fluctuations grew stronger and stronger, the entire cave dwelling enveloped in a layer of hazy light.

Within the light, various runes faintly flickered, a sign that the Heavenly Spiritual Qi was being frantically absorbed and gathered.

"Is someone breaking through to the Golden Core?"

The nearby cultivators, attracted by the sudden disturbance, couldn't help but stop and watch, their gazes collectively turning towards the sky where a massive vortex of Spiritual Qi was gradually forming.

In recent years, it wasn't uncommon for cultivators in Luoyun Immortal City to break through to the Golden Core, and it would not overly shock them.

They merely cast a glance with envy at most.

...

Another month passed.

The aura of Core Formation in the sky began to rise gradually.

A massive vortex of Spiritual Qi above the cave dwelling was slowly expanding.

Half a mile, a mile, two miles...

Just as the Spiritual Power fluctuations reached their peak.

Dong!

Accompanied by a dull thud, the massive vortex of Spiritual Qi above the cave dwelling actually began to collapse.

The Spiritual Qi scattered like a flood breaking through a dam.

"Another failure!"

Upon seeing the familiar scene, most of the onlooking cultivators could not help but reveal a mocking smile at the corners of their mouths.

In the Cultivation Realm, breaking through to the Golden Core has always been an extremely challenging endeavor.

Over the years, many cultivators have attempted to break through to the Golden Core, but the number of failures far exceeded the successes.

To some, seeing others fail brings an inexplicably twisted satisfaction, even more so than achieving their own success.

At this moment, a dull explosion sound came from within the cave dwelling, followed by the light dimming instantly, and the fluctuations of Spiritual Power abruptly ceased.

"This is bad, it failed!"

A declining and withered aura emanated from the cave, causing Duan Shuang and Xu Ping, who were guarding outside, to drastically change their expressions.

Without a second thought, the two rushed into the cave.

Within the training room, the scene was chaotic, Gong Yang's face pale as paper, with a trace of black blood at the corner of his mouth, weakly collapsing on the cushion.

His aura was in complete disarray, the previously abundant Spiritual Power now thin and chaotic, evidently having failed the breakthrough attempt and suffered a severe backlash, debilitating his Primordial Qi.

"Fellow Daoist Gong!" Duan Shuang exclaimed in shock.

Xu Ping's brows furrowed deeply, his expression heavy as he hurried forward to check Gong Yang's injuries.

Gong Yang slowly opened his eyes, filled with pain and unwillingness, weakly saying, "Still... failed..."

Xu Ping remained silent for a moment, then spoke in a deep voice, "Fellow Daoist Gong, since it has come to this, let me help you heal, and we can plan for others matters afterwards."

With that, he took out several bottles of precious Healing Elixirs from his storage bag and handed them to Gong Yang.

Gong Yang took the Pills with difficulty and swallowed them.

Xu Ping then channeled a strand of Mana into Gong Yang, aiding him in refining the Healing Elixirs while also examining his injuries.

Despite having steeled himself, Gong Yang's injuries from the backlash after the breakthrough failure were severe enough to cause Xu Ping to gasp in shock!

Within Gong Yang's body, the meridians were in tatters, resembling a fishing net filled with holes; those channels that previously allowed smooth flow of Spiritual Power were now either severed or blocked.

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