Chapter 252: Chapter 225: The Golden Core Takes the Stage, Heading to the South Sea!

Seasons and years seem to have lost their meaning on Jade Pot Peak.

This vast Spirit Peak remains clad in silver, resembling the scenery of the northern lands.

Gu Yuan’s Escape Light dashed forward and halted in front of a cold pond.

To the left of the cold pond, on the Jade Platform, a graceful figure with an indistinct face was playing a zither. The music was melodious and joyful, suggesting an excellent mood.

"Disciple Gu Yuan, pays respects to Sword Fox Immortal!"

Gu Yuan bowed deeply, exhibiting a respectful attitude.

"Achieving late-stage Foundation Establishment in twenty-two years, your speed is truly astonishing. It seems your Dharma Pill Technique is even more profound than imagined..."

Sword Fox Immortal ceased the zither music, looked at the handsome Daoist below the Jade Platform, and couldn’t help but sigh.

In her youth, with all the support from Jade Pot Peak, it took her twenty-five years to break through to late-stage Foundation Establishment.

Yet this person before, merely possessing a Five-Aperture Body.

"Thanks to the pill bestowed by you, Ascendant, this disciple has achieved today’s success!"

Gu Yuan bent over, not daring to claim credit.

"This is your own fortune and has nothing to do with me. Could a mere Demon Pill possibly hinder you?"

Sword Fox Immortal chuckled softly.

She had watched Gu Yuan grow step by step, deeply aware of the strength of the young man before her.

Any Exotic Beast possessing a Demon Pill that caught his attention was truly unfortunate.

Bestowing the pill, in retrospect, was like saving an Exotic Beast somewhere in the dark.

"This disciple owes his current achievements entirely to the grace of the Ascendant. When successful in the future, I shall repay generously!"

Gu Yuan solemnly bowed, speaking with gravity.

"My Jade Pot Peak has no disciples within, and I had no intention of contending for this Daoist School’s True Inheritance to continue the Dao Lineage."

"Things like Spirit Island and Golden Core are of no benefit to me; ultimately, cultivators must rely on their own swords."

Sword Fox Immortal slightly shook her head upon hearing this, but then sighed helplessly: "Yet, your journey has heavily involved me, and to ignore you now would be too heartless."

"After all, this entire Daoist School has already regarded you as one of mine..."

There was a hint of helplessness in Sword Fox Immortal’s tone.

In the Daoist School, other Golden Core cultivators had subtly inquired many times whether she intended to take Gu Yuan as a disciple.

If she was unwilling, some would send Gu Yuan off to "slay demons and destroy devils."

Yet others wanted to form alliances with Gu Yuan or take him as their disciple.

In short, such a flawless jade should either be recruited or given free rein.

"To serve you, Ascendant, is a sweet honor for this disciple!"

Gu Yuan hurriedly seized the opportunity to respond.

Relying on the Daoist School’s power to break through to Golden Core required paying respect at the gate first.

And the person before him was the one he felt least averse to and most willing to approach.

"After Linglong’s death, I resolved not to take any disciples in this life..." Sword Fox Immortal sighed slightly, then continued, "But my Jade Pot Peak also manages the Pill Furnace Hall. With your current cultivation, you can serve as a Vice Hall Master."

"Should you achieve the Golden Core one day, you will be the Vice Peak Master of Jade Pot Peak!"

Pill Furnace Hall’s Vice Hall Master?

Gu Yuan was slightly taken aback, not expecting such a position.

As they say, "one’s title must be proper for their words to be just."

Calculating strictly, Gu Yuan was merely an Inner Sect Disciple at the Hidden Flood Dragon Institute within Cyan Peak Daoist School, without a master, only ancestors, unaffiliated with any faction.

When outside, he could only claim to be an Inner Sect Disciple of Cyan Peak Daoist School, holding no other titles.

Becoming a Vice Hall Master of the Pill Furnace Hall would officially make him part of the Jade Pot Peak lineage.

Moreover, this status, converted to Jade Pot Peak, would make him Sword Fox Immortal’s junior.

However, given his current cultivation, joining mid-way, he was still unqualified.

Only by achieving the Golden Core and becoming a Vice Peak Master could he properly bow to Jade Pot Peak’s ancestors, becoming Sword Fox Immortal’s junior officially.

But in any case, becoming a Vice Hall Master of the Pill Furnace Hall would already align him with the Jade Pot Peak lineage.

"This disciple reveres the decree!"

Gu Yuan did not hesitate much, nodding in agreement, accepting the position.

"Good!"

"The Vice Hall Master of the Pill Furnace Hall receives thirty thousand Spirit Stones and various precious pills as an annual salary. But with your current insight, you might disregard such modest earnings..."

Sword Fox Immortal nodded slightly, seemingly satisfied with Gu Yuan’s attitude.

"This disciple dares not!"

"Enough of these trivial matters, this title is merely for formality to avoid daily nuisances."

"The contest for True Inheritance approaches; do you feel confident?"

Sword Fox Immortal plucked the zither strings softly, asking gently.

"Before entering seclusion, this disciple had someone forge an Artifact Embryo, and the Dao-One Cyan Lotus Seed planted on the island is about to mature, allowing it to be refined into an Ancient Seal!"

"If these two methods can reach completion before the True Inheritance contest, I will certainly strive for the Upper Three!"

Gu Yuan spoke with a fiery gaze.

To achieve the best chance of attaining Gold Core, he must acquire an Upper Three Spirit Island!

"Artifact Embryo? Ancient Seal?"

Sword Fox Immortal, hearing this, was surprised as well, rendering her prepared script useless.

"You have prepared so thoroughly!"

She sighed involuntarily.

An Artifact Embryo is the limit that a Foundation Establishment Cultivator can wield.

True Artifacts are beyond the control of Foundation Establishment Cultivators, as they require massive amounts of Spiritual Qi, only maneuverable with abundant Gold-Attribute Mana.

Ancient Seals are precious burials from ancient times.

Due to the disappearance of required spiritual materials, they withdrew from history; if they could return to the human world, they’d surely sweep the land.

The Artifact Embryo is manageable, but the Ancient Seal, even at her realm, is hard to replicate.

Dao-One Cyan Lotus Seed is extremely rare, seldom seen in the world.

"It was merely a stroke of luck!"

"However, both methods come with harsh conditions, and with only a year until the True Inheritance contest, it might not achieve Great Success..."

Gu Yuan couldn’t help but smile wryly.

"Tell me more in detail..."

Sword Fox Immortal immediately prompted.

Gu Yuan then explained the origin of both treasure and seal.

To achieve Great Success with the Vortex Wind Thunder Pearl and gain a bit of Artifact power, it must absorb Thunder power and be continuously nurtured.

Father Cen’s plan was to use Ten Thousand Islands Sea’s unique thunderstorm environment to cultivate this pearl.

Without enough Thunder power, the power of Wind Thunder Pearl would greatly diminish.

To achieve Great Success with Ten Thousand Roar Spirit Sound Seal, it must listen to the roars of all spirits under heaven, imitate the Dao Charm within, and only then can it roll through heaven and earth with immeasurable might.

Both require nurturing to become true trump cards.

And what Gu Yuan lacks now is time.

Before seclusion, he also asked Heart-devouring Insect and Ma Wu to search for Secret Realms capable of quickly nurturing these two items, but nothing was found.

No trace of Stone Liquid has been discovered, either.

"Thunder, sound, is it?"

Sword Fox Immortal pondered deeply upon hearing this.

The origins of Gu Yuan’s two treasures were no less significant than the prepared treasures she was going to bestow.

Even that Ancient Seal stands out.

She decided to suppress her prepared treasures, intending to fully assist Gu Yuan in cultivating these two items to Great Success.

The True Inheritance contest has always been this way.

Golden Cores must also intervene at times.

Through word and deed, attentive guidance, and heartfelt efforts, they must cultivate a true genius, an inheritor.

This involves more than the competition of personal aptitude and comprehension; the resources behind them are not to be underestimated.

For thousands of years, humble lineages have never overturned their positions, and this is the reason.

The character "companion" in "wealth, companion, law, and land" is fully manifested here.

"Swiftly retrieve your treasures and refine your seal, then accompany me to the South Sea!"

After a slight pause, Sword Fox Immortal’s gaze sharpened, rising to her feet decisively.

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