C5 Watching the Battle Golden Core Versus True King

Chapter Five: Spectating the Golden Core Duel.

Knowledge of pills was a subject Taoist Priest Mu seldom touched upon, leaving Ding Yue with scant understanding. Yet, as he observed the crowd's demeanor grow solemn upon hearing Liu Wuya's words, he knew the matter was serious.

Zhu Heng quickly bowed with hands clasped, "Brother Wuya, forgive my blunt nature." His tone and form of address had shifted without him realizing it.

"Three hundred years and you've not changed a bit. Still, I admire it, or else I wouldn't have—"

A crisp voice interrupted, prompting Zhu Heng to chuckle sheepishly, rubbing his hands and bowing slightly.

"Many thanks for your gracious favor, which I shall duly repay," he said with heartfelt sincerity.

"No thanks necessary. I did it on a whim," the Demon King in purple replied, nodding nonetheless.

He then turned slightly to address the Golden Core cultivator clad in a black robe, black mask, and yellow eyebrows. "Old Ghost Xuan Tie, I should thank you for delivering me right to my doorstep."

With a hand over his mouth, he let out a coquettish laugh, his body arching in a way that accentuated his curves, playfully catching the eye.

Ding Yue's cheeks flushed with heat, his throat parched. He averted his gaze, inwardly cursing, "Such a temptress."

A seemingly light remark left Xuan Tie choking with indignation.

"Cough, cough. You serpent demon, you've harmed my disciple, used your mystique to lure me away, and seized the chance to invade my sacred mountain, stealing my herbs. Today, with all the elders of my sects present, let's see how you'll escape," Xuan Tie bellowed, though his eyes flickered, betraying his lack of conviction.

"Profound Iron," Zhu Heng muttered, his brows knitting and eyes darting.

After a brief pause, he huffed through his nostrils and turned to address Lingzhu and the other, his voice grave, "We return to Setting Sun City. From now on, do not venture out without permission." His stern tone prompted swift nods of assent.

With a flick of his sleeve, Zhu Heng enveloped Lingzhu and the other, soaring into the sky.

"Zhu Heng, be warned, Old Ghost Profound Iron is afflicted with 'Profound Yin Soul Devouring Poison.' It's no ordinary Shadowmancy."

Upon hearing the Demon King's words, Zhu Heng abruptly halted in his tracks. He paused for a few moments before turning and departing once more.

Ding Yue was clueless about what "Profound Yin Soul Devouring Poison" was, but he sensed it must be an extremely potent toxin.

Nevertheless, he grasped the Demon King's implication. Observing the figure in the sky clad in a black robe, with dark skin, yellow brows, and prominent white eyes, Ding Yue mentally branded this individual as deceitful and sly.

Profound Iron watched Zhu Heng leave dejectedly, a subtle smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. He then addressed Liu Wuya, "Brother Liu, as a fellow elder of the three sects, surely you wouldn't side with the Demon Snake against my family, would you?"

"Old Ghost Profound Iron, spare me your insinuations. I'm here solely for the safety of my disciple," Liu Wuya said, gently patting Ding Yue on the head.

"I have no interest in your disputes or debts of gratitude. I'm leaving." With those words, he scooped up Ding Yue and vanished into the forest in a blink.

Ding Yue's vision blurred, and it took about the time it takes an incense stick to burn halfway for him to regain his bearings. Liu Wuya then stopped and playfully tapped Ding Yue's head with his finger, chiding, "You rascal, you're in no position to protect yourself, let alone rescue others."

Rubbing his head, Ding Yue gave Liu Wuya a puzzled look, only to see him grinning mischievously.

"Kid, if you've got questions, save them for later. Are you interested in witnessing a battle between Sages at the Golden Core Stage?"

Still trying to wrap his head around the situation, Ding Yue instinctively nodded.

"Good, you've got spirit. Take this 'Qi Concealing Pill,' and then we'll head back," Liu Wuya said, revealing a pill in his hand that exuded a refreshing scent, instantly invigorating Ding Yue.

"Is this a high-grade pill?"

Liu Wuya quirked his lips and said, "It's just a fifth-level Treasure Pill, designed to conceal one's aura. However, I've infused it with the essence of various herbs and plants. Even a Golden Core cultivator, upon close inspection with their Divine Sense, would only detect a faint herbal essence."

As he spoke, he noticed Ding Yue's hesitation. Without further ado, Liu Wuya pried open his mouth and deftly flicked the pill inside.

"Sit cross-legged, close your eyes, and guide the pill's power through your meridians. It should take just one cycle," Liu Wuya instructed.

Having finished speaking, he casually tossed another pill into his own mouth. "Mmm, there's nothing quite like the taste of a pill you've refined yourself."

Ding Yue was about to circulate the medicinal power through his meridians when Liu Wuya's self-admiring comment nearly made him choke with laughter. He had to quickly refocus his mind.

Moments later, Ding Yue opened his eyes. He parted the layers of soil using the "earth movement technique" and, after a few extra minutes, returned to the battlefield.

On the slope, amidst the underbrush, the shoulders of Liu Wuya and Ding Yue emerged by the roots of a large tree. Ding Yue massaged his forehead to ease the dizziness before looking up into the sky.

"Ah, ah!" he exclaimed in shock, but no sound came out. Liu Wuya had already sealed the meridians in his tongue.

Suddenly, Ding Yue's gaze fell upon four enormous skeletons standing beside the dark iron, sending a shiver of cold sweat down his spine.

At that moment, the dark iron was being manipulated by someone forming mystical hand seals and muttering incantations.

Looking towards the Realm King's side, beyond the tiger force and the snowy peak to the left, there was a several-meter-long green wolf on the right, its body engulfed in flames.

Next to it stood a gaunt old man with a bald head and a white beard that reached his belly.

On the ground, a snake as thick as a human arm was coiled, its body adorned with red rings. As it flicked its tongue, a black fog enveloped the area.

"The Black Water Region's Four Great Evil Lords," a soft voice whispered in Ding Yue's ear.

"The Flaming Wolf King, Green Fire. The Rainbow Snake King, Colorful. As for that elder, I can only ascertain that his true form is likely that of an earth-elemental black tortoise."

Liu Wuya's eyes glowed with a green light, obscuring his pupils as if he were using a mystique to scrutinize the white-bearded old man.

"However, the two types of pills are slightly different," Liu Wuya continued, clarifying the nuances. "The Body Transformation Pill is a mid-tier seventh level Spirit Pill, while the Shapeshifting Pill is a top-tier of the same level. The key difference is that the former simply turns the consumer into a human shape, whereas the latter allows one to transform into any shape they envision."

"Take the tiger king, for example. If he ingests a Shapeshifting Pill and thinks of your appearance, the outcome would be another person looking exactly like you."

Ding Yue, unable to speak, was so startled by this revelation that he bit his tongue. He gaped at Liu Wuya, his mind racing, "A Shapeshaping Pill, such a miraculous pill, how can it be ranked as a mere seventh level Spirit Pill?"

Liu Wuya, catching the incredulity in Ding Yue's eyes, blinked and responded, "That, I do not know. The formula for the Shapeshaping Pill has been lost for ages."

Upon seeing Ding Yue's silent relief, Liu Wuya offered a wry smile and added, "Even with the recipe, it would require the skills of an eighth level Alchemist to craft it. Don't ask why a seventh level pill needs an eighth level alchemist; my knowledge is too limited to explain."

Ding Yue smirked to himself, thinking, "If you had the answer, you'd have boasted about it by now."

In the sky, the foreheads of four skeletons glowed with a green light. At Xuan Tie's command, "Go!" their bony fingers, sharp as awls, shot towards the four Evil Lords with a screeching sound. In a flash, the beasts and skeletons were locked in combat.

Xuan Tie's form shifted, and with each movement, swirls of black mist rose around him. Moments later, he uttered a soft chant, "Profound Yin Needle!"

The black mist separated into a hundred strands, shooting forth like steel needles.

The purple-robed Realm King let out a disdainful snort, "Trivial parlor tricks."

With a swift motion, he grasped a spiral-shaped mace in his hand, and with each swing, bolts of lightning crackled.

"Thunder Flash!"

Silver light flashed brilliantly. As the steel needles formed from the black mist encountered the silver light, they sizzled and fizzled out, extinguished by the electric brilliance.

Next, the man in purple robes produced a round mirror, its edges adorned with two golden dragons, while the surface shimmered with golden radiance.

"Buddhic Light Illuminates the World!" A beam of golden light burst forth from the mirror, shining upon the black iron shrouded in dark mist.

"The Buddha's Treasured Weapon is the nemesis of ghosts and devils," Liu Wuya's voice echoed once more.

"In this world, Magical Weapons are classified into six levels: Spirit, Saint, Immortal, Spirit, Treasured Weapon, and Magical Weapon. Most Magical Weapons can be upgraded, and those capable of enhancing a Magical Weapon are known as Weapon Refiners. Naturally, these individuals also craft Magical Weapons. The power of a Magical Weapon is determined by the quality of the materials used in its creation and the skill level of the Weapon Refiner."

In a short time, the black mist enveloping the black iron hissed as if cold water had been poured into boiling oil, gradually thinning out.

At last, the black iron was revealed, its face etched with astonishment as it gazed at the golden mirror hovering above. A flash of greed flickered in its eyes before it hastily summoned a crystal-clear jade bowl.

Painted on the bowl were two blue, fish-like creatures that seemed to swim about as if alive, blocking the golden light emanating from the mirror.

Before the black iron could even take a breath, the man in purple robes hurled a spiral-shaped whip from his hand. The whip's tip crackled with electricity as it struck directly at the black iron's chest.

The black iron's pupils shrank, recognizing the formidable nature of the weapon. It opened its mouth and expelled a hoe-shaped Treasured Weapon to counter the whip's assault.

"Hehe, so this is your Natal Treasured Weapon," the man in purple robes chuckled. "Old ghost, did you use to be a farmer or a miner back in the day?"

"Hmph, and isn't your Treasured Weapon that single horn on your head, the very essence of your spiritual energy?" retorted the black iron.

Controlling the jade bowl with a mere thought, the black iron simultaneously wielded its Natal Treasured Weapon. It glanced surreptitiously at the four skeletons with their bones shattered and sinews snapped, struggling to maintain their stance.

Observing the Black Water Snake Emperor with arms crossed and a composed demeanor, one couldn't help but feel a sense of heaviness, mixed with a touch of surprise.

"Most Fellbeasts focus on cultivating their bodies; few strengthen their Soulspark, which is exceedingly difficult. Yet this Demon Snake appears to possess a formidable Soulspark. I may not have exerted my full strength in this encounter. For today, I must withdraw and seek another day to exact my revenge."

Xuan Tie harbored thoughts of retreat, his eyes shifting. Suddenly, he bellowed, "Profound Yin Soul Devour!"

A billowing greenish-black fog erupted, swiftly enveloping the skies.

"Everyone, fall back at once!" the purple-clad Realm King commanded urgently, his hands tracing symbols as he conjured a blue water barrier to fend off the black mist. The two forces clashed, emitting plumes of smoke.

Droplets rained down, causing the nearby vegetation to first darken and then decay, releasing a foul odor into the air.

"Wait, something's amiss," murmured the purple-clad Demon King, her brows knitting together. With a flurry of hand gestures, she dissipated the water screen, her robes billowing as a gust of wind cleared the fog.

As the mist thinned, Ding Yue and the others realized that Xuan Tie had vanished. The purple-robed Demon King and the four Evil Lords were taken aback by the turn of events.

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