Chapter 329: Sweeping Across the Golden Core
“Such arrogance!”
A cold and razor-sharp golden radiance suddenly burst apart, revealing the figure of Li Feijue.
“Buzz!”
Under the gaze of the assembled cultivators, the tremor of spiritual resonance rang out.
Li Feijue’s bare upper body instantly transford into an incomparably pure dark-golden body, densely covered with countless intricate tribulation patterns.
These tribulation patterns seed like the convergence of myriad calamities, yet within them was hidden an undying true intent that endured since ancient tis.
‘This is the fourth layer of the Indestructible Golden Body through Myriad Tribulations — the Myriad Tribulations Undying Golden Body!’ Gu Wuji’s gaze shifted slightly, inwardly astonished.
Ten years had passed without eting. He had not expected Li Feijue to break through the shackles of his cultivation and, at Golden Core Great Perfection, cultivate this body-refining divine art of the Heavy Gold Sect to such a degree.
Once the Myriad Tribulations Undying Golden Body was ford, a cultivator’s pores could spew Myriad Tribulations Golden Qi. With strength capable of uprooting mountains and filling seas, the fleshly body rivaled a Fourth-Tier defensive Mystic Treasure. Upon advancing to a Fourth-Tier True Monarch body cultivator, even a Nascent Soul True Monarch would find it difficult to break his defenses.
‘Sothing isn’t right.’
Unlike the astonished Golden Cores of the Five Great Sects, Chen Beiwu’s expression remained unchanged as he looked toward Li Feijue’s heart.
He had forged the Yuanshi Golden Core and was bolstered by the Nine-Breath Chaos Divine Ability. His divine sense was extrely keen, and his insight into the essence of all things between Heaven and Earth had already surpassed what a Golden Core could imagine.
Li Feijue’s eruption of the Myriad Tribulations Undying Golden Body appeared tyrannical, yet the undying true intent it emitted contained a trace of disharmony — it had not reached true flawless perfection.
‘So that’s it. He borrowed the might of a Fourth-Tier Mystic Treasure to forcibly elevate his physique to the fourth layer of the Myriad Tribulations Golden Body.’
Through divine sense perception, Chen Beiwu quickly realized the truth.
Fourth-Tier body cultivators were exceedingly difficult to achieve. Such figures, even among Nascent Soul True Monarchs, were extrely troubleso existences.
But Li Feijue’s thod of stepping into the realm of a Fourth-Tier body cultivator through external treasure power was rely seizing its form, not its spirit.
Before Golden Core True Persons, such strength might be called invincible.
Yet without the augntation of the Mystic Treasure, in terms of true combat power, he could likely only barely be considered a half-step Fourth-Tier body cultivator.
Especially in the eyes of a truly deep-rooted and keenly perceptive Nascent Soul True Monarch, Li Feijue’s externally empowered Myriad Tribulations Undying Golden Body possessed enormous flaws — far inferior to a genuine Fourth-Tier True Monarch body cultivator.
Ning Wujiu’s eyes narrowed slightly, and his gaze toward Li Feijue carried a trace of solemnity.
Though he appeared arrogant, his temperant was cautious.
Before coming to knock upon the mountain and seek the Dao, he had already investigated the Golden Core prodigies of the Five Great Sects in detail.
He had originally thought only Chen Ziang, the Mirror Moon Dao Child, might bring him a surprise. Unexpectedly, the Heavy Gold Sect had produced a respectable prodigy.
But still not enough!
“I hope you can last a few more rounds.”
Ning Wujiu raised his right hand, spreading his five fingers slightly toward Li Feijue.
“Seeking death!”
Li Feijue’s figure moved like thunder, swift as a lightning strike. His iron fists, empowered by the Myriad Tribulations Undying Golden Body, unleashed a blow comparable to a strike from an Early-Stage Nascent Soul cultivator.
In an instant, vast golden radiance visible to the naked eye stirred the spiritual resonance of Heaven and Earth, transforming into materialized Undying True Qi that swept in all directions, causing the Eight Desolations Sect cultivators aboard the warship to change expression.
Even with their shallow cultivation, rely watching from afar, they could sense that this seemingly ordinary punch had already surpassed the Golden Core level and reached an inconceivable realm.
“Boom!”
At the mont fist t palm, Li Feijue let out a ferocious laugh. He followed through by raising his elbow to intercept, then unleashed a hand-chop like a mountain-splitting axe with full force.
In the eyes of the gathered cultivators, Li Feijue’s current display of power was no less than that of the Dao Child of the Eight Desolations Sect who had just defeated the Blazing Fla Sect’s Number One at Golden Core.
But in the next instant, the ferocious grin on Li Feijue’s face froze, turning into utter disbelief and horror.
“Crack! Crack! Crack!”
The grating sound of shattering echoed incessantly.
A flash of profound light flickered and vanished. Ning Wujiu’s five fingers suddenly clenched tight. The Heavy Gold Sect’s so-called indestructible golden body instantly beca covered in dense cracks.
Li Feijue’s vajra-like skin, capable of withstanding a Fourth-Tier Mystic Treasure, also rapidly split apart at a visible rate.
“What kind of True Qi is this?!”
Li Feijue let out a muffled groan and frantically activated the Undying True Qi within him. He changed his hand-chop into a body-crashing embrace, intending to trade injury for injury and grievously wound Ning Wujiu at close range.
Yet the latter’s figure abruptly vanished from the spot, reappearing behind Li Feijue, and imdiately extended a finger.
“Boom!”
Golden radiance shattered inch by inch, exploding into countless motes of light.
This finger of Ning Wujiu gathered the power of Eight Desolations Annihilation. Before this unreasonable force, the Myriad Tribulations Undying Golden Body was as fragile as paper. The strike landed heavily upon Li Feijue’s heart.
“Pfft!”
Li Feijue’s eyes widened as the golden radiance around him completely collapsed.
His heart exploded under that single finger, leaving behind a bloody, mangled hole.
Through that gaping wound, thousands of cultivators could faintly see layers upon layers of white clouds beyond.
The entire arena fell into deathly silence!
From Li Feijue’s sudden challenge to the shattering of his golden body and his near-fatal injury, the entire duel had lasted only a few breaths.
Ning Wujiu calmly withdrew his right hand, ignoring the gazes of the crowd, and looked toward the Sect Master of the Heavy Gold Sect.
Faced with Ning Wujiu’s provocation, Wu Shijie frowned slightly. With a flick of his fingertip, a Third-Tier Treasure Pill shot into Li Feijue’s mouth.
“Cough, cough!”
Li Feijue coughed twice. Flesh and blood rapidly regrew within his hollow chest, attempting to repair the damage, but soon fell into stillness again.
For a Golden Core True Person, as long as the indestructible golden core within the dantian sea of qi remained intact, injuries such as a vaporized heart, severed limbs, or a shattered skull were rely minor wounds. They could slowly recover through indestructible golden attribute, even regrowing flesh.
But under the interference of Annihilation True Qi, even after consuming a Third-Tier Treasure Pill, Li Feijue’s face remained pale as gold foil, his aura utterly weakened.
Seeing this, Wu Shijie’s divine intent stirred. Vast Heaven-and-Earth spiritual resonance continuously poured into Li Feijue’s heart.
Ten breaths passed.
The residual annihilation power within Li Feijue was completely expelled by Heavenly-Gang True Qi. His heart was rapidly restored under the effect of the Third-Tier Treasure Pill, but he had already fallen unconscious.
Wu Shijie looked deeply at Ning Wujiu.
Feijue’s defeat was not unjust.
Even Heavenly-Gang True Qi of a Nascent Soul True Monarch required ten breaths to expel that annihilation force. One could imagine how terrifying the annihilation true qi of the Dao Child of the Eight Desolations truly was.
But more than that, what shocked Wu Shijie was how Ning Wujiu had found the flaw of the Myriad Tribulations Undying Golden Body.
Logically, a Golden Core True Person should not have been able to see through the location of the Fourth-Tier Mystic Treasure 【Multitude Tribulations Golden Pearl】.
Unless!
Wu Shijie’s eyes shifted slightly as he looked toward Ning Xuanji, who stood with hands behind his back.
If a Divine Transformation True Venerable had shalessly given secret guidance from the side, everything would be explainable.
Otherwise, even in defeat, Feijue should not have fallen so swiftly.
“I’ve heard cultivators of the Greenwood Sect are adept at farming. I wonder how you fare in combat?” Ning Wujiu looked toward Zhao Muyu.
He had changed his mind.
For enjoynt’s sake, he would first defeat the Golden Core representatives of the Four Great Sects as warm-up, then carry the montum of overwhelming victory to challenge the Mirror Moon Dao Child who gave him an unusual feeling.
“Greenwood Sect’s Zhao Muyu. Please enlighten .”
Zhao Muyu did not retreat. He directly activated the Heaven-Reaching Mystic Treasure Myriad-Wondrous Green Lotus. Though he knew his odds of victory were slim — rely three in ten.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
As expected, even with his Wood-Attribute Spirit Body and the Myriad-Wondrous Green Lotus, he still failed to defeat Ning Wujiu.
“A Golden Core True Person with a Heaven-Reaching Mystic Treasure — you’re not the only one.”
Ning Wujiu looked down at Zhao Muyu, whose face had turned pale.
Behind him, a vague colossal weapon phantom slowly manifested.
It was an enormous battle-axe, exaggerated in size, its blade covered with countless dark-red, near-black barbs and impact horns.
This Heaven-Reaching Mystic Treasure was less a blade and more a heavy annihilation weapon born purely for ultimate destruction.
“I have lost.” Zhao Muyu calmly admitted defeat.
The Myriad-Wondrous Green Lotus bestowed by his sect was indeed formidable. But compared with the Eight Desolations Sect’s Heaven-Reaching Mystic Treasure 【Annihilation Universe Mystic Halberd-Axe】, it was still inferior.
Coupled with Ning Wujiu’s extrely troubleso annihilation power, even if he dragged the battle into a prolonged True Qi war of attrition, he could not withstand the edge of the Annihilation Universe Mystic Halberd-Axe.
Fortunately, both the Heavy Gold Sect and Blazing Fla Sect’s Golden Cores had lost. As the Greenwood Sect’s Golden Core, losing was not disgraceful.
The only thing Zhao Muyu found regrettable was that the annihilation true qi within Ning Wujiu’s dantian sea of qi seed inexhaustible.
After a long war of attrition, his aura showed no signs of weakening. It was unclear whether the Heaven-Sword Gu Wuji could take him down.
“I will only unleash one sword.”
A calm voice suddenly rang out, breaking the heavy atmosphere.
Chen Beiwu’s gaze shifted. He saw a sowhat thin middle-aged man in a plain white Dao robe standing before Ning Wujiu.
This man was the Deputy Pavilion Master of the Profound Armor Pavilion, the publicly acknowledged Number One Golden Core sword cultivator of the Earth Proliferation Territory — Heaven-Sword Gu Wuji.
“Only one sword? I hope you won’t disappoint .” Ning Wujiu frowned slightly.
Interesting. This was the first ti soone had belittled him so openly.
Gu Wuji said nothing and slowly closed his eyes.
Since birth, he had been congenitally deficient, with frail bones and weak constitution. Even after luckily stepping onto the path of cultivation, his lifespan had always been far inferior to others of the sa realm.
A Foundation Establishnt cultivator could live at most three hundred years. With longevity treasures, that could even extend to five hundred years. Yet after successfully achieving Foundation Establishnt, Gu Wuji’s lifespan had been only two hundred years.
Moreover, every breakthrough in his realm had not co naturally, but at the brink of his lifespan limit — on the verge of death, forcibly breaking through between life and death.
Precisely because of this, even though he was now honored as the Number One Golden Core sword cultivator of the Earth Proliferation Territory, he had never considered himself a cultivation prodigy — only an ordinary sword cultivator utterly devoted to the sword.
Yet countless experiences wandering between life and death had honed in him an incomparably pure sword heart, allowing him to comprehend a sword capable of severing fate itself.
Today, he would use the Heaven-Sword to sever destiny and test the Eight Desolations Annihilation Dao.
‘Open the formation!’
Gu Wuji opened his eyes. Behind him, the Heaven-Reaching Mystic Treasure 【Myriad Profound Domain Sword】 burst from its sheath, transforming into a sky-piercing sword pillar linking Heaven and Earth.
“Clang!”
“Clang!”
“Clang!”
As clear and impassioned sword cries resounded, the blade of the Myriad Profound Domain Sword trembled violently, erupting with billions of dazzling sword lights.
One flying sword.
Nine flying swords.
Ninety-nine flying swords.
Nine hundred ninety-nine flying swords.
Nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine flying swords…!
The Myriad Profound Domain Sword split into countless forms, spreading in all directions. Endless flying swords filled the entire sky.
Then billions of flying swords descended simultaneously, and an overwhelming, ultimate sword intent erupted.
In an instant, Heaven and Earth fell silent.
A sword domain composed of countless flying sword phantoms and pure sword intent ford in an instant.
Within this vast sword domain, Gu Wuji was the sole sovereign — his sword intent was the will of billions of swords!
“This derivation of ten thousand swords forming its own domain — this is the Myriad Profound Sword Domain!”
A cultivator from one of the Five Great Sects cried out in shock.
“Martial Uncle Gu has mastered One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Laws. Within this Myriad Profound Sword Domain, even a Nascent Soul True Monarch can be fought!”
The cultivators of the Profound Sword Pavilion displayed proud expressions.
What of the Dao Child of the Eight Desolations? The glory of the Five Great Sects would be guarded by the Profound Sword Pavilion.
‘Indeed extraordinary.’
Chen Beiwu slightly raised his eyes toward Gu Wuji, whose robes fluttered without wind amid billions of sword lights.
He had underestimated the Golden Core True Persons of the Southern Wastes.
Nothing was absolute. The Golden Core rank was not an insurmountable boundary.
With sufficient sword Dao attainnt, a sword cultivator with a Second-Grade Golden Core could rely on ultimate sword intent to overturn a First-Grade Golden Core — even a Supre Golden Core.
As for the Immortal Alliance Honor-Title Golden Core, faintly above even the Supre Golden Core of the Southern Wastes — that was not sothing the Fourth Realm of the sword, One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Laws, could cross.
anwhile, sensing the stinging pain upon his skin, Ning Wujiu’s expression grew solemn.
He clenched his right hand. The 【Annihilation Universe Mystic Halberd-Axe】 fell into his palm, carving out a world of annihilation within the vast sword domain as he prepared to take the sword head-on.
Retreat?
Impossible.
Within the sa realm, he was invincible. What could One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Laws do?
“Slash!”
Gu Wuji ford his fingers into a sword and slashed downward toward Ning Wujiu.
Rumble!
The sky-obscuring Myriad Profound Sword Domain suddenly shattered, condensing into a single inconspicuous gray sword light that flowed from Gu Wuji’s fingertip.
This sword light was like a rusted blade silent for ten thousand ages — without dazzling brilliance, without overwhelming sword intent. It was even rather dim.
Yet upon seeing this sword light, the Divine Transformation True Venerable Ning Xuanji — who had stood with hands behind his back — showed emotion for the first ti. Even his calm eyes flickered.
The inheritances of the Five Great Sects were indeed not simple.
To transform One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Laws into One Sword Gives Birth to Ten Thousand Swords — Gu Wuji’s sword Dao could truly be called the Number One Golden Core sword cultivator.
But what astonished Ning Xuanji even more was that this sword faintly touched the threshold of the Fifth Realm of the sword — 【Body and Sword as One】.
Fortunately, Gu Wuji was not the true life-bound master of the Myriad Profound Domain Sword. He was only temporarily borrowing the power of the Heaven-Reaching Mystic Treasure to erupt. Otherwise, Wujiu might truly have lost to this sword.
Suppressing the urge to intervene, Ning Xuanji remained still.
“Eight Desolations Body Protection! Annihilation Without Limit!”
Ning Wujiu’s expression changed drastically. Without ti to invoke his Dharma Body, he raised the 【Annihilation Universe Mystic Halberd-Axe】 before him. The Annihilation True Qi within his dantian sea of qi boiled forth at unprecedented speed, forming an inky-black annihilation barrier.
“Boom!”
Sword light crossed. The barrier shattered. Ti seed to freeze.
Under Chen Beiwu’s gaze, Ning Wujiu’s body stiffened as he lowered his head in disbelief.
“What a fast sword!”
The words fell. Blood sprayed outward. Ning Wujiu’s entire left arm was severed at the shoulder, and his aura plumted to its lowest point.
‘Is it over?’
The eyes of the Five Great Sects’ cultivators lit up. Their frustration, anger, and unwillingness all vanished.
Internal strife was one matter. But none of them wished to see the Eight Desolations Sect run rampant in the Earth Proliferation Territory.
Whoever defeated the Dao Child of the Eight Desolations and upheld the face of the Five Great Sects would be a hero in the hearts of countless cultivators.
Chen Beiwu raised an eyebrow and slightly shook his head.
A single thread’s difference — yet as vast as Heaven and Earth.
As expected, Ning Wujiu roared.
“Annihilation Core Reversal!”
As the words fell, profound light surged and interwove at his left shoulder. Under the reconnection of Annihilation True Qi, the severed arm instantly regenerated.
Not only that — his previously weakened aura surged wildly upward, growing even stronger.
Seeing this, Ning Xuanji nodded slightly.
He had been right not to interfere.
The Eight Desolations Annihilation Golden Core could glimpse a thread of life within annihilation itself — breaking and then standing anew, growing stronger through battle.
After this tempering, Wujiu was likely not far from becoming a Nascent Soul True Monarch.
“What was that?”
Ning Wujiu took a deep breath and looked up at Gu Wuji, whose face had turned ashen and whose body swayed unsteadily.
“That sword is called Heaven-Sword Severing Fate.”
Gu Wuji lifted his head with difficulty. His expression was calm, though he was already at the end of his strength, utterly unable to fight further.
Defeated.
Even after pouring everything into that supre sword, he had still lost.
But so what?
Even in defeat, his sword intent remained undying.
“A very fine sword.”
Ning Wujiu smiled faintly. His gaze passed over Gu Wuji and, carrying the montum of great victory, turned toward Chen Beiwu.
Sensing the deathly silence, the Sect Masters of the Greenwood Sect, Blazing Fla Sect, and Heavy Gold Sect all frowned.
Contrary to the rumors from the Southern Evolution Territory, the strength of the Dao Child of the Eight Desolations had far exceeded the expectations of the Five Great Sects.
Perhaps only the legendary Taiyi Golden Core could rival him.
Under the weight of countless gazes, all cultivators of the Mirror Moon Sect subconsciously looked toward their sect’s final hope.
Could their Dao Child win?
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