66: The Method for Achieving the Supreme Golden Elixir

"Have you heard? In seven days, the Sect's annual Inner Sect Assessment will begin!"

"Anyone above the Foundation Establishment Stage can participate! This is a chance for a carp to leap over the Dragon Gate!"

"I heard that the top three in this assessment will not only obtain the status of an Inner Sect Disciple but also gain the qualification to explore the 'First Level of the Immortal Mausoleum'!"

"The Immortal Mausoleum? My God! The opportunities inside..."

Inner Sect Assessment!

Yao Delong's footsteps paused, and a wave of emotion instantly surged in his heart!

For the him of the past, who had a 'Spiritual Power Affinity of two', these three words...

...were an unreachable chasm he wouldn't have dared to even dream of!

His pathetic status as an Outer Sect Disciple was something his Revered Master, Leng Yuekui, had fought for against all odds.

She had even risked offending other Peak Revered Masters to barely secure it for him; over the years, he had endured countless cold glares and ridicule.

Status!

Outer Sect, Inner Sect, Core, True Inheritance... every level raised meant more resource allocation!

Higher authority! Qualifications to explore more Secret Realms!

The dust-covered treasures, powerful Magic Treasures, and lost Cultivation Techniques in the Treasure Pavilion would be opened to him first!

This was a shortcut on the path to becoming a powerhouse!

"Inner Sect Assessment..." Yao Delong murmured, a burning fire igniting in his eyes.

"This time, I, Yao Delong, must hold my head high and let everyone see clearly!"

Yao Delong transformed into a streak of sword light, heading with some urgency straight toward the courtyard where his Junior Sister Lin Qingxue from Luoxia Peak was in seclusion.

The gate to the elegant small courtyard was slightly ajar. The courtyard was quiet, with a few fallen leaves swirling in the early autumn wind.

Yao Delong swept through with his Divine Sense; the Immortal Cave's Restriction had already been removed, but the room was empty.

"She's out of seclusion? Where is she?"

Yao Delong felt a slight sense of loss; it seemed his Junior Sister hadn't stayed long after exiting seclusion.

He shook his head, suppressing that bit of melancholy, and turned to return to his simple thatched hut to adjust his state and wait for the Inner Sect Assessment in seven days.

Just as he reached the outside of the hut, his footsteps paused.

In front of the simple wooden house, on a smooth green stone, a slender blue figure sat quietly.

Her soft black hair was blown by the mountain wind, a few playful strands brushing against her fair profile.

The woman tilted her head slightly, looking at the sunset clouds at the top of Luoxia Peak, dyed golden-red by the setting sun.

Her whole body exuded a calm and stable aura, faintly resonating with the surrounding Spiritual Qi.

As if sensing movement, she suddenly turned her head.

"Senior Brother!" Lin Qingxue's beautiful eyes instantly lit up, like stars falling into autumn waters; all her calmness transformed into a bright smile.

She leaped lightly off the green stone, reached Yao Delong in a few steps, and naturally took his arm, her voice filled with the joy of a long-awaited reunion:

"Where did you go? I came to find you as soon as I left seclusion, and I've been waiting for a while!"

With the warm and fragrant beauty by his side, the bit of loss in Yao Delong's heart was instantly dispelled by warmth.

A doting smile appeared on his face as he said softly:

"I went to Spirit Forging Peak to get the repaired Puppet from Elder Liu, and stopped by to see if you were out of seclusion, but I missed you."

He raised his hand, habitually wanting to rub his Junior Sister's head, but she laughingly dodged it.

"You went looking for me?" Lin Qingxue's eyes curved into crescents, showing a hint of smugness.

"Since my seclusion ended and I've stabilized my Realm, I wanted to tell Senior Brother the good news immediately!"

She felt the increasingly thick and deep fluctuations of spiritual power from Yao Delong, her eyes flashing with brilliance:

"Senior Brother, the Inner Sect Assessment is in seven days! With your current cultivation, you will surely overpower the crowd and take first place!

When that time comes, let's see who still dares to look down on our Luoxia Peak!" Her words were full of trust and pride in her Senior Brother.

"Hahaha!" Yao Delong laughed loudly, a confident light burning in his eyes.

"Then I shall take my Junior Sister's auspicious words! This time, I will definitely clear the name of our Luoxia Peak!"

His gaze fell on his Junior Sister's fair face, and with a mischievous smile, he leaned in and whispered:

"Junior Sister came straight to her Senior Brother after leaving seclusion, could it be... you missed your Senior Brother?"

Two red clouds instantly flew onto Lin Qingxue's pretty face, like the morning glow reflecting on snow, unimaginably beautiful.

She gave Yao Delong a bashful glare but didn't refute him, only letting out a soft snort and burying her flushed cheeks into his shoulder.

Affection was like wine, intoxicating the soul.

The brushwood door of the simple thatched hut closed with a "creak."

An imperceptible Restriction light quietly lit up, isolating the inside from the outside world.

The red candle flickered, illuminating the room full of spring. The longing from a long-awaited reunion turned into the most burning flame, igniting this humble room.

The surrounding spiritual power suddenly became intense, their auras intertwining and shifting unpredictably.

Yin and Yang, ice and fire—two extreme forces collided violently,

but in an instant, they found a perfect balance, circulating endlessly like the head and tail of a Yin-Yang fish.

Within this profound resonance of the Dao, the auras and Origins of both individuals drew from each other to strengthen themselves, completing a miraculous transformation.

[Ding! Detected completion of Yin-Yang harmony with the target. Target Cultivates the technique 'Extreme Yin Frost Transformation Great Method'.]

[Yin and Yang aid each other, Origin enhanced. Reward: 40 yin-yang value! Current yin-yang value: 76 points!]

The System's notification sounded deep within his mind, like celestial music.

Yao Delong let out a long breath of turbid air, feeling the Pure Yang spiritual essence surging and agitated within him, almost overflowing.

In this round of Dual Cultivation, his Dantian Qi Sea had been expanded to an unprecedented limit, vast as an abyss!

In his Sea of Consciousness, his Divine Sense power also surged, becoming increasingly condensed and sharp; with a thought, it could cover a wider range.

However, when his consciousness sank into the deepest part of his Physical Body to examine it according to the supreme Golden Core condensation method described in the 'Great Evolution Mixed Yang Scripture', he frowned slightly.

His spiritual essence was majestic and his Divine Sense was powerful, but this 'vessel' carrying it all—his physique—

though far exceeding ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivators with strong bones and Qi like a Dragon,

it still hadn't reached the 'Primordial Unity' limit recorded in the scripture.

It was like a divine statue about to be perfectly cast, lacking only the final, most crucial quenching.

"It seems that to achieve that legendary supreme Golden Core, the tempering of the Physical Body is a hurdle that cannot be bypassed..." Yao Delong realized in his heart.

The night was deep.

Lin Qingxue leaned against Yao Delong's solid chest, her hair scattered, with the laziness and satisfaction of the aftermath.

Her fingertips unconsciously drew circles on Yao Delong's chest, her voice carrying a hint of reluctance: "Senior Brother..."

"Hmm?" Yao Delong lowered his head, his chin rubbing against the soft top of her head.

"My parents in the clan sent me a message, saying there are important matters to discuss..."

She raised her eyes apologetically, "I... I'm afraid I have to set out to return to my Family tomorrow."

Yao Delong's heart sank slightly, and his arm around her tightened: "Leaving tomorrow? So urgent?"

"Yes." Lin Qingxue nodded helplessly. "The tone in the message talisman was quite urgent; there must be real business in the clan."

After a brief silence, Yao Delong released his embrace and sat up.

He took out a heavy bag of Spirit Stones and several exquisite jade bottles from his storage ring and placed them in Lin Qingxue's hand.

"Here are 1,000 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, along with some recovery Medicinal Pills and origin breaking pills. Take them.

The journey is long; you must be careful." His expression was serious, his eyes filled with deep concern.

"Once I finish the Inner Sect Assessment, I will go find you."

Lin Qingxue looked at the Spirit Stones and pills in her hand, a warm current flowing through her heart.

She looked up at Yao Delong's worried face and suddenly broke into a smile, like melting ice and snow, bright and moving:

"Senior Brother, are you worried I won't return to the Sect? Don't worry!

I haven't seen my parents in a long time either. This time, once I settle things, I'll come back immediately!

Luoxia Peak, with you... and Revered Master, is my home."

Her words were gentle yet firm.

The next morning, the mist and Spiritual Qi at the top of Luoxia Peak blended, emitting a strange rosy light.

Yao Delong saw Lin Qingxue off at the mountain gate's teleportation array. He watched that blue silhouette gradually blur in the teleportation light until it finally vanished.

He stood there for a long time before slowly turning around.

"Physique... how can I reach the limit?" Back in his quiet hut, this thought circled in his mind ever more clearly.

Revered Master Leng Yuekui was still in deep seclusion. Among the Elders he was on good terms with and who were knowledgeable... there was only Elder Liu Duan, who loved wine as much as his life but was well-versed in Artifact Refining.

As for Vice Peak Master Bai, to whom he owed a favor, Yao Delong didn't want to go there if he could help it, as that Spirit Plant Peak Revered Master seemed to harbor great hostility toward him.

"Fine, I'll take another trip to Spirit Forging Peak."