64: Breakthrough to Golden Core

"Face? Prestige?"

Facing the pressing questions from these Nascent Soul Ancestors, Murong Zhuyun, who had been silent, finally spoke.

Her voice was clear and cold, like the striking of cold jade, distinctly reaching the ears of every Ancestor.

She slowly raised her eyes, her gaze calmly sweeping over Ancestor Potian and Ancestor Yunliu. In the depths of her eyes, there was a faint hint of disappointment!

"Senior Brother Potian, Senior Brother Yunliu, I only ask you one question."

"If I hadn't intervened at the last moment, and the seven of you continued your siege, how many of you do you think would have walked away alive from that person's sword?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the several Ancestors, who had been filled with righteous indignation, suddenly held their breath.

Ancestor Potian and Ancestor Yunliu's expressions instantly turned incredibly grim.

Their lips trembled, but they couldn't utter a single word.

Yes!

How many could have survived?

Recalling the scene at the time, they still felt lingering fear and a chill down their spines.

That man, wielding a Spirit Treasure, swept with a single sword.

The combined attack of the seven great Nascent Souls shattered like paper!

That azure Sword Qi was unstoppable, simply irresistible!

If they hadn't reacted quickly and retreated in time,

It was likely that three or four Fellow Daoists would have been instantly cut down by that single sword!

Even so, all seven of them were injured, and three of them had their Lifebound Treasures destroyed and their Foundations damaged.

Without a hundred or eighty years of arduous cultivation, they would be unable to recover.

And this was just the power of one sword!

What if there were another sword, or two?

Could they truly exhaust a Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment Prodigy who wielded a Spirit Treasure, possessed Transcendent Sword Intent,

And could even cleave open a Nascent Soul Domain with a single sword?

The answer was no.

The most likely outcome was heavy casualties on their side, while the opponent would at most merely exhaust his spiritual power and calmly retreat.

By then, the losses of the Qingyun Immortal Sect would be devastating!

Seeing the grim expressions on everyone's faces, Murong Zhuyun sighed inwardly, her tone softening slightly.

"All Senior Brothers, I understand your feelings. The Sect has suffered such a great humiliation, and as the Sect Master, I am more pained than any of you."

"But as the Sect Master, I must also consider the future of the Sect."

"That Chen Xu is a Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment Prodigy, unique through the ages. The Golden Core he condensed is probably far beyond our imagination. To be able to contend with a Middle Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator and not be defeated while still in the Golden Core Stage already defies common sense."

"Coupled with the Spirit Treasure myriad ages azure cloud sword in his hand, the person and the sword seem to be naturally compatible, doubling its power. Forcibly killing him might cost us the lives of five, or even seven, Nascent Soul Elders!"

"To lose nearly half of our Sect's top combat power for a face that can no longer be saved, do you think it's worth it?"

Murong Zhuyun's words were like a basin of cold water poured over everyone's heads.

Those Elders who had been clamoring to protect the Sect's face were now silent.

Yes, was it worth it?

Nascent Soul Cultivators are the Foundation of a Sect, its stabilizing force.

The fall of any one of them would be an unbearable loss for the Sect.

If, in order to kill one Chen Xu, seven or eight Nascent Soul Elders were to fall,

Then the Qingyun Immortal Sect would likely immediately fall from its position as a top-tier great Sect, becoming a second-rate, or even third-rate force, to be devoured by the surrounding hungry wolves!

By then, what face would there be to speak of? The very survival of the Sect would be in question!

Moreover, the Demonic Path was rising, and a war between the Righteous and Demonic Paths was already a matter of time.

At such a time, losing even one Nascent Soul True Lord would be an unbearable loss.

"But... are we just going to let it go? Let an outsider ride roughshod over our Qingyun Immortal Sect?" an Elder still said, unwilling to accept it.

"Of course, we're not just letting it go."

Murong Zhuyun shook her head, turning around.

She looked towards the ancient Star-Gazing Platform in the center of the Flowing Cloud Platform.

Above the Star-Gazing Platform, a giant star map slowly rotated, simulating the trajectories of the stars of the universe, profound and unfathomable.

Her expression, at this moment, became unprecedentedly solemn.

"All Senior Brothers, there is an even more important reason why I chose to compromise."

"Just half a month ago, I observed the celestial phenomena at night and glimpsed a sliver of Heavenly Dao."

She extended her slender jade finger, pointing towards that vast star map.

Following her gaze, everyone saw that the main stars representing the Luck of the Great Feng Dynasty cultivation world were dimming, while around them, seven previously inconspicuous stars suddenly lit up with an eerie blood-red light.

They formed a line, subtly encircling the main stars.

"This is... the omen of Seven Killings Descending, and the Demonic Stars bringing chaos to the world!"

Murong Zhuyun's voice carried a hint of a tremor.

"I expended ten years of my Lifespan to forcibly deduce, and finally came to a conclusion—the Demonic Path, which has been dormant for a thousand years, is about to make a comeback! A catastrophe that will sweep across the entire Great Feng Dynasty cultivation world is already imminent!"

Boom!

This news was like a thunderclap from the Nine Heavens.

It exploded in the minds of all the Nascent Soul Ancestors!

"What?!"

"The Demonic Path is rising? How is this possible!"

"Sect Master, is this true?!"

Everyone's faces were filled with shock and disbelief.

Compared to the Sect's loss of face, the rise of the Demonic Path...

Was the true catastrophe that could shake their very lives!

These old monsters, who had lived for over a thousand years, had more or less read about the tragic records of the last war between the Righteous and Demonic Paths in the Sect's ancient texts.

It was a war where blood flowed like rivers and millions of corpses lay scattered.

Countless Sects and families were annihilated in that catastrophe. Even a major Sect like Qingyun Immortal Sect suffered heavy losses, with over a dozen Nascent Soul Ancestors falling, before barely managing to suppress the Demonic Path.

Now, was the catastrophe coming again?

In an instant, all the humiliation and unwillingness in everyone's hearts.

Were replaced by deeper fear and solemnity.

They finally understood why the Sect Master had to preserve the Sect's Nascent Soul combat power at all costs.

"The catastrophe is approaching, and our Qingyun Immortal Sect, as the leader of the Righteous Path, will bear the brunt of it."

Murong Zhuyun's voice was incredibly heavy: "At this time, every single Nascent Soul combatant is incredibly precious to us."

"As for Chen Xu..."

She changed the subject, her gaze falling back on everyone.

"His appearance, while causing our Sect to lose all face, from another perspective, isn't it also adding a peerless powerhouse to our Sect before the catastrophe arrives?"

Ancestor Qingzhu, who had been silent, now had a flash of sharp light in his eyes.

He instantly understood Murong Zhuyun's profound meaning.

"Does the Sect Master mean... to turn Chen Xu into a force for our Sect to resist the Demonic Path?"

"Precisely!"

Murong Zhuyun nodded: "He is only at the Golden Core Stage now, yet he possesses such combat power. Can you all imagine what terrifying realm his strength will reach once he successfully condenses a Nascent Soul?"

"A Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment Nascent Soul Cultivator..."

The Nascent Soul Ancestors present, just imagining that scene, couldn't help but take a deep breath.

That, perhaps, would be an existence capable of contending with the legendary Spirit Transformation Great Powers!

If such a god of slaughter were to guard the Sect, in the future war between the Righteous and Demonic Paths,

The Qingyun Immortal Sect's chances of victory would undoubtedly greatly increase!

Having understood this point, most of the Elders' unwillingness and anger disappeared.

They were replaced by a complex expression, tinged with a hint of anticipation.

"The Sect Master's foresight is profound, we... admire you!"

An Elder bowed to Murong Zhuyun, completely convinced.

"Alas, alas, since it's to cope with the Demonic Path catastrophe, this bit of face is not worth keeping."

"Hmph!"

Ancestor Potian and Ancestor Yunliu exchanged glances. Although they still felt aggrieved in their hearts,

They also knew that what the Sect Master said was the general trend and could not be refuted.

They snorted coldly, transforming into streaks of light without a word, and left the Flowing Cloud Platform.

The other Elders also bid farewell to Murong Zhuyun and returned to their respective peaks.

Preparing for the impending catastrophe.

Soon, on the Flowing Cloud Platform, only Murong Zhuyun and another white-robed Elder, who had remained silent, were left.

That Elder was the most senior Grand Elder in the Sect, normally never involving himself in worldly affairs.

He looked at Murong Zhuyun and slowly said, "Zhuyun, your divination skills have reached the Transcendent realm. To glimpse the Heavenly Dao in advance is a blessing for the Sect."

"However, the Heavenly Dao is in heaven, and also in the human heart. You are confined to this Flowing Cloud Platform all day long; what you see and calculate is ultimately limited. Sometimes, going out to see might yield different insights."

With that, the Elder's figure vanished into thin air.

Murong Zhuyun stood still, repeatedly pondering the Elder's words.

A glimmer of understanding flashed in her ethereal eyes.

Yes, she had relied too much on divination, which had become a disadvantage.

Her Heart-Nature was constrained by this small Flowing Cloud Platform.

Just as she felt a realization, a graceful figure, treading on clouds, slowly ascended the Flowing Cloud Platform.

It was Liu Jingyao.

"Jingyao greets the Sect Master."

She bowed gracefully to Murong Zhuyun, her expression tinged with apprehension and unease.

"Haha, you girl, you usually don't step out of your door. Why do you have time to visit my quiet Flowing Cloud Platform today?"

Murong Zhuyun looked at her, a gentle smile appearing on her face, and teased, "What, are you here to plead for your... beloved?"

Liu Jingyao's cheeks instantly flushed red. She quickly lowered her head and softly defended herself, "Sect Master is joking, Disciple... Disciple just doesn't understand why Sect Master would..."

"Don't understand why I agreed to his unreasonable request, is that it?"

Murong Zhuyun finished her sentence for her.

She took Liu Jingyao's hand, had her sit beside her, and sighed softly, "Do you know that your beloved's current strength has long surpassed your father, and even most of the Nascent Soul Elders of the Qingyun Immortal Sect?"

Liu Jingyao's delicate body trembled, her eyes filled with shock.

She knew Chen Xu was strong, but she hadn't expected...

The Sect Master's evaluation of him to be so high!

"Therefore, I chose to compromise. Not because I fear him, but because I fear the unknown behind him," Murong Zhuyun concluded, her voice carrying a hint of helplessness and weariness.

"The Qingyun Immortal Sect is no longer as glorious as it once was... We can't afford to lose anymore."

She looked up at the depths of the sea of clouds, as if seeing the blood-red storm about to sweep over them.

"Let's take it one step at a time."

...After rewarding everyone for their merits, Chen Xu announced that he would go into seclusion to attempt to break through to the Golden Core Stage.

As soon as he said this, everyone's faces showed expressions of either joy or worry!

The joy was because their Chen Family Patriarch...

Was finally reaching the step of condensing a Golden Core.

The worry was... condensing a Golden Core was no small matter.

After reassuring everyone, Chen Xu entered the secret chamber under everyone's gaze!

And as Chen Xu's figure disappeared behind the heavy stone door of the cultivation secret chamber,

The atmosphere of the entire Chen Family mansion changed.

Rumble!

The stone door closed completely!

Immediately after, an invisible fluctuation, centered on the cultivation secret chamber, rapidly spread throughout the entire Chen Family mansion.

Even covering half of Ninghai City.

Buzz~!

A pale golden light shield, visible to the naked eye, shot up into the sky.

Above the sky, winds and clouds churned, and the Spiritual Qi from all directions seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, transforming into long dragons of Spiritual Qi, roaring as they converged into the golden light shield.

Making the light shield increasingly solid and thick.

Within Ninghai City, countless Cultivators looked up in horror.

Feeling the majestic and dignified aura of the Formation, and the visible flow of Spiritual Qi in the air, their minds were all greatly shaken.

"The Family Protection Formation! The Chen Family has activated its Family Protection Formation!"

"What terrifying speed of Spiritual Qi convergence! This Formation's grade is definitely not low! I'm afraid it can withstand repeated fierce attacks from a Golden Core Immortal Master!"

"The Patriarch is in seclusion, the entire Family is on high alert! Is this the prestige of a top-tier force...?"

At this moment, everyone understood that with the god-like, demon-like Patriarch entering seclusion, the Ninghai Chen Family, this fierce tiger that had just emerged, had revealed its sharp claws.

Announcing to the whole world that this place was not to be trespassed upon.

Chen Family Mansion, Council Hall.

Bu Yifan sat at the head of the table. She had changed into a luxurious palace dress symbolizing her status as the matriarch. Her usual gentleness was replaced by dignity.

In her hand, she held a profound iron token representing the Patriarch's authority.

Below, Immortal Master Yuqing, Chu Xuan, and over a dozen newly appointed Guest Elders and stewards of the Chen Family were seated on either side, their expressions solemn.

"My husband is in seclusion, attempting to break through to the Golden Core Dao. This is the top priority of the Family, and no mistakes can be tolerated."

Bu Yifan's voice echoed through the hall: "From today onwards, all affairs within the mansion will be overseen by me. Immortal Master Yuqing, Chu Xuan, you two will be responsible for matters outside the mansion."

"We respectfully obey the Matriarch's command!"

Immortal Master Yuqing and Chu Xuan bowed in unison.

Bu Yifan's gaze swept over the two, and she continued: "As for... the Cultivators who come from outside the city seeking refuge, do not fully trust them, nor fully reject them. My husband and I have discussed and set up three tests."

"The first tests Heart-Nature, the second tests conduct, and the third tests strength."

"Those who pass all three tests can be registered and observed for employment. Immortal Master Yuqing, you will draft the specific regulations, ensuring fairness and strictness, to select truly capable talents for our Chen Family."

"Understood, my subordinate!"

Immortal Master Yuqing held his whisk and bowed slightly.

"As for those with ill intentions, who try to fish in troubled waters..." Bu

Yifan's tone suddenly turned cold, "Do not be polite, directly throw them out. If they resist, according to my husband's command, kill without mercy! Our Chen Family now does not lack a chicken to make an example of!"

"Yes, Matriarch!"

Chu Xuan gripped the hilt of his sword, his eyes filled with Killing Intent.