78: Chapter 78 A Brush with Fortune! Liu Ruyan is About to Form Her Core!
The three Yao Emperors disintegrated into a bloody mist after their demise, instantly filling the air with a heavy scent of blood.
Wang Yang waved his hand grandly and issued his most practiced command:
"System, clean up the battlefield!"
*Bzzzt—!*
An invisible ripple swept across the entire valley.
[Ding! Recovery successful!]
[Items obtained: Yao Emperor Remnant Essence Blood x3, Storage Rings x3, Supreme-Grade Yao Artifacts (Damaged) x5, Immortal-Binding Ropes (Yao Race Imitation) x1...]
[Total points obtained: 1,150,000!]
[Current total points: 9 million (approximately)!]
Wang Yang nodded in satisfaction.
"These three old monsters' assets are rather mediocre. Wait, no! The most valuable part, their Yao bodies, seems to have been turned into blood mist by me..."
He lowered his head, looking at Xiao Yuhan in his arms, who was still clutching his lapel tightly, her eyes dazed and full of lingering fear. He gave a gentle smile:
"Alright, Xiao Hanhan, it's over now."
"Since it's not safe here, let's return to the Hehuan Sect."
"As for Sunset City, with these three Yao Emperors dead, the Yao Beasts within a thousand-mile radius will probably be scared out of their wits. They won't cause trouble for a while."
"Mmm... I'll listen to whatever Revered Master says..."
Xiao Yuhan, at this moment, had lost all trace of her usual dignified 'older sister' demeanor. She was as docile as a quail, burying her head deeply into Wang Yang's chest, greedily inhaling his comforting masculine scent.
*Whoosh!*
With a thought from Wang Yang, his Domain power activated. Holding Xiao Yuhan, he transformed into a streak of golden light and vanished from the spot.
However.
Just one second after Wang Yang teleported away...
In a corner piled with jagged rocks, a three-tailed white fox, originally bound tightly by that "Immortal-Binding Rope," suddenly felt its body lighten.
The System's "one-click recovery" had conveniently collected the Yao Race Magic Treasure binding it!
"Ying?"
The three-tailed white fox (Yao King realm, equivalent to the Human Race's Golden Core Stage) shook its snow-white fur. Its intelligent, yet somewhat frightened, pink pupils stared intently in the direction where Wang Yang had disappeared.
It had just witnessed how that man had crushed the three Yao Emperors who captured it as easily as squashing ants.
So terrifying!
But also so handsome!
"That man... seemed to say he was returning to... the Hehuan Sect?"
The three-tailed white fox spoke in the human tongue, its voice clear, melodious, and carrying a hint of softness.
It took a deep look in that direction, memorizing those three words.
"That place... might be safer than these Hundred Thousand Mountains..."
*Swoosh!*
A white streak flashed as the three-tailed white fox transformed into a stream of light, fleeing in the opposite direction of the deep mountains.
Meanwhile, Wang Yang, who had already returned to Cangwu Mountain, was unaware.
The "top-tier furry girl" he had just been longing to capture, even a "princess" level one at that, had been perfectly missed by him... all because he was too busy holding his Disciple!
...
Hehuan Sect, Main Hall.
The moment Wang Yang landed, before he could even put down Xiao Yuhan in his arms, he heard a burst of cheerful laughter and chatter from inside the hall.
"Oh, Sister Ye, stop teasing me~"
This was Liu Ruyan's coy voice.
"How is this teasing? This is a major event for our Sect."
This was Ye Qingcheng's lazy and somewhat teasing voice.
Wang Yang, holding Xiao Yuhan, walked into the main hall. Taking a closer look, his eyes immediately lit up.
He saw the four women sitting together in a circle. At this moment, the aura emanating from Liu Ruyan had undergone a dramatic transformation!
The spiritual energy fluctuations, originally at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment, had now become extremely condensed. Even within her Dantian, a faint, illusory pill-like embryo was beginning to form.
False Core Realm (Half-step Golden Core)!
Just one more half-step forward, and it would be the true path of the Golden Core!
On the other side, Ye Qingcheng's change was even more astonishing.
Beneath her ice-blue long dress, the vast, sea-like ice spiritual power seemed on the verge of overflowing. Her cultivation had clearly Broken Through the shackles of the Golden Core Middle Stage, stepping into the seventh layer of Golden Core (Late Stage)!
"Husband! You're back!"
The sharp-eyed Lin Xiaowan was the first to spot Wang Yang. She cheered and rushed over, but screeched to a halt upon seeing the tattered, blood-stained figure in Wang Yang's arms.
"Huh? That's... Sister Xiao?"
"Heavens! How is Sister Xiao so badly injured?"
The women quickly gathered around.
Wang Yang carefully placed Xiao Yuhan on a soft couch, casually fed her a healing Medicinal Pill, and sighed:
"This girl is stubborn. She insisted on taking on three Late Stage Yao Emperors alone and nearly lost her life."
"Fortunately, your husband arrived in time. Otherwise, you wouldn't have seen this good Junior Sister again."
Hearing the words "Late Stage Yao Emperors," all the women gasped in shock.
Those were terrifying existences equivalent to the Late Nascent Soul Stage! Sister Xiao actually dared to challenge them alone? And three of them?
"Sister Xiao, you're pushing yourself too hard..."
Su Qingge looked at the disheveled Xiao Yuhan, her eyes full of heartache, but even more so, a kind of helpless frustration, as if lamenting her unyielding nature:
"Look at you. Instead of staying comfortably in the Sect, you had to go outside and risk your life."
"Look at Sister Ruyan..."
Su Qingge pointed at the blushing Liu Ruyan beside her:
"These past few days, Sister Ruyan has been accompanying husband 'planting trees' every day. Not only is she completely unharmed, but she also Cultivated comfortably to the False Core Realm."
"Tonight..."
Su Qingge gave a mischievous smile, leaning close to Xiao Yuhan's ear and said:
"Tonight, husband is going to help Sister Ruyan officially form her Core."
"We were discussing, with Sister Ruyan's special 'Wood-Attribute Dual Cultivation Physique,' what kind of Golden Core phenomenon she might Awaken?"
"Will it be [Ten Thousand Trees Greet Spring]? Or [Withered Wood Sprouts Blossoms]? Or perhaps something even more... embarrassing..."
"Ah! Sister Su, stop talking!" Liu Ruyan covered her face in embarrassment, but the gaze peeking through her fingers was full of anticipation as she looked at Wang Yang.
Watching this scene, Xiao Yuhan, lying on the soft couch, felt a complex mix of emotions churning inside.
She looked at her own body covered in wounds, then at Ye Qingcheng who had Broken Through to the Golden Core Late Stage even without much dedicated Cultivation, and then at Liu Ruyan who was about to form her Core just by lying down.
A deep sense of frustration and regret washed over her like a tidal wave.
What... what was I even trying to prove?
Getting beaten half to death outside, almost defiled by monsters, all for the sake of a pitiful bit of pride?
Meanwhile, they were at home, having hotpot, singing songs, sleeping with Revered Master, and their cultivation just 'zoomed' past mine?
This comparison... is just too brutal!
Xiao Yuhan looked at Wang Yang's handsome profile and the aura of his [Great Sun Immortal Kidney] that drove countless female cultivators wild.
Her heart, which had originally planned to "maintain somereserved (restraint)" and "be a secret lover," was now thoroughly shaken.
Secret lover?
To hell with being a secret lover!
I want to be an openly acknowledged Dao Companion! I want to level up by lying down too!
Back when I formed my Core through immense hardship, I didn't even get a Golden Core phenomenon! These women here get top-tier phenomena just by lying down!
I'm done pretending! I'm laying my cards on the table!
Xiao Yuhan stretched out a trembling hand and quietly grasped the hem of Wang Yang's robe. Her originally aloof eyes were now filled with watery tenderness and longing:
"Mas... Revered Master..."
"This Disciple's injuries... aren't actually that serious..."
"After Senior Sister Ruyan forms her Core tonight... if Revered Master still has any energy to spare..."
"Could you... also come to Tingyu Pavilion... to give this Disciple some... guidance?"
Hearing this, the hall instantly fell silent.
The four women widened their eyes, then revealed smiles that said 'as expected.',
Wang Yang raised an eyebrow, took hold of that cold little hand in his, and couldn't suppress the smile at the corner of his mouth:
"Oh?"
"Spare energy... naturally, I have some."
"Since my Disciple is so eager to learn, then tonight..."
"This Revered Master will... work a little harder and put in some overtime!"