93: Battle Golden Core Late Stage Cultivator

Meanwhile, back at the Brocade Pavilion.

The setting sun shone diagonally into the "Brocade Pavilion" silk store. Wei Zhong wiped the counter, his gaze inadvertently falling on the focused profile of his wife, Su the Embroiderer, as she worked on an embroidery.

Her earrings swayed gently, and a silver needle flew between her fingertips, sketching a pattern of twin lotuses on plain silk, like the most tender scenery of a spring day.

This made his heart increasingly conflicted about whether he should tell her about what he had promised Zhuang Xian.

At the hour of lighting lamps, the scent of jasmine drifted from the backyard.

The Embroiderer held her daughter's small hand, teaching her how to embroider a sachet:

"First outline the petals, then trace the leaf veins..."

Laughter like silver bells echoed from the backyard; the scene was warm and happy.

This brought pain and helplessness to Wei Zhong, who had just stepped over the threshold, his fingernails nearly digging into his palms.

But he was powerless; rather than seeing the family destroyed, it was better to give up the Embroiderer in exchange for the safety and peace of the whole family.

Approaching her, his throat tightened. After hesitating repeatedly, he spoke with difficulty:

“Madam, tomorrow... you should go to Young Master Zhuang's villa.”

The silver needle in the Embroiderer's hand fell to the ground with a "clack." She looked at her husband in disbelief, her eyes filled with shock and disappointment:

“You actually want to hand me over to someone else?”

Tears welled in her eyes, shattering like stars in the candlelight.

Wei Zhong's heart softened, and he pulled her into his arms.

Smelling the jasmine scent in her hair, his fingertips brushed across her tear-stained cheeks:

“I'm sorry, I...”

The Embroiderer closed her eyes in despair, her heart turning to ash. Tears rolled down like broken strings of pearls as her fingertips, stained with red polish, pushed Wei Zhong away forcefully.

“Since you've already decided, why bother saying sorry to me!”

The Embroiderer's delicate face was covered in tear stains. She stood up and pulled their twelve or thirteen-year-old daughter, who looked like she was carved from pink jade, and took a half-step back to return to the inner chamber.

Wei Zhong grabbed her sleeve, hesitating to speak.

“Let go!”

The Embroiderer said with hatred.

Wei Zhong's expression was complex, but he gathered his thoughts and said:

“Madam, I have no choice. Rather than the family being destroyed, it's better for you to follow Young Master Zhuang. Perhaps you might even fly up a branch and become a Phoenix.”

Hearing this, the Embroiderer became even more resentful. Her beautiful eyes glared at him as she said:

“I never expected you to be this kind of person. I must have been blind to follow you to this Northern Border City of the Tianqi Dynasty. I thought you would give up your business here and take me away, but I didn't expect you to offer me to someone else in exchange for temporary peace and money. I had already found someone to take over the Brocade Pavilion so we could secretly leave Northern Border City.”

Hearing this, Wei Zhong turned pale with fright and said:

“Madam, you must not do that! Offending a Golden Core Cultivator like that will harm our whole family. Our daughter is still young...”

“Enough! You're full of lies and selfishness.”

After saying that, she broke free from Wei Zhong's hand and left with their daughter.

Wei Zhong froze on the spot. Watching the resolute backs of his wife and daughter, cold sweat soaked his back.

Zhuang Xian was a Half-step Golden Core Cultivator, and he was followed by a Great Golden Core Cultivator. To save the silk store, Wei Zhong had already promised to "offer" Su the Embroiderer to Zhuang Xian as a concubine.

If the Embroiderer insisted on resisting, and Zhuang Xian became enraged, the entire Wei Family would be crushed into powder... On the other side, Situ Jun was noticed by Zhuang Lei. His heart skipped a beat, but he didn't show any panic.

His fingertips lightly pinched a spell gesture, and the Spiritual Qi around him suddenly surged. Using the mountain mist to condense a phantom to confuse the opponent, his figure shifted like a ghost to a spot behind some jagged rocks a hundred yards away.

“Senior has such a keen perception.”

Situ Jun intentionally lowered his voice, mixing it with the whistling mountain wind to give it a somewhat raspy, weathered feel:

“I am merely passing through this place. Seeing Senior's immortal air, I followed out of curiosity for a moment. I meant no offense.”

Zhuang Lei's cloudy eyes darted around, and the pressure of his Golden Core cultivation spread out like a tide, snapping the grass and trees wherever it passed.

He gave a cold laugh. At some point, a rusted bronze hammer appeared in his hand, its cold light flickering:

“Hmph! In these desolate mountains, there's no such thing as 'passing through.' You coward hiding your head, if you don't show yourself now, don't blame this old man for being impolite!”

Before his voice had even faded, the bronze hammer, wrapped in a fierce wind, smashed violently toward the direction where Situ Jun was hiding.

Situ Jun's pupils constricted. He rapidly stepped with the Seven Star Steps, barely dodging the fatal blow.

With a thunderous boom, mountain rocks flew everywhere, and the giant boulder he had been hiding behind was smashed to pieces.

Knowing he had been discovered, he realized that continuing to hide would put him at a disadvantage. He flickered and revealed himself.

However, he had deliberately altered his appearance, and his black robe had been dyed blue-gray by spiritual power, blending into the night.

“Senior, please calm your anger!”

Situ Jun cupped his fists, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant:

“To tell the truth, I am looking for a Secret Realm to Cultivate. I heard there was an Immortal Cave left by an ancient Cultivator near this mountain, so I took the liberty of following. If I have disturbed Senior, I hope you can be magnanimous.”

As he spoke, he quietly produced a Jade Slip. Obscure runes flowed across its surface, looking quite convincing.

Zhuang Lei stared suspiciously at the Jade Slip, but his pressure did not weaken in the slightest:

“An ancient Immortal Cave? Hmph, I have been in the Northern Border for many days and have never heard of such a thing. How did a junior like you find out?”

Situ Jun was secretly delighted, knowing the other party's curiosity had been piqued, but he still maintained a fearful expression on his face:

“It was a Jade Slip given to me by a traveling Senior before he left, which recorded some clues. My Cultivation is shallow, and I knew it would be difficult to explore the Secret Realm alone. I originally wanted to ask for Senior's help, but I didn't expect to be detected by Senior.”

This explanation was half-true and half-false, causing a flash of hesitation in Zhuang Lei's eyes.

Situ Jun quietly stepped forward a few paces and respectfully handed over the Jade Slip.

Just as Zhuang Lei reached out to take the Jade Slip, Situ Jun's Lifebound Weapon, 'ice seal,' suddenly appeared and stabbed straight toward Zhuang Lei's chest.

Zhuang Lei was indeed a Late Golden Core Stage Cultivator. As Situ Jun suddenly attacked, a sharp light shot from his eyes, and a spiritual shield protected his vital points. He retreated several steps and gave a cold smile:

“Mid Golden Core Stage? What impressive concealment methods. But you're still going to die, hehe!”

As he spoke, the bronze hammer in his hand smashed down toward Situ Jun's head with a force that seemed to suppress the world.

Instead of retreating, Situ Jun advanced. The Spiritual Qi around him transformed into an ice-blue Dragon phantom, which met the bronze hammer with bared fangs and claws.

In a thunderous explosion, the ice Dragon collided with the bronze hammer. The resulting shockwave snapped all the trees within a ten-yard radius.

Situ Jun took the opportunity to close in. Frost spread across the blade of the "ice seal," glinting with an eerie blue light under the moonlight as it aimed directly for Zhuang Lei's throat.

Zhuang Lei snorted coldly and pinched a spell with his left hand. An earth-yellow barrier instantly rose.

The tip of the "ice seal" struck the barrier, producing a piercing metallic screech, but it only left a shallow white mark.

Zhuang Lei's right hand swung the bronze hammer horizontally, the resulting wind cutting toward Situ Jun's neck like a blade.

Situ Jun's body spun rapidly. His robe was torn by the wind, and blood seeped from his shoulder.

He knew he had no chance of winning in a direct confrontation. With a thought, the coldness around him surged, and a thick layer of ice instantly formed on the ground.

Zhuang Lei's foot slipped, and his movement faltered for a moment. Situ Jun seized this fleeting opportunity. Chanting under his breath, he pointed the tip of the "ice seal" straight at the sky.

In an instant, dark clouds filled the sky, and countless ice spikes fell from the clouds.

Zhuang Lei's expression turned grave. He swung the bronze hammer with both hands, and his spiritual power transformed into a golden light curtain that enveloped him. The ice spikes struck the light curtain, creating a dense series of explosions and kicking up a cloud of ice shards.

“Paltry tricks!”

Zhuang Lei roared. He held the bronze hammer high above his head as his Golden Core power converged frantically.

A massive golden pillar of light soared into the sky, shattering all the ice spikes. The aftershock sent Situ Jun flying dozens of yards away.

Situ Jun crashed into the mountain wall and spat out a mouthful of blood, his black robe heavily stained red.

He had wanted to test the difference in strength between the Middle Stage and the Late Stage of the Golden Core, but the reality left Situ Jun feeling quite defeated.

In fact, compared to Situ Jun, Zhuang Lei was even more astonished. A Golden Core Cultivator had actually fought him to a draw. One must know that he was a Golden Core Cultivator just one step away from advancing to the Nascent Soul stage. His Cultivation, Cultivation Technique, and combat skills were all outstanding; otherwise, he wouldn't have been sent to protect Zhuang Xian.

Zhuang Lei suppressed the surging blood in his chest, his eyes flashing with a cold light, determined to eliminate this youth.

With a cold snort, spiritual power surged around him again, forming a vortex that sent the broken stones flying into the air. Wrapped in the pressure of the Late Golden Core Stage, they shot violently toward Situ Jun.

Situ Jun hurriedly swung his sword to block. A series of "clinking" sounds rang out continuously. The cold mist on the sword was once again dispersed by the stones, and a numbing pain from his webbing traveled up his arm.

“A deathbed struggle!”

A cruel curve appeared at the corner of Zhuang Lei's mouth. Dark golden patterns surfaced on the bronze hammer, and the iron chain wrapped around the handle suddenly turned into a spirit snake, entangling Situ Jun's ankle.

Situ Jun lost his balance and stumbled to the ground. Zhuang Lei took the opportunity to close in, the bronze hammer smashing toward his face with a whistling sound.

At the critical moment, Situ Jun suddenly bit the tip of his tongue and spat a mouthful of essence blood onto the “ice seal” sword.

The sword's light flared brilliantly, and an ice Dragon phantom rose from the tip, colliding violently with the bronze hammer.

The massive impact sent both of them flying at the same time. Situ Jun's back crashed heavily against an ancient tree, and blood spilled from his mouth again. However, ice crystals from the tree trunk spread and instantly froze it into an ice sculpture.

Zhuang Lei's robe was torn by the icy air, revealing his sturdy chest. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, the killing intent in his eyes growing even stronger:

“I underestimated you, but today you will surely die!”

Before his voice had even faded, the Golden Core power within him circulated frantically. A dark golden lightning ball condensed above his head, the roar of thunder making Situ Jun's eardrums ache.

Situ Jun's pupils contracted sharply. At the moment the lightning ball was about to fall, his body slid to the left like an eel.

The ground was blasted into a pit several feet deep by the lightning ball, with rocks flying everywhere.

Situ Jun suddenly felt that his means of attack were too few. He didn't dare to continue the fight. He pulled out a healing Medicinal Pill and swallowed it, pushed his Breath Concealment Technique to the limit, applied an Invisibility Talisman given by the System, and rapidly returned to Northern Border City, staying close to the ground and the bushes.