Deep within the mountains, Lingyun Stronghold.
Though it was the dead of night, the Demon Stronghold was brightly lit.
Evacuating a group of dying people, their skin festering to the point of exposing bone, was an exceptionally troublesome affair.
Fortunately, they weren’t being pursued by any enemies for the time being.
The Demon Generals took out Spirit Pills and ordered Demon Soldiers to fetch fresh spring water from a great distance. They diluted the Elixirs with the water and distributed them to the many demon people. They would need to recuperate for a few days before they had the strength to continue their journey through the mountains.
Whatever the case, they had survived for now.
"Your lord... he’s truly powerful."
The Demon General who had led the way sat by a bonfire, looking at the one-armed old man beside him.
Though he had never witnessed a Golden Core Fighting Technique, he knew that anyone who could slay a Mountain Master Disciple with such overwhelming force couldn’t possibly be a newly ascended New Monarch.
But the strange part was, for a Demon Monarch with such profound Cultivation, the Group of Demons had absolutely no impression of him.
"They’re all saying you must have come from the Great Shun."
"Is it much more dangerous over there? Then again, it looks like things here are about to get just as bad."
The Demon General stared at the flickering flames and sighed in admiration. To think that even a terrifying existence like this young Demon Monarch had had his Demon Mountain destroyed by an Immortal Sect.
A sudden sense of hopelessness washed over the gathered demons.
"I hear both the Qi and Yu Families have dispatched their Mountain Master Disciples, and that Great Cultivator named Qian Yiru will soon descend upon Anren Prefecture..."
"We’ll take it one step at a time."
Elder Xu didn’t explain further.
Compared to the other demons, he was the most shocked of all today.
Even though he had endlessly tried to gauge his master’s true strength, the moment he saw him fight against a Practitioner of the Same Realm with his own eyes, Elder Xu still felt a profound sense of shock.
Such Cultivation even brought to mind the strongest expert on Dragon Ridge, Immortal Qiheng, who had held his own when besieged by three Golden Core Powerhouses.
’If my master can truly stand shoulder to shoulder with Yu Qiheng, is there really a chance to solve the problems in Anren Prefecture?’
Elder Xu pondered for a long time but couldn’t find an answer.
The Qi and Yu Families had controlled Anren Prefecture for far too long. No one knew just how terrifyingly powerful their Mountain Master Disciples truly were.
"..."
Lin Shu sat cross-legged within his cave abode.
Over ten thousand Sin Coins poured into the Jade-Boned Golden Lion, rapidly evolving the Body Tempering Immortal Technique.
His once-fair face was now flushed a deep crimson, as if seared by scorching flames.
His breathing was ragged, like the muffled roar of thunder.
This tyrannical Physique, capable of toppling mountains and parting seas, seemed unable to digest the vast torrent of vital energy.
Beads of crimson sweat, as large as soybeans, evaporated into white steam from the intense heat of his body before they could even roll down his skin.
The leap from the Seventh Grade to the Sixth-Grade was a qualitative transformation, marking the transition from the Early-stage Golden Core to the Mid-stage.
He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to swallow the scorching breath that threatened to escape his throat.
Even including the several thousand extra Sin Coins from before, he only had a total of 15,000. It was barely enough to break through this major threshold, leaving no room for waste.
The previous Magical Combat had made Lin Shu realize something.
The premise that Body Tempering Cultivators have limited techniques only holds true if their opponent is capable of harming them.
Against an opponent like the Chen Family’s Mountain Master, who couldn’t break through his physical defenses no matter what he tried, all flashy tricks were useless.
It was a classic case of the strong overwhelming the weak!
Of course, Lin Shu knew there was always a higher mountain to climb, so he wouldn’t allow himself to become blindly arrogant.
There would always be someone with a higher Cultivation than him, or someone who had mastered an exceptionally sharp offensive Immortal Technique, like the Yu Family’s Sword Formulas.
He, too, needed a trump card that would allow him to fight above his level—a way for the weak to overcome the strong.
’Unfortunately, I don’t have enough money, so I can’t even think about that for now.’
"Lin Shu!"
The little chick’s panicked cry echoed in Lin Shu’s mind.
He let out a sigh of relief.
’Even Yu Sheng is starting to receive a backlash of power,’ he thought. ’This can only mean I’m about to overcome this hurdle!’
[Golden Core Sixth Grade. Demon Lion Suppressing Treasure Body: Perfection]
In an instant, Lin Shu’s limbs and torso once again manifested as a great prison, locking all the vital energy inside his body, letting it roil and crash about!
His complexion quickly returned to normal, his skin becoming as smooth and white as warm jade. The boiling heat that had filled the entire cave abode also quietly dissipated.
The power that had caused all these strange phenomena was now firmly under his control.
"It’s fine. They wanted you to be a Celestial Pride anyway. There’s no need to hide it anymore."
Lin Shu had also heard many of the rumors and gossip in the academy.
Everyone said that Yu Sheng had inherited everything from Yu Qiheng, leaving no one else to claim his legacy.
If that was the case, then for the little chick, with her "bountiful inheritance," to remain in the Core Formation Realm would actually make people question whether she had the makings of a Celestial Pride at all.
"SCREECH!"
Yu Sheng didn’t respond with words, but let out a high, spirited cry.
"..."
Lin Shu gazed out beyond the mountains.
He could almost imagine the commotion this would cause at the academy.
If Yu Sheng could use this opportunity to secure her position as a Celestial Pride, his own status would rise with the tide.
Moreover, Anren Prefecture was the Prefecture City closest to Dragon Ridge.
If Yu Sheng could gain a measure of actual control over the Prefecture City, say by getting a firm grip on its dozen or so counties, then even if she couldn’t shelter the demon people, she could simply turn a blind eye and make their migration immensely easier.
"Hah."
Lin Shu withdrew his gaze and looked at the Merit Coins around him.
It wasn’t that he was exceptionally wealthy now.
Excluding the Mountain God Mirror, the only things he had to show were the Spirit Wind Sword Wheel, a Mid Grade Magical Treasure, and the Flying Shuttle and Large Net he had just seized.
As for High-grade Magical Treasures, he didn’t have a single one.
But when it came to low-grade Elixirs, he had an enormous amount; it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he had a mountain of them.
Handing out just a portion of them had saved this group of demon people, earning him one thousand two hundred Merit Coins.
Trading Elixirs he had no use for to gain Merit Coins could only be described as a win-win situation.
’I didn’t earn as much as I expected, but at least I didn’t have to spend a single copper.’
Based on his original expectations, he had even prepared to use the Mountain God Mirror. Activating it just a couple of times would have cost him several thousand Merit Coins.
In total, his trip to Lingyun Stronghold had earned him 7,700 Merit Coins. Combined with his previous 6,700, his reserves now exceeded 14,000.
On top of that, he had also obtained one mace of Karma Fire Gold Essence. Counting the portions from Zhao Zhiyue and the other Chen Family Mountain Master, he had now saved up three mace.
If he found a suitable Scattered Immortal technique, he could also use this to elevate it to a Half-Life Immortal Technique.
He could also try feeding it to a Magical Treasure to see what effect it would have.
’The Nine-Turns Purple Sky Golden Core...’
Lin Shu slowly composed himself, closed his eyes, and looked inward.
He stared at the Mud Pill, upon which six Dao Patterns had already appeared, and grew curious about how many Merit Coins it would take to break through the most difficult final Third Tempering.
The Sixth Transformation only cost three thousand silver.
’No matter how Illusory and Vague the final Third Tempering is, at most, it should only cost ten thousand, right?’
Lin Shu was already trying to estimate on the high side, but the moment he infused the Merit Coins, he still opened his eyes in shock.
It wasn’t that it was too expensive. Instead, the white light was spat back out, re-forming into silver ingots.
’What’s going on?’
Just as he was feeling puzzled, a look of horror suddenly flashed in Lin Shu’s eyes.
He was horrified to discover that the "Tribulation-Resisting" Spiritual Root he had obtained during the Foundation Establishment Stage was like an invisible Gauze Clothing draped over his entire being, isolating him from the world.
But now, that layer of "Gauze Clothing" was seemingly being stripped away.
’Why is it stripping my clothes?’
Lin Shu subconsciously looked up at the sky.
’Don’t tell me that tempering a Golden Core actually involves the world itself?’
He froze for a moment as an obscure piece of information suddenly surfaced in his mind.
Lin Shu had no idea what it meant, yet he was somehow able to recite it: "Face the Tribulation?"
The formation of a Golden Core startles ghosts and gods.
It is not something a mere mortal can master.
One must first gain the recognition of heaven and earth.
But the act of Cultivation itself causes no harm to heaven and earth, so a tribulation will not naturally descend.
’In other words, I have to create three tribulations for myself?’
’Isn’t that just masochism?’
Lin Shu frowned, deep in thought for a long while. No wonder even the Mountain Master Disciples of the Half-Life Immortal Families only formed a Sixth-Transformation Dragon Tiger Treasure Pill.
So it wasn’t that their resources were insufficient, but that there were other hidden requirements involved.
But having cultivated for such a short time, he truly didn’t know what a "tribulation" was.
"Oh, well."
He put away the Merit Coins, saving them as a reserve for using the Mountain God Mirror in the future.
With the support of these ten thousand-plus Merit Coins, Lin Shu now felt that if he really had to face Qian Yiru, he would dare to test the man’s Sword Formulas while wielding the Treasure Mirror.
As for this business of creating tribulations, he could just ask someone else about it.
If nothing else, those exceptionally talented Mountain Master Disciples were sure to know something.
Even if it wasn’t appropriate for him to ask, given his identity, he could always have Yu Sheng help investigate.
’This Tribulation-Resisting Spiritual Root is actually quite terrifying, though.’
’To think that something condensed during the Foundation Establishment Stage could actually interfere with the prying senses of heaven and earth.’
Lin Shu felt a jolt of surprise and couldn’t help but think of that fool.
In other words, the man hadn’t been lying; he really had followed his nose all the way here.
Tsk. He shook his head and stepped out of the cave abode.
At that very moment, a dozen or so figures streaked through the silent night, drawing near. The leader, perhaps from rushing too hastily, was even leaking a potent stream of Demon Power.
"..."
A trace of wariness flashed in Lin Shu’s eyes.
Judging by this leaking aura alone, there was no telling how much stronger this person was than the Chen Family’s Mountain Master.
This was a Great Demon.
At the very least, they were at the eight-thousand-Sin Coin level, possibly even higher.
"Hah."
The beautiful woman, cold and elegant yet noble, also swept a surprised gaze over the area below.
After freeing herself, she finally had a moment to look after the Night Ghost Demon Monarch’s followers, but despite her haste, she had still arrived too late.
According to the information she had gathered from the Little Demons earlier...
This unfamiliar Demon Monarch had left less than fifteen minutes before she did. No matter how proficient his Moving Technique was, he couldn’t have created much of a time gap.
It could only mean that this Magical Combat had ended far more quickly than she had anticipated.
She hadn’t been wrong after all.
The one who had instantly killed the other Chen Family Mountain Master last time was, in all likelihood, this same person.
’What a Fierce Demon!’
Demon Monarch Bi Hai took a deep breath, feeling an inexplicable twinge of nervousness.
She composed herself and carefully chose her words, worried she might anger him.
Once she was ready, she floated down gracefully, landing before the cave abode.
"I am Bi Hai. Greetings, Brother Yao!"
The coldly beautiful woman forced a somewhat stiff smile and cupped her hands. "I have not yet had the chance to thank you for the matter at Seven Stars Mountain, Brother Yao. Today, I finally have the opportunity."
"It was nothing. You are too polite, Demon Monarch."
In truth, Lin Shu hadn’t had much experience dealing with Demon Monarchs.
He just found it strange that the moment this beautiful woman appeared, the many gazes from down the mountain suddenly became fervent and peculiar, as if some suspicion of theirs had just been confirmed.
He glanced sideways in confusion.
Yet he saw that the Group of Demons below all wore reverent expressions, as if nothing was amiss.
"I..."
Demon Monarch Bi Hai felt those gazes as well, and it was as if she had needles on her back.
A look of helplessness flashed in her eyes, but when she glanced at this Demon Monarch’s young and handsome face, she suddenly understood how those rumors had started.
"Actually, I... Brother Yao and I share the same goal... that’s why we just happened to take the same path..."
The beautiful woman’s throat felt a bit dry, but she still tried to explain.
She really had just wanted to look after this group of Little Demons.
Demon Monarch Bi Hai didn’t notice that the moment she said this, it wasn’t just the Demon Crowd of Lingyun Stronghold; even the eyes of the Group of Demons from Seven Stars Mountain behind her began to flicker.
Ling Liu clapped a hand over her mouth yet again.
’Unbelievable!’
In all these years, who had ever seen Lady Bi Hai stammer while speaking?
"Huh?"
Lin Shu looked over, confused.
He had no idea what this woman was talking about.
’What does she mean, "the same goal"? Can you also earn Merit and Sin Coins?’

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