Chapter 1099: Core Disciple
Ahwoo Ahwoo!
The beasts roared endlessly.
Each of Fang Yuan’s blows carried boundless energy, bursting the skulls of numerous golden beasts and splattering their brains across the ground.
After some time, a pool of blood had formed where he stood.
Vast amounts of golden beast corpses piled up into a small mountain. He stood atop it, like a king among the dead.
“This doesn’t feel that good…” Fang Yuan shook his head and prepared to collect some gold cores as loot. “Are the remaining golden beasts not coming in fear of being killed?”
Before long, a huge shifting force acted on him.
“Is it the power of the artifact spirit?”
Although he could break free using his Illusion Realm’s nomological laws, Fang Yuan certainly did not want to be so high-profile, so he allowed the moving force to envelop him.
Immediately afterward, everything tumbled before his eyes, and he found himself inside a golden palace.
On the main seat sat an Immortal with golden eyebrows and a hooked nose. His gaze pierced Fang Yuan like a knife, scrutinizing him. “Li Hun? After less than a month of joining the sect, you managed to cultivate to the third transference?”
“Greetings, Immortal!” Fang Yuan bowed respectfully. “Have three days already passed, and I’m a core disciple now?”
“Naturally, you’ve passed the test. However, we still need to check… Where did you come from? Who was your teacher?” the golden-browed Immortal asked calmly.
Fang Yuan suddenly felt a force probing his soul, covering everywhere.
A lie-detecting spiritual technique? He sneered inside his mind. If a Grand Unity Immortal or the true master of this Golden Soul Realm were the ones doing this, they might be able to discover something. But you’re merely an Immortal… and you want to examine me?!
“Reporting to Immortal, I came from Linluo City in the Southern Region. Luck had it that I received the inheritance of an itinerant Immortal and found my way into the Dao. After that… I happened to meet this master-servant pair during my travels.”
Fang Yuan went into detail about the killings over treasures in the Southern Region and his resulting feud with the Heavenly Circuit Immortal Sect without holding back any information.
After all, the Iron Mountain Gate only recognized the tokens and not the people. Furthermore, the Golden Soul Sect was at odds with the Heavenly Circuit Immortal Sect.
“I see. Our Golden Soul Sect doesn’t show favoritism in choosing our disciples, and background doesn’t matter here. You can rest assured!” the golden-browed Immortal said with a hint of pride. “I asked Jin Huan and Old Wang from the Cultivation Techniques Hall. You had only cultivated the Hundred Physical Forging Technique before. Even with the conversion, it’s still within reason for you to cultivate to the second transcendence. But how did you progress so fast?”
As one of the main cultivation techniques of the Golden Soul Sect, the cultivation of the Nine Transference Undying Method was the most difficult. The first two levels were not too bad, but it was almost impossible to break through to the third transference.
Even those who had awakened a special bloodline like Huang Yue found doing so very difficult.
“Reporting to Immortal, it’s because of this item!” Fang Yuan turned over his hand and revealed an exotic golden flower the size of a bowl, and the petals seemed to have golden flames flickering on them. Most of the petals had vanished, and there was only a single one left.
“This is… Golden Flame Flowing Wind Flower?” The golden-browed Immortal’s eyes widened in surprise. “This is a rare treasure for even Immortals, and it has miraculous effects when it comes to body refining!”
“I happened to obtain it by chance. I used one petal before, and my Hundred Physical Forging Technique progressed dramatically. I used the rest on cultivating the Nine Transference Undying Method afterward…”
Of course, he had not obtained this treasure by chance. It was from the Thirty-Three-Level Outer Heaven Tower.
Naturally, after Fang Yuan became its master, he could take anything he wished.
In addition, he was well aware of the uses of the Golden Flame Flowing Wind Flower. It was a bit of a waste to use it to cultivate to the third transference. It was so potent that it could even help with breaking through to the seventh transference.
“A normal Golden Flame Flowing Wind Flower should have nine petals, but you’ve already used eight?” The golden-browed Immortal appeared to be in pain as his eyes kept turning.
If he had a whole flower, he would be confident enough to tackle the fourth transference.
He almost wanted to kill him for wasting this treasure.
But the next moment, he narrowed his eyes, and a smile he could not hide appeared on his face.
“… I failed to recognize the value of this treasure, and it is a waste for me to keep it. I am willing to present it to you, Immortal!” Fang Yuan said calmly.
“Oh? Do you really mean it?” The golden-browed Immortal’s eye twitched. He immediately hid his joy, stopping himself from showing any emotion.
“Of course! Compared to the dangers of the demon disaster, an exotic flower is insignificant.” Fang Yuan looked up calmly.
“That won’t do! Since you’ve passed the test, you’re now a core disciple of our Golden Soul Sect. You don’t need to head to the ten main cities…” The golden-browed Immortal kept shaking his head.
However, Fang Yuan was sneering in his mind. He knew that this person had already been moved yet was pretending to be reserved, worried about leaving a bad impression.
“Since the item has already been exposed to the world, it’s dangerous for me to keep holding onto it. Please save me, Immortal!” He bowed respectfully again. “How about I leave this your care first?”
Hmm, that’s one way to do things! The golden-browed Immortal was secretly overjoyed. He smiled while stroking his beard. “When you have a use for it in the future, you can come here to take it back!”
“Thank you, Immortal! Thank you, Immortal!”
Fang Yuan rolled his eyes in his mind while showing an extremely grateful expression and presenting the Golden Flame Flowing Wind Flower.
“Haha… Since you’re already a core disciple, you can address me as Martial Uncle! My dao name is Golden Roc, and I have a bit of a reputation in the Golden Soul Sect!”
Immortal Golden Roc laughed heartily, and his expression became much softer. “After becoming a core disciple of the Golden Soul Sect, if you meet someone that’s not in your direct line of teaching, you can address Immortals as martial uncle and Grand Unities as grand martial uncle!”
With that said, he took out a golden scroll and had Fang Yuan sign it. He then refined an Essence Soul lantern. Like the blood jade, it carried his aura and could reflect his life and death.
“I’ve made you a new identity token as well. Martial Nephew, from now on, you are a core disciple of our Golden Soul Sect… Originally, you would have had the opportunity to meet a Grand Unity Immortal and ask for some advice, but the martial uncles might not be in the mood to see you given the demon disaster…”
Immortal Golden Roc shook his head. “But core disciples can stay in the main sect during the early phases of the demon disaster. It’s extremely safe, and you can even put some people under your protection as well. It’s not bad!”
“Thank you for your advice, Martial Uncle Golden Roc… I still have something to ask of you!”
Fang Yuan politely gestured with his hand and handed over the remaining Golden Flame Flowing Wind Flower to make the most out of it rather than keeping it long term.
“Hmn? What is it?” Immortal Golden Roc’s eyebrows twitched, seeming slightly surprised.
“According to the rules, core disciples can obtain another ancient book. I want to exchange for the ‘Nine Transference Undying Method’!” Fang Yuan said calmly.
This kind of thing would have been handled by masters after a disciple chose their master.
However, he did not want yet another master. And with the demon disaster imminent, it seemed like no Immortals were in the mood to accept disciples and teach them patiently.
“Are the first six transferences that are passed on in the outer sect not enough? You are really greedy…” Immortal Golden Roc shook his head. “The Nine Transference Undying Method is the core cultivation technique of our sect. Despite its incredible power, it’s extremely difficult to learn. Even Immortals wander within the first six transferences!”
From his perspective, Fang Yuan was too ambitious for his own good and did not know how long it would take him to reach the fourth transference without the aid of heavenly materials and earthly treasures.
“I have no other intentions. It’s only, I heard rumors about how the seventh transference is able to refine your body to the level of a primordial treasure and would like to learn more about it. Perhaps seeing things from a higher vantage point will provide me with some ideas for reaching the fourth transference…” Fang Yuan replied with his rehearsed excuse.
“Since you’re so determined, might as well!” Immortal Golden Roc nodded. “However, core disciples can only see the first seven transferences. Immortals will only receive the eighth, and only Grand Unity martial uncles can read the entire volume. I can’t break the rules for you! Here!”
He waved his hand, and a golden jade slip flew out and landed on Fang Yuan’s palm. “This jade slip carries a life oath with it. You’re clear on the consequences of spreading it to the outside world, so I won’t say anything!”
This was why Immortal Golden Roc did not suspect that Fang Yuan would try to steal the technique.
The advanced techniques of true cultivation Holy Lands were all secured with life oaths, and you had to make an oath using your Dao Heart if you wanted to read them.
No one had managed to circumvent this precaution for eons.
“Thank you, Immortal!” Fang Yuan was secretly happy.
He stole the technique for himself from the start and did not have any intention of spreading it.
Therefore, he did not have the slightest hesitation in making the oath.
Additionally, the seventh transference was already enough to temper his body to primordial treasure level, satisfying his minimum requirement.
“Okay, you can leave now!”
After Fang Yuan returned the jade slip, Immortal Golden Roc waved his hand impatiently.
“I will take my leave!” Fang Yuan knew that his favor had been spent.
His investment of the Golden Flame Flowing Wind Flower was now completely exhausted.
This Immortal is indeed cold and unfeeling. Otherwise, he should have at least made me his disciple, as is the proper way of doing things… He shook his head in his mind and walked out the gate.
After experiencing a similar shifting force as before, he arrived outside the realm gates.
Ring! Ring!
The golden bells sounded, and a colorful light shone in the deacon hall, resonating with his new token.
“It’s actually… a core disciple?”
“He came out from the outer sect realm gate. In other words, he advanced to a core disciple directly from an outer disciple? He reached the heavens in a single step!”
…
Immediately, jealous and envious gazes focused on him.
Fang Yuan looked around, saw Xiao Jiuli, and pointed at him. “You… come here!”
“What orders do you have, Sir?” Xiao Jiuli immediately came forward and smiled fawningly.
“How much time has passed, and how many core disciples have come out?” Fang Yuan asked with a frown.
“Sir Li Hun, you spent five days inside. There are two other core disciples, and they came from the inner sect. The first is the top disciple of the inner sect, Tie Xinku, and the other is Huang Yue!”
This was not some secret information. They also had the colorful lights show, and it could not be hidden.
On the other hand, Fang Yuan had reached the heavens with a single leap. His name was bound to spread throughout the Golden Soul Sect.
“I see!” Fang Yuan put his hands behind his back and walked out. The other disciples all made way for him, showing extreme respect.
After returning to his cave abode, he finally let out a sigh of relief. “I indeed made the right bet. The Grand Unity Immortals have no time for me, and I finally managed to get my hands on the technique!”