Chapter 12: Breaking through the Golden Core Realm

"Do you really think you're worthy to serve by my side?"

Xu Yang had lived for a hundred thousand years. Although his cultivation had remained stagnant in the Qi Refining realm, his status was still incredibly prestigious due to his position as the top disciple of the Tianlan Sect.

Over these hundred thousand years, countless young women from major sects and powerful families had tried to attach themselves to Xu Yang in order to gain favor with the Tianlan Sect.

And now, Yu San Niang, a Golden Core cultivator who had only achieved her current level through medicinal supplementation, actually claimed she was willing to follow Xu Yang and serve him.

If this had happened a hundred thousand years ago, it would have been considered a huge joke.

Upon hearing Xu Yang's words, Yu San Niang's smile immediately became awkward.

In her eyes, being a Golden Core cultivator with her charm and beauty should have been an enjoyable thing. She never expected Xu Yang to respond with the words "You're not worthy."

If she weren't so much weaker than Xu Yang, Yu San Niang might have already lashed out.

"Get out of Tianlan Sect. Tell the people behind you that if they ever dare to appear in our territory again, they will die!"

As soon as the words were spoken, Yu San Niang felt a tremendous force strike her, and she was sent flying out of the great hall.

This was, of course, Xu Yang's doing. He had simply decided to send her flying out of the Tianlan Sect because he found her displeasing.

The sound of her being thrown out caused quite a stir, attracting the attention of many Tianlan Sect disciples.

Hearing their discussions, Yu San Niang furrowed her brow, clearly seething with anger and thoughts of vengeance.

However, when she remembered Xu Yang inside the hall, she immediately suppressed those thoughts.

Not caring for her disheveled appearance, she quickly gathered her spiritual energy and flew out of the Tianlan Sect's domain.

After leaving the Tianlan Sect, Yu San Niang didn't rush back to Tianwu County's city but instead flew towards Qi State.

Given the significant losses she had just suffered, she naturally intended to recover them from the cultivators in Qi State.

.....

In a secluded mountain without the passage of time, it was no wonder that Xu Yang's hundred thousand years had passed so quickly.

In the blink of an eye, Ling Qingshu, who had been in seclusion in the Tianlan Sect, finally emerged from her retreat.

The commotion caused by Ling Qingshu's emergence was considerable, and the entire Tianlan Sect could feel the powerful Golden Core aura emanating from her.

The news of Ling Qingshu's breakthrough to the Golden Core made the disciples of the Tianlan Sect, who had been diligently cultivating, even more excited. With the mysterious Xu Ancestor in the main hall, they felt that they too might one day break through to the coveted Golden Core realm.

After all the disciples who came to congratulate Ling Qingshu on her breakthrough had left, Xu Yang finally appeared before her.

Sensing the aura emanating from Ling Qingshu, Xu Yang was very pleased.

The cultivation method he had previously given her was indeed a perfect fit.

In just over a month, Ling Qingshu had already condensed her Golden Core, and had done so exactly according to the method Xu Yang had provided.

At this point, Xu Yang could only think of one thing to describe Ling Qingshu: a bright future ahead.

"Greetings, Xu Ancestor. Thank you for the teachings and elixirs you gave me before. Thanks to them, I was able to breakthrough to the Golden Core so quickly."

Ling Qingshu saw Xu Yang and hurriedly paid her respects. She was very grateful to Xu Yang.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Ling Qingshu, Xu Yang encouraged her in her cultivation and then left to head to the back mountains of Tianlan Sect on his own.

Recently, Xu Yang had developed a new hobby: walking through the mountains surrounding the Tianlan Sect.

After every trip, Xu Yang managed to find rare spiritual herbs that were once considered precious a thousand years ago.

In just over a month, Xu Yang had unknowingly collected countless types of spiritual materials used for refining ancient elixirs.

If these materials had been placed a thousand years ago, they would have been considered an immense fortune.

Watching Xu Yang's figure disappear, Ling Qingshu turned around and returned to the main hall to deal with some matters of the Tianlan Sect.

Over the past month, the Tianlan Sect had undergone significant changes.

The majority of the disciples and elders had made breakthroughs, and various powers had expressed their willingness to form alliances with the Tianlan Sect.

Ling Qingshu had a feeling that once news of her breakthrough to the Golden Core realm spread, this kind of situation would increase.

In addition, the number of disciples in Tianlan Sect had actually doubled during this period.

Most of the new disciples were talented young people from Qi State.

While none of them were top-tier prodigies, their talents were not bad either.

These new recruits had all been screened by Xu Yang. As long as they weren't spies, Xu Yang accepted them all.

In Xu Yang's eyes, talent wasn't the deciding factor in a cultivator's future.

Just like himself, his talent had once been the envy of many.

But now, after a hundred thousand years, wasn't he still just in the Qi Refining realm?

To Xu Yang, as long as these new disciples were loyal to the Tianlan Sect, he would pour great resources into helping them raise their cultivation.

At the very least, Tianlan Sect would ensure they reached the Foundation Establishment stage.

This was the immense confidence Xu Yang had in himself. His talent was truly undeniable.

Alchemy, weapon forging, formation arrays, and rune drawing—Xu Yang was well-versed in all these techniques.

In fact, in some aspects, he was even more skilled than certain masters.

If not for some unknown reason preventing him from breaking through the Qi Refining realm, Xu Yang might have already been regarded as the strongest in the history of Tianlan Sect.

While Xu Yang enjoyed collecting spiritual herbs in the back mountains of the Tianlan Sect, Ling Qingshu remained in the main hall, handling the various affairs of the sect.

The news of Ling Qingshu's breakthrough to the Golden Core realm, however, created a huge stir in Qizhou City.

As Ling Qingshu had expected, the sects that had already expressed their intentions to ally with Tianlan Sect increased their offers, while those that had been indifferent quickly sent people to form connections.

As the news of Ling Qingshu's breakthrough spread, the Tianlan Sect once again caught the attention of Qizhou's cultivators.

Throughout this, Xu Yang's name was frequently mentioned.

Many knew that all these recent events in Tianlan Sect were orchestrated by Xu Yang, the mysterious Xu Ancestor.

For many factions, Xu Yang had already been added to the list of people not to be offended.

After all, to provoke someone like him—whose cultivation was unknown but whose combat strength was immense—was a loss from every angle.

No matter how many years passed, the first thing cultivators thought when it came to powerful figures in the cultivation world was to ally with them, not to oppose them.

The law of the jungle, survival of the fittest—that's how it always worked.

In Qi State City, a particular force had also taken notice of the situation in Tianlan Sect.

After some deliberation, a letter was sent out from this force.

The next day, the letter arrived at Tianlan Sect's main hall and was placed on Ling Qingshu's desk.