CHAPTER 214: A FRIGHT WITHOUT DANGER

Does Senior Sister really think that such an Illusory Core can be condensed into a Golden Core? Shouldn't a Golden Core be stable and solid?

Wang Sheng's eyelids twitched uncontrollably. He wanted to speak, but he immediately suppressed his aura and stared intently at the changes in Mu Wanxuan instead. His understanding of the Great Dao seemed far too shallow. Right now, he could even feel his mind falling behind.

The outcome of this process would come down to a single instant. Hence, Mu Wanxuan acted decisively. The Illusory Core vanished and appeared at the very center of the vortex within her qi sea.

At that moment, yin and yang reached a perfect balance. Undisturbed by the rapidly spinning black and white within the Illusory Core, the qi vortex continued to rotate gently.

What is going on?

A faint white figure, which was likely her soul, drifted up from Mu Wanxuan's body. "She" then glanced at Wang Sheng. He stared back in a daze, imprinting the sight deep in his memory.

At that moment, changes rapidly occurred around them.

The sky darkened, and bolts of lightning struck in the air, slashing continuously at the white figure above Mu Wanxuan. None managed to hit her, however. Instead, they mysteriously struck the Illusory Core. To turn an Illusory Core into a Golden Core, this "Core Tribulation" had to be overcome.

In the lightning's brilliance, the white-robed fairy stood proud. The Illusory Core, which fused yin and yang, trembled lightly with each hit. Just as Wang Sheng started to think that Mu Wanxuan had safely passed the tribulation, he realized how much danger she was still in.

The Illusory Core was only balanced in terms of yin and yang. If that balance were disrupted, it could completely shatter.

Sweat broke out on Wang Sheng's forehead. Feeling as though the Illusory Core had already begun to tremble more and more, he remained ready to act at any moment.

Finally, a familiar beam of immortal light flared from within Mu Wanxuan, instantly enveloping her qi sea and the Illusory Core. Lightning continued to strike the Illusory Core, but they could no longer make it quiver even a little. Inside it, black and white still spun at high speed. Losing its original sphere shape, it gradually transformed. As the forces of yin and yang chased each other, the core that was supposed to turn from illusory to solid ended up becoming... a disc?

That's a Golden Core?

It really was, indeed, a Golden Core.

After passing the Illusory Core's lightning tribulation, the white figure returned into Mu Wanxuan. Suspended above her qi sea, the Yin-Yang Tai Chi disc radiated a faint pressure and began to draw in her true essence.

The process of transforming true essence into Yin-Yang Enchanted Power followed. The disc began to emit waves of profound Dao Rhythm, and Mu Wanxuan's aura rose steadily.

Wang Sheng could now sense the pressure of a Golden Core Realm cultivator coming from her. Moreover, she looked more ethereal than ever. Her delicate, peaceful expression signified that she was completely immersed in the transformation of her own Dao.

Finally, Wang Sheng realized what had happened.

She succeeded in forming her Golden Core just like that.

The most dangerous part was the lightning tribulation targeting the Illusory Core. Thanks to the protective immortal light from the immortal corpse, she had crossed it safely.

The whole ordeal made Wang Sheng think that forming a Golden Core wasn't all that difficult. However, if he were to think about it carefully, he'd realize that it had been filled with danger.

Now in the final stages of core formation, Mu Wanxuan absorbed the benefits of her breakthrough. This aura-elevating state would last at least three to five days, and it would take even more time to fully convert her true essence into enchanted power.

Hence, they entered seclusion here and cultivated in peace.

Wang Sheng immersed himself in the mysterious Dao Rhythm flowing from Mu Wanxuan, using the opportunity to refine his understanding of his Dual-Polarity Sword Intent. Although he hadn't helped much, there was no reason he couldn't benefit a little from being in the vicinity.

Just as Wang Sheng was about to begin his own seclusion alongside Mu Wanxuan, he heard Xi Lian's voice in his mind.

—Did she do it?

"Mm, she did," Wang Sheng replied. After a short pause, he looked at the increasingly ethereal Mu Wanxuan before him and asked, "Senior, does a Golden Core have to be spherical?"

—The Daoist concept of a Golden Core is about roundness and completeness, but it doesn't have to follow a fixed shape. Buddhist cultivation methods, for instance, do not form Golden Cores at all.

"Alright, I'll go report the good news to my master, then I'll stay and watch over Senior Sister during her seclusion."

Xi Lian told them not to worry and to just focus on their cultivation since she would remain at the residence and not wander about. She clearly had no intention of creating trouble for others.

Wang Sheng pulled out his phone and checked the time. It was nearly dusk. After reporting the situation with Mu Wanxuan's Golden Core to his master, he asked him the same question that he had asked Xi Lian.

After thinking for a moment, Qing Yanzi told Wang Sheng not to worry. A Golden Core was a manifestation of one's personal Dao, and a disc still represented the idea of completeness. As long as it wasn't something like a stick, there was no cause for concern.

A stick?

Wang Sheng's imagination ran wild. Is it possible to form a sword-shaped Golden Core during my core formation?

His master had said not to worry, but how could he not? If anything went wrong with Mu Wanxuan's Golden Core, it could affect her entire future cultivation path, possibly even her chances of becoming immortal.

Still, since it was the path she had chosen, he had no right to interfere. If she ever encountered a bottleneck in her cultivation and he attained immortality first, then he would do everything in his power to help her overcome her barriers and seek immortality together.

Having made up his mind, Wang Sheng slowly closed his eyes and quietly meditated. He began to reflect on the principles of yin and yang that his senior sister embodied, hoping to refine the flaws of his Dual-Polarity Sword Intent.

He meditated for over twenty days. Though he was supposed to be watching over Mu Wanxuan's seclusion, he ended up finishing his own seclusion two days later than she did, which left Xi Lian speechless. It was as if he had been the one making a breakthrough.

Wang Sheng woke around noon. Nearby, Mu Wanxuan and Xi Lian were practicing flight techniques in the sky.

Unlike Xi Lian, who could fly without objects, Mu Wanxuan could only fly using controlled objects. Moreover, she had just gained the ability upon reaching the Golden Core Realm. Hence, Xi Lian brought out a few traditional flying techniques used by female cultivators in ancient times, combining elegance with practical combat value.

Flying using controlled objects didn't necessarily mean that one had to step on it. Xi Lian crafted a white silk ribbon as an artifact for Mu Wanxuan. It floated around her and wrapped around her arms and waist, allowing her to glide through the air with ease. It was far more graceful than standing on a sword or dagger.

When Wang Sheng saw it for the first time, he couldn't help but sigh in admiration and snap a couple of photos.

Seeing Mu Wanxuan training seriously, Wang Sheng decided not to disturb them. Instead, he simply whistled loudly to let her and Xi Lian know he had awoken. Afterward, he rose into the sky on his sword and returned to his room to continue pondering the Dual-Polarity Sword Intent.

The Dao of Dual Polarity was broad and profoundly deep. The more Wang Sheng understood, the more he realized that he had barely scratched the surface of this sword intent.

If it weren't for the fact that the Dual-Polarity Sword Intent had shown unexpected power at crucial moments, he might have given up already and focused solely on studying the Heavenly Ziwei Sword Intent.

Flying through the window back into his bedroom, Wang Sheng resumed studying the Dual-Polarity Sword Intent. Having just ended his seclusion, though, he found it difficult to enter that focused state again.

After a while, he gave up on meditating, got up, and practiced a few sword techniques based on the Dual-Polarity Sword Intent. When Mu Wanxuan and the half-immortal fox returned, he reluctantly stopped to congratulate his senior sister.

Opening the bedroom door, he saw several empty snack bags on the hallway carpet, which left him utterly speechless. Mu Wanxuan was usually neat and tidy; she always cleaned up. These messes could only be the handiwork of a certain "little" fox.

Wang Sheng shook his head and decided to put up with it for now. He pushed open the slightly ajar door to Mu Wanxuan's room and walked into the two women returning through the floor-to-ceiling window.

Wang Sheng smiled. "Congratulations on forming a Golden Core, Senior Sister. You're officially a Golden Core Realm cultivator now!"

Mu Wanxuan beamed with joy. She placed her hands on her hips and raised her chin, striking a proud pose that seemed to say, "Stick with me, and life will be sweet from now on."

The half-immortal, who had already passed through a heavenly tribulation, stood to the side and simply smiled.

"Thank you for helping us during our seclusion as well, Senior Xi Lian," Wang Sheng said with a wave of his hand. "We should celebrate! Senior Sister, what would you like to eat today? I'll cook."

Mu Wanxuan's eyes lit up immediately.

Meanwhile, Xi Lian snorted lightly. "Hmph! If you call me 'Senior' one more time, I swear I'll—"

"Big Sister Xi Lian, what do you want to eat?" Wang Sheng calmly corrected himself.

With no further comeback, Xi Lian simply rolled her eyes. "I haven't had bamboo shoots in a long time. Let me see how you cook bamboo shoots."

"You got it!" Wang Sheng cheerfully answered and looked over at Mu Wanxuan, only to find her rapidly typing away on her phone.

Before long, Wang Sheng's phone buzzed several times with a series of menu items and flavor preferences. He could only sigh up at the sky. "You two go have fun. I'll go to town and buy groceries."

Xi Lian frowned. "Why don't we come with you?"

Wang Sheng laughed. "Xi Lian—Big Sister, are you feeling stable right now? If not, please just wait here. If I take two immortal-like beauties to the market, we'll completely expose our location."

His shallow flattery pleased Xi Lian, while Mu Wanxuan blushed slightly and responded with a gentle hum.

Wang Sheng had already noticed that Xi Lian wore a familiar wristband—a special device that the Special Investigation Unit had created to track her location and monitor her condition in real time. She had been wearing it the whole time, which showed that deep down, she truly resisted falling into darkness.

Being monitored was certainly uncomfortable, especially for someone like Xi Lian, who was powerful enough to turn the entire cultivation world upside down. Nevertheless, she willingly submitted to official supervision.

Back in his room, Wang Sheng sent the menu that Mu Wanxuan had chosen to the couple in town and asked them to help pick out the ingredients. He then took to the air on his sword and flew toward the small town.

With help from others, shopping went much faster. More importantly, he didn't have to spend a single cent.