Vol 6 Chapter 9: Mid-Grade Immortal Artifact

At the Dao Alliance Headquarters, numerous experts were stationed, practicing seclusion cultivation here.

These Foundation Establishment cultivators rarely showed themselves unless necessary.

The suspected appearance of an unfamiliar False Core realm expert making a move at Penglai Immortal Island was undoubtedly a monumental event.

As cultivator after cultivator sensed the commotion and arrived, they were all shocked.

"Zhuge Family's Zhuge Ping—what happened to him?"

Seeing the old man with severely burned skin, charred hair, and wretched appearance, everyone took deep breaths before turning their gazes toward Huang Zhixin, who was surrounded by intense spiritual energy.

"This woman... is that False Core expert?"

In these times when the Golden Core path was difficult to find, transcending the Foundation Establishment stage through False Core techniques represented the ultimate method.

"Zhixin..." Old Man Huang, watching from the side as his granddaughter erupted with such power, was utterly astonished.

What exactly had Senior Lin given her that could allow a mere Qi Refining junior to display such power?

Golden Core stage!

Confirmed.

Senior Lin's cultivation absolutely surpassed the Golden Core stage;

otherwise, how could he possess such divine methods?

"Did I do this?"

The Sun False Core, a type of pill Lin Jing had refined in his early years, was now illusionarily manifested by the Spell Elemental Mushroom and temporarily lent to Huang Zhixin. The power contained within it left even Huang Zhixin herself bewildered.

She felt... that she could melt an entire mountain right now.

"What happened here?"

Among the crowd drawn by the commotion was Bureau Chief Ji Kuang from the Dao Alliance's Law Enforcement Bureau, accompanied by several Qi Refining late-stage enforcers.

Cultivator Qingfeng was also among them. Seeing the scene before him, his face turned pale with a sense of foreboding.

"Senior... may I ask how to address you?" Bureau Chief Ji Kuang landed on the ground and bowed to Huang Zhixin. With his mid Foundation Establishment cultivation facing a suspected False Core expert, even with his official status, he couldn't afford any arrogance.

"It's Senior Ji Kuang." Huang Qianyun recognized the middle-aged man and took a deep breath. Seeing such an important figure calling his granddaughter "senior" gave him an inexplicable thrill.

"Never mind how to address me. We reported evil cultivators to the Dao Alliance, only to be attacked immediately after. This matter requires an explanation." Huang Zhixin was extremely nervous but followed the instructions from the little mushroom inside her.

Ji Kuang's expression changed as he glanced at the still terrified Zhuge Family head hovering in mid-air, beginning to understand what had happened.

"This junior serves as the Dao Alliance Law Enforcement Bureau Chief. Whatever matter Senior wishes to report, you may speak with me now."

"The Mount Huangshan Demon Lord consumes people, including children. We reported this to Enforcement Officer Qingfeng, and the very next morning this old man came to threaten us."

Gasp!

As these words spread, the present cultivators were utterly shocked, sensing a major scandal. Combined with Zhuge Ping's miserable state, their minds instantly constructed an elaborate drama.

"Qingfeng!" Ji Kuang looked at his subordinate, only to see Enforcement Officer Qingfeng drop to his knees in panic: "Bureau Chief, I was deceived too!"

"Jing Huiwu—he must provide an explanation for this matter."

"Explanation? Hmph!" Zhuge Ping had recovered from his shock by now, his heart burning with anxiety. He directly produced a Swift Wind Talisman and turned to leave.

He didn't understand what had happened to the woman, but for the aftermath of this incident, he could only have the family ancestor emerge from seclusion to handle it.

A False Core expert was beyond his ability to confront.

"Who said you could leave?"

Huang Zhixin looked at the fleeing Zhuge Ping and waved her hand at him. A blast of scorching wind instantly sent him tumbling through the air, screaming as he fell from the sky, his entire body burning as he rolled on the ground. Witnessing this, the observing cultivators felt like they'd fallen into an ice cellar despite the sweltering heat, all lowering their heads in respect, not daring to speak or look directly.

"The Dao Alliance will definitely give Senior an explanation for this matter." Ji Kuang was sweating profusely—the pressure from a False Core expert was overwhelming. To such experts, ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators were no different from ants.

"The Dao Alliance was wrong in this matter, and wrongdoings must be punished. I will take this object as a warning." Huang Zhixin reached out her hand, and from within the Dao Alliance Headquarters, a blank plaque flew out, landing before her.

Seeing this, many cultivators' pupils constricted, and Ji Kuang became urgently concerned: "Senior, this won't do! This plaque is the leader's collection!"

Many cultivators had seen this blank plaque before—it was a treasure hanging outside Dao Alliance Leader Hu Yousong's residence. Everyone knew it was mystical;

whatever characters were written on it would quickly disappear.

To this day, nobody had figured out how it worked, but one thing was certain: it was definitely a supreme treasure.

Actually, Huang Zhixin didn't know why the mushroom Senior Lin placed inside her wanted to take this, but given the current situation, she could only follow its instructions.

"A mid-grade immortal artifact!"

The Spell Elemental Mushroom was thrilled internally. The Mushroom Lord was indeed clever—after learning that Earth possessed numerous treasures, he immediately sent it to follow the Huang grandfather-granddaughter pair to the Dao Alliance Headquarters to investigate.

After scanning with its mushroom consciousness, it truly discovered something on Penglai Immortal Island that would be considered an earth-shattering treasure even by their standards.

Exactly this blank plaque.

This object was also the most valuable item on the entire island.

The mushroom had considerable experience, having seen many lower-grade immortal artifacts in the Origin Realm, so it could confirm that this blank plaque should be a mid-grade immortal artifact.

Lin Jing could be considered quite wealthy, having previously used the Heavenly Sword Sect's immortal sword, the Demon Court's Four Saints painting scroll, and other immortal artifacts. In the Origin Realm, he had also acquired several immortal artifact spoils of war, but all were only lower-grade.

Thus, a mid-grade immortal artifact would be Lin Jing's first of its kind.

"Such incidents occurring within the Dao Alliance are also the leader's failure of duty. Higher-ups can punish lower ranks, but who punishes the higher-ups? Let this serve as a lesson." Under the mushroom's guidance, Huang Zhixin steeled herself and took the plaque, leaving with Old Man Huang.

Nobody dared to stop them.

"It's over. When the leader returns, Penglai Immortal Island will experience an earthquake." Many cultivators looked at the unconscious Zhuge family head and sighed with emotion. Ji Kuang's face darkened completely as he directly ordered: "First send Zhuge Ping for treatment, then I'll personally interrogate him. Also, someone take him into custody."

"It's over. When the leader returns, Penglai Immortal Island will experience an earthquake." Many cultivators looked at the unconscious Zhuge family head and sighed with emotion. Ji Kuang's face darkened completely as he directly ordered: "First send Zhuge Ping for treatment, then I'll personally interrogate him. Also, someone take him into custody."

"Investigate for me—exactly what origins that False Core senior and her Qi Refining ninth-layer old servant have."

"Bureau Chief, Bureau Chief, I know! Don't lock me up! I'll tell you everything I know!" Qingfeng pleaded in frightened surrender, transmitting mentally: "They hold great secrets."

"That young and old cultivator are from Mount Huangshan's Thousand Clouds Temple. They were clearly both at Qi Refining cultivation, yet somehow the woman suddenly gained such power."

"Right! There must be a powerful expert behind them—one who can make a Qi Refining fourth-layer cultivator gain False Core power! That Mount Huangshan Demon Lord was also eliminated by that expert. What cultivation level must this person have?"

"What did you say?" The Law Enforcement Bureau Chief looked shocked. That woman was only Qi Refining fourth-layer yesterday?

What kind of joke was this? What cultivation level could make a Qi Refining fourth-layer cultivator reach False Core in a single day! A Nascent Soul mighty expert?