Inside the seclusion chamber, hundreds of golden lights burst forth, converging simultaneously at the chamber’s entrance to form Lan Si’s figure.

His spell of transforming light into form had already reached an extraordinary level of mastery.

Lan Si had practiced this spell countless times, all so he could look more natural and flashy when showing off.

This very spell had also unexpectedly given him an escape opportunity during his previous trials. It was through this experience that he comprehended the Realm of Momentum, breaking through the Golden Core threshold and returning to the sect.

Now, this spell had been integrated into his Golden Core cultivation, becoming his life’s signature technique. Using it felt more natural and effortless, fully pushing the spell to its limit and laying a foundation for future innovation.

Lan Si glanced at the five disciples before him and smiled: “What’s this? Are you all here to congratulate me on my breakthrough?”

“Yes!” The five disciples nodded helplessly.

Lan Si chuckled and nodded. He said, “Those flawless Fasting Pills really do improve your chances of breakthrough. You’ve all reached bottlenecks, so take some time to truly comprehend that feeling. Maybe you can break through because of it!”

“Does it really work? That feeling was just pure torture!” One core disciple recalled the experience and still shuddered.

Lan Si grew serious: “We cultivators consume spiritual food and spiritual meat, tasting all kinds of delicacies. This solidly strange experience might be a first in a hundred years of cultivation. The greater the difference, the deeper the impression. When you can take those pills calmly without frowning, your mindset will definitely surpass mine now! Breaking through the Golden Core will be a breeze!”

The five disciples exchanged glances, all feeling like Lan Si was tricking them.

Of course, Lan Si could never tell them that he had tricked others into taking those pills, bringing them pain, which inexplicably enlightened his own mindset, thus breaking his mental tribulation. This was partly due to his mischievous nature. But that wasn’t suitable for others. Still, he personally believed the pills genuinely exercised one’s mindset, even if he himself hadn’t improved from it.

“Well then, we’ll believe once more!”

“In that case, shall we exchange for another one? One costs 1,000 contribution points or spirit stones—quite expensive. Ordinary Fasting Pills only cost two Fragment Spirit Stones each.”

“Now that you mention it, maybe these pills really do have miraculous effects. Otherwise, why would the sect deliberately sell them for 1,000 spirit stones each and recommend them for cultivators stuck at bottlenecks?”

“Indeed, the more I think about it, the more sense it makes!”

The five disciples left.

Lan Si laughed and flew away.

Unconsciously, after circling the sect, he arrived at Su Yuan’s cave dwelling entrance.

Su Yuan sensed Lan Si’s arrival and was somewhat surprised.

He opened the formation gate of the cave dwelling.

Lan Si transformed into a streak of golden light and quickly arrived at the mountaintop.

“Old Valley Master, long time no see!” Su Yuan greeted him.

The old Valley Master smiled and floated several steps before Su Yuan, each step radiating golden light with a shimmering lotus beneath.

“Su Yuan, I heard you took over as Valley Master after me. Why did you suddenly step down?”

The old Valley Master had just returned from seclusion and, during this time, met several former disciples. Hearing that Su Yuan had succeeded him as Valley Master, he specifically came to find him.

He looked around curiously and asked, “Is your master here?”

“My master?” Su Yuan was stunned.

“Yes, this is the cave dwelling of the Nascent Soul elder, right? Since you’re at Foundation Establishment and here, you must have been accepted as a disciple by the Nascent Soul elder!”

The old Valley Master said matter-of-factly.

Then he floated a few more steps low to the ground in front of Su Yuan, deliberately shaking before him. The entire process had no magical fluctuations, relying solely on Golden Core traits to levitate.

Su Yuan asked suspiciously, “Old Valley Master, why don’t you sit down?”

Lan Si coughed and said, “Su Yuan, although you have good potential, you should read more books. Haven’t you noticed anything different about me?”

Su Yuan floated up to Lan Si’s height, circled him once, then sat down, sipping tea and shaking his head: “I can’t see it. Please be straightforward, Old Valley Master.”

Lan Si’s eyes widened, his mouth gaping.

He flipped through a calendar and counted time with his fingers, murmuring, “That’s right, only two years have passed, not twenty, not two hundred.”

Su Yuan smiled slightly. This old fellow still wanted to show off in front of him—it was quite amusing! Though he wasn’t Golden Core, he was at the Golden Sand stage! Still carrying the ‘gold’ character!

“Did you really break through the Golden Core?” The old Valley Master still didn’t believe it. “I’m two hundred years old! You actually broke through the Golden Core like me? That’s absurd!”

Su Yuan shook his head: “I haven’t broken through Golden Core. I’m currently at the Golden Sand stage!”

“What? Golden Sand stage? Are you joking with me?”

The old Valley Master waved his hand, plopped down beside Su Yuan, and gulped down a mouthful of tea. The bitterness spread through his mouth.

He sighed: “I was going to recommend an excellent pill for you to buy, but unfortunately, you’ve already broken through! Probably won’t need it!”

Su Yuan twitched at the corner of his mouth: “Thanks for your kindness, Old Valley Master, haha.”

The old Valley Master mumbled, “I remember Ye Bufan and Liu Muwan, who were your peers. They seem to really need this kind of pill now. Looks like I should recommend it to them.”

Su Yuan’s eyelid twitched.

“Old Valley Master, I haven’t congratulated you on your Golden Core breakthrough yet!”

Su Yuan shouted, “Xiao Li, quickly bring a portion of Silver Radiance Water!”

“Okay!” A clear female voice sounded from inside the room.

The old Valley Master looked on curiously.

Soon, a silver-white little fox hopped over, holding a jade bottle in its paws.

Xiao Li handed the jade bottle to the old Valley Master.

“This is for you!”

The old Valley Master looked at Xiao Li, surprised: “Is this a spirit beast? Its aura feels even stronger than mine!”

Su Yuan nodded: “Yes, you probably can’t defeat it!”

The old Valley Master was silent for a moment before accepting the jade bottle.

He casually opened it and immediately exclaimed: “Third-grade spiritual water? And so much of it!”

“Hmm, Xiao Li’s bathwater. It’s suitable for consolidating your foundation. Take it back and refine it thoroughly;

it will do only good.” Su Yuan took a sip of tea.

The old Valley Master twitched at the corner of his mouth: “Who did you learn this from?”

Su Yuan gazed at the old Valley Master.

The old Valley Master’s face turned red. He rummaged through his storage pouch and finally pulled out a piece of wood about the thickness of a finger.

“Cough, cough, this is the juvenile form of the Ten Thousand Year Soul-Nurturing Wood. The one-year soul-nurturing wood is my most valuable item right now. I’m giving it to you! Congratulations on breaking through the Golden Core!”

The old Valley Master handed the black wood to Su Yuan.

When Su Yuan heard “Ten Thousand Year Soul-Nurturing Wood,” he actually reached out his hand but stopped halfway. He silently stared at the old Valley Master, as if questioning him: Are you kidding me?

The old Valley Master coughed and said, “Well, I just broke through, so my realm is a bit unstable. I’ll be going now!”

He flicked his blue-rimmed Golden Core elder robe and swiftly flew away!

Xiao Li chuckled softly: “This old Valley Master is truly interesting. I’ve heard many genius disciples complain about him before. Meeting him in person, he’s even more amusing.”

“Don’t be like that. We should respect the old and cherish the young! I’m the ‘respect the old,’ and you’re the ‘cherish the young,’” Su Yuan whispered.

“Oh!”

The old Valley Master’s ears twitched as he looked back at Xiao Li and Su Yuan in puzzlement before flying away.

Su Yuan smiled and waved goodbye.

The old Valley Master felt a bit suspicious inside and suddenly sensed Su Yuan had become mysterious.

After leaving the cave dwelling, he immediately went to inquire more about Su Yuan.

When he learned Su Yuan had once held the position of Hidden Peak Master, he suddenly understood everything and straightened his posture, instantly stiffening with pride.

“I was once the Enlightenment Mentor to the Founder of Channeling. Do you know what an Enlightenment Mentor is? Heh heh, who else in the sect dares to provoke me now? Showing my identity will scare them to death!”

The old Valley Master proudly headed to Immortal Seed Valley. He was returning in glory to resume his post as Valley Master of Immortal Seed Valley. Don’t ask why, just because he liked it!

After the old Valley Master left, Su Yuan examined the piece of black wood in his hand.

The Ten Thousand Treasures Heaven-Earth Cauldron flew out, and a young male voice with an unexpectedly mature tone said, “Not bad. This is a genuine soul-nurturing wood. Although it’s juvenile, it still has plenty of vitality. If you cultivate it well, when your physical body is destroyed, you’ll still have a refuge.”

Su Yuan rolled his eyes: “Can’t you hope for something better?”

At this, Little Qian said, “My Fasting Spiritual Liquid should also work on it.”

Su Yuan was surprised: “Oh?”

“Soul-nurturing wood usually needs soul power and yin spiritual energy to cultivate. But my Fasting Spiritual Liquid can simulate the scent of yin spiritual energy, so it should have an effect!” Little Qian pondered.

“That’s possible?” Su Yuan was genuinely surprised this time.

“Let’s try it. Mainly because I’ve witnessed too much death and experienced yin soul power countless times. Plus, the Hundred-flavor Fasting Pill can imitate various energies, so yes, worth a try.”

Su Yuan felt a spark of interest. He went to a fourth-grade spiritual field and separated out a small section.

“Black Veil Shade Formation, activate!”

Su Yuan arranged a relatively simple second-grade formation, blocking out the dazzling sunlight. The small area immediately turned as dark as night.

“Northern Dipper Seven Stars Formation, establish!”

On the ground, a Northern Dipper Seven Stars formation appeared, connecting downward to the earth veins.

Su Yuan carefully planted the soul-nurturing wood into the soil, then connected it to the sky. Seven beams of starlight fell, passing through the shade formation, with some of the yang energy in the starlight filtered out. Pure yin starlight gathered on the soul-nurturing wood, causing it to emit a faint black phosphorescence.

Little Qian praised, “The star energy is pure and gentle, perfect for the soul-nurturing wood’s absorption. Your planting technique alone could secure a place in the cultivation world.”

Su Yuan smiled: “This spell is a bit difficult to learn, so it won’t take a major position. Come, simulate the spiritual liquid!”

“Okay.”

A small bowl condensed a pale gray liquid. Su Yuan sensed abundant yin energy. This Fasting Spiritual Liquid had a unique scent—it directly reached the soul!

He poured the liquid into the spiritual field. As it flowed out, it transformed into a fine mist, enveloping the soul-nurturing wood.

The soul-nurturing wood stretched its branches and leaves comfortably, slowly absorbing the energy in the liquid.

Su Yuan released his divine sense, merging it into the soul-nurturing wood. Gradually, the wood began to carry Su Yuan’s aura.

Little Qian looked at Su Yuan, who continuously supplied soul power, and gradually opened his mouth wide in astonishment: “Why do you have so much divine sense? I feel it’s equivalent to ten early-stage Golden Core cultivators!”

Su Yuan shook his head: “It’s not that I have a lot of divine sense;

it’s that my recovery speed is fast! My sea of consciousness is a natural formation barrier!”

“That’s impossible!” Little Qian was shocked.