Chapter 211: The Sword Cultivator and the Golden Core

As Shangren Yinwind spoke, Chen Luo felt an inexplicable connection to this man. He couldn’t help but find Shi Jun strikingly familiar; much like Yue Qingping whom he had slain, Shi Jun harbored a deep, blood-soaked grudge.

These individuals chosen by the Demonseed Sect leader shared a common thread in their tragic pasts.

“The Demonseed Sect leader uses that old piece of trash’s demonic cultivation technique, planting ‘demon seeds’ everywhere,” Shangren Yinwind said dismissively, ignoring Shi Jun’s antics. “Only an idiot like this Shi Jun would stick around—anyone else would’ve fled long ago.”

Chen Luo, now somewhat regretting not having claimed Old Brother Han’s brain earlier, wished he had that exceptional resource. One of those could’ve been worth ten of these ordinary minds.

“The fact that this Old Demon has harnessed a second-order spiritual meridian means he’s no ordinary character. Take Fellow Daoist Han, for instance. With his Spring-Autumn Gu, he was nearly invincible within the Foundation Establishment realm. Then there’s the Five Eyes Temple Master, who transformed from a willow spirit. His vast magical power allowed him to crush others of his same rank. If the Demonseed Sect leader is to be named alongside them, he too must be no common adversary.”

Shangren Yinwind had previously suffered at the hands of his opponent and, after the incident, had conducted a thorough investigation into their capabilities.

Yu Ya was worried for his master; Chen Luo might be arrogant and rash, but he was a genius with unique abilities.

“Eventually, the opponent sold a top-class refined corpse—the body of a cultivator who had achieved the peak of Foundation Establishment. Their entire body was tempered with iron bones to the marrow level. Unfortunately, they failed to break through the Nascent Soul stage and died during the Demonic Heart Tribulation.”

The Five Eyes Temple Master produced yet another item for auction. Like the Core Formation cadaver from years ago, only he knew the identity of the seller.

“A peak Foundation Establishment cultivator who failed Core Formation?” one bidder spoke up. This announcement immediately caught the attention of several old demons known for collecting corpses.

Chen Luo also perked up. His primary goal was to gather brains, and now a perfect specimen was right in front of him—it would be a waste not to seize the opportunity. But then he glanced at Shi Jun, who stood not far away.

That youngster was eyeing him and Shangren Yinwind intently. If Chen Luo made an offer, Shi Jun would undoubtedly outbid him, making the whole affair a Pyrrhic victory and letting the Five Eyes Temple Master off the hook for nothing.

“Obtaining the body of a cultivator who failed the Foundation Establishment Core Formation is no easy feat. How can we be certain this corpse truly possesses such power? It’s not as difficult as you might think to counterfeit a corpse; I myself am aware of several methods that could deceive many of our peers,” an old corpse refining demon interjected before Chen Luo could respond.

This old demon spoke from within a black robe, his voice raspy and revealing only an early Foundation Establishment cultivation aura. However, with rogue cultivators, only they truly knew their actual strength, and concealing one’s cultivation level was a common practice among them.

“You all are experts in corpse refinement, and of course, your knowledge would not be deceived by ordinary means. If you’re not convinced, feel free to inspect it personally, but please remain close to me,” theFive Eyes Temple Head, who had anticipated this question, promptly responded.

“Very well.”

The questioning old demon flew onto the platform, and the other three gathered around him.

We can examine it ourselves?

Chen Luo’s interest immediately rose, and he took off toward the group. In response to Chen Luo’s actions, a hint of suspicion flickered in Shangren Yinwind’s eyes—Wasn’t he a talisman master? Why switch to corpse refinement now?

Finally, Shi Jun, who had been closely watching both Chen Luo and Yinwind, also swiftly flew up to join them.

“As long as I’m here, don’t even think about buying a single item,” Shi Jun growled to Chen Luo. This guy had transferred his hatred for Shangren Yinwind onto him; unable to find an opportunity to strike at Yinwind, he was now ready to assert his authority through Chen Luo.

Chen Luo completely ignored him. As soon as he stepped onto the platform, he began ‘inspecting’ the specimen with his hand.

The familiar message immediately surfaced as his hand touched the corpse’s head.

Retrieve!

A wisp of gray energy quietly merged into his arm.

“Well then? I told you he was no fraud,” said the Master of Five Eyes. The demon cultivators and Chen Luo all agreed with nods, having released their hands from the corpse.

Chen Luo nodded along. He had already collected the brain; indeed, it was from a Foundation Establishment cultivator at its peak.

The corpse itself suddenly seemed less important.

“A hundred-year corpse-nourishing mushroom plus three hundred high-grade spirit stones.”

“Two thousand high-grade spirit stones.”

Several old demons made bids one after another, and Chen Luo threw out a price on a whim. His offer wasn’t high or low; just like everyone else’s, it was unremarkable. That way, when the deal was struck, he could smoothly step down from the platform.

“I’ll offer eight thousand high-grade spirit stones!”

Shi Jun’s bid was instantly the highest in the room. In his view, what Chen Luo sought might be for Master Shangren Yinwind, and he wouldn’t let a chance to outwit his enemy slip through his fingers.

This price left all the Old Demons with grim expressions.

The amount far exceeded the value of the cultivated corpse itself. It’s important to note that a cultivated corpse isn’t something one can simply take and control. It requires finding a location with strong malignant energy, followed by a special refining process—a task both time-consuming and labor-intensive.

“Deal.”

The Five Eyes Temple Master agreed without hesitation, without even inquiring further.

“As I’ve said, don’t expect to acquire anything here.” Shi Jun casually pocketed the cultivated corpse as he spoke to Chen Luo. He could almost envision Master Shangren Yinwind and his friend’s furious reactions.

Idiots! Chen Luo thought, turning on his heel without sparing them another glance.

With the transaction complete, several old demons and Shi Jun stepped down from the platform. Chen Luo remained seated, tapping into the brain of the Foundation Establishment cultivator at the high dais—a cultivator whose martial aspect had reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage.

I will form my core, or I will perish in the attempt!

There was only one fixation, the absence of which meant I couldn’t obtain any more information. The damage was 99%, so being able to discern even a single fixation was fortunate.

“The final item: a sword cultivator’s Golden Core.”

The Five Eyes Temple Master produced a small black box, about three inches in size, entirely pitch-black, and engraved with dark patterns.

As he spoke, the Five Eyes Temple Master opened the box, and a dazzling glow radiated from within.

“What?!”

Everyone present shot to their feet.

This was a Golden Core from a cultivator who had formed a core. Normally, the Golden Core and the immortal cultivator were one. When the person died, so did the core. Extracting the core required complete control over the person before they died. This was even harder than simply killing them. A true immortal cultivator, sensing danger, would rather self-destruct their core than let someone else take it away.

Even Chen Luo and Shangren Yinwind were drawn to the scene, not expecting something like this to appear at the gathering.

“Having this item allows one to form a pseudo-core within their body. While it doesn’t increase longevity, it grants some of the abilities of a core-forming cultivator. It’s the top choice for passing down family legacies, and even fellow cultivators without hope of breaking through can buy it for study.”

The Five Eyes Temple Master observed the fervent expressions of the crowd below, a hint of satisfaction flickering across his face.

This is the expected response to bringing out one’s most prized treasures. Otherwise, no one would attend the next exchange session. Last time, he had acquired a Core Formation corpse; this time, it was a Golden Core. The next session would undoubtedly see an even larger gathering. By then, he would have amassed enough resources to reach Core Formation himself.

“This item is for exchange only, not for sale. Friends who rely on spirit stones should look elsewhere.”

“I’ll take this,” the Bamboo Sword Fairy, standing at the front, declared without hesitation. She had come specifically for this item. As she spoke, her sword aura radiated involuntarily, causing nearby cultivators to unconsciously step back and create a vacuum around her.

“My apologies, but I too am interested in this Golden Core,” interjected the cultivator who had previously purchased items with spiritual essence. As he rose, his aura of full Foundation Establishment rippled outward, challenging the Bamboo Sword Fairy’s presence.

Both were peak Foundation Establishment powerhouses, neither backing down from the other.

The Bamboo Sword Fairy was one of the seven old demons occupying second-stage spiritual veins. The cultivator, backed by the Blackstone Ancestor and possessing formidable strength himself, was equally matchable.

“The rules of the Five Eyes Temple are clear: no forced buying or selling is allowed!” The Five Eyes Temple Master’s face darkened. “Please show some restraint, gentlemen. This is undermining the purpose of our gathering!”

The spiritual energy around him spread like a vast sea, causing the faces of all cultivators present to flicker. The Bamboo Sword Fairy and Spirit Essence Cultivator also retracted their energy and sat back down in their original places.

“I’ll trade this Water-Congealing Treasured Sword for a second-grade top-quality magic sword,” said the Bamboo Sword Fairy, her aura calmed. She expressionlessly produced a crystalline sword, clearly no ordinary weapon. As it rested in the Bamboo Sword Fairy’s hand, it emitted a soft, resonating tone, as if responding to her touch.

“Two second-grade tribute hammers, plus three catties of spirit essence!” the Spirit Essence Cultivator countered.

“A third-grade jade talisman, along with two binding seals.”

“A set of second-grade protomagnetic dual-pole array flags!”

As the bidding between the two intensified, several others nearby also began to offer items. The allure of a cultivator’s Golden Core was simply too great.

Treasures capable of condensing an artificial pill were worth the risk for these individuals. Few who had achieved such heights were timid by nature; given sufficient incentive, there was little they wouldn’t dare to attempt.

“It’s time to leave,” said the Bodhisattva.

Chen Luo and Daoist Yin Wind rose one after the other, leaving no need for the figure behind them to get involved. While obtaining a sword cultivator at the Golden Core stage might be desirable, such a prize could burn anyone handling it. Moreover, compared to these two demons in the peak of Foundation Establishment, his resources fell short. Both Chen Luo and Daoist Yin Wind had formidable factions backing them, bolstering their already considerable strength. After centuries of accumulation, their wealth far exceeded imagination. Although Chen Luo had inherited some of the Gu Demon Khan Jiu’s treasures, the most valuable items were lost within the ghost temple.

More importantly, this thing held no interest for him.

Comprehension? he scoffed. Who lacks the wit to grasp its significance?

Upon exiting the Five Eyes Temple, Chen Luo and Daoist Yin Wind found themselves outside. With everyone else gathered in the main hall, they were greeted by a serene moment of solitude.

No sooner had they emerged than several young attendants approached.

“Greetings to esteemed imagePath holders,” the attendants said politely as they swiftly came forward. These attendants were ginseng doll children, emitting an enticing fragrance. Only the protection of the Five Eyes Temple Master allowed them to exist freely; elsewhere, they would have long been captured for alchemical concoctions.

“Unlike the mice under your control, these children have a certain charm,” Chen Luo remarked.

“Each creature serves its purpose. Even mice hold value in life, as all living things do.”

The two ignored the attendants, continuing their conversation as they walked away.

Outside, the air was filled with the crackle of firecrackers, welcoming the New Year. Considering I’m still updating this late, how about throwing some monthly votes my way?