Golden Core Breakthrough and Inner Sect Promotion
Upon arriving at the main gate of the Medicine King Sect, Wei Yun hopped down from the golden eagle's back and greeted the guarding disciples. After verifying his identity, they allowed him entry.
Wei Yun returned to his cave dwelling and stationed the golden eagle at the entrance. Just as he was about to enter secluded cultivation, he suddenly remembered that Senior Sister Mo Xiu Yun often came to visit. He got up again, headed to her cave, and knocked on the door. When Mo Xiu Yun opened it and saw him, her face twisted into an unhappy expression.
"Junior Brother, where have you been these past two days? I haven't seen you anywhere."
"Ah, I took a trip down the mountain. Senior Sister, I'm going into seclusion for the next few days..."
Mo Xiu Yun suddenly burst into tears. "Junior Brother, I've been dumped!"
Wei Yun blinked in stunned silence. "Dumped?" What the hell was this play?
Wiping her tears, Mo Xiu Yun said, "The night before last, I went to the back mountain to view the flowers with Senior Brother Bai Wu You. I was just about to take things to the next level when he said things were moving too fast and he needed time to think. He's clearly looking down on me... wah..."
Wei Yun was speechless. So Bai Wu You had actually gone on a date with her? This Senior Sister Mo Xiu Yun had some moves—Bai Wu You was a true disciple, and plenty of female disciples in the sect harbored secret crushes on him.
Hurrying to console her, Wei Yun said, "Senior Sister, Senior Brother Bai Wu You is right. Relationships need to progress step by step. You could start with holding hands and kissing..."
Mo Xiu Yun's sorrow turned to joy. "You mean Senior Brother Bai Wu You doesn't look down on me?"
"Of course not. Senior Sister, you're such a stunning beauty—even I drool a little looking at you. Senior Brother Bai Wu You surely feels the same."
"Start with holding hands and kissing?"
"Exactly."
"Great! Then I'll go ask him out again today."
Wei Yun quickly added, "Senior Sister, I'm going into secluded cultivation these next few days—please don't disturb me."
"Don't worry, your senior sister won't have time to bother you!" With that, Mo Xiu Yun turned and hurried off.
Only then did Wei Yun relax. He had the golden eagle guard the cave entrance, entered his dwelling, sealed the doors, and went into the bedroom.
Wei Yun closed his eyes to meditate and regulate his breathing. In moments, he entered a meditative state. He began circulating his cultivation art, guiding his true qi to cluster the five elements and harmonize the four images as he advanced toward the Golden Core realm.
At this point, Wei Yun had five streams of true qi within him: one from the Swallow Sun Great Law, solar true qi; one from the jade pendant's art, lunar true qi; one from the Medicine King Scripture, verdant wood true qi; one from the Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation Art, yin-yang true qi; and one from cultivating the Universe in Sleeve divine ability.
Any one of these could be used to form his Golden Core, but Wei Yun naturally chose the most suitable—the jade pendant's art. He circulated the lunar true qi along its routes, running it through a grand heavenly circulation in his body. Vast true qi accumulated like ocean tides, surging into his lower dantian. It spun in a spiral trajectory like a tornado, aiming to shatter the void and open the mystic pass at the dantian's core, condensing the Golden Core.
...
Night fell, and a waning moon illuminated Medicine King Mountain. The flowers and grasses in the back mountain glimmered faintly, dazzling to the eye, while waves of earthy fragrance filled the air.
Mo Xiu Yun stood under a tall camellia tree, longsword in hand, glancing left and right as her heart raced.
After a long wait, a tall, upright figure approached swiftly along the mountain path from afar, trailing afterimages.
As he drew near, Mo Xiu Yun looked closely and lit up with joy—it was none other than Bai Wu You, one of the Medicine King Sect's top ten true disciples.
"Senior Brother Bai Wu You..." she called out happily.
Bai Wu You cut a striking figure in his green robe, longsword on his back, his handsome face aloof and cold. He stopped before her and coughed awkwardly. "Junior Sister, good evening."
Blushing shyly, Mo Xiu Yun said, "Senior Brother, did you see the note I left for you?"
Bai Wu You nodded faintly. "Junior Sister, I know your feelings, but..."
"But what?" Mo Xiu Yun asked anxiously.
Bai Wu You clenched his fist, tense. "I've cultivated since childhood—over twenty years now. I have no real concept of romance... no mental preparation at all. I never expected your affection... I-I..."
Bai Wu You had been nurtured by the sect with all its resources, even earning high hopes from Yao Lao Ren. He focused solely on cultivation and paid little mind to romance. Plenty of female disciples had flirted with him subtly, but none as direct and bold as Mo Xiu Yun.
He had always ignored those girls, but now Mo Xiu Yun's aggressive pursuit left him flustered. Unsure whether to come or not, he eventually showed up to clarify things and avoid distractions from his training. But he was a total novice in this area. One look at Mo Xiu Yun's lovely face and passionate demeanor, and all his prepared words stuck in his throat.
Mo Xiu Yun seized his hand, gazing at him tenderly. "Senior Brother, we can start with holding hands..."
"N-No, that's not what I mean..." Bai Wu You stepped back, crunching dry branches underfoot. "What I mean is... Junior Sister, your cultivation is still shallow. You should focus on diligent training right now, not..."
"Senior Brother, cultivation and romance aren't at odds! Doesn't our sect have dual cultivation arts?"
"D-Dual cultivation? What are you talking about..." Bai Wu You's face flushed red.
Mo Xiu Yun pouted aggrievedly. "Does that mean you look down on me because my cultivation is too low?"
"I don't..."
Her eyes reddened. "Then is it because I'm just an outer disciple and not good enough for you?"
"That's..."
"You do look down on me! Is it so hard to love someone? Wah..." Mo Xiu Yun cried out in fury, covering her face with one hand while wiping tears with the other, then ran off sobbing.
"Junior Sister! Junior Sister... Sigh!" Bai Wu You called after her a few times, then stamped his foot and vanished in a flash.
...
Inside the cave, Wei Yun repeatedly gathered lunar true qi in his lower dantian. Each time it reached its limit and was about to break through, his lower body would suddenly stir with arousal. A surge of lust fire diverted his true qi and shattered his focus, disrupting his state of mind.
After a long while, Wei Yun ceased cultivation and opened his eyes. Pondering deeply, he realized the issue. His foundations were more than sufficient, yet after a full day, no breakthrough. Clearly, the Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation Art was interfering, preventing success!
"Does cultivating the Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation Art mean I can't break through to Golden Core? What now... Tian Guang, you've screwed me over big time!"
Wei Yun's face darkened as he stood and stormed out toward the sect's trading plaza.
The plaza bustled as always. After wandering a bit, Wei Yun spotted a shifty-eyed outer disciple approaching, looking utterly drained of vitality.
Wei Yun grabbed his collar. "Senior Brother, you've ruined me!"
This was Tian Guang, fresh from a brothel visit at the Cherry Blossom House, heading back with plans to scrape together more spirit money for more fun.
Tian Guang startled at the sight of Wei Yun. "Junior Brother, easy now—let go first."
Wei Yun released him, fuming. "Senior Brother, your art has blocked my breakthrough to Golden Core. How do you explain that?"
Tian Guang yelped. "Didn't expect you to progress so fast, Junior Brother—already attempting Golden Core?"
"Cut the crap—give me my spirit money back!"
Tian Guang spread his empty hands. "No money, obviously. I never said it wouldn't affect breakthroughs. If you'd told me you were breaking through soon, I wouldn't have sold it to you."
"You... You're not leaving until you explain! We'll see the sect leader!" Wei Yun glared, tempted to slap him dead.
Tian Guang grimaced. "Junior Brother, I needed the money too! I'm stuck the same way—can't enter Golden Core my whole life. After a decade-plus as an outer disciple, I just muddle along. But hey, we don't aim for immortality. Save up spirit money, hit the Cherry Blossom House now and then, keep a few beauties in Gold Capital City, have kids—ain't that the good life?"
Wei Yun itched to cut out his tongue. Tian Guang thought that blissful? Wei Yun didn't. Without advancing cultivation and achieving longevity, what freedom was there?
He was merely at peak Foundation Establishment now, with a lifespan of two hundred years—but after that? The cultivation world was rife with strife. One bad day, and enemies or demons could end you. Only mighty strength ensured survival, and strength came from realm advancement.
Wei Yun gripped his shoulder firmly. "Senior Brother, help me out—think hard. Is there any way to break through without the art interfering?"
"Sure there is."
"Spit it out!"
"Hold on, Junior Brother... I've pondered this for years. Only one way: find two arts—one extreme yin, one extreme yang. Cultivate lunar and solar qi alongside the Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation Art to balance them all, and you'll break through smoothly. But where to find such peerless arts? And they must be purely extreme yin and yang—practically impossible!"
Wei Yun's eyes lit up. Made sense!
He released Tian Guang and walked away.
Others might never obtain such arts, but he had both: Shui Hong Yao's Swallow Sun Great Law was extreme yang, and the jade pendant's was extreme yin. Perfect complements!
Wei Yun found a high spot in the back mountain, stood atop a boulder under the spring sun, and began cultivating the Swallow Sun Great Law.
He'd only practiced it briefly at first and hadn't touched it since, so his solar true qi lagged behind the lunar. To break through, both needed equal advancement, lest imbalance cause qi deviation—or worse, meridian rupture.
Thanks to his unique physique, Wei Yun progressed rapidly. In days, the art reached the jade pendant's level—both at his current cultivation's limit.
Wei Yun leaped from the boulder and dashed back to his cave with lightfoot skill.
He stationed the golden eagle at the door and entered seclusion.
This time, he ran both the Swallow Sun Great Law and jade pendant art simultaneously. Two true qi dragons—one golden, one purple—plunged into his lower dantian, roaring and intertwining like a purple-gold braid. The Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation Art's true qi stirred, joining without disrupting—instead enhancing the balance!
Under the dual cultivation art's influence, the purple-gold dragons coiled and spun wildly like copulating beasts. Clear chimes rang inside his body; his green robe billowed, hair whipping wildly without wind.
"Not enough yet."
Wei Yun sensed his true qi reserves lacking. He pulled a spirit money from his Universe in Sleeve, crushed it, and absorbed the gushing true qi through his palm.
After an unknown time, a celestial chime echoed from his lower dantian. Peering inward, the dragons had vanished, replaced by a thumb-sized purple-gold Great Core, glowing faintly and suffusing his body with warmth and endless power.
Golden Core... formed!
Ordinary Golden Cores came from one art, their mana matching its attribute—like the Medicine King Scripture's wood-attributed core, lesser yang qi of vitality, healing, poison, and devouring. The Universe in Sleeve divine ability was created post-completion, exploiting those devouring traits for destruction.
Wei Yun's core blended both arts' attributes—yin and yang in harmony, convertible at will. Peerless arts yielded a supreme core, superior to single elements, akin to all five.
With a thought, the core spat purple-gold mana, splitting into twin serpents coiling his arms. Infinite strength surged; clapping his palms produced explosive cracks, rippling the air.
The core pulsed again, mana flowing to his feet: a tiny golden sun on the left, faint purple moon on the right. He floated effortlessly.
Golden Core allowed flight via arts, spells, divine abilities, or tools—freely soaring the skies.
Plus, the core supplied endless mana, recoverable with rest unless overdrawn.
That Gold Capital Trio's boss had this power too, but he'd been mid-tryst without tools, ambushed by Wei Yun's sleeve, crippled, then crushed by the eagle—pathetic end.
With Golden Core achieved, he could advance to inner sect disciple.
Inner disciples enjoyed vastly better perks.
Clothes changed style; they got a sect jade badge proving status. Weekly Fasting Pills became monthly second-grade spirit money—Golden Core cultivators could subsist on wind and dew, no pills needed.
Wei Yun eagerly exited his cave. The golden eagle, dozing, cried joyfully at his emergence—mission complete, time to hunt freely.
"Go on." Wei Yun waved it off.
The eagle beat its wings skyward.
Wei Yun's cultivation surged; each step covered over a zhang. He sped to the Cultivation Hall, where Elder Bai Shu oversaw disciple training and promotions.
"What brings you here?"
The hall teemed with white-bearded attendant disciples—aged veterans with stalled progress, assigned administrative roles.
Most stations saw traffic, but the white-haired elder handling inner promotions sat alone.
Wei Yun approached silently, circulated his art, and floated midair.
"Golden Core?"
The elder's eyes gleamed. "May I have your name, Junior Brother?"
"Wei Yun."
"Please wait, Junior Brother. I'll report to Elder Bai Shu and upgrade your status."
"Thanks, Senior Brother."
The elder infused green light into a green jade badge. It vibrated soon after. "Done—Elder Bai Shu knows and approves. I'll register you and issue your badge and robes."
Wei Yun waited patiently.
Moments later, the elder beamed, wrinkles deepening. "Congratulations, Junior Brother, on becoming a Medicine King Sect inner disciple!"
From his storage bracelet, he withdrew a dozen robe sets pinned with a green jade badge and handed them over.
"Many thanks, Senior Brother."
As Wei Yun turned to leave, the elder added, "Oh, right—Junior Brother, as an inner disciple, you can claim the second volume of the Medicine King Scripture from the Scripture Pavilion."
Wei Yun smiled. "Thanks for the reminder, Senior Brother."
He examined the green jade badge: "Medicine King" on front, "Inner Sect" on back.
Beyond identity proof, it was a restricted magic tool for long-distance voice transmission—imprint another's badge, and speak to be heard.
Soon at the Scripture Pavilion, Wei Yun found an attendant elder meditating on a boulder by the entrance.
He presented the green badge. The elder opened his eyes, confirmed, and said, "Here for the second volume of the Medicine King Scripture?"
"Yes."
"Please wait, Junior Brother."
"Thanks, Senior Brother."
The elder entered to fetch it.
Even attendants couldn't touch freely—restrictions alerted the sect leader and four elders. Approval was required.
Wei Yun waited briefly as the elder returned with a green jade slip.
"Use it immediately, Junior Brother—don't let it fall into others' hands."
"Got it."
Wei Yun probed it with his divine sense; green light flew into his brow. The slip crumbled to dust, scattering on the wind.
With the Medicine King Scripture's second volume secured, Wei Yun finally returned to his cave.