Chapter 242 - 188: Fleeing Swiftly, Breaking Through to Golden Core Late Stage

As soon as Ling Yue finished speaking, a formidable pressure from her Divine Sense crashed down.

She had assumed that her own mid-stage Nascent Soul Divine Sense would be more than enough to suppress her opponent, leaving them powerless to resist.

But when that pressure landed on Lin Chang’sheng, it didn’t have the slightest effect.

This left Ling Yue puzzled.

A mere Golden Core cultivator, yet he wasn’t even fazed by her Divine Sense pressure?

Inside the Spiritual Spring Sacred Land, Lin Chang’sheng sensed he was surrounded and instantly shot a glance at Xiaobai.

"Xiaobai, you can’t just be sucking up spiritual energy for nothing! You’ve heard the saying—raise an army for a thousand days, use it for one—hey, you—"

"Dream on. I haven’t even gotten enough spirit energy for a single use of my Space Secret Technique!"

Xiaobai raised her snowy head, ignoring Lin Chang’sheng completely.

Maybe she was annoyed by how little spiritual energy she’d absorbed, or maybe she was just mad at Lin Chang’sheng for pinning her down.

"How about this—I’ll make an exception and let you absorb one more mouthful, but you gotta save me some for my breakthrough!"

Lin Chang’sheng said with a grin.

There were, after all, a mid-stage Nascent Soul expert and over a dozen Golden Core cultivators trapping them outside.

Even though Lin Chang’sheng wasn’t afraid, he had no interest in becoming enemies with the Yanyue Immortal Sect.

Otherwise, if Jiaoyue Fairy found out it was him who’d stolen the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi from her spring, he’d be toast.

"Now you’re talking!"

Only then did Xiaobai look satisfied with Lin Chang’sheng’s words.

She spat out a ball of light that instantly enveloped the two of them.

In the next instant, the two vanished on the spot.

"Gone? How’s that possible—could it be a Space Secret Technique?"

Ling Yue suddenly realized the figures in the Spiritual Spring Sacred Land had vanished without a trace. She promptly pushed aside the restriction and hurried inside.

But when she reached the spring, there was no one left—just a patch of blood and a springhead completely drained of spiritual energy.

"Could it be him?"

Ling Yue suddenly thought of someone—Lin Chang’sheng.

When this guy was once hunted down, he’d vanished with a white fox in tow.

Every Southern Domain cultivator had heard about that.

Even though this person didn’t look much like Lin Chang’sheng, there was no mistaking the white fox.

After all, Lin Chang’sheng could use Disguise Technique to change his looks.

"I invited you and you didn’t come—now you have the nerve to sneak in and suck up all my Sacred Land’s spiritual energy? Damn you!"

Ling Yue was none too happy. Her chest heaved violently with anger, almost threatening to burst out of her robes.

If Lin Chang’sheng were one of the Yanyue Immortal Sect’s disciples or Elders,

she wouldn’t be mad. At least that way, her own people would be improving their cultivation.

But Lin Chang’sheng refused to join the sect back then and now he’d gone and stolen her spring’s spiritual energy, so Ling Yue was fuming.

"Heavens! The Sacred Land’s spiritual energy is all gone?!"

"How did they do that? In just a few seconds, they drained the whole place?"

"Where are those Demon Dao scum? How come we can’t find anyone?"

"Damn Demon Dao bastards, just wait ’til I catch you!"

....

Disciples from the Yanyue Immortal Sect entered the Spiritual Spring Sacred Land, found nothing, and discovered the spiritual energy was completely absorbed—they were so pissed they were stomping their feet.

"Master, what happened here?"

After hearing the commotion, Yu Lingfei hurried over.

"Fei’Er, I heard you’ve interacted with Lin Chang’sheng before. What’s your opinion of him?"

Ling Yue asked, looking at Yu Lingfei.

She wanted to know—was Lin Chang’sheng trustworthy or not?

After all, right now Lin Chang’sheng was running around with Demon Dao types.

"Why would Master ask that—could it be—"

"When I ask you something, just answer me!"

Yu Lingfei had only started to respond when Ling Yue cut her off impatiently.

"Lin Chang’sheng saved me twice—no, actually three times, pulling me from danger. If not for Lin Chang’sheng, I might already be dead. He’s approachable, not arrogant, actually easy to get along with. Just yesterday, when the Taiyin Island scum poisoned me, it was Lin Chang’sheng who came to my rescue!"

Yu Lingfei answered honestly, not holding anything back.

That finally eased Ling Yue’s worries a bit.

It seemed he wasn’t with Demon Dao after all, otherwise Ling Yue would’ve hunted Lin Chang’sheng down herself.

From Yu Lingfei’s information, Ling Yue could deduce: The Blood Demon Ascendant’s death was probably Lin Chang’sheng’s doing.

At least that rid the world of a menace.

"I just hope he doesn’t waste the spiritual energy of my Sacred Land."

Tossing out that line, Ling Yue stepped into the air and left.

Leaving Yu Lingfei puzzled.

"Could Lin Chang’sheng really have stolen the Sacred Land’s spiritual energy?"

Yu Lingfei couldn’t figure it out.

...

Two thousand miles away.

Lin Chang’sheng and Xiaobai appeared on the peak of a mountain range.

This time, after Xiaobai used the Teleportation Technique, she didn’t look weak at all. In fact, she glared right at Lin Chang’sheng.

As if to say—well, where’s my spiritual energy? Still not giving it up?

Lin Chang’sheng glared right back at her.

He was just as confused. Shouldn’t Xiaobai be drained of strength after using Space Secret Technique?

He’d planned to wait until she was tired, then quietly absorb all the spiritual energy himself.

But Xiaobai was just fine, and he was totally stumped by that.

And so it was—one human and one fox, just staring each other down.

Both full of clever tricks up their sleeves.

"Ahem—ahem—Xiaobai, about the spiritual energy—maybe we should discuss it? If I grow stronger, that means I can help you get even more spiritual energy, right?"

Seeing Xiaobai show no sign of exhaustion, Lin Chang’sheng could only try to reason with her.

But before he could finish, Xiaobai cut him off.

"No way!"

Xiaobai snapped, and even if she couldn’t take on human form yet and was just an animal,

her brains worked just fine.

"Uh..."

That left Lin Chang’sheng speechless—clearly, Xiaobai wasn’t some dumb wild animal. She was not easy to trick!

"Alright, how about this: I’ll use enough spiritual energy to break through to Golden Core Late Stage, and the rest is all yours. Deal?"

Seeing that he couldn’t sweet-talk her, Lin Chang’sheng could only offer a compromise.

Who knew if Xiaobai would just suck up all the spirit energy in one go?

She did have quite the appetite!

Lin Chang’sheng had never figured out how Xiaobai could swallow all that spiritual energy at once—and refine it so fast!

Any normal cultivator would explode from trying.

Xiaobai’s eyes rolled around, but she finally agreed.

She could sense it too: Lin Chang’sheng was close to another breakthrough—his Golden Core was already showing signs. He probably wouldn’t need much more spiritual energy to reach the Late Stage.

And what he’d said made sense, too.

The stronger he got, the more treasures he could get his hands on.

If she absorbed spirit energy, her magical power would recover faster, too.

"Then it’s a deal!"

With that agreement, Lin Chang’sheng and Xiaobai left the mountain and searched three thousand miles for a hidden cave, getting ready for the breakthrough.

"This pottery jar’s the real MVP this time!"

Lin Chang’sheng took out the pottery jar again. He still didn’t know what special use it had,

but it was perfect for storing spiritual energy.

He opened up the jar, and pure Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi swept out in an instant.

Xiaobai sniffed at it from the side, making Lin Chang’sheng laugh out loud.

"Xiaobai, are you sure you’re not a dog? Gotta check the scent first?"

"Hmph—"

All he got in response was Ao Man’s cold snort.

Lin Chang’sheng didn’t bother with her anymore. He activated his Cultivation Technique and started to absorb Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi from the jar.

This spiritual energy was so much richer than usual.

In less than half an hour, Lin Chang’sheng felt his Golden Core tremble, as if a breakthrough was right around the corner.

Rumble—

The next moment, his Golden Core erupted with a deep roar. His Dantian ballooned, radiant with streaks of golden light. Waves of powerful magical power surged from his Dantian into every corner of his body.

Some of that magical power even shot up to the crown of his head.

Crack, crack, crack—

Lin Chang’sheng felt his meridians swell, even his bones were being tempered—

like they’d been refined a thousand times under the hammer, now even more resilient than before.

As his body was strengthened, his Divine Sense broadened as well.

He could sense everything within a range of three thousand miles.

"Finally broke through! The rest of the spirit energy is all mine!"

Xiaobai, watching from the side, couldn’t wait. She immediately lifted her head—

and swallowed all the leftover spiritual energy in one gulp.

Lin Chang’sheng had spent half an hour and only managed to refine a tenth of it.

But Xiaobai—she downed the rest in one mouthful.

No refining necessary—like she was just taking a drink of water.

That’s how insane Xiaobai’s refinement abilities were.

Who knew what Immortal Technique she was using!

"Golden Core Late Stage!"

With the breakthrough complete, Lin Chang’sheng opened his eyes.

He clenched his fist, feeling the surge of strength welling up inside him.

It was as if he’d become inexhaustible all at once.

"One step closer to Nascent Soul!"

Lin Chang’sheng was plenty satisfied with his current cultivation.

Even though he’d only just reached Golden Core Late Stage,

his physical body was comparable to the Peak of Early Stage Nascent Soul—

and his Divine Sense could match the Peak of Middle Stage Nascent Soul.

When he broke through to Nascent Soul Cultivation, his Divine Sense would probably rival a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator’s.

"Right, Nascent Soul corpses can be refined into Corpse Puppets. That way, even Nascent Soul experts won’t scare me!"

Lin Chang’sheng thought to himself.

He pulled out the corpse of the Blood Demon Ascendant and rummaged around, finding two bags.

One was a Storage Bag, one a Spirit Beast Bag.

First he opened the Storage Bag to check the loot inside.

No wonder—it belonged to a Nascent Soul Stage expert, it was stuffed with treasures.

There were over sixty thousand Spirit Stones, twelve Lower Grade Treasures, five Middle Grade Treasures, one Top Level Treasure—

and a big pile of medicinal herbs, all poisonous, useless for Alchemy.

Aside from that, there were three Immortal Techniques.

One Blood Demon Disintegration Technique, one Bloodthirsty Poison Technique, and one Yin Yang Dual Cultivation Demon Body.

Lin Chang’sheng was hoping for some formidable Technique, so honestly, he was a bit disappointed.

He’d already learned the Bloodthirsty Poison Technique and wasn’t interested; and as for Yin Yang Dual Cultivation Demon Body, he didn’t care for that at all.

After all, he already had the Saint Buddha Golden Body, stronger than even Peak Early Stage Nascent Soul.

"The Blood Demon Disintegration Technique might be worth a try!"

Lin Chang’sheng muttered to himself.

But he didn’t plan to cultivate it right now.

He’d save it for the journey to Demon Evil Sea.

"This Spirit Beast Bag isn’t bad—way bigger than mine!"

Lin Chang’sheng just sent his Divine Sense into the bag and found its space extended out ten miles. It was stuffed with poisonous beasts and insects.

Probably for practicing Poison Techniques.

But Lin Chang’sheng had no use for any of that.

So, he decided to put his hundred thousand Heaven-Devouring Worms inside—no need to be cramped in with Xiaobai anymore.

The instant the Heaven-Devouring Worms were moved in, they devoured all the poisonous creatures inside.

Once he’d sorted out the loot, Lin Chang’sheng got ready to refine a Corpse Puppet.

Back in the Great Yu Imperial City, he’d planned to create a Nascent Soul Corpse Puppet—

but never found the time for it.

Now his Storage Bag was stuffed with Golden Core Late Stage corpses, and even a couple at Early Stage Nascent Soul.

Time to deal with them.

Maybe if he managed to fuse a Nascent Soul Corpse Puppet,

his fighting strength would soar.