Chapter 386: Special Golden Core

Chapter 386: Special Golden Core

The Tiger King was dead.

The two little tiger demons were knocked out and tied up with Kunlun Heavenly Palace’s Demon Binding Rope, dragged at the end of the group by two Ascenders.

They encountered fewer and fewer tiger demons along the way.

The closer they got to the Demon Locking Tower, the smoother the path became.

Chen Huaian was holding Li Qingran’s small hand while his mind was still mulling over the information provided by the Tiger King.

There was no doubt—those entities would be his enemies in the future. They were also the hidden forces behind the Ascenders. The gray fog above people like Wang Shouyi’s head was probably also connected to them. It was clear now that this gray fog wasn’t anything good. One day, these Ascenders would definitely suffer a backlash.

The problem now was—what should he do as the inheritor of the Dragon Soul?

He had absolutely no clue.

The Tiger King had seemed eager to tell him what to do, but every time the conversation touched on those beings behind the scenes, it would change the subject. Maybe just mentioning them was enough for those beings to notice, so the Tiger King had to be that cautious.

“We’re almost at the Demon Locking Tower! Everyone, stay sharp!”

Wang Shouyi’s voice rang out from the front.

Chen Huaian looked up toward the Demon Locking Tower on the mountain peak.

The entire demon race was the mortal enemy of the Ascenders and the powers behind them.

But because they were weak, they were tossed into the Demon Locking Tower to be released at specific times as sharpening stones for the Ascenders.

They also provided all kinds of materials to the Ascenders.

In simple terms, it was like an experience farming dungeon in a game.

“Maybe I’ll find some clues in the Demon Locking Tower…” Chen Huaian muttered to himself.

“Master, what are you mumbling about?” Li Qingran turned her head, looking at Chen Huaian curiously.

“Nothing, your master was just thinking how this Demon Locking Tower really looks like a tower.” Chen Huaian nodded seriously and said, “A tower that looks like a tower, what a marvelous thing. It must contain some natural principle of Heaven and Earth. Your master is contemplating deeply.”

Li Qingran: “…”

Is the principle Master’s talking about… the Dao of nonsense?

Come to think of it, she’d never heard of anyone cultivating this Dao.

If he could actually make sense of it, maybe it really would be a bright and promising path!

As expected of Master, always able to grasp the essence through subtle signs.

“Master, I’m curious—if you cultivated to the Void Fusion stage in this world while under cultivation suppression, what would happen if that suppression disappeared? Would your realm stack?”

“Why are you suddenly asking this?” Chen Huaian’s heart inexplicably skipped a beat.

Li Qingran tilted her head and blinked her big eyes. “Because I noticed that it doesn’t look like your cultivation suppression was lifted, but rather that you broke through from Foundation Establishment Perfection to the Golden Core stage.”

“Ah, that…”

A drop of sweat slid down Chen Huaian’s forehead as he forced a dry smile. “Th-that’s a breakthrough method your master developed!

Can’t be stuck at Foundation Establishment forever, right?

So I just sealed my cultivation completely, reducing the rejection force of this world to the extreme, and that way I could break through. But this method is risky—if I want to unleash my suppressed cultivation again, it won’t be easy.”

“I see!” Li Qingran rubbed her chin, thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up as she looked at Chen Huaian with admiration. “Master, you’re amazing! To come up with such a brilliant solution!”

“So that means Master is basically a Golden Core cultivator in this world now? Unless you have no other choice?”

“Exactly.”

“Hehe~”

Li Qingran turned back around and kept walking.

Her steps were light and quick, practically skipping—who knows what had her in such a good mood.

Chen Huaian didn’t notice her mood change.

Whew, he’d managed to bluff his way through.

He let out a small sigh of relief.

Now that he’d reached the early Golden Core stage, he could finally use his Great Ascension cultivation in the Cangyun Realm. Once this Demon Locking Tower business was handled, he’d head straight back with Li Qingran.

It was time to settle scores with Real Person Yuyao and that old monk Fenye.

“Hiss—this Golden Core of mine…”

Chen Huaian looked inward at his Golden Core and frowned slightly.

He hadn’t had time to inspect it carefully before.

Now that he looked closely, something felt off.

He’d seen the Golden Cores of many disciples from the Sword Pavilion before—nothing special about them. Li Qingran’s was a bit different, with lotus-like patterns and a soft blue glow.

But his was even weirder.

There were intricate carvings on the surface of the Golden Core.

Looking closely, it was a coiled golden dragon—and in front of the dragon, kneeling in submission, was a humanoid figure with a tiger’s head.

Wasn’t that the Blood Amber Mountain Lord?!

It had gone and lodged itself on his Golden Core?!

Chen Huaian went silent for a moment.

When in doubt—electronic girlfriend.

He opened the game and checked his detailed player info.

In the cultivation section, it now said Early Golden Core.

And next to it, a detailed description had appeared:

Nine-Turn Dragon Pearl Golden Core — True Dragons are lords of all demons. Those who possess this Golden Core may receive offerings from ten thousand demons to gain their power.

Current Offering: Blood Amber Mountain Lord (Demon King).

Acquired Talent: Blood Amber Death Realm.

【Blood Amber Death Realm】— Pulls the opponent into a one-on-one deathmatch within the Blood Amber space.

(Command phrase: Draw your sword—it’s just you and me.)

…

Chen Huaian silently gave the Tiger King another thank you in his heart.

If nothing else, the Tiger King was really straightforward. It genuinely offered itself as a sacrifice.

This ability would be especially useful in one-versus-many situations, kind of like dragging enemies into a pocket dimension for combat.

But that was an ability his Void Fusion incarnation in the Cangyun Realm could use.

In reality, he was just a Golden Core cultivator. His options were very limited.

Hakyryu, you really did me a solid!

He glanced back at the two unconscious little tiger demons at the end of the group and quietly made a decision.

“Since your father was that straightforward, then I, This Venerable One, will do whatever it takes to protect you two.”

Chen Huaian didn’t believe in fate.

Even though in the Tiger King’s fragmented and pessimistic memories, every reincarnation ended with his whole family turned into materials for Ascenders.

But this time was different.

He, Chen, with his electronic girlfriend game, would grind fate beneath his feet!

However, what Chen Huaian didn’t know was—

Just as the Tiger King’s aura completely vanished…

In a zoo thousands of miles away from the Qinling Mountains…

A normally docile female tiger suddenly went berserk, slamming into the reinforced glass barriers around it. Several zookeepers shouted at it in vain—tempting it with food or even using tranquilizers didn’t work at all.

It looked like the tiger was about to escape from its cage.

The zoo owner was completely out of ideas and yelled at the staff:

“What are you standing around for? Use the tranquilizer gun again! Use a higher dose!”

“But, Boss, any more and it’ll be a lethal dose…” The zookeeper looked at the frenzied tigress with hesitation.

This tigress had only been in the zoo for two months, but she’d always been incredibly gentle and obedient.

Her eyes even carried a sense of spirit that was different from other tigers.

Sometimes, she even felt like this tiger could understand human speech.

After all, the post-establishment ban on becoming a spirit had already been scrapped.

Monsters now lived openly in public view—maybe this tiger had become a yaoguai too?

“Lethal dose, so be it!”

The zoo owner made a decisive call, his voice cold and firm:

“There are still so many tourists in the zoo—do you want them to get eaten by this tiger?!”

The zookeeper bit her lip and had no choice but to pick up the tranquilizer gun again.

…

…