Chapter 78: Qingyan Forms His Golden Core, Martial Aunt Descends the Mountain

So the mistress's name is actually Chi Ling.

Wang Sheng noticed that Jingyun seemed to have quite a strong opinion of Chi Ling. Although she was normally calm and soft-spoken, her emotions wavered slightly whenever Chi Ling was mentioned.

Wang Sheng naturally had no intention of getting involved in the personal matters of his sect's previous generation. Nevertheless, her outburst still caught him off guard.

As a cultivator with a profound Daoist realm, Jingyun quickly realized her momentary lapse and composed herself. "Tell me in detail. What exactly is happening with Chi Ling?"

Wang Sheng answered, "Chi Wen's mother is currently the captain of the Hua Republic's Special Investigation Unit. Her organization investigates crimes committed by cultivators and mediates conflicts between the cultivation world and secular society..."

Summarizing the whole matter into a few key points, Wang Sheng elaborated on the issue that his mistress was facing. Jingyun immediately grasped the crucial intel.

"The Fire Sage is acting rather suspicious. Could he be trying to draw cultivators to a single location to expose the relatively hidden cultivation world to ordinary people?"

Though momentarily shocked by the idea, Wang Sheng shook his head. "That's possible, but what would he gain from it?"

"Not all people act solely for personal benefit," Jingyun said softly. "Some are driven by emotional satisfaction or ideological beliefs. Many in this world cannot be judged by common logic."

Wang Sheng cupped his hands in salute. "I appreciate the wisdom."

"No need for such formality, Fei Yu," Jingyun said with a gentle smile. Glancing at the cave entrance beside her, she added, "Your master and I have cultivated together since childhood. Though we are not from the same sect, our masters were close friends. Just call me Martial Aunt, and I'll address you directly as Fei Yu."

So they were childhood friends.

"Yes, Martial Aunt," Wang Sheng replied. "I hope you can relay what I just said to my master when he comes out of seclusion.

"He has always felt indebted to Chi Wen and the mistress. Since I owe him a lot for his teachings, I can't sit idly by. Once I descend the mountain, I will go to the mistress and await her instructions."

Jingyun raised her hand slightly, her expression returning to its usual calm. "You stay here and guard your master. I will go in your stead."

Wang Sheng couldn't help but chuckle bitterly. Given the resentment that she had just displayed, he could already imagine her clashing with the mistress the moment they met.

"Guarding my master is far more important. I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to handle any unexpected situations," Wang Sheng reasoned. "If danger ever comes at him, I'll be too weak to help."

Jingyun hesitated. While Chi Ling merely required an expert to handle unforeseen circumstances, Qing Yanzi's situation could end up becoming truly dangerous. Staying here was clearly more important.

Just as she was about to agree, a deafening boom erupted from within the cave, shaking the entire mountaintop!

Wang Sheng's vision darkened, and his head spun. The impact nearly made him lose consciousness.

The mountain trembled violently as waves of dense primal qi surged in from all directions, rushing toward the peak like a raging tide.

In an instant, the sky changed. A swirling mass of gray clouds formed overhead, and streaks of lightning struck down toward the mountain.

As her eyes flashed a hint of joy, Jingyun reached out and grasped Wang Sheng's shoulder. With a light leap, the scenery around them blurred. They had moved thirty or forty meters away in the blink of an eye.

Darkness swallowed the mountain peak.

Nearby, Lin Huifeng watched in shock as the heavy clouds pressed down over the summit.

This was not a heavenly tribulation; it was a phenomenon triggered by the massive influx of primal qi that the one inside the cave was drawing in. Moreover, only those in the area could see it.

Thump... thump...

A deep, heartbeat-like rhythm echoed from within the cave, reverberating through one's very soul. For a brief moment, Wang Sheng thought he saw someone standing atop the peak. It was merely an illusion, yet it felt strangely familiar and intimate.

Master? Is he about to ascend to the heavens?

Beside him, in a tone as clear and refreshing as a mountain stream, Jingyun instructed, "Use your spiritual consciousness to perceive it carefully. Consider this a rare opportunity."

Her tone soothed Wang Sheng's mind and helped him steady his Dao heart. After closing his eyes, he extended his spiritual consciousness forward and quickly sensed a faint pressure emanating from deep within the cave.

At the cave's depths was a small bead—no larger than a thumb—that had a strong green glow. It exuded an intricate Dao Rhythm, revealing an ethereal realm and condensing vast primal qi, as if laying out a path of cultivation.

By carefully attuning himself to its presence, Wang Sheng could deepen his comprehension of the Dao. However, before half a minute had even passed, the bead's glow began to fade, and its profound Dao Rhythm gradually receded.

Moments later, an overwhelming aura surged from within the cave, making Wang Sheng's heart tremble. The Daoist Realm's sheer pressure bore down on him, making his chest feel tight and heavy.

The cries of startled night birds rang through the forest as heavy gray clouds pressed down from above.

As if the mountain had opened its massive jaws, it swallowed all primal qi within a ten-mile radius and funneled it into the cave, where Qing Yanzi greedily absorbed it all.

"A Golden Core. He succeeded."

Jingyun sighed in relief, her gaze softening.

Has Master truly advanced to the Golden Core Realm?

Wang Sheng couldn't help but smile. Deep down, he felt that the breakthrough had come far too suddenly—it was almost like a dream. Nevertheless, he knew that the dangers and struggles involved were beyond what any outsider could imagine.

He opened his eyes and looked up at the sky, which had cleared up again. He then turned to his martial aunt, who was standing beside him as silently, still, and elegant as a statue of an immortal. He hesitated, unsure whether to speak.

Has Master truly formed his Golden Core? Will he be emerging from seclusion soon?

They waited a little longer, but the cave remained quiet, with no aura emanating from within.

Wang Sheng finally asked, "Martial Aunt, is my master alright?"

"The most dangerous stage has passed. Now, he's likely comprehending his breakthrough. We shouldn't disturb him." Jingyun turned her gaze to Wang Sheng, a faint delight in her eyes. "That being the case, I should go and visit Chi Ling. We mustn't delay her matters."

Wang Sheng felt utterly helpless. Of all times, why did his master have to break through now?

If his mistress and martial aunt ended up arguing, with his low cultivation level and his voice carrying too little weight, he wouldn't be able to stop them.

"I'll retrieve my treasured sword before I go. You stay here and guard your master."

"Martial Aunt!" Wang Sheng called as he quickly thought of a plan. "Why don't you wait for half a day? I'll bring my senior and junior sisters here to take over guarding my master, and then I can accompany you on this trip."

Jingyun smiled faintly at him. "Are you worried about me?"

"Well..."

"That works too. I would like to meet my senior brother's daughter sooner rather than later. I'll stay here and watch over things. You can rest at the temple. Sleep wherever you like."

"Thank you, Martial Aunt."

Wang Sheng bowed and glanced at the cave where his master was meditating. Afterward, he walked over to Lin Huifeng, who was still in shock.

***

Fetching Wang Sheng's martial siblings overnight proved easy with Mou Yue's help. When Wang Sheng called her, he also mentioned that he was bringing along Jingyun, a high-level cultivator who could have some personal conflicts with their captain.

Although Mou Yue found it somewhat baffling, she agreed to Wang Sheng's request and promised to arrange things so that Jingyun and their captain wouldn't cross paths too often.

Personal conflicts? How could their captain have a personal feud with a reclusive Daoist master from the mountains? Mou Yue didn't have time to dwell on it, though. The mountain of work piling up on her desk was already stretching her to her limits.

At least Wang Sheng was finally coming to help, and he was bringing along a highly skilled expert. That alone gave Mou Yue a bit more motivation to push through.

The situation remained under control for now, but the Special Investigation Unit was under immense pressure. If the only arrivals were orthodox cultivators and unaffiliated practitioners, it wouldn't be too much of a problem.

The real headache was that several notorious evil cultivators who were already on the wanted list had begun surfacing. The Special Investigation Unit and the police had been tracking them down. Somewhat by chance, they had managed to capture quite a few fugitives.

And then there was the auction, which was set to take place in just two days.

The thought of it made Mou Yue uneasy.

If a battle broke out between cultivators, things would spiral beyond their control. The Special Investigation Unit's higher-ups would undoubtedly reprimand them, and the troublemaking cultivators would likely be met with the full force of the state.

At that point, it wouldn't just be a matter of bloodshed. It would be an outright catastrophe.

Mou Yue sighed deeply and took a sip of her now-cold coffee. She then gathered up a few files before heading briskly toward the captain's office.

Right now, no one was under more pressure than their captain.

She didn't bother knocking. As soon as she pushed the door open, two exhausted colleagues passed her on their way out. They exchanged weary smiles before hurrying past each other.

Inside, Chi Ling was seated with her eyes closed, resting briefly amid the chaos. Several small screens beside her displayed live feeds from interrogation rooms.

In a hushed tone, Mou Yue reported, "Captain, Daoist Master Wang will arrive tomorrow morning. He wants us to send Mu Wanxuan and Chi Wen to where his master was cultivating."

"So long as Wang Sheng is willing to help, we'll agree to whatever conditions he sets," Chi Ling responded almost automatically. After a brief pause, she looked up at Mou Yue. "His master still hasn't emerged from seclusion?"

"He hasn't," Mou Yue replied. "Daoist Master Wang said it'll take some more time. Apparently, breakthroughs are complicated for cultivators."

Chi Ling nodded. "That's fine. Having a high-level cultivator on our side will be helpful."

"Captain, Daoist Master Wang is also bringing along another expert, but he made a rather strange request."

"What request? And which master from the Zhongnan Mountains is it?"

Mou Yue pressed her lips together as she apologized to Wang Sheng in her heart. After all, she couldn't withhold any details when reporting to her captain.

"He didn't specify, but he did warn me..." Mou Yue hesitated. "He asked me to arrange things so that you and the expert wouldn't meet. He said there's some personal conflict involved."

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Chi Ling's brow furrowed. "At a time like this, do you think I care about personal grudges? Who would I even have a personal grudge with?"

"

Um...

He didn't say."

"Get me some photos when they arrive."

Seemingly recalling something, Chi Ling chuckled coldly. "Forget it; I think I know who it is. No need for special arrangements. Even if we meet, what is she going to do? Kill me?"

Caught off guard, Mou Yue could only blink.

So the captain really does have a feud with this high-level Daoist master...