What is a Golden Core?
"Golden" means immortal and imperishable; "Core" means perfect and complete. Therefore, the so-called Golden Core is an immortal, perfectly complete entity, flawless and unshakeable by any external object.
This was the [Golden Liquid Returning Core Diagram].
The secret inheritance of the First-generation Pill Cauldron Peak Master. The Great Dao he sought to attain was exactly this "Dao of the Golden Core," aiming to mold a perfectly flawless existence.
Is this what he originally wanted to refine?
Lu Yang thought of the [Cycle of Life and Death Pill] he had seen earlier in the Pill Cauldron Secret Realm. The First-generation Pill Cauldron Peak Master had said he wanted to use a pill to stabilize the mortal realm.
At the time, Lu Yang was confused. Although the [Cycle of Life and Death Pill] could reverse life and death and was incredibly profound, it didn't seem to have any connection to stabilizing the mortal realm.
But now, he understood.
The so-called [Cycle of Life and Death Pill] was actually just an abandoned half-finished product. What the First-generation Pill Cauldron Peak Master truly wanted to refine was a Supreme Golden Core!
He wanted to use his own pill to forge the Light Sea into an ideal Golden Core—flawless, immortal, and imperishable. It's just that he eventually gave up... But [Sky-shrouding] didn't. He obtained the inheritance of the First-generation Pill Cauldron Peak Master and applied it to his own [Dao-Attaining Hidden Profound Palace].
That was why the [Dao-Attaining Hidden Profound Palace] was incredibly sturdy.
Although the effect of [Supreme Dao Transformation] had passed, the comprehensions gained would not disappear. Lu Yang's eyes were filled with the joy of attaining the Dao in a single morning.
"Now, I've learned it!"
As his words fell, under Lu Yang's divine sense manipulation, the [Arctic Exorcism Court] began to collapse inward, stabilizing the previously crumbling palace.
[Sky-shrouding] immediately noticed this anomaly.
"Learned it? Such shameless boasting!"
Thunderous roars spread out. The brilliant golden pill formed by the [Dao-Attaining Hidden Profound Palace] rampaged wildly, recklessly wreaking havoc within the [Arctic Exorcism Court].
"Even taking ten thousand steps back and assuming you did learn it, so what?"
"Refining pills requires a cauldron. Without prior preparation, even if you learned it, you can't use it."
"It's nothing but a futile effort!"
Under this wave of collisions, the [Arctic Exorcism Court] that had just stabilized began to explode violently once more. Vast swathes of pavilions and towers were ruthlessly destroyed.
"Besides, I've guessed your origin."
"You are the person behind the Old Dragon Lord, aren't you? With such Light of Wisdom, and merging the profound wonders of the Five Elements Dao Fruits so perfectly... Could you be an incarnation left behind by the Ancestral Dragon?"
While voicing his guesses to shake Lu Yang's mind, [Sky-shrouding] continued his destruction. However, after a while, he abruptly stopped his movements—he saw streaks of azure flowing light shuttling and whistling through the damaged pavilions and towers within the [Arctic Exorcism Court].
[Mountain-Bearing Dao Fruit]!
"Is that the [Pine and Cypress Wood]... [The Heart of Eternal Rectitude]? You want to use this method to adapt to my attacks? No, you should have already adapted to a portion of them..."
[Sky-shrouding]'s words were correct.
Although the difficulty of adapting was extremely high and the speed incredibly slow, bolstered by the Dao Fruit Secret Method and enduring several successive collisions, it finally showed some effect.
Therefore, the damage from [Sky-shrouding]'s wave of destruction on the [Arctic Exorcism Court] was actually far less severe than it appeared. The miserable sight of impending shatter was mostly Lu Yang intentionally showing weakness to the enemy, buying time to reshape the core of the [Arctic Exorcism Court].
"..."
Seeing this, [Sky-shrouding] finally fell silent. Seeing that Lu Yang remained entirely unshaken, he wasted no more words and abruptly manifested his true physical form.
He stood brazenly within the [Arctic Exorcism Court]. A pale hand reached out from the fog, forming a hand seal. Suspended at his fingertip was a brilliant golden pill, intricately profound. The size of a mustard seed, it seemed to contain the principles of Mount Sumeru, endlessly collapsing inward towards its center.
And then—it erupted!
Boom!
In a flash, the visible sea of fog and radiant colors expanded outward. Wherever it passed, all the profound wonders within the [Arctic Exorcism Court] had their luster obscured.
A complete breach!
At this moment, under [Sky-shrouding]'s all-out eruption with no regard for the cost, the [Arctic Exorcism Court] was finally completely blasted open, showing clear signs of disintegration!
Yet, it was also at this exact moment that Lu Yang smiled.
Now is the time!
Without the slightest hesitation, the [Floating Light Realm Sea Great Immortal Art] was activated. A vast, boundless chaotic sea surfaced behind Lu Yang, which also collapsed inward at this moment.
[Golden Talent: Great Self-Detonation]!
This time, it wasn't just a few Incarnations Outside the Body, but an entire ocean of incarnations. All of Lu Yang's accumulations over these years were detonated in one breath!
Bright white flames of light rippled outward like water waves, merging with the fog storm whipped up by [Sky-shrouding]. The two colors intertwined, like the two qi of Yin and Yang, like a dragon and tiger vying for supremacy. And in the center of it all, the [Arctic Exorcism Court] abruptly emanated endless auspicious light.
"The Azure Dragon rides the fire to roam the lotus pond; the White Tiger stirs the waves to exit the Grotto-Heaven."
"Refining pills, refining pills. Without the dragon and tiger, how can a pill be formed?"
"Hahaha!"
Lu Yang laughed aloud. The super-explosion of the Floating Light Realm Sea and [Sky-shrouding]'s full-power strike became the perfect environment for tempering the [Arctic Exorcism Court]!
A cauldron forged by heaven and earth!
At this moment, the residual waves of the explosion were still violently churning, almost entirely borne by [Sky-shrouding], causing the smoke around his body to grow increasingly thin.
Meanwhile, Lu Yang actually used the force of this collision to completely integrate the [Golden Liquid Returning Core Diagram] into the operation of the [Arctic Exorcism Court]. This caused the already towering palace to undergo a further qualitative change. Brilliant golden light surfaced amidst the pavilions, towers, flying eaves, and corridors.
Not good...
On the other side, [Sky-shrouding] had finally neutralized the power of the exploding ocean of incarnations. However, his aura had plummeted to rock bottom, no longer as flourishing as before.
I was schemed against. This person's methods are too insidious... Did I guess wrong? It's not the Ancestral Dragon, but someone from the Saint Sect?
Beneath the smoke, countless thoughts flashed through those long, narrow eyes:
Not only did he heavily injure me, but he also used my hand to further advance his newly refined Supreme Treasure. If this continues, I'll be the one at a disadvantage.
At this thought, all hesitation was instantly slain.
[Sky-shrouding] made a prompt decision. No longer entangling himself with Lu Yang, he turned around, mounted a beam of foggy light, and charged out of the [Arctic Exorcism Court].
"Trying to leave?"
Seeing this, Lu Yang's pupils shrank. Although he no longer had the [Floating Light Realm Sea Great Immortal Art], he didn't hesitate to squeeze out his spiritual power and reached out his hand.
[All-Heaven Great Hand Seal]!
[Heaven-Bearing Palm]!
In a flash, the hand obscured the sky. Earth, water, wind, and fire reopened within the palm, actually sucking in and converging the surrounding Light Sea and even large and small World Realms.
However, [Sky-shrouding] was faster and more decisive. With a wave of his hand, he severed a patch of fog that had been caught by [Heaven-bearing Palm]. Then, riding the light, he fled. In an instant, he jumped out of the domain encompassed by the hand, soared into the sky, and instantly vanished into the dark void.
[The Mortal World]. Right in the center of the rioting tide of spiritual qi, the victor stood imposingly.
"Huu..." Lu Yang exhaled a long breath of turbid air.
His spiritual power was drained dry, his Dharma Body was heavily injured, and his various profound wonders sequentially fell silent. Only the [Arctic Exorcism Court] shone brilliantly—without a doubt, it was a pyrrhic victory.
But in the end, it was a victory!
Regardless of who was stronger or weaker, or whose methods were more insidious, the fact remained that he had beaten [Sky-shrouding] into a retreat head-on!
Not to mention, he had an unexpected harvest.
Thinking of this, Lu Yang beckoned with his hand. The heaven-obscuring massive hand above his head rapidly shrank, merging with his main body's hand. In his fingertips, he was surprisingly grasping an object.
It was a wisp of smoke.
Flickering in and out of sight, shifting and transforming. Faintly, a towering forest that blotted out the sky and sun could be seen within it—it was the concept of the [Great Forest Wood]!
(End of Chapter)