Chapter 12: Breakthrough to the Golden Core Realm

"Serve by my side? Do you even deserve it?"

Despite living for a hundred thousand years and remaining stuck at the Qi Condensation stage, Xu Yang's status as the founding senior disciple of Tianlan Sect was undeniably prestigious.

Over those hundred thousand years, countless saintesses and noble daughters from major sects and powerful factions sought to leverage Xu Yang to attach themselves to Tianlan Sect.

Yet now, Madam Yu, a Golden Core realm cultivator who achieved her current success through cultivation techniques of dual cultivation, brazenly claimed she was willing to follow Xu Yang and serve him.

A hundred thousand years ago, this would have been considered a monumental joke.

Hearing Xu Yang's words, Madam Yu's smile instantly faltered, replaced by an awkward expression.

In her mind, having a beautiful Golden Core cultivator like herself serve him would be a delightful experience.

She had not expected Xu Yang's response to be a disdainful "Do you even deserve it?"

If she hadn't been so clearly outmatched by Xu Yang, Madam Yu would have likely erupted in murderous rage on the spot.

"Get out of Tianlan Sect! Take a message to the person behind you: if you dare to appear in Tianlan Sect's territory again, you will die!"

No sooner had the words left his lips than Madam Yu felt a tremendous force strike her, sending her flying backward.

This was, of course, Xu Yang's doing. Displeased with Madam Yu, he simply blasted her out of Tianlan Sect's main hall.

Being ejected from the main hall naturally created quite a commotion for Madam Yu, drawing the attention of many Tianlan Sect disciples who gathered to watch.

Hearing their whispered discussions, Madam Yu frowned deeply, looking as if she wanted to kill someone.

However, remembering Xu Yang inside the hall, Madam Yu quickly dismissed that thought.

Ignoring her disheveled state, Madam Yu immediately circulated her spiritual power and flew out of Tianlan Sect's territory.

After leaving Tianlan Sect, Madam Yu did not rush back to Tianwu Commandery's main city but instead flew towards Qizhou.

This recent setback had caused her significant losses, and she fully intended to recoup them from the cultivators in Qizhou.

Time passes swiftly in the mountains; otherwise, Xu Yang's hundred thousand years would not have flown by so quickly.

In the blink of an eye, Ling Qingshu emerged from her secluded cultivation at Tianlan Sect.

The disturbance caused by Ling Qingshu's emergence was considerable. Everyone in Tianlan Sect felt the powerful aura of the Golden Core realm.

The news of Ling Qingshu's breakthrough to the Golden Core stage further exhilarated the diligently cultivating Tianlan Sect disciples.

With the mysterious Ancestor Xu in the main hall, they believed that they too would have their day, able to break through to the coveted Golden Core realm.

Only after all the Tianlan Sect disciples who had congratulated Ling Qingshu on her breakthrough had dispersed did Xu Yang approach her.

Feeling the aura emanating from Ling Qingshu, Xu Yang was very satisfied.

The cultivation technique he had given Ling Qingshu previously was indeed perfectly suited for her.

In just over a month, Ling Qingshu had already condensed her Golden Core, meticulously following the techniques provided in the cultivation method he gave her.

Given this, Xu Yang's assessment of Ling Qingshu could be summarized as: "The Grand Dao is within reach."

"Greetings, Ancestor Xu. Thank you for bestowing the cultivation technique and elixirs earlier. It is only because of them that this disciple could break through to the Golden Core realm so swiftly."

Upon seeing Xu Yang, Ling Qingshu quickly bowed, deeply grateful to him.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Ling Qingshu and encouraging her cultivation, Xu Yang went by himself to the back mountains of Tianlan Sect.

Recently, Xu Yang had developed a new hobby: wandering through the mountain ranges where Tianlan Sect was located.

Almost every time he ventured out, Xu Yang could find spiritual herbs that were considered rare treasures tens of thousands of years ago.

In just over a month, Xu Yang had collected an unknown quantity of spiritual ingredients for refining ancient elixirs.

Even ten thousand years ago, these items would have constituted a significant fortune.

Watching Xu Yang's retreating figure, Ling Qingshu turned and returned to the main hall to begin managing Tianlan Sect's affairs.

In just over a month, Tianlan Sect had indeed undergone substantial changes.

Most of the disciples and elders had advanced a level in their cultivation, and various factions were expressing their intentions to befriend Tianlan Sect.

Ling Qingshu had a feeling that once the news of her breakthrough to the Golden Core realm spread, this situation would intensify even further.

Moreover, in recent days, the number of Tianlan Sect disciples had actually doubled.

Most of the newly admitted disciples were talented youths from Qizhou.

While no top-tier talents had emerged, their aptitudes were not particularly poor either.

These individuals had been vetted by Xu Yang. As long as they weren't spies, Xu Yang accepted them all.

Because in Xu Yang's eyes, talent alone does not determine a cultivator's entire life.

Take himself, for example; his initial talent made countless people sigh in admiration.

But now, after one hundred thousand years, wasn't he still just at the Qi Condensation realm?

As for these newly recruited disciples, in Xu Yang's view, as long as they were loyal to Tianlan Sect,

Xu Yang would use abundant resources to boost their cultivation.

At the very least, Tianlan Sect would nurture them to the Foundation Establishment stage.

This stemmed from Xu Yang's immense self-confidence. Xu Yang's talent was indeed beyond doubt.

Alchemy, artifact refining, formation arrays, talisman drawing – Xu Yang could be said to be proficient in all these arts.

In some aspects, he even surpassed some grandmasters.

If not for an unknown reason preventing him from breaking through the Qi Condensation realm, Xu Yang's name would probably have replaced the strongest individual in Tianlan Sect's history.

While Ling Qingshu was busy handling various matters in the main hall, Xu Yang was happily collecting spiritual herbs in the mountains behind Tianlan Sect.

And the news that Ling Qingshu had emerged from seclusion as a Golden Core realm cultivator spread like wildfire, causing a huge stir in Qizhou City.

Just as Ling Qingshu had predicted, the sects that had already expressed intentions to befriend Tianlan Sect increased their stakes.

And those sects that had previously been indifferent, upon receiving this news, hurriedly sent people to forge ties with Tianlan Sect.

As the news of Ling Qingshu's breakthrough to the Golden Core realm spread, Tianlan Sect once again entered the spotlight of Qizhou cultivators.

Amidst all this, Xu Yang's name appeared frequently.

Many people clearly understood that most of the recent developments at Tianlan Sect were orchestrated by Ancestor Xu Yang.

Regarding Xu Yang, many factions had already added him to their list of individuals not to be provoked.

After all, offending such an old monster, whose exact cultivation level was unknown but whose combat power was exceptionally formidable, would be a losing proposition from every angle.

No matter how many more years pass, the first thought cultivators have about powerful figures in the cultivation world is always to befriend them, not to oppose them.

The law of the jungle, the principle of the strong preying on the weak, is exactly like this.

In Qizhou City, a particular faction also noticed the situation at Tianlan Sect.

After some deliberation, this faction dispatched a letter.

The very next day, this letter appeared on Ling Qingshu's desk in Tianlan Sect's main hall.