Chapter 31: Dialect Breakthrough

"Don't worry, you won't die," Xu Yang said calmly.

He estimated that if Fang Yan consumed the demonic beast's inner core, his cultivation would increase by one level.

This was his way of repaying Fang Yan.

"Are you kidding me? Eating a demonic beast's inner core will kill you. That's basic common sense, isn't it?"

Fang Yan backed away a few steps, his face wary, afraid that Xu Yang would shove the inner core into his mouth the next second.

Xu Yang frowned and handed the demonic beast's inner core to Ling Qingshu.

"Fine, if you don't want it, then don't. Ling Qingshu, this is for you."

Ling Qingshu took it with a grin. "Thank you, Ancestor."

As she spoke, she opened her mouth, ready to swallow it whole.

"Can this really be eaten? Won't I die if I eat it?"

Fang Yan was confused. This wasn't right. Based on everything he had learned in his life, a demonic beast's inner core was absolutely inedible. The spiritual energy it contained could easily tear a person apart!

"No, you won't. I ate one last time, and Ancestor helped me stabilize the spiritual energy. I didn't die; instead, I broke through," Ling Qingshu said, already bringing the inner core close to her mouth.

"Broke through?" Fang Yan muttered. Seeing that Ling Qingshu didn't seem to be faking it, Fang Yan gritted his teeth and said, "Alright, I'll believe you. But if I die, I'll drag you all down with me to the afterlife."

Fang Yan swallowed the demonic beast's inner core. With a boom, a surge of violent vital energy erupted in his chest, as if it would tear his internal organs apart!

He paled in shock and was about to curse when a large hand suddenly patted his shoulder. The turbulent spiritual energy within him instantly became as docile as a rabbit.

"Don't overthink it. Just focus on breaking through," Xu Yang said.

Fang Yan was stunned. Xu Yang had managed to subdue the demonic beast inner core's violent spiritual energy so easily.

With no time to spare for further thought, he steadied his mind and began to concentrate on using the abundant vital energy to break through.

Fang Yan's current cultivation was at the fifth level of the Golden Core stage. For his age, he was already considered a genius.

Of course, as a wealthy individual who was "poor" only in the sense of having nothing but money, his cultivation was actually accumulated through elixirs.

Consuming elixirs significantly hastened cultivation, but there was a drawback: excessive consumption led to drug resistance, rendering further elixirs ineffective.

Consequently, Fang Yan's cultivation had been stuck at the fifth level of the Golden Core stage.

However, after consuming the beast core, the abundant vital energy allowed him to effortlessly break through the fifth level of the Golden Core stage, reaching the sixth level!

"Holy crap, I broke through! That's amazing!" Fang Yan opened his eyes, exclaiming in disbelief.

Then he looked at Xu Yang, his eyes gleaming. "Are there any more demonic beast inner cores? I feel like I can break through again."

Xu Yang was speechless. He frowned and said, "Fang Yan, cultivation still requires your own effort. Elixirs are merely supplementary; consuming too many offers no benefit."

Fang Yan stood up, feeling the surging vital energy within him, and excitedly rubbed his hands together.

"I get it! From now on, I won't eat any more elixirs. I'll eat demonic beast inner cores!"

After eating the demonic beast's inner core, Fang Yan felt that all the superb elixirs he had consumed before were utterly useless.

Xu Yang was speechless and could only inform Fang Yan that demonic beast inner cores were, in fact, a type of elixir.

***

Having obtained the Fangtian Sword, there was nothing left to linger for in this secret realm.

The Skywind Sect was not annihilated but merely disbanded, so there were no scattered treasures to be found.

Of course, a few urinals formerly used by Skywind Sect disciples could still be found.

"Fang Yan, I'm returning to the Sky Cloud Sect. Why don't you come with me?" Xu Yang said, considering taking Fang Yan under his wing.

If this had happened ten thousand years ago, countless people would likely have been utterly astonished.

Many peerless prodigies and reclusive ancestors had wished to follow Xu Yang, but all had been refused.

Yet today, Fang Yan, an unremarkable young man, had been granted such an opportunity.

In reality, Xu Yang chose his companions not based on cultivation or talent, but solely on character.

Even individuals with terrible talent and zero cultivation could become peerless powerhouses under Xu Yang's guidance, making character naturally the most crucial factor.

"Go with you to the Sky Cloud Sect?" Fang Yan asked incredulously. "You're really the Sky Cloud Sect's Ancestor?"

Fang Yan's gaze toward Xu Yang changed, filled with adoration.

The Sky Cloud Sect's Ancestor stirred up trouble and instilled fear throughout Qizhou.

He never imagined such a powerful figure would be right before him.

"Alright, I'll go see what the legendary Sky Cloud Sect is really like..." Fang Yan said excitedly.

***

After exiting the secret realm, they headed straight for the Sky Cloud Sect.

As soon as they reached the sect's exterior, Xu Yang sensed that something was amiss.

There was an aura of menace!

Enemies were lurking around the Sky Cloud Sect!

Xu Yang's gaze swept across the area. Sure enough, a Half-step Nascent Soul cultivator was spying from a hilltop to the east.

"Such petty tricks, yet they dare to play them in front of me. Commendable courage," Xu Yang said with mild anger. His figure flashed, and he shot towards the spying Half-step Nascent Soul cultivator.

***

Liu Sanlong was hiding in a bush, his entire aura concealed as if in hibernation.

He remained completely still, observing the Sky Cloud Sect.

He had been sent by Zhang Shuangtian; for a Half-step Nascent Soul cultivator to be assigned to surveillance indicated Zhang Shuangtian's significant emphasis on Xu Yang.

His Breath Concealment Technique was the most powerful in the Spirit Treasure Auction House branch. It was virtually impossible for anyone below the Cavern-Heaven realm to discover him.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a large black rat flash past.

He looked up and realized it wasn't a large black rat at all, but Xu Yang.

Instantly, his scalp tingled.

"How long have you been hiding here?" Xu Yang asked calmly.

"You found me?" Liu Sanlong asked, dumbfounded, unable to believe he had been discovered.

"Do I need to pull you out?" Xu Yang asked.

Liu Sanlong gritted his teeth, suddenly sprang from the ground, and fled.

"Trying to run, are we?" Xu Yang sneered, pushing off the ground with both feet...

With a boom, the ground cracked, spiderweb-like fissures spreading for dozens of meters from where Xu Yang pushed off.

Simultaneously, Xu Yang ascended into mid-air, a flash of sword light appearing in his hand.

"I grant you death by bleeding!"

*Boom*. The long sword descended, leaving dozens of wounds on Liu Sanlong's chest, from which blood gushed out.

***

The next day, the Golden Core cultivator who had been impaled on the pillar outside the Sky Cloud Sect was taken down, and another Half-step Nascent Soul cultivator was hung in his place.

The Half-step Nascent Soul cultivator was still alive when he was hung up, and it took several hours of bleeding before he finally died.

This was a Half-step Nascent Soul cultivator, a legendary powerhouse! To die so miserably at the Sky Cloud Sect...

Even more striking were the large characters for "Spirit Treasure Association" on the Half-step Nascent Soul cultivator's clothes.

The Spirit Treasure Association in Qizhou was merely a branch of the main association, which was located in the Three Hundred Commanderies.

The Three Hundred Commanderies viewed Qizhou much like cultivators viewed mortals: with disdain.

Nascent Soul cultivators, rare in Qizhou, were quite common in the Three Hundred Commanderies.

The Sky Cloud Sect's reputation once again resounded throughout Qizhou.