Golden Core Realm Assassin

Wu Xulong thought back on it and felt like smacking his thigh. Twenty million Spirit Stones—that was five years of net profit!

Although he would no longer have to hand over fifty percent of the profits to the main pavilion from now on,

based on his previous income, it would still take him two and a half years to recoup the money.

It would be a lie to say he did not feel the pain, but the agreement had already been made. As the branch pavilion master, he could not go back on his word.

However, Wu Xulong had underestimated the advertising effect of the True Elixir Pavilion's champion title in the alchemy competition.

As the branch pavilion that had taken first place in Tianchen City, its business would inevitably boom from now on.

It might even receive pill orders from cities much farther away. The profits that could be earned would far exceed his imagination.

He estimated that they would be able to earn back the twenty million within a few months.

But Wu Xulong had not realized this. After all, the Tianchen City Branch had always ranked at the bottom.

He had never experienced the benefits brought by ranking near the top in an alchemy competition, so he thought the pill business would merely improve a little.

Thus, he still felt deeply pained that the twenty million Low-grade Spirit Stones had been given away just like that.

However, Wu Xulong also knew that Yang Lingtian was now a fourth-tier Alchemist.

That identity alone was enough for him, a Golden Core powerhouse, to curry favor with Yang Lingtian.

So he could only thump his chest and say, "Rest assured. Once I return, I'll immediately prepare twenty million Spirit Stones and deliver them to you."

Moreover, to show how seriously he regarded him, Wu Xulong directly took out the fifth-tier spirit pill, the Gathering Origin Pill, which had been awarded in the competition.

This kind of pill contained an extremely vast amount of energy and could enhance one's cultivation.

For Golden Core powerhouses, it also had tremendous effects.

It could even be said that as long as one had enough Gathering Origin Pills, a Golden Core powerhouse at the early stage could smoothly break through all the way to the Golden Core peak.

However, upon reaching the Golden Core peak, one needed to comprehend the profound mysteries of heaven and earth before making a further breakthrough into the Nascent Soul Realm.

This spirit pill was practically priceless in the Star-Moon Dynasty, and was extremely rare and precious.

This time, Wu Xulong intended to award the Gathering Origin Pill to Yang Lingtian.

"Master Yang, besides the Spirit Stones I promised, I'm giving you this fifth-tier spirit pill, the Gathering Origin Pill, as well."

Yang Lingtian's eyes lit up when he saw the pill, but he still said courteously, "This pill is extremely precious."

"Even a million Spirit Stones wouldn't be enough to buy one. Pavilion Master, are you sure you want to give it to me?"

"Of course. You won it yourself, so naturally it belongs to you." Wu Xulong reluctantly parted with it.

"Very well, then I won't stand on ceremony." Yang Lingtian happily accepted the Gathering Origin Pill.

After Wu Xulong left, Yang Lingtian eagerly set about refining the fifth-tier spirit pill.

He swallowed it in one gulp, then circulated the Chaos Dao Divine Art and began refining it.

Several hours later, with the support of the Chaos Bead, the Chaos Dao Body, and the Chaos Dao Divine Art,

Yang Lingtian had completely refined the fifth-tier spirit pill, which contained tremendous energy.

However, its energy first entered the Chaos Bead and was condensed by it.

Only a small portion of the refined energy was absorbed by Yang Lingtian's dantian.

Part of the energy then surged out from his dantian, coursing through his entire body and strengthening it.

Yang Lingtian discovered that after obtaining the Chaos Dao Body, he needed more energy.

This meant that if he wanted to break through, he would need even more cultivation resources.

And not just a little—he needed a sea of resources. After all, he still had the Chaos Bead, that devourer of gold.

However, he knew that the strengthened Chaos Dao Body had certainly become extraordinary as well.

At the very least, his physical body had grown much stronger, and his self-recovery ability had improved too.

Yet this single fifth-tier spirit pill had not allowed his cultivation to break through to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage. It had only brought him to the peak of the Foundation Establishment Early Stage.

If an ordinary powerhouse in the Foundation Establishment Early Stage refined this Gathering Origin Pill, they would at least be able to break through to the Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

Yang Lingtian used his mind to complain to the Chaos Bead in his head, "Chaos Bead, you're full now, right?"

"Can't you give me a little more energy? Don't absorb so much every time."

"Master, I'm helpless too." The Chaos Bead's innocent voice rang out.

"I'm still severely damaged and can't control my intake freely."

"So this isn't something I can control. I ask for your forgiveness, Master."

Hearing the Chaos Bead's lengthy explanation, Yang Lingtian strongly suspected that it was just spouting nonsense.

However, the Chaos Bead did indeed need a huge amount of energy to continue repairing itself, so Yang Lingtian did not say anything more.

He was only one step away from breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, so he had no choice but to take out Spirit Stones and cultivate.

In less than an hour, all five million Low-grade Spirit Stones had been absorbed by him.

At that moment, he finally broke through the bottleneck and reached the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.

The instant he broke through, that powerful aura involuntarily spread outward.

Wu Xulong, who was resting in the room beside him, suddenly opened his eyes and looked toward Yang Lingtian's room.

A shocked expression appeared on his face, and disbelief filled his heart. He actually broke through?

Could he have completely refined that Gathering Origin Pill?

Impossible. Even if I completely refined the energy of a Gathering Origin Pill, it would take me more than half a month.

He was originally only in the Foundation Establishment Early Stage. How could he have refined it in less than half a day?

At that moment, the aura dissipated, and Yang Lingtian had completed his breakthrough.

He now felt that the strength of his physical body was already comparable to the Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

More importantly, the purity of the Spiritual Power in his dantian was also comparable to the Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

With the Spiritual Power circulating through the Chaos Dao Body, he could unleash strength even greater than that of the Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

At that moment, the system's voice rang out once again.

[Congratulations, Host. Your cultivation has broken through, and your strength has risen greatly. You have advanced another step on the path of the strong. As a special reward, you have received the second level of the martial skill Hundred Shadow Cold Sword and the second-level formula of Flowing Cloud Wind Movement.]

At that moment, a stream of information entered Yang Lingtian's mind.

He was incredibly excited. The system had finally unlocked the second levels of these two martial skills.

The first level of Hundred Shadow Cold Sword and the first level of Flowing Cloud Wind Movement had only been equivalent to Yellow-grade Top-tier Martial Skills.

Now, the unlocked second levels had reached the Profound-grade Low-tier.

This was a great leap across an entire major level. Once cultivated to perfection, their power would inevitably increase greatly.

After all, as his cultivation increased, the enhancement effects of the first levels of Hundred Shadow Cold Sword and Flowing Cloud Wind Movement would grow smaller and smaller.

Thus, the higher one's cultivation, the more one needed stronger martial skills to display one's power.

At that moment, Wu Xulong's voice came from outside. "Master Yang, may I come in?"

"Come in." Yang Lingtian answered readily.

Wu Xulong opened the door and looked Yang Lingtian up and down.

Then he said, "Congratulations on your cultivation breakthrough, Master Yang. Did you use the Gathering Origin Pill just now?"

Yang Lingtian smiled. "Of course. Without the Gathering Origin Pill you gave me, I couldn't have broken through so quickly."

Although he had already been mentally prepared, Wu Xulong was still extremely shocked after hearing Yang Lingtian confirm it with his own ears.

He was secretly astonished. Master Yang refined a fifth-tier spirit pill in less than half a day. Truly inconceivable.

The secrets he carries must be astonishing. Perhaps he is even the reincarnation of a great expert.

It is also possible that he obtained some opportunity or fortune beyond my imagination.

Regardless, Master Yang will certainly become famous throughout the continent in the future. I have to build a good relationship with him.

Wu Xulong calmed his emotions and said, "I came to inform you that we'll set off for Tianchen City tomorrow."

"Very well. See you tomorrow." Yang Lingtian smiled happily.

He then withdrew.

Although he was very curious about how Yang Lingtian had refined a fifth-tier spirit pill in half a day,

Wu Xulong was also tactful. If there were things he should not ask about, he would not ask.

Early the next morning, Wu Xulong hired a carriage and took Yang Lingtian out of the city.

The competition had ended, so there was no need to hurry anymore.

A carriage was slow, but they would not have to endure such exhausting travel.

It was relatively comfortable, and they could also enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way.

After they had traveled far from the royal city and passed through a mountain range,

two powerful attacks suddenly struck toward their carriage.

Wu Xulong and Yang Lingtian's expressions changed drastically. Without a word, Wu Xulong grabbed Yang Lingtian and rushed into the sky.

The two attacks missed them and slammed into the carriage.

In an instant, the entire carriage was reduced to ashes, while the coachman and horse were obliterated, bones and all.

At that moment, two figures appeared before them in midair.

Both were masked, and powerful auras at the Golden Core Early Stage radiated from their bodies.

"Who are you? Why did you attack our carriage?" Wu Xulong shouted harshly.

"We're merely nameless assassins hired by someone to take your lives." One of the masked men spoke coldly.

"What? Just who could make such a grand gesture and actually afford to hire Golden Core Realm assassins?"

Wu Xulong knitted his brows tightly and asked in confusion.

"We only know that our mission is to take your lives. We know nothing else." The other man answered.

Facing the might of two Golden Core powerhouses, Yang Lingtian still appeared completely composed.

He guessed that these two had actually come for him. After all, he had indeed been far too conspicuous in the alchemy competition.

"Pavilion Master, I think they came for me. Why don't we flee separately?" Yang Lingtian said softly to Wu Xulong.

"I'll only become a burden beside you. Rest assured, I have a trump card for escaping."

Wu Xulong gave Yang Lingtian a deep look, still worried.

His opponents were Golden Core powerhouses. How could someone in the Foundation Establishment Realm escape from them?

However, recalling the many extraordinary things about Yang Lingtian, he could only agree.

"Very well. I'll hold the two of them off. Hurry and escape."

"But I can't hold off two of them for long. One of them will definitely chase after you."

"Whether you can evade the pursuit of a Golden Core powerhouse will depend on you." Wu Xulong's expression was solemn.

Yang Lingtian nodded, and Wu Xulong shoved him backward.

Then he himself attacked the two Golden Core powerhouses opposite him.

Yang Lingtian quickly took out the Imperial Sky Boat and, with all his strength, urged it to flee into the distance.

"Not good! That brat actually has a flying Mid-grade Spirit Artifact. We can't let him escape."

Just as one of the masked men was about to pursue him, a powerful attack blocked his path.

"If you want to chase him, get past me first!" Wu Xulong's aura erupted as he shouted.

"Hold him off. I'll go after the other one." One of the masked men spoke to the other.