Potential Crisis
However, the Spirit Vein of Peach Blossom Mountain are only of the third-grade low quality, and the Spiritual Qi is far from sufficient to support a Golden Core realm cultivator's breakthrough.
"Not good, the Spiritual Qi is insufficient."
Fairy Qingyan's expression changed, and she quickly crushed a large number of Spirit Stone into Spiritual Qi to supply Hermit Qingci's breakthrough.
However, she didn't have many Spirit Stone, which was far from enough to support a Golden Core realm cultivator's breakthrough.
At this moment, Chen Nianzhi's eyes flickered slightly, and Spiritual Qi began to gather into a vortex. The most crucial step of Hermit Qingci had been completed. It would be too regrettable if it failed due to insufficient Spiritual Qi.
Chen Nianzhi then raised her hand and released nearly a million Spirit Stone, crushing them into a vast amount of Spiritual Qi, which ultimately helped Hermit Qingci.
Such abundant Spiritual Qi is almost equivalent to half of a Tier 4 Low-Grade Spirit Vein, enough to help Hermit Qingci complete the Core Formation.
After completing this step, Chen Nianzhi estimated that Hermit Qingci was almost certain to break through to the Golden Core realm stage.
As expected, as the Spiritual Qi vortex gradually disappeared, a powerful aura finally erupted from Peach Blossom Mountain.
It's done.
Chen Nianzhi's eyes flickered slightly as he saw Hermit Qingci ascend to the sky, nod to him, and then gaze solemnly at the tribulation clouds in the heavens.
At this moment, Jiang Linglong's eyes flickered slightly, and her brows furrowed slightly.
"What's wrong?" Chen Nianzhi asked.
"For a brief moment just now, I think I sensed a very strong aura."
As Jiang Linglong spoke, she closed her eyes and continued searching, but ultimately found nothing.
Chen Nianzhi also frowned, but after searching for a while, the two of them still couldn't find that aura.
After a long pause, Chen Nianzhi looked at the Lightning Tribulation in the sky and said with a solemn expression, "If someone is indeed hiding in the shadows, then their intentions are probably not simple. It seems we need to be careful."
"Maybe it's just an illusion."
Jiang Linglong shook her head and said calmly.
Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away, an old man dressed in a Daoist robe was hiding on the ground.
The man gazed at the distant tribulation clouds, then fixed his gaze on Jiang Linglong and Chen Nianzhi: "The leader of the Heavenly Ruins Alliance, and the sword immortal of the Chu Kingdom, why are they here?"
"Although Hermit Qingci's breakthrough to the Golden Core realm is a variable, it's not a big deal. It's just that Jiang Linglong and Chen Nianzhi possess Great Divine Ability, and if they join forces, I'm not confident I can kill them."
"Could it be that he sensed my impending arrival and specially invited these two over?"
The old man pondered for a moment, a hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes.
After a long pause, he shook his head again. "Impossible. If this person knew I was going to make a move, he would have already fled Peach Blossom Mountain. He wouldn't dare to stay here."
"That Golden Radiance Glazed Lamp has the potential to help me overcome the Nascent Soul tribulation. I am determined to obtain it, and no one else can stop me."
"Alright, let's wait a little longer. They'll both leave eventually."
Thinking of this, the old man stroked his long beard, concealing his aura.
It would be unwise to fight two powerful Golden Core realm cultivators, especially since both of them are top-tier Golden Core realm cultivators who have cultivated Great Divine Ability.
Although the old man had reached the level of a Nascent Pseudo-Nascent Soul realm and was confident in his strength, he also knew that his lifespan was limited and his Qi and Blood were insufficient. He worried that if he were injured, it would ruin his Dao Path to advancing to the Nascent Soul stage.
He suppressed his aura and quietly hid between heaven and earth, while the tribulation on the other side was finally coming to an end.
After acquiring a considerable amount of wealth from Lin Daoyang, Hermit Qingci was naturally well-prepared, possessing a large quantity of substitute treasures.
With the help of these treasures, Hermit Qingci successfully transcended his tribulation and broke through to the Golden Core realm realm in one fell swoop.
After surviving the Lightning Tribulation, Hermit Qingci immediately sought out Chen Nianzhi, bowing deeply and saying, "I am deeply grateful for your help in achieving Qing Ci."
"No need for formalities. Your breakthrough to the Golden Core realm stage was entirely your own doing; I was merely helping you along the way."
Chen Nianzhi smiled slightly. Hermit Qingci had broken through to the Golden Core realm, so his considerable effort to help her was not in vain.
Hermit Qingci shook his head and said, "Without your help this time, I might have had to burn my essence to replenish my Golden Core realm due to insufficient Spiritual Qi energy. Even if I broke through to the Golden Core realm, it would definitely result in a great loss of my essence."
"However, I'm afraid I can only repay you for this debt of Spirit Stone after we explore the ruins."
Hermit Qingci spoke, a serious expression appeared on his face.
Mentioning ancient ruins, everyone felt a little excited. Ruins that could exist for thousands of years in environments like the Infernal Flame Sea were mostly beyond the Golden Core realm level.
Thinking of this, Yu Qingyan smiled and said, "The ruins will reopen in two months, so we should set off now."
"Then let's set off."
Knowing that the ruins were about to open, the group did not linger and hurriedly left Peach Blossom Mountain that very day.
Peach Blossom Mountain is more than three million miles away from the Infernal Flame Sea, but fortunately, the Azure Sun Treasure Ark is incredibly fast and arrived at the Infernal Flame Sea in just over ten days.
After entering the outer edge of the Infernal Flame Sea, Hermit Qingci said solemnly, "The secret realm is deep within the Infernal Flame Sea, and there may be Scarlet Flame Demon Spirit at the Golden Core realm within. We must be careful."
"Wait a minute."
At this moment, Chen Nianzhi stopped the Azure Sun Treasure Ark.
His expression was grave. He glanced at Jiang Linglong and asked, "How is the situation?"
"What's wrong?"
Seeing their strange expressions, Fairy Qingyan couldn't help but ask.
At this moment, Jiang Linglong opened her eyes and said with some seriousness, "I have been using a Law Technique to sense auras all along the way, and I found that someone has been following us, and his strength has reached at least the Golden Core Grand Completion."
"How is that possible?"
Hermit Qingci's expression changed, and he couldn't help but say, "This trip is a top secret; I haven't told anyone except the three of you."
Just then, Chen Nianzhi spoke up, saying, "My Grudge-Thought Soul Pursuit Technique also senses this; this person is probably Skystar Zi."
"Skystar Zi".
The expressions of the group changed. As the name suggests, Skystar Zi was the number one Rogue Cultivator in the Heavenly Hut Continent. He had even broken through to the Pseudo-Nascent Soul realm after obtaining the Nascent Soul Formation Pill decades ago.
This person has Middle-grade Golden Core. It seems that he will be able to break through to the Nascent Soul realm again in a few decades, and his chances of success should be over 50%.
"I see."
Upon hearing that the visitor was Skystar Zi, Hermit Qingci revealed a bitter smile.
It turned out that not long ago, in order to recover from his injuries, he had considered selling the Golden Radiance Glazed Lamp and had let a few friends know about it. Now that Skystar Zi was about to break through to the Nascent Soul, he had been planning to overcome the Nascent Soul tribulation. This time, he was probably here for his Golden Radiance Glazed Lamp.
After explaining the situation to the group, Hermit Qingci said with a wry smile, "I'm sorry, everyone, I've dragged you all into this today."
"Don't worry."
Seeing his distressed expression, Jiang Linglong calmly said, "The aura within the Infernal Flame Sea is mixed and chaotic. I used my Divine Ability to conceal the Treasure Ship, making it difficult for him to sense it."