Golden Core: Three Grades

Ling Yunzi and the other six stared at Azure Cloud Master in shock. In their memories, Azure Cloud Master rarely lost his composure.

Yet now, he had become so worked up over some Chaos Golden Core?

What exactly was this Chaos Golden Core?

"Eldest Senior Brother, that's enough." Their little junior sister rapped on the table in reminder.

"Ha ha!" Azure Cloud Master laughed for a while longer before finally stopping. He beckoned to them. "Sit, sit, sit. Don't stand on ceremony."

Biling Zi said irritably, "Who's standing on ceremony? Tell us already—what is going on with Zhang Yang's Chaos Golden Core? What is so extraordinary about it that you're acting this crazed?"

Azure Cloud Master glared at Biling Zi before saying, "You should all know that when a Dao Seed condenses into a Golden Core, it already contains a Proto-Dao Form for future cultivation, right? Take you, Second Junior Brother. When you formed your Golden Core, there was already a sword shape within it, and afterward, you followed the Sword Dao. As for the rest of you, it should have been more or less the same."

The six nodded. It was precisely because of this that they had been so astonished by Zhang Yang's Golden Core.

They simply did not know whether that situation was good or bad, so they had not shown it.

"The three grades of Golden Core determine the height of one's future Great Dao," Azure Cloud Master said gravely. "The lowest, Third-grade Golden Core, is murky within, with no shape at all. Cultivators jokingly call this kind of Golden Core a 'Blank Golden Core.'"

A Blank Golden Core had already lost at the starting line. If one wanted to cultivate any real results afterward, it would undoubtedly be exceedingly difficult.

"A Second-grade Golden Core is what you all have. When it is formed, a Proto-Dao Form has already taken shape within it, so it is also called a Great Dao Golden Core. Though a Great Dao Golden Core is far better than a Blank Golden Core, its path has already been fixed, so it can only be ranked second-grade. Take your Sword Dao Golden Core, Second Junior Brother. Cultivating the Sword Dao lets you advance a thousand miles in a day, but if you cultivate other paths, your progress becomes slow.

"A First-grade Golden Core is also called a Primordial Golden Core. A Primordial Golden Core is not confined to a single pattern and can adapt to multiple paths of the Great Dao.

"Heh heh, mine is a Primordial Golden Core. If I want to cultivate the Sword Dao, I cultivate the Sword Dao. If I want to cultivate the Alchemy Dao, I cultivate the Alchemy Dao..."

Ling Yunzi and the other six looked at the smug Azure Cloud Master, their faces gaining a trace of nostalgia.

This was the Eldest Senior Brother they had met back then!

The current Azure Cloud Master was merely a sect master, far too distant from the Eldest Senior Brother they had known in those days.

"Eldest Senior Brother, you're amazing!" Their little junior sister looked at him with worship in her eyes.

Biling Zi shot the little junior sister a fierce glare, then turned back to Azure Cloud Master. "You still haven't explained the Chaos Golden Core!"

Azure Cloud Master coughed twice, putting away his smug expression before continuing, "Though the three grades of Golden Core have ranks, they are not the true reason that determines one's ultimate height.

"Throughout history, there have been Blank Golden Cores that attained fruition and ascended to become Immortals.

"Likewise, there have been Primordial Golden Cores that greedily sought the Power of too many Great Daos and ultimately cultivated themselves into ruin.

"On the contrary, Great Dao Golden Cores have only one solitary path. Every Great Dao Golden Core gives it their all, and in the end, all of them achieve extremely high accomplishments.

"But a Chaos Golden Core is different."

At this point, Azure Cloud Master's expression became conflicted. "The Chaos Golden Core is only a legend. I do not know in detail just how many wonders it possesses. But with just one of its traits, you will understand how extraordinary it is.

"This trait is that a Chaos Golden Core fears no Power of any Great Dao. It cannot be tainted by spiritual energy, Monster Aura, or Demonic Aura, and it can refine all Power of the Great Dao for its own use."

Whether it was spiritual energy, Monster Aura, Demonic Aura, Nine Nether Power... the Chaos Golden Core rejected neither raw nor cooked food. It absorbed everything.

"Ah!"

Ling Yunzi and the other six were utterly stunned, staring at Azure Cloud Master in disbelief.

Azure Cloud Master said meaningfully, "You should all know that once we are tainted by Monster Aura or Demonic Aura, we must refine and expel it. If it remains within us, it will pollute our Golden Cores, corrode our Nascent Souls and Primordial Spirits, and eventually cause us to fall from the Immortal Dao. Now you understand just how important this Chaos Golden Core is to us, don't you?"

"Eldest Senior Brother, how can you be certain Zhang Yang's Golden Core is a Chaos Golden Core?" Ling Yunzi asked curiously. "What if his Golden Core is a Blank Golden Core?"

Azure Cloud Master said crossly, "How can I be certain? Because Chaos Golden Cores have appeared in the history of the Azure Cloud Sect, and there are records of them. How else could I be certain? Besides, the inside of a Blank Golden Core is a chaotic mess—there is actually something in it."

But didn't you listen carefully to Zhang Yang's Golden Core? There is nothing inside it. It is empty; it is true nothingness. Precisely because there is nothing can it contain everything!"

"Then how is he supposed to cultivate?" Hualingzi asked, somewhat worried.

Azure Cloud Master shook his head. "I don't know! I'm not a Chaos Golden Core, so how would I know how to cultivate one? He can only rely on himself for his path.

"However, the growth of a Chaos Golden Core will definitely require countless cultivation resources and innumerable heavenly materials and earthly treasures.

"Once he grows up, I'll finally be free.

"When that time comes, I must travel the world properly..."

The little junior sister volunteered herself. "Eldest Senior Brother, I'll go with you then!"

Azure Cloud Master laughed heartily. "Of course, no problem!"

Biling Zi snorted coldly, then suddenly said, "Eldest Senior Brother, after hearing you put it that way, your Primordial Golden Core doesn't seem so impressive after all! Seeing how smug you were just now, I thought a Primordial Golden Core was invincible beneath heaven!"

She rose and left.

Azure Cloud Master stood there dumbfounded, unable to say a word for a long while.

The others looked at one another, then left one after another as well.

The little junior sister was the last to leave. She encouraged him, saying, "Senior Sister has always had that kind of temperament, Eldest Senior Brother. Please don't take offense. Now that we have four hundred thousand Spirit Stones, Eldest Senior Brother can relax a great deal more. You should hurry and take care of what needs doing!"

Azure Cloud Master watched the little junior sister leave, tears streaming down his face. "The youngest is still the most considerate!"

His figure vanished in an instant.

Meanwhile, the owner of the Chaos Golden Core was engaged in a fierce confrontation with his junior sister.

"This is my territory. Get out, now."

"I won't! I'm going to live here. If you dare bully me, I'll tell Master!"

After Zhang Yang returned home from the meeting, he discovered that his home had been stolen. Situ Mingyue and her maid had already claimed his small courtyard for themselves.

And so, an argument broke out.

Zhang Yang said irritably, "I spent several years building this small courtyard, and you come here and want to take it? I'm telling you, no chance. Besides, I'm the Eldest Senior Brother. How dare you disrespect me? Don't forget, I was the one who brought you to the Azure Cloud Sect."

Situ Mingyue gave a cold laugh. "I'm the junior sister, so you have to yield to me! Besides, to join the Azure Cloud Sect, I paid a million Spirit Stones... You only had your eye on my money. Did you think I didn't know?

"Let's stop wasting words. Your little courtyard is quite nice. How about I buy it? Name your price. Is one hundred thousand Spirit Stones enough?"

Zhang Yang snorted. "Is this a matter of Spirit Stones? Look at the fence around this courtyard. I carved runes into it to drive away mosquitoes, rodents, and insects. I carved Serenity Runes inside the rooms to calm the mind, focus the spirit, and aid cultivation. I carved runes into the windows too, so a gentle breeze could drift in. I carved runes into the ground as well, so it would be warm in winter and cool in summer... Besides, I've been repairing this courtyard for ten years. Housing prices are rising so quickly now, and you think you can buy it for one hundred thousand Spirit Stones? I've lived here for so many years. I have deep feelings for this place!"

"So?" Situ Mingyue looked at Zhang Yang.

"You need to pay more!" Zhang Yang declared righteously.