Core Branch

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Core Branch (丹枝)
Type	Cultivation manifestation grown from a disciple’s body under the Golden Core Immortal Sect’s method 1 4
Associated Cultivator	Gu Qingfeng 4
Affiliation	Golden Core Immortal Sect initially; later transformed into part of Gu Qingfeng’s independent Golden Core Dao 4 8
Status	Active; altered from Yi-Wood nature into Geng-Metal nature through Reversal of Cost 8
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Standard sect manifestation	1	Core Branches sprout from disciples’ shoulders and navels, bearing Golden Cores. Pulling one out tears flesh and can destroy the cultivator’s foundation.
Gu Qingfeng’s fleshy Core Branch	4	While chanting the Golden Core Immortal Formula, Gu Qingfeng’s branch emerges through his wounded shoulder and navel openings, carrying a faintly glowing Golden Core.
Enlarged Yi-Wood Core Branch	5 7	Continued cultivation thickens Gu Qingfeng’s branch and enlarges its Golden Core, but consumes his lifespan and hastens his maturation as harvestable “food.”
Geng-Metal Core Branch	8	Reversal of Cost changes its Yi-Wood power into sharp Geng-Metal Power. The branch becomes metallic, radiates intense golden light, and can be withdrawn without harming Gu Qingfeng.
Detached combat weapon	11 13	Gu Qingfeng wields detached branches as sword-like weapons, exploiting their greater range and sharpness against sect cultivators.
Fully integrated Geng-Metal armament	15 17	Geng-Metal Power can be released through Gu Qingfeng’s limbs as well as his branches; the branch weapons cut Yi-Wood trees and root-bound corpses with exceptional ease, though sustained use exhausts him.

Background

The Golden Core Immortal Sect’s cultivation method causes Core Branches to emerge from disciples’ bodies, typically from the shoulders and navel. Each branch bears a Golden Core, which the sect treats as proof of cultivation and as an edible resource for stronger cultivators. A branch remains bound to its owner’s flesh and foundation; forcibly removing it can mutilate or kill the disciple. 1 4

Gu Qingfeng initially cultivates the sect’s Yi-Wood Golden Core Feeding Formula, causing his branch and Golden Core to grow larger and brighter at the cost of his lifespan. He learns that this process is designed to turn disciples into Yi-Wood Dao Fruits for Golden Core Celestial Venerable to consume. 5 7

By activating Reversal of Cost, Gu Qingfeng changes the branch’s underlying Yi-Wood Power into Geng-Metal Power. This frees the Core Branch from its role as a harvestable organ: it can be pulled from his body without damaging him, while his Golden Core remains safely internal. 8

During the escape from the sect, Gu Qingfeng uses detached Core Branches as his primary weapons. Their Geng-Metal nature suppresses Yi-Wood cultivators and cuts through the cave’s living trees, which are also Yi-Wood-based, with devastating effectiveness. 11 16 17

Appearance

Before reversal, Gu Qingfeng’s Core Branch has a fleshy texture and bears a faintly glowing Golden Core. It emerges through bloody openings in his shoulders and navel. 4 5

After reversal, the branches take on the appearance of golden metal weapons rather than living wood. 8 13

• Gu Qingfeng possesses three documented Core Branches: one from his navel and one from each shoulder. 5 13
• In their transformed state, their upper portions resemble straight swords, while their lower portions resemble flexible steel whips. 13
• The normal Golden Cores no longer visibly hang from the transformed branches when Gu Qingfeng manifests them for the escape. 13
• Their golden radiance can illuminate dark surroundings, though Gu Qingfeng is able to suppress the conspicuous glow. 8 13

Abilities & Skills

Golden Core Manifestation

Core Branches emerge in response to the Golden Core Immortal Formula and related sect chants. In ordinary disciples, the process leaves their bodies rigid and vulnerable to suppression techniques. 4 8 10

• Bears a Golden Core during its Yi-Wood state. 1 4
• Can be used in the sect’s Golden Core Swordsmanship while still attached to the body. 7
• Is normally inseparable from the cultivator’s flesh and foundation. 1 8
• Sect scripture can force branches and Golden Cores to emerge while immobilizing ordinary disciples. 8 10

Detachment and Weaponization

Gu Qingfeng’s reversed Core Branches can be freely pulled from his body and wielded externally without reopening or damaging his wounds. 8

• Functions as a sharp, sword-like weapon. 8 11
• Can extend beyond the range available to ordinary attached branches, catching opponents off guard. 11
• Allows Gu Qingfeng to fight with two branches at once, though he has no formal dual-sword technique. 13
• Cannot be safely handled by Yi-Wood cultivators; Qi Lingguang is injured when she tries to hold one. 13

Geng-Metal Power

The Core Branches carry Geng-Metal Power after the reversal, giving them intense sharpness and a natural advantage over Yi-Wood-based bodies and entities. 8 11

• Pierces flesh, wood, and ordinary materials with blade-like precision. 8 11
• Suppresses Zhang Yao and other Yi-Wood cultivators, whose power is restrained by Geng-Metal. 11 15
• Cuts the cave’s monster trees apart with little resistance. 16 17
• Can be concealed within the branches and Gu Qingfeng’s dantian to avoid immediate detection. 8
• Rapid or prolonged use depletes Gu Qingfeng’s stamina and leaves his body strained. 17 18

Golden Core Swordsmanship

The sect’s Golden Core Swordsmanship uses attached Core Branches as swords. Its five forms are broad and forceful, emphasizing the thickness and toughness of the branch rather than complex technique. 7

• Golden Branch Wind Shuttle — a thrusting technique used by both sect disciples and Gu Qingfeng. 11 15
• Gu Qingfeng exploits the technique’s normal range limitation: standard Core Branches cannot move far from the user’s body, while his detached branches can. 11

Relationships

• Gu Qingfeng — Primary cultivator and wielder. His Reversal of Cost transforms the branch from a sacrificial Yi-Wood organ into a detachable Geng-Metal weapon. 5 8
• Golden Core Celestial Venerable — Creator or source of the corrupted feeding method that originally makes Core Branches into harvestable foundations for disciples. 5 8
• Zhang Yao — Attempts to consume Gu Qingfeng’s Golden Core, only for his transformed branch and Geng-Metal Power to kill her. 10 11
• Qi Lingguang — Cannot safely wield Gu Qingfeng’s detached branch because its Geng-Metal Power cuts and suppresses her Yi-Wood-conditioned body. 13
• Yi-Wood monster trees — Natural targets for the Geng-Metal Core Branches, which slice through them with exceptional ease. 16 17

Trivia

• Core Branches are grotesquely treated as both cultivation organs and weapons within the Golden Core Immortal Sect. 1 7
• Gu Qingfeng’s detached branches lead his companions to mistake him for a skilled dual-sword hero, despite his admission that he would only be able to hack wildly in a real fight. 13
• The branch’s transformation is central to Gu Qingfeng escaping the status of “food” and establishing his own Golden Core Dao. 8