Three Days

Qin Yuan fed all the Spirit Crystals and pills into the System.

[Feeding successful. Upgrade progress +400]

[Feeding successful. Upgrade progress +200]

The progress bar reached 4078 points, getting closer and closer to an upgrade.

But this wasn't what he was focused on now.

"The accumulation needed to go from the middle to the late stage of Golden Core is far greater than from the early to the middle stage," Qin Yuan calculated in his mind. "Even with the System granting twenty years of cultivation daily, it will still take at least three days."

Three days to store sixty years of cultivation and make a one-time breakthrough.

He was confident he could reach the late Golden Core stage in one go.

"Zhou De." Qin Yuan called out.

Zhou De entered the hall in response. "Senior Brother Qin."

"I'm going into seclusion for three days," Qin Yuan said. "During this time, I will not see anyone, no matter who it is."

Zhou De's expression sharpened. "Understood."

"Also," Qin Yuan paused, "if anyone comes to provoke us, you don't need to pay them any mind. Just defend the mountain gate."

Zhou De nodded. "Understood."

Qin Yuan said no more, closed his eyes, and entered a deep cultivation state.

The first day.

In the early morning, a group of people appeared on the mountain path leading to Blazing Peak.

Leading them was a bald, burly man, nine feet tall, with muscles like coiled ropes and a bare torso covered in hideous scars. His face was fleshy and his eyes fierce. He was the seventh True Disciple—Duan Tianlang.

Behind him followed more than a dozen followers, each with a formidable aura, the weakest being at the early Golden Core stage.

"Qin Yuan! Get out here!"

Duan Tianlang's voice boomed like thunder, making the entire peak tremble.

Zhou De, Zhao Tiezhu, Lin Qing'er, and the others hurried to the mountain gate. Seeing Duan Tianlang's ferocious appearance, their hearts sank.

"Senior Brother Duan," Zhou De stepped forward, steeling himself, "Senior Brother Qin is in seclusion and cannot receive guests. If you have urgent business, could you perhaps return another day?"

"Seclusion?" Duan Tianlang sneered. "I think he's scared out of his wits and hiding, isn't he?"

He looked up and down at Zhou Ming and the others, his gaze dismissive. "A bunch of Foundation Establishment Stage trash, and you think you can stop me? Move aside!"

As his voice fell, he casually waved his hand, and a surge of powerful spiritual energy erupted, forcing Zhou De and the others to retreat repeatedly. Lin Qing'er, the weakest in cultivation, grunted and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

"Duan Tianlang! You're going too far!" Zhao Tiezhu roared, about to charge forward desperately, but Zhou De held him back tightly.

"What? Not convinced?" Duan Tianlang grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. "If you're not convinced, then have your turtle-shelled Senior Brother come out! Hiding in the mountains like a coward, what kind of skill is that?"

His followers roared with laughter.

Zhou De gritted his teeth. "Senior Brother Duan, there are rules for challenges between True Disciples. If you wish to challenge Senior Brother Qin, you can submit a challenge letter according to the rules and set a date. Why are you insulting us here?"

"Rules?" Duan Tianlang spat. "I am the rule! Tell Qin Yuan I'll be back tomorrow. If he's still a man, he'll get out here and fight me. If he continues to be a turtle hiding in his shell… hehe, don't blame me for 'visiting' your Blazing Peak every day!"

With that, he swaggered away with his men.

In front of the mountain gate, Zhou De and the others' faces were ashen.

Lin Qing'er wiped the blood from her lips, tears welling in her eyes. "Brother Qin Yuan… when will he come out of seclusion?"

"Three days," Zhou De said gravely. "We have to hold out for these three days."

The second day.

As expected, Duan Tianlang returned.

This time, he didn't just resort to verbal insults; he took direct action.

"Qin Yuan! Get out here!"

With a roar, he punched the protective formation at the mountain gate.

"BOOM—!!!"

The formation vibrated violently, its light flickering unstably. Several Inner Sect disciples maintaining the formation were shaken and spat blood, falling to the ground. Cracks appeared in the formation.

"Duan Tianlang! How dare you damage the mountain protection formation?!" Zhou De exclaimed in shock and anger.

"Damage?" Duan Tianlang sneered. "Today, I'll tear down your broken mountain!"

He unleashed both fists, striking the formation repeatedly. Each blow widened the cracks in the formation and injured another disciple maintaining it.

Zhao Tiezhu's eyes bulged with rage, and he was about to rush out to fight desperately, but Lin Qing'er held him back tightly.

"Don't go! You're no match for him!"

"Are we just going to watch him be so arrogant?!"

"Wait for Brother Qin Yuan to come out of seclusion!" Lin Qing'er gritted out. "When he comes out, he'll definitely get justice for us!"

Duan Tianlang continued his assault for a full half hour, only stopping when the formation was on the verge of collapse.

"Qin Yuan, you really have some patience." He spat towards the direction of the mountain peak. "Fine, I'll come back tomorrow. I want to see how long you can stay a turtle hiding in its shell!"

The third day.

Duan Tianlang didn't come alone.

Dozens of True Disciples followed behind him, all here to watch the spectacle.

"Everyone!" Duan Tianlang stood before the entrance of Blazing Peak, his voice booming. "You all see it, right? This Qin Yuan from Fifth Peak, the genius who claimed he'd break through to Golden Core in three days and defeat Lei Ba with one punch, what happened? I cursed him for three days straight, and he didn't even dare to fart! Hiding in the mountain like a coward, is this the so-called genius?"

The surrounding True Disciples chattered amongst themselves. Some sneered, some shook their heads, and some pondered with thoughtful expressions.

Wen Ruofeng and Jian Wuhen were also in the crowd, their expressions complex.

"Duan Tianlang is going too far," Wen Ruofeng whispered.

Jian Wuhen remained silent, merely gazing at the closed mountain gate with deep eyes.

Inside the mountain gate, Zhou De and the others listened to the insults from outside, their fists clenched tightly, nails digging into their flesh.

Lin Qing'er's eyes were red-rimmed, but she stubbornly lifted her head. "Brother Qin Yuan will definitely come out... he definitely will..."

The third night.

Inside the main hall of Blazing Peak, Qin Yuan slowly opened his eyes.

In three days, he had stored sixty years of cultivation.

"Extract."

BOOM--!!!

A torrent of majestic spiritual energy erupted within his body. The Nine Revolutions Profound Origin Art circulated madly, and the Nine Revolutions Golden Core greedily devoured this power.

The barrier of the Golden Core mid-stage began to loosen and shatter under the impact of sixty years of cultivation.

After an unknown amount of time.

"Crack--"

A light sound, like shattering glass.

The Nine Revolutions Golden Core suddenly expanded. Its color shifted from pure gold to dark gold, and the nine patterns on its surface intertwined into a profound diagram, emitting a pressure as vast as a sea of stars.

Golden Core late-stage, achieved!

Qin Yuan opened his eyes, golden light flowing within them. His aura was more than five times stronger than it had been three days ago!

His Spiritual Sense expanded to ten thousand feet, almost covering the entire True Disciple area. He could even "see" the disciples who had recently dispersed outside the Blazing Peak mountain gate; he could "hear" the suppressed anger and grievance of Zhou De and the others.

"Three days..." He slowly stood up, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "It's time to settle the score."