Golden Core Disciples

Golden light conjured by the restrictions formed a solid wall, sealing off the restricted grounds. *Bang! Bang!* Under the relentless battering of the earth fiend qi, the restrictions trembled violently with continuous, deafening booms. However, by the time the earth fiend qi reached this point, its momentum was already spent. Soon, the fury outside began to weaken visibly. Seeing that the fiend qi was beginning to subside, Yu Daiyue looked relieved. Then, remembering something, he turned to Qin Sang and instructed, "Junior Brother Qin, once the fiend qi recedes, you and I should split up and search the caverns. Junior Brother Li is Martial Uncle Fengming's direct disciple and carries a protective magic tool bestowed by Martial Uncle Fengming. As long as he didn't fall into the chasm, there is a chance he might have survived. We had best do everything we can to rescue him, or else it will be difficult to explain ourselves to Martial Uncle Fengming." Qin Sang had already intended to find an opportunity to toss Wu Yuesheng's belongings into the chasm, so this aligned perfectly with his plans. He agreed at once and casually asked, "Fellow Daoist Baiyun is a rogue cultivator, so it is hard to say. But if I recall correctly, Senior Brother Wu is a disciple of Martial Uncle Che Yutao. By that logic, shouldn't Senior Brother Wu have a chance of survival as well?" "Hardly!" Yu Daiyue shook his head, a faint trace of resentment seeping into his tone. "Junior Brother Qin, there are things you don't know. To seek a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm, Golden Core Masters fight desperately for every sliver of advantage. They must devote their hearts entirely to the Great Dao, no different from us. How many of them are truly willing to distract themselves by taking disciples? "To prevent a gap in succession, our Shaohua Mountain strictly commands the sect's Golden Core cultivators to accept a sufficient number of disciples and guide their cultivation. Because of this, while many people enter under a Golden Core Master's tutelage, disciples are still divided into various ranks. Only a scant few truly receive any favor, and without exception, they are all individuals of extraordinary talent. "Junior Brother Wu couldn't hold a candle to Junior Brother Li. Junior Brother Li possesses outstanding talent and is deeply valued by Martial Uncle Fengming. Only because of that was he granted a magic tool right after breaking through to Foundation Establishment. It is even said that the cultivation method Junior Brother Li practices was handpicked for him by Martial Uncle Fengming. That is what a true direct disciple is like. "As for someone like me, I only saw my master once on the day of my apprenticeship, received a few words of advice, and have had to rely entirely on myself ever since. For all I know, Master might not even remember having such a disciple, unless I can break through to the late Foundation Establishment stage to earn his recognition. "Fortunately, we at least have the sect to lean on, which makes us somewhat better off than rogue cultivators out there. Yet even so, I have spent decades languishing in early Foundation Establishment with no hope of a breakthrough in sight. Otherwise, why would I have subjected myself to a trip inside the Red Dust Gourd? "Junior Brother Wu had it even worse. On the day he became a disciple, Martial Uncle Che was said to have had an epiphany and needed to enter seclusion to comprehend it. He was driven out before he could even set foot inside the cave dwelling. How could he possibly have been granted a magic tool?" In the cultivation world, whether righteous or demonic, the relationship between master and disciple was taken with utmost seriousness. Once someone became a disciple under a master, it ceased to be merely a nominal hierarchical relationship within the sect. Before taking a master, listening to lectures on Daomen Peak was simply an exchange paid for with spirit stones earned through chores—a fair transaction where neither side owed the other anything. However, a master was owed gratitude for preaching the Dao, imparting knowledge, and dispelling doubts. The bond was closer than that of Dao companions; it was only natural for a master to cherish the disciple and for the disciple to revere the master. Such a bond could not be altered even if heaven and earth turned upside down. In time, even if a disciple's cultivation surpassed that of the master, the disciple still had to treat the master with complete respect and without the slightest neglect; otherwise, the entire world would revile them. Aside from Senior Brother Wen, Qin Sang had not interacted much with other Foundation Establishment cultivators, nor was this kind of private matter easy to ask about. Hearing Yu Daiyue's explanation, Qin Sang finally learned the hidden truth, and the last shred of regret in his heart vanished. With his dreadful aptitude, even without the ordeal of being chosen as a cauldron, he would never have received any attention even if he had miraculously gained acceptance under a Golden Core Master. It would have been no different from his current situation; he was far better off enjoying his own freedom. Qin Sang had originally worried that Wu Yuesheng might possess a magic tool bestowed by Martial Uncle Che, which could bear a hidden mark left behind by the master. Because he had not known which item it might be, he had resolved to discard them all. Now that he knew none of those magic tools had been granted by Martial Uncle Che—and that Wu Yuesheng was thoroughly neglected, with Martial Uncle Che not caring in the least whether he lived or died—no Golden Core Master would personally investigate. It was perfectly safe to keep them. The Crimson Flame Sword, however, was Wu Yuesheng's life spirit sword, bonded to his very life. It bore his aura, which would be difficult to erase completely in the short term. He only needed to destroy the Crimson Flame Sword and a few related items. After waiting a while longer, the rumbling outside gradually died away, and the golden light of the restrictions ceased to fluctuate. Qin Sang and Yu Daiyue exchanged a look and manipulated the formation core together, opening the restrictions. Looking out, they saw that only wisps of earth fiend qi remained in the grand hall ahead, drifting in thin, bone-chilling strands. Such a minor amount posed no threat to them. Sticking to their plan, the two immediately set off in different directions. Qin Sang hurried straight out of the cavern. As he neared the entrance, he used the Cloudfall Wings to conceal his figure. Returning to the chasm, he saw that the earth fiend qi that had surged skyward had already subsided. The yin wind barrier in the sky had been torn wide open with a massive gap, and even the closely adjoining cliffs above now bore an enormous circular hole, revealing the blue sky. It happened to be noon. The blazing sun hung high, casting sunlight down into the chasm in a peculiar spectacle. Yet even the scorching sun could not dispel the piercing yin chill. Deep within the chasm, gloomy black vapors swirled ominously as though a black dragon were churning within, looking terrifyingly sinister. Qin Sang carefully shielded himself and drew close to the earth fiend qi. Quietly tossing in the Crimson Flame Sword and the other incriminating items, he watched as the fiend qi swallowed them whole. Then he returned to the caverns to search patiently. In the end, the two met above the chasm. They had thoroughly searched the entire branch altar of the Heavenly Corpse Sect, but they had found no sign of Li Zai, not even his belongings. It was highly likely that Li Zai had failed to flee into the caverns and had been devoured by the earth fiend qi. Yu Daiyue gave a bitter smile. "Junior Brother Qin, we must agree on a plausible story before reporting back to the sect. If Martial Uncle Fengming flies into a rage, I will be skinned alive even if I manage to survive." Qin Sang nodded. Losing three fellow disciples on a single trip was something the sect would certainly not ignore. Fortunately, he was not the one who had proposed the expedition, so Yu Daiyue would bear far more pressure than he would. The yin wind barrier was slowly reforming. The two hurriedly flew out of the chasm on their swords. When they saw the landscape surrounding the mountain peaks, they could not help but feel horrified. Under the blight of the earth fiend qi, all vegetation had withered, every living creature had perished, and the ground had turned jet-black, resembling a dead land. With such a massive commotion, it was hard to say whether it would attract unwanted attention. Neither dared linger. Locking onto the direction of their sect, they sped away. Flying on swords was faster than using flying magic tools. Within a month, they were nearing Shaohua Mountain. Qin Sang found an excuse to separate from Yu Daiyue, hiding away the items that could not see the light of day. Not long after reaching Huilong Temple, he saw an old man clad in a crescent-white Taoist robe drift down gracefully. "Greetings, Senior Brother Chu." Qin Sang recognized him as the head of the Disciplinary Hall. It seemed Yu Daiyue had already reported what had transpired. "Junior Brother Qin." Senior Brother Chu spoke without any harshness. "You likely know why this old man has come. If you have no urgent business, please accompany me back to the sect. I hear that Junior Sister Qingting entrusted her final affairs to you?"