Lu Yang genuinely felt that life was far from easy for the Great Xia Dynasty. In his view, its legal system was already remarkably comprehensive—there was virtually nothing to add or subtract, and it seemed equipped to handle any situation.
Yet even the best system was no match for the endless whims of cultivators.
Cultivators having wild ideas was not a problem in itself; having an idea did not mean one could make it reality. Unfortunately, the cultivation world was never short of monstrously capable eccentrics who could actually pull them off.
As a result, the law was perpetually lagging behind the imaginative antics of these people.
Take the provincial governor of Qingzhou whom Fifth Elder had just mentioned.
It was perfectly normal for Tribulation Transcendence cultivators to exchange blows, wasn't it? It was also perfectly normal to move mountains and fill seas in the course of such a duel, right? So if, during a duel, one accidentally relocated a city from a neighboring province into Qingzhou, that had to be completely normal too, right?
What Lu Yang did not know was that the Nine Scions of the Dao Seeking Sect had once made outstanding contributions to Great Xia's legal code—primarily by showing the dynasty that its laws were still riddled with loopholes waiting to be exploited.
"Thank goodness I'm an honest man who never stirs up trouble for Great Xia." Lu Yang glanced at Meng Jingzhou and Li Haoran, feeling the heavy burden of responsibility resting on his shoulders.
Why had he cultivated so diligently to take first place? Wasn't it precisely to set an example for them, so they would become law-abiding citizens just like him?
"Ex-Dad, why do you look so awful?" Qin Yanyan noticed beads of sweat forming across Li Haoran's forehead.
Li Haoran's body was trembling uncontrollably. His aura fluctuated wildly, dropping to early Foundation Establishment one moment and soaring to early Golden Core the next.
He forced out a few words through gritted teeth. "I've gained an insight... I'm about to form my core."
Fifth Elder flashed directly in front of Li Haoran, sweeping his divine sense across the youth's dantian. Seeing the dantian shrouded in a thick mist, he recognized it immediately as the sign of a condensing Golden Core.
"Haoran, your situation is unique," Fifth Elder said solemnly. "You are the reincarnation of Qin Haoran, so unforeseen complications might arise during Core Formation. The safest choice is to return to the sect to form your core—it's most secure there!"
Li Haoran replied with great difficulty, "I'll try... but instinct has already taken over my body. It wants to form the core now."
Lu Yang had read about this phenomenon in books. It was the most ideal scenario for a cultivator at the perfection of Foundation Establishment: the body formed the core spontaneously, proceeding as naturally as water flowing into a channel. There was zero risk of failure, and the resulting core was guaranteed to be within the top three grades.
The greater the number of reincarnations, the higher the innate talent—and that talent was making itself known right now!
Unfortunately, there were simply too many uncertainties surrounding Li Haoran, and everyone had only a rudimentary understanding of reincarnation. Forming his core right out in the open was hardly the best option.
"Hang in there, Haoran! I'll get the shuttle!"
Fifth Elder threw open the cabin hatch, pulled the four inside, and accelerated to top speed.
"Take deep breaths. Relax your body. Deep breaths! That's it—in, out..."
"Junior Brother Li, you have to hold on! You and your Golden Core will make it through safe and sound!"
"Elder, slow the shuttle down a bit! Junior Brother Li can't take it!"
"Relax, Junior Brother Li! It's no big deal. Every cultivator goes through this step. Push through it and you'll be fine!"
Inside the flying shuttle, the two Golden Core Dao Protectors—Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou—bustled around Li Haoran, cheering him on, soothing him, and wiping away his sweat with meticulous care.
Qin Yanyan was at a loss for words.
Anyone who didn't know better would think they were delivering a baby.
"The mist in his dantian is condensing! It's happening!"
"The embryonic Golden Core is emerging!"
"Keep going, Junior Brother Li! You've got this!"
Qin Yanyan felt the scene resembled childbirth more and more by the second.
Li Haoran sat with his five centers facing heaven, absorbing the surrounding spiritual qi. He drew every last wisp of qi into his body without wasting a drop. The mist within his dantian churned with increasing fury, sending wave after wave of magical power surging through his flesh, bone marrow, and meridians.
The mist in his dantian purified continuously until it transformed entirely into liquid golden spiritual power.
The golden spiritual power compressed once more, casting a brilliant gleam. The sparkling light flickered as it steadily devoured the remaining golden spiritual power around it.
At last, a plump, round Golden Core took shape.
Li Haoran had successfully achieved Core Formation!
"It worked?" Li Haoran murmured, sounding slightly uncertain.
His Core Formation had actually gone rather smoothly—aside from the two irritating Dao Protectors shouting in his ears the entire time.
"It worked," Fifth Elder confirmed with a nod after a thorough inspection. "Even so, it's best to have you examined properly once we're back at the sect."
Seeing that nothing abnormal had occurred before or after Li Haoran formed his core, Fifth Elder let out a breath of relief.
"Finally formed it." Li Haoran breathed a long sigh of relief as well. Now Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou would have no reason to flaunt their cultivation in front of him.
"What kind of Golden Core did you form?"
Li Haoran grinned. "An unrecorded one—a Rebirth Golden Core!"
"Rebirth Golden Core?!"
Lu Yang thought the name sounded remarkably grand. A Rebirth Golden Core? Did that mean Li Haoran had comprehended the true meaning of samsara, allowing him to retain his memories across lifetimes and make up for all his past regrets? If that were true, the name would certainly be fitting.
"Let me show you."
Without another word, Li Haoran raised a blade and lopped off his own arm. The gruesome act startled everyone, making them wonder if he had lost his mind.
Then, an astonishing sight unfolded. The flesh and blood at the severed stump began to writhe. In the blink of an eye, a brand-new arm sprouted back in place.
"Limb regeneration!" Meng Jingzhou blurted out. That was the dream divine ability of every eunuch!
Lu Yang was speechless.
So that was what he meant by 'rebirth'?
Still, when one thought about it, regenerating severed limbs was exceptionally useful in battle. And judging by Li Haoran's demeanor, growing an arm back took hardly any effort at all.
Compared to Meng Jingzhou's Double Bachelor Golden Core and Man Gu's All-Ancestors Core, Li Haoran's Rebirth Golden Core was actually the most normal one formed in their batch.
"It's not just limbs," Li Haoran explained with considerable pride, even as the severed arm lying on the floor continued to twitch. "I can regrow a heart, blood, or even a new head."
"Why did you suddenly feel ready to form your core? Did you experience some kind of epiphany?"
Meng Jingzhou tried to recall what had happened right before the breakthrough. The only notable thing had been the arrival of the imperial court's cleanup crew.
"Don't tell me you want to do cleanup work in the future too?"
Li Haoran rolled his eyes, momentarily at a loss for words. "Of course not. I don't even know Earth or Wood Element spells. Just a moment ago, I unlocked another fragment of Qin Haoran's memories. After looking through it, I realized it could be applied to Core Formation, which sparked an insight. That's why I formed my core on the spot."
This made Meng Jingzhou all the more curious. "What did you see in those memories?"
Li Haoran fell silent for a long while before speaking slowly. "Relying on his ability to regenerate limbs, he sold his blood."
Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou sucked in a sharp breath. What a ruthless man!
While it might not be worth as much as phoenix blood, the blood of a Body Integration cultivator still fetched an astronomical price.
"Qin Haoran sold his blood so many times that he became exceptionally skilled at regenerating his body," Li Haoran said. "When I received that memory, I realized how practical the regeneration was, so I incorporated it into my Core Formation."
"To think Qin Haoran sacrificed so much for the Nine Nether Cult, racking his brains to the point of selling his own blood." Fifth Elder stroked his beard, filled with genuine admiration.
Lu Yang cast a sidelong glance at Fifth Elder, thinking to himself, *Wasn't it your lot that bled the Nine Nether Cult dry in the first place?*
Li Haoran's expression turned even stranger. "He was selling his blood long before he ever became Cult Master."
"Then why was he selling blood?"
"To earn money for brothels."
"A Body Integration cultivator couldn't afford brothels?"
"He went that often."
Chapter 334