Chapter 21: Core Formation (Part 1) Part 2

Just from those fragments, Yun Jinxue quickly realized what they were talking about.

This was a plot point for the female lead: Core Formation.

Over the past two years, those two girls—unsurprising for main characters—had quickly mastered the manipulation of spiritual power. Now, they could both be considered qualified cultivators.

But they were both still one step away from Core Formation.

Though cultivators could travel a thousand miles a day, they often cultivated in one fixed location. If they didn’t often descend the mountain, they couldn’t be omniscient, couldn’t know everything. They would miss many opportunities to catch ghosts and subdue demons.

One of the sect’s income sources was accepting commission missions from common folk, families, government bodies, or other sects.

Commissioned missions were ranked by difficulty: Heaven, Earth, Black, Yellow. Disciples took them freely. Generally, the lower-level disciples clustered around Yellow-Rank missions.

The six missing disciples were all outer sect members. This so-called Yellow-Rank mission was actually mislabeled. The creature causing havoc in Pingyao Town, Qianzhou, was at least Black-Rank.

At that time, Elder Yan He, who was originally traveling the world with the little female lead, received the news and immediately set off for Pingyao Town. She eradicated the demonic creature, then refined its inner core and gave it to the little female lead to help her form her core.

Realizing the plot was approaching, Yun Jinxue was somewhat troubled.

Not that she feared being unable to beat the creature. She hadn’t been idle these two years, gradually adapting to her body. Now, she could use at least eighty percent of the original owner’s power.

What troubled her was that there was only one demon core.

And it had to be given to the female lead.

For this outing, she couldn’t possibly not bring the little villain.

That little thing was the most persistent coaxer, never giving up until she got her way. Who knew what she’d say?

But if she brought her, when the time came to extract the demon core, was she supposed to hand it to the female lead right in front of her?

This was a child who would quibble over a chicken leg.

Yun Jinxue was heavy-hearted. She picked up the meal box, went to accept the mission first, and then walked slowly back on the path to Sword Summit.

Currently speaking, the little villain probably hadn’t seen what a demon core looked like yet.

In that case, why not hide the demon core first, find a time when the little villain wasn’t around, and secretly use it on the female lead?

Not a clever plan, but it would work.

But if the little villain found out in the future… she would be very upset, wouldn’t she?

Ah.

Yun Jinxue walked back to Sword Summit and briefly explained the mission situation to the two.

As expected, the little villain showed astonishing interest, insisting on coming along.

It seemed there was no choice but to keep it from her.

To avoid a repeat of the previous tragedy at Spring Crossing Town, Yun Jinxue prepared a sufficient amount of medicine before leaving this time, for any unexpected needs.

Because six disciples were missing, this demon-extermination mission also involved finding them. So, they couldn’t travel leisurely by carriage like before. They had to go by flying sword.

Having the two children stand securely one in front and one behind her on the sword, Yun Jinxue channeled her spiritual power, sending Bright Star slicing through the clouds, straight toward Qianzhou.

The wind howled, whipping hair and robes into a frenzy, seeming to blow away some of the suffocating mood.

Watching the rapidly receding mountains and sea of clouds beneath her feet, lightly brushing the wings of birds flying at arm’s length, Yun Jinxue felt, for the first time, the unrestrained joy of being an immortal.

She really wanted to shout at the top of her lungs—it would definitely relieve stress!

Mi Ba: [Is it really that fun?]

Yun Jinxue thought to herself: Of course! In my previous world, to achieve this effect, you’d need either an airplane or some extreme sport like skydiving. But those have many restrictions and don’t give you this freedom to go anywhere you want, flying however you want. An experience like this, I probably won’t get after going back. So I need to savor it now.

Mi Ba: [Don’t just play around. Remember to watch where you’re going.]

Flying swords were quite free and easy, but there was one serious problem: no GPS.

The scenery below was mostly similar. To find the destination, you had to stay constantly attentive, lest you accidentally pass it by.

However, with no obstructions in the air, they could fly in a straight line and didn’t have to worry about getting lost—good news for someone directionally challenged.

After admiring the scenery for a long while, Yun Jinxue suddenly thought: This cultivation world is quite different from what I imagined before coming here.

I thought there would be celestial palaces in the sky, gods and Buddhas everywhere. Instead, it’s still all the same earthly affairs.

Speaking bluntly, it’s not as lofty and exalted as I imagined—far too down-to-earth.

Mi Ba: [Be content. The cultivation process in this world only started a little over five hundred years ago. For it to have developed this far is already quite good.]

Yun Jinxue disagreed internally: This kind of thing has nothing to do with length of time. Immortals are literally overwhelming against mortals. This kind of delayed developmental force can often seize dominance in a short time, even completely overturning the previous world order. Like the Industrial Revolution, for example—to the ancients, weren’t the Westerners of that time essentially immortals?

Mi Ba: [That is true, but the gap between the two is still quite significant. This world is relatively stable for now because the cultivators have a ceiling.]

[They go around calling themselves Immortal Lords, but in actuality, no one has yet to truly become an immortal.]

Yun Jinxue was somewhat astonished: You’re saying this world hasn’t had anyone become an immortal yet? Meaning… no one has ascended?

Mi Ba: [Correct.]

Yun Jinxue said: What about Yun Shouhong? He was the great man who led the Yun Clan to exterminate the devil beings.

Mi Ba: [Passed away in meditation. All the prominent figures in the cultivation world before him have also passed. The longest-lived barely reached three hundred years.]

Yun Jinxue said: Then who will be this world’s first immortal? Yan Guixing?

Mi Ba: [Actually, I don’t know. After all, when the original book ended, she wasn’t an immortal yet. Perhaps in the future beyond the written words, she will become one.]

Without anyone who had truly achieved immortality, there was no one to set the example. Everyone’s path of cultivation was groping in a fog—cooperating openly, competing secretly, with no one knowing if the path ahead was correct.

So, the so-called harmonious, transcendent, and desire-free cultivation world was, in the end, still full of entanglements born of human desire.

Yun Jinxue sighed softly, putting the thoughts aside to focus on traveling.

The distance from Divine Zenith Sect to Pingyao, Qianzhou, at flying sword speed, would take about two days to reach.

After traveling at full speed for an entire day, Yun Jinxue found a beautiful spot by mountains and water to rest and replenish the spiritual energy reserves in her golden core.

They’d departed near nightfall, and now it was the same—the horizon a spreading orange-red, soon to be completely dark.

Finding a giant banyan tree that could block the wind, Yun Jinxue lit a fire beneath it, instructed the two little ones to set up the simple bedding, and went out to catch two rabbits herself.

During the journey, considering how weight increased spiritual energy consumption for flight, besides the medicine, she hadn’t brought much.

After all, there was food everywhere here—no need to pack it.

Holding the rabbits by the ears, Yun Jinxue pulled out a dagger and was just about to give them a swift end when she suddenly noticed the little female lead setting up the bedding not far away.

A thought stirred. Yun Jinxue said, “Guixing, come here.”

Yan Guixing looked back. Confirming her Senior Sister was calling her, she immediately walked over.

Yun Jinxue handed her the dagger. “You kill the rabbit.”

Yan Guixing had been reaching out to take it, but upon hearing this, her hand froze in mid-air for a moment.

Yun Jinxue placed the dagger into her palm. “Sooner or later, you’ll have to enter the mortal world alone. Demonic creatures are often very good at disguise, making themselves look innocent and harmless. You cannot be deceived. You must be able to strike when the crucial moment comes. So, the hurdle of taking a life—you must pass it.”

After a long silence, Yan Guixing answered yes and gripped the dagger tightly.

Yun Jinxue said, “Go ahead.”

Yan Guixing slowly crouched down. One hand pressed the rabbit’s head, the other raised the dagger, aiming at its throat.

In her palm was the warm, soft fur. Yan Guixing’s gaze wavered. She noticed the rabbit’s blood-red eyes. The dagger couldn’t descend.

Jiang Yanyu crowded in to watch the fun. “How about I help you? I know lots of methods! You could stab straight into the heart and twist it twice—instant death. Or go in behind the neck and sever the spine…”

The description was far too vivid. Yan Guixing closed her eyes. Her grip loosened. The rabbit instantly kicked its legs wildly and disappeared into the grass in a flash.

Jiang Yanyu said, “Tsk tsk, what a pity.”

Yan Guixing opened her eyes. Her palm curled inward. She whispered, “I’m sorry, Senior Sister.”

Yun Jinxue looked at her quietly, then placed the remaining rabbit under her palm. “Try again.”

Yan Guixing’s voice trembled slightly. “I…”

Yun Jinxue said, “Does Guixing not want to become powerful? If you have many people beside you in the future, don’t you want to protect them?”

That’s what she said, but deep down, she was even softer-hearted than the little female lead. She couldn’t really keep forcing a child to take a life.

Just as she was about to say, “Forget it, we can try again next time,” Yan Guixing seemed to think of something. Her previously wavering eyes suddenly became resolute.

“I… want…” she said softly. “Want to protect.”

Pressing down on the rabbit’s head, Yan Guixing channeled spiritual power into the dagger, pushed the tip into the rabbit’s heart, and twisted it twice, taking its life in the shortest possible time.

After this action, she raised her head and looked at Jiang Yanyu with a deep, heavy gaze.

Yun Jinxue was just about to praise her when she noticed that gaze—it was like a chilling, icy bolt of lightning.

Looking back at the little villain, her expression was dismissive but filled with a similarly matched hostility.

Wait. When had these two kids started fighting?