CHAPTER 53

— Shattered Golden Core —

"Well, do you remember everything?" The woman in blue, her once gentle face now twitching with veins, asked with restraint.

"Mmh, pretty much..." Tong Tong bit the brush handle as she skimmed through the hastily drafted personal profile she had written, muttering to herself: This Sister Li Wei looks gentle, but who knew she'd be even more demanding than the vice president at her old company—speaking three hundred words a minute, is she trying to challenge the host of The Voice of China?

"Ying Jiang, male, birth and death dates unknown, ancestral home: Fengyi, Cangzhou, family members: none, financial situation: destitute, hobbies: the six arts of a gentleman, measurements..." Just as Tong Tong was reporting with enthusiasm, a sharp cry interrupted her, and she received a light flick on the forehead. "Ouch!"

"Stop! No need to say more. I believe in your ability. Find him and complete the task," Li Wei said impatiently. "First, make a Inner Demon Oath."

—The Inner Demon Oath, the most severe constraint for cultivators. Breaking it would invite inner demons during tribulation, leading to utter annihilation. No one would take such an oath lightly, as it was a vow that must be upheld.

"Oh, okay." Tong Tong nodded, raising three fingers to the sky. "Heaven above, earth below, I, Tong Tong..."

"Wait, what are you saying?" Li Wei looked at the earnest Tong Tong with a defeated expression, unable to criticize her. "Forget it, just repeat after me..."

—Where did this idiot come from? Does she not even know about the Inner Demon Oath? Was it a mistake to entrust her with this? But the aura she carries is unmistakably that of the Myriad Manifestation Meridian...

Shaking her head, Li Wei straightened her expression. "With my soul as sacrifice, my spirit as guide, my heart as witness, and my essence as oath, should I break this vow, may I be utterly annihilated... Oath-taker: Tong Tong, white-robed disciple of the Chonghua Sword Sect. Now it's your turn."

Imitating her serious tone, Tong Tong recited the oath, feeling as if she had returned to the glorious days of her youth when she joined a certain organization. However, unlike back then, as soon as she finished her pledge, a flash of lightning streaked across the sky, and a sharp pain shot through her ring finger. A lightning-shaped mark, like a tattoo, appeared on it.

"Ouch! That hurts..." With teary eyes, she gingerly touched the suddenly appearing mark on her finger, too angry to voice her frustration: If she had known this oath would leave such an ugly and painful tattoo, she would never have taken it!

The barrier had been lifted not long ago, and from outside the transparent shield, Su Yan and Lu Xianrou had witnessed everything clearly. The lightning symbolizing the activation of the Inner Demon Oath sparked endless speculation. The two hurried to Tong Tong's side, flanking her protectively.

Su Yan glared coldly at Li Wei, almost pointing her Changhong Sword at her. "What did you do?"

"Nothing much." Li Wei curled her lips in a forced smile, her sleeves fluttering lightly as the unconscious individuals began to regain consciousness, waking up one by one.

"Better be true." Seeing this, Su Yan snorted coldly and strode toward the group. Just as she turned, she heard a soft chuckle from behind, followed by a lowered voice saying, "I have some news you might find interesting."

Su Yan paused but didn't turn around. "Speak."

"Hah, so blunt... Before you arrived, three disciples wearing Chonghua Sword Sect robes passed by, and one of them was unconscious." A flicker of intense curiosity gleamed in Li Wei's eyes.

"Did they pass the trial?" Given He Gu's strength, it wasn't impossible, but why would she be with Xiang Wu? Did she not know Xiang Wu was a demonic cultivator? Or was the unconscious person actually Xiang Wu, exposed and knocked out?

"No, they had an Exemption Token." Li Wei shook her head, her expression dignified, but the smile on her lips carried a hint of schadenfreude.

—The Exemption Token was a unique item in the Abyssal Secret Realm, allowing one to bypass a trial. It was often a trophy left behind by previous participants.

"No wonder." Su Yan's eyes darkened, and she said no more, striding toward the now-conscious Bai Jingjing and the others.

—Since they had an Exemption Token, it was clear this was a premeditated action... Even more, the demonic sects had already planted spies within the major sects, and their positions were not low. Otherwise, they could never have obtained such a precious item.

The Chonghua Sect possessed fifteen Exemption Tokens, all seized by predecessors in past trials, but they had never been used—Chonghua swordsmen were never cowards who shrank from challenges!

It seemed necessary to investigate the whereabouts of those Exemption Tokens in the treasury after returning...

"Well, farewell forever." Since becoming the guardian of the Wangchuan River a century ago, even if only as a phantom in the Abyssal Secret Realm, she had lost the right to leave. All that remained was to spend endless, long years here.

So, goodbye, trial-takers. Goodbye, Ying Jiang. Goodbye, everything from the past... Goodbye, never to meet again.

Following the group away from the riverbank, Tong Tong couldn't help but look back—the figure in blue robes swayed in the wind by the river, as if nothing in the vast world was worth lingering over—gradually merging with the water and sky, leaving only boundless solitude.

Li Wei...

Silently repeating her name once more, Tong Tong vowed in her heart: I will fulfill your request!

Tong Tong, with her righteous little universe burning brightly, did not notice the woman who had been gazing at her retreating figure, her expression desolate, yet a flicker of genuine amusement passed through her eyes.

......

In the room of the Wheel-Turning King within the Hall of Yama, a figure clad in blue robes appeared gracefully.

Before the person arrived, the voice came first: "I'm here."

"Ah, Little Weiwei, you're so slow! We're just waiting for you to make three! Hurry up, hurry up!" A hearty female voice erupted like spring thunder, accompanied by the sound of slapping the table, causing the sturdy table to tremble three times.

Covering her ears, the woman in red robes smirked mockingly, "Zhuanzhuan, why are you shouting so loudly? Don't worry, the one who loses will always be you... If you beg for mercy first, I might consider going easy on you, hmm?"

"Stupid Mengmeng! What nonsense are you spouting, you old hag? This lady is determined to defeat you utterly this time, make you kneel and beg for mercy, and offer yourself... Ah, forget that last part!"

"Winning or losing isn't important, let's not hurt our harmony..." an elderly male voice advised.

"Tsk! The one who wins every time has no right to say that!"

"Hehehe..."

"By the way, Weiwei, have you seen that child? Five of Bamboo."

"Mmm... Seven of Circles."

"Pong! East Wind... How does it feel?"

"One of Characters! What an idiot! I never thought it would be her!"

"Kong! Three of Characters! Old hag, I wasn't asking you! Weiwei, you tell us!"

"Tsk tsk, as Buddha said: 'It cannot be spoken.' Self-draw"

"Huh?"

"Hey!"

"Hehe..."

......

Walking beside Luqiu Fuyi, Tong Tong chattered away about what had happened while they were unconscious, omitting the ruthless actions of Su Yan and Lu Xianrou, as well as the deal she made with Li Wei. Her vivid and detailed description made the others blush with shame—not only were they controlled due to weak willpower, but they even fought among fellow disciples. How embarrassing!

Luqiu Fuyi and the other two, who were told they were adorable as children, flushed from head to toe, wishing they could bury themselves in a hole in the ground... Bai Jingjing nearly drew her sword to fight Tong Tong, who wore a smug grin—but after catching Su Yan's cold glance, she could only sheathe her sword resentfully and slink back to her partner's side to vent her frustration.

While Tong Tong turned to tease the innocent and unfairly implicated Monk Daxi, Su Yan lowered her head to ponder the information obtained from Li Wei and her own speculations. Glancing at Lu Xianrou, who was focused on Tong Tong, she furrowed her brows and dismissed the idea of communicating with her.

—Even after going through hardships together, why does this Junior Sister Lu still seem more suspicious and annoying the more I look at her?

By the time everyone lost in the Wangchuan River had recovered, there wasn't much time left before the trial ended.

Emerging from the banks of the Wangchuan River, the twelve people from the three sects tacitly agreed to act together, maintaining an appropriate distance as they steadily headed toward the next checkpoint.

Aside from gaining some rewards in the Hundred-Herb Garden, they hadn't gained much advantage in the Naihe Bridge and Wangchuan River checkpoints. This motivated everyone except Tong Tong and the other two to give their all in the next challenge.

Thus, when they arrived before the building bearing the plaque "Hall of Rebirth," their gazes momentarily froze.

The faded plaque hung crookedly under the eaves, as if it might be blown down by the wind at any moment. The mottled doorposts barely supported the roof, seemingly crying out in silent agony... Knee-high weeds added the finishing touch to this desolate scene.

—Is there really a generous reward of rare treasures in such a shabby place? If they can't even afford to maintain the facade, what capital do they have to offer heavenly treasures? Ugh!

...How boring.

This was almost everyone's thought—except for Su Yan and Lu Xianrou.

Drawing their swords one after another, the two of them assumed defensive stances, staring in the same direction: "Come out!"

"Hahahaha... As expected, you're quite alert!" Xiang Wu completely shed his image of being taciturn, laughing maniacally as he stepped out from the shadows, his sinister eyes tinged with a bl0ody red.

Behind him, He Gu, holding the unconscious Ding Ding, also stepped into the view of the crowd. Her clear eyes were now replaced by a bl0ody hue, transforming her once gentle demeanor into something sinister and unrestrained.

—Was she being controlled?

Su Yan's gaze sharpened. Without a word, she swung her sword, cutting off Xiang Wu's lines before he could even speak.

—Hey! I haven't said a single line yet! Don't mess with the script! Shouldn't this be the part where the villain delivers a threatening speech, the righteous side retorts, they exchange verbal blows, and then the righteous side gets threatened by the villain?

Attacking without a word counts as a sneak attack, you know! That's against the rules!

Blocking Su Yan's swift and fierce strike with a clumsy parry, Xiang Wu, who felt she had more of a villainous aura than he did, wept inwardly. Seeing that he was about to be injured under her relentless assault, he gritted his teeth, bit the tip of his tongue, and spat out a mouthful of vital bl0od. He drew a talisman in the air and pointed at Su Yan, shouting, "Go!"

At the same time, he gathered energy behind his back, forming hand seals. His true essence sharply diminished, and his face turned deathly pale.

—To deal with this Su Yan, he had truly gone all out!

A ferocious, bl0od-red figurine shot toward Su Yan. Her sword-wielding hand faltered, and her body, which should have dodged, froze for a moment—this was the Bl0od Talisman Man, a secret technique of the demonic sect, specifically designed to devour the life force of righteous cultivators. With Su Yan's cultivation level, she should have been fully capable of evading this attack. Yet, for a moment, the energy within her resonated with the Bl0od Talisman Man, forcing her to slow her movements.

Xiang Wu, who had only intended to use the Bl0od Talisman Man as a diversion, was pleasantly surprised to see it achieve twice the result with half the effort. However, a flicker of doubt arose: Su Yan's cultivation wasn't weak—there was no reason he should be affected by it.

Ah, never mind! This must be heaven helping me!

In the blink of an eye, He Gu, who was holding Ding Ding, tossed the person in her arms toward Tong Tong, who was rushing over anxiously. Tong Tong fumbled to catch him but was knocked back by the impact, colliding with Lu Xianrou beside her. Instinctively supporting the stumbling Tong Tong and the Ding Ding she held, Lu Xianrou missed her chance to block He Gu from returning to aid Su Yan.

Meanwhile, Su Yan committed a grave mistake in battle—distracted by Tong Tong's commotion at the critical moment, she instinctively turned to look. At the same time, He Gu's sword tip arrived, piercing Su Yan's abdomen without warning!

All of this happened in the blink of an eye. From the moment Xiang Wu appeared and spoke to Su Yan being struck by the sword, only a few seconds had passed. By the time onlookers like Luqiu Fuyi and the others reacted and rushed to help, it was already too late.

He Gu mercilessly withdrew her sword, turned, snatched Ding Ding back, and returned to Xiang Wu's side, leaving Tong Tong and Lu Xianrou unable to resist. The situation was similar to the trial at the Wangchuan River, but a hundred times more chilling—the crimson-eyed, ruthless puppet before them was no longer He Gu, the disciple of the Chonghua Sword Sect!

Unfamiliar and terrifying, unfamiliar and... detestable!

Bright red bl0od, mingled with icy blue specks of light, seeped from the wound in Su Yan's abdomen—it was her true essence and life force draining away. True essence could be cultivated again, but once her bl0od was gone, there would be no saving her!

Rushing to Su Yan's side without regard for anything else, Tong Tong poured spiritual pills and healing medicines from her Qiankun pouch into Su Yan's mouth as if they were free, finally allowing the nearly unconscious woman to catch a breath: "It's... it's fine... cough, cough..."

"Fine my foot! You're coughing up bl0od! Stop talking! I have medicine, you'll definitely be okay after taking it!" Tong Tong wiped away the tears that had surged without her realizing, "Believe me, you'll be fine!"

—Wuwuwu, which bottle is actually useful! Why isn't there something like a hemostatic pill! The bl0od is gushing out so much, she really can't handle it anymore, what should she do...

Just as Tong Tong was about to break down, a flash of white light appeared on the field—the teleportation array activated.

After the dizziness passed, Tong Tong felt her vision darken. Lin Tiefeng's steady, unmoving figure appeared before her, looking down at the unconscious Su Yan in her arms. His tiger-like eyes widened as he asked in a deep voice, "What exactly happened? Su Yan's Golden Core... is shattered..."

Suddenly looking up at Lin Tiefeng's grave expression, Tong Tong's tears "whooshed" out. In her mind, a deep, resonant bass voice echoed over and over: Su Yan's core is shattered... shattered... shattered...

BACK | TABLE OF CONTENTS | NEXT