Chapter Sixty-One: Plotting to Kill the Golden Core

When Wu Wanren returned, Liu Junhuai had already completed two cycles of small circulation. Seeing Wu Wanren enter with a grim expression, Liu Junhuai guessed that Uncle Wu hadn’t had much luck reporting his absence to the sect. As expected, Wu Wanren spoke with a somewhat unnatural look, “My master and martial uncle both refuse to let me leave with you. They won’t let me get involved in the Shen family affair, saying that Yanfu Palace has already informed all the sects around Pingdu City. The sect master made a special effort to remind my master about this matter.”

Liu Junhuai smiled and said, “Uncle Wu, you’ve been put in a difficult spot for my sake. You don’t need to concern yourself with my affairs anymore. In the final year ahead, I’ll be secluded in cultivation. There’s no need for you to run back and forth. Uncle Huan has direct lineage in the Shen family as well. Uncle Wu, don't let things get too strained with Tianji Gate. After all, the sect must have deeper considerations.”

Wu Wanren sighed. “Then return to your seclusion for now. A year from today, I’ll come find you. Uncle Wu hopes your cultivation will have progressed greatly by then. If you’re not confident, it won’t be too late to reconsider your next steps.”

Liu Junhuai nodded, took out a storage ring and handed it to Wu Wanren. “Here are some pills and spiritual liquid. They’ll aid your advancement—make sure no one knows about them.” He then took out a jar of Sanggan fruit wine. “Uncle Wu, I brewed this myself. If you like it, I’ll make more for you.”

Wu Wanren didn’t try to persuade him further, as his master had strictly ordered him to keep his distance from Liu Junhuai and could come to check at any moment.

After escorting Liu Junhuai out of the mountain gate and watching him ride his sword into the distance for quite a while, Wu Wanren finally turned back.

Liu Junhuai, riding his sword away from Tianji Gate for half the time it takes incense to burn, suddenly sensed a powerful divine sense sweeping toward him. Its owner was at least the early Foundation Establishment stage. Liu Junhuai did not mask his own aura with Tianji Sense but continued calmly along his way.

Shortly after the divine sense passed, his own senses detected several people speeding after him on flying swords. Liu Junhuai quickly veered deeper into Crane Ridge.

After another stick of incense’s time, four Foundation Establishment cultivators had forced him down toward the ground.

A middle-aged cultivator at the late Foundation Establishment stage spoke, “Young friend, why are you in such a hurry? This area is plagued by violent bandits—you must stop and submit to inspection!”

Liu Junhuai feigned panic, glancing about nervously, gripping his flying sword so tightly it trembled. “Senior, please see clearly—I’m only returning from visiting a friend at Tianji Gate. I beg you to let me pass.”

Another middle-aged cultivator at the mid Foundation Establishment stage sneered, “Those bandits impersonate Tianji Gate disciples. Show us your storage ring and we’ll let you go.”

Liu Junhuai replied, “How can I be sure you’re not those bandits, given the late hour? Leave a margin for others—don’t force me to fight to the death.”

The late Foundation Establishment cultivator laughed. “Just you, a mere early Foundation Establishment, think you can fight us to the death? You’re overestimating yourself. Enough nonsense. Two breaths to decide, or leave your life behind!”

Liu Junhuai quavered, “I know you must be Tianji Gate disciples. I have some connection to your sect. Please, seniors, spare me this once.”

A young cultivator at mid Foundation Establishment behind him impatiently said, “Second senior brother, no need to waste words—kill him and let’s go!”

The middle-aged cultivator shot a fierce glare at the young man but, just as he was about to rebuke him, a deadly gleam flashed before him and buried itself in his chest.

It was Liu Junhuai’s “One Kill to the Heart”—his first time using it in real combat. He hadn’t expected it to succeed in one blow, intending only to test its effect, but it had instantly slain a late Foundation Establishment expert. Truly, the Seven Kill Finger was extraordinary.

As soon as this occurred, before the others could react, Liu Junhuai’s “One Kill to the Heart” struck again at the middle-aged mid Foundation Establishment cultivator. The invisible deadly gleam pierced his throat before the remaining two had time to respond.

Behind Liu Junhuai, the mid Foundation Establishment twin-sword wielder was upon his back in an instant. Liu Junhuai paid him no heed, unleashing “One Kill to the Heart” once more at another late Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The twin swords slashed at Liu Junhuai’s back, but the tripod staff flashed suddenly, transforming into a golden ray that pierced the chest of the mid Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The late Foundation Establishment cultivator facing him barely dodged Liu Junhuai’s deadly finger, hurriedly summoning a pouch-shaped magical treasure. Its mouth opened, and a torrent of black smoke erupted, transforming into countless black blade shadows that surged toward Liu Junhuai.

Yet when the blades struck, the area was empty—Liu Junhuai had already teleported behind him. His right hand shifted from fist to palm and struck the cultivator’s neck, rendering him unconscious.

He gathered the storage rings, magical treasures, and twin swords left on the ground, called forth A’Zi to spit heart fire, and in a few breaths, three corpses turned to ashes.

Mounting his flying sword, Liu Junhuai, enveloped in his divine sense, whisked the unconscious cultivator away into the night.

Half an incense stick later, a powerful early Core Formation cultivator descended from the sky, inspecting the site of the battle. He raised his head and let out a wild, piercing howl that faintly reached Liu Junhuai dozens of miles away. Liu Junhuai grinned, slowed his pace, and descended to the ground.

He tossed the unconscious late Foundation Establishment cultivator into a thicket, quickly set up a concealment formation to cover it, then arranged a level-three maze formation a dozen yards to the side. Entering the maze, he released a puppet inside, masked his entire aura, and stepped out, hiding behind a towering tree as he entered the Myriad Phenomena Tower.

Within a few breaths, the early Core Formation cultivator landed outside the concealment formation.

Liu Junhuai’s body was taut, ready to strike at any moment.

Outside Myriad Phenomena Tower, the Core Formation cultivator swept his divine sense around, a cold smile on his lips.

He ignored the Foundation Establishment cultivator inside the maze, turned toward the formation, and paused outside, striking it with a palm.

His palm, imbued with thick true essence, swept across the formation, raising a cloud of dust as the maze shattered.

The golden puppet charged through the dust at the Core Formation cultivator.

At that moment, Liu Junhuai slipped out from behind the towering tree, unleashing “One Kill to the Heart” as he instantly teleported a dozen yards to the side.

The Core Formation cultivator, having just sent the puppet flying with a palm, showed surprise but did not turn. His footwork shifted rapidly, dodging the deadly gleam.

Immediately, Liu Junhuai, now behind him, enveloped the Core Formation cultivator with the Five Elements Chaos Blade.

The astonished cultivator retreated swiftly, but the blade’s gleam already tore several rents in his robe.

The golden puppet, having been knocked aside, scrambled up and charged again, its powerful palm slicing through the air with a shrill sound.

The Core Formation cultivator was growing frustrated—after a flurry of dazzling attacks, he still couldn’t glimpse his assailant’s true form. He felt helpless, as if his strength were useless.

The puppet’s palm wind was upon him. In fury, the Core Formation cultivator struck at the golden puppet.

As he sent the puppet flying again, a sudden pain flared in his sea of consciousness.

Fear gripped him—his mysterious attacker’s techniques were endless, and each strike was followed by instant disappearance, leaving him exasperated.

He wrested his divine sense to sever the invading force in his consciousness.

But a golden lightning-like gleam suddenly pierced through his sea of consciousness, vanishing from the back of his skull.

He died without ever seeing his assailant’s face, his dim eyes gazing hollowly at the void, falling backward to the ground.

Liu Junhuai appeared abruptly as he fell, recalled the Godslayer Spear from his final blow, swallowed a drop of spiritual liquid, and sat cross-legged to restore his true essence.

After repeated teleportations, his true essence was nearly exhausted. He hadn’t felt such depletion in his divine sense for ages—after forcefully combining divine sense with golden essence to execute his technique, a faint pain lingered in his consciousness.

Fortunately, the spiritual liquid’s miraculous effect restored sixty percent of his true essence in just half an hour.

He couldn’t stay here. Liu Junhuai returned to the thicket, shattered the late Foundation Establishment cultivator’s dantian with a palm.

Awoken by the agony, robbed of his cultivation, the cultivator answered every question.

From his mouth, Liu Junhuai learned they were indeed Tianji Gate disciples.

The Core Formation cultivator was named Ataier, deputy sect master of Tianji Gate. From Wu Wanren’s martial uncle Yun Jiezi, he heard Liu Junhuai possessed secret techniques for restoring spiritual roots. Discovering Liu Junhuai’s presence at Tianji Gate, he grew greedy and sent four disciples to ambush him.

The sect master likely knew nothing, but Liu Junhuai strongly suspected Wu Wanren’s master or martial uncle was involved.

Thankfully, this was all done secretly within the sect; Wu Wanren should be safe.

Still, Liu Junhuai worried Wu Wanren might be implicated, so he sent a message talisman.

He summoned his puppet—despite being struck twice, it only bore a few shallow dents, its resilience evident, having withstood two full-force attacks from a Core Formation cultivator.

He killed the Tianji Gate cultivator with a palm, gathered the puppet and spoils of battle, and returned to Tianji Gate.