Chapter 379: Mid Golden Core Stage

"The Nethermoon Sword boasts no small measure of might, quite sufficient for your use during the Golden Core stage; however, should you reach the Nascent Soul stage, this blade will no longer match your prowess," Fifth Elder said with a genial chuckle. Though the Nethermoon Sword was a treasure of the Nascent Soul grade, that did not mean it was suited for Lu Yang once he attained the Nascent Soul stage himself.

Lu Yang nodded, signaling his understanding. Magical treasures were strictly ranked; if they failed to match one’s realm, they would instead become a burden. Thus, cultivators favored growth-type treasures above all, though such artifacts were notoriously difficult to obtain even for exorbitant sums, demanding extraordinary refinement techniques and remaining forever elusive to most.

"Then what grade is the Azure Peak Sword?" Lu Yang recalled the Azure Peak Sword he so frequently wielded, a gift from Eldest Senior Sister to celebrate his successful Foundation Establishment.

"That sword Martial Nephew Yun bestowed upon you—its grade cannot be discerned," Fifth Elder shook his head slowly, having long since noticed that Lu Yang's Azure Peak Sword was far from ordinary.

"Is it a growth-type treasure?"

Lu Yang had used it seamlessly from the early Foundation Establishment stage all the way to the early Golden Core stage, never encountering any mismatch between the treasure and his cultivation realm. In his understanding, only a growth-type treasure could satisfy such a condition.

Furthermore, this was a treasure gifted by Eldest Senior Sister herself. Could anything that passed through her hands possibly be an ordinary blade?

Fifth Elder corrected Lu Yang’s misconception: "No, growth-type treasures do not function in this manner. To mature from a Foundation Establishment grade to a Golden Core grade, a treasure must be upgraded by integrating various spiritual irons and divine ores."

"To use an analogy, a growth-type treasure is like a framework. To elevate its quality, one must continuously fill that framework with materials, such as spiritual iron or divine ore. Think back on your Azure Peak Sword—have you ever filled it with anything?"

"Moreover, growth-type treasures advance strictly from one major realm to the next. Wielding a treasure at the early Foundation Establishment stage feels entirely different from wielding it at the late Foundation Establishment stage. Have you ever experienced such a shift?"

Upon reflection, Lu Yang realized this was indeed the case.

Then what exactly was his Azure Peak Sword...

"It has been sealed by Martial Nephew Yun. The layers of seals upon it are so numerous they defy counting, which is precisely why I say its true grade cannot be discerned."

"With every increment your strength advances, a layer of the seal dissolves. Thus, no matter what realm you attain, you will always find the Azure Peak Sword perfectly attuned to your hand."

"Martial Nephew Yun has truly expended great care upon you. This Azure Peak Sword, along with the seals upon it, is a priceless treasure."

Lu Yang had not expected Eldest Senior Sister to bestow such meticulous thought upon the Azure Peak Sword, and he was deeply moved.

"Very well, I must still apply for a patent on behalf of Martial Nephew Tao. I shall take my leave."

Lu Yang hurriedly said, "Many thanks to Elder for refining the Nethermoon Sword. Please, tend to your matters."

Fifth Elder waved a hand, summoned his flying shuttle, and vanished in a flash.

"Fairy, can you discern the true quality of the Azure Peak Sword?" Lu Yang remembered that aside from relying on the seniors of his sect, he also possessed a cheat code in the form of the Immortal Fairy.

The Immortal Fairy looked the Azure Peak Sword up and down before shaking her head candidly: "It is wrapped far too tightly; I cannot tell."

It took Lu Yang a moment to comprehend her meaning—the seals were simply too numerous for even her to see through its quality.

Returning to Heaven Gate Peak, Lu Yang found no sign of Eldest Senior Sister. He assumed she was still interrogating Venerable Scourge; either the Venerable possessed unyielding backbone and refused to speak, or he knew far too much to recount in a single sitting.

"A pity. This Immortal intended to inquire about the patent fees on your behalf," the Immortal Fairy muttered, secretly letting out a sigh of relief.

Lu Yang glanced askance at the Immortal Fairy, thinking to himself that she had practically written her fear across her face.

"Time to cultivate," Lu Yang reminded himself that he was, after all, a cultivator, and a cultivator's duty was to cultivate.

He was not merely a genius, but a genius who labored diligently!

The Immortal Fairy looked askance at Lu Yang in turn: "Have you had a single moment of proper cultivation since you formed your Core?"

Righteous and confident, Lu Yang counted on his fingers for the Fairy: "What a thing to say. Is it that I do not wish to cultivate? Clearly, it is because too many matters arose!"

"Upon returning from the dense forest, I was first dragged by Eldest Senior Sister to inspect the Immortal Ruins. Along the way, we visited Junior Brother, who was trapped by Qin Haoran's memories. Old Meng and I took him to the outside world to clear his head, only to inadvertently encounter the Ghost underworld Sect, which led to the Heavenly Court Sect establishing contact with them."

"Afterward, we brought Fifth Elder along to seek out the Ghost underworld Sect once more, ensuring they fully believed in the existence of the Heavenly Court Sect."

"To continue writing the 'Manual of Clarifying the Mind and Perceiving Nature', I stayed in the Library Pavilion for over half a month, successfully penning the Golden Core chapter."

"Finally, Old Meng and I attended the Qingzhou Grand Ceremony, where we encountered ancient cultivators."

"From the moment I formed my Invincible Core until now, a mere two months have passed."

The Immortal Fairy: "..."

It truly seemed to be the case.

Was it because Lu Yang's experiences were so densely packed that she had developed the illusion that a vast amount of time had passed?

Choosing to reside within Lu Yang's spiritual space had indeed been an excellent decision; where else could one encounter so many amusing occurrences?

"Furthermore, even with so many affairs to attend to, have I not still seized every gap to cultivate? Have I delayed my progress in the slightest?" Lu Yang argued eloquently, speaking nothing but the truth. Whenever he found a moment of leisure, he would part his lips to swallow spiritual energy, capable of cultivating anytime and anywhere, which was exceedingly convenient.

Lu Yang seated himself upon a massive boulder scored with countless sword marks. Closing his eyes to commune with his surroundings, he could sense the boundless sword intent contained within.

He had heard from Eldest Senior Sister that Master had favored this very stone for sword practice in his youth. Over time, the boulder had inevitably become imbued with sword intent, rendering it a supreme and exceedingly precious treasure for any sword cultivator.

Sitting upon this great stone allowed him to simultaneously cultivate his realm and comprehend the sword intent, elevating his perception of the Dao of the Sword—a double benefit.

With his five centers facing heaven, Lu Yang closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and opened his mouth wide toward the sky. To an ignorant observer, he would have appeared fast asleep.

Spiritual energy surged into his body, expanding his meridians. His cultivation rose bit by bit, each increment bringing an inexplicable sense of liberation. No wonder some were willing to immerse themselves entirely in cultivation, remaining in seclusion for decades, or even centuries, only to find the world entirely changed upon their descent from the mountain.

Lu Yang, however, would not remain in seclusion for so long. The Gathering Qi Sect did not encourage such a method of solitary confinement either; even Eldest Senior Sister, who was notoriously fond of cultivation, demanded only a three-day seclusion from Master.

"Seclusion only accumulates experience; it does not grow brains, you know," the Immortal Fairy thoroughly agreed with the philosophy of the Gathering Qi Sect, feeling more and more that her decision to become an honorary elder of the sect had been entirely correct.

"Think back to how this Immortal fought her way through adversity. How many renowned figures fell by my hand? This Immortal grew rapidly through one battle and one harvest after another!"

"You ought to learn from this Immortal—advance through combat. Confront the vast world and the myriad living souls. This method of cultivation can elevate your realm while making you just as clever as this Immortal!"

Hearing this, Lu Yang felt that spending a few more days in quiet seclusion might not be such a bad idea after all.

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed. Lu Yang, seated cross-legged upon the great boulder, slowly opened his eyes. He exhaled a breath of clear qi, his gaze sharp as cold steel. His aura suddenly flared outward before swiftly contracting, completely under his mastery.

A faint smile curled at the corner of his lips.

"Mid-stage Golden Core, at last."