Chapter 4

After taking safety precautions, Xiao Ming sat in a lotus position. In his hand was the Core Ascension Pill, a rare and precious treasure.

The moment he swallowed the pill, a surge of heat exploded in his stomach, spreading like wildfire through his body. It was as if he had swallowed a blazing sun. A terrifying wave of energy erupted, surging through his meridians, blood vessels, and even his very cells.

Surprisingly, instead of pain, Xiao Ming felt a soothing warmth, akin to soaking in a rejuvenating hot spring. He could feel his body greedily absorbing the energy, and with each passing moment, his momentum grew stronger. His cultivation realm began to rise rapidly.

It didn't take long before—

Boom!

Xiao Ming broke through to the sixth stage of the Golden Core realm.

But it didn't stop there.

Boom!

Seventh stage golden core.

Boom!

Eighth stage golden core.

Boom!

Ninth stage golden core.

Finally, he reached the peak of the ninth stage of the Golden Core realm. The wooden house trembled violently under the sheer force of his growing power. For three long hours, the energy coursed through him, reshaping and refining every corner of his being.

When Xiao Ming finally opened his eyes, they gleamed with a sharp, otherworldly light. His aura was overwhelming, causing the wooden house to vibrate. He clenched his fists, feeling the immense power surging through his body.

"So this is what it feels like to be at the peak of the 9th stage of the Golden Core realm," Xiao Ming muttered. He clenched his fist, feeling the overwhelming strength coursing through him.

To think that he had gone from the second stage of Core Formation to the peak of Golden Core in just two days. If others knew of this, their jaws would surely drop in disbelief. After all, even the talented inner disciples of the Divine Blue Sect required five to six years to achieve this.

Of course, Xiao Ming owed this miraculous progress to the system and the Core Ascension Pill, a treasure with no side effects. However, as for the Heart of the Devil, he still had no clear understanding of its true nature.

After calming his excitement, Xiao Ming decided to consult the system.

"System, if I kill Ye Chan directly, will it cause any problems?"

Ding! Answering host: Ye Chan is the destined protagonist of this novel, blessed by luck and destiny. He cannot be killed at this stage. If the host forcibly kills him, it will trigger a backlash of luck, potentially leading to the host's death.

Listening to the system's explanation, Xiao Ming's sharp mind quickly spotted a loophole.

"So… I can't kill him now, but it means I can kill him if certain conditions are met," he said with a smirk.

Replaying to host: As long as the host's luck points exceed Ye Chan's by a significant margin, the host will be able to kill him.

Hearing this, Xiao Ming's smirk deepened. It was not the smile of a mere cultivator but the cunning grin of a predator ready to hunt.

Meanwhile, in a remote part of the Celestial Jade Domain, a desolate landscape stretched beneath a dark sky. A chilling wind swept through the area as a convoy of carriages sped along a secluded route. These carriages were not drawn by horses but by spiritual beasts of formidable strength.

Inside one of the carriages, a blurry figure addressed a pale young man.

"Friend Ye Chan, how are you feeling? You're quite lucky to have met us. Otherwise, you might have perished in that treacherous place."

The pale young man, none other than Ye Chan, offered a weak but grateful smile.

"Thank you, Brother. If it weren't for your timely help, I don't know what would have happened to me."

Though Ye Chan's words were courteous, a keen observer would notice a lack of genuine sincerity in his eyes. His angular face and striking ice-blue eyes, despite his injuries, gave him an otherworldly charm.

After a brief exchange, the blurry figure left the carriage, advising Ye Chan to rest and recover. Once alone, the faint smile on Ye Chan's face faded, replaced by a grim expression.

"These injuries are more severe than I thought. If it weren't for Elder's intervention, I might have ended up like the others," Ye Chan muttered to himself with a sigh.

A deep, ancient voice echoed in his mind.

"Do not dwell on the past, Ye Chan. Fortunately, we have arrived in the Celestial Jade Domain. This place is rich in resources, with countless sects and holy grounds. Here, you will have the opportunity to grow stronger rapidly."

Hearing the elder's words, Ye Chan nodded resolutely.

"Yes, Elder. I will not let your expectations go to waste," he vowed, his gaze turning to the dark, mysterious terrain outside the carriage.

Back in the Divine Blue Sect, news of Xiao Ming's rapid breakthroughs and his slaughter of Chen Han's group had already spread like wildfire.

At first, many refused to believe it. But as the information was confirmed, shock waves rippled through the sect.

Strangely, the law enforcement team didn't trouble Xiao Ming, despite the deaths of multiple outer disciples.

"As expected," Xiao Ming mused with a smile. "Their reaction is within my expectations."

He had anticipated that the sect's higher-ups would turn a blind eye to the incident. After all, he had acted in self-defense against Chen Han's group, and numerous witnesses could attest to this. Moreover, Xiao Ming's newfound strength as a fifth-stage Golden Core cultivator placed him on par with the inner disciples.

The sect valued strength above all else, and losing a few low-level disciples was a small price to pay for nurturing a potential powerhouse.

However, Xiao Ming was surprised that Chen Yuan, Chen Han's elder brother, hadn't come seeking revenge.

"Ah, so he's in seclusion," Xiao Ming chuckled after learning the reason. "No wonder."

For now, Xiao Ming decided not to provoke any unnecessary trouble. Instead, he set his sights on the Holy Land Library, a treasure trove of cultivation techniques and knowledge.

"I may have the strength of an inner disciple, but to truly earn that title you also need cultivation techniques," Xiao Ming thought as he strolled toward the library, his mind brimming with plans for the future.