Fourteen magical artifacts emitted resplendent spiritual light, streaking across the sky like shooting stars. The powerful fluctuations even tore through the spiritual pressure between heaven and earth!
Ji Yuan and Li Buwei, like other cultivators, looked up at the radiance in the sky. The formidable power seemed to have replaced the spiritual pressure, becoming the sole presence in this realm.
"Why struggle..."
A sigh of helplessness echoed, as if lamenting something.
From the peak of the small hill, a skeleton shot up into the sky, its Golden Core in its chest radiating seven-colored light, surrounded by countless runes.
In a flash, a formation pattern woven from runes appeared and then ascended towards the sky, seemingly slow but actually extremely fast.
This seemingly simple formation pattern effortlessly held up the more than ten magical artifacts. Under the flowing halo, it prevented them from falling any further.
Several cold snorts sounded in the air. The more than ten cultivators of the Third Realm could feel their magical artifacts gradually losing contact with them within the halo of this formation pattern.
If the time dragged on, their respective magical artifacts would likely be claimed by the formation pattern before them!
"Attack!"
Just then, a stern shout came from the ground.
Three grand formation masters, with solemn expressions, looked up and unleashed the formation patterns that appeared around them towards the skeleton in the sky!
Several layers of formation patterns transformed into streams of light, colliding with the skeleton without any fancy maneuvers. Countless runes manifested at this moment, seemingly seared onto the jade-bone!
Within one or two breaths, the aura of this Golden Core realm cultivator, who should have perished thousands of years ago, was abruptly weakened by nearly half. The resplendent seven-colored light dimmed considerably.
The grand formation masters, having long prepared and harnessing the residual power of shattered formations, had jointly evolved several layers of formation patterns. Their sudden attack had actually sealed nearly half the power of a Golden Core realm cultivator who was on the verge of revival!
"Petty trick!"
However, the opponent seemed to possess formidable attainments in formations as well.
With a mere cold snort and a slight circulation of internal mana, runes appeared, and within moments, they dissolved a portion of the formation patterns.
Just then, a figure shot up from the ground, directly ascending into the sky.
The Third Realm martial artist from the Shanhe Gang unleashed his full power. His vital energy and blood surged forth, his fists enveloped by torrents of powerful formidable energy.
Even from afar, the sound of a tiger's roar could be heard!
A colossal tiger, condensed from blood energy and formidable energy, materialized and roared as it charged towards the skeleton in the sky!
RUMBLE!!!!!!!!
Deafening roars echoed, and potent gusts of energy swept across heaven and earth. Even cultivators of the Second Realm with weaker cultivation were blown several feet away by the whistling gale!
The entire upper sky was filled with dense, blood-colored radiance, and terrifying fluctuations raged throughout, resembling a scene of apocalyptic descent.
"Fellow Daoists! Do not hold back!"
A stern shout suddenly erupted, followed by the successive bursts of resplendent light in the sky.
The restrictions within the fourteen magical artifacts were fully activated. Under the infusion of mana without regard for cost, they unleashed terrifying power fluctuations.
The formation pattern blocking their path shattered instantly. The immense power seemed capable of tearing through everything, no longer able to impede the descent of the more than ten magical artifacts!
BOOM!!!!!!!!
Blinding light became the sole presence between heaven and earth. Even with the use of Dharma eyes, one could only see a vast expanse of white. All cultivators' ears were filled with earth-shattering roars!
It took a full quarter of an hour for the anomalies in heaven and earth to gradually subside, and the cultivators' vision slowly recovered.
Ji Yuan looked first, his face unable to suppress a look of shock, no less than what he felt when he witnessed the Sect Master of Leize Peak make his move!
Dozens of feet away, a colorful spiritual light appeared, along with vast and pure spiritual energy, presenting a distorted state as if something was influencing it.
The original small hill was now just a large pit, from which terrifying fluctuations continuously emanated. However, the aura of the two skeletons could no longer be sensed.
The spiritual pressure filling the realm suddenly vanished, leaving behind only astonishing fluctuations and the still gently trembling earth.
"Resolved?"
Li Buwei murmured, but his furrowed brow did not relax in the slightest.
Fifteen Third Realm existences attacking simultaneously, along with the assistance of three grand formation masters, should have severely wounded even a Golden Core Grand Cultivator.
However, his intuition told him that things were far from simple. How could two beings who should have perished thousands of years ago be so easily and completely killed?
As expected, almost as soon as the thought crossed his mind, a stream of light flashed towards a spot over twenty feet away.
It was a Third Realm cultivator who appeared to be in his middle age. He shouted towards the disciples of the three major sects on the ground: "Leave quickly!"
As soon as his words fell, the three grand formation masters, with the help of two Third Realm cultivators, were seen flying through the air, leading the disciples of the three major sects towards the gap that had been opened earlier.
"Go! Follow them!"
Ji Yuan's expression changed. He immediately grabbed Li Buwei beside him and followed, closely trailing behind the three major sects.
He seemed to sense something and instinctively looked back. Then, he saw from the large pit dozens of feet away, a pressure soaring to the sky, shaking apart the distorted spiritual light and energy in the air.
Two figures slowly floated into the air. Although the light on their bodies was somewhat dim, they still emitted astonishing fluctuations.
"Xu Qin, you should have listened to my words earlier and annihilated these ants with full force. Then we wouldn't be in such trouble now."
A demonic voice echoed through heaven and earth, causing one's state of mind to ripple uncontrollably.
Dozens of gazes fell, and they saw the skeleton, referred to as 'Xu Qin', also emitting a spiritual sense fluctuation: "Daoist Xiaoyao, have you forgotten how much spiritual energy we need to expend to be resurrected?"
Xu Qin seemed to want to explain something, but in the end, he let out a sigh of helplessness. His original intention was to save some strength, but he didn't expect the opposite to happen, and now more would be consumed.
Upon hearing this, Ji Yuan and the others inwardly tensed. If they remembered correctly, the token that some cultivators had obtained belonged to a person called Daoist Xiaoyao.
The underground dojo had been present for half a year, and much information about Daoist Chixin had been unearthed, including details about several of his personal disciples.
Daoist Xiaoyao, as a personal disciple of Daoist Chixin, had reached the mid-Golden Core stage, and was an undisputed powerful figure thousands of years ago.
"That Xu Qin, someone has excavated his cave dwelling. He was a powerful grand formation master, only one step away from becoming a Grandmaster!"
Li Buwei said in a low voice with a solemn expression.
No one knew how the two, who should have been enemies, had reconciled over thousands of years to stand shoulder-to-shoulder now.
The next moment, the battle suddenly erupted. The two former Golden Core Grand Cultivators attacked without warning while talking!
Sensing the terrifying fluctuations from behind, the cultivators fell silent and chose to lower their heads and sprint, but they dared not outrun the three major sects ahead.
Everyone knew that to open another gap in the formation, they would have to rely on the grand formation masters of the three major sects. Otherwise, unless their numbers doubled, there would only be a slim chance.
Fortunately, a distance of dozens of feet took less than twenty breaths for cultivators of the Second Realm to sprint at full speed.
The three grand formation masters immediately joined forces and, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, began to dissolve the formation before them, attempting to open another gap.
Meanwhile, the battle outside the hundred battlegrounds intensified. The fourteen Third Realm cultivators, fighting together, were gradually being suppressed.
Although Xu Qin and Daoist Xiaoyao now only had around the Third Realm mid-stage cultivation, their former realm was still there. If they had not been concerned about expending too much of their own power, someone might have already been injured.
However, given the current situation, even a group of Third Realm cultivators attacking together likely wouldn't be able to hold on for much longer.
"What are you thinking about?"
At the edge of the crowd, Li Buwei looked at the person beside him with confusion.
Ji Yuan was deep in thought, with occasional flashes of brilliance in his eyes, appearing to be pondering intensely.
"Golden Core!"
He said with a frown, "Daoist Xiaoyao's Golden Core always feels a bit off!"
According to the information already unearthed about Daoist Chixin's personal disciples, each of them was a powerful figure who dominated their region. Even sects with long and orderly traditions would not dare to claim to be superior.
It was precisely because of his few personal disciples that Daoist Chixin was able to establish such a prosperous dojo.
Logically, to be able to awe all sides, one would at least need to condense a five-colored Golden Core, combined with sufficiently powerful magical artifacts and techniques.
A seven-colored Golden Core, while not weak, was still something that many sects, even those hundreds of years old, might not produce. However, to awe a region was still somewhat lacking.
"It's just a Golden Core, is it that important?"
Li Buwei was somewhat bewildered, feeling that in the current situation, it didn't matter whether the opponent had a seven-colored Golden Core or a five-colored one.
Even if both of them only had杂色金丹 (mixed-color Golden Core), they would still not be a match for over ten Third Realm cultivators and dozens of Second Realm cultivators.
If they had that much energy, they might as well think about how to escape safely.
Hearing this, Ji Yuan shook his head. He had a premonition that this matter was not insignificant and might be the key to breaking the deadlock.
He silently looked back, his gaze falling on the two jade-bones. Even from a distance of over a hundred feet, he could still feel the terrifying spiritual pressure contained within them.
Undoubtedly, these were the true forms condensed by cultivators above the Golden Core realm after hundreds of years of cultivation.
If someone were to obtain them, it would be equivalent to obtaining a treasure trove. The value of a jade-bone was even greater than a magical artifact.
Whether for alchemy, artifact refinement, or even as the core of a formation, they had astonishing and unexpected effects.
Furthermore, if one could refine them, perhaps they could extract the origin of a Golden Core Grand Cultivator, the benefits of which were indescribable.
After a careful examination, Ji Yuan gazed at the seven-colored Golden Core suspended in the chests of the two skeletons.
The main body of the Golden Core was golden yellow. Depending on the cultivation technique, secret arts, personal aptitude and spiritual roots, as well as the heavenly materials and earthly treasures used during its formation, it would emit different colors.
If the colors were varied, it was a杂色金丹 (mixed-color Golden Core), which was generally only condensed by rogue cultivators.
Such a Golden Core provided limited amplification. The mana, in terms of both quantity and purity, was even inferior to that of a powerful peak Third Realm cultivator. Even the extended lifespan was only thirty to fifty years.
Such a Golden Core realm could be considered somewhat exaggerated if called paper-thin, but it was certainly not as powerful as imagined. Seven or eight cultivators in the late Ming Dao realm, with adequate preparation and the assistance of formations, could still have a chance to kill them!
The seven-colored Golden Core above this level could be considered a true Golden Core realm, although it was the weakest existence within this realm.
But no matter how weak, it was only relative to the Golden Core realm. Below this realm, no matter how many Third Realm cultivators joined forces, they could never take its life.
Unless there were special circumstances, such as severe injuries reducing their cultivation to a mere tenth, or the use of extremely powerful formations, and so on.
Xu Qin and Daoist Xiaoyao were in such special circumstances, which allowed them to be contained by over ten cultivators in the early to mid-Third Realm.
"Don't you feel that the colors of these two Golden Cores are wrong?"
After pondering for a long time, Ji Yuan suddenly asked softly.
As soon as he said this, Li Buwei was taken aback. He then looked closely, and gradually his expression became somewhat strange.
If he hadn't been reminded, he wouldn't have noticed that the colors of the two Golden Cores only had six shades!
Although he was still worlds apart from the Golden Core realm, he understood quite a bit. Such a situation should never occur!
Normally, the light emitted by a Golden Core would either be mixed-color, seven-colored, or five-colored, three-colored, or pure-colored. There would never be any other number of colors!
However, whether it was Xu Qin or Daoist Xiaoyao, their Golden Cores only had six colors!
"Why is it like this..."
For a moment, confusion appeared in Li Buwei's eyes, unable to figure out the key to the matter.
On the other hand, Ji Yuan's eyes shone with increasing brilliance, as if he had already guessed a crucial point!
Although it was somewhat unbelievable, the only possibility now was that these two Golden Cores were fake!