Lan Chenliang sighed. "Yes, there is a way. We can use the Dao-Replenishing Pill, but it's a legendary treasure-level pill. The ingredients are extrely rare and haven't been seen in centuries. Our sect can't obtain it. It's impossible."
Xu Ning asked, "Doesn't that an Brother Lan can only watch helplessly as he dies? There's no other way?"
Lan Chenliang smiled bitterly, his voice resigned. "What other good options do I have? I've made peace with it."
Xu Ning sighed. Indeed, sotis cultivators are like this, filled with helplessness and despair in the face of certain things. They were not as free as mortals imagined.
All that talk about defying the heavens, about "my fate is in my own hands," was just a lie told to those who hadn't cultivated. The reality was far crueler.
Imagine, even in the mortal realm, with its various rules and social stability, people still struggled so much. How much more so in the ruthless cultivation world, where might made right and there were no rules?
In reality, most cultivators were rely struggling to survive in the cultivation world. How many truly powerful cultivators would ultimately erge? Very few.
Finally, Xu Ning spoke. "Brother Lan, I really want to help you, but I truly can't. I don't have the resources or the knowledge."
Lan Chenliang smiled bitterly, standing up. "Thank you for your kindness, Brother Ye. I'll take my leave now. It's been an honor."
After saying this, Lan Chenliang got up and left, his steps heavy.
Xu Ning watched Lan Chenliang's retreating figure and sighed.
It seed he wouldn't be able to obtain the other's spiritual root after all. The opportunity was lost.
If Lan Chenliang was going to die, it would certainly be in his own sect, surrounded by his people. And the other sect definitely had Golden Core cultivators within it. They would protect his body.
Xu Ning couldn't risk going to see him off yet. His performance in the Ancient Chen Mountains was too dazzling, and going might be dangerous. He would be recognized.
Oh well, he thought. Consider him a friend made on this long journey. That's enough.
Not long after Lan Chenliang left, his master, Qi Ruifeng, arrived in a fluster.
"My dear disciple, you've killed so many demonic cultivators. Won't that attract Golden Core demonic cultivators looking for revenge? What should we do then? We're not ready."
Tiancheng Sect currently had no Golden Core cultivators. They had always relied on legendary Spirit-level formations to sustain the sect, but against a Golden Core, that might not be enough.
"Master, don't panic," Xu Ning said calmly, taking out a storage bag and handing it to Qi Ruifeng.
"This is the Yuan-level legendary formation you gave a few days ago. I've already repaired it. Even if a Golden Core stage demonic cultivator cos, I can handle it with this. It's our trump card."
Qi Ruifeng was stunned upon hearing this. "A Yuan-level legendary formation? You can repair sothing of that grade? That's beyond anything I've ever seen."
Xu Ning nodded modestly. "I used the carpentry knowledge I learned in the mortal realm to repair it in an instant. It was surprisingly easy."
Carpentry knowledge again? Qi Ruifeng was speechless, but he didn't question it.
However, he didn't ask too many questions. He simply said, "Then, disciple, hurry up and set it up! We need the protection."
Xu Ning handed it over. "Master, you can control this formation. I've set it to respond to your spiritual energy."
Qi Ruifeng nodded and took the storage bag from Xu Ning's hand. "Alright! I'll get it set up imdiately."
Seeing Qi Ruifeng about to leave, Xu Ning quickly asked again, "Master, why hasn't your cultivation level changed at all in all these years? You've been at the sa stage."
Qi Ruifeng sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping. "Disciple, I've encountered a bottleneck. I'm afraid I have no hope of reaching the Golden Core stage in this lifeti. I've hit my limit."
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Xu Ning frowned upon hearing this. "Bottleneck? Is there a way to break through? There must be a way."
Qi Ruifeng shook his head. "There is, but you need a Heaven-Breaking Pill to shatter the bottleneck, or you can break through on your own with a mont of enlightennt. The latter is nearly impossible for ."
Xu Ning asked, "Then go find a Heaven-Breaking Pill! Where can we get one?"
Qi Ruifeng shook his head again, his voice heavy. "My dear disciple, the bottleneck is simply a person's limit, predetermined by fate and spiritual root. The Heaven-Breaking Pill is a heaven-defying item, and its formula has long been lost. It's impossible to find. Don't waste your energy."
Xu Ning frowned, unwilling to accept it. "I'll ask around. There must be sothing."
Qi Ruifeng shook his head firmly. "No need to waste your energy. I've lived for over two hundred years, and I have another two hundred years to live. I'm content. I've seen the sect restored. That's enough."
Xu Ning insisted, "I'll find a way. There's always a way."
Qi Ruifeng waved his hand dismissively. "Disciple, really, no need to waste your energy. Even if you find the Heaven-Breaking Pill and break through to the late Foundation Establishnt stage, what then? You'll still be at a bottleneck for Golden Core, and the Heaven-Breaking Pill will have no effect on that. You're destined never to form a Core. Fate is already set. I've made peace with it."
With that, Qi Ruifeng turned and left, not wanting to discuss it further.
Xu Ning watched his retreating figure, feeling a pang of sadness. There was so much he couldn't control.
He flicked out three leaves, revealing Qi Ruifeng's aura in his mind.
A green pillar of aura seed to be painted on his head, lifeless and stagnant, unmoving. Even with the Heavenly Inheritance Sect's resources and Xu Ning's efforts combined, they couldn't activate his aura. It was fixed.
He got up and returned to his thatched hut, took out paper and pen, and notified Luo Xiu to inquire about the Heaven-Breaking Pill through his network.
Soon, Luo Xiu replied with information about the Heaven-Breaking Pill.
The Heaven-Breaking Pill was divided into nine grades, with nine different formulas for different bottlenecks.
Because the required spiritual herbs were extrely rare and powerful, all nine formulas had been lost for centuries. No one knew how to make them.
Luo Xiu said he would continue to investigate and report back imdiately upon receiving any news, but he held little hope.
Sitting on the futon, Xu Ning remained stunned for a long ti before sighing. Oh well, I'll leave it to fate, he thought. He cast a divination as usual and then began cultivating, pushing the thought aside.
Xu Ning then tossed out three leaves to see the future and abruptly stood up, muttering to himself, "Lan Chenliang has actually returned! He's coming back."
Xu Ning quickly went outside and waited at the sect gate, his heart heavy.
Not long after, Lan Chenliang, covered in injuries and barely able to stand, arrived at the sect gate, his robes torn and bloody.
Seeing Xu Ning standing at the door, Lan Chenliang smiled bitterly, his face pale. "Brother Ye. I made it back."
Xu Ning quickly stepped forward to support Lan Chenliang. "Let's talk inside the sect. We'll get you treated."
Lan Chenliang, however, was filled with anxiety, his grip tight. "There's no ti! After I went out, I was attacked by demonic cultivators. It seems their Golden Core cultivators have arrived! You must be prepared! They're coming!"
Xu Ning was shocked. "You're in this state, and you're still worried about us? You should be thinking of yourself."
Lan Chenliang smiled bitterly, his voice weakening. "I already didn't have much ti left. Being able to bring you news in the end is enough. It's worth dying for. At least I did sothing useful."
"Brother Ye, don't speak yet. Let speak. I really want to live. I really, really want to, but I can't. Brother Ye, you know the Soul Refining Technique. After I die, could you refine into a soul? Let continue on?"
Xu Ning shook his head firmly. "No. Then you won't be able to reincarnate. Your soul would be trapped."
Lan Chenliang's face grew even more bitter, but he nodded. "Forget it. I'll just go to reincarnation then. Brother Ye, could you please go check on my family for ? Let them know I didn't suffer?"
With that, Lan Chenliang laboriously handed Xu Ning a storage bag with his family's location before finally losing consciousness, his body going limp.
Xu Ning sighed and carried the body back to the sect, his heart heavy.
"Notify the Qiu Ye Sect that their Holy Son, Lan Chenliang, was attacked and killed by demonic cultivators on the way. Demonic Golden Core cultivators are heading towards our sect. Tell them to send a Golden Core cultivator to kill them imdiately. Use the ergency signal."
Xu Ning gave orders to the disciples beside him as he walked, his voice cold.
The disciples imdiately relayed the orders, running to send the ssages.
However, it seed too late. Terrifying demonic energy had already appeared outside the Tiancheng Sect, roiling like a storm.
Xu Ning glanced back, remained silent, and carried Lan Chenliang's body to the sect square, placing it on the ground with care.
At this mont, Qi Ruifeng also flew over, his face grim. He suddenly raised his hand, and a legendary Yuan-level array appeared in the sky, forming a shimring barrier that blocked the billowing demonic energy.
Amidst the demonic energy, a figure radiating a terrifying aura slowly erged from the darkness. His voice was cold. "I am Yu Chen. The Tiancheng Sect killed eight Foundation Establishnt elders of my Demonic Sect. Today, they will be destroyed. There is no escape."
Qi Ruifeng's expression turned solemn upon hearing this. "Old Demon Yu Chen! One of the most powerful demonic cultivators in the region."
Xu Ning frowned. "Old Demon Yu Chen? To be fair, it was you demonic cultivators who attacked my sect first. What wrong have we done by killing them in self-defense? They attacked us."
Yu Chen laughed upon hearing this, his voice mocking. "Hehehe, you know I am a demonic cultivator, yet you still try to reason with ? How naive. Strength is the only reason that matters."
Xu Ning's voice was steady, though his heart raced. "I have already notified the Golden Core cultivators of other sects. They are on their way. You can just wait to die here."
To be honest, even with a Yuan-level legendary formation, Xu Ning was still quite apprehensive in the face of a Golden Core cultivator. He wanted to scare the other party into retreating.
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