Chapter Thirty: The Fat Sheep Arrive

The star marks on the Golden Core radiated a dazzling light.

Beneath that brilliance, a faint vitality began to revive. Granny Zheng could clearly sense her life, which had been nearing its end, slowly recovering. She was astonished by the accuracy of her master’s prophecy—yet even more amazed by Wang Li’s methods.

The Nine Transformations Nirvana she cultivated was a supreme Heaven-grade technique, created by Xu Jing upon entering the Grand Ascension stage and continually refined thereafter. Its rank had surely surpassed the traditional boundaries of Heaven-grade techniques. The Nine Transformations Nirvana emulated the rebirth of the Phoenix clan, seeking breakthrough by placing oneself at death’s edge. It was a technique that lingered between life and death, striving for transcendence. Although fraught with peril—one misstep in the flames of Nirvana could lead to true death—its power was undeniable: the first transformation led to the Golden Core, the second to the Tribulation Crossing, the third to the Earth Immortal, and the fourth even held the possibility of breaking through the world’s will, achieving a realm beyond True Immortal within the Celestial Profound World.

Xu Jing devised this technique to circumvent the world’s rules and shatter the limits imposed upon cultivators in the Celestial Profound World. Yet, the fourth transformation was not its end; in Xu Jing’s vision, if one could complete all nine transformations, the world would usher in a new era of cultivation.

Such ambition and extraordinary talent were evident in Xu Jing, and the power of this technique was indisputable. Though he had perfected only the first three transformations, and was still personally verifying the fourth, no one could deny its strength—not even Master Sheng, who praised Xu Jing as a genius.

Yet, as this supreme technique was about to enter its second transformation, it was suppressed by a mere top-tier Yellow-grade technique. The withering that should have led to rebirth instead forcibly reversed into burgeoning vitality.

Feeling the strengthening life force within, Granny Zheng’s gaze toward Wang Li became exceedingly complex. She no longer considered the possibility of Wang Li being possessed; instead, she was filled with apprehension—and even harbored a faint murderous intent.

“Is it too risky for Senior Brother to leave such a terrifying figure behind?”

“No, I must consult with Master and Senior Brother again!”

Stifling the urge to act, Granny Zheng excused herself under the pretense of returning to seclusion to restore her body, and hurried away.

Watching her departure, Master Sheng asked, “Did you sense any murderous intent from her?”

Wang Li replied with some uncertainty, “Perhaps she misunderstood something.”

Though Granny Zheng hid her murderous intent well, Wang Li could still sense the turmoil in her aura, indicating a drastic change in her state of mind. He simply didn’t want to believe Master Sheng’s words.

Master Sheng said, “Don’t entertain illusions. Like Liu Guang, Chu Xuan, and Liu Wan Jin, she’s one of those who puts the sect’s interests above all else. If you threaten the safety of Pure Yang Temple, she won’t hesitate to act.”

---

“I guess she’s gone to find Liu Guang and Xu Jing. Do you think they’ll make a move against you?”

Wang Li shook his head. “No, at least not yet.”

“Oh? Tell me your reasoning.”

“As you said, the headmaster has likely already committed, and might now be negotiating terms with other sects. It’s impossible to go back on this now; after all, the major sects care about their reputation, and breaking the agreement would risk offending too many. Besides, word about me and the phonograph must be everywhere. If Pure Yang Temple backs out now, it will become everyone’s target. Technique inheritance is too important for all sects—someone will surely try to seize it, and Pure Yang Temple will never know peace. The headmaster won’t be so foolish.”

“Good, but that’s not the whole picture.”

“Furthermore… Master Sheng, has Xu Jing the Immortal already come?”

“Oh, you figured it out?” Master Sheng smiled. “He’s a shrewd one—he won’t trouble you lightly.”

“Did you scare him off?”

Master Sheng said, “Not exactly. I just let him experience a taste of something not belonging to this world.”

“What do you mean? What did you do?” Wang Li was baffled.

Master Sheng: “…Fine, I did scare him a bit. But he won’t bother you, don’t worry!”

“Let’s hope so.”

---

Just as Master Sheng predicted, Pure Yang Temple was unusually lively at that moment. The solemnity of the past was gone, replaced by waves of visitors from all the major sects arriving at the temple gates, keeping the reception elder busy beyond measure.

The endless stream of guests left the uninformed disciples of Pure Yang Temple puzzled, many of whom hid nearby to watch the commotion.

“Look! Gold robes, gold shoes, gold coronets—these must be cultivators from the Jin clan of Divine Weapon Valley. How ostentatious!”

“Indeed. But they have the right—the market’s seventy percent of magical tools come from Divine Weapon Valley. Even our flying swords are made by them. A low-grade Profound sword costs several hundred top-grade spirit stones. Who knows how much wealth they have?”

“Who’s that young man up front? He looks like he’s bearing some deep sorrow.”

“Oh, you mean Jin Youming, the young master of Divine Weapon Valley. You’re new here, so you may not know—he’s only three hundred years old, yet already at the Nascent Soul stage, a standout among second-generation disciples. But he’s had bad luck; a few years back, Tian Nan badly injured him. He might be here to seek revenge. No wonder he looks so grim.”

“I see. But who is Tian Nan? To have wounded the young master of Divine Weapon Valley, he must be an extraordinary talent.”

---

“He’s indeed a genius, but his nickname is a bit unfortunate.”

“Nickname?”

“One of the Three Great Scourges, currently suppressed within a secret realm.”

“Hmm, definitely unfortunate!”

Many disciples were seeing so many outside cultivators at Pure Yang Temple for the first time, and took it as an opportunity to broaden their horizons. Those in the know recounted tales with vivid detail, while the ignorant listened and nodded frequently, making the visiting cultivators quite uncomfortable.

Jin Youming heard the Pure Yang disciples discussing and snorted coldly, “Hmph! Gossiping in front of others—no manners at all. No wonder Pure Yang Temple produced lunatics like Tian Nan. Truly eye-opening!”

“Young master, don’t stoop to their level. Remember the valley master’s instructions—we are not here to seek revenge,” whispered an elder from Divine Weapon Valley, cautioning Jin Youming.

“Hmph, just wait and see. Pure Yang Temple thinks it can fleece us so easily? They really think they can set the price sky-high just because they have something rare?”

Jin Youming sneered, “Don’t worry, Seventh Elder. I won’t cause trouble. Someone else will step up—we’ll just watch the show.”

As the group from Divine Weapon Valley entered the gates, another round of loud discussion broke out.

“Wow, so many fairies! Look, so many fairies coming up the mountain!”

“Where? Where?”

“It’s the Five Elements Pavilion. Wait—aren’t they all female cultivators? How did a few male disciples get in?”

“Idiot, Five Elements Pavilion mainly recruits female cultivators, but never said no to men!”

“Really? So those male disciples must have the inside track!”

“Ha, if I’d known the lady cultivators of Five Elements Pavilion were so… elegant and refined, I wouldn’t have joined Pure Yang Temple…”

“Tch, as if they’d accept you anyway!”