Chapter Twenty-One: Assistance, Breaking the Golden Core

As the elixir entered her mouth, Lin Fan silently chanted in his heart, “System, help her break through!”

【Ding! Consuming 500 years of lifespan to assist Ji Qingwan in breaking through the late Foundation Establishment bottleneck!】

【Host's remaining lifespan: 182 years.】

Lin Fan stared at the sudden deduction of five hundred years of lifespan and couldn’t help but exclaim inwardly. When he helped Su Mei break through to Foundation Establishment, it only cost fifty years of lifespan. Even then, he felt that was quite a hefty price.

But now, for Ji Qingwan to advance from the late Foundation Establishment stage to the early Golden Core stage, it required five hundred years!

If it continued like this, the Nascent Soul stage would probably demand five thousand years!

Lin Fan dared not imagine.

All he wanted now was to quickly replenish his lifespan; otherwise, 182 years would vanish in the blink of an eye.

As the lifespan was deducted, Ji Qingwan felt a warm current surge from her dantian, instantly flowing through her limbs and bones.

The bottleneck that had once been as solid as a rock rapidly disintegrated under the impact of this warm current, like spring snow melting away.

Joy surged in her heart, though she strove to maintain a calm expression.

She sensed the mana within her body flowing wildly like a flood breaking through a dam.

Her meridians throbbed painfully, as if they were about to burst.

But she knew this was a sign of breakthrough and gritted her teeth to endure.

Sweat beaded finely on her forehead, and her complexion turned pale, yet her eyes shone ever brighter, like stars twinkling within.

She could clearly feel her spiritual perception growing stronger, her awareness of the surrounding heavens and earth becoming increasingly acute.

Where once her divine sense could only cover a radius of a hundred meters, it now expanded to a thousand meters — and was still growing!

Around her body, faint ripples of spiritual energy began to appear.

These ripples grew stronger, gradually forming a small whirlpool of spiritual energy.

At the center of the vortex was Ji Qingwan herself.

She seemed to have become a bottomless pit, voraciously devouring the surrounding spiritual energy.

As the influx of spiritual energy increased, her aura grew ever more powerful.

Suddenly, a fierce wind rose within the once-quiet room.

The howling gale rattled tables and chairs, producing creaking sounds.

Outside, trees bent and swayed under the gusts, their leaves rustling like a torrential downpour.

The sky, once clear and cloudless, now darkened with thick black clouds.

Within the layers of clouds, lightning flashed and thunder roared, as if countless thunder dragons were writhing within.

“Boom!”

A violent explosion sounded as thunder struck.

Lin Fan felt an invisible, immense force descend from the heavens, pressing down on him with crushing weight.

The power was so overwhelming it seemed capable of pulverizing him entirely.

His bones cracked audibly, as if on the verge of shattering.

His internal organs felt as if gripped tightly by an invisible giant hand, making it nearly impossible to breathe.

“Is this the pressure of the Golden Core stage? Truly terrifying!” he thought with alarm.

This was merely the aura Ji Qingwan emitted unintentionally during her breakthrough.

If she unleashed her full strength, how dreadful would it be?

Lin Fan dared not imagine.

Su Xingyue’s situation was even worse.

She was closer to Ji Qingwan and bore a greater share of the oppressive pressure.

Under the terrifying weight, she collapsed to her knees with a thud, her face as pale as paper, a trace of blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.

“Master…” Su Xingyue struggled to lift her head toward Ji Qingwan, her eyes filled with worry and excitement.

She was probably concerned about how much longer this immense pressure would last, yet thrilled that Lin Fan was capable of enabling such a smooth breakthrough to the Golden Core.

It seemed that soon, she too might enter the Golden Core stage like Ji Qingwan!

Compared to Lin Fan and Su Xingyue’s struggles, the white-furred fox named Ayu appeared much more at ease.

After a moment, Ji Qingwan suddenly opened her eyes wide.

A sharp radiance burst from them, as if it could pierce the void itself.

She felt that every gesture she made seemed to stir the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

The sensation was worlds apart from the Foundation Establishment stage.

She could clearly sense that the mana inside her had undergone a qualitative transformation.

If the mana at Foundation Establishment was a trickling stream, then the mana of the Golden Core stage was an immense ocean—vast and unfathomable.

A flash of confusion first crossed Ji Qingwan’s face, quickly replaced by ecstatic joy.

She abruptly stood and howled to the sky.

Her cry was like the roar of dragons and tigers, surging into the clouds.

The entire room trembled in response to her howl.

“Hahaha! I, Ji Qingwan, have finally formed my Golden Core!”

Her voice brimmed with excitement and exhilaration, slightly trembling with emotion.

For twenty years, she had been trapped at the Foundation Establishment stage.

She once thought she would never advance further in this lifetime.

Yet today, she truly broke through!

It felt like a dream.

Ji Qingwan lowered her gaze to her hands.

Once fair and delicate, they now emitted a faint golden glow.

She could feel her physical body had been greatly strengthened.

Her once-soft skin had become incredibly tough, seemingly impervious to blades and spears.

This powerful sensation intoxicated her.

Closing her eyes, Ji Qingwan took a deep breath.

Spiritual energy surged wildly into her body, quickly refined by her.

Her aura grew stronger and steadier.

Finally, all settled into calm.

She opened her eyes again, now serene, though a faint smile lingered on her lips, impossible to hide.

“Golden Core… so this is what the Golden Core stage feels like,” she murmured, voice full of emotion.

As Ji Qingwan slowly opened her eyes, the suffocating pressure enveloping the surroundings rapidly dissipated like a receding tide.

Lin Fan felt the enormous burden on his shoulders vanish instantly, his body much lighter.

He secretly breathed a sigh of relief; this old sorceress had finally succeeded in her breakthrough.

“Congratulations, Master! Congratulations on breaking through the bottleneck and ascending to the Golden Core stage!” Su Xingyue’s face shone with uncontrollable joy as she hurried forward, kneeling before Ji Qingwan with a voice full of excitement and reverence.

“Xingyue, you did very well this time. Your master is very pleased,” Ji Qingwan’s voice was gentle as spring breeze, carrying approval and satisfaction.

She paused thoughtfully before continuing, “This is what I promised you. Keep it safe.”

Before her words finished, Ji Qingwan twisted her slender waist lightly, and the storage pouch hanging at her side shimmered with spiritual light.

Dozens of exquisite jade bottles flew out, hovering steadily in the air.

Each jade bottle bore a small label, inscribed in elegant script with the words “Essence-Strengthening Pill.”

Lin Fan was secretly surprised.

He had heard Bai Xiyue mention these Essence-Strengthening Pills before—they were extremely precious elixirs.

They contained potent spiritual energy and were among the best medicines to rapidly enhance cultivation for those below the Golden Core stage.

In addition to the pills, there was also a large pile of spirit stones.

The stones emitted a faint glow, and their number was at least five or six thousand.

Su Xingyue quickly stretched out her hands, carefully catching the jade bottles and spirit stones.

“Thank you so much for your gift, Master!” her voice trembled with excitement.

Ji Qingwan waved her hand dismissively, a faint expression of indifference on her face.

“These things are nothing compared to my breakthrough to the Golden Core. Just accept them.”

Lin Fan watched clearly from the side and couldn’t help but marvel, “This old sorceress is truly generous!”

Ji Qingwan’s gaze shifted from Su Xingyue to Lin Fan.

She appraised him from head to toe, a playful glint flashing in her eyes.

A faint, inscrutable smile curled at the corner of her lips, as if admiring an intriguing toy.

“Little one, you played a significant role this time as well. This is your reward!”