Translator: CinderTL
At the border of East Province in the Supreme Void Nine Provinces.
At this moment, a cluster of buildings nestled against the mountains was illuminated by the constant flicker of formation lights.
Each of these formations was at least of the third tier, with many reaching the fourth tier.
If all the third and fourth-tier formations were interconnected, they could unleash the power of a fifth-tier formation, protecting nearly half of East Province.
The Nine Immortal Sects, all part of the Immortal Alliance, limited the intensity of internal conflicts to the Core Formation realm, with everyone adhering to the rules.
However, there were numerous underhanded tactics outside the rules.
For instance, granting disciples fourth-tier talismans and mystic treasures, or setting up fourth-tier formations at key strategic locations.
Places like the East Province Command Center, where ten or eight fourth-tier formations were deployed, were quite common.
At this moment, a figure was seen flying on a sword, landing in the central hall of this cluster of buildings.
As soon as he entered, he eagerly asked, "Zuo Tian, I heard that Li Chunjun, the Sword Prodigy Li, has already refined his sword into a core!? Is it true? How could it be so soon? Could it be that he formed his core without even cultivating his Lifebound Flying Sword!?"
"Jun Zhou, you've come at the right time. Since you're in charge of monitoring all the Core Formation cultivators of the Chiyang Sword Sect, I need you to immediately gather information on their whereabouts so we can formulate a new plan," Zuo Tian said upon seeing him.
After a pause, he added, "Who would have thought there would be no signs before he refined his sword into a core! Even on Flaming Phoenix Peak, no one knew he had already formed his core! It was only after he flew out of the sect and the guardians assigned by the sect leader noticed him that we became aware of it."
"The sect has provided him with all kinds of resources to cultivate a mystic treasure-level Lifebound Flying Sword. If he squanders the sect's goodwill and just forms an ordinary core, wouldn't all the effort the sect has put into him be in vain?" the cultivator named Jun Zhou couldn't help but say.
"I believe Li Chunjun wouldn't be so unwise," Zuo Tian said, then turned to the others in the hall, "Let's first send a team to escort this Sword Prodigy Li back."
Another Golden Core cultivator in the room nodded, "If Sword Prodigy Li has truly refined his sword into a core... that would be extraordinary. Once he overcomes this hurdle, wouldn't he soar to great heights?"
"Who knows how much substance is in his core? What we need is the future Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy, not just an ordinary Core Formation cultivator!" someone else said with dissatisfaction.
Jun Zhou ignored the other Golden Core cultivators' comments and quickly got to work.
"The Chiyang Sword Sect has eighty-eight Core Formation cultivators deployed on the Great Shang battlefield. However, since the Chiyang Sword Sect is not far from here, Core Formation cultivators come and go, rotating very quickly. This is just an approximate number. Moreover, Core Formation cultivators don't just stand still waiting for us to track them, so I can only provide a rough location of these cultivators, with no guarantee of accuracy."
"Having some reference is better than blindly groping in the dark," Zuo Tian said, turning to a holographic map in the hall.
This was a three-dimensional image of the entire Great Shang and East Province.
At this moment, there were dozens of red and blue dots on the image.
Some of the red and blue dots were moving rapidly.
One of the five blue dots was particularly bright.
"Is that the location of Sword Prodigy Li?"
"Yes."
"He's still in Lake Province of Great Shang. At least he's got some sense and hasn't ventured too deep."
"He is blindly arrogant, but Jiang Yuxue, Zhang Weiqian, and Zhou Yuechen by his side will surely find a way to rein him in, preventing him from running off to Xuanzhou."
"Young people... it's not their talent that's worrisome, but their inability to see themselves clearly once they have a bit of talent."
As Jun Zhou spoke, he entered the scene depicted in the image. Soon, the blue and red dots within it had shifted slightly in position.
"The direction they're heading in now will likely lead them to encounter the squad led by Zhou Tianyu soon. However, with their lineup, repelling Zhou Tianyu shouldn't be difficult..."
One of the Golden Core cultivators stepped forward, glanced a few times, and spoke up.
"We must also be cautious. I've received inside information that the Zhou family's ancestor, Zhou Chixin, has bestowed the Mystic Treasure 'Four Symbols Heaven Sealing Gate' upon Zhou Tianyu. If this is true, and Zhou Tianyu catches them off guard, Jiang Yuxue and the others might not be able to protect Li Chunjun."
Jun Zhou said gravely.
Zuo Tian was startled and immediately turned to another person: "Yi Feng, send a message to Jiang Yuxue! Tell them to be extremely careful!"
"Understood."
The Golden Core cultivator named Yi Feng nodded promptly.
The Golden Core cultivator who had previously expressed dissatisfaction snorted lightly: "What's going on with that Li Chunjun? Even if he has truly refined his sword into a core, he should be staying put in the sect at a time like this. What's he doing at the frontlines? A newly promoted Virtual Core like him—what use could he possibly be in a battlefield swarming with True Cores and Golden Cores?"
"Enough, Gao Fan. After all, he is the future Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy of our Taixu Sword Sect, and he has endured the most arduous process of refining his sword into a core. His potential is still foreseeable. No matter what, we must ensure his safety."
Zuo Tian cut him off.
"It's not certain yet that he's refined his sword into a core."
Gao Fan retorted.
Just as Zuo Tian was about to speak, Yi Feng couldn't help but exclaim in shock: "This is impossible!"
Instantly, the gazes of several Golden Core cultivators fell upon him.
"What's going on?"
Jun Zhou asked solemnly, "Have they encountered Zhou Tianyu?"
Yi Feng didn't respond but quickly sent a message to inquire.
In just a moment, he seemed to have learned the cause and effect of the situation, and his expression froze slightly.
At this, Zuo Tian, the true disciple of East Province, could no longer hold back: "Yi Feng, what happened?" "Sword Prodigy Li and the others have encountered Zhou Tianyu, and... Sword Prodigy Li's group has completely annihilated Zhou Tianyu's squad, which included one Golden Core and two True Cores!"
Yi Feng answered swiftly.
"All of them were killed?"
"Weren't Tuoba Ye and his Senior Brother with Zhou Tianyu? Those are two solid True Cores—none of them escaped?"
"Are Jiang Yuxue, Zhang Weiqian, Zhou Yuechen, and Qin Zhou that formidable? Four against three... oh, plus Li Chunjun, five against three, and they managed to pull off a complete annihilation?"
The group spoke up one after another.
Yi Feng wanted to say something, but his eyes clearly showed hesitation.
"Whatever it is, say it all at once."
Zuo Tian urged immediately.
"According to the message from Jiang Yuxue... Tuoba Ye, his Senior Brother, and Zhou Tianyu were all killed by Sword Prodigy Li! Especially Tuoba Ye and his Senior Brother—Sword Prodigy Li single-handedly took them down with his sword in less than a breath!"
Yi Feng declared.
As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the room instantly froze.
After a moment, Gao Fan was the first to disbelieve: "That's impossible! Killing two True Cores like Tuoba Ye and his Senior Brother in less than a breath!? Even if he has fully comprehended Sword Intent and truly refined his sword into a core, he couldn't achieve such a feat!"
"It's a bit exaggerated! Killing two True Core cultivators in a single breath! This is genuine Golden Core combat power, and moreover, the combat power of a Golden Core Sword Cultivator! Does Sword Prodigy Li possess such strength immediately upon forming his core? Then, once he cultivates his Golden Core, there will be no doubt about him becoming the second Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy!"
"I also find it hard to believe. Even if he did kill Tuoba Ye's two True Core cultivators, what about Zhou Tianyu, the Golden Core cultivator? Besides, doesn't Zhou Tianyu possess the Four Symbols Heaven Sealing Gate? If the Zhou family's ancestor, Zhou Chixin, truly bestowed this Mystic Treasure upon Zhou Tianyu, even two or three Golden Core cultivators working together might not be able to subdue him in a short time, let alone Jiang Yuxue, Zhang Weiqian, and the other three?"
Several Golden Core cultivators shook their heads in disbelief.
"This is the information I received," Yi Feng said, pausing for a moment. "Perhaps... although Jiang Yuxue and the others didn't directly intervene, they might have provided some distraction or support, allowing Sword Prodigy Li to seize the opportunity and swiftly eliminate Tuoba Ye and his fellow disciple in an instant?"
The Golden Core cultivators pondered this and nodded in agreement.
That must have been the case.
They even simulated the scene in their minds.
Jiang Yuxue, Zhang Weiqian, Zhou Yuechen, and the others, upon noticing Zhou Tianyu's group, quickly approached them. Just as the two sides were about to clash, Li Chunjun shouted, "Leave it to me!" and immediately launched his attack.
Tuoba Ye and his fellow disciple, who had been targeting Jiang Yuxue and the others, were caught off guard and unable to change their tactics in time, leading to their demise within a single breath.
Afterward, the five of them joined forces and killed Zhou Tianyu.
However, even so, the fact that Li Chunjun could participate in a battle of this level proves that his strength is at least comparable to a True Core cultivator!
In other words, he must have entered the Core Formation realm by Refining Sword into Core.
Having overcome this most difficult hurdle, all he needs to do now is consolidate and refine his skills, and it will only be a matter of time before he officially reaches the level of the previous Jiang Jianzi. Thinking of this, Zuo Tian couldn't help but laugh heartily: "In any case, Sword Prodigy Li has overcome the challenge of Refining Sword into Core. This is a cause for celebration for our entire Taixu Sword Sect! Moreover, the Sword Prodigy has immediately stepped onto the battlefield to fight after forming his core, fully embodying the spirit of us Sword Cultivators! We must do everything in our power to ensure Sword Prodigy Li's safety!"
His words quickly resonated with the other Golden Core cultivators.
"This Sword Prodigy Li has truly given us a pleasant surprise!"
Jun Zhou's face also lit up with joy.
"I thought it would take him at least three to five years to consolidate his skills after Refining Sword into Core, and if he encountered any bottlenecks, it wouldn't be surprising if it took eight to ten years. I never expected him to reach this stage so quickly! This is a blessing for Sword Prodigy Li and for our Taixu Sword Sect!"
"Rather than speculating about Sword Prodigy Li's specific situation here, why don't we go to the front lines and see for ourselves how strong he is now?"
"What are we waiting for? Let's go!"
Without further delay, the Golden Core cultivators quickly devised a simple plan and, leaving their headquarters behind, immediately set off on their swords towards Lake Province.
For the sects that prohibit Nascent Soul cultivators from entering the battlefield, the command center, protected by numerous fourth-tier formations, is no different from a safe zone.
...
As Zuo Tian led the Golden Core cultivators in a full-scale deployment, Li Chunjun also received the news.
"Sword Prodigy, Senior Brother Zuo is leading a group to assist us. They want us to meet them in the Tianyu City area," Jiang Yuxue said, quickly adding, "They also sent us a map marking the suspected locations of Core Formation cultivators, advising us to avoid them as soon as possible..."
"How many Core Formation cultivators are within a 500-mile radius of our location?"
Li Chunjun asked directly.
"Fourteen, including three Golden Core cultivators," Jiang Yuxue replied, then quickly added, "This number is only for reference. The news of your arrival in Lake Province must have already reached the Chiyang Sword Sect. As time goes on, more and more Core Formation Great Cultivators will be heading this way."
"Never mind that, give me the map," Li Chunjun said.
Jiang Yuxue swiftly handed over the Message Jade Talisman.
Li Chunjun scanned it and quickly locked onto a small group: "Three True Core cultivators and one Golden Core cultivator, not far from us..."
He suddenly looked up.
At the horizon, four sword lights seemed to be roaring toward them.
While Li Chunjun and his group were searching for the Core Formation Great Cultivators of the Chiyang Sword Sect, weren't the Chiyang Sword Sect's Core Formation Great Cultivators, upon receiving their orders, also searching for them? This was a mutual pursuit!
(End of the Chapter)
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