Crunched leaves beneath Bai Xing's boots gave way to a village. After days hunting boars for coins, he sold his kills and turned his mind to forging a flying sword.
He found the necessary materials, simple enough for the mortal world , and with Tai Bing Chi's
guidance, began to infuse his qi into the molten metals. The air hummed with the effort, the
nascent blade slowly taking shape. "Although I would love a more powerful sword," Bai Xing
mused aloud, admiring the gleaming metal, "the mortal world doesn't have any higher-grade
treasures."
Indeed, the mortal world's resources were limited. Here, one could only find Quasi-Mortal
Grade, Mortal Grade, Earth Grade, and, at the very peak, Quasi-Spirit Grade artifacts. Each
grade served a specific cultivation realm: Quasi-Mortal for the Body Refining Realm, Mortal for
the Qi Refining Realm, Earth for the Foundation Establishment Realm, and finally, Quasi-Spirit
for the Golden Core Realm. To ascend beyond the Golden Core, to truly cultivate into the
Nascent Soul realm, one had to leave this world and venture into the Spiritual World.
With his newly forged sword, Bai Xing embarked on an extensive journey. He traversed the
Southern Continent for nearly twenty days, his senses alive to the world around him. He
discovered a wealth of herbs, encountered various spiritual beasts, and even stumbled upon a
few Quasi-Spirit Grade treasures. "I can't use them now, so what?" he thought, a confident smile
playing on his lips. "They'll be useful later."
His travels then led him to the Eastern Continent, where he spent another thirty days. It was
here that he encountered other cultivators, their stories painting a vivid picture of the Spiritual
World. Sects, they explained, were paramount there, offering missions for cultivators from
Foundation Establishment to Golden Core stages to earn sect contribution points. Nascent
Soul cultivators and those of higher realms were barred from entering the mortal world, blocked
by the very heavens themselves. Not even a Nirvana cultivator, they whispered, would dare
attempt such a crossing. Bai Xing absorbed every detail, learning about the three most powerful
sects: the Heaven Spirit Sect, Blossom Spirit Sect, and Thunder Spirit Sect. It was
compulsory, he was told, for all sects in the spiritual world to include "Spirit" in their names, lest
they face the wrath of the Heavenly Court.
The Heavenly Court, a sect of ancient origins, held immense power. They maintained branches
in every world, even the mortal realm, though they too were bound by the heavens and could
not directly cross worlds. Rumors, however, spoke of their ability to communicate across realms.
In the mortal world, their influence was undeniable, boasting forty-five peak Golden Core stage
cultivators—absolute powerhouses. More importantly, they possessed a method for Golden
Core peak stage cultivators to ascend directly into the Spiritual World.
Two years slipped by as Bai Xing continued his journey, cultivating diligently amidst his travels.
His qi drops, a measure of his cultivation progress, had soared from 512 to an astonishing 3048.
He had already reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm. The Golden Core,
however, presented a greater challenge. It required solidifying his liquid qi into a tangible core.
He decided to postpone this breakthrough, intending to join the Heavenly Court first, then
cultivate to the peak Golden Core stage, and finally ascend to the Spiritual World.
As he neared the Central Continent, renowned for its exceptionally high spiritual energy
levels, a disturbing scene unfolded before him. A group of bandits, brutish and cruel, were
attacking travelers, stealing their possessions, and even taking lives. Bai Xing paused, a
thought igniting in his mind. "Should I test my new weapons and skills? What if there's a test of
power to join the Heavenly Court? I really should test my current powers."The air crackled with tension as Bai Xing stepped onto the dusty road, blocking the bandits'
path. Their crude laughter died in their throats as they eyed the lone figure.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" sneered a hulking bandit, his hand already on the hilt of his
rusty saber. "Another fool looking to be relieved of his burdens?"
Bai Xing's voice was calm, almost too calm. "You are preying on the weak. That is a path I
cannot tolerate."
"Hah! And what are you going to do about it, little man?" another bandit scoffed, drawing a
crude axe.
Without a word, Bai Xing moved. His new flying sword, a blur of silver light, hummed as he
unleashed his group skill. Shadowfall Slash! Dozens of sword shadows, shimmering like
moonlight on water, erupted around him, weaving a deadly dance through the bandit ranks.
Cries of pain and shock filled the air as the bandits, caught off guard by the sheer speed and
precision, fell like puppets with cut strings. Within moments, only a handful remained, their
bravado replaced by fear.
Then, a booming voice cut through the chaos. "Enough! You dogs are useless!"
From the deepest shadows of the bandit camp emerged their leader, a burly man radiating the
distinct aura of a Golden Core cultivator. His eyes, glinting with malice, fixed on Bai Xing.
"You've got some skill, boy. But you're dealing with a Golden Core. You should have minded
your own business."
"Perhaps," Bai Xing replied, his stance unwavering. "But a Golden Core who preys on mortals is
no true cultivator."
The bandit leader roared, "Insolent brat! I'll show you what a true cultivator can do!" He lunged
forward, his qi flaring, manifesting as a solid golden fist that hurtled towards Bai Xing.
Bai Xing met the attack head-on, his sword flashing. The clash sent a shockwave through the
air, dust swirling around them. The bandit leader was strong, his attacks heavy and relentless.
Bai Xing parried, dodged, and countered, his movements fluid and precise, but he could feel the
pressure. This was a true test. He had to be strategic.
"You're quicker than I thought, but speed won't save you from a Golden Core!" the leader
grunted, his face contorted in a sneer. He unleashed a barrage of qi blades, razor-sharp and
infused with his core power.
Bai Xing weaved through the deadly volley, his mind racing. He needed to find an opening, a
weakness in the leader's aggressive assault. He decided to use a combination of his newfound
speed and precise qi control. He feigned a retreat, drawing the leader further in, then spun,
unleashing a rapid succession of sword strikes that aimed for the leader's vital points, forcing
him to defend frantically.
"What?! How can you be so nimble?!" the leader roared, taken aback by Bai Xing's sudden
change in tactics.
Bai Xing pressed his advantage. His sword, a silver streak, blurred as he invoked Flowing
River Dance, a technique that allowed his blade to move with the unpredictable grace of water,
deflecting strikes and creating openings simultaneously. He was pushing his limits, but the
adrenaline surged through him. The leader's powerful but predictable swings began to miss their
mark more often.
The bandit leader, growing frustrated, bellowed, "Fine! Let's see you handle this!" He raised his
hands, and a massive, glowing qi hammer materialized, ready to crush Bai Xing. Mountainfall
Strike!
Bai Xing knew this was the leader's strongest attack. He couldn't meet it head-on. Instead, he
channeled his qi into his feet, blurring into motion with Wind Step, a skill that allowed him to
move with incredible bursts of speed, leaving afterimages. He circled the charging leader, his sword tracing intricate patterns in the air, gathering energy for his own decisive counter.
He saw it—a momentary lapse in the leader's defense as he overextended on his powerful
strike. With a grunt, Bai Xing channeled every ounce of his energy into one final, decisive blow.
His sword glowed with a fierce, pure light as he executed Piercing Star Blade, a concentrated
thrust designed to bypass defenses. The blade pierced through the leader's massive qi hammer,
shattering it with a resounding crack, and then struck true.
The bandit leader coughed, a gurgle of blood escaping his lips as his eyes widened in disbelief.
"Impossible… a Foundation Establishment…" His form wavered, and with a final, shuddering
breath, he collapsed, his Golden Core aura dissipating into the air.
Bai Xing stood panting, his sword tip resting on the ground, a thin bead of sweat tracing a path
down his temple. The fight had been hard, pushing him to his very limits, but he had emerged
victorious. He had proven his strength. He had faced a Golden Core cultivator and prevailed.
With the bandits dealt with and his power tested, Bai Xing continued his journey towards the
Heavenly Court. Five days later, the imposing gates of the Heavenly Court, radiating an ancient
and powerful aura, appeared before him. The next chapter of his journey, and perhaps his
ascension, was about to begin.