Lu Yang had entered a rather profound state. His perception of the outside world had greatly diminished, allowing him only to sense the Golden Core Stage beings attacking him, while everything beyond became blurry.

Conversely, the fog surrounding his dantian was thinning. It seemed that if he could just clear away the fog, he would see what lay behind the halo of light.

A beast with a tiger’s head and a dragon’s body lunged at Lu Yang. This was a tiger-dragon, a Golden Core late-stage beast that lived in water but could temporarily move on land. Mu Tian Grass had brought it from the lake specifically to hunt Lu Yang.

Sensing the tiger-dragon’s attack, Lu Yang gently exhaled a breath of Three Flavours True Fire, which then clung to Qingfeng Sword.

Already sharp, Qingfeng Sword’s power was further enhanced by the Three Flavours True Fire.

As the tiger-dragon roared and charged, Lu Yang twisted his wrist and lightly shouted “Sever.” The Qingfeng Sword sliced through, decapitating the tiger-dragon. Its head rolled to Lu Yang’s feet, emitting a tantalizing roasted scent.

This was the “Sever Word Technique.” Although it wasn’t as powerful as the “Break Word Technique,” which drained much of his spiritual power, it could be used repeatedly and was slightly stronger in single strikes.

The Mu Tian Grass attempted to control the tiger-dragon’s corpse, but Lu Yang anticipated this. He activated the “Sever Word Technique” again, dismembering the tiger-dragon into eight pieces.

Another beast, resembling a small, three-legged turtle, appeared by Lu Yang’s feet. It held sand in its mouth, which it spat at Lu Yang’s shadow.

This was a Yu, capable of shooting poison through shadows to kill its enemies.

Lu Yang, keeping his divine sense active, had already noticed the Yu’s actions. He channeled a surge of sword energy into Qingfeng Sword, causing the Three Flavours True Fire to flare up, altering Lu Yang’s shadow.

With a swift reverse thrust, he pierced the Yu’s tough, dark green shell, killing it.

A Ba Snake and a Fei Wei appeared on either side of Lu Yang. Both ancient serpent-like beasts attacked simultaneously, intending to strangle him.

Lu Yang used Draw a Prison From The Ground to drag the Ba Snake underground, following it with Shrinking Earth. Unable to wield the Qingfeng Sword effectively underground, he covered his fists in True Fire and used Arhat Fist. The blazing fist marks turned the earth to scorched ground, smashing the Ba Snake’s dantian before it could react.

Emerging behind the Fei Wei, Lu Yang took a Great Restoration Pill to replenish his spiritual power and then split the Fei Wei in half with the Qingfeng Sword.

“I don’t believe it. With so many Golden Core Stage beings, I can’t take you down! You’re just a Foundation Building Stage cultivator. Stop struggling and die!” Mu Tian Grass, feeling panicked, tried to mask its anxiety with loud threats.

Whether it was the tiger-dragon or the Ba Snake, these were Mu Tian Grass’s prized servants, each with immense potential and almost as valuable as Lu Yang himself. Now, all had been effortlessly killed by Lu Yang.

Mu Tian Grass sensed that Lu Yang was growing stronger, his control over his power becoming more refined, his movements more fluid and seamless, and his combat techniques increasingly sophisticated, allowing him to achieve victory with minimal effort.

This transformation needed to be stopped!

Mu Tian Grass shifted its focus from Everlasting Fairy to Lu Yang, sending more beasts to attack him.

Everlasting Fairy noticed Lu Yang’s transformation and couldn’t help but smile.

More and more beasts attacked Lu Yang, either being slain by him or having their dantians shattered by Arhat Fist.

However, Lu Yang’s physical state was deteriorating. Continuous use of sword techniques and Arhat Fist rapidly drained his spiritual power. Even constantly taking Great Restoration Pills couldn’t keep up with the depletion.

Several Golden Core Stage beings had severely injured Lu Yang. His left arm was fractured, and deep cuts on his abdomen and back exposed his bones.

Covered in blood, Lu Yang staggered with each step.

At this rate, he would soon be exhausted and die, fulfilling Mu Tian Grass’s wish.

This should have been a cause for celebration, but Mu Tian Grass couldn’t feel happy.

It noticed that although Lu Yang’s injuries increased, his eyes shone brightly like the moon, especially noticeable in the dark forest.

“What are you laughing at! What are you laughing at!” Mu Tian Grass roared, feeling mocked by Lu Yang.

Indeed, Lu Yang was laughing, and he was laughing heartily.

“Why shouldn’t I laugh? A swarm of Golden Core Stage cultivators can’t defeat a late-stage Foundation Building cultivator like me. Shouldn’t I be happy?”

“Am I too strong, or are these Golden Core Stage cultivators too weak?”

Step by step, Lu Yang moved towards Mu Tian Grass, nearly falling several times due to his severe injuries. Even so, he made Mu Tian Grass’s heart race with fear.

In a frenzy, Mu Tian Grass commanded the beasts to attack Lu Yang en masse, not caring about precise control. It wanted to crush this human prodigy to death, no matter what!

Lu Yang no longer had the strength to wield his sword. He fought off the beasts with his bare fists, squeezing out every last bit of his energy.

Meanwhile, the fog in his dantian grew thinner.

Or rather, it wasn’t the fog that was thinning but the halo of light behind it that was absorbing the fog, becoming more complete.

Lu Yang felt a realization dawn on him. “Is this the accumulated combat experience from my challenges in the forest?”

His body began to change, with the wounds on his abdomen and back gradually healing and scabbing over, and his broken left arm miraculously reattaching. His essence, energy, and spirit merged, like a torch burning fiercely, continuously fueled, and the torch of his vitality burned ever brighter.

The fog completely dissipated, revealing the halo’s true form—a plump, golden core.

This golden core was incredibly profound. Its appearance symbolized invincibility. With a slight rotation, it swept away Lu Yang’s fatigue.

Lu Yang felt an endless surge of power, far beyond what a Foundation Building cultivator could possess.

Under this overwhelming force, the bottleneck of the Foundation Building Stage was effortlessly shattered.

Golden Core Stage!

“Yazi, kill him!”

A formidable beast stood out among the Golden Core Stage beings. It was Yazi, a fierce beast with the body of a wolf and the head of a dragon, born from a dragon and a wolf, holding a sword in its mouth and glaring at Lu Yang.

This beast was on par with the Nine Infant, a ruler of the forest, but before the current Lu Yang, it was nothing.

Lu Yang extended his index and middle fingers, merging them into a sharp, sword-like phantom.

“Go.”

The sword phantom slashed downward and then vanished.

Yazi glared at Lu Yang, a thin line of blood appearing from its head to its tail.

With a gentle breath from Lu Yang, Yazi split in two and fell to the sides.

The mere sword phantom surpassed the power of Lu Yang’s strongest Break Word Technique!

“You’ve broken through to the Golden Core Stage!” Mu Tian Grass stared at Lu Yang in disbelief. This shock surpassed all its previous astonishment; it had never heard of such a way to break through.

Lu Yang ignored Mu Tian Grass’s shock. It was no longer a threat. He was studying his newly formed golden core.

“This golden core seems to have many profound aspects that I haven’t discovered yet. The ancient texts don’t mention it either. In other words, this golden core is unique. What should I name it… Ah, I got it. I’ll call it the Primordial Qi Core!”

As Lu Yang finalized the name, Everlasting Fairy’s excited voice echoed in his ear.

“That’s my Invincible Core!”

“Lu Yang, you hypocrite! You said you wouldn’t form my golden core, but deep down, you knew my Invincible Core was the best for you!”

Everlasting Fairy, having dealt with the beasts surrounding her, elbowed Lu Yang and winked, her smile radiant.

Lu Yang: “…What?!”