Villa, Fifth Day Midnight
The cultivation room was drenched in a silent golden glow. Midnight winds whispered beyond the stone walls as Ren Wei slowly opened his eyes.
Ding! Golden Qi conversion reached 100%.
A faint shimmer passed over his skin. He raised his hand, watching golden wisps rise from his fingertips.
No ordinary Qi remained. Even the ambient Qi flowing into his body now transformed instantly into golden essence upon contact. It was as if his very being had rejected mediocrity.
"So... it's time," he murmured.
He reached into his system inventory and retrieved a small, glowing vial. The Heaven's Core Pill pulsed like a heartbeat in his palm. Without hesitation, he swallowed it.
A fiery surge roared through him as he redirected the swirling Golden Qi toward the spiritual core within his dantian. Energy spun into a spiral, collapsing and folding inwards. The golden tide thickened, compressing into the core's center.
His back arched. The golden glow turned blinding. Sparks of Qi cracked across the chamber as space itself groaned under the pressure.
Forge it... or be broken.
A voice, ancient and echoing, passed through his mind. But Ren Wei didn't flinch. He embraced the pain, the pressure, the path.
He was forging his Golden Core.
Lian Sect, Same Night
Within the jade-tiled halls of the Lian Sect, Lian Xuanyan sat in quiet meditation before he opened his eyes and called out, "Shenger."
Moments later, Sheng Lian stepped inside and bowed respectfully. "Yes, Father? You summoned me."
Xuanyan's tone was calm, but firm. "I told you to visit that brat after one week. But change of plans. Visit him tomorrow. He will complete his cultivation earlier than expected."
Sheng Lian raised a brow but said nothing. She bowed again. "Understood."
She turned to leave.
Behind her, Lian Xuanyan chuckled to himself.
"Perhaps I should stop calling him a brat if he actually reaches the Golden Core Realm... Ahahaha."
The stars outside shifted, dimmed, and watched in silence.
A low rumble echoed inside the sealed chamber — not from the world outside, but from within Ren Wei's own body.
His spiritual core, once a mere ethereal orb, now compressed inwards like a dying star being reborn. Golden Qi, pure and radiant, spiraled into its center, spinning faster and tighter. The air thickened. The walls trembled. Ren Wei's body radiated a fierce glow as if divine veins had etched themselves across his flesh.
Ding! Golden Core Formation: Initiated… 12%... 34%... 57%...
Echo Fang, still within the system inventory, began to vibrate in resonance, as if sensing its master's rebirth.
Sweat poured down Ren Wei's brow. His limbs strained, his breath ragged. And yet, no cry escaped him. He had tasted pain before. This… was simply another trial.
Then — stillness.
Ding! Golden Core Formation: 100%
Breakthrough Complete. Golden Core Realm (Early Stage) achieved.
Main Quest: "Rise Without Shadow" Stage 4 completed. Rewards gifted.
System Notice: Host has become a Golden Core Realm cultivator. The system will now undergo an upgrade. Estimated time: 12 hours. During this period, system functions will be unavailable.
Ren Wei blinked, dazed. He stared at the flickering message, feeling the surge of overwhelming power now coursing through every cell.
"So it's done…" he whispered. "Golden Core…"
But something tugged at him — a whisper in the system's tone, a sense of hidden intention. "Upgrade? What is this system?"
He clenched his fists and exhaled slowly. "No matter. I don't need to know its origin… It walks the same path I do. One paved in blood and vengeance."
He closed his eyes again. It wasn't enough to break through. He had to stabilize this realm — control it, sharpen it, make it his own.
"I'll face them properly. At noon."
---
The mountain mist clung to the earth as Han Suiren and Gu Haoran strolled toward the villa, their robes gently fluttering.
At the midpoint of the path, Sheng Lian appeared from the eastern side trail. The three exchanged glances, nodded, and walked together in silence.
As they arrived at the villa gates, Mei Rou stepped out — her eyes widening the moment she spotted Han Suiren.
"Master Han Suiren! It's… it hasn't been a full week yet—what brings you here?"
Han Suiren chuckled, waving a hand dismissively. "Relax. He'll be out in a few hours. Go tell Su Yao to prepare something hot — he will be craving one of her meals."
"Y-yes, right away!" Mei Rou bowed deeply and dashed inside.
Moments later, the trio seated themselves in the shaded courtyard. The air was calm, but the tension was thick — a quiet acknowledgment between three people who each carried their own weight of expectation.
They sipped tea, eyes drifting toward the cultivation chamber.
"He's almost ready," Gu Haoran muttered.
"Almost," Han Suiren echoed. "But the question is — for what?"
---
Ren Wei's eyes opened to the bright light of noon.
Out of habit, he reached out with his mind — only to be greeted by a flickering message.
System is updating. Available in: 5 hours, 47 minutes, 37 seconds.
He smirked. "Hah. It's become a habit, hasn't it?"
Stretching his limbs, he released a slow breath and allowed his Qi to spread beyond the chamber's walls.
He sensed them instantly — three powerful auras lingering outside the villa.
Two — radiant, pressure-heavy. Peak Golden Core Realm.
One — sharp, subtle. Peak Foundation Establishment.
"Han Suiren… Sheng Lian… and the third… unfamiliar," he murmured.
He stood, brushing off his robes, eyes sharp.
"Well then. Let's greet our guests."