Back then, after his successful Core Formation.

Liu Xuanfeng had entered a small Secret Realm controlled by the Purple Mist Sect.

He had made some gains in the Secret Realm. Upon his return, he had immediately entered seclusion, only emerging today after breaking through to the Middle Stage of Golden Core.

He had been in high spirits, brimming with confidence.

But now...

The news of Li Chang’an’s Core Formation filled him with such unease that the smile vanished from his face.

’A Loose Cultivator with a Low Grade Spirit Root actually managed to reach Core Formation? And he even formed a True Pill?’

As Liu Xuanfeng listened to the various reports, his expression grew increasingly grim.

Years ago, he had tasked Wang Xiao, Pu Jie, and the others with killing Li Chang’an.

But the Soul Lamps of all five had since been extinguished.

To this day, the Purple Mist Sect had not determined the cause of their deaths.

’It must have been Li Chang’an!’

Liu Xuanfeng clenched his fists.

His Tier Three Earth Dragon, Wang Xiao, and the other four—they had all died under mysterious circumstances, and all of them had been at odds with Li Chang’an.

He couldn’t think of any other culprit besides Li Chang’an.

’For Li Chang’an to reach Core Formation with a Low Grade Spirit Root, he must have stumbled upon a heaven-defying opportunity. Perhaps that opportunity included a lethal Treasure, powerful enough to help him slay a Middle Stage Golden Core Cultivator.’

At this thought, Liu Xuanfeng could no longer sit still. He transformed into a streak of light and shot off to find his father.

His father, Liu Haichao, possessed a Late Stage Golden Core Cultivation. The pill he had formed was a Half-step Immortal Golden Core, making him one of the Purple Mist Sect’s Saint Children with a chance at Nascent Soul Formation.

"Father, I want to go to the Southern Domain!"

"Why not spend more time cultivating within the Sect?"

Liu Haichao asked, a puzzled look on his face.

"Xuanfeng, you just broke through to the Middle Stage of Golden Core. You should be consolidating your Cultivation. Is there some urgent matter?"

"Father, I need to kill a Loose Cultivator from the Southern Domain..."

Liu Xuanfeng held nothing back, immediately explaining the conflict between him and Li Chang’an.

After hearing the story, Liu Haichao fell into a long, thoughtful silence.

’The Ten Thousand Demon Blood Stone... a Foundation Establishment Cultivator defeating a Golden Core... A great opportunity?’

The very word "opportunity" was alluring, and even a Saint Child from a Nascent Soul Major Sect like Liu Haichao was no exception.

Although he had a chance at Nascent Soul Formation, his odds of success were minuscule.

If he could obtain a great opportunity...

Perhaps... he could advance further on his path of Cultivation and touch the Nascent Soul Threshold.

"Xuanfeng, this Li Chang’an is no simple character. I will go with you. After we kill him, we’ll head to the Ancient Ruins Secret Realm at the border of the Southern and Western Domains. We, father and son, will seek out an opportunity for Nascent Soul together!"

Liu Haichao had made his decision.

Before long, the two of them transformed into streaks of light, departing from the Purple Mist Sect and heading straight for Changqing Mountain in the Southern Domain.

...

「Meanwhile.」

On Changqing Mountain, within the courtyard.

Li Chang’an saw Jiang Xuanyuan off.

"Take care, Senior."

"Hn."

Jiang Xuanyuan gave a slight nod and vanished over the horizon in an instant.

Before departing, he swept his Nascent Soul Divine Sense across all of Changqing Mountain to ensure that Huang Sha True Monarch hadn’t left any hidden measures behind.

For a Golden Core Cultivator, any trap left by a Nascent Soul True Monarch would be fatal.

Fortunately, Changqing Mountain was completely clean, inside and out.

Thus, a Nascent Soul-level crisis was averted.

Although Li Chang’an was unharmed, he yearned even more for Nascent Soul Power.

In the current Cultivation Immortality Realm, only by reaching the Nascent Soul realm could one truly leap the dragon gate and join the ranks of the powerful elite.

’Nascent Soul!’

Li Chang’an took a deep breath, about to return to secluded Cultivation.

Just then, Xu Fugui suddenly arrived on the mountain.

Patting his round belly, his face ruddy and glowing, he was completely oblivious to the fact that a confrontation between Nascent Soul True Monarchs had just taken place on Changqing Mountain.

"Big Brother, your 150th birthday is almost here. Are you planning to host a banquet?"

"Oh? Is it that time already?"

Prompted by the reminder, Li Chang’an calculated the time.

Indeed, it was almost upon him.

Time flows differently in Cultivation. His 100th birthday felt like it was only yesterday, yet in the blink of an eye, fifty years had passed.

"One hundred and fifty years old..."

Li Chang’an stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing out at the vast world below Changqing Mountain, and couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion.

He recalled how, a hundred years ago, he had still been struggling in the Qi Refining Stage.

But now, he was an exalted Golden Core Ancestor.

Of the many friends who had set out to seek immortality with him back then, many had not been heard from since. If they had failed to reach Foundation Establishment, they would have all passed away by now.

Though his Cultivation was now high, in the grand scheme of the vast heavens and earth, he was but a drop in the ocean.

Li Chang’an gazed at the deep, vast sky, the reflective feelings in his heart growing ever stronger.

A moment later,

He slowly closed his eyes, standing perfectly still in the courtyard for a long time.

Seeing this, Xu Fugui did not disturb him and quietly retreated to the side.

’Could Big Brother be having another epiphany?’

He scratched his head, unable to comprehend what was happening.

About an hour later,

A profound and mysterious aura suddenly emanated from Li Chang’an.

Xu Fugui was astonished to discover that although Li Chang’an was standing right before him, he suddenly felt as if he were separated by an immeasurable distance.

’What’s going on?’

In his eyes, Li Chang’an was clearly still in the same spot, not having moved at all.

But that mystical aura shrouded Li Chang’an in a hazy, ethereal quality, making him seem as if he had transcended this world and no longer existed within it.

It wasn’t just Xu Fugui; even the two Spirit Pets, Xiaohai and Dahuang, and Jiang Muyu, who was standing nearby, couldn’t comprehend the change that was taking place.

They could only be sure of one thing: this change was a good one.

It meant no harm for Li Chang’an.

Before they knew it, another hour had passed.

Li Chang’an slowly opened his eyes. They had grown even more profound, and his entire aura was so mystical and mysterious that he no longer seemed like an ordinary Cultivator.

’Tier Four Divination Skill!’

Just now, that profound sense of time’s passage had plunged him into a state of epiphany.

This epiphany had caused his Divination Skill to surge, allowing him to smoothly cross the threshold into Tier Four.

He was now a Tier Four Divination Grandmaster!