Colored core?
What is that?
The golden elixir of the Heavenly Dao? But people without destiny cannot condense the golden elixir of the Heavenly Dao!
The woman was somewhat puzzled, but she did not pay much attention to it. As someone at the peak of the Boundary Transcending Realm, even if she was suppressing her cultivation to be at the Gold Core Realm, the mystical techniques and comprehension of cultivation that she employed were not something Chen Xia could compare to.
Just this protection array of the past, present and future was enough to place her in an invincible position. She really could not understand how she could possibly lose.
The woman's mouth curled up into a smile. Looking at Chen Xia standing there with his fists raised, she waved her hand and shook her head, saying,
"Less posturing, more real mystical abilities."
"Alright." Chen Xia nodded. He smashed his fists together, stomped his feet, and the already shattered ground cracked even more, unable to withstand it any longer.
His smashed fists suddenly separated again. He danced a fist technique in place, bent his waist slightly, exhaled deeply, and punched upwards at the woman.
The woman raised her eyebrow, somewhat confused. "What is the meaning of this? I don't enjoy watching fist dances."
Chen Xia deeply inhaled. The green and blue light in his eyes shone to the extreme. The weather aura on his fists became increasingly torrential, and he shifted his stance.
He thrusted out with his left fist.
"Pardon my poor skills."
He said.
The ground violently cracked in that instant. Chen Xia's figure blurred because of his terrifying speed, leaving an afterimage lingering in place.
His silhouette had already enveloped the woman as he thrusted out with his left fist.
Lashed out with his right fist.
The woman's expression did not change. She did not even bother to remove her smile. She had already seen through all of Chen Xia's actions. They were nothing but petty tricks and could not compare to her mystical techniques.
After all, no matter how you looked at it, Chen Xia was just an ordinary Gold Core cultivator, while she was a Gold Core cultivator who had suppressed her Boundary Transcending Realm cultivation. There was naturally no comparison between the two.
That was what she thought as she extended a finger, structured a small spell formation on it, preparing to block this punch.
The punch arrived.
It was a very simple punch, one that did not even raise the desire to defend in people.
Because it seemed like it could be easily avoided with just a sidestep, but out of courtesy, and also to let Chen Xia see the difference in strength between them clearly, the woman chose to take the punch.
Three breaths later, she would realize that she should not have taken the punch. But of course, that would be with hindsight.
The small spell formation she had erected with her fingertip to block the punch shattered first. It did not play any role in blocking at all.
The woman retracted her finger, a trace of surprise between her brows. She felt this kind of power should not exist in a Gold Core cultivator.
Could it be that she was too weak?
The woman still found it hard to believe.
But very soon...
The punch landed on her body protection array that transcended time, able to strike her future self and past self, yet unable to touch her present self.
The woman's slightly shocked expression quickly reverted to calm, because she knew that Chen Xia could not harm her present self.
No matter what, she was in an invincible position.
Chen Xia's punch landed on her body protection array. The green and blue in his eyes suddenly dimmed, replaced by a transparent color that spread out. His entire fist hammered into the great array, not slowing down one bit.
The great array began to frantically rotate, pulled along by Chen Xia's time power, fixing itself to the correct timeframe.
Which was right now.
The woman watched as the fist that swiftly enlarged before her eyes, her own eyes widening in disbelief.
The punch landed.
The woman's figure retreated a hundred steps, carving a trench. She steadied herself with her feet and stared at the huge fist imprint on her face, yet she was not angry. Instead, she looked at Chen Xia with increasing astonishment, clicking her tongue in wonder and saying,
"You're just too fierce. How can a Gold Core not seem like a Gold Core, but more like a Yuanying? If you were not a person without destiny, I wonder how many major sects in the immortal world would accept you as a disciple. Even I am moved."
Chen Xia held his fists in front of him and nodded. "You flatter me."
The woman was startled. She touched her nose and said, "So you don't want to fight anymore?"
"You cannot beat me." Chen Xia's reply was very direct.
The woman was not angered by Chen Xia's reply. On the contrary, she quite appreciated him and laughed.
"It's possible that I cannot beat you when suppressing my cultivation to the Gold Core Realm, after all, you are also not like an ordinary Gold Core cultivator. But in this minor world, I can raise my cultivation to the Yuanying Realm."
"Yuanying Realm is still not possible." Chen Xia replied very confidently, his eyes looking straight at the woman, not yielding one bit.
The woman was somewhat surprised. "So confident. I still have many more mystical abilities that I have not brought out."
Chen Xia exhaled deeply and did not reply, only taking a step forward.
The sky spanning a hundred miles suddenly turned pitch black. Thick heavy clouds densely gathered, crimson thunder rumbled within, and mountain-sized thunderbolts emerged among the clouds, continuously roaring.
The woman stared blankly, astonished. "You can cross lightning tribulation and advance to Yuanying at any time?!"
Chen Xia nodded. "In but a thought."
He retracted his step. The sky regained its clarity, the thunder disappeared, the wind gentle and the clouds light.
He had taken back the idea of breaking through to Yuanying.
"Oh my." The woman crossed her arms over her chest, an incredulous laugh escaping her. "You really continue to surprise me. I did not expect such a character to appear in this minor world."
"Even if your maximum cultivation is at the Boundary Transcending Realm, you should be among the strongest batch of cultivators at that stage. When the time comes, the Ninth Mountain will gladly welcome you to bememorized and enshrined with an honorary title."
"Alright, alright." Chen Xia nodded. He also did not reject the idea. To be memorialized and enshrined was a good position. No need to work, yet still receiving a salary.
But right now, it was about Huang Qingyue.
This woman who claimed to be from the Ninth Mountain did not show enough sincerity, so Chen Xia was not assured to hand over Huang Qingyue.
The woman also knew that Chen Xia had been worried all this time. Since she now admired Chen Xia's talents, she naturally did not mind explaining patiently.
"If you still don't believe me, I can leave behind a lantern that connects the two realms for you. You can then communicate with the little girl through the lantern. When you ascend to the immortal world in the future, you can also come to the Ninth Mountain to visit her, as long as you don't stay for too long."
"Alright." Chen Xia thought it over for a while before nodding in agreement.
Huang Qingyue ascending to the immortal world was a given. Even if she did not follow this woman to the so-called Ninth Mountain, she would have to ascend by herself in the future.
And Chen Xia had always been suppressing his cultivation precisely to ascend together with Huang Qingyue.
But as this woman had said, there was one thing Chen Xia could not help but worry about.
That was the possibility that the spiritual energy and destiny of this minor world might not be able to support two people ascending one after the other.
No matter who stayed behind, it would not be ideal.
The woman's appearance now resolved this predicament.
Seeing Chen Xia deep in thought, the woman tapped the frozen flow of time before her and laughed.
"Why don't we let the person involved make the decision herself. Let me introduce myself by the way. I'm Shen Ying, gate master of the Ninth Mountain, and also one of the candidates for the next master of the Ninth Mountain."
The frozen flow of time started moving normally again. The shattered ground recovered along with the flow of time, becoming the flawless state it was previously in.
Huang Qingyue's frozen expression also regained animation. Her bright eyes blinked blankly a few times as she looked at the two people in confusion.
The woman repeated what she had told Huang Qingyue earlier.
Chen Xia told Huang Qingyue to carefully consider and not force herself.
Huang Qingyue's slender brows furrowed tightly. She pondered for a long time before cautiously asking, "When I go to the immortal world, I can still contact Brother Chen, right?"
The woman nodded. "As long as the inter-realm lantern exists, you two can contact each other. And when he ascends in the future, he can also come visit you at the Ninth Mountain, just not for too long."
"Okay." Huang Qingyue nodded heavily. "I'm willing!"
Chen Xia stood in place.
The wind blew past him.
It was parting again.
Luckily it was only parting, not eternal separation.
Such things were unavoidable in a long life.
On the day of parting.
Chen Xia wore a green robe, arms crossed over his chest, looking at Huang Qingyue. He lightly laughed.
"Farewell."
Huang Qingyue's eyes were cried red. She kept sniffling but could not stop her tears no matter what. Even though she was already at the Gold Core Realm, she still could not control herself.
She just looked at Chen Xia and cried incessantly, yet did not say anything.
Chen Xia looked at her distressfully, the green and blue light in his eyes flickering. He made the sky turn sunny and cloudless, knowing that Huang Qingyue liked the expansive clear blue skies.
"Wait for me."
Chen Xia called out again.
"Mm."
Huang Qingyue wiped her tears with her sleeve and nodded heavily.
After today.
Chen Xia would enter into deep secluded cultivation.
To emerge no more.