Chapter 882

Chapter 882: The Battle of Golden Core (Part One)

Ling You City, Star Plucking Pavilion.

Seven days have passed since the calamity of Evil Beasts, and this immortal city has mostly returned to a state of calm.

However, the disaster has inflicted significant damage upon Ling You City.

The primary losses are concentrated outside the city; most of their territory’s spirit fields, orchards, and medicinal gardens have either been ravaged by Evil Beasts or destroyed by the rain of fire unleashed by the True Lords.

The latter, in particular, caused far greater damage to Ling You City than the army of Evil Beasts.

Yet, if it weren’t for the timely intervention of those True Lords, Ling You City would not have survived unscathed!

However, Ling You City’s troubles are far from over.

“The price of spiritual rice has skyrocketed several times recently, and it’s likely to rise even further,”

True Master Jingyun said with a bitter smile to Wang Chen. “Elixirs and talismans are also becoming more expensive; everyone is terrified.”

The impact of this Evil Beast calamity extends far beyond Ling You City.

In fact, over a dozen immortal cities, both large and small, were simultaneously attacked, and their situations are quite similar to that of Ling You City. The most severely affected immortal city was nearly half-destroyed by the Evil Beasts.

All these immortal cities are subordinate to Luodu Immortal City!

Under such circumstances, everyone is too preoccupied with their own troubles to offer any assistance to Ling You City.

Of course, once the situation stabilizes, prices will inevitably fall; after all, as long as there is profit to be made, merchants will travel great distances to sell their goods.

Wang Chen listened and sensed something amiss: “What exactly is going on?”

This calamity erupted suddenly, and now, hearing that all the subordinate cities of Luodu Immortal City have suffered, one can’t help but suspect a conspiracy.

True Master Jingyun hesitated for a moment before sending a message: “It is said that the root of this lies in Luodu Immortal City…”

It turns out that over a dozen immortal cities, including Ling You City, were besieged by the army of Evil Beasts and sought aid from Luodu Immortal City.

The latter dispatched several True Lords and dozens of Nascent Soul true immortals to reinforce these immortal cities.

However, just as the core forces of Luodu Immortal City were deployed, the seal of the Demon Suppressing Tower within the city was broken!

For centuries, the Demon Suppressing Tower had been suppressing a celestial beast.

Moreover, the tower continuously drew power from this celestial beast, channeling it into Luodu Immortal City’s protective formation.

As soon as the tower was breached, the celestial beast, nearly drained of its strength, immediately awoke and shattered its chains, bursting out of Luodu Immortal City.

The roar of that celestial beast echoed for hundreds of miles!

Although Luodu Immortal City tried to suppress the news, such a monumental event could not be kept secret!

Now, everyone finally understands that the Evil Beast calamities breaking out across various regions were merely a diversion, with the true goal being to rescue the celestial beast imprisoned in Luodu Immortal City.

Now, the people of Luodu Immortal City are filled with dread, fearing that the celestial beast will seek vengeance once it regains its strength.

It’s worth noting that the celestial beast is equivalent to a Dao merging true venerable!

“This is a matter for the powerful to worry about,”

True Master Jingyun added to Wang Chen. “As mere Golden Cores, as long as we’re not involved, we need not concern ourselves.”

In other words, the level of Golden Cores is still far too low.

Knowing that this was True Master Jingyun’s attempt to comfort him, Wang Chen couldn’t help but smile wryly: “Perhaps.”

Before achieving Golden Core condensation, he had believed that all beneath the Golden Core were insignificant. Now, having formed his Golden Core, he realized that in the eyes of higher-level cultivators, even a true immortal was merely cannon fodder.

Recalling the scene seven days ago when the True Lords unleashed their spells, Wang Chen still felt a shiver of fear. Often, it wasn’t that one sought danger, but when calamity fell from the heavens, there was no escape!

“Focus on your cultivation,” True Master Jingyun said, understanding Wang Chen’s sentiments. “Yuan Ying, transforming into a spirit, Dao merging… We cultivators must ascend peak by peak, and one day, we shall attain great powers and freedoms…”

“Cough, cough!” Before the Golden Core Kun Cultivator could finish her heartfelt words, she was seized by a violent coughing fit. Her face turned pale, and blood seeped from the corners of her mouth.

Wang Chen was startled: “True Master Jingyun!” He had noticed something amiss with her aura when they met, but he hadn’t expected her condition to be so severe.

“It’s nothing,” True Master Jingyun waved her hand dismissively. “The backlash from the formation that day damaged my foundation. I’ve prepared for closed-door cultivation to heal, which will likely take two to three years to fully recover.”

“During this time, I may not be able to trade with you, or…”

“It’s of no consequence,” Wang Chen interrupted her. “Jingyun, focus on your recovery and don’t worry about these matters.”

The higher a cultivator’s level, the more troublesome damage to their foundation becomes. True Master Jingyun had come to see him despite her illness, which filled Wang Chen with guilt. He couldn’t care less about the spirit tool trade!

After taking an elixir, True Master Jingyun’s complexion improved slightly, and she managed a weak smile at Wang Chen.

They conversed for a long time. After all, True Master Jingyun was about to enter closed-door cultivation for at least two to three years. Their deep friendship and mutual respect made them uncertain of when they might meet again, so they lingered over their conversation.

After parting ways, Wang Chen wandered around Ling You City. As True Master Jingyun had mentioned, the prices of various supplies in the city had risen, especially the spiritual rice consumed daily by middle to low-level cultivators, which had tripled in price!

This, of course, had no impact on Wang Chen. Having formed his Golden Core, his need for spiritual food had greatly diminished. He only required some yellow essence and ganoderma to meet his body’s needs. Moreover, he had previously stockpiled a large quantity of high-quality spiritual rice, spiritual wine, and spirit fruits.

Taking advantage of the soaring prices, Wang Chen quickly sold off a batch of recently refined spirit tools and materials obtained from slaying Evil Beasts.

After completing his sales, the sky was nearly dark. Wang Chen had no intention of staying overnight in Ling You City, so he left the immortal city before the curfew.

“Seal the heavens and earth!” To Wang Chen’s surprise, just after flying a hundred miles, a cold voice echoed from afar.

In the next moment, Wang Chen felt as though he had sunk into a quagmire; the surrounding space froze, and an invisible pressure bore down on him from all directions! Remarkably, Wang Chen had sensed nothing beforehand!

Despite being caught off guard, Wang Chen remained composed in this critical moment. With a flick of his wrist, he revealed a copper seal—the Xuan Yuan Seal!

Infusing it with true essence, the seal emitted a boundless golden light, instantly enveloping Wang Chen. The forces that had trapped and suppressed him weakened significantly.

The Xuan Yuan Seal was the key to the Xuan Yuan Formation; its holder controlled the entire formation, which itself contained formidable destructive power, equivalent to a high-level magical treasure.

Since obtaining the Xuan Yuan Seal, Wang Chen had refined it day and night, fully mastering this significant artifact. The moment he successfully activated the seal’s power, Wang Chen stepped into the air, escaping several miles away in an instant with a “Leisurely Courtyard of Thousands of Miles.”