Chapter 122: Luo Xue, Su Yiyao’s Core
Her memories began in a depressing, gray world.
She had no past, only vague, instinctual impressions in her mind, and a familiar name.
When she first opened her eyes, she saw only endless darkness, a silent fear enveloping her.
Around her were only a foul stench and peers who looked like corpses. Occasionally, rays of sunlight would penetrate the cracks of the carriage, but all she could see was despair.
These days continued for a long time, yet it also seemed like just a few days.
But it was the longest time she had ever experienced.
So long that it was terrifying.
Until… Ah Chou appeared.
From their first tentative contact, silently writing their names on each other’s skin…
Even a bleak future seemed less daunting.
“Where do you think… this is…”
Crimson flames ignited in Su Yiyao’s eyes, the same color as the surrounding Blood Sea. The surrounding decay condensed, transforming into a blood-red phoenix that never extinguished.
The Blood Phoenix cried out, and the surging Blood Sea rose, carrying a power that even Soul Transformation experts feared, blocking the Primordial Mother’s tentacles.
Countless tentacles were corroded by the Blood Sea, and under the influence of the will of withering, these twisted, diseased flesh creations gradually collapsed.
Each falling piece of flesh carried the aura of a Nascent Soul cultivator, but they couldn’t struggle against the will of withering, only sinking into the depths.
“How… could a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator… do this…”
The Primordial Mother was utterly shocked. She had never taken these “keys” seriously.
In her eyes, if the Gatekeeper was an expert of the same level as them, they could sit down and talk.
If it was a true Ascension Realm expert, they would pay any price, even their dignity and everything they had.
But just a Foundation Establishment cultivator… The Primordial Mother had always seen Su Yiyao as someone she could easily control. The only thing she was wary of was the will of the other forbidden area lords.
As fellow forbidden area lords, fellow seekers of the gate, they weren’t exactly allies.
Because no one knew what the conditions for opening the gate were, or how many people could leave the cage. It was all unknown.
Truly breaking through to the Ascension Realm, who would break through first, how far they could go after breaking through, these were all unknowns.
There were no eternal friends, only eternal interests. These unknowns meant that even the forbidden area lords hid many things from each other.
But the Primordial Mother hadn’t expected that the first stumbling block she encountered would be the Gatekeeper’s successor, whom she had always underestimated.
“Could she have already reached the Nascent Soul Realm, or even Soul Transformation? No… her bone age isn’t even half a jiazi…”
The Primordial Mother was apprehensive. As the master of the Law of Life, her judgment of Su Yiyao’s age was accurate.
She was indeed a very young cultivator, not a reincarnated one.
But if she were truly a Nascent Soul or Soul Transformation expert…
The Primordial Mother would have to awaken more of her power, otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to defeat Su Yiyao.
Su Yiyao was breathing heavily, exhaustion evident on her face.
She knew that although Luo Xue was currently in a state of “death,” she wasn’t truly dead, but comprehending the will of withering within the Blood Sea.
Luo Xue, possessing the Eternal Withering Body, had an even stronger affinity for the will of withering than Su Yiyao.
There was another reason why Su Yiyao could resonate with the will of withering and control the True Phoenix blood essence and inheritance.
And… the extra drop of True Phoenix blood essence in Luo Xue’s body didn’t appear out of thin air.
In short, knowing that Ah Chou was behind her, Su Yiyao wouldn’t retreat, even if she was facing the most powerful beings in this world.
“No, she’s indeed just a Foundation Establishment cultivator.”
The Ghost King, observing from afar, said, his withered skeletal body with two faint blue flames burning in his empty eye sockets.
He had seen the brief clash and quickly saw through the essence of Su Yiyao’s strength.
“The one truly acting is the Blood Sea itself, and she’s just channeling its power.” The Ghost King said in a deep voice. “She’s like the favored child of this world, crying out, and the Blood Sea acts on her behalf… that’s all.”
This “crying out” naturally consumed a lot of energy, which was why Su Yiyao was already exhausted after such a short exchange.
The Fallen Immortal and the Holy Master looked down at the Blood Sea, apprehension in their eyes.
A mere cry from a Foundation Establishment cultivator was enough to mobilize power comparable to a Nascent Soul cultivator…
What if she reached Nascent Soul?
No one in this world knew the power of the Blood Sea better than the forbidden area lords.
This was the true terror of the Ascension Realm, a deadly threat to all cultivators below Ascension, including the forbidden area lords and the ancient beings.
The commotion Su Yiyao had just caused was just a ripple in the Blood Sea.
The forbidden area lords finally realized that the Gatekeeper’s successor, whom they had thought they could easily control, possessed such astonishing power. They had to reconsider their hasty decision.
Perhaps…
Before she grew stronger, they should capture her first?
While the other three forbidden area lords were still pondering, the Primordial Mother couldn’t wait any longer. Her initial thought was to refine Su Yiyao into her own flesh and blood, controlling the inheritance herself.
“If… it’s just borrowing power, why be afraid? Hehehe…”
The monstrous creature let out a hoarse shriek, each word like a cacophony of voices.
All the lives devoured by the Primordial Mother were imprisoned within her body, forever a part of her.
In her eyes, the little girl before her, who controlled the Gatekeeper Inheritance, would also have everything taken from her, becoming a pitiful ghost, unable to enter reincarnation, never to rest in peace.
Before the other forbidden area lords could say anything, the Primordial Mother extended countless tentacles, wrapping them around Su Yiyao.
Countless wails and cries of pain echoed from the twisted flesh and blood, the will of devouring enveloping Su Yiyao and the coffin behind her.
The Primordial Mother was extremely aggressive. Risking her approaching deadline, she unleashed more of her power. Each tentacle now possessed power close to the Soul Transformation Realm.
Su Yiyao was still unafraid. The blood-red phoenix of the will of withering soared above the Blood Sea, battling the twisted tentacles.
The will of withering corroded the twisted flesh and blood, while the devouring will of the tentacles gnawed at the Blood Phoenix.
The Blood Phoenix was gradually losing, its incomplete wings battered, only its proud head remained unbowed.
Su Yiyao could control a portion of the Blood Sea’s power with the inheritance and the True Phoenix blood essence, but she couldn’t truly awaken the Blood Sea.
It was like the Blood Sea was a sleeping giant, and Su Yiyao could only trigger some of its reflexes, not fully awaken it.
And with Su Yiyao’s current strength, just doing this was already her limit.
The Blood Phoenix retreated, and blood trickled from the corner of Su Yiyao’s lips.
She was about to collapse.
Foundation Establishment… was still not enough…
If she could reach Core Formation, she could still resist.
But now, she didn’t have the conditions for Core Formation. She had neither Earth Vein energy nor Heavenly Vein energy, not even the chance to form a Human Core.
As for Enlightenment Core Formation, this legendary method wasn’t so easily achieved.
Nangong Mengxiang had reached it because she had been stuck at the peak of Foundation Establishment for hundreds of years, constantly searching for her master, constantly comprehending during the process.
Only when her obsession was fulfilled could she naturally step into Enlightenment Core Formation.
“I’m sorry, Ah Chou…” Su Yiyao’s eyes drooped with exhaustion. “Xiao Yao… is still… useless…”
This helplessness was like when she faced the crocodile beasts at the Foundation Establishment Realm.
She wanted to do it, but she couldn’t.
And this time, it seemed she would die here again.
The Primordial Mother sneered, the ugly flesh and blood emitting a jarring cacophony of sounds, like a demon from the abyss laughing maniacally.
The Blood Phoenix let out a mournful cry and completely dissipated, turning into drops of blood-red water.
The Primordial Mother’s tentacles finally reached Su Yiyao, countless terrifying tentacles reaching for the helpless little girl.
Su Yiyao leaned against the coffin, looked at the “dead” Luo Xue, and closed her eyes wearily.
“Ah Chou… I’m sorry…”
“Xiao… Yao…”
A hoarse, low voice, as always.
Su Yiyao abruptly looked up and saw Ah Chou, whom she had been longing for, finally opening her eyes, looking at her.
Ah… the same eyes as before…
They hadn’t changed, Ah Chou hadn’t changed… How wonderful…
Luo Xue opened her eyes and saw Su Yiyao leaning against the coffin, crying.
In a trance, she thought she was back in her first dream.
Luo Xue struggled to sit up, extended her hands, filled with the aura of desolation and decay, and gently cupped Su Yiyao’s face.
She leaned closer, their foreheads touching, and said softly,
“Don’t cry… you’re… not pretty… when you cry…”
Su Yiyao continued to cry.
The swamp back then, the Blood Sea today.
Their fates seemed to always be intertwined like this.
“Ah… you’ve… become so strong… Xiao Yao…”
Perhaps because she had been dormant, Luo Xue’s voice was hoarse, but to Su Yiyao, it was like the most beautiful melody.
“You’ve already… reached Core Formation…”
Core Formation?
Su Yiyao was stunned and immediately looked within her soul.
Indeed, she had formed her core…
Not a Heaven Core, nor an Earth or Human Core.
And definitely not the legendary Enlightenment Core.
It was a pitch-black core, emanating destruction and death, filled with the will of withering.
What had caused her to form her core was the will of withering.
…Such a thing had never happened before.
The will of withering was something no living being could casually touch. Even Su Yiyao, who could use it slightly before, could only use it.
Core Formation involved merging one’s sea of consciousness and spiritual aperture with the core, creating a small world within one’s body. The essence of the will of withering was uncontrollable destruction. How could it form a core, the symbol of a small world’s birth?
Unless…
The will of withering could be controlled.
Only one person could do that.
…Luo Xue, with her Eternal Withering Body.
Luo Xue was Su Yiyao’s core.
The calmed Blood Sea churned again, and the Blood Phoenix reformed, but this time, tinged with purple.
This was their power.
Destruction and decay surged, shattering the twisted tentacles attacking Luo Xue and Su Yiyao.
The Primordial Mother screamed, her monstrous body starting to collapse, forced to unleash more power to maintain her form.
“What… is this…”
The Primordial Mother stared at the Blood Phoenix, the pressure of the Ascension Realm growing heavier. She had already released her cultivation to the early stage of Soul Transformation, yet she could barely hold on.
If Su Yiyao had only been triggering the giant’s reflexes before, now she had partially awakened its consciousness.
The Blood Sea was awakening. This was a power capable of crushing even forbidden area lords, a power of the Ascension Realm. Even a sliver of it was enough to terrify the Primordial Mother.
The other three forbidden area lords looked at the two little girls embracing beneath the Blood Phoenix, their expressions turning serious.
“Such a Core Formation… unheard of…”
“The Eternal Withering Body is a Dao Body only recorded in the ancient demon lands. Any special occurrences are not surprising.”
“I see, I see, no wonder she kept looking for this Peerless Summit Sect disciple…”
They felt like they had been played by Su Yiyao. They hadn’t expected her to know so much, even that the Eternal Withering Body could enhance her control over the Blood Sea.
The forbidden area lords didn’t believe there were any feelings between Su Yiyao and Luo Xue. They had never met before. The only explanation was… this was all Su Yiyao’s plan.
The Gatekeeper’s successor… seemed to be quite extraordinary.
Su Yiyao carried the still-unconscious Luo Xue on her back, took out her broken dagger, and faced the four forbidden area lords again.
They were shocked to see… that she was smiling.
Su Yiyao looked happy, almost blissfully so.
Was all of this within her plan…
Even they, such powerful beings, had fallen for her scheme… The forbidden area lords couldn’t help but shudder.
“Are you not going to attack?” The Primordial Mother shrieked, her cultivation suddenly erupting to the mid-stage of Soul Transformation. “Do you want to wait until I exhaust all my power? Aren’t you afraid that this little girl will completely control the Blood Sea… and turn against us?”
The forbidden area lords’ eyes flickered. They knew the Primordial Mother was right. If the Blood Sea truly awakened, even if they joined forces, it would be difficult to resist the power of the Ascension Realm.
Now, even the Holy Master, who had been hesitant, became resolute. At least, they had to control the key, so they wouldn’t be controlled by others.
“Attack!”
The forbidden area lords reached a tacit understanding and unleashed their cultivation to the mid-stage of Soul Transformation. This was the limit of their power while maintaining their dormant state.
Once they made a decision, they would go all out, even if they were facing just a Core Formation and a Spirit Condensation cultivator.
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