Xie Liufeng led Chu Xinghui through the mountain, taking several winding paths, until they finally reached the cave he had lived in all those years ago.

At the entrance, there were signs of many failed attempts to force open the barrier.

Over the centuries, people must have discovered the cave and thought it was the tomb of a deceased ancestor, so they tried to break in, but failed and left in the end.

Xie Liufeng rummaged through his storage ring and finally found a jade talisman at the bottom of an old box to open the cave.

Chu Xinghui watched as Xie Liufeng pulled out a whole stack of jade talismans from the box, and couldn’t help but ask: “…You have many caves like this?”

Xie Liufeng thought for a moment: “I suppose so, but I can’t remember exactly.”

Most of the places he had lived in had only been used for a few months, and he rarely reused an old residence.

As they were talking, Xie Liufeng opened the formation at the entrance.

Inside the cave, the layout was in Xie Liufeng’s usual simple and free-spirited style. Everything was arranged carelessly, with no particular order.

He had taken most of the items with him the last time he left, so only the basics remained. It felt rather empty, but it was perfect for Chu Xinghui’s seclusion.

Xie Liufeng looked around with some nostalgia, then handed the jade talisman and its box to Chu Xinghui: “It’s all yours now. Next time you’re out training and you find a cave with my aura, you can try using the jade talismans inside.”

He wasn’t very organized when packing up, so it was possible that he could still find a few useful things.

Chu Xinghui: “…”

He couldn’t help but think back to when he was still in the mortal world, and how the owner of the local shop had sold him random junk boxes for three copper coins each.

Out of curiosity, he had bought two, but when he opened them, he lost six copper coins in total.

Xie Liufeng, unaware of Chu Xinghui’s less-than-pleasant thoughts, walked around the cave, reactivated the Spirit Gathering Array, and asked Chu Xinghui’s opinion: “Anything else you need? Since we’re here, we might as well get it all set up.”

Chu Xinghui wasn’t picky about the place for his seclusion. He shook his head: “This will be fine.”

Still not completely at ease, Xie Liufeng pulled him down and first checked the flow of spiritual power inside his body, then patiently went over the key points of Golden Core formation with him.

The black bird yawned, squatting in its cage and gradually dozing off.

After Chu Xinghui had listened to Xie Liufeng’s instructions carefully, he asked: “Where are you going?”

Xie Liufeng thought for a moment and answered: “I promise, the first thing you’ll see when you come out of seclusion will be me.”

It seemed that he was planning to take care of some other matters while Chu Xinghui was in seclusion.

Chu Xinghui understood the unspoken words and nodded.

Everyone had their own business to attend to, and that was perfectly normal.

However… he couldn’t help but glance at Xie Liufeng.

Xie Liufeng, having already noticed what Chu Xinghui was thinking, reached out and embraced him.

Chu Xinghui tightened his grip on Xie Liufeng’s clothes, gruffly saying: “…I didn’t want you to hug me this time.”

Xie Liufeng chuckled softly: “Hmm, it’s me who wants to hug you.”

Chu Xinghui fell silent.

Xie Liufeng leaned in close and whispered in his ear: “If you’re in danger, just call my name. I’ll be nearby, and I’ll hear you.”

Chu Xinghui nodded.

Before leaving, Xie Liufeng casually picked up the cage with the black bird inside and waved at Chu Xinghui: “I’ll take this with me for now.”

The bird’s constant chattering was indeed a distraction during cultivation, and Chu Xinghui nodded in agreement.

*

Once the cave door was shut, Xie Liufeng finally turned his attention to the black bird.

He opened the cage and began speaking directly to it: “Come on, let’s have a talk.”

Realizing what was happening, the black bird immediately flew out of the cage, trying to collide with the barrier leading to Chu Xinghui’s closed-door cultivation area.

Xie Liufeng watched as it repeatedly crashed against the formation. He reminded it: “This is no ordinary formation. You won’t be able to get through.”

The black bird froze mid-air, then dropped to the ground, hopping around in an innocent and carefree manner, as if it didn’t understand a word of what Xie Liufeng was saying.

“I sensed a thick evil energy when I extended my divine sense into your sealed domain earlier,” Xie Liufeng was too lazy to beat around the bush. He directly revealed his findings: “Whether it’s a weapon spirit or a sword spirit, it’s rare for them to exist independently from their physical form. Besides, earlier, you couldn’t even sense where your own body was—this suggests that your physical form was specially sealed and its intelligence removed. It must’ve been done to ensure the suppression. And there’s intense evil energy around your original body. Were you once a bloodthirsty weapon?”

Weapons that have killed too many people or creatures gain a reputation as “bloodthirsty blades,” carrying an overwhelMing aura of evil, making them far stronger than other weapons of the same rank. However, such weapons often damage their master’s fate and even affect their mentality, leading them toward a violent, bloodthirsty nature.

Throughout history, many have coveted the power of these blades, even going so far as to create such weapons by dark means. However, few masters of bloodthirsty weapons have had a peaceful end.

Evil energy is a subtle thing, not easily recognized like spiritual energy. While beasts may not understand its dangers, they instinctively seek out powerful forces. Their sensitivity to such energies is often higher than that of humans. It was unclear whether the formation that sealed the black bird’s original body had grown weaker over time or if something had happened recently, but a small crack had appeared, releasing the evil energy. The resulting chaos had caused violent beasts to emerge throughout Changyang Mountain.

If the black bird was truly the embodiment of a bloodthirsty weapon, Xie Liufeng would have to seriously consider ending its contract with Chu Xinghui.

His disciple was a prodigy with limitless potential. He didn’t need to rely on such an evil object for strength.

Hearing Xie Liufeng mention such a thing and comparing it to its noble self, the black bird’s feathers immediately fluffed up in indignation.

Xie Liufeng, understanding the bird’s reaction, raised an eyebrow: “So, you’re not?”

The black bird puffed out its chest proudly.

Xie Liufeng was puzzled. He picked up a stick and poked the bird: “Then what exactly are you?”

The black bird was momentarily confused, then began hopping around on the ground, pretending to be a normal bird. It seemed to be busy pecking at the ground.

Xie Liufeng: “…”

He had never seen a sword spirit act like this.

*

Time passed unnoticed in the depths of the cave. Chu Xinghui had no idea how long he had been in seclusion. All he could feel was that, over time, his spiritual power was becoming increasingly abundant.

Eventually, one day, he sensed that he had reached the threshold for breaking through from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core.

Seizing the opportunity, he began to compress the spiritual energy within his body, pushing forward the process of his breakthrough.

The massive flow of spiritual energy gradually condensed and became more refined. Inside his body, a faint image of the Golden Core began to form.

Then, the fluctuations in his spiritual energy stopped. Chu Xinghui felt his consciousness being pulled into another realm.

For cultivators, the Golden Core stage was a pivotal point.

From Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment, it was essentially just an accumulation of spiritual power. But once a cultivator reached the Golden Core stage, they would need to start seeking their own “Dao.” From the Golden Core breakthrough onward, every subsequent breakthrough would bring heavenly tribulations.

Xie Liufeng had specifically warned him about this so Chu Xinghui didn’t panic.

To pass through the heart demon trial safely, he reviewed his life experiences from childhood up to the present.

Overall, everything seemed normal. There didn’t appear to be anything that would hinder him.

… Especially since meeting Xie Liufeng. Apart from matters related to Lingxiang Sect, everything he encountered had been good.

Confident that there was nothing to worry about, Chu Xinghui closed his eyes, fully concentrating on continuing his breakthrough.

After a while, Chu Xinghui felt his consciousness arrive in front of a hazy door.

Everything felt calm. His mind was clear, and he didn’t feel the slightest hint of heart demon temptation.

Logically speaking, if he were to leave this door now, the heart demon trial would be considered passed.

But… his curiosity got the better of him. He couldn’t help but wonder what his heart demon would be.

After some internal struggle, Chu Xinghui finally couldn’t resist. He slightly opened the door, just enough to peer inside.

The scene beyond the door was familiar.

It was the small courtyard in Wanling Valley.

Sitting in the courtyard was a person.

Perhaps sensing Chu Xinghui’s gaze, the person turned around and smiled warmly in his direction.

Naturally, it was Xie Liufeng’s face.

Chu Xinghui’s breath hitched for a moment.

They had spent so much time together, but he had rarely observed Xie Liufeng from this angle.

Xie Liufeng was indeed handsome. He had known this ever since their first meeting.

But it wasn’t just about appearance. Somehow, just seeing Xie Liufeng not far away made his emotions flutter involuntarily.

Chu Xinghui vaguely recalled the last time he entered Xie Liufeng’s sea of consciousness, when he bit into the other’s soul.

At that thought, an inexplicable dryness crept up his throat, and his heart began to pound uncontrollably.

He still couldn’t figure out what this feeling was, so he took a step back, closing the door again in confusion.

The heart demon trial often used the deepest desires within a person as a hook to lure them into temptation, making them willingly lose themselves in it.

But the scene his heart demon presented was far too familiar. He didn’t need to search for false comforts here, he could simply go find Xie Liufeng himself.

After all, Xie Liufeng would never reject him.

Amidst a haze of disordered thoughts, Chu Xinghui could only be certain of one thing—he seemed to want to see Xie Liufeng again.

Not the illusion from the heart demon trial, but the real Xie Liufeng.

With that in mind, Chu Xinghui decided to stop lingering in the trial and simply left the place.

*

His consciousness returned, and Chu Xinghui focused his energy, his illusive Golden Core finally solidifying.

The spiritual energy in the cave surged.

Chu Xinghui took a moment to adjust, then inwardly examined his body.

His breakthrough was complete, and his Golden Core had fully formed. The spiritual energy circulated smoothly, and he felt no discomfort.

But… something still puzzled him. He placed a hand over his chest, feeling the rhythmic beating of his heart.

Why had he seen Xie Liufeng during his tribulations? What did that mean?

 

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