Mortal: I really didn't want to be reborn as Zi Ling!

The scene in front of the cave naturally caught the attention of the Foundation Establishment and Core Formation cultivators who had rushed over from nearby.

"snort."

In mid-air, a bald old man stood on a flying sword, looking down at the group of Qi Refining cultivators who were making a fool of themselves in the illusion array.

His scalp was shiny and reflective, and several hideous old scars stretched from his left ear to the back of his head, standing out starkly in the light.

He stared at the scene at his feet, as if recalling some extremely unpleasant past event, and let out a cold snort.

"It's only because the owner of this cave is kind-hearted. If it were me, I wouldn't have enough lives to kill these people."

Another middle-aged man beside him, dressed in a scholar's robe and holding a folding fan, shook his fan and said with a smile:

"Brother Liao, your fiery temper hasn't changed in all these years. Back when you took on those apprentices, weren't you also flattered and swayed by their words? How come you're lecturing others now?"

"Fellow Daoist Zong's words are truly scathing."

On the other side, a tall, thin, middle-aged cultivator chimed in with a forced smile: "Brother Liao was kind-hearted back then, thinking that since we were all rogue cultivators, it wouldn't hurt to take on a few disciples. Who knew that those people would use his name to swindle and cheat, and end up running into the hands of Jiyin Island. I heard—Brother Liao had to pay a huge price to get the young island lord of Jiyin Island to show mercy and let him go."

As soon as he finished speaking, the bald old man's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

"The one surnamed Zong!"

The old man abruptly turned his head, his large, copper-bell-like eyes fixed on the tall, thin middle-aged cultivator, his teeth grinding together: "I, Liao, admit my incompetence. But if you think you're so capable, why don't you go to Extreme Yin Island yourself and teach that ugly crow a lesson, so this old man can see Fellow Daoist Zong's abilities?"

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged cultivator surnamed Zong's eyes flashed with a cold light.

He certainly wouldn't dare to provoke Wu Chou.

But after being provoked like that by the bald old man in public, he felt he would lose face among his peers if he didn't do something.

The atmosphere suddenly became tense, with the two Core Formation cultivators on the verge of exchanging blows, while the surrounding cultivators watched with amusement, and not a single person stepped forward to mediate.

Some even quietly adjusted their posture to get a better view.

Just then, a purple figure flew out from the crowd.

The woman was tall and slender, her face slightly haggard but still beautiful, and there was an undisguised joy in her eyes. This woman was Zhou Yuan.

She first waved her hand, and a soft spiritual light fell, drawing out all the dozen or so Qi Refining cultivators trapped in the illusion array.

The dozen or so cultivators were suddenly freed, collapsing to the ground, their faces pale, panting heavily.

Behind Zhou Yuan, Fan Jingmei followed closely behind.

She pulled out a dozen or so spirit stone pouches from her bosom and casually tossed them in front of the Qi Refining cultivators, her voice cold and stern: "Take these spirit stones and leave quickly. It's only because the young master is merciful that you're here. If it were any other family, trespassing into the forbidden area of ​​the cave would at least leave them half-dead."

Those dozen or so Qi Refining cultivators dared not utter another word, grabbed their spirit stone bags, and fled in a panic.

The leader, who had been about to say something, saw Fan Jingmei's unfriendly gaze, gave an awkward smile, cupped his hands in greeting, and quickly followed the others.

Zhou Yuan turned around, facing the dozen or so streaks of light in mid-air, and calmly bowed.

"I am Zhou Yuan, the Vice Sect Master of Miaoyin Sect. Thank you all for coming to congratulate my daughter on her Core Formation."

Zhou Yuan's voice was neither humble nor arrogant, and it clearly reached the ears of everyone present.

"However, my daughter has just formed her core and is at a crucial moment in consolidating her cultivation, so it is inconvenient for her to come out of seclusion to receive guests. I apologize on her behalf. Another day, when my daughter's cultivation is consolidated, she will definitely host a banquet in Tianxing City to entertain all of you fellow Daoists. I hope you will do me the honor of attending."

As soon as he finished speaking, some people in the crowd realized what he meant.

"What? The one who has reached the Core Formation stage here is actually Sect Master Wang's daughter?"

"Which Sect Master Wang? Could it be Wang Heng, the Sect Master of the Wonderful Sound Sect? Then that must be Fairy Zi Ling?"

"No, no—shouldn't your focus be on her age? As far as I know, Fairy Ziling isn't even a hundred years old yet, is she?"

"What do you mean, a hundred years old! Have you all forgotten? Back then, rumors circulated that Zi Ling was only twelve when she became Jin Kui's disciple. If you do the math, she's at most eighty-one this year!"

"Eighty-one?!"

The moment this number was announced, everyone in the room was astonished.

A collective gasp of astonishment echoed through the air.

Several Core Formation cultivators who were initially more interested in the conflict between the bald old man and the Zong surname cultivator all changed their expressions at this moment.

Everyone present knew what it meant to achieve the Golden Core stage at the age of eighty-one.

Reaching the Core Formation at 120 years old is already a remarkable talent, and the Nascent Soul Formation is within reach.

Achieving the Core Formation at eighty years old—that was the record of the Twin Saints of Heavenly Stars back then, a sign that one had the potential to become a Deity.

Looking across the entire Chaotic Star Sea, there are very few cultivators who can form their core at the age of eighty.

"A bunch of idiots."

Just then, someone in the crowd suddenly chuckled, their tone tinged with disdain: "Fairy Ziling became the disciple of Elder Jin Kui of the Star Palace decades ago. With a master at the peak of the mid-Nascent Soul stage providing full support, plus the Star Palace as her backer—what's so surprising about her reaching the Core Formation stage at eighty?"

Everyone turned to look.

Listen to this, is this even human language?

Even with the support of Elder Jin Kui, even with the entire Star Palace as a backer, do you really think that forming a core at eighty years old is an easy thing?

For ordinary cultivators, forming a core is as difficult as ascending to heaven, let alone before the age of one hundred.

Do you think forming a Golden Core is like inviting someone to dinner?

"That's not right—"

In the crowd, a young cultivator suddenly scratched his head, looking puzzled, and said, "That's not what I heard. Everyone outside says that Fairy Ziling is Elder Jin Kui's concubine, but she was too young back then, so he took her in under the guise of being his disciple—uh-huh—"

Before he could finish speaking, his quick-thinking companion covered his mouth.

His companion was sweating profusely, covering the idiot's mouth tightly while secretly glancing in Zhou Yuan's direction.

Zhou Yuan's face darkened, and her once calm and smiling eyes were now as cold as ice.

"Shut up if you don't want to die."

His companion whispered through gritted teeth in the young cultivator's ear, "She's a Core Formation cultivator now, and her master is Elder Jin Kui. If word gets out, how many lives would you need to pay for it?"

The young cultivator then realized what he had said, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back.

He nodded repeatedly, not daring to utter another word.

Regardless of whether Zi Ling was a "disciple" or a "concubine" before, and regardless of how detailed and plausible the rumors were.

They've already reached the Core Formation stage.

An eighty-one-year-old Core Formation cultivator is a rare find, one could find only a handful in the entire Chaotic Star Sea.

With her master, who is at the peak of the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, she is destined to become a core member of the Star Palace in the future.

Offend someone like this?

Just thinking about it sends chills down my spine.

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