Chapter 142: Ten-Pattern Pill Formed, Unprecedented in History!

No one spoke; they all wore expressions of mockery. They speculated that Fairy Qingyin must have been ill-prepared, leading to one of two outcomes. Either Cao Xuan’s breakthrough had failed, damaging his foundation and leaving him unable to visit the Azure Cloud Mist Cave, while also disrupting his timeline for reaching the Golden Core stage; or, perhaps worse, he had succeeded, but with a Golden Core of fewer than three patterns. While it was not technically impossible to reach the Nascent Soul stage with such a core—as the Heavenly Dao always leaves a sliver of hope—it was widely considered a dead end.

Old Ancestor Qingmu shared this thought, his hands clenching in secret. A promising sword cultivation talent had been ruined simply because the Sacred Lands vied for him. Regardless of the outcome, a Foundation Establishment cultivator only lived for two hundred years; this was the prime time to build a solid foundation. Even if it seemed he still had a chance, the time required to heal his damaged source meant that even if he eventually reached the Golden Core stage, it was uncertain whether he would even possess any patterns, let alone succeed in further breakthroughs. Sword intent, which allows one to bypass bottlenecks during the transition from Nascent Soul to Deity Transformation, would be moot if he could not even secure his path to the Golden Core.

"Enough. Elders, you must be tired. Why not go and rest? As for that late bloomer, we will naturally bring him to meet you once we find him," Old Ancestor Qingmu said, though he was fuming inside, he maintained the necessary outward decorum. "As for Cao Xuan, there is no need for the Sacred Land elders to worry; we, the Azure Cloud Sect, will see to his development ourselves."

Upon hearing this, the elders from the Sacred Lands, including Qing Xuzi, remained silent, tacitly accepting the arrangement. Only the Sword Immortal Qingyin’s expression shifted. "Impossible! Cao Xuan has already agreed to join my Ziyang Sword Sect!"

Qing Xuzi smiled. "Fellow Daoist Qingyin, for the sake of your pride, are you willing to disregard the rules of the Sacred Lands? Besides, is there any point in taking back a... *ahem*... a disciple without potential?"

Everyone understood his meaning; Qing Xuzi had nearly let the word "trash" slip, catching himself just in time to preserve his dignity. Less than a day had passed. Even if Cao Xuan had formed a Golden Core, it would likely be little more than a single-pattern one. It seemed they had been too eager to force growth. While his ability to comprehend sword intent showed promise, his spiritual root aptitude was simply too poor. Had he remained in the Azure Cloud Sect, he might have eventually become a Deity Transformation-stage sword immortal in the Central Plains. But now, thanks to the six Sacred Lands, even his path to the Golden Core seemed blocked. Qing Xuzi recalled the old saying about how fortune and misfortune are intertwined; the Sacred Lands were an opportunity, but for the average person, they were a disaster.

Qing Xuzi’s words caused a spark of realization in Fairy Qingyin’s eyes. "I understand what you mean, Fellow Daoist Qing Xuzi. Rest assured, our Ziyang Sword Sect will nurture Cao Xuan well."

At that moment, Cao Xuan stepped out, his expression one of utter bewilderment. *Ten-pattern Golden Core? The final pattern is etched inside the core itself. So, this was the reward for the 'Ten-Pattern Golden Core'?*

From the outside, Cao Xuan’s Golden Core appeared similar to a nine-pattern one. The extra pattern was like the third eye of Erlang Shen—while others had patterns on the surface, he had one at the core. Not only that, the reason Fairy Qingyin had stepped forward was that, at the moment of his breakthrough, Cao Xuan had consumed all the surrounding spiritual energy. The ten patterns on his core flickered rapidly, refining the energy and propelling him from the initial stage of the Golden Core straight through to the middle stage in an instant.

Fairy Qingyin was too stunned to speak. She no longer cared about Xian Xiangqiu; if her sect elders learned she had brought back such a monster, they would surely fight her for him to become a core disciple. Truth be told, Qingyin was a Void Refining powerhouse. Initially, she had only intended to bring Cao Xuan back to cleanse his sword intent and introduce him to her lineage, but now, she was seriously considering taking him as her personal disciple.

Old Ancestor Qingmu watched Cao Xuan step out, thinking to himself that at least he wasn't being carried out, so the damage couldn't be too severe. But then he felt something was wrong. "Middle Golden Core stage? Wait... Middle Golden Core stage!!!"

His exclamation drew the attention of everyone who had been watching Qingyin make a fool of herself.

"No!" Fairy Qingyin acted instantly, summoning her flying sword to block their divine senses. But Cao Xuan, having just broken through, had yet to stabilize his core, which radiated faint Dao patterns. Since the elders were all Void Refining experts, they sensed the patterns immediately.

The divine sense images lasted only a split second before Qingyin used a secret technique to obscure them. However, one image had already been etched into everyone’s mind.

"One, two, three... nine patterns! A Nine-Pattern Golden Core!!!"

Old Ancestor Qingmu, who had been focused on the cultivation level and missed the patterns at first, froze upon hearing the words of Old Ancestor Qing Xuzi. "Wait, the morning bells and evening drums... it wasn't a late bloomer, it was the boy Cao breaking through!"

The Sacred Lands realized the truth. No one noticed Chen Ru’s gaze dim slightly before brightening again. If it wasn't a late-blooming Nine-Pattern Golden Core, it meant he had no connection to that lineage. Their academy had once tried to artificially create such a core, only to find it didn't fit the inheritance—it was truly something that could only be found by chance. As for Cao Xuan, since he was a Nine-Pattern Golden Core—and such a young one at that—he was worth fighting for.

Qing Xuzi immediately adopted a benevolent expression. "Excellent, excellent! Just like your grandmaster, a Nine-Pattern Golden Core. Once you arrive at the Xuanhua Dao Sect, cultivate diligently; I will guide you personally!"

Fairy Qingyin was furious. "You old scoundrel Qing Xuzi, do you have no shame? You just called him trash; how can you say such things now!"

Qing Xuzi frowned. "Fellow Daoist Qingyin, watch your tongue. When did I ever say such things? Besides, he has already agreed to join our Xuanhua Dao Sect. Are you trying to steal him?!"

Fairy Qingyin sneered. "I’ll have you know that his breakthrough to a Nine-Pattern Golden Core was entirely due to the secret treasures of our Ziyang Sacred Land. If you dare snatch him, are you prepared to become an enemy of our Sacred Land?" She no longer referred to the Ziyang Sword Sect, but invoked the name of the Sacred Land itself.

Qing Xuzi felt a chill; he knew Qingyin must have paid a heavy price, but even if he felt guilty, he had to press on. "Heh, I thought you were forcing the boy to settle for a four-pattern core. I never expected you to do the opposite and forge him into an unpolished gem! However..."