C5 No One Could Recognize the Skeleton Beside the Bell but It Was the First Achievement of the Golde

The disciple singled out by the Skull Demon had never witnessed such an event before. Merely a novice in the Qi Refining Realm, he was accustomed to keeping quiet around his more advanced senior brothers. Now, the simple act of moving his feet felt like an immense burden.

Upon his arrival at the sect, a senior brother had warned him, "Never touch the bell at the entrance of the great hall." He had taken the advice to heart, but it had always seemed irrelevant—without the sect's grand assembly, he would never have had the chance to approach the main peak, let alone lay eyes on the sacred bell, much less touch it.

Yet, reflecting on that cautionary advice, the disciple now saw it not as a warning but as a veiled resentment. He vividly remembered how a senior brother had experienced a breakthrough upon merely gazing at the bell's engravings. Could this be the reward his Master had intended for him?

With this thought, the disciple puffed out his chest and looked down proudly at his peers still prostrate on the ground. He confidently placed his hand on the bell, casting a glance at the young man standing beside him. He mused over his own three years of grueling menial work within the sect, which had earned him this singular opportunity, while this newcomer seemed to have luck on his side...

"Ah, just as I thought," the elder with the long beard murmured as he watched the disciple who had instantly turned to bones. He sighed, yet his gaze remained intently on the unaffected youth whose hand still rested on the bell.

"Disciple, follow me," Old Monster Skull sighed in relief, grateful for his own caution that had spared his life. He now saw his apprentice in a new light, recognizing his exceptional nature.

"I want this bell," the youth stated calmly, his voice soft but his enunciation clear.

"What! You insolent fool..." the female Daoist exploded in rage, unleashing a sweet and fishy energy towards the youth.

"Senior Sister, that's going too far!" Old Monster Skull roared. A skeletal claw emerged from beneath his robe, shielding the youth. He captured the noxious energy, transforming it into a dark green, translucent pearl, and sealed it within a tiny white porcelain bottle. He then swiftly reached out with his claw towards the female Daoist's shoulder.

"Junior Brother, congratulations are in order! When did you achieve your Golden Core?"

The Sect Leader intercepted the claw strike with a slight twitch of his eyebrows, betraying his surprise. Had he not reacted swiftly, Old Monster Skull's palm strike alone could have significantly diminished his cultivation.

"What? You've achieved a Golden Core as well?"

The female Daoist, who was about to cast another spell, was silenced by the Sect Leader's interjection, her face a picture of disbelief.

"Heh, a Golden Core is nothing. I could claim a Nascent Infant achievement just as easily."

Old Monster Skull recalled the myriad of incredible events that unfolded after he accepted the youth as his disciple. His claim was far from an exaggeration.

Yet, in the cultivation journey, it is often said that while a hundred years might suffice for Core Formation, encountering a Nascent Infant is a rarity in a thousand years. For those who have reached Foundation Building, persistent and uninterrupted diligence, coupled with a steady supply of cultivation resources, can lead to a Golden Core within a century. However, advancing beyond the Golden Core to achieve a Nascent Infant is not merely a matter of time and resources; it requires both destiny and innate talent.

"Hmph."

The female Daoist, her sleeves billowing, proceeded into the grand hall. She herself was merely at the Foundation Building stage, her heart burdened with impediments. She struggled to reach the Great Perfection of Foundation Building, let alone aspire to the Golden Core. In a true confrontation, she feared she would be at a disadvantage.

"Let's continue this discussion inside," the Sect Leader suggested, turning to the long-bearded elder. "Junior Brother, please lead our disciples in conducting the ceremony. I appreciate your assistance."

The long-bearded elder nodded in acknowledgment and declared the commencement of the sacrificial rites.

"Heaven and Earth, Dark and Yellow, Universe and Primordial..."

The disciples recited along with the long-bearded elder as the Order of Duality's ceremony unfolded. They all disregarded the pile of white bones by the bell, acting as if the recent events had never transpired.

"Young one, what is your name?"

The Sect Leader inquired, observing the youth before him. Though still physically immature, the boy's posture was beginning to show signs of strength. The Sect Leader gave a slight nod of approval.

"I am nameless."

The Sect Leader's gaze shifted to Old Monster Skull, recognizing that the boy was clearly concealing something.

"I've brought him here to request that my senior brother bestow upon this child a Taoist name."

The skeletal elder sipped his tea, and as the liquid traveled down his throat, it disappeared beneath the folds of his luxurious robe, its path unseen.

"Little junior brother, do you even understand what you're saying?"

The female Taoist slammed her hand on the table, her face a picture of fury.

"Senior sister, take a look at yourself. Why can't you speak calmly? With such an unsettled mind, it's no wonder you haven't broken through to the Golden Core Realm. As for me, I achieved it simply by taking a nap."

The Skull-faced Elder teased, only to further infuriate the female cultivator.

"Junior brother, what exactly are you implying?"

The Sect Leader merely echoed the question. It was well-known that within their Order of Duality, a dao name signified not just a title but also the endorsement from one generation to the next.

There are only two instances when a disciple in the Order of Duality is granted a dao name. The first is when a disciple achieves the Foundation Building Stage, enabling them to independently teach newcomers or venture out to enhance the sect's reputation. The second is when a disciple has made significant contributions, though typically, such a dao name is posthumously awarded.

"Your disciple hasn't achieved Foundation Building yet, has he?"

The Sect Leader inquired.

"Not yet."

The Skull-faced Elder produced a book from within his robes, which appeared to be in pristine condition.

"What's this?"

The Sect Leader observed as the elder placed the book on the table but made no move to examine it.

"It's the technique for breaking through to the Golden Core Stage."

The Skull-faced Elder whispered, then swiftly concealed the book once more, grinning cheekily at the female cultivator who rose in an attempt to grab it.

"Are you proposing to trade this for his dao name?"

The Sect Leader pondered. Using the breakthrough method for the Golden Core Stage as a bargaining chip for a dao name that might be deemed nonessential wasn't out of the question, but he needed to understand the intricacies involved.

"To be exact, he's to be the next Sect Leader, and he must be my disciple."

The Skull-faced Elder declared.

"In your dreams!"

The female Daoist, her sleeves billowing with released energy, stood defiant. Despite her numerous disagreements with the Sect Leader, she was not about to let the Skull-faced Elder usurp her partner's rightful position.

"Step back."

The Sect Master's eyes snapped open, revealing one black and one white iris, which looked less like eyes and more like mismatched jade stones set into his sockets.

"Excellent, truly excellent!"

The female Daoist had not anticipated that, despite her staunch defense of the Sect Master, he would favor her junior brother, filling her with rage. With a flourish of her robe, she swept up Chu Yunrou, who was prostrate in the hall, and soared toward the mountain where her disciple resided.

"Never mind him. Go on with your story."

The Sect Master remained impassive, his gaze shifting from the young man before him to the skeletal elder. He was curious to learn of the junior brother's recent adventures that had led to a breakthrough into the Golden Core realm.

He had been at the helm of the Order of Duality for far too long. Since his master had bequeathed him the title of Sect Master, the Green Cloud Continent's pleasure quarters had likely forgotten the man once known as the "Playboy."

As the old skeleton meticulously recounted taking the young man as his disciple, the Sect Master was left utterly astonished.

"Are you saying that you gave him the life-bound magical weapon passed down from our Master, and instead of decreasing, his cultivation level actually increased, achieving the Golden Core?"

The Sect Master had always yearned for such a serendipitous encounter, but he had never imagined it could enhance one's cultivation by accepting a disciple.

"To be precise, he identified the shortcomings in my cultivation technique and helped me perfect it, which allowed me to break through to the Golden Core. Regardless, I had already reached the Great Perfection of Foundation Building, and was merely a step away from the Golden Core. As for the rest of you, I doubt you'll progress as swiftly. At best, you might make modest improvements like Hua Shangji. But now that the cultivation technique is complete, future practice should be much smoother."

"Are you saying Fairy Hua is also aware of this?"

"Indeed, she knows. Without her, I wouldn't have been able to accept this disciple. You should have seen Hua Shangji's face contort with anger when she heard my favored disciple chose me as his master instead of her."

The Skull Monster couldn't help but laugh uproariously whenever he thought about it.

"Junior Brother, are you out of your mind?"

The Sect Leader was a man of careful thought. After much deliberation, he couldn't share the Skull Monster's optimism.

"Junior Brother, those self-righteous sects have no shame. If they discover the extraordinary abilities of this child, bringing him here will undoubtedly bring us immense trouble."

Worry etched the Sect Leader's face.

"Senior Brother, have you lost your wits? Which of those so-called righteous sects would dare to attack our Order of Duality? Not to mention when you were the sole Golden Core, now that I've achieved Golden Core status as well, anyone who dares to cross us will find their skull repurposed as my drinking cup."

Old Monster Skull let out a sly chuckle.

"Do you truly believe you can stand against the celestials?"

The Sect Leader looked at his junior brother, who was blissfully ignorant of the world's dangers, and extended his hand.

"What for?"

Old Monster Skull feigned ignorance.

"Hand over the Golden Core technique."

"Why do you need it? I was planning to use it to leverage some favors from Senior Sister and Senior Brother."

"Whatever belongs to your Senior Sister is mine to take as well. Go ahead, take what you need, but just one thing."

The Sect Leader tossed a storage ring to Old Monster Skull in exchange for the enhanced cultivation technique.

"I've taken the Wood of Absolute Yin and the Star Stone."

Old Monster Skull swiftly located the items in the Sect Leader's storage ring. He was no stranger to this task, likely knowing the Sect Leader's collection better than the Sect Leader himself.

"Why did you take two items?"

"Shouldn't your junior disciple receive a gift upon our first meeting?"

"That gift seems a bit too lavish."

The Sect Leader didn't quibble over it, his mind mostly captivated by the enhanced cultivation method.

"Child, can you modify other cultivation methods?"

After a moment of contemplation, the Sect Leader inquired.

"I can, but I'll need to see someone demonstrate them first."

The youth replied. Having been Old Monster Skull's disciple for over a month, he had not only received Old Monster Skull's personal magic tool but had also come to understand a great deal of his master's skills.

The techniques he had learned in the dream realm bore a striking resemblance to those taught by Old Monster Skull.

During his initial attempt at the rudimentary "Spirit Summoning," he managed to call forth the most ferocious specter among the lower-tier spirits, earning continuous praise from the Skull Monster for his exceptional talent.

As he continued his training, he effortlessly achieved the pinnacle of what Skull Monster could envision. It wasn't until he advanced to the middle stage of Qi Refining that Skull Monster sensed something extraordinary.

Typically, even the most prodigious talents that Skull Monster had encountered took a full six months to progress from the early to the middle stage of Qi Refining, and that was with the aid of rare natural treasures and the meticulous guidance of their elders.

Subsequently, Skull Monster took a bold step and imparted his cultivation technique, "Ten Thousand Bone Wither," to the young man. On the third day of practice, the youth pointed out some inaccuracies and presented a revised version, which is the same one the Sect Leader now holds.

The more Skull Monster studied the revision, the more engrossed he became. He couldn't help but channel his inner magic power through the modified technique, and to his amazement, he achieved Golden Core status without any obstacles.

Hua Shangji, who had been reluctant to coax the youth back onto the righteous path, also witnessed Skull Monster's miraculous pill formation. After a thorough inquiry, the youth, who held her in high regard, candidly responded to all her questions.

"That's excellent. Junior Brother, you wanted to bestow a Daoist name upon him, right? That should be simple."

The Sect Leader was ecstatic upon hearing the youth's response.