Chapter 285: Late Golden Core (Please Subscribe)

"City Lord Ying, could you prepare a place for me to stay temporarily and a practice area within the city?"

Just as Ying Dongqing was pondering to herself, Du En spoke up and interrupted her.

Her first subconscious reaction was a sense of displeasure; after all, having served as City Lord for so many years, no one dared to be so rude as to interrupt her thoughts, but this displeasure had barely surfaced before it was immediately eclipsed by the content of his words, causing her mood to shift abruptly.

"No problem! Traveler Du can stay here as a guest for as long as you like!"

Having him stay within the city meant his movements were controllable; at the very least, while in the city, he wouldn't be a ticking time bomb, and if he happened to become obsessed with cultivation and stopped leaving the city, that would be even better!

Therefore, she immediately arranged for a trusted specialist to urgently prepare an inner-city cave dwelling for Du En, along with a fourth-tier practice field sufficient for him to wreak havoc in.

These things would normally require spirit stones, but she waved her hand grandly, stating that the City Lord's Mansion would cover all expenses, telling him not to be polite and to feel free to live and use them as he pleased.

Du En naturally followed the path of least resistance, and then, without disturbing the City Lord's efforts to screen the organization's action teams and other matters, he simply requested permission to enter the office area to contact Meng Changqing.

"Speak, what have you caught this time in Changle City?"

This quasi-True Monarch was already accustomed to it.

After all, time and time again, every place Du En traveled to, some problem was bound to be uncovered there.

"You don't know yet?"

Du En asked back instead.

"I just closed off to a minor node in my seclusion, so I haven't had time to check... Oh, infiltration by Fudong? Tsk! Those guys are pulling these little stunts again, and they have new tricks too!"

Meng Changqing seemed quite displeased by this, harboring an overt disgust and hatred for the Fudong Immortal Sect.

Du En then asked, "That 'fur-cloaking art' certainly seems as evil as a demon, but last time when we discussed the Rotten Forest, the resolution didn't seem as unpleasant as it is now. Yet I heard they refine people into puppets; isn't that of a similarly wicked nature?"

"The difference between them is actually quite significant, and it's not just as simple as refining them into puppets. However, it's hard to explain in a few words. Hmm, simply put, the Rotten Forest side is actually considered better; they follow the principle of personal consent. Of course, they inevitably manipulate the broader environment and such."

"I see."

Du En nodded, then thought for a moment, setting this topic aside for now, and turned to ask about the key reason for contacting Meng Changqing this time.

"Although the Pivot City gave two reasons, and their judgment of the situation should be considered normal and accurate, it is still somewhat difficult to explain. Could it be that just because of that, they couldn't even send a single person over?"

The reason he was contacting this superior now was, firstly, to verify and confirm the situation with Ying Dongqing to determine if she was normal and had reported truthfully, and secondly, because he held doubts about this point.

Now that the first point seemed to have no issues, he naturally had to ask about the second.

"About that, although there are some factors of improper conduct, it's hard to say much, because the Southern Pivot City still has to guard against the Rotten Forest side."

Seeing that there were no 'six-eared' spies present, Meng Changqing spoke bluntly, revealing the reason: "Zhu Ding is currently operating there in secret, investigating and digging deep into the previous matter of Zhou Ze. We feel more and more that something is wrong with that incident, so to avoid any real problems, he just stayed there to investigate."

"Because it might trigger a war, the Southern Pivot City, as the one facing them directly, naturally needs to prepare. It just so happens that there is a ready-made excuse at hand—that 'rectification'—which serves as a shield, so there is no spare manpower."

In short, the rectification that had flared up rapidly due to Du En, this fuse, had indeed triggered many chain reactions, resulting in the current situation.

"I see, I understand. Then, regarding the resolution, if there are any changes in the war at the Sighing Death Gobi, please inform me in time."

"Hmm, understood... Wait? No, the way you use your words and your attitude, why does it make it seem like I am your..."

Du En silently cut the connection.

The corner of the mouth of Meng Changqing's avatar at the sect twitched, feeling that in future contacts, he must take back this disconnection authority he had given him, just to see if he could still do that!

To actually dare to cut the connection with his superior himself—it was simply outrageous!

It must be taken back!

The subsequent development in Changle City was that Ying Dongqing quickly assembled an action team, led personally by the Inner City Superintendent Zhang Qing, and began to screen the inner city first, unfolding from the inside out.

Du En watched from the sidelines while living as a guest and grinding his cultivation.

Then, time flew by, arriving at the first ten days of July, one year later.

The forces of the Fudong Immortal Sect made no moves, and the actions in Changle City could be described as futile, yet Du En's cultivation had once again accumulated sufficiently.

When the water is full, it overflows; a breakthrough occurred.

Accompanied by the spiritual energy being frantically swallowed up once again, the trees growing on the yellow earth in his meditative visualization grew rapidly, already standing tall like a canopy, occupying a clear and dominant position.

At the same time, the Golden Core in his lower dantian's sea of Qi had also accumulated and grown to the size of an adult's fist. The two mana star rings surrounding this Golden Core were full and complete, and a new outline was derived, presenting a situation of three intersecting inner, middle, and outer rings, circulating three-dimensionally around the Golden Core.

His lifespan increased by another thirty years, and his divine sense began to expand its coverage, reaching a width of seven hundred zhang, with significantly enhanced penetration... As these various changes were quickly adapted to and understood, Du En slowly opened his eyes.

【Age: 36/603】

【Spirit Root: Low-grade】

【Cultivation: Late Golden Core (0/100)】

【Technique: Green-Yellow Dharma Canon (Mastery 4800/30000)】

【Spells: Giant Cannon Art (Mastery 24400/30000), Wind Sand Art (Small Achievement 1200/10000), Ice Breath Art (Great Accomplishment 50/5000), Statue Casting Art (Small Achievement 1200/10000), Hundred Control Art (Small Achievement 1000/10000), Golden Flame Art (Small Achievement 800/10000), Wood Growth Art (Small Achievement 500/10000), Spell-Devouring Wood Spike (Small Achievement 500/10000)】

【Divine Ability: Burying Death, Flourishing Life (Proficient 46/50)】

【Hundred Arts: Appraisal (Mastery 0/300), Culinary Arts (Mastery 82/300), Spirit Seeking (Mastery 0/300), Artifact Refining (Small Achievement 0/100)】

There was still no change in terms of spells, because Ying Dongqing, while appearing generous, was actually somewhat petty; the cave dwelling she had arranged for him was mediocre, with no extra bonuses.

"It seems I can only wait until I go to the Pivot City to consider that specifically."

"As for now, those guys are finally unable to hide any longer; let's focus on the matter here first..."

Just as Du En was thinking, the lurking personnel of the Fudong Immortal Sect, as time passed, finally began to be unable to hide, and clues gradually surfaced.

(End of chapter)