Chapter 1626: Colorful Butterfly

When that familiar, clear voice filled with pleading emerged from Bai Bai Mengmeng's lips, a flicker of surprise surged into her hollow right pupil.

She and Bai Bai Mengmeng shared a peculiar symbiotic bond, but over the years, she could only regain a sliver of spiritual awareness when Bai Bai Mengmeng studied the Spirit Water Miracle Light—each time, Bai Bai Mengmeng's will would sink into slumber, yet she never expected to awaken mid-process this time...

Moreover, due to the unique nature of their symbiosis, she sensed that Bai Bai Mengmeng felt no alarm or fear toward her existence.

"You've known about me all along," she uttered in a hollow voice, speaking to herself.

Bai Bai Mengmeng's left pupil shimmered with luster, unmistakably brimming with vitality compared to her right, and now she timidly replied, "Sometimes I sense Big Sister, but I was afraid of disturbing you, so I never dared speak up."

"Then do you know who I am?" the hollow voice asked again.

"I don't know."

The hollow voice let out a low, rasping laugh, then abruptly turned icy, a killing intent rising: "You're merely my vessel—I will eventually consume you."

Yet facing this terrifying voice, Bai Bai Mengmeng showed no fear, instead softly saying, "Big Sister, you're good—I can feel it."

Though they had never communicated, this body was ultimately Bai Bai Mengmeng's, and during the times the other studied the Spirit Water Miracle Light, she had secretly learned much, so she had always maintained respect for the mysterious consciousness within her.

Thus, she naturally sensed that the other harbored no malice toward her.

"Good? Hmph."

The mysterious consciousness sneered, clearly unprepared for such an evaluation.

"You never appeared before—why dare you now?" she asked.

Bai Bai Mengmeng spoke cautiously: "Please, Big Sister, help the captain."

Thanks to the mysterious consciousness's perception, Bai Bai Mengmeng had also witnessed the final battle unfolding in Daya City and understood Li Luo's dire predicament.

Upon hearing this, the mysterious consciousness sighed and said, "I can't help him. His foundational talent is exceedingly rare—even among the former Wuxiang Holy Sect, few sect leader candidates could rival him. Had he been born in the era when the Wuxiang Holy Sect still existed, he would surely have become a top-tier sect leader candidate, receiving the full strength of the sect's cultivation."

"He has already achieved something extraordinary by forcibly perfecting the Ten Thousand Phases Wheel to this level, but unfortunately, the Ten Thousand Phases Golden Core is far too vital to the Ten Thousand Phases Wheel—it's the path painstakingly deduced by generations of Wuxiang Holy Sect leaders and Li Li Tianwang. At the very least, right now, he still depends on this object."

"Ten Thousand Phases Golden Core? Is that the golden pill I gave him before?" Bai Bai Mengmeng asked softly.

"You knew it was the Ten Thousand Phases Golden Core? You gave it to him on purpose?" The mysterious consciousness nearly choked; this half-finished Ten Thousand Phases Golden Core had been painstakingly forged by her over the years, consuming countless efforts, yet recently, Bai Bai Mengmeng had inexplicably handed it away, leaving her utterly flustered.

Bai Bai Mengmeng blushed apologetically: "When you were crafting this golden pill, I sometimes secretly watched, and I heard you mention it—when the captain suddenly asked me for it, I just reached in and gave it to him."

"You gave it just because he asked?!" The mysterious consciousness was speechless—did she think the Ten Thousand Phases Golden Core was some snack she made on a whim? In the entire world, there was likely only one such pill, and this little girl had given it away far too casually.

"Forget it, you gave it—fine. That Ten Thousand Phases Golden Core still lacks its most crucial step and hasn't truly formed yet. Besides, that fool would never guess that the Ten Thousand Phases Golden Core he's been desperately seeking is already in his hand."

"Big Sister, can you help the captain?" Bai Bai Mengmeng pleaded pitifully again.

The mysterious consciousness fell silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "You're adorable."

Bai Bai Mengmeng's lively pupils froze for several breaths, then stammered, "Big Sister, are you calling me stupid? You used to tell me, 'adorable' means stupid."

The mysterious consciousness couldn't help laughing, speaking slowly: "I've been with you for so many years—do you think I don't know whether you're stupid or not?"

Her voice grew unusually gentle, even tender, carrying a hint of fondness. Though her consciousness had long remained in confusion and stillness, she had always felt the pure girl's joys, sorrows, anger, and happiness—her nature was so kind, it made one instinctively want to protect her.

Once, she had witnessed too much deceit and treachery and endured countless life-and-death trials, yet perhaps precisely because she had suffered such cruelty, she possessed little resistance to this genuine, heartfelt kindness.

"Alright, I'll help him—after all, the Eight-Headed Black Demon King came for me. If they fail here, I'll be forced out."

"But my current state isn't suited to fight it."

"I'll now activate the 'Ascend Core Technique' to awaken and elevate the potency of that incomplete Ten Thousand Phases Golden Core. Though it still falls short of a true Ten Thousand Phases Golden Core, it should allow him to temporarily forge his seventh Ten-Pillar Golden Platform and enter the Half-Completion realm."

"But this is only temporary—once this battle ends, the seventh Ten-Pillar Golden Platform will shatter, and it will also slightly damage his foundational potential."

"Yet this cost is far better than dying at the hands of the Eight-Headed Black Demon King."

Hearing the mysterious consciousness's words, Bai Bai Mengmeng hesitated slightly, but with no better option available, she could only nod.

"Thank you so much, Big Sister—please act quickly!"

"You may call me Sister Caidie from now on," the mysterious consciousness said.

"Oh, okay, Sister Caidie," Bai Bai Mengmeng obediently replied.

The mysterious consciousness let out a soft laugh, and the next instant, Bai Bai Mengmeng's slender hands involuntarily began forming a series of peculiar seals—each seal transformation rapidly drained her internal phase energy.

Just as Bai Bai Mengmeng felt her phase energy would be utterly exhausted, she sensed a vast, mysterious force surging from the deepest depths of her body, like a roaring river or ocean.

In an instant, a terrifying aura erupted from within Bai Bai Mengmeng.

Around her, Cai Wei, Yan Yan Lingqing, and others who had been worried by her strange muttering were violently thrown back, their faces pale with shock as they stared at Bai Bai Mengmeng, whose body slowly floated into the air.

Yuan Qing and the other Luan Mansion patrons were also trembling in terror—they couldn't comprehend how Bai Bai Mengmeng, once harmless and possessing mediocre phase energy, could now radiate an oppression far more terrifying than even the Marquis-level experts.

This exceeded their understanding entirely.

Yet no one was there to explain—amidst the rapid formation of ancient, mysterious seals in Bai Bai Mengmeng's hands, faint, strange ripples seemed to pierce through space itself.

Daya City.

Li Luo roared in fury, having unleashed every technique at his disposal, his Ten Thousand Phases Wheel perfected nearly to completion.

The seventh Marquis Platform was forming with great difficulty.

Upon the Marquis Platform stood nine pillars.

But the tenth pillar refused to rise.

In his perception, it was the final missing piece of the Ten Thousand Phases Wheel that blocked this final step.

And that piece should be the Ten Thousand Phases Golden Core.

Li Luo's eyes burned red, a ruthless glint flashing in his gaze—he now even considered igniting his Eight Phases, risking his life for one final gamble!

He had to cross this final step—no matter what!

Just as Li Luo was about to act, his heart suddenly jolted—a golden light shot skyward from within the space orb on his wrist.

Inside the golden light, a mottled golden bead radiated wondrous brilliance; its mottled marks rapidly faded, and within mere seconds, it transformed into a perfectly round, golden golden core, its surface radiating mystery, antiquity, and primordial traces—as if the most profound substance in heaven and earth.

The moment Li Luo laid eyes on this golden core, his heart erupted in a storm—he felt the Ten Thousand Phases Wheel roaring wildly within him, overflowing with insatiable longing.

In that instant, Li Luo knew what this object was.

This was the Ten Thousand Phases Golden Core he had sought so desperately.

The sudden surge of wild joy and disbelief crashed against Li Luo's mental defenses like a tidal wave.

But why—why had the Myriad Forms Golden Core drilled its way out of his spatial sphere?!

When had he ever gotten his hands on the Myriad Forms Golden Core?!

Li Luo stared fixedly at the golden core radiating billions of rays of light, and the image of that mottled golden bead before the stains had faded flashed through his mind—then he suddenly remembered.

It was... a few days ago, when Bai Bai Mengmeng had fished a mottled golden bead out from her embrace and handed it to him!

So this was the Myriad Forms Golden Core?!

Absolutely absurd!

Absolutely ridiculous!