Chapter 432: Core

"Yes, I am my master's disciple, named 'Black Dragon'!"

Fang Xing bowed.

The giant ape spoke, its voice like thunder: "Our Wujie Mountain has always taught without discrimination... Joining is simple: enter the 'Tai Xu Illusion' and you are already a member—you may proceed to the 'Wanxing Hall' to accept missions and earn merit points. Merit points on this mountain can be exchanged for Nascent Soul Pills, various lineages, even direct guidance from powerful cultivators."

"Sounds like a large mission platform—seems pretty good?"

Fang Xing's heart stirred; even if not core, this platform would greatly benefit his growth.

"But you are Qing Hua's disciple—you naturally differ from ordinary members!"

The ape, whose fur burned like the Great Holy Monkey, continued: "Your 'Wujie Token' is specially crafted—you enter as a 'formal member,' eligible for more missions and more detailed intelligence... But formal members are still not 'core members' of our Wujie Mountain... Core members, even without completing missions, are nurtured by Wujie Mountain—each slot is precious. Do you understand?"

"Black Dragon understands."

Fang Xing knew well: any great faction's core members are pre-selected heavenly immortals or heavenly beasts. Beyond extraordinary talent and staggering resource consumption, the most crucial factor is 'loyalty!'

Someone not raised from childhood, cultivated to heavenly immortal or heavenly beast status—should they rebel later, the loss would be far greater!

Someone like him, with no background or roots... even if he tried to infiltrate the Qing Emperor's Palace, he'd never become an Yaozu prince.

Talent? As long as the pool is large enough, geniuses will always emerge.

Unless... one is so astonishingly gifted that even heavenly immortals and heavenly beasts would be stunned.

Fang Xing's talent with the Time Dao Principle was known only to the Jie Ling Snake Woman.

"According to Wujie Mountain's rules, all members may attempt the 'Star Tower'... If you reach the seventh floor, you become a core member immediately!"

The Great Holy Monkey smiled: "When you attempt the Star Tower, your cultivation base and physical strength are restricted to the ninth level of the Mortal Realm. No treasures may be carried—your only tools are your own Dao Principle insights, secret techniques, moves... and above all, combat experience and talent! Generally, those who pass the seventh floor have at least reached the fourth level of Dao Principle comprehension!"

Fourth-level Dao Principle comprehension means 'Master-level' proficiency in rule manipulation—enabling the formation of a 'Dao Body.'

The former Yaozu prince Fu Shan had been at this level!

"So the Great Holy Monkey is telling me to attempt the Star Tower?"

Fang Xing's heart stirred.

Though his Dao Principle comprehension had not yet reached Master-level in any single principle, his Space and Time Dao Principles were exceptionally strong.

Combined with the 'Pan She Secret Art,' even most Yaozu princes might not be his match.

To join a faction and become a core disciple—this virtual trial was already trivial.

"Heh... It would be a joke if the Yao I recommended needed to attempt the Star Tower! I still have one core slot left—I'll give it to you directly."

The giant ape waved his hand lightly; a streak of light sank into Fang Xing's body.

Fang Xing suddenly received a message from the Tai Xu Illusion: he was now a core member of Wujie Mountain, unlocking many authorized areas, and could enter Wujie Mountain using his true form and power.

"This... thank you, Great Holy Monkey."

He hurriedly expressed gratitude—unexpectedly, no trial was needed.

"Go now..."

Above the Chaos Ocean, the Great Holy Monkey waved his hand.

Fang Xing, powerless to resist, stepped out of the hall.

Once his figure vanished, the giant ape who had first guided him appeared above the Chaos Sea: "Master... Though you may directly recommend core members, bypassing trials risks alienating formal and core members alike... Is this good for Black Dragon? Should I warn him?"

"No need..."

The Great Holy Monkey sat cross-legged, his voice cold: "Qing Hua is Qing Hua—her disciple is merely a disciple. I owe Qing Hua a small favor; granting him a core slot settles it. After becoming a heavenly beast, if you wish to merge with the Dao, sever all karmic ties—otherwise, they become obstacles at the moment of merging."

"I see."

The giant ape nodded—he understood his master did not truly care for that Black Dragon.

After all, Lady Qing Hua had perished countless years ago. Even if a great cultivator could be revived, the chance was vanishingly slim.

A dead great cultivator is never as valuable as a living one.

If he had been made a formal member and slowly nurtured, that would have been true care for Black Dragon.

Now, everything was given at once—karmic debt settled, no need to pay further attention.

"Qing Hua's karmic ties were heavy. Her cultivation of the Life Dao Principle made her too compassionate, too merciful—too many karmic threads, and she sank. Her lesson: if you ever ascend to heavenly beast, take heed."

The Great Holy Monkey began instructing his disciple: "The 'Heavenly Chaos Forty-Nine Staves' I taught you—how far have you comprehended them?"

"Disciple is dull—still unable to fully grasp the seventeenth staff's Dao Principles..."

At this, the giant ape immediately forgot Black Dragon and earnestly sought guidance.

"Hmm... I'll demonstrate only once."

The Great Holy Monkey rose; the entire Chaos Ocean erupted in towering waves.

"Virtue unmatching one's position invites disaster!"

After leaving the hall, Fang Xing reviewed the benefits of being a core member—they were indeed excellent.

He received special resources annually and could prioritize high-reward missions.

Some secret mission locations held supreme opportunities, inaccessible even to formal or ordinary members.

"As a core member, I receive ten thousand merit points annually—enough to exchange for many rare items..."

Fang Xing briefly opened the exchange list; a common Nascent Soul artifact cost roughly one hundred merit points.

"I don't need Nascent Soul Pills—but Nascent Soul Elixir is excellent..."

This Nascent Soul Elixir could only be refined by a heavenly immortal, using Spirit Stones as the main ingredient—a strange liquid that rapidly strengthens the soul, greatly aiding Nascent Soul Realm cultivation.

With sufficient Nascent Soul Elixir, one could swiftly reach Nascent Soul Realm's ninth level.

"Such benefits handed to me directly—do they want to choke me?" Fang Xing muttered: "It seems the Great Holy Monkey doesn't care much for me... After all, the favor's been long past."

"But for me, I'll take it!"

He immediately flew to his assigned core member cave, ready to examine the exchange list and acquire what he urgently needed.

Though the Great Holy Monkey didn't care much, objectively speaking, he'd done well enough.

No one is born obligated to treat you well—except your parents.

Some great cultivators barely value even their own direct disciples.

In one region of Wujie Mountain stood towering peaks—each core member had a mountain as their territory.

As Fang Xing flew in, a new peak suddenly rose—his own 'Black Dragon Peak!'

"Huh? Another true disciple added to Wujie Mountain?"

"Congratulations, brother."

"Let's drink together sometime."

Voices of congratulations rose from neighboring peaks—some human, some Yao.

Suddenly, another voice, puzzled, spoke: "I checked the Star Tower rankings—no new seventh-floor records recently..."

"So he's a direct recommendation? He must have something extraordinary..."

Fang Xing ignored them all, returning to Black Dragon Peak to meditate.

On a flame-covered peak,

several human cultivators drank and feasted.

Within the Tai Xu Illusion, all external delicacies could be simulated—many luxuries even heavenly immortals and heavenly beasts rarely enjoyed.

"I checked: the new recruit is named 'Black Dragon,' directly recommended by the Great Holy Monkey."

A green-robed woman with a charming smile sipped her wine.

"The Great Holy Monkey? That's from the Yao side?"

A young man in a red robe, with fiery red hair, snorted.

Though Wujie Mountain claimed to teach without discrimination, factions certainly existed—especially between humans and Yao, whose relations were always strained.

"So what will you do, Master Huo Lingzi?"

A Daoist in blue robes, sword on his back, smiled.

"Of course, I'll test Black Dragon's worth..." Huo Lingzi bit fiercely into a giant meat bone: "A direct recommendation could mean a prodigy—or just a favoritism case. Don't forget Kun Yuanzi—he was made core member directly, yet died in the Peach Valley Secret Realm, bringing shame to Wujie Mountain!"

At this, the Daoist and the green-robed woman both grimaced.

"So isn't it natural for me to test Black Dragon's worth?"

Huo Lingzi smiled faintly: "Black Dragon's strength is unknown, and even Yao core members may not be close to him..."

The logic was simple: everyone climbed the Star Tower step by step, each with the pride of a genius.

If Black Dragon was weak, he didn't deserve to stand with them—that was the consensus among core members, human and Yao alike.

In the Yao faction, this belief ran even deeper!

"I've already sent a challenge..."

Huo Lingzi said: "Even if he loses, we can still become friends..."

But one day passed, then two...

Fang Xing gave no response.

Instead, Huo Lingzi's challenge spread, drawing attention from many core members.

"This Black Dragon..."

Huo Lingzi grew irritated.

Inside Black Dragon Peak,

Fang Xing ignored all trivial gossip, carefully studying Wujie Mountain's rules.

When he cannot overturn the entire chessboard but instead benefits from its rules, he becomes the most stubborn conservative.

"Hmm… the Wujie Mountain lineage has many transmissions; I'll choose one on the passage of time to study alongside the Green Flower Trilogy… After all, the Green Flower Scrolls primarily expound the Dao of Life, and barely touch upon the Dao of Time, except for the 'Candle Dragon Soul Method'…"

"Mystical Realm, treasures…"

"Masters… Zeze, even a Ninth Layer Nascent Soul cultivator is this expensive—what of Nascent Soul Dominators or Celestial Immortals and Celestial Demons? These merit points aren't enough… I can't afford it…"

"As for missions, there's no rush… First, I'll carefully screen them."

"Huh? Core members aren't fixed in place—they can still be demoted? Every ten years there's a ranking of core disciples; the bottom three are demoted to regular members, and even within a hundred years, they're barred from entering the Star Tower and cannot re-attain core status…"

"Also, if one exceeds five hundred years of age, they lose their core member status…"

Update later

(End of Chapter)