Chapter 260: The Difficulty of Seeking Golden Core

Inside the secret chamber, Perfected One Suo Huan’s clothes fluttered. The kind smile on his face seemed like a mask plastered on, showing no change even when he made a move.

“Many thanks, Fellow Daoist.”

Looking at Perfected One Miaoyin, the meeting with [Perfected Lord Iridescent Brocade] overseas flashed through Suo Huan’s mind, and a veil of gloom hard to conceal flashed across his face.

Plotting with tigers… I had no choice!

After all, I am an outer heaven cultivator, with no Perfected Lord backing me. If I want to Seek Golden Core, I can only hope for a sliver of a chance by obtaining the tacit approval of the Perfected Lords of various families.

In this regard, I have to thank Chong Guang… If not for him exposing that Late Stage Golden Core Great Perfected Lord, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have found a single opportunity even until death. Now, at least the Perfected Lord of the Saint Sect allows me to attest to [Eternal Flowing Water] and is even willing to personally refine a Sea-Stabilizing Pearl for me…

Thinking of this, Suo Huan’s face showed no joy.

As an outer heaven cultivator, the difficulty of Seeking Golden Core was undoubtedly several times higher than Chong Guang’s. He had to meet at least three conditions to have a barely possible try.

First was the ritual to trigger the Dao Fruit.

Those of [Eternal Flowing Water] are endless and inexhaustible. Using the [Sea-Stabilizing Pearl] to capture its intent, I should be able to attract the Dao Fruit’s gaze.

This was the first condition.

Second, his [Spirit Ruins Blessed Land] was currently incomplete. It must be perfected through Qi Harvesting to meet the minimum standard for transforming into a Grotto-Heaven.

Finally, there was Status.

“My current strength is strictly speaking just a Great Perfected One, comparable to the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment, but I can’t reach the edge of Foundation Establishment Perfection. This is my innate defect.”

Suo Huan felt bitter in his heart. Although the World Realm he came from wasn’t small, it had only condensed an embryonic form of a Dao Fruit. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t even as good as the current [Myriad Martial World Realm]. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been reduced to a battlefield for the Battle for the Dao. As a cultivator from that realm, his cultivation base had innate deficiencies.

The strongest he could reach was the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment!

Unless he reincarnated and re-cultivated, he could never reach Foundation Establishment Perfection in this life, let alone extract Golden Nature or lift up a Blessed Land.

Three difficult hurdles, each harder than the last.

But my lifespan is almost up… The people of the [Universe Ruins Realm] are all dead! Only I remain… If I die too, the [Universe Ruins Realm] will truly perish!

Thinking of this, Suo Huan’s originally hesitant gaze instantly became firm. He had nothing to lose. Not breaking through to Golden Core meant death anyway; breaking through might give him a chance to live. What was there to be afraid of? For someone like him without roots, what way out was there if he didn’t gamble?

Thinking of this, Suo Huan immediately began to make arrangements.

He borrowed Perfected One Miaoyin’s [Void Heaven Mirror] directly, and easily modified the formation. Soon, brilliant light emerged on the mirror surface again.

“Amitabha…”

Within the brilliant light, a bald head appeared. It was an old monk with kind brows and benevolent eyes. Seeing this, Suo Huan skillfully bowed his waist and respectfully performed a salutation.

“This lowly one greets Venerable Mahasthamaprapta.”

The old monk was shockingly a Great Perfected One of the Pure Land, named [Mahasthamaprapta], the Venerable most hopeful to be promoted to the Bodhisattva position within the Pure Land.

As soon as Venerable Mahasthamaprapta appeared, he looked straight at Suo Huan. “Benefactor, have you considered it well?”

“I have considered it well.”

Suo Huan said decisively, “This lowly one wishes to attest to [Eternal Flowing Water]. If I can truly ascend to the position of Perfected Lord in the future, I am willing to merge the Grotto-Heaven and the Dao Fruit into the Pure Land together!”

Plundering the Dao Fruit of this world was a dead end.

Suo Huan was very clear on this point. After all, it was already exaggerated for an ordinary World Realm to have one Dao Fruit, but this broken place actually had thirty!

How could anyone play like this?

Moreover, there were Nascent Soul Dao Lords above. Suo Huan couldn’t comprehend that realm at all. He only knew that if he plundered a Dao Fruit one moment, he would be slapped to death by them the next.

Therefore, Suo Huan had planned for this long ago.

Plundering the Dao Fruit is only to revive the [Universe Ruins Realm] within my Grotto-Heaven. Afterward, I can simply return it. Merging into the Pure Land is a good choice.

As for the drawbacks of Pure Land cultivation… at the step of Bodhisattva, there is still some autonomy. For someone like me, it can’t be considered trouble. As long as I can Seek Golden Core and ascend to the throne, I can always think of ways to deal with future troubles later. If I can’t even Seek Golden Core, worrying about the future is meaningless!

Thinking of this, Suo Huan continued to bow and say:

“I earnestly request Grandmaster to take action. Please ask the Bodhisattva to open temples and build monasteries within this lowly one’s [Spirit Ruins Blessed Land], blessing it with Great Buddhadharma, to help perfect this lowly one’s Blessed Land as soon as possible.”

He was actively handing over leverage.

Letting the Pure Land leave marks within the [Spirit Ruins Blessed Land]—only then would the Pure Land trust him and perfect the Blessed Land for him without worrying about him breaking his word.

Sure enough, Venerable Mahasthamaprapta revealed a look of satisfaction upon hearing this:

“Buddha means Enlightened One.”

“Benefactor has an enlightened heart; you will surely become a Buddha.”

After speaking, Venerable Mahasthamaprapta took out a thick scripture. Seven large gold-lacquered characters were on the cover— Mahayana True Enlightenment Fundamental Sutra!

“This sutra was personally transcribed by the Bodhisattva with great spiritual power. Every word in the sutra is a gem, blessed by the Dao Fruit. Benefactor only needs to send this sutra into the Blessed Land and devour it using the Qi Harvesting Method; the Blessed Land will naturally be perfected… I wonder how Benefactor plans to Seek Golden Core? Perhaps we can lend you a hand.”

“I won’t trouble Grandmaster with that.”

Suo Huan shook his head. The method of Seeking Golden Core involved his very foundation. Naturally, he couldn’t leak it, or it would be easy for others to catch a flaw.

Seeing this, Venerable Mahasthamaprapta didn’t ask further, only chanting a Buddha’s name.

Soon, the brilliant light faded.

However, Suo Huan didn’t stop. Instead, he switched the patterns of the formation. After a moment, he lit up the precious mirror again. This time, another figure appeared.

The other party wore official robes, draped in a large red cloak, and wore an official hat, looking exactly like a Dao Court official. He appeared majestic and solemn. Within the brilliant light above his head, tadpole-like talismans interwove, finally forming the title [Minister of Heavenly Affairs and Military Command], making him appear even more extraordinary.

“This lowly one greets Lord Minister.”

Suo Huan bowed down again, even switching to a set of official Dao Court etiquette, his movements practiced.

The so-called [Minister of Heavenly Affairs and Military Command] was a Rank 2 official position in the Dao Court, also a position for a Great Perfected One. Strictly speaking, his strength was even inferior to Suo Huan’s.

However, as Suo Huan bowed at this moment, neither side felt anything wrong.

This “Lord Minister” had an indifferent look in his eyes and smiled. “Actively contacting this official… it seems you have finally thought it through and are willing to defect to this dynasty?”

“I have thought it through.”

Suo Huan said without hesitation, “I only ask His Majesty to bless this lowly one with a Rank 1 Title to help this lowly one Seek Golden Core. After success, this lowly one is willing to guard the border seas for the Dao Court forever!”

“Good, good, good…”

Hearing this, the Dao Court’s [Minister of Heavenly Affairs and Military Command] instantly revealed a look of satisfaction. “Since you are sincere, I will present a memorial to His Majesty for you.”

“Many thanks, My Lord.”

Suo Huan bowed, then skillfully took out a storage bag and transmitted it using the [Void Heaven Mirror]. “These are spiritual materials this lowly one harvested overseas. This lowly one has eyes but fails to recognize Mt. Tai and cannot distinguish the quality of spiritual materials. Please assess them for me, My Lord; consider it doing this lowly one a favor.”

“You, oh you… Don’t do this next time!”

The [Minister of Heavenly Affairs and Military Command] laughed loudly and accepted the storage bag openly. Only then did he disconnect from the precious mirror, and the brilliant light gradually dissipated.

Only after doing all this did Suo Huan finally straighten his body.

He straightened his waist and back as straight as a pen, as if trying to straighten out all the bowing he had just done. A trace of a smile finally appeared in his eyes.

This was true joy.

For him, having a smile on his face had long become a habit and didn’t represent his true emotions. Only the thoughts in the depths of his eyes were his true heart.

There is hope…!

[Eternal Flowing Water] made the Pure Land, Dao Court, and Saint Sect no longer reject his Seeking Golden Core, and also gave him the opportunity to ask for benefits from all three sides.

The Saint Sect provides me with the Sea-Stabilizing Pearl, capturing the intent of [Eternal Flowing Water]. The Pure Land helps me perfect the Blessed Land, making it complete. The Dao Court blesses me with an official position, allowing me to make up for my innate defects and obtain the cultivation base of Foundation Establishment Perfection… In this way, I finally have a glimmer of hope to Seek Golden Core!

Thinking of this, Suo Huan could almost not suppress his joy.

For this, he specially used Perfected One Miaoyin’s hand to come to the Heavens Beyond Heavens like the [Myriad Martial World Realm], ensuring that the karma of his three-way dealing wouldn’t be calculated.

Now, the only flaw…

Thinking of this, Suo Huan finally turned his head to look at Perfected One Miaoyin, whose pretty face was stiff, still retaining a look of shock and anger, but fixed in place and unable to move.

(End of this chapter)

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