569 The Right Choice (1/2)

Thousands upon thousands of bolts of lightning. A golden light shield.

In the sea of violent lightning, the pale golden sword defense swayed at first and then it became firmer and firmer. The lightning and thunder from the sky were still dense and heavy, but they could no longer approach the two people under the protection of the sword defense. In the face of the supreme enemy in the immortal dreamland, this Non-Phase Master and disciple duo were actually able to withstand!

The power fusion tactic was actually much stronger than expected. After Wang Lu handed over the control of his golden core to his Master, the defensive power of her Non-Phase Sword Defense actually more than doubled! It was as if in the one hundred and tenth layer plus of Non-Phase Sword Method, the improvement of strength could result in non-linear power output...

Unfortunately, due to her spirit root limitation, she has yet to break through Jindan Stage. If she had the cultivation base of Yuanying or even Deity Stage, and then cooperated with Wang Lu using this against-the-heaven defensive method, perhaps they could even ignore the real divine tribulation...

She was indeed worthy to inherit the inheritance of Ouyang Shang—in more than one hundred years she had painstakingly developed this against the heaven defensive method, among which, there were myriad of profoundness that caused people to sigh with emotion. As Wang Lu closely embraced his Master, he was very clear on the response toward how her Master controlled the magical power, but his biggest take on this experience was: Although he doesn't understand it, it seems pretty awesome!

It had been more than twenty years since he started his Non-Phase Method cultivation, and that system had been deeply imprinted in his golden core, so his attainment could be considered as profound. However, compared to how his Master used her Non-Phase Method right now, Wang Lu felt that as if he was just a layman. Let alone referencing it for future use, many of them were even difficult for him to understand! For example, although he knew that Wang Wu had two golden cores of her own, and understood that Wang Wu could control more than one golden cores because there was a special skill to coordinate the operation of more than one golden cores in Non-Phase Method… but he didn't expect that, even after including his golden core into her system, she still could simultaneously control three golden cores without any difficulty!

This was the accumulation gap of their one hundred years of cultivation time difference… Wang Wu was initially already amazing in her understanding of immortal path, and after she received the inheritance of Ouyang Shang, perhaps no one in Nine Regions could compare to her. And as the one being regarded as her cultivation root, how could Non-Phase Method be that simple?

However, Wang Lu did not regret that he fused primal chaos heaven splitting sword qi in reaching Jindan Stage. Although Non-Phase Method was good, it was ultimately other people's thing. Wang Wu had her own hardships to take Non-Phase Method as her core, but it was not necessary for him to imitate it. Moreover, when it came to aptitude and perception… he was not necessarily inferior to her. After all, she was able to deduce the more than one hundred and tenth layer of Non-Phase Method because of the inheritance that he had left her.

As time went by, the bolts of lightning from the Heaven grew stronger and stronger, but Non-Phase Sword Defense remained firm and unbroken. During the body fusion with his Master, Wang Lu's golden core was controlled by his Master. Although there were many things he didn't understand about the principle of the one hundred and tenth layer of Non-Phase Method, during this operation, his golden core gradually changed.

The first was inflation.

Wang Wu relied on the cooperation of three golden cores to strengthen the sword defense, symbolizing the most stable three bodies structure, the triangle. However, in fact, there was a great difference between the three golden cores. Wang Wu's two golden cores were at the peak level; the quality and also the quantity of magical power was far superior to that of Wang Lu's middle-level golden core. Thus, theoretically, this triangle was not stable.

However, as Wang Wu used Non-Phase Method to link the three golden cores, with true qi unceasingly operating, Wang Lu could clearly feel that the three golden cores were rapidly equalizing… Wang Wu's two golden core began to shrink and dim while his own golden core rapidly expanded and shine more brightly.

On the path of immortal cultivation, there was no theory of empowerment. Even if they wanted to, the predecessors could not hasten their juniors' development. However, at this time, Wang Lu actually enjoyed this development hastening process. Under the nourishment of Wang Wu's two golden cores, he was advancing toward high-level Jindan at an astonishing speed. Moreover, the process was unexpectedly smooth and steady, completely without the foundation instability that would easily occur in this kind of situation.

However, the cost of this seemed to be a bit high. After this process happened for a while, Wang Wu's Jindan Stage seemed to vaguely fall from the previously peak Jindan Stage. Wang Lu was not sure whether this decline in strength would cause permanent damage or not, in any case, for Peak Jindan Stage, a small level often meant more than ten years of hard work, let alone for Wang Wu whose spirit root qualification was below average?

”Master, take it easy…”

But Wang Wu said, ”Only when the three golden cores are fully equal could Non-Phase Sword Defense bring out its strongest defense. Right now, the most important thing is to maintain life, so you got this cheap. Later when we get back, remember to give me the reimbursement.”

”... At this critical moment, you are still thinking about money?”

”If you give me quicker, I won't have to think about it.”

”... Fine, later on, when the moment comes, I will give you two million spirit stones as a medical nutrition fee. So, be sure to hold it.”

”Relax, I am the number one Jindan in Nine Regions, ooh what the hell!”

Halfway through their conversation, the Heaven was already impatient with this deadlock. An unprecedented purple-blue thunderbolt struck down, making the footing of both Wang Lu and Wang Wu to be unstable, nearly making them stumble.

”Whoa, she's really pissed off now. That was a bit stronger than expected…” As Wang Wu spoke, a slight tinge of blood appeared on the side her lips. That thunderbolt that struck them just now was too ruthless that it unexpectedly injured her.

However, the bigger problem was that, the attack power and endurance of Heaven were actually higher than expected. Originally, Wang Wu's three golden cores' balanced set up was able to withstand the attack, but now it might not necessarily be so.

Although it was possible to further weaken herself to further improve Wang Lu so that the three golden core could become more balanced, if she kept reducing the power of her cores, the level of her golden cores would drop, and the difference between peak Jindan and high-level Jindan was not small, such that once dropped, the comprehensive defense might not improve.

Many thoughts raced through her mind, but for a while, Wang Wu still couldn't come up with a better way. This three golden cores balancing set up ignored the advancement through pills—moreover, with how poor she was, where could she come up with elixirs? As for weapons and equipments, she was even more desolate. Apart from her bamboo sword, she had no other things. As for the Sword of Mount Kun in Wang Lu's hand, although it could be borrowed… it probably couldn't survive the confrontation between her Non-Phase Sword Defense and the thunderbolts from Heaven. Liu Li's Skybreaker actually could withstand this, but she couldn't withstand its side effects.

While hesitating, Wang Wu suddenly heard the voice of Wang Lu.

”Don't worry, wait a moment.”

The next moment, Wang Wu was surprised to discover that the golden core that belonged to Wang Lu in the three golden cores formation grew up at an alarming rate. Moreover, it was not relying on external nurturing, but it a growth from within!

”Wang Lu, what are you doing?” Wang Wu vaguely noticed that something was wrong, so she immediately asked him through primordial spirit.

”I have too much Innate vitality so I burnt it a bit.”

”Bastard! Who told you to do this!” Wang Wu anxiously blurted out in anger. The burning of innate vitality in exchange for a short burst of energy like the Heaven Burning Blood Technique was a completely evil path. Doing it while one was still in early cultivation was okay. However, in Jindan Stage or higher, only by burning innate vitality, the effects are quite limited. In order to achieve the expected results, the innate vitality that needed to be burned usually had to be hundreds of years for one time, but how much lifespan do Jindan Stage cultivators have? How could he afford to burn it in this way?

No matter how lucky Wang Lu was and how long his lifespan he was born with, after being burnt in this way for a time, he would surely die young....she had been trying so hard to support the sword defense, was it all for watching him die so young?

”Don't worry, innate vitality is just for the ignition trigger, I only burned one year. It's mainly to stimulate the primal chaos heaven splitting sword qi.

Wang Lu slowly and unhurriedly explained.

His golden core was the combination of Non-Phase Method and primal chaos heaven splitting sword qi, what was really strengthened was only the part which belongs to Non-Phase Method, the primal chaos heaven splitting sword qi was practically tantamount to being suppressed!

On the whole, the growth of Non-Phase part of his golden core was very advantageous. However, for Wang Lu himself, this meant there was an internal imbalance in his golden core. Of course, it was not that big of a deal in itself because Non-Phase Method was very tolerant and could completely accommodate this imbalance.

However, primal chaos heaven splitting sword qi could not tolerate this. This method that was passed on to him by the ancient sword demon paid particular attention to 'advancing courageously', and 'overwhelming everything'. Previously, it had already taken a lot of effort from Wang Lu to fuse it into his golden core so that it could coexist with his Non-Phase Method. Now that the Non-Phase Method was advancing greatly, primal chaos heaven splitting sword qi was very eager to try.

And now, Wang Lu was ready to stimulate his primal chaos vital force part of the golden core. If it was properly executed, he could take this opportunity to push his Jindan to high level and even peak level in one stroke. Although the risk of this was not small—if he failed, his Jindan was likely to break, and in this case, there would be many problems, like the instability of his iron foundation, method downgrade, and other problems...

However, he could not afford to worry too much.

This golden core inflation process only took a few breaths of time. Catalyzed by the burning of innate vitality, the primal chaos heaven splitting sword qi part of the golden core fiercely erupted and crazily inflated that it overwhelmed the other part of golden core. In an instant, it was as if there was a living thing in his golden core.

Many cultivators had said that, immortal level method itself was like a living creature. Wang Lu didn't realize it when his cultivation base was still shallow, but now he gradually realized it.

And with the rapid growth of his primal chaos heaven splitting sword qi part, Wang Lu's golden core rank also rose, jumping a bit from high-level golden core, and now was about to touch the edge of peak golden core!

Climbing up from the initial middle-level Jindan to this point, it had taken Wang Lu only about two hours. In the future, it would be very difficult for him to encounter such a chance. However, Wang Lu did not even have the time to comment the changes, but instead, he immediately asked, ”Hehe, what do you think, Little Wu, is it enough?”

”... Hmm, that's enough.” Wang Wu softly gave her answer, but she seemed to be distracted.

”Hey, this is not a good time to be distracted, okay?”

Wang Wu, of course, knew that it was not a good time to be distracted at this time. At present, her three golden cores weren't maintained at the same peak level, so the defensive power of her Non-Phase Sword Defense could be improved to an unprecedented level. And after that particularly fierce thunderbolt strike, she vaguely felt that Heaven was already in the 'spent force' situation. This was undoubtedly a good time to change from defensive to offensive, and to break the stalemate situation to decide the outcome. However… just now, the words from Wang Lu that kid had struck something deep within her that she could not help but care.

'What do you think, Little Wu…'

Little Wu? Who allowed him to call her like that?

Of course, Wang Wu didn't care about maintaining the Master's dignity and the likes. Usually, when she quarreled with Wang Lu in Non-Phase Peak, it was not a few times Wang Lu had spurted out words like cheap and slut at her, and Wang Wu didn't mind it. But… the way he said those words just now, seemed like a deja vu to her.

It was not clear why there was such a feeling… As early as more than one hundred years ago, she had given up all her fantasies and never allowed herself to wander weakly into unrealistic things. When Wang Lu had just entered the sect, some people did mention that some of his characteristics were similar to that person, but at the time, she immediately dismissed it.