Ye Chen entered seclusion to break through to the Golden Core stage, sparking a wave of discussion within the Green Cloud Sect. The elders were dumbfounded. Who could have imagined that Ye Chen, once dismissed as the most useless simp among the direct disciples, would now be on the verge of forming his core?

Compare that to the geniuses who once rivaled him. Li Xiaoyao failed to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill, botched his breakthrough, and returned to his hometown in disgrace. Fa Zhen managed to reach Foundation Establishment, but lingered at the early stage, utterly unremarkable. The two were no longer in the same league as Ye Chen, who had surpassed many elders and was now poised to form his core. The contrast left everyone in awe.

...

"Noon already, Sect Leader? Back from fishing early today?" an elder called out, spotting the Old Sect Master strolling through the sect's main square.

The Old Sect Master held up a single fish in his right hand. "Too many fish today—got bored and quit early."

The elder nodded, tossing out a casual compliment about the Sect Master's skill before turning to leave. The sect had recently claimed several new resource points, stretching their manpower thin and keeping everyone busy.

But the Old Sect Master raised his hand, cutting in. "You asking about this fish? Twelve pounds, seven ounces—a proper white-scaled fish. Even in the Heavenly Pool, there aren't many like it. Not the biggest I've caught, though."

The elder's lips twitched.

When did I ask about the fish's size?

Before he could respond, the Sect Master's head snapped toward Sword Peak. Spiritual Qi was gathering there, swirling into a vortex like a dragon.

His face lit up with excitement. Tossing the fish into his storage ring, he sped toward Sword Peak. The elders in the sect froze, startled. This was the sign of a core-forming breakthrough. Was Gu Yunyun about to form her Golden Core? Dropping their tasks, the elders rushed to witness it.

Hours passed. The massive spiritual Qi vortex was devoured entirely, and a terrifying aura swept through Green Cloud Sect.

Her core was formed!

The Old Sect Master sensed the aura—freshly broken through yet already surpassing his own—and his face lit up with even greater joy.

At the peak of Sword Peak, the array that had sealed Gu Yunyun for a year finally parted. Clad in a red dress, her figure flawless, Gu Yunyun emerged from seclusion with an ethereal grace. Her presence was like an unsheathed immortal sword, so sharp it stung the eyes of the gathered elders, some nearly tearing up. A mere glance from her felt like it could slice their skin.

"Greetings, Senior," the elders said in unison, bowing respectfully. In the cultivation world, those with higher cultivation were revered as seniors.

Gu Yunyun nodded calmly.

The Old Sect Master waved them off with a smile. "Yunyun just broke through and hasn't fully stabilized her aura. You all may leave."

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The elders bowed again and hurriedly departed.

Once they were gone, the Old Sect Master turned to Gu Yunyun, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "A ninth-grade Golden Core?"

Gu Yunyun nodded.

"No wonder it took so long!" he exclaimed. "A ninth-grade Golden Core! Green Cloud Sect finally has one. With this, we have hope of becoming a Nascent Soul sect!"

His laughter rang with unrestrained delight.

Gu Yunyun, seeing his joy, allowed a faint smile to grace her lips. Though the Old Sect Master's talent and strength were modest, his lifelong dedication to Green Cloud Sect was unquestionable. He never shirked anything that benefited the sect, earning her deep respect.

What she didn't mention was that her prolonged seclusion wasn't just due to forming a ninth-grade Golden Core. She had awakened a portion of the Sword Peng's innate Divine Ability and inheritance. While the Sword Peng wasn't among the Vicious Ten and lacked their treasure techniques, its innate abilities and inheritance were nearly as formidable, rivaling even the Vicious Ten' prowess.

Her successful breakthrough filled her with quiet joy, but Ye Chen's absence puzzled her. By all rights, he should've been the first to greet her. Was he away? Extending her newly enhanced spiritual sense, now vastly amplified by her Golden Core, she scanned his courtyard and froze in surprise.

The Old Sect Master noticed and chuckled. "Ye Chen waited for you to emerge for a long time, but you never did. He was disappointed every time. A while back, I urged him to go into seclusion himself."

Gu Yunyun's emotions swirled—complex, tinged with worry. Her disciple was about to break through to Golden Core too? She wondered if he'd prepared adequate core-forming treasures. He'd given her the precious Sword Peng Bone, but could she find something even better for him? With him already in seclusion, such thoughts were moot.

Having just broken through, Gu Yunyun needed time to master her surging power. She settled near Sword Peak rather than atop it, wary of disturbing Ye Chen's breakthrough.

As days passed, she occasionally recalled the night before her seclusion, when she'd visited Ye Chen's courtyard. He'd been bold. Though she still harbored reservations about a master-disciple bond turning romantic, the memory of his tender gaze, as if she were a priceless treasure, softened her heart. She couldn't bring herself to refuse him.

She decided that once Ye Chen emerged from seclusion, having formed his Golden Core, she'd dissolve their master-disciple relationship. The saying went, "A master for a day is a father for life," and ending the title might feel like self-deception, but it sounded better.

During this time, she noticed Ye Chen's two maids, Lu Jing and Lin Ke'er, visiting the foot of Sword Peak daily, eagerly checking for signs of his breakthrough. Gu Yunyun was familiar with them, often hearing their voices.

Lu Jing was gentle, her voice soft, sometimes muffled as if shy to speak too loudly. Lin Ke'er, more cunning, deliberately raised her voice. As for Sun Ruoxin, whose normal tone differed starkly from her cultivation state, she was curiously absent.

Gu Yunyun had long known of Ye Chen's maids and often listened to their chatter. They'd been with him longer than she had and were devoted to him. While she minded other women, she chose to turn a blind eye. But if Ye Chen ever expected her to share space with his maids, that was a line she wouldn't cross.

...

In those days, besides the maids, Yao Xi from Pill Peak frequently visited to check on Ye Chen's seclusion. On the day of Gu Yunyun's breakthrough, she'd sensed Yao Xi reach mid-Foundation Establishment.

A week later, Yao Xi broke through to late Foundation Establishment, nearing perfection. Such rapid progress stunned the sect's elders, but Gu Yunyun wasn't surprised. Yao Xi's skin glowed like moonlight, a telltale sign of consuming Glazed Purification Water—undoubtedly a gift from Ye Chen.

Glazed Purification Water was precious, given only to those Ye Chen cherished. Yao Xi had been with him longer, the source of his "simp" reputation. So, Gu Yunyun chose to ignore it. Though she longed for a devoted Dao companion, these women were part of his past. Just as Ye Chen gave everything for her, she could make concessions. As long as he didn't bring them before her, she remained calm.

A few days later, a letter addressed to Ye Chen arrived at Green Cloud Sect. With him in seclusion and Sword Peak sealed to outsiders, it was delivered to Gu Yunyun. She picked it up, her phoenix eyes narrowing as she read the sender's name on the envelope.

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