Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather Chapter 1375: 878: Delivering People and Delivering Ghosts Are the Same (Part 2)

Liu Wei froze in shock.

Golden Core!

Although his cultivation had reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, he refused to deceive himself about forming a Golden Core, for the nearer he drew to that realm, the more profoundly he grasped the sheer impossibility of condensing one.

To date, Liu Wei estimated his odds of forming a Golden Core at under ten percent.

Jian Changhe might possess greater potential than him, yet Liu Wei doubted even Jian Changhe could succeed in condensing a Golden Core.

Forming a Golden Core marked an entirely separate realm from Foundation Establishment.

Though Foundation Establishment and Golden Core appeared as merely two realm steps apart, in truth, they separated like heaven and earth.

Foundation Establishment offered a mere 300 years of life, while Golden Core bestowed a full 3,000 years.

The chasm between them was unmistakable.

In the world of Immortal Cultivation, a famous adage rang out: “Swallow a Golden Core, and from then on, my destiny rests in my hands, not the heavens'.”

This phrase revealed how Golden Core cultivators wielded the might to challenge the heavens themselves.

Golden Core experts could pierce into the Void, and since the Void lay beyond the true world, it signified their ability to step outside the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth in reality.

Though Golden Core cultivators hadn't attained true immortality in terms of lifespan, they surpassed Foundation Establishment ones with countless methods to prolong their lives.

Whether through turtle breathing techniques, simulating death, or even turning into Ghost Cultivators.

In every way, the road for Golden Core cultivators stretched broad and endless, utterly eclipsing that of Foundation Establishment practitioners.

Given this enormous divide, shattering the bottleneck proved daunting beyond measure.

Over the past 3,000 years in the Yunxiao Mountain Range region, no fewer than ten thousand Foundation Establishment cultivators had arisen, but only two had forged Golden Cores: Heavenly Sword True Monarch and White Cloud True Monarch—those two alone.

Gazing into Jian Changhe’s eyes, Liu Wei let out a quiet sigh at last.

“In that case, our only option is the Ling Xiu Three Sects!”

“Then go ahead and pick them!” Jian Changhe replied with indifference.

Liu Wei fell silent, having glimpsed the unyielding Dao Heart in Jian Changhe’s gaze.

Unable to sway him, he abandoned the effort.

Between Hidden Sword Mountain and Ling Xiu Three Sects, he selected the Ling Xiu Three Sects.

Hidden Sword Mountain boasted foundations of profound depth and numerous hidden aces, yet most of those aces remained bound to the mountain itself, unusable elsewhere.

By contrast, the Ling Xiu Three Sects commanded three Divine Soul Realm Martial Artists, perfect as outside support for the Qingli Six Families.

…

Departing Hidden Sword Mountain, Liu Wei headed to Xuanqing Sect.

Yet he encountered no warm welcome there, as Lin Daoyuan rejected alliance with both Hidden Sword Mountain and the Qingli Six Families.

Yang Zhenshan meant well, but he misjudged the Ling Xiu Three Sects’ deep wariness toward Immortal Cultivation Forces.

More accurately, Lin Daoyuan’s personal dread of them.

Yang Zhenshan had convinced Yue E, but Yue E couldn’t move Lin Daoyuan.

As for Wuxiang Sect, it now sought only to rebuild its power, shunning all entanglements.

Liu Wei came back empty-handed, leaving Yang Zhenshan deeply disheartened by the outcome.

In the study atop Spiritual Spring Mountain Plateau.

Upon hearing Liu Wei had departed, Yang Zhenshan shook his head in helpless frustration.

“They’re nothing but a heap of scattered sand!”

The Qingli Six Families, Hidden Sword Mountain, and Ling Xiu Three Sects formed a mere heap of scattered sand; uniting them seemed utterly hopeless.

“I warned you earlier—these groups will never join forces!” Xuanzhen remarked casually from across the table.

“Without unity, we can’t stand against Zhang Mo. And with Zhang Mo alive, peace will never come to the western Yunxiao Mountain Range,” Yang Zhenshan countered.

“And? Why should that concern you?” Xuanzhen probed.

Yang Zhenshan shot him a look; Xuanzhen possessed many virtues, save for his satisfaction with modest achievements.

This old Daoist lacked grand visions. Though he yearned to revive Wuzhen Taoist Palace, his plan avoided grabbing vast resources or building a massive faction—instead, he aimed to nurture exceptional heirs.

To sum it up, Xuanzhen favored the elite route, grooming a handful of brilliant disciples to carry on Wuzhen Taoist Palace’s heritage.

Yang Zhenshan stood apart from the rest; Spirit Origin Land had transformed into a grand and mighty force, destined one day to become its own small world.

To grow Spirit Origin Land further, Yang Zhenshan required a steady influx of all kinds of resources from beyond its borders.

“Of course it matters! I still want to claim even more advantages!”

Xuanzhen let out a chuckle, “No need to hurry then; just let Zhang Mo run wild. Once the Qingli Six Families fall, you can take over the Qingli Dynasty!”

“After the Ling Xiu Three Sects crumble, seize the Sea of Spirit, and when Hidden Sword Mountain perishes, claim the whole western region of Yunxiao Mountain Range.”

“In the end, Zhang Mo has no interest in holding these territories; he only craves materials for forging Ghost Soldiers and Blood Puppets.”

Yang Zhenshan cast a peculiar look toward Xuanzhen.

Xuanzhen spoke true; Unpredictable Ghost Sect's roots lay on the eastern edge of the Wanhua Mountain Range, so they'd never venture into Yunxiao Mountain Range to claim and hold it.

Though the Sea of Spirit, endless mountains, and Qingli Dynasty offered treasures aplenty here, they dismissed this desolate land as worthless.

Zhang Mo wouldn't linger in such a place; his sole purpose was refining Ghost Soldiers and Blood Puppets, and once usable materials dwindled, he'd abandon it to prey on other powers.

“You're truly ruthless!”

Aren't you?

Letting Zhang Mo loose like that—who could say how many innocents would perish?

Should Zhang Mo topple the Ling Xiu Three Sects, what if he turned the entire Sea of Spirit into Blood Puppets?