Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1536 - 814: Golden Corpse (Part 2)
Previously on Cultivation is just so scientific!...
The concluding element concerns the protective armor, proving the simplest to manage. It merely requires sourcing certain Fourth Grade Top Materials infused with earth attributes, forging them into armor-based defensive treasures, and carving ample defensive runes at an accuracy of 0.05 nanometers.
When forging treasures intended for late-stage Golden Corpses, it's vital to regulate the treasure's quality, making sure it stays below the threshold of a spiritual treasure.
Late-stage Golden Corpses lack the ability to contain the power of spiritual treasures, and he has no desire for these late-stage Golden Corpses to draw the gaze of mighty entities.
He stored away the five late-stage Golden Corpses and departed the Taichu branch alongside Master Pei, heading back to the Ten Thousand Beast Sect.
Upon their swift return, Master Hu wasted no time in approaching him.
"Shizhen, you've stirred up a real commotion at the Taichu branch!" Master Hu remarked as he poured a cup of Spiritual Tea for himself.
Li Shiming had previously shared details about the corpse refining with him.
That said, Li Shiming's prior account remained quite vague, leading him to believe it involved merely standard Golden Corpses.
Yet the reports emerging from the Taichu branch told a far more extraordinary tale.
Despite the absence of Great Cultivators on site, a Nascent Soul Middle Stage expert could assess the might of the Heavenly Tribulation. That ordeal matched the scale of a Great Cultivator's trial, with five such tribulations erupting all at once.
A spectacle of that magnitude demanded a clear accounting from the Ten Thousand Beast Sect.
"I forged five late-stage Golden Corpses!" Li Shiming held nothing back and revealed the full truth.
Indeed, deploying these five late-stage Golden Corpses could veil numerous deeper mysteries of his own, allowing upcoming conflicts to hinge primarily on them as the frontline force.
"Five late-stage Golden Corpses?" Master Hu froze in disbelief, even after Li Shiming's direct confirmation, despite his earlier suspicions.
Late-stage Golden Corpses matched the battle prowess of Great Cultivators.
In a way, it resembled a Great Cultivator from the Ten Thousand Beast Sect commanding a Late Stage Fourth Grade Spirit Pet.
Truth be told, though, few Great Cultivators in the Ten Thousand Beast Sect actually owned a Late Stage Fourth Grade Spirit Pet; the majority of theirs lingered at Fourth Grade Middle Stage.
Luckily, the dragon and phoenix Spirit Pets belonging to the Ten Thousand Beast Sect's Great Cultivators could hold off typical Great Cultivators through their full might, even at just Fourth Grade Middle Stage.
"During my time in the Central State Continent and my return to the Dongqi Continent, I took down plenty of Great Cultivators. On this occasion, with ample resources for corpse refining at hand, I selected five corpses from Great Cultivators to transform into late-stage Golden Corpses!" Li Shiming offered more details.
This account only deepened Master Hu's bewilderment.
What incredible trials had his disciple faced beyond these lands? Li Shiming had just recently broken through to Great Cultivator status, yet he had already clashed with and defeated Great Cultivators prior to that breakthrough.
From Li Shiming's phrasing, Master Hu also gathered that the tally of slain Great Cultivators exceeded five, with these particular corpses merely a chosen few.
"Show me these late-stage Golden Corpses. I've never laid eyes on one in the Dongqi Continent!" After some moments, Master Hu shook off his astonishment and voiced his eager curiosity.
Li Shiming saw no reason to deny the request and, with a casual gesture, summoned the five late-stage Golden Corpses from the corpse refining realm.
The instant the five late-stage Golden Corpses emerged, Master Hu sensed his breathing falter. Only after cycling his Spiritual Power Pattern did he steady his breath once more.
He felt a hidden jolt of alarm, having nearly lost composure before his own disciple.
These five late-stage Golden Corpses were brand new from the forge. While the essence of their corpse nuclei stayed veiled, the late-stage Fourth Grade aura radiated without restraint.
Even the casual emanations from the late-stage Golden Corpses outshone the baseline aura of typical Great Cultivators, bolstered by the infusion of three rules’ imprints.
The collective pressure from all five late-stage Golden Corpses had nearly brought shame upon Master Hu.
"Hmm, these are late-stage Golden Corpses? They don't resemble typical Golden Corpses at all." Though Master Hu wasn't an expert in refining Golden Corpses, he possessed basic familiarity with the craft.
"I incorporated a few of my own concepts into the refining process, and somehow they ended up this way. I'm uncertain if they still qualify as Golden Corpses in this form," Li Shiming answered with a wry grin.
"You infused your own innovations into the corpse refining?" Master Hu marveled at Li Shiming's astonishing luck, struggling to accept it.
In the art of corpse refining, even sticking to traditional methods yields a dismal success rate, which deters the vast majority of cultivators.
But Li Shiming had dared to alter the classic golden hide of the late-stage Golden Corpses, and those changes had triumphed. Such a feat defied all reason.
"How fierce is the fighting strength of these late-stage Golden Corpses? Perhaps we should pit one against my Red Gold Phoenix in a spar?" Master Hu yearned to witness the prowess of the five late-stage Golden Corpses, viewing it as a pivotal boost to the Ten Thousand Beast Sect's overall might.
Should the late-stage Golden Corpses' battle capabilities rival those of the sect's Great Cultivators, it would mean gaining five additional Great Cultivators in effective force.
This surge would fortify the Ten Thousand Beast Sect's core, solidifying its dominance across the Dongqi Continent.
"Li Da, come ahead and go light on them!" Li Shiming indicated Li Da from among the five late-stage Golden Corpses and gave the directive.
"Yes, Master!" Li Da advanced and offered a respectful bow.
Were it not for prior knowledge that Li Da served as a late-stage Golden Corpse, Master Hu might have taken him for a genuine Great Cultivator.
His manner of speech, devoid of emotion, closely mirrored that of an ordinary cultivator when engaging with Li Shiming, rendering it nearly impossible to spot his true nature as a Golden Corpse.
"My Red Gold Phoenix may only be at Fourth Grade Middle Stage, but its battle strength isn't to be underestimated!" Master Hu voiced mild offense at Li Shiming's instruction for Li Da to restrain himself.
Li Shiming merely smiled and stuck to his order.
As this was merely a demonstration clash, the confined area of the hall, though modest, sufficed for the exchange.
The Red Gold Phoenix and Li Da positioned themselves across from each other in the chamber, poised for the signal to engage.
"Commence the fight!" Master Hu declared the start.
His words had barely faded when the Red Gold Phoenix emitted a sharp call, shifting into a crimson blur and diving straight at Li Da.
Brimming with fierce battle intent, the Red Gold Phoenix held firm belief in its abilities, undaunted by the rank disparity.
As the Red Gold Phoenix lunged, Li Da—who had remained motionless—suddenly disappeared, his speed so blinding that even Master Hu's gaze failed to track him.
By the time Li Da materialized again, his grasp was already locked around the Red Gold Phoenix's throat, holding it firmly in check.
The Red Gold Phoenix's talons flailed wildly, raking across Li Da's limb, but despite its elite phoenix heritage, they couldn't mar Li Da's hide in the least.
Master Hu recognized that the Red Gold Phoenix's claws could shred the barriers of a Great Cultivator, yet they inflicted zero damage on Li Da.
Most shocking of all was how swiftly the Red Gold Phoenix fell under control, exceeding every expectation Master Hu harbored.
Even he would require effort and moments to overpower the Red Gold Phoenix in direct confrontation.
Though the Red Gold Phoenix wielded only Fourth Grade Middle Stage power, its phoenix ancestry elevated its combat edge far beyond its level.
In this showdown between a late-stage Golden Corpse and the Red Gold Phoenix, the late-stage Golden Corpse asserted total supremacy.
And five such late-stage Golden Corpses loomed right there in his presence.
At this point, Master Hu held no doubt: the fighting strength of these late-stage Golden Corpses outstripped his own, placing him among the elite in the Ten Thousand Beast Sect's ranks.
Therefore, the late-stage Golden Corpses' might positioned them just behind Li Shiming and ahead of the remaining Great Cultivators.
Reflecting on the quick skirmish, Master Hu noted the horrifying prowess displayed by the late-stage Golden Corpses in velocity, might, and resilience.
That said, with the Red Gold Phoenix holding a slight edge in inferiority, the glimpse into the late-stage Golden Corpses' abilities remained surface-level, leaving Master Hu unable to precisely measure their full potential.