Xiao Yi stood in front of a small grave, holding the platinum-striped beast egg in his hands.
The ashes of the black giant snake lay within.
An existence that sought to protect its child with its dying breath—Xiao Yi would never touch its body, even though it was just a magical beast.
Even though the corpse was that of a Golden Core Realm magical beast, invaluable beyond measure, he felt no temptation to touch it.
On the contrary, he had stripped away the carapace of the Iron-Eating Beast.
It was prime material for forging elemental battle armor.
The carapace of the Iron-Eating Beast alone was worth no less than a hundred million Silver, not to mention that shattered Gold Core?
"Rest assured, since I've promised you, I will definitely take good care of your child," Xiao Yi deeply bowed to the black giant snake.
He gently patted the beast egg in his embrace and tucked it into his clothes.
Following the map, Xiao Yi searched and half a day later, found the entrance to the Tungsten Iron Mine behind this waterfall—a deep cave in the mountain.
After traveling five or six kilometers along the cave, Xiao Yi encountered an expanse of silver-gray ore.
Just the visible amount of tungsten iron was no less than a small mine vein, to say nothing of the tungsten iron ore mostly hidden underground; this was definitely a major vein.
The value of the tungsten iron ore here definitely exceeded ten billion Silver.
The fortunes of ordinary Golden Core Realm powerhouses amounted to about ten billion Silver—this vein equaled the entire wealth of ten Golden Core Realm powerhouses, and should it become known, even the royal family would covet it.
"I absolutely cannot reveal the existence of the tungsten iron mine before my breakthrough to the Golden Core Realm…"
Xiao Yi suppressed the excitement in his heart and then traced his way back through the cave to the outside of the waterfall, "There's still about a month and a half until the secret realm of that Tao Tribulation Realm powerhouse opens. I'll cultivate here during this time!"
The secret realm of a Tao Tribulation Realm powerhouse is filled with treasures for those in Divine Skills Realm and even the Golden Core Realm.
Furthermore, powerhouses from the Royal Martial Arts Academy will also be going.
For Xiao Yi, it was both an opportunity and a dangerous predicament.
The Royal Martial Arts Academy would love nothing more than to smash him to pieces!
He sat down cross-legged before the waterfall.
The scenery was enchanting, nestled by the mountain and water.
Before Xiao Yi, the shattered Golden Core bobbed up and down, turning into a faint golden mist that enveloped his body. As his mysterious arts circulated, the energy from within the Golden Core continuously surged into him.
The Iron-Eating Beast at its peak was comparable to the Fifth Layer of the Golden Elixir Realm. Despite most of its energy dissipating after the core shattered in the battle with the black serpent, it remained a colossal energy treasury for those in the Divine Skills Realm!
However, this time without the aid of the Earth Fire Spirit Refining Array, the speed of refining the Gold Core was much slower. Yet, after ten days, Xiao Yi stepped further into the Eighth Layer of the Divine Power Realm.
A month later, he entered the Ninth Layer.
It was only when he reached the Peak of the Ninth Layer of the Divine Passage Realm that the shattered Golden Core was completely depleted of energy, turning into ash. Xiao Yi still had his eyes tightly shut, guiding the vital energy in his body into the God Sealing Seed.
By breaking through two realms, Xiao Yi's number of God Sealing Seeds rose to one thousand seven hundred and fifty.
As Xiao Yi stood up, his bones and muscles made a popping sound like the crackling of fried beans. Unprecedented explosive strength filled his body: "At the Ninth Layer of the Divine Passage Realm, with one thousand seven hundred and fifty God Sealing Seeds, my strength is now comparable to that of a First Layer of the Golden Elixir Realm powerhouse. Even within the secret realm of the Calamity, I'll be capable of defending myself!"
The gap between the Divine Skills Realm and the Golden Core Realm is as vast as the sky is from the earth.
The fact that Xiao Yi at the Ninth Layer of the Divine Passage Realm has strength comparable to that of the Golden Core Realm truly marks him as a prodigy among prodigies.
"I wonder if I'm now capable of opening that celestial tomb…" With a flash, Xiao Yi entered the Ancient Celestial Tomb and headed towards one that he had long coveted.
This Celestial Tomb belonged to an unparalleled swordsman, known as the Sword Demon—Dugu Qiubai!
Engraved on his tombstone read: "For over thirty years amidst the chaos of Jianghu, I have slain every foe, bested all heroes, and found no one left to oppose me. With no other recourse, I secluded myself in a deep valley, taking only sculptures as my companions. Alas! All the heroes bound their hands, and my longsword remains useless. Yearning for a worthy opponent all my life, but never finding one, truly is a lonely and unbearable fate."
At that moment, with just one glance, Xiao Yi was captivated by this peerless swordsman from the Blue Star Realm.
Even with one thousand seven hundred and fifty God Sealing Seeds in his possession, Xiao Yi was still two meters away from Dugu Qiubai's tomb. With no choice, he could only exit the Eternal Tomb, "Perhaps only after I break through to the Golden Core Realm will I be able to obtain his inheritance. Dugu Qiubai, I will soon be able to dig up your grave..."
Within the sky dome, the tombstone of Dugu Qiubai seemed to tremble...
Today, Iron Mountain City was particularly bustling. Before Xiao Yi even entered the city gates, he could sense that the flow of people around him seemed much greater than usual.
Some strong individuals from the Iron Mountain mining area were also hurrying towards the city.
Xiao Yi stopped one of them and asked, "Elder, is something big happening in Iron Mountain City? Why are so many people rushing over there?"
The man, his skin dark from toiling under the sun, though old, was more robust than many young people. He sighed and said, "A major incident occurred at King Tieshan's palace. A month ago, the Hu Family killed the Xu Family's father and son along with a disciple from the Nine Profound Sect. Seven days ago, the powerful members of the Nine Profound Sect descended upon Iron Mountain City and captured all the Hu Family's people. Today, they are to be executed in public!"
Xiao Yi felt a jolt through his body, and his eyes suddenly sharpened, "Executed?"
In the central square of Iron Mountain City.
With Hu Qingbi at the forefront, the people of the Hu Family were all bound tightly, covered in wounds, their cultivation sealed, and were forced to kneel in a line across the square.
In the center of the square, on a high platform.
A middle-aged man with a grim face and eyebrows like swords sat confidently, flanked on either side by five strong individuals wearing the robes of Nine Profound Sect disciples.
All of them were from the Divine Ability Realm, especially the young man to his left, whose cultivation had reached the peak of the Divine Ability Realm, much stronger than Jin He.
"Master, the time has come!" the young man respectfully said to the middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man was Jin He's father, Jin Ze, the Eleventh Elder of the Nine Profound Sect, with the cultivation of the First Layer of the Golden Elixir Realm. And the young man was his disciple Liu Chun, ranked within the top ten True Disciples of the Nine Profound Sect.
Narrowing his eyes, Jin Ze looked towards Hu Qingbi and the others in the middle of the square, a cruel sneer crossing his face, "Liu Chun, go ask that wretch again where Xiao Yi has gone! For every breath she doesn't speak, kill one of her clansmen until she reveals everything..."
Liu Chun approached Hu Qingbi and said coldly, "Where is Xiao Yi?"
Hu Qingbi glared at him and spoke in a deep voice, "I truly don't know where he is..."
Liu Chun said, "Starting now, I will kill a member of the Hu Family every breath you delay. Let's see if your stubbornness or their heads are harder!"
Hu Qingbi's eyes widened in fury, her teeth clenched, "Xiao Yi won't let you get away with this..."
With a wave of his hand, Liu Chun made a puff sound as he crushed the head of a Qi Gathering Realm strongman from the Hu Family. His face remained indifferent as he looked at the rage-contorted Hu Qingbi, "Will you speak or not?"
"I'll speak, I'll speak..." Hu Qingbi's eyes were red as she bit out the words, "He, he has returned to the Royal Capital."
Liu Chun struck her face with his palm, saying coldly, "We've already sent people to check the Royal Capital, and he never went back. The time for the second breath has arrived!"
Liu Chun gathered his vital energy at his fingertips, ready to strike.
But just at that moment...
An icy voice suddenly came from outside the martial arts field, "Harm a single hair on her, and I'll make your entire family accompany her in death!"