The moment the crimson orb appeared, Lin Sheng's perception began screaming warnings at him.
It wasn't simply because of the enormous spiritual energy contained within the object. There was something fundamentally unusual about its structure, something that made his instincts react as though he were facing another Golden Core cultivator rather than an ordinary treasure.
The demonic aura surrounding Mo Tou underwent an astonishing transformation. His previously weakened presence rapidly recovered, becoming increasingly powerful as the crimson orb released wave after wave of energy into his body. Even the fluctuations of his Golden Core seemed to have stabilised, and the spiritual energy gathering around him was growing denser with every passing breath.
Lin Sheng's expression became solemn.
'It's almost as though he has gained another Golden Core'
But that should only be possible with...
His eyes narrowed as he examined the crimson orb more carefully.
'An External Core?'
Meanwhile, Mo Tou was practically screaming internally.
He had originally believed that he could deal with this opponent using his combined Divine Abilities, but the battle had developed far beyond his expectations. Not only had Lin Sheng destroyed his Spectral Army, he had also neutralised one of his Rank 4 talismans and forced him to reveal his natal treasure.
This was already pushing things too far.
Mo Tou's gaze became increasingly sinister as he looked at Lin Sheng.
'This bastard has forced me to use it. Since you've witnessed my natal treasure, you absolutely cannot be allowed to live!'
The crimson orb floating above his palm was no ordinary recovery treasure. Its refinement was based on the principles of an External Core, but it had been developed into something considerably more complicated through the Zixia External Avatar Method.
External Cores were a special type of treasure created by combining various heavenly materials and earthly treasures, using formations and refinement methods to construct an artificial core capable of supplying the wielder with Golden Core-level magic power.
For cultivators who lacked the potential to form a genuine Golden Core but possessed sufficient resources, this was an alternative route to obtaining the strength of a Golden Core cultivator.
However, an External Core was not a genuine cultivation realm.
The user did not undergo the transformation of their own Golden Core, nor did they receive the corresponding increase in lifespan. The moment the External Core was unequipped, their cultivation would return to its original state, leaving them with whatever realm they had genuinely achieved.
Furthermore, the power supplied by an ordinary External Core was limited. Although it could allow a Purple Palace cultivator to temporarily wield Golden Core-level magic power, it generally only provided the strength of the weakest Golden Core cultivator. Prolonged reliance on such an object could also destabilise the user's cultivation foundation, particularly if the wielder continuously forced their body to accommodate power that did not truly belong to them.
It was therefore more accurate to regard an External Core as an exceptionally valuable treasure rather than a genuine cultivation breakthrough.
Most people who pursued this method were cultivators whose potential had already reached its limit, but who possessed enough resources to compensate for their deficiencies through external means.
Mo Tou's natal treasure, however, was fundamentally different.
He had borrowed the principles of External Core refinement and combined them with the method of nurturing a natal treasure, allowing the crimson orb to serve as a second source of Golden Core magic power while remaining connected to his own cultivation.
More importantly, he had designed it with the capacity to store Divine Ability seeds.
A Golden Core cultivator normally possessed five Divine Abilities, but the number of abilities one could eventually comprehend was not necessarily the limit of one's future potential. Through his method, Mo Tou intended to cultivate another five Divine Ability seeds within his natal treasure, gradually nurturing them until they could eventually be fused into a Major Divine Ability.
If his plan succeeded, he would possess two Major Divine Abilities upon reaching the Nascent Soul Realm.
That alone would make him considerably stronger than an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator.
There was another reason he had invested so heavily in this treasure.
Spiritual Treasures possessed weapon spirits, and their power was far beyond that of ordinary spiritual treasures. A Nascent Soul cultivator wielding a fully matured Spiritual Treasure was effectively fighting with another powerful existence at their side, and in certain circumstances, confronting such an opponent was almost equivalent to facing two Nascent Soul cultivators simultaneously.
Mo Tou intended to eventually nurture his natal treasure into such an existence.
It was an ambitious plan, but he had already invested enormous resources and effort into it.
Unfortunately, his opponent had forced him to reveal the treasure before he had completed his preparations.
Mo Tou's eyes flashed with murderous intent.
'You will die here.'
He raised his hand.
The moment his palm moved, the surrounding spiritual energy became restless. It surged towards him from an enormous radius, converging above his head before rapidly condensing into a gigantic crimson palm.
The pressure was so immense that the trees below began bending beneath its influence, the ground cracked, and even the air seemed to become heavier as the enormous palm slowly took shape.
Lin Sheng's pupils contracted.
He could feel the terrifying power contained within the attack.
'The extremes of Rank 4!'
The power was already approaching the upper limit of what a Rank 4 cultivator could unleash. If he allowed the attack to strike him directly without sufficient preparation, even his Rank 4 Golden Body would suffer serious damage.
Mo Tou's palm descended.
BOOOOOOM!
The enormous crimson hand slammed towards Lin Sheng, crushing the surrounding air as it fell. The pressure alone forced the vegetation beneath it to collapse, while the spiritual energy within the surrounding region was violently displaced, creating a massive depression in the sky.
Lin Sheng's expression became serious.
He immediately activated his Qiankun Pseudo Domain.
The surrounding space trembled as the principles of Qian Heaven and Kun Earth emerged around him, an invisible force spreading outward and distorting the trajectory of the descending palm. At the same time, his Qi-Blood Furnace surged within his body, reinforcing his muscles, bones, and internal organs.
He brought both arms before his chest.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The crimson palm struck.
The impact produced an explosion that shook the entire region, and a blinding radiance swallowed the battlefield. The surrounding forest was flattened in an instant, countless trees were uprooted and reduced to splinters, while the earth beneath Lin Sheng collapsed into an enormous palm-shaped depression.
A mushroom cloud rose into the sky.
The shockwave spread across the wilderness, travelling several miles before gradually weakening.
---
At a considerable distance from the battlefield, Lou Han and the others were still carrying Lin Yan away.
They had already travelled far enough that the terrifying fluctuations behind them had become somewhat distant, but the moment the crimson palm descended, they instinctively looked back.
What they saw left them stunned.
A gigantic hand seemed to have fallen from the heavens, its enormous silhouette briefly visible through the crimson radiance before the entire region was swallowed by an explosion.
A blinding light flashed.
Then came the sound.
BOOOOOOM!
The shockwave arrived a moment later, sweeping through the forest with enough force to bend the trees around them. Lou Han immediately circulated his Xuan Gang, creating a protective barrier around himself and the others, while Lin Xiaolu helped stabilise the unconscious Lin Yan.
Fortunately, they were far enough away that the shockwave did little more than disturb their clothing and send loose branches flying around them.
They stared towards the distant mushroom cloud.
Qian Feng swallowed.
"That..."
He couldn't finish his sentence.
The attack had been terrifying.
Even from their current position, they could feel the immense pressure that had accompanied it, and the sight of the mushroom cloud rising above the forest made it clear that the surrounding area must have been devastated.
Before anyone could say anything else, a figure suddenly appeared before them.
The newcomer descended gracefully, her robe fluttering as she landed, and the moment Lou Han and the others recognised her, they immediately bowed.
"Greetings, Head Elder!"
The Head Elder nodded briefly before her gaze fell upon the unconscious Lin Yan.
Her expression changed.
"What happened to her?"
Lou Han quickly explained the situation, although he didn't know the full details of what had transpired before they arrived. He only knew that Lin Sheng had been fighting a Golden Core demonic cultivator and had instructed them to take Lin Yan away.
The Head Elder's face became increasingly solemn.
"Take her back immediately. Do not stop along the way, and make sure she receives proper treatment as soon as you arrive."
"Understood!"
Lou Han and the others didn't hesitate.
The Head Elder watched them leave before turning towards the distant battlefield.
The enormous mushroom cloud was still rising, and even from where she stood, she could sense the remnants of a terrifying clash.
Her expression darkened.
She immediately understood that the situation was considerably more serious than she had initially thought.
---
Meanwhile, as the smoke gradually dispersed, a figure slowly emerged from the enormous palm-shaped depression.
Lin Sheng walked forward.
His robe had been torn in several places, and blood trickled from wounds across his arms and chest. His hair was slightly dishevelled, while several parts of his exposed skin carried faint bruising.
At first glance, he appeared badly injured.
However, his actual condition was considerably better than his appearance suggested.
His internal organs had become exceptionally sturdy through the Organ Nourishing method, and although the impact had caused considerable strain, they had endured the attack without suffering any serious damage. His bones and muscles had also been reinforced by the Rank 4 Golden Body, allowing him to withstand a level of destructive force that would have pulverised an ordinary Golden Core cultivator.
More importantly, he hadn't received the full force of the attack.
His Qiankun Pseudo Domain had distorted the descending palm's trajectory at the critical moment, allowing him to avoid a substantial portion of its power. Without that intervention, even his current physique might have suffered much more serious injuries.
Nevertheless, the expenditure had been enormous.
The repeated activation of his Qiankun Pseudo Domain, combined with the defensive reinforcement of his Qi-Blood Furnace, had drained a considerable amount of his internal reserves. He could feel the exhaustion spreading through his body, and even his mental perception had become somewhat sluggish.
Fortunately, he still possessed the magic power contained within his Golden Body.
That was something he could rely on even after exhausting a substantial portion of his Qi-Blood.
Lin Sheng looked towards the sky.
'That attack was quite impressive'
His expression remained calm.
'But it seems he has also spent quite a bit of energy.'
---
Above the devastated battlefield, Mo Tou hovered in the air, panting heavily as he stared down at the enormous depression below.
His face was somewhat pale.
Although the crimson orb had restored a considerable portion of his magic power, unleashing an attack at the extremes of Rank 4 had still consumed an enormous amount of energy. Even with his natal treasure supporting him, he couldn't use such an attack repeatedly without consequences.
He examined the smoke-filled battlefield.
That strike should have been enough to eradicate his opponent, or at the very least leave him severely injured and incapable of continuing the fight.
Mo Tou's expression gradually relaxed.
That should be enough.
He glanced towards the direction Lin Yan had escaped.
He still had to pursue that Spiritual Body.
The girl was far too valuable to abandon, and although he had been forced to waste considerable energy dealing with this mysterious external cultivator, the benefits of obtaining an awakened Spiritual Body were worth the trouble.
However, just as he was about to leave, his spiritual sense detected another aura approaching from the distance.
Mo Tou turned his head.
He immediately recognised the fluctuations of a Golden Core cultivator.
A faint sneer appeared on his face.
"An early-stage Golden Core?"
He laughed coldly.
Although he had expended a considerable amount of magic power, his natal treasure was still supplying him with additional energy, and he was confident that he could deal with an ordinary early-stage Golden Core cultivator even in his current condition.
"How troublesome. First that monster, and now another cultivator"
His eyes narrowed.
'I'll kill this one quickly and continue after the girl.'