The stage after the Grandmaster stage was challenging to achieve, but the difficulty resulted in immense power upon reaching it. However, not many are aware of the magnitude of this power gained, as different cultivation techniques yield different benefits.
Huang Zhi, a plant monster from the beginning, focused on enhancing and perfecting her plant characteristic, specifically absorption. Her goal was to absorb her own red fruit, ensuring she wouldn't be targeted by other golden cores once she left the forest. Without the red fruit in her body, no one would pursue her or know of her past as a plant monster.
Plants on the cultivation path had a worse fate compared to spirits or animals because they lacked the spiritual wisdom derived from the starts. Many plant creatures became mindless elixirs, waiting to be harvested by others while they continued to improve their cultivation to gain higher spiritual wisdom.
Impatient in her heart, Huang Zhi decided to increase her offense. She tapped her foot in the air and chased after Feng Ning while carrying the yellow tree. Surprisingly, the yellow tree didn't hinder her movement; instead, she used it to propel herself and increase her speed.
Witnessing Huang Zhi's determination, Feng Ning no longer retreated. He unleashed his Mountain Crushing Palm towards the yellow dragon, gathering dark purple qi above his head, forming a bigger palm than before.
Without wasting time on condensing the mountain crushing palm, Feng Ning directly attacked the incoming yellow dragon with the powerful technique.
The yellow dragon roared and swung its claws, attempting to strike the big palm. Meanwhile, Huang Zhi almost reached the yellow dragon, manipulating her yellow qi and causing the yellow tree to shudder.
The expansive tree crowns suddenly shrank and merged into the trunk, transforming the yellow tree into a straight and oppressive block of wood. Huang Zhi raised her small hand, effortlessly lifting the yellow block of wood. With a wave of her fingers, she propelled the block of wood at astonishing speed towards Feng Ning, disregarding the yellow dragon entirely.
Her sole focus was eliminating the enemy; there was no room for distractions.
At the last moment, the yellow dragon changed tactics and struck the big palm with its tail, creating an opening for the block of wood to directly assault Feng Ning.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Huang Zhi launched herself at Feng Ning, propelled through the air. Anticipating Feng Ning's next move, she prepared to take action.
The big palm clenched its finger, halting the yellow dragon's progress. Feng Ning, feeling immense pressure from the block of wood and Huang Zhi, glanced at the ball on his right side and made a choice. "You leave me no choice!"
With a heavy heart, Feng Ning struck the ball. A strange purple qi flowed from his body into the ball, causing it to energize and appear on the verge of breaking free.
Huang Zhi, controlling the block of wood, targeted the unstable dark purple ball instead of Feng Ning. As the block of wood grew larger before Feng Ning's eyes, it shifted slightly to destroy the dangerous dark purple ball. Shocked, Feng Ning shouted, "No!"
Behind the block of wood, Huang Zhi revealed herself, her judgment complete, and she prepared to cast a new technique. Her hand emitted yellow qi, conjuring a yellow sword formed from intricately combined tree branches. She grasped the sword and slashed forward, coating its surface with a serene yellow color qi that blended seamlessly with the sword.
This display of qi control on the wooden sword surpassed Feng Ning's understanding. As a golden core, he could manipulate master qi due to his high cultivation base. However, he aimed to achieve a level beyond master qi, known as grandmaster qi. Grandmaster qi possessed unparalleled amplification across all aspects of the wielded weapon and reached profound enhancements at its limits.
Huang Zhi displayed the fundamental form of grandmaster qi through her wooden sword. Although she was far from fully harnessing its power, her demonstration showcased her deep foundation.
"Die!" Huang Zhi slashed her wooden sword with seemingly no effort.
The block of wood pierced the dark purple ball, causing it to explode in failure, dissipating the dark purple qi.
The wooden sword advanced at rapid speed towards Feng Ning's neck. Left with no choice, Feng Ning extended his palm, allowing the dark purple qi to surge forth and block the sword from reaching his neck.
Anticipating this move, Huang Zhi snorted and delivered a kick to shatter Feng Ning's jewel of man.
Deceived for the second time, Feng Ning couldn't contain his turbulent emotions and let out a roar. Instead of sound, a surge of dark purple qi similar to what he had infused into the ball earlier erupted from his mouth.
Huang Zhi halted her kick and changed her stance, preparing to strike Feng Ning decisively. With her wooden sword no longer aimed at his palm, she unleashed a forward slash.
"Stop!" Feng Ning firmly commanded, and the qi exiting his mouth moved erratically, resembling a wriggling worm being electrocuted. It suddenly lunged towards Huang Zhi.
Niu Chang, who had opened his eyes to observe the developments, couldn't locate the combatants in their previous positions. He shifted his body to search for them, eventually finding Feng Ning and Huang Zhi standing close together. "Damn, you guys were having so much fun while I was preoccupied? How enviable."
The fast-moving strange qi encountered great resistance from Huang Zhi's yellow qi, while her natural dress shifted, climbed up to her neck, and transformed into a face protector.
Niu Chang was stunned by the astonishing design of Huang Zhi's face protector. 'Do you have to make everything look so good?'
To make it even more impressive, the face protector was enhanced by grandmaster qi as the first layer of protection. Unable to detect the invisible and formidable grandmaster qi, Niu Chang could only perceive the strange qi experienced significant resistance from the face protector.
The unobstructed wooden sword slashed upward, and Feng Ning could only stare with resentment at Huang Zhi's grandmaster qi, surpassing his expectations for a mere plant monster.
The wooden sword effortlessly cut through Feng Ning's jaw to a small part of his nose. He pushed himself backward, attempting to kick Huang Zhi's body, but her hand blocked his movement.
Strangely, no blood flowed from the wound on Feng Ning's face.
Confirming her suspicions, Huang Zhi sneered in disdain. "As I expected, you practiced demonic art."
"Demonic art differs from normal cultivation techniques in that it yields quicker results and grants formidable strength at the cost of sacrificing lives and paying various prices for its practitioners."
Despite his lower jaw split, Feng Ning laughed. "Haha, so what? You're just a tree demon, daring to judge what is demonic and what is not?"
"How many humans have you drained to increase your cultivation level? The name 'demonic art' itself primarily refers to demons, creatures devoid of humanity and spiritual wisdom, who will do anything to enhance their strength."
"Demonic beasts kill and consume other demonic beasts to grow stronger. Isn't that the most authentic demonic art? You plant demons are no better; you entice numerous beasts and humans to your domain, draining their vitality until only dust remains of their bones."
"A newly transformed plant demon dares lecture me? Merely attacking me doesn't mean you can win!"
Feng Ning's face gradually transformed from its previously handsome blend of adulthood and old age into an aged countenance. Simultaneously, his wounds, corroded by invisible yellow qi, began to heal.
The Three Phase Mystical Life had a unique method to attain the golden core stage. Practitioners needed to undergo the first mystical life transformation, reverting from their old phase to the adult phase, followed by the transition to the young phase, and finally achieving the ultimate transformation. The physical appearance of the final transformation would be random, depending on the sacrifices made during the previous two phases.
Having completed his first mystical life transformation and breakthrough to the golden core realm, regaining his youth, Feng Ning found himself cornered and in desperate need of power. With no other options available, he made the difficult decision to sacrifice his first transformation in order to enhance his strength.
"Come out," Feng Ning commanded. His aging face reverted to his original countenance, while a face constructed from purple qi started to take shape.
Observing this peculiar scene of facial splitting, Niu Chang couldn't recall where he had seen the purple qi face before. 'Isn't that the face of someone from Yellow Village? Which one was he again?' Frustrated, Niu Chang abandoned his attempt to remember, focusing instead on the ensuing spectacle.
The face made of purple qi resembled the face of the instructor from the only martial school in Yellow Village.
With his mouth wide open, Feng Ning consumed the face of the martial school instructor. His aging face rapidly transformed into that of the instructor.
"Now, I will show you what true demonic art looks like!" Feng Ning exclaimed with a malicious grin.