The night was deep and rich.
Once Lin Zixuan and Jiang Wan came to their senses, they each swallowed a Good Fortune Gold Core. The elixir turned into liquid and flowed down their throats into their stomachs.
They closed their eyes and began their meditation exercises. With Horn, Mr. Wei, and others present, they were assured of an undisturbed breakthrough.
The medicinal effect of the Good Fortune Gold Core exploded within their bodies. Lin Zixuan's and Jiang Wan's auras steadily increased. With the elixir's help, their breakthroughs progressed smoothly.
The surrounding spiritual energy grew increasingly violent. The sky seemed to tremble as an immense amount of spiritual energy poured into their bodies.
In Lin Zixuan's dantian, a world took shape, marking her successful transition from the Half-Step Creation Realm to the early stage of the Creation Realm. Her aura continued to rise until it reached the peak of the early Creation Realm before stabilizing. She was now on the brink of advancing to the middle stage of the Creation Realm.
Soon after, Jiang Wan also achieved her breakthrough, moving from the Great Perfection of the Sky Control Realm to the early stage of the Creation Realm. Her momentum stabilized immediately.
Given that Lin Zixuan's original cultivation level was at the Half-Step Creation Realm and Jiang Wan's was at the Great Perfection of the Sky Control Realm, Lin Zixuan naturally advanced further.
As the two women's breakthroughs were accompanied by subdued movements, Mr. Wei and Mr. Qiao looked on with a mix of admiration and envy. They had dedicated their lives to practice but found themselves overtaken by Jiang Wan and Lin Zixuan. If they hadn't known Horn and received the elixir he provided, their cultivation would have lagged behind.
The lesson was clear: knowing a powerful figure like Horn could be more beneficial than decades of hard practice. Even a fraction of Horn's resources could save them from years of struggle.
Wang Menglu felt a pang of regret. Her current master was Nie Jiuxuan, and no amount of regret could change that.
"Menglu, what level of Alchemist do you think Horn is?" Wang Menglu asked Tang Yuxin, her tone reverent.
Tang Yuxin's beautiful eyes reflected confusion. "Menglu, do you really think I can keep up with Horn's pace in the future? Am I worthy of him?"
Wang Menglu took Tang Yuxin's arm and replied seriously, "Xiao Xinxin, what are you saying? Emotions can't be measured like that. Let me ask you this: if you were far beyond Horn, would you leave him behind?"
Tang Yuxin shook her head firmly. "No."
Wang Menglu nodded. "That's right. Horn will never leave you behind. You two will go far together in the future."
"If you're still uncertain, you can spend the night with Horn. He might comfort you," Wang Menglu whispered in Tang Yuxin's ear.
Horn, overhearing this, had a peculiar expression as he glanced at Tang Yuxin, who was blushing and looking down. Was she really considering visiting his room tonight?
"There are eight Gold Cores remaining," Lin Zixuan noted. Horn had previously given ten Gold Cores to the two women. "You can use these eight as you see fit. Consider recruiting monks at the Great Perfection of the Sky Control Realm or Half-Step Creation Realm for Changsheng Academy."
Horn's casual suggestion led Lin Zixuan and Jiang Wan to each take four of the remaining elixirs.
In Xia, many old cultivators in the Great Perfection of the Sky Control Realm or Half-Step Creation Realm would go to great lengths for a chance at breakthrough. The Gold Core of Creation was highly coveted, not just for advancing cultivation but also for extending one's lifespan.
Jiang Wan, with a flirtatious wink, said, "Brother Horn, I can't help but be fascinated by you."
Horn pretended not to notice. "The Gold Cores I refined used thousands of years of Spirit Medicine. Besides helping you break through to the Creation Realm, they will also allow you to perceive the mysteries of the Heavenly Star Realm in advance. Close your eyes and see if you can sense any illusory stars forming in your dantian."
Stepping into the Heavenly Star Realm involves illuminating stars in one's dantian. Lin Zixuan and Jiang Wan closed their eyes to sense this phenomenon.
After a few moments, they opened their eyes in astonishment. Horn asked, "Did you sense it?"
Both women nodded.
Horn continued, "When you reach the Great Perfection of the Creation Realm, you will have no obstacles in breaking through to the Heavenly Star Realm. The star shadows in your dantian will solidify completely."
Lin Zixuan and Jiang Wan's hearts raced. This meant they would smoothly enter the Heavenly Star Realm in the future. Their gazes toward Horn were filled with admiration.
Mr. Wei and Mr. Qiao were envious but resigned, as they had already entered the early stage of the Creation Realm, and the Good Fortune Gold Core would not benefit them now.
Nie Jiuxuan hesitantly asked, "Senior Su, what level of Alchemist are you now?"
Horn smiled and replied, "Guess!"
Nie Jiuxuan swallowed hard. "The president of the Alchemist Federation is a Seven-Star Alchemist. What would you say about yourself?"
Horn yawned and said, "I'm better than him."
Everyone present was stunned. Was Horn implying that he was at least an eight-star Alchemist?
Just then, Lin Zixuan's cell phone rang. After answering, her expression grew colder with each passing moment.
"It's Su Wu calling. He wants to speak with you," Lin Zixuan said, handing the phone to Horn.
Su Wu, having learned from Yang Hai that Lin Zixuan was protective of Horn, sought to contact him directly. With Yang Hai deceased and the powerful Su Changsheng reappearing in Linzhou, Su Wu wanted to avoid further risks and hoped Horn would come to Tianhai willingly.
Horn took the phone and said, "What do you want?"
Su Wu's cold voice came through. "The day after tomorrow is my grandfather's ninetieth birthday. I invite you to attend. Will you come?"
Horn had planned to go to Tianhai the day after tomorrow. It was a coincidence that the old man's birthday party coincided with his trip.
"Of course, I'll come," Horn replied.