Chapter Thirty-Seven: Lord of Nether Thunder, Chen Lie!

Ye Cang had finally made his move!

From the start of the auction until now, no matter what treasures appeared, Ye Cang had always held himself back, quietly accumulating his resources for this very moment—to vie for this supreme treasure!

The Golden Core Fruit, as its name suggests, is a miraculous fruit that can help Foundation Establishment cultivators break through to the Golden Core stage!

The Golden Core stage is the dream and goal countless cultivators pursue day and night. If Foundation Establishment marks the true entry into the path of cultivation, then the Golden Core stage is when the great roc spreads its wings to soar.

A Golden Core cultivator is someone who can walk upon the air, free from the cycle of mundane life and death—a realm that represents the transcendence of mortal limits, where one sets foot among the ranks of immortals.

Moreover, a Golden Core cultivator is leagues above someone at the Foundation Establishment stage. Often, a single Golden Core cultivator can easily contend with several Foundation Establishment cultivators without losing ground.

Yet, the world of cultivation is ruthlessly competitive, and achieving the Golden Core is no simple feat. Out of tens of thousands of cultivators, perhaps only one can successfully form a Golden Core.

It is precisely because of this rarity that every Golden Core cultivator is a figure of great prestige, able to command respect, establish sects, and become the leader of a lineage.

Take, for example, the Vajra Sect; their sect master was a Golden Core expert.

Even within grand sects like the Sovereign Sect, one might not become the sect leader, but a Golden Core cultivator could easily serve as an elder.

In the Sovereign Sect, there were more than twenty such Golden Core elders; aside from the two true disciples, the rest all held various important positions.

It was the presence of these Golden Core elders that allowed the Sovereign Sect to stand at the apex of Yun Prefecture, its reputation unrivaled.

Thus, to become a Golden Core expert was every cultivator’s dream, and for those at the Foundation Establishment stage, it was even more so.

After all, relying solely on one’s own ability to break through has its limits. So whenever a treasure that could help form a Golden Core appeared, it inevitably sparked fierce competition from all sides.

This Golden Core Fruit was just such a treasure, and its appearance had made this auction particularly lively.

In truth, the Golden Core Fruit could not guarantee success in forming a Golden Core, but it could greatly increase the odds—by at least forty percent!

With such a chance, and with one’s own talent, the Golden Core stage no longer seemed so distant to most Foundation Establishment cultivators.

But the Golden Core Fruit was a heavenly treasure, always rare and never readily available. Encountering one was a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

Its appearance had shaken the region; many Foundation Establishment cultivators present had come for this very fruit.

Ye Cang was one of them. He had already reached the peak of Foundation Establishment months ago, but he was not confident in breaking through to the Golden Core stage.

Breaking through to the Golden Core requires condensing the core within oneself in a single, uninterrupted effort. If one failed, not only would they have to start over, but they risked dropping in cultivation.

Those with poor luck might fall to the eighth level, and after years spent regaining their peak, they would have missed the prime time for forming the core.

So, anything that could improve the chances of success was coveted by countless cultivators, and whenever such an item appeared, it caused a sensation.

The auction hall fell silent for a few moments.

After all, Ye Cang had just bid ten thousand spirit jades—a staggering price.

Many cultivators were quite impoverished; glancing at their storage pouches, they sighed softly.

The wealthier ones, however, glanced back and forth, weighing their options. The Sovereign Sect’s name carried considerable weight.

Moreover, Ye Cang himself was renowned throughout Yun Prefecture. His nine-star Foundation Establishment had once caused a sensation—who didn’t know of him?

Everyone understood that Ye Cang’s future was limitless. To offend him would be to invite endless trouble.

If he were alone, it might be one thing, but with the Sovereign Sect behind him—a true giant—ordinary cultivators would not dare to provoke him.

So, after Ye Cang spoke, the hall remained quiet for a few seconds as everyone considered the risks and rewards, reluctant to be the first to speak up.

Bei Minglie’s eyes flickered, then he chose to withdraw from the bidding.

His grandfather was an elder specializing in formations, wielding great power and control over three great formations, including the Spirit Sea Tide. With the help of the Spirit Sea, Bei Minglie was confident in forming his core and saw no need to compete for the Golden Core Fruit.

But his withdrawal left Wang Ran anxious. With his current status as a Nascent Soul expert, the Golden Core Fruit was of no use to him in the eyes of others, so he had no way to remind Bei Minglie directly.

After pausing, he hinted, “Disciple, that Golden Core Fruit seems quite nice…”

Bei Minglie was taken aback. “It is indeed—an extraordinary heavenly treasure.”

“Ahem, what I mean is… its golden, radiant color is quite pleasing to your master,” Wang Ran said, thick-skinned.

Bei Minglie frowned in confusion. “Master, with your experience, shouldn’t the Golden Core Fruit be nothing special to you?”

Watching Bei Minglie suddenly play dumb, Wang Ran fell silent for a moment before muttering, “It’s not special, just tastes pretty good. I’m craving some.”

Bei Minglie immediately looked up to his master in awe. “I never imagined my master snacks on Golden Core Fruits as a daily treat—how enviable!”

Wang Ran’s mouth twitched, and after a moment, he could only cough lightly and wave his hand. “Keep a low profile, keep a low profile.”

Inwardly, he sighed. Now that Bei Minglie had learned the ways of the Dao, he was becoming sly and mischievous as well. It seemed he would have to bid for the fruit himself.

Just as he was about to speak, a voice suddenly sounded in the auction hall.

“What a joke! Heavenly treasures belong to those fated. I, Chen Lie of the Purple Heaven Palace, bid fifteen thousand spirit jades!”

The voice came from another VIP room. All eyes turned to see a young man in purple robes, standing with hands clasped behind his back at the second-floor railing.

His features were striking, his gaze sharp as lightning. As he spoke, his voice rippled through the air, resounding in waves that left all present astounded.

“What? Purple Heaven Palace… he’s from Purple Heaven Palace?”

“My heavens, when did they arrive?”

“That’s one of the top sects in all of Yun Prefecture! At least equal to the Sovereign Sect, if not stronger!”

“Chen Lie… that name sounds familiar.”

“Could he be the eight-star Foundation Establishment, rumored to be the reincarnation of the Underworld Thunder Demon—Underworld Thunder Lord Chen Lie?”

“If it’s truly him, then he certainly has the right to compete with Ye Cang!”

The cultivators whispered among themselves, casting their attention on the young man in purple. Ye Cang’s expression shifted as well.

Wang Ran was equally surprised, looking up at the youth named Chen Lie. There were many VIP rooms on the second floor, but until now, this person had never spoken, causing everyone to overlook him.

No one had expected him to be from the Purple Heaven Palace!

The Purple Heaven Palace was a top sect in Yun Prefecture, its strength faintly surpassing even the Sovereign Sect.

His intervention was something no one had anticipated.

This auction was becoming more and more intriguing.