Chapter 119: Play It Safe, Don't Get Reckless

Wang Ran’s aggressive return to the sect, where he immediately incapacitated a disciple of the Heaven Alliance and humiliated Ye Cang, left countless inner sect disciples stunned. It is important to know that Ye Cang had just broken through to the Golden Core stage. With ninety years of Daoist insight and unfathomable cultivation, he was nearly invincible among his peers; no one would choose to clash with him head-on at such a time. Even formidable figures like Meng Jiang, Bei Minglie, and Chu Yingxuan chose to keep their distance, opting not to contest Ye Cang until they had achieved their own breakthroughs to the Golden Core stage.

Yet, Wang Ran, who had not even condensed his Golden Core and remained at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, chose to confront Ye Cang directly. This move left many disciples in the Enforcement Hall bewildered. Some whispered that Wang Ran had lost his mind, shaking their heads in mockery, while others felt his actions were fierce and undeniably masculine. For a time, the inner sect was rife with speculation and rumor.

Wang Ran himself remained largely indifferent to the gossip, mostly because he was merely posturing to boost his "Enlightenment Value," which surged every time he slapped Ye Cang’s face. Besides, he reasoned, mocking a Golden Core cultivator while at the Foundation Establishment stage was perfectly normal; other protagonists often killed enemies across two major realms, so his single-level gap was actually quite modest. Regardless, he was a master of grandstanding; if he let himself be bullied at his own doorstep without retaliating, he would lose all his dignity.

However, Wang Ran was no fool. After putting on this show, he gave brief instructions to Zhao Xiaobai and the others before slipping away. He knew he could not defeat Ye Cang yet, so he decided to lay low and focus on his development before re-emerging for the endgame. He promptly retreated into the cave dwelling of Feng Yazi on the North Shore. Within the territory of his opportunistic master, no disciple dared to stir up trouble. Feng Yazi was preoccupied with resolving Yao Jianjia’s cultivation issues and had no time to attend to Wang Ran, allowing him to enter secluded meditation undisturbed. As the Great Elder of the Sole Self Sect, Feng Yazi’s dwelling was a place of immense spiritual energy, and Wang Ran felt his power growing steadily with every passing moment.

Outside, when Ye Cang learned of Wang Ran’s return, he initially paid it no mind. But upon hearing that Wang Ran had forced members of the Heaven Alliance to humiliate him and had publicly spread rumors about him and the widow Wang from the village, he was incensed. It was said that disciples saw Ye Cang storming toward the Haoran Alliance in a rage. Unfortunately for him, Wang Ran had long since vanished, and the other members of the Haoran Alliance scattered the moment Ye Cang appeared. Lacking a target, Ye Cang could not justify attacking ordinary disciples, and the matter stalled. Yet, everyone knew that a deep grudge had been forged, and a full-scale conflict was inevitable—it was only a matter of who would break the stalemate first.

***

Days passed. Within Feng Yazi’s cave, Wang Ran opened his eyes and exhaled a long, turbid breath. During this meditation, he had fully digested the experiences of the past few months, pushing his cultivation to the "half-step Golden Core" stage. He finally grasped the mysteries of the Golden Core realm—a vast and oceanic state of power. The gap between top-tier Golden Core practitioners and ordinary ones was akin to the difference between an adult and an infant. He realized that the legendary Ling Tianchen must have possessed a Golden Core forged with over eighty years of Daoist insight, whereas the mediocre Lu Hengyuan was merely an ordinary practitioner with only a few years of insight.

Realizing this, Wang Ran tempered his arrogance. He knew that if he faced a top-tier Golden Core cultivator like Ye Cang, who possessed ninety years of insight, he would be crushed in an instant. His only path forward was to reach the Golden Core realm as quickly as possible; only then would he have the standing to contend for the position of a true disciple.

As he emerged from his meditative state, he felt a twinge of anxiety. He had reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, but the realization required for the breakthrough remained elusive. Typically, such a breakthrough required an opportune moment or a spark of inspiration, something even Ye Cang had spent a year struggling to find.

Just then, the crisp sound of bells echoed outside the cave. A beautiful, lithe figure approached, skipping along. "Senior Brother! Senior Brother! Still meditating? Ye Cang is searching for you like a madman!" Little Junior Sister Yan Wanrou said, her large eyes crinkling into crescent moons as she tilted her head with a dimpled smile.

"Senior Brother, are you afraid of Ye Cang? Is that why you’re hiding in Grand Uncle’s cave?"

"Ha! Who’s afraid of him? This is merely a strategic retreat," Wang Ran chuckled, his mood lifting at the sight of her. "I don’t even hold him in my eyes. If he has the guts, tell him to come in here and fight—fist to fist, and I’ll show him!"

Yan Wanrou wrinkled her nose in disbelief. "Hmph, you’re just bragging. If you’re so strong, why don’t you go out and fight him?"

"Behave, Junior Sister. I’m just sparing his life. My punches carry such force that I’m afraid I might blow him away," Wang Ran teased, patting her head.

"Hmph, I’m done listening to your nonsense! I came to see you because I have something important to discuss!" She pouted, her cherry lips forming a soft line.

"Oh? What is it?" Wang Ran asked, intrigued.

"Uh... let me think." She blinked, deep in thought for a long time, before tilting her head with a dazed expression. "I forgot."

Wang Ran wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, speechless at her airheaded nature. In such a dangerous cultivation world, he worried for her future.

"Oh, wait! I remember!" After a long while, she suddenly clapped her hands in excitement. "Senior Brother, aren't you stuck at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage? My grandfather happens to have a treasure that might help you break through!"

"You mean... the Second Elder?" Wang Ran’s eyes lit up with anticipation. If there was a way to condense his Golden Core, it would be the best news he could hope for. His resolve was firm: he would not face Ye Cang until he had achieved that breakthrough. For now, he would continue to play it smart and develop in the shadows.