Cultivating Immortality Begins with Rejuvenation.

Chapter 262 First Battle Against a True Core
Because the person attacked by Guagua was Gao Yang's third brother, Wu Weixiong subconsciously attributed it to a spirit pet kept by someone in the Fu family.

However, after witnessing Guagua's elusive nature, the Fu family members became cautious and even suspected that it was Wu Weixiong's cover-up.

"Fellow Daoist Gao, it's time to fight to the death! Quickly retreat the enemy and help me stop this scoundrel. I must go and help Master Qin, otherwise once Master Fu captures Master Qin, we will have no hope of leaving alive!" Unable to defeat his opponent for the time being, Wu Weixiong was anxious.

The head of the Fu family clearly knew Wu Weixiong's strength and trump cards, so he focused on a protracted fight from the beginning, giving Wu Weixiong no chance to break free.

Wu Weixiong had already analyzed the situation here.

Apart from Qin Henian, who is able to hold his own against Fu Xiaochen, anyone else on our side would have no chance of winning against him alone.

But with Qin Henian alone, the outcome was already predetermined.

Only by using his unique physical cultivation to join forces with Qin Henian can he have a glimmer of hope.

He originally intended to quickly eliminate his opponent and then help Qin Henian deal with Fu Xiaochen, but he was unable to kill him in time. At this moment, another demonic beast appeared, forcing him to change his plans.

Once Qin Henian is severely weakened, they will have no chance of survival.

"Alright!" Gao Yang immediately agreed, and then unleashed his magic power, attacking his opponent even more fiercely.

Upon seeing this, Li Ji'an's eyes lit up.

Previously, he had worried that if he was the only one with this intention, and Wu Weixiong was not dedicated enough, or even harbored other wishful thinking, then his exposure might be a waste.

I feel much more confident now.

"Go and kill Wu Weixiong immediately!" Just then, Fu Xiaochen transmitted his voice again.

Li Ji'an's eyes narrowed slightly as he glanced at Xiao Qiao beside him without making a sound.

Xiao Qiao's eyes darted around, and she gave Li Ji'an an affirmative answer.

Clearly, Xiao Qiao's Earth Spirit Technique, which connects to the earth's veins, has lifted Fu Xiaochen's seal on her magical power.

"Ah! Break!" Li Ji'an then let out a muffled groan, as if he were howling towards the sky.

Immediately afterwards, a surge of magical energy rippled around his body, seemingly breaking through Fu Xiaochen's restriction.

"Fellow martial artist, I, Huang, am here to help you!" Without wasting a moment, he rushed towards Fu Yuanjiang, the head of the Fu family.

Upon hearing this, a hint of joy flashed across Wu Weixiong's face. If they could have the help of Master Huang, the chances of the three pseudo-core cultivators defeating Fu Xiaochen would be much greater.

However... he is no longer certain that Huang Jie is not a spy.

What puzzled him at this moment was that when Huang Jie signed the blood pact earlier, he was still at the level of a pseudo-core cultivator, but now he was at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.

Most importantly, his magical aura was very similar to that of the Fu family members, and was significantly more profound than that of ordinary rogue cultivators.

"Hmph! You treacherous bastard, you still want to deceive us? I'll kill you first..." Gao Yang sneered and slashed at Li Ji'an with his sword.

Li Ji'an dodged aside and shouted, "Fellow Daoist Gao, you misunderstand. I, Huang, have signed a blood pact and am by no means a spy."

"Hmph! If it wasn't you, then who was it?" Gao Yang retorted angrily.

"Let me see if Huang suffers even the slightest backlash from the blood pact?" Li Ji'an circulated his magical power freely.

Gao Yang's eyes flickered slightly, as if he hadn't found any loopholes, but he still snorted hostilely: "The cultivation world is full of unpredictable changes, it's hard to say that you didn't use some secret method to deceive the blood pact."

"Impossible! I personally verified that Fellow Daoist Huang signed the blood pact, and the essence blood is genuine!" Wu Weixiong suddenly forced Fu Yuanjiang back and affirmed.

Gao Yang frowned: "Who else could it be but him?"

Wu Weixiong's gaze swept over Gao Yang's other four brothers.

"Impossible! They've been through thick and thin with me for over sixty years; we're practically brothers in arms. They would never betray me," Gao Yang categorically denied.

“Fellow Daoist Gao, you can know a person’s face but not their heart.” Wu Weixiong shook his head.

Gao Yang was momentarily speechless, then changed the subject: "If he is truly my brother, I will certainly give you an explanation, but for now, don't trust him too easily."

“What Fellow Daoist Gao said is absolutely right.” Wu Weixiong nodded in agreement.

"Let's take care of them together first," Gao Yang said, leaping to Wu Weixiong's side.

“Okay…” Wu Weixiong nodded in agreement.

"Boom!" However, before he could finish speaking, his expression suddenly changed, and a long spear was already close enough to attack his side.

With such a close-range, charged attack, Wu Weixiong's protective magic shield shattered instantly. Just as the spear was about to pierce his body, a piece of torn cloth suddenly floated out from his dantian.

The force of the spear striking the tattered cloth was like a huge force hitting cotton, leaving nothing behind in an instant.

"Gao Yang, you!" Wu Weixiong narrowly escaped death and instantly created distance.

A hint of disappointment flashed across Gao Yang's face, but he no longer tried to hide it.

"Fellow martial artist, I'm sorry, but this time I have no choice but to sacrifice you." As he spoke, Gao Yang stood together with Fu Yuanjiang.

"How could it be you? Why?" Wu Weixiong's face was contorted with rage. He had considered anyone but Gao Yang, the person in charge.

When he looked at Gao Yang's other four brothers, his expression turned fierce.

As Gao Yang stood with Fu Yuanjiang, Gao Yang's other four brothers also stood with the Fu family.

“You…” Wu Weixiong almost vomited blood.

"Hey, fellow martial artist, please forgive me. My brothers have followed me through thick and thin for decades. They've suffered enough as independent cultivators. Now, all I want is to secure a better future for them."

To be honest, I, Gao, never intended to cheat my fellow martial arts practitioners. It's just... this opportunity is too great for us to handle. Rather than being disappointed, we might as well use it to secure a bright future." Gao Yang shrugged and said with a helpless expression.

“…” Li Ji’an stood there, his heart filled with turmoil.

He hadn't expected this outcome either.

I thought it was just one person acting as a spy, but it turns out it was a whole group of spies.

Judging from Gao Yang's account, he probably had dealings with Fu Xiaochen long ago and had received similar promises.

These treasure hunters who spend their lives searching for treasure are indeed a type of person that the upper sects often try to buy off. If they encounter a high-level opportunity and they don't have the ability to develop it on their own, they can exchange this opportunity for an identity from the upper sect, and some will even promise spiritual resources.

Li Ji'an believed what he said. Initially, he must have risked gathering people for the opportunity of the third tier, but after entering the third tomb, he realized that this opportunity was beyond their reach and then he had other ideas.

They were probably even in such a hurry because they were worried that Wu Weixiong and his group would leave the tomb, break the blood pact, and sell the information about the tomb's opportunities to the Wanfa Palace in advance.

"Everyone, don't delay any longer. Let's make our move!" Fu Yuanjiang glanced at the situation on Fu Xiaochen's side and immediately reminded Gao Yang and the others.

In an instant, the situation, which was initially evenly matched, turned into a disadvantage where Wu Weixiong and his pet were ganged up on by nine opponents!

"Heaven is going to destroy me, Wu Weixiong! I am not reconciled!" Wu Weixiong roared through gritted teeth.

The Earth-Splitting Bear beside him also sensed its master's intentions, its eyes filled with resolute determination.

Qin Henian, who had always refused to accept his fate and had been resisting with all his might, was also nearly driven to despair by the rapidly changing situation.

They almost gave up resistance and surrendered.

however,
"Buzz~" Just then, a surge of spiritual energy suddenly appeared inside the tomb.

Immediately, a light curtain enveloped Gao Yang and his nine companions.

"Fellow martial artist, hurry and help Master Qin! I can only hold them off for now." Xiao Qiao, who had been ignored all along, quietly drew upon the power of the earth's veins and set up a magic array.

"This... a near-third-tier formation! How is this possible?" Fu Yuanjiang's expression changed instantly upon realizing the formation's grade after attempting to break it. "How could a mere early-stage Foundation Establishment formation master set up such a formation silently?"

"We couldn't find any array bases... Could it have been set up here in advance?" The Fu family members were all shocked.

Gao Yang was even more confused: "No, no, she was just outside presiding over the magic array, she definitely didn't come in."

"This little girl can actually connect with the earth's veins? I misjudged her... She should join my sect." Fu Xiaochen was also attracted by the sudden formation and leisurely examined it carefully for a while.

His eyes were filled with greed as he looked at Xiao Qiao.

Ordinary cultivators might not understand, but these high-ranking experts from the upper sects have access to far more ancient information and naturally know what it means to be able to connect with the earth's veins.
After saying this, he temporarily abandoned Qin Henian and headed towards Xiao Qiao's magic array, intending to break the array first.

Wu Weixiong and Qin Henian's nearly shattered spirits were instantly restored, and a glimmer of hope for life rekindled. How could they bear to watch that hope be extinguished once again?

Now, the only thing to do is to join forces to defeat Fu Xiaochen.

Without further hesitation, Wu Weixiong led the Earth-Splitting Bear toward Fu Xiaochen, intending to engage in close combat.

"Aren't you going to make a move?" At the same time, Fu Xiaochen's voice transmission rang out again in Li Ji'an's mind.

"Fellow martial artist, I, Huang, am here to help you!" Without further hesitation, Li Ji'an rushed towards Wu Weixiong.

Wu Weixiong became wary, but he gritted his teeth and, ignoring Li Ji'an behind him, did everything in his power to stop Fu Xiaochen.

"Boom!" This was the first time Fu Xiaochen had experienced a close-range attack from a near-third-tier body cultivator. His expression changed slightly in an instant, as the attack could exert pressure on his protective magic shield.

However, Li Ji'an had already arrived behind Wu Weixiong, and he was too lazy to get entangled with him. He flashed past Wu Weixiong, intending to let Li Ji'an temporarily hold off Wu Weixiong while he prioritized breaking Xiao Qiao's formation.

In an instant, Li Ji'an brushed past him.

He didn't even look at Li Ji'an properly.

Clearly, even though Huang Jie is a disciple of his Lieyang Sect, he has angered Huang Jie by not following Huang Jie's orders to target the Qin family but instead coming to seek opportunities.

Moreover, he only brought the Fu family with him this time, intending to monopolize the opportunity. Therefore, Huang Jie had to be silenced in the end.

"Boom!" Just as he was focused on breaking the formation, Li Ji'an, who was passing by, suddenly unleashed a powerful aura.

At the same time, a ball of flames had already engulfed him.

Fu Xiaochen's expression changed drastically; for the first time in his two hundred years of life, he felt the threat of death.

"Crack!" His protective magic shield shattered almost instantly, and a powerful thunderous force struck his left shoulder, sending bone fragments flying.

Fortunately, a colorful fan flew out and neutralized 80% of the lightning power.

The overwhelming flames seized the opportunity and burned his hair and beard to ashes.

"Ah! How dare you!" Fu Xiaochen used his colorful fan to push away the flames and escaped the encirclement of flames.

Looking at Huang Jie again, he could clearly sense that the other party had a fake Core Formation aura, and it was no longer the familiar aura of Huang Jie in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.

At the same time, he saw the prototype of the magic weapon in the other party's hand - a glass lamp!
"You're not Huang Jie! Who are you? Xing'er's magic weapon is in your hands too!"

While Fu Xiaochen was in shock, Wu Weixiong and Qin Henian were overjoyed.

Just moments ago, they were all quite wary of Li Ji'an, but now, Li Ji'an has proven his stance with his actions.

"Master Huang is absolutely fine!" At the same time, Xiao Qiao's confident voice rang out in the tomb.

"Master Huang, the three of us combined are no weaker than him!" Wu Weixiong and Qin Henian immediately rushed to Li Ji'an's side and fought alongside him.

Li Ji'an nodded emphatically, but a sigh escaped his lips.

He didn't waste this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Even with their strongest trump card, the third-tier innate Thunderstrike Talisman, and the aid of the nascent magic weapon, the Glazed Lamp, they still failed to inflict much damage, which was quite disappointing.

He looked at the Fiery Cloud Fan in the other person's hand and sighed inwardly, realizing that he had ultimately underestimated the True Core Immortal.

"A third-tier talisman!" Qin Henian's heart was filled with excitement, and his gaze toward Li Ji'an carried a hint of goodwill.

The most skilled practitioner of talismans he had ever encountered was the gentleman from the Sishui Chamber of Commerce.

However, even though they had met several times afterward and traded talismans with each other a few times, they were never able to become friends, and they lost contact over the years.

At that moment, he subconsciously felt that the other person was very likely that gentleman.

"Hmph! You three filthy cowards, do you think you can stand against me?" After calming down a bit, Fu Xiaochen's gaze toward Li Ji'an and the other two became even colder.

"Today, I will show you just how big the difference is between a real pill and a fake pill!"

Having said that, Fu Xiaochen held the Wind and Fire Fan in his hand, no longer holding back.

He was furious at this moment, especially because the threat posed by the three opponents with the strength of fake core cultivators meant that there was little chance of obtaining the Heavenly Cauldron unscathed.

"Today, I, Wu, will slay the True Core!" Wu Weixiong instantly activated his body cultivation technique, and a domineering fighting spirit of "I am the only one who can do it" surged forth.

Qin Henian transformed all the frustration of being tricked into a raging fire.

Li Ji'an remained silent, only pushing the power of the fake core to its limit!
However, he did not get close, but instead used a glass lamp to attack from a distance.

In an instant, the entire tomb chamber was filled with a fierce fighting spirit, as the power of Xiao Chen's magical treasures was unleashed.

Wu Weixiong's mysterious fist technique, brimming with fighting spirit, defied the wind and fire of the magical weapon and pressed forward.

Although Wu Weixiong was covered in wounds in an instant, with some wounds even revealing bones, his invincible aura still made it difficult for Fu Xiaochen to cope.

In particular, Qin Henian was also fighting with a cauldron, forcing him to devote 40% of his strength to resisting.

The raging flames from the glass lamp held by Li Ji'an almost blocked his escape route, leaving him no choice but to endure the flames.

……

Time flew by amidst the life-or-death struggle.

Unfortunately, even after Wu Weixiong finished his entire body cultivation technique, Fu Xiaochen was still not defeated.

On the contrary, because Wu Weixiong was bleeding profusely and his vital essence was being consumed too quickly, his punching power was already weakening.

Moreover, after getting used to this fist technique that carried a certain momentum, Fu Xiaochen gradually became able to handle it with ease.

"Clang~" Finally, Fu Xiaochen seized the opportunity, dodged Qin Henian's attack, and unleashed the full power of his True Core towards Wu Weixiong in front of him.

After the Fire Cloud Fan streaked across the sky, it condensed into a crescent-shaped fire blade.

The fiery blade slashed down from above, aiming sharply at Wu Weixiong's head.

This aura was extremely powerful, and Wu Weixiong instantly felt the threat of death. He hurriedly summoned the piece of cloth he had obtained from the Boundless Realm.

"Whoosh~" However, just as the piece of cloth was about to touch the fire blade, it suddenly dodged away with a "whoosh".

"Fellow Martial Artist!" Qin Henian glared angrily, but his words were too far away to be of any use in the present situation.

"Roar~" Just as the fire blade was about to split Wu Weixiong's head open, a furry grizzly bear head smashed into Wu Weixiong's head.

With a "whoosh," the fire blade fell, and blood splattered.

(End of this chapter)