I established the Eternal Immortal Clan by taming beasts.

A blessing in disguise!

Thanks to that extraordinary Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation, especially the final Thunder Tiger condensed from the essence of tribulation lightning was defeated and absorbed.

Lin Che skipped the time-consuming process that Golden Core cultivators usually need to spend stabilizing their realm and purifying their core essence after breaking through.

This allowed him to mobilize the power of his golden core without any hindrance as soon as he emerged from seclusion, and to fiercely confront Chen Dai's supernatural power!

Looking up at Chen Dai's shocked, embarrassed, and incredulous face, he saw...

Lin Che's eyes were cold, and he didn't waste any words.

His divine thoughts flowed, and the crimson-gold phoenix blood true fire that had shattered "Burning the Heavens and Boiling the Seas" and filled the sky did not dissipate. Instead, it rapidly rolled back, contracted, and condensed according to his will!

In the blink of an eye, a magnificent phoenix with a wingspan of over ten zhang, its entire body composed of extremely refined crimson-gold flames, and its eyes pulsating with lively flames, appeared lifelike in mid-air!

With a flap of its wings, a wave of intense heat surged into the air, accompanied by a clear and melodious phoenix cry!

"Hey——!"

The fiery phoenix locked onto Chen Dai, who was hundreds of feet away, and with a sudden flap of its wings, it transformed into a streak of crimson-gold light.

With an aura that could burn the entire world, they charged forward fiercely!

Wherever it passed, the space itself was scorched and slightly distorted!

Faced with this fiery phoenix, which was more concentrated, more spiritual, and more threatening than the previous clash of supernatural powers, Chen Dai's expression changed drastically!

He clearly sensed a terrifying power within it that posed a threat to him!

"The Medicine King's Cauldron! Appears!"

At the critical moment, Chen Dai shouted sharply.

Without hesitation, he unleashed his natal magic weapon!

A beam of green light shot out from his dantian and grew larger as it faced the wind.

In an instant, it transformed into a tall, ancient cauldron, three zhang high, with a warm, jade-green color, three legs, two handles, and intricate patterns of plants and flames engraved on its body!

This is precisely his natal magical artifact—the Medicine King Cauldron!

This cauldron is both offensive and defensive, and it is the foundation of his alchemy. Having been nurtured by him for many years, it is full of spiritual energy and exceptionally sturdy.

The Medicine King Cauldron spun rapidly, instantly blocking the path of the fiery phoenix's attack.

The cauldron faces the phoenix, spewing out a thick, green aura that forms a solid barrier.

At the same time, Chen Dai's crimson protective aura rose up again, connecting with the defense of the Medicine King Cauldron!

"boom--!!!"

The crimson-gold phoenix of flames crashed solidly into the green barrier emitted by the Medicine King Cauldron!

An even stronger energy surge than before erupted instantly!

The crimson gold and emerald green light intertwined, annihilated, and clashed wildly!

The terrifying shockwave swept out in a ring, pressing a huge dent into the waters of Shattered Star Lake below!

"Hold on tight!!!"

Chen Dai's beard and hair stood on end, his face flushed red, and veins bulged on his forehead as he frantically activated the golden core within his dantian.

The vast crimson elixir was poured into the Medicine King Cauldron without reservation, attempting to stabilize this last shield.

However, Lin Che's eyes were indifferent, and with a slight thought, the ten-patterned golden core in his dantian suddenly accelerated its rotation!

"Buzz—!"

A purer and more refined magical power flowed through his divine sense and was applied to the Flame Phoenix!

In an instant, the power of the Fiery Phoenix increased even further!

"Sizzle... Click!"

Under Chen Dai's horrified gaze, the crimson elixir he had imbued into the Medicine King Cauldron, upon contact with the crimson-gold flames, was as if it had encountered its nemesis, and began to be rapidly melted and disintegrated!

The emerald green light of the Medicine King Cauldron itself was also rapidly dimming, and a "groan" of unbearable strain emanated from its body!

"How is this possible?! You've only just formed your core! How can your core essence be so pure and refined?"

Chen Dai gasped in shock, his heart filled with turmoil and even a hint of fear.

This makes absolutely no sense!

In response, Lin Che unleashed an even more ferocious barrage of attacks!

"Eh-!!!"

The Fiery Phoenix let out a high-pitched cry, its crimson-gold body suddenly becoming more solid, and it charged forward!

"Pfft—!"

Like a red-hot iron piercing through ice, the indestructible Medicine King Cauldron was pierced through by the fiery phoenix, leaving a charred hole!

The cauldron's spiritual light completely dissipated, it let out a mournful cry, shrank, and flew back, its surface covered with spiderweb-like cracks!

"puff--!"

Chen Dai felt as if he had been struck by a heavy blow when his natal magic weapon was forcibly destroyed.

He suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, his face turned deathly pale, and his breath rapidly weakened.

He was forced to retreat uncontrollably for hundreds of feet before he could barely regain his footing.

The look in his eyes as he looked at Lin Che was filled with resentment, fear, and disbelief.

His natal magic weapon was damaged, which also caused a significant shock to his soul and golden core!

However, as long as the Golden Core cultivator's Golden Core remains intact, even severe physical injuries can be repaired.

Lin Che did not pause at all.

He raised his hand and made a grasping motion. The fiery phoenix in the air, whose power had been slightly reduced after piercing the Medicine King Cauldron, but was still terrifying, circled once and was about to pounce on the injured Chen Dai again!

At this critical moment—

That's enough!

A majestic and deep voice instantly resounded throughout the entire venue!

Immediately afterwards, a terrifying aura, far more vast and composed than that of Chen Dai and Lin Che, and carrying the majesty of a long-time high-ranking cultivator, descended without reservation.

Like an invisible shackle, it shrouded the entire Shattered Star Lake area!

A figure dressed in white casual clothes, with a refined face but sharp eyes, appeared silently between Lin Che and the seriously injured Chen Dai.

It was none other than the Lord of Chuyang City—Yan Shuming!

His face was gloomy, and his gaze first swept sharply over Chen Dai, who was weak and disheveled, with a hint of disappointment and displeasure in his eyes.

Immediately, his solemn gaze fell upon Lin Che.

He carefully examined the young Golden Core cultivator who had just broken through, yet displayed a fighting prowess that even he found astonishing.

Unexpectedly, a real dragon has emerged from this shallow beach in Chuyang City!

He remembered seeing this person once more than a decade ago at a meeting in the city lord's mansion.

At that time, he only showed the cultivation level of the early stage of Foundation Establishment, and I was completely unable to see through his disguise!

Without a sound, he had successfully formed his core.

Moreover, its foundation is so deep and its combat power so formidable that it far surpasses that of ordinary early-stage Golden Core cultivators, and it can even severely injure Chen Dai!

Shocked, Yan Shuming quickly began to make a mental calculation.

The Lin family, which suddenly appeared out of nowhere, could become an excellent pawn for him to counterbalance the Chen family!

Only in this way can the Chen family be made to obey and continue to be used by them.

As for the Lin family?

The way of beast taming!

He has plenty of methods to control things.

Even if it's a dragon, it has to coil up for me!

With this in mind, Yan Shu's outward demeanor became even more imposing, his voice carrying an undeniable air of accusation:

"Hmph! You two, do you think the rules of my Chuyang City don't exist? How dare you openly engage in a battle at the Golden Core level here, affecting mortals, damaging the earth's veins, and creating chaos!"

He paused, his tone softening slightly:

"However, considering that this is your first offense, I will show leniency this time and not pursue the matter further! But this is not to be repeated! If you dare to act recklessly again within the territory of Chuyang City, don't blame me for punishing you according to the city rules!"

All the cultivators below instantly understood the city lord's meaning.

This is like trying to smooth things over, preparing to lift something high and then gently put it down.

Yan Shuming raised an eyebrow and looked at Chen Dai: "Aren't you leaving yet?"

Chen Dai was taken aback.

He then realized that his master had not come to support him.

Although he felt resentful and unwilling, he was seriously injured at the moment and dared not disobey Yan Shuming. He bowed his head and replied, "Disciple... will obey the city lord's order."

After saying that, she gave Lin Che a venomous look.

He turned and transformed into a streak of light, fleeing towards the Chen family's direction, intending to return to heal his wounds and make further plans.

On the other side, Lin Che watched Yan Shuming's "fair" ruling.

Hearing those obviously biased words, I almost laughed out of anger!

However, he showed no sign of it on his face, as if he was truly intimidated by the city lord's majesty, or perhaps he was giving the city lord face.

Without making any move, they simply watched Chen Dai's disheveled figure flee into the distance.

Seeing Lin Che's pragmatism, Yan Shuming couldn't help but smile with satisfaction.

However, the smile on Yan Shuming's lips suddenly froze the next second!

"Buzz—!!!"

A strange, extremely sharp, and fierce aura of a Golden Core cultivator suddenly shot into the sky from a direction hundreds of miles away without warning!

That aura was cold, violent, and purely designed for killing!

Immediately afterwards, a dragon-shaped phantom, hundreds of feet long and entirely formed from dark golden, sharp blade light, tore through the clouds and illuminated the sky!

Even though they were hundreds of miles apart, the sharp aura and terrifying energy fluctuations emanating from the giant blade were clearly transmitted to the shores of Shattered Star Lake.

It made all cultivators below the Golden Core stage feel their scalp tingle and their souls sting!

No one was given time to react.

The dark golden dragon-shaped giant blade paused slightly, then swung down fiercely towards a target who had just fled not far away and whose aura was exhausted!

"No—!!!" A short, desperate scream filled with extreme fear and resentment came to an abrupt end from that direction!

The aura of the Golden Core belonging to Chen Dai flickered violently like a candle in the wind, and then... rapidly dissipated and vanished!

A newly promoted Golden Core cultivator, one of the top experts in Chuyang City.

Right before everyone's eyes, after fleeing the battlefield for hundreds of miles, he was killed by a terrifying attack that came from nowhere!

quiet!

Deathly silence!

All the monks who saw or felt this scene.

They were all petrified, their minds blank, barely able to comprehend what was happening before their eyes.

Yan Shuming's smile froze completely, turning into incredulous rage!

He turned his head abruptly, his voice trembling with rage: "You...you Lin family, how dare you?!"

Lin Che also perfectly timed his expression to show extreme shock and bewilderment.

As if completely unaware of what had happened, he exclaimed:

"What...what's going on?! There are other Golden Core cultivators hiding here?! Who are they?!"

Yan Shuming stared intently at Lin Che for several breaths, trying to find the slightest flaw in his face.

But all he saw was "real" shock and "just right" bewilderment.

Considering the Lin family's past low profile, if they truly had another Golden Core cultivator, why would they have remained silent until now?

Perhaps... there really are other forces stirring things up in the shadows?

Or perhaps it was an enemy Chen Dai had made in his early years who took advantage of his serious injuries to launch a sneak attack?

Various thoughts flashed through Yan Shuming's mind, which calmed his shock and anger slightly, and replaced it with deeper suspicion and solemnity.

"This matter... I will investigate it thoroughly!"

Yan Shuming uttered a cold remark, then vanished from the spot in a flash.

They were clearly rushing towards the direction where Chen Dai had fallen, wanting to find out what had happened.

As Lin Che watched the spot where Yan Shuming had disappeared, the "shock" and "bewilderment" on his face slowly faded.

His gaze returned to calm and depth, and a chilling, yet imperceptible, curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Do you really think the Lin family, and Lin Che, are pushovers who can be easily manipulated and won't fight back or retaliate?