Chapter Forty-Six: The Perfect Golden Core

Ning Xianyu watched in astonishment as Xuanyuan Tunhan elevated her cultivation to the Golden Core realm, and it was still soaring rapidly, about to break into the Nascent Soul stage.

Nascent Soul, Nascent Soul, Nascent Soul...

Once she reached that stage, she would be eligible to take on disciples of her own—she could recruit several to massage her legs and cook for her.

But just as she stared at him with nervous anticipation, Xuanyuan Tunhan suddenly opened his eyes and looked at her.

Her cultivation then stabilized at the peak of the Golden Core realm.

She was just a hair's breadth away from the Nascent Soul, but she was stuck, unable to break through.

Some cultivators remain stuck at this bottleneck their entire lives, never breaking through before their lifespan runs out.

Given Ning Xianyu’s aptitude and laziness, she’d likely be one of those who’d never manage to break through.

The demon lord is simply too wicked—he’s doing this on purpose.

She grumbled inwardly but approached him with a bright smile. “Great—no, Ancestor, were you cultivating just now?”

To advance from Qi Refining to the peak of Golden Core in such a short time—even for a demon lord, that was an unfathomable speed.

Xuanyuan Tunhan stretched lazily. “A Qi Refining body is inconvenient to use.”

The spiritual energy in the Demon Realm was much denser than elsewhere, making cultivation here far easier than in the Immortal Realm; that was why demon cultivators advanced faster than orthodox cultivators.

However, the spiritual energy here was also far more violent. After training for a while, demon cultivators had to suppress and purify the demonic energy within themselves, or risk losing control and going mad. Advancing too quickly in the Demon Realm was dangerous.

Xuanyuan Tunhan chose to cultivate here precisely because it was faster, and with Ning Xianyu and her Nine-branch Ephemeral Lotus nearby to purify the energy, he had no worries about going berserk, allowing him to progress by leaps and bounds.

The lake beneath them provided additional beneficial guidance—every possible advantage was his.

A Qi Refining body truly was less convenient than one at the peak of Golden Core; now, he felt much lighter.

But across from him, Ning Xianyu’s face suddenly flushed, and she turned away in embarrassment.

The demon lord was simply too brazen—if he wanted to stretch, fine, but did he have to stand up so high? Everything of hers was exposed now.

Even though it was her own body, she’d never seen it from this perspective. It was just too awkward.

Seeing her blush, Xuanyuan Tunhan looked down in confusion—only to be confronted by two round...

His own face twisted in discomfort, and he sank a bit deeper into the lake.

This lazy woman never did anything, yet she maintained her body so well.

After finishing his cultivation, Xuanyuan Tunhan rested for a while at the shore, while Ning Xianyu stayed as far away as possible, rubbing her body clean—only to accidentally touch a certain “little brother.”

She immediately stopped.

She had no intention, but a certain someone’s little brother was truly unruly.

She turned and whispered, “Ancestor, when are we going back?”

Xuanyuan Tunhan didn't respond, not even glancing her way.

Bored, Ning Xianyu rummaged through her storage pouch, pulled out a wooden tray, a bottle of wine, a plate of pastries, a platter of freshly fried fish, and a few fruits.

She began eating and drinking.

The fried fish had been pilfered from the Jade Immortal Sect’s outer quarters. One of the senior brothers there was a fantastic cook, and could fry the mountain’s native yellow fish so it was crispy on the outside, tender within, and completely boneless—simply delicious.

She always used her sweet talk to get more, then stashed some away to enjoy later.

Xuanyuan Tunhan, who had been resting, grew annoyed after a while upon seeing her stuffing her face. “You’re a cultivator. You’ve long achieved the state of fasting. Why are you still so greedy for food?”

Ning Xianyu replied matter-of-factly, “But isn’t cultivation supposed to be a joyful pursuit? If, by reaching its pinnacle, you can’t even enjoy the simplest pleasures of the palate, then what’s the point?”

Xuanyuan Tunhan narrowed his eyes. “Who told you cultivation is about joy?”

Ning Xianyu thought for a moment and shook her head. “No one. But seeing how hard everyone works at it, I figured cultivation must be for happiness. People seek ascension for eternal happiness, right?”

Others pursued the happiness of results; she pursued happiness in the process.

Xuanyuan Tunhan sneered. “And who told you that ascension brings eternal happiness?”

Who had told her that ascension meant happiness?

This woman was truly naive.

Ning Xianyu was stunned. “If ascension doesn’t bring happiness, what is everyone seeking?”

Xuanyuan Tunhan glanced up at the sky, exhaled, and said with biting irony, “To stand above all others so that no one may ever dictate your life again.”

Huh?

Ning Xianyu mulled this over and conceded it made sense. “Ancestor, you’re amazing.”

Such lofty ambition! She admired it, but she was too lazy to pursue it herself.

Xuanyuan Tunhan found her nonchalance odd.

How had this woman developed such a carefree, idle way of drifting through life?

“You cultivate in pursuit of happiness?”

He couldn’t help asking.

Ning Xianyu answered, “To be precise, I don’t want to cultivate at all.”

Ordinarily she wouldn’t dare say such a thing, but wine made her bolder.

Xuanyuan Tunhan, having overheard her conversation with the system, knew she never bothered to put in effort. He felt a twinge of contempt, and, strangely, a trace of envy.

What was there to envy?

Living passively and indulging in comfort might be pleasant, but such happiness was fleeting—in this world, it wouldn’t last long.

Xuanyuan Tunhan snatched her wine and took a swig, immediately grimacing. “Too sweet.”

What was the appeal of such wine?

Yet, despite the sweetness, it was potent and went straight to one’s head.

Ning Xianyu was already tipsy and grinned foolishly. “Life’s road is long and bitter—you have to drink something sweet to comfort yourself.”

Xuanyuan Tunhan scoffed, “What bitterness do you, a lazybones, have to worry about?”

Ning Xianyu waved her hand grandly. “That’s not important. What matters is that sweet drinks lift your spirits.”

If she could, she’d much rather have a milk tea.

Xuanyuan Tunhan searched through his own storage pouch and produced a bottle of wine. When opened, a rich aroma filled the air.

The fragrance drew Ning Xianyu closer.

Now this was real wine—pure and mellow, without the sour tang of ordinary spirits. Just a whiff was enough to make one dizzy.

Xuanyuan Tunhan guzzled directly from the bottle, and Ning Xianyu edged nearer until she was almost draped over him.

But he dodged and teasingly asked, “You want some?”

Ning Xianyu nodded eagerly. “I do—when friends meet, you split it fifty-fifty.”

Split it fifty-fifty?

Xuanyuan Tunhan pushed her away. “How greedy you are.”

Nevertheless, he poured her a tiny cup.

Just a sip—barely enough to wet the bottom.

“So stingy,” she muttered, but drank it in one go and even licked the cup clean.

Immediately, it felt as if fireworks exploded in her head; the world spun and everything became shimmering and unreal.

This wine truly went straight to the head.