Feng Yi was shocked. Her realm, only Organ Transformation, allowed her to know how valuable the Azure King level Beast Cores were. These cores were the main currency for selection points, and one core alone was enough to advance her realm further.

  "Hey! Are you serious?!" Feng Yi exclaimed, her eyes wide. She caught one orange core with her left hand, its spiritual heat immediately calming the core. "These cores are worth ten times more than any Sprouting Fang Beast! Why are you giving them away?"

  Fei Sheng, who also caught the second Beast Core gracefully, was not surprised. His small smile returned, now tinged with undeniable admiration. He closed his fan and pointed to the Ocean Shattering Thunder Blade in Zhi Xuan's hand, which was now slowly disappearing.

  "Junior Sister, do not be foolish," Fei Sheng replied, his tone full of calmness. "Brother Zhi Xuan does not view these Beasts as cores. He views them as tools to test the Dao. The essence he expended is far more valuable than these two cores."

  Fei Sheng then turned to Zhi Xuan, his gaze full of respect. "You tested your limits, Brother Zhi Xuan. You even dared to use a Heaven Grade Artifact that requires the will of heaven to be activated. Your sacrifice in spiritual essence is much greater than the reward we offered."

  Zhi Xuan merely nodded slightly, confirming Fei Sheng's analysis. "I only need recovery. The cores are too small for my current needs. Continue. We must seek areas of pure spiritual essence."

  He did not waste time. He channeled essence into the Divine Cauldron, which now spun slowly in his hair. The Heavenly Trifold Reincarnation Cauldron immediately radiated the Law of Spring, drawing the raw, wild spiritual essence in the Falling Star Secret Realm and channeling it in a thin, pure mist around Zhi Xuan, starting the recovery process.

  Feng Yi, seeing that Zhi Xuan had already begun to recover without caring about the outcome of the battle, felt her pride challenged. She, an Organ Transformation cultivator, had to recover slowly, while Zhi Xuan, a Blood Transformation Zenith, recovered with heaven-defying speed thanks to his Artifact.

  "Arrogant fellow!" Feng Yi hissed, hiding the Beast core into her storage pouch. She then turned to Fei Sheng. "Senior Brother, I will seek high-grade Beasts alone. I do not need the help of this Arrogant Devil!"

  Fei Sheng smiled gently, his Law of Wind forming a protective wall for Zhi Xuan who was focused on recovery.

  "Junior Sister, tranquility. Was it not you who said you wanted to test his strength? How can you test if you leave the battlefield?" Fei Sheng teased. "Besides, now we know. Brother Zhi Xuan is not interested in Beast cores equivalent to him. He is only interested in... Golden Azure King cores. Consciousness Transformation spiritual beasts."

  The words silenced Feng Yi. Seeking a Consciousness Transformation Beast, a Golden Azure King, was suicide for an Organ Transformation. But if Zhi Xuan was seeking it, it was a challenge worth testing.

  Feng Yi sighed deeply, her anger dimming, replaced by the tenacity of a fighter. She twirled her Fire Sword and walked towards Zhi Xuan.

  "Fine, Herald of Devil," Feng Yi said, her voice now returning to cold and professional. "If you do not need these cores, I will take them and turn them into points. But you owe me. I will oversee your recovery. Do not think I pity you. I just want to make sure my enemy is fully recovered before I finish him off in the next trial!"

  Feng Yi, though her arrogance had not faded, showed an honest side of a warrior. She sat cross-legged on a volcanic rock near Zhi Xuan, her fire essence acting as a heat sensor sensitive to danger.

  Zhi Xuan opened his sapphire eyes, gazing at Feng Yi for a moment. He saw the honesty beneath the arrogance. He did not reply. He merely closed his eyes again, allowing the Heavenly Trifold Reincarnation Cauldron to work at maximum capacity.

  Fei Sheng fanned himself with a satisfied smile. He had achieved his goal: ensuring the alliance remained stable and gaining a deeper understanding of Zhi Xuan's Dao will.

  "Brother Zhi Xuan is indeed an interesting colleague," Fei Sheng murmured, he stepped forward and scanned the battlefield. "He does not care about mortal things. He only cares about his sharp will."

  Zhi Xuan merely ignored it, focusing on his recovery. He had just used the Thunder Blade, which once again forced his essence to spin hard.

  He knew, the activation of the thunder blade was only temporary, without a sharp will and a harmonizing nature, he could have run out of essence before manifesting the sword move.

  'Stupid monkey, you truly do not know how lucky you are,' Ruo Xianxue growled, his voice dripping with cold acknowledgment and scorn in his sea of consciousness. 'You think you can just summon the will of thunder which is the will of heaven? Be thankful you have that Divine Cauldron. At least if you die struck by thunder, the cauldron can smash your head to pieces.'

  'Be silent, Ruo,' Zhi Xuan muttered in his mind, although he knew what Ruo Xianxue was saying was true. 'I was just testing it, besides, I was not summoning real heavenly thunder, it was just accumulated thunder flashes from the residual energy of the blade.'

  Zhi Xuan ignored Ruo Xianxue's taunt and the heat spreading from the thunder blade of the Ocean Shattering Thunder Blade that he had returned to the folds of his robe. His mind was focused as an ice crystal.

  He allowed the Law of Spring from the Heavenly Trifold Reincarnation Cauldron to work, drawing in wild essence and transforming it into a gentle mist of recovery. Zhi Xuan knew, if it were heavenly thunder, the effect would not only be on the two Azure King beasts, but would strike the entire area where the sword was located.

  Feng Yi's presence, sitting cross-legged a few meters near him with a pouting face, did not bother him. Instead, the girl's Organ Transformation fire aura actually became a natural boundary that prevented other cultivators from approaching and disrupting his recovery process.

  In the distance, Fei Sheng, bathed in the aura of the Law of Wind, strolled leisurely around the rock crevice, observing the corpses of the Fire Azure King and the Earth Azure King. He was not looking for loot; he was looking for the remnants of understanding left behind by the two beasts—a typical habit of Consciousness Transformation cultivators studying the Laws of Nature.

  'Keep that Thunder Blade stored,' Ruo Xianxue said, his voice dripping with both threat and warning. 'Unexpected danger will always come here, do not let those rotten monkeys snatch it from you.'

  Zhi Xuan's recovery proceeded smoothly for several breaths. The spiritual mist emitted by the Heavenly Trifold Reincarnation Cauldron around him began to thin, a sign that his essence was almost fully recovered.

  Feng Yi, who had been watching him closely, stood up. She folded her arms across her chest, her Fire Sword hanging at her waist, her sharp eyes radiating analysis.

  "Fast recovery. Strange fellow," Feng Yi murmured. She then directed her gaze towards where the Fire Azure King had collapsed. "You know, that Fire Beast should have been mine. I was the first to wound it."

  Zhi Xuan opened his sapphire eyes, which now once again radiated the tranquil depth of an icy abyss. He stood up, his movement smooth and silent, his essence circulating with full power.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  "It is dead," Zhi Xuan replied flatly. "The two cores belong to you. The cooperation is complete."

  Feng Yi was stunned. The satisfaction of victory driven by her Phoenix Fire instantly evaporated, replaced by overwhelming annoyance. She was Feng Yi, the majestic Fire Phoenix Maiden, she was never treated like a beggar given scraps, especially by someone she considered a rival.

  "You!" Feng Yi hissed, her aura exploding again. "This is not about generosity! This is the Path! The spiritual energy you expended is yours, and these Beast Cores are the rewards of the hunt! Why do you throw them away as if they were low-grade spiritual stones?"

  Fei Sheng, who had already stored the second Beast Core into his jade fan, chuckled softly. The laugh sounded gentle, but there was a tone of deep understanding within it. He stepped closer to Zhi Xuan, his face radiating the admiration of a scholar who had just solved an ancient riddle.

  "Junior Sister, know that the Dao has many faces," Fei Sheng said, his voice calm. "For us, the Azure King Core is a step toward greatness. For Brother Zhi Xuan, it is merely a pebble in the way. Look. He does not seek mortal wealth."

  Fei Sheng waved his hand toward the Divine Cauldron in Zhi Xuan's hair, which was now channeling a soothing recovery mist.

  "He seeks pure essence. The Azure King Core, though valuable, only contains crude Organ Transformation essence. His Divine Cauldron requires essence from a higher Azure King to satisfy its demands. These two cores, even combined, would only slow down Brother Zhi Xuan's will."

  Fei Sheng looked at Zhi Xuan, his gaze full of respect. "You are aiming for the Golden Azure King. A Consciousness Transformation level spiritual beast, are you not?"

  Zhi Xuan merely nodded slightly, letting Fei Sheng's analysis sink in. "Purer core, higher value."

  Silence returned to envelop them. Feng Yi held her breath. The Golden Azure King was a target that only late-phase Consciousness Transformation cultivators dared to aim for.

  "So... you will only cooperate again if the stakes are... a Golden Azure King?" Feng Yi asked, this time her voice sounded hesitant, her arrogance slightly fading in the face of such a terrifying will.

  "It is efficiency," Zhi Xuan replied, emotionlessly. "I do not want to waste any more essence on things that do not give me a proportionate advantage."

  Fei Sheng smiled broadly, he knew Zhi Xuan had given tacit permission for a larger cooperation. He reopened his jade fan, his gentle yet strong aura immediately enveloping both of them, reforming the Law of Wind shield.

  "In that case, let us continue this journey, Brother Zhi Xuan," Fei Sheng said, his tone full of enthusiasm. "Falling Star Secret Realm, the deeper we go, the higher we will reach the top positions of the Star King Ladder."

  "Star King?" Zhi Xuan said with a slight frown, he stepped beside Fei Sheng, while Feng Yi walked ahead of them.

  "Yes, the Star King Ladder is the final list of the heavenly selection, where there are only ten disciples who will be taken, out of hundreds of cultivators present." Fei Sheng smiled faintly, fanning the surroundings for a moment. "Did you not know that only ten candidates will be chosen at the end of the heavenly selection?"

  Zhi Xuan merely turned his head slightly, his sapphire eyes sweeping over Feng Yi who was walking ahead of them, her controlled fire aura now felt more focused. He then looked at Fei Sheng.

  "I know," Zhi Xuan replied flatly. "I only need one position. I do not care about the Star King Ladder."

  Fei Sheng chuckled softly, a light and cultured laugh, as if Zhi Xuan's words were interesting ancient philosophy. "That is a cruel truth, Brother Zhi Xuan. But the Star King Ladder is the Thousand Heavens Sect's way of honoring and allocating resources. The top ten positions will receive unparalleled heritage and great path insights."

  He closed his fan. "If you only want one spot, you must ensure you are there. You will need more Golden Azure King Cores. And one Golden Azure King is equivalent to twenty Organ Transformation Cores. And if we are grouped, it will count us as fellow disciples."

  Zhi Xuan nodded in his mind. The calculation was logical. If he wanted to save essence and time, he had to hunt Beasts that yielded high points. At that moment, a flash of red circle dominated his irises before disappearing momentarily.

  The corner of Zhi Xuan's lips curled faintly, leaving a sharp sneer as a sign of interest. The devil seed that had just devoured a piece of bronze, was growing wilder with only one thought: to dominate and be greedy, the devil thought almost taking over him.

  "At least, we must obtain five Golden Azure King cores," Zhi Xuan said with a retracted sneer, turning his face forward. "If you help, then I will help you."

  Zhi Xuan knew, he had to suppress the devil thought to dominate everything and not wish for spilled blood. If he harbored thoughts of being wild and selfish, then he was nothing more than a senseless killer. Zhi Xuan had a better plan.

  "Wait a moment," Zhi Xuan suddenly continued, he stopped Fei Sheng and Feng Yi. "I have a plan for five Golden Azure King cores."

  Fei Sheng, whose Law of Wind still enveloped them, turned to Zhi Xuan with a questioning gaze. "A plan? Brother Zhi Xuan, did you detect a high-level Spiritual Beast nearby?"

  Feng Yi, whose aura was exploding again due to tenacity, twirled her Fire Sword, ready for battle. "If it is a Golden Azure King, show the way, Herald of Devil. Do not waste time!"

  Zhi Xuan ignored Feng Yi's impatience. He let the silence speak, a silence forged by cold calculation. He then stared at Fei Sheng, his sapphire eyes radiating immeasurable focus.

  "Our target is the Golden Azure King Core. Not one, but five," Zhi Xuan said, his voice flat, yet his words carried a deadly weight. "Hunting spiritual beasts one by one is a waste of essence and time. We must hunt humans."

  The words froze in the air. Fei Sheng's Law of Wind trembled for a moment. Feng Yi, full of fighting spirit, suddenly flinched. She stared at Zhi Xuan with a mixed expression of shock and disgust.

  "Hunting... humans?" Feng Yi hissed, her aura dimming due to disbelief. "You are insane, Herald of Devil! We are here for the Thousand Heavens Sect Selection, not to become serial killers in the Secret Realm!"

  Fei Sheng, who was more astute, closed his fan. His face, usually calm, now radiated firmness. "Brother Zhi Xuan, our Dao, although seeking power, does not permit senseless slaughter. The Thousand Heavens Sect has strict rules."

  "I am not suggesting murder," Zhi Xuan said calmly, he sharpened his divine sense to scan how many cultivators were currently closest to them. "The Great Path is about who survives, and dying from fundamental carelessness. If we are capable of walking on the great path, then why are we not capable of walking on the path of blood?"

  "You mean, you will throw worms into a snake pit?" Fei Sheng tapped the fan in his hand, his voice showing disagreement while trying to analyze Zhi Xuan's intent. "That is a rather... unreflective action of the Heavenly Path."

  "Senseless slaughter? Thousand Heavens Sect rules?" Zhi Xuan repeated, his voice containing cold scorn. "This Falling Star Secret Realm is an arena. Its purpose is to test, eliminate, and produce the strongest. The only rule here is to survive and collect as many cores as possible."

  He shifted his gaze toward the north, toward a larger expanse of ruins.

  "I am not suggesting random slaughter," Zhi Xuan continued. "But do you not see it, Brother Fei Sheng? The cultivators here are still Blood Transformation, even arrogant Organ Transformation. They hunt low-level Beasts, wasting essence and disrupting balance. They are troublemakers, not hunters."

  Zhi Xuan then pointed to the spot where he had just killed two Azure Kings. "The two Azure Kings we just killed will attract the attention of higher-level Azure Kings, even Golden Azure Kings. Why should we expend our essence to hunt them, if we can lure those Beasts to us?"

  Fei Sheng, whose eyes narrowed in analysis, suddenly understood. "You intend to... use other cultivators as bait?"

  "Precisely," Zhi Xuan replied with a flat tone, accompanied by a subtle sneer. "If we fish in a river, we must have bait, then we wait for the bait to be swallowed by the fish. And if the bait is strong enough, will the caught fish not also be bigger?"

  Zhi Xuan stood tall, his cold will outlining a ruthless scheme. In his eyes, the arrogant cultivators around were merely variables that could be manipulated, not Dao companions.

  Feng Yi, the Fire Phoenix Maiden, was still in shock. Her fire aura dimmed, her eyes filled with revulsion. She was a combat path cultivator who upheld arrogance and direct fighting, not vile schemes.

  "Impossible," Feng Yi hissed, shaking her head vigorously. "That is a betrayal of the righteous Dao! We are supposed to fight Spiritual Beasts, not plunge other cultivators into death!"

  Fei Sheng, on the other hand, did not immediately refuse. He tapped his chin with his jade fan, his crystal eyes radiating deep thought. He was a Dao scholar; he was interested in efficiency. Zhi Xuan's plan, though brutal, was extremely efficient.

  "Junior Sister, tranquility," Fei Sheng said, his voice containing a subtle authority. He turned to Zhi Xuan. "Brother Zhi Xuan, I understand your scheme. You want to use the aura of the two newly dead Azure Kings, covered in fresh blood, to attract higher-level Spiritual Beasts, and then use the noisy cultivators as... a filtering layer."

  Fei Sheng smiled faintly, a smile that did not reflect amiability, but sharp calculation. "The question is, how will you choose that 'bait'? We cannot randomly lure innocent cultivators. That will bring bad karma, even in this Secret Realm."

  Zhi Xuan clenched his jaw. He understood Fei Sheng's hesitation. As a Consciousness Transformation cultivator, Fei Sheng had to maintain a layer of clean karma.

  "We do not lure carelessly," Zhi Xuan replied. He turned toward the north, toward the large ruins in the distance. "Let us walk first, if we find ourselves disturbed by hot-blooded cultivators, then they are the perfect bait."