: Is It Right for a Golden Core to Please a Foundation Builder?

2025-09-01 Author: Gu Zhenren

: Is It Right for a Golden Core to Please a Foundation Builder?

Panshi Cave.

Five or six exquisite dishes were laid out on the round stone table.

Yu Heye sat in the host's seat, with the guest of honor's spot naturally reserved for Ning Zhuo. Besides the two of them, there were also Shen Xi and Su Lingkou, the cousin siblings.

"Young Master Ning, please try this dish," Yu Heye said with a smile, introducing it while removing the lid of the earthenware pot. "It's called Nine Peaks Calming the Sea Soup. It's made with flour from nine-colored spirit rice and dough fermented with water from the Canglan Sea. The nine-colored dough is then stewed in a treasure-grade earthenware pot and simmered with golden marrow. If the spirit chef is highly skilled, they can even produce Earth Essence Extract during the preparation."

The moment the lid was lifted, a yellowish-brown mist mixed with nine-colored rays of light gushed out. Within the mist and light, three illusory mountain peaks appeared briefly before vanishing.

Shen Xi, a young master from a prominent family, looked surprised and remarked, "Three mountain peaks—that means there are at least three pieces of Earth Essence Extract in the pot. It takes no ordinary spirit chef to create such a spiritual dish. May I ask, Senior Yu, which master chef from the sect did you invite?"

Yu Heye laughed heartily, inwardly pleased that Shen Xi recognized its value, and replied, "It was none other than Hermit Tao An of the Warm Cauldron."

Su Lingkou immediately praised, "So it's Chef Tao, a Golden Core-level master. No wonder he could create such a spiritual dish."

Though she was new to the area, she had heard of Tao An's reputation. Golden Core-level spirit chefs were almost always head chefs or master chefs. While there were Nascent Soul-level spirit chefs, they didn't serve the general market, sticking to exclusive circles. In the regular market, the highest level of service consistently available to the public came from Golden Core-level cultivators.

"Young Master Ning, please have a taste," Yu Heye said, personally scooping some soup and a piece of Earth Essence Extract into Ning Zhuo's bowl with a ladle.

The soup was thick like honey, clear and translucent.

Ning Zhuo took a spoonful and immediately felt as if he had swallowed warm, flowing sand. At first, a rich saltiness with a hint of bitterness hit his tongue, but soon, a refreshing sweetness welled up from the back of his mouth, like mountain spring water infused with wildflower honey.

As he swallowed, Ning Zhuo's back straightened the moment the soup passed his throat. A torrent of earth spiritual energy cascaded like a waterfall, reaching his stomach with a strong, sinking sensation. Then, the torrent dispersed, transforming into a gentle yellow glow that permeated his entire body.

His muscles strengthened, his meridians widened, his heartbeat steadied, and the accumulated toxins in his body were expelled along with the yellow light.

After eight breaths, Ning Zhuo had fully digested it. Feeling a noticeable improvement in his defense and endurance, he nodded slightly in satisfaction.

Yu Heye was inwardly astonished. He often consumed such spiritual dishes and knew well that, despite their excellent effects, they were hard to digest. He hadn't expected Ning Zhuo to digest it so quickly.

"At least from what I can see, he seems to have digested it," Yu Heye thought. "Even I need six breaths to digest this. Despite being only a Foundation Builder, his physical foundation is incredibly strong!"

Suppressing his surprise, Yu Heye smiled broadly at Ning Zhuo. "Young Master Ning, how was it?"

Ning Zhuo commented, "Not bad, not bad." Then, he turned to Shen Xi and Su Lingkou. "You two should try it as well. It's quite beneficial."

Shen Xi and Su Lingkou each took a spoonful, their expressions changing instantly. They closed their eyes and began meditating right at the table.

Shen Xi took over thirty breaths to refine the energy, while Su Lingkou needed fifty-six breaths before finishing.

A faint yellow glow still lingered on Su Lingkou's face as she praised sincerely, "Truly a masterpiece from a Golden Core chef!"

Shen Xi, having regained his composure, looked at Ning Zhuo, a glint of insight flashing in his eyes. "Ning Zhuo's physical foundation seems exceptionally strong! At the very least, his digestive ability far surpasses mine. Does he primarily cultivate the essence sea in his lower dantian?"

With that thought, Shen Xi openly praised Ning Zhuo's physical cultivation.

Ning Zhuo, however, shook his head. "Ah, I still have a long way to go. This level of physical cultivation is nothing."

Shen Xi and Yu Heye: "..."

Ning Zhuo's expression was sincere, his sigh coming from the heart. His physical cultivation paled in comparison to his soul foundation! His soul had already reached the level of a million human souls, but his physical cultivation was insufficient, causing his soul cultivation to stagnate for a long time. Not long ago, his skin had even turned ashen gray, unable to bear the powerful soul. Though the situation had improved slightly, Ning Zhuo still had a long and arduous journey ahead!

"Young Master Ning, this is Thousand Needle Solid Gold Crisp. What do you think of its flavor?" Yu Heye picked up some enoki mushrooms with serving chopsticks and placed them on Ning Zhuo's plate. The mushrooms were thin and long, coated in a layer of golden powder that gleamed dazzlingly.

Ning Zhuo ate them, and as he chewed, the spiritual food transformed into numerous small streams. These streams quickly flowed throughout his body, clearing all blockages and stagnation.

Shen Xi and Su Lingkou were secretly amazed. They had never heard of Yu Heye entertaining a Foundation Builder cultivator with such enthusiasm. It was highly unusual!

Shen Xi couldn't help but let his thoughts run wild, constantly wondering, "What method did Ning Zhuo use to make Yu Heye act this way? And... is it just my imagination? I feel like there's an element of flattery mixed in with this equal treatment?"

Shen Xi was sharp-minded and possessed keen insight. Though he had considered this possibility, he found it hard to believe, as it seemed rather unbelievable.

Yu Heye ate very little himself, focusing mainly on serving Ning Zhuo. His attitude was overly attentive, making even Ning Zhuo feel somewhat uncomfortable. Ning Zhuo deliberately adopted a stern tone and said, "I'll help myself. Senior Yu, you're too kind. Please, feel free to attend to your own meal."

Yu Heye laughed heartily. "Thank you for your concern, Young Master Ning!"

Shen Xi remained silent.

Su Lingkou, however, felt puzzled. "Why does the intelligence report describe Yu Heye as irritable and quick-tempered, while in reality, he's the complete opposite—so amiable?"

Seeing Ning Zhuo's refusal, Yu Heye promptly stopped. He shifted his approach, patiently waiting for Ning Zhuo to take a few more bites before saying, "Young Master Ning, there are some difficulties in my cultivation that I'd like to consult you about."

Su Lingkou: "?!"

The intelligence reports never mentioned Yu Heye being so studious and humble either! The public opinion always described him as irritable and quick-tempered. Could this be an imposter?

Shen Xi's lips twitched slightly. "For Yu Heye to act this way toward a Foundation Builder, using the guise of seeking advice to curry favor... isn't this going too far? He's losing the dignity of a Golden Core cultivator."

But then, right in front of Shen Xi and Su Lingkou, Yu Heye genuinely began asking Ning Zhuo about key points from the "Reverse Five Elements Demonic Art."

Ning Zhuo set down his chopsticks, his expression serious and focused, as he shared his insights.

Shen Xi felt increasingly speechless inwardly. "He's really making it look authentic."

But as he listened, his expression changed, becoming serious and attentive. Ning Zhuo's responses always hit the mark. More importantly, he was adept at using analogies, making originally complex concepts easy to understand and profoundly beneficial.

Su Lingkou soon noticed this as well. The cousin siblings gradually stopped eating and focused on listening. As for Yu Heye, he had long stopped eating, fully absorbed in his inquiries. The dining table had effectively turned into a lecture hall.

Ning Zhuo spoke eloquently, taking control of the entire situation. Knowing that Yu Heye's comprehension of the five elements was lacking, especially in metal and earth, he focused his explanations on these aspects.

Yu Heye listened intently at first, his expression brightening with joy and realization midway. But in the latter part, his eyes grew increasingly vacant and confused.

Ning Zhuo, observing his expression, realized that Yu Heye's comprehension had its limits. Continuing further would be counterproductive, so he wisely stopped.

This left Shen Xi and Su Lingkou feeling regretful.

Su Lingkou gazed at Ning Zhuo, her eyes sparkling with admiration. "This Young Master Ning is so insightful! My cousin is truly amazing to have spotted such talent among the crowd."

Shen Xi cupped his hands toward Ning Zhuo, genuinely impressed. "Listening to your words is more enlightening than reading for ten years! Fellow Daoist Ning, how fortunate I am to share this meal with you today." He then bowed to Yu Heye, thanking him for providing such an opportunity and for the immense benefits he had gained.

Yu Heye waved his hand, first expressing respect for the Shen family of Nine Palaces Immortal City and for Shen Xi himself, then turned to Ning Zhuo, conveying his gratitude and admiration.

This time, Shen Xi no longer felt that Yu Heye was flattering or currying favor. The reason was simple: Ning Zhuo possessed genuine talent and learning!

Shen Xi stared intently at Ning Zhuo, his tone fervent. "I wish I could share drinks and converse with Fellow Daoist Ning day and night, never resting!"

Ning Zhuo waved his hand. "As the saying goes, every man has his limitations. My main cultivation lies in the five elements in my dantian, so I have some understanding of their transformation and arrangement. But I'm still far, far from being a true master."

At that moment, Ning Zhuo thought of the Five Elements Sovereign and the Forgotten River Mansion Lord.

Su Lingkou stuck out her tongue. "And this is just 'some understanding'?"

Yu Heye's Adam's apple bobbed as he felt Ning Zhuo was being overly modest. Given his own temperament, he usually disliked such pretenses from noble young masters. If it were him, he would proudly declare it as his own ability, his excellence, something ordinary people couldn't match. But since Ning Zhuo said so... Yu Heye accepted it. After all, the other had saved his life. Even if it was an elder hidden beside Ning Zhuo who had intervened, since that elder remained concealed, it was clear they intended to attribute the credit to Ning Zhuo. Yu Heye understood this well, so he directly placed the life-saving grace on Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo's modest attitude, however, greatly appealed to Shen Xi. Hailing from the Shen family of Nine Palaces Immortal City, Shen Xi was born into nobility and received strict upbringing. If it were him, he would also adopt such a humble posture. This made Shen Xi develop a strong liking for Ning Zhuo, feeling they were kindred spirits.

Ning Zhuo then looked at Shen Xi, his expression sincere. "I've long heard of the great name of the Shen family of Nine Palaces Immortal City, like thunder piercing my ears. Meeting Fellow Daoist Shen Xi is a tremendous honor for me. To be honest, I've always had a strong interest in learning formations. But I'm not very familiar with the Nine Palaces formation type; I usually use the Five Elements formation type the most."

Shen Xi laughed heartily, feeling very pleased. Ning Zhuo's praise of the Shen family made him feel immensely honored! Before this, such flattery from Ning Zhuo wouldn't have pleased Shen Xi so much. But now, through Yu Heye's questioning, understanding, confirmation, and further inquiries, Ning Zhuo had demonstrated his profound comprehension of the five elements. As for how profound, Shen Xi couldn't gauge the depths, but he was certain that Ning Zhuo far surpassed him in this aspect! And that was enough! After all, Ning Zhuo was so young yet had already surpassed Shen Xi significantly, even capable of teaching a Golden Core cultivator like Yu Heye—this was an extraordinary achievement! Of course, the world of cultivation had countless methods, including marvelous techniques for maintaining youthful appearances. But from his interactions with Ning Zhuo, Shen Xi felt that Ning Zhuo couldn't be very old. Mainly because Ning Zhuo himself still had an air of innocence and curiosity, far from the weariness of middle or old age. Shen Xi, having served in Nine Palaces Immortal City and seen many people—part of his family's deliberate training—possessed considerable ability in judging character. "Fellow Daoist Ning Zhuo's actual age is probably a bit older than me, by about ten-plus years," guessed Shen Xi, who was thirty years old in nominal age. He greatly underestimated Ning Zhuo's comprehension of the five elements, but based on the gap he perceived, this was how he estimated Ning Zhuo's age.

Shen Xi immediately said, "Fellow Daoist Ning Zhuo, with such profound attainments in the five elements, it's truly enviable. Your Five Elements formations must be exceptional as well."

Ning Zhuo's eyes lit up. "I've indeed had some insights recently and would like to seek your advice, Fellow Daoist Shen Xi."

Shen Xi hurriedly said, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare."

But Ning Zhuo proactively shared the Five Elements formation he had designed.

Upon hearing it, Yu Heye recognized many principles from the "Reverse Five Elements Demonic Art."

Shen Xi listened carefully, frowning slightly. "Fellow Daoist Ning, are you trying to design a Five Elements formation disk?"

Ning Zhuo told the truth: "Fellow Daoist Shen, you've guessed most of it. To be precise, it's about designing a Five Elements mechanical component." This wasn't an excuse he made up. The real situation was exactly this: after comprehending the "Reverse Five Elements Demonic Art" and manipulating Yu Heye's Chaotic Five Elements Golden Core through practical operation, he had gained many inspirations. His previous battle with the Forgotten River Mansion Lord, where his cultivation was too low and he relied on the Cang Iron Han Armor·Golden Swallow to evade repeatedly, nearly dying multiple times—such intensely stimulating combat experiences fueled his strong motivation to further improve the Cang Iron Han Armor. "Currently, these are just some ideas, not yet mature," Ning Zhuo directly shared some of his thoughts.

Shen Xi's frown deepened. "I can tell that Fellow Daoist Ning is improving a mechanical component, intending to use it as a power source for mechanisms. But... using a Golden Core as the core, isn't that a bit too extravagant?"

Shen Xi spoke very tactfully, but his implication was: We're just lowly Foundation Builders; using someone else's Golden Core as a consumable—isn't that aiming too high?

Yu Heye broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing this, thinking of the Five Elements-aligned Golden Core inside his own body.

Little did he know, Ning Zhuo had over a hundred Golden Cores in his possession!

(End of )