Chapter 136: The Incomplete Golden Core Technique

“Northern Blackwater Spellbook!” Cold Fang sneered, a trace of disdain flashing in his eyes. As he muttered the words, he looked at Zhou Yi with a strange expression.

The Northern Blackwater Spellbook was created and manipulated by Cold Fang himself. Normally, a Blackwater Taoist would produce a Blackwater Poison Smoke Veil along with a magic crystal, not a spell formation. According to the rules, Blackwater Taoists never possess spell formations on their person!

The reason Zhou Yi obtained this Northern Blackwater Spellbook spell formation from a group of Blackwater Taoists was because Cold Fang covertly orchestrated it.

Cold Fang’s intention in delivering the Northern Blackwater Spellbook to Zhou Yi was not because the spell was flawed or inferior; on the contrary, this spell formation was of a very high level—exceptionally high!

Any spell that represents cultivation through the chaos of heaven and earth cannot be considered low-tier.

The purpose of placing the Northern Blackwater Spellbook before Zhou Yi was simple: to hinder the speed of his cultivation.

Before Zhou Yi arrived at Peerless Island, Cold Fang had been unable to precisely gauge Zhou Yi’s power progression, only vaguely aware through spies across the martial world who relayed information in written form.

Any intelligence passing through more than two or three intermediaries inevitably suffered some distortion—minor discrepancies were unavoidable.

This was understandable.

Yet, Cold Fang had never anticipated that the margin of error could be so vast.

After Zhou Yi appeared on Peerless Island and displayed his strength, Cold Fang had no choice but to admit in his heart that he was afraid.

Zhou Yi’s rapid progress and innate talent far exceeded Cold Fang’s wildest imagination, to the extent that a chilling fear gripped him deep within.

“Fear?” Upon this realization, Cold Fang momentarily lost his sanity, scrambling to find countless reasons to deny the truth. But after prolonged effort, he calmed down.

He could fabricate endless excuses to deceive others, but the one person he could not fool was himself. Thus, Cold Fang finally accepted the truth: yes, he was afraid.

If it were possible, he would wish to appear before Zhou Yi this very instant and devour him with the Soul Swallowing Insect, absorbing that overwhelming and unparalleled talent for his own use.

This thought, once born, swarmed through his mind like a frenzy of insects, multiplying rapidly until it filled his entire head.

Boom!

Just as he rose to act on this maddened impulse, a sudden rumble of thunder echoed overhead.

In that instant, Cold Fang, standing with wild ambition and bloodshot eyes clouded by desire, was struck dumb. His mind cleared abruptly, and after standing stunned for a moment, he collapsed in despair.

Peerless Island’s rule states that newcomers enjoy a three-month safety period upon arrival. No one, under any circumstances, may cause them harm.

This regulation was established by the great master who founded Peerless Island and who was also Cold Fang’s own master. Even Cold Fang, as the island’s steward, dared not violate it.

Perhaps Zhou Yi’s current strength was mere trifling to Cold Fang, easily crushed with a casual effort.

But in his master’s eyes, Cold Fang himself was less than insignificant—barely a speck of dust that could be wiped out with a breath.

The mere thought of that man sent shivers down Cold Fang’s spine, his back soaked in sweat. Hastily, he shook his head to dispel the terrifying notion.

Afterward, Cold Fang sat dazed on a stone bench, the faint chill emanating from it slowly soothing the terror in his heart.

He dared not act directly—not now. He lacked the courage. The reckless desire that fueled his earlier thoughts was merely a fleeting lapse.

Yet, if he did nothing, given Zhou Yi’s accelerating cultivation speed, Cold Fang dared not imagine where Zhou Yi’s power might stand three months hence.

In the past, Cold Fang would never have entertained such worries. Three months? Hmph, even if he had thirty years, what then?

But now... it hadn’t even been three months since their first meeting—whether from the innate or the acquired state, it was roughly the same.

Zhou Yi had already reached the third stage of the False Core, and judging by his true strength, he was near the peak of that level, close to breaking through to the fourth.

Cold Fang was truly afraid. If Zhou Yi’s cultivation proceeded smoothly, would he really be able to rival Cold Fang himself in three months?

Cold Fang dared not dwell on the thought.

Yet the island’s rules restrained him, forbidding any harm to newcomers. So he fretted and worried.

After much anguish, Cold Fang finally devised a solution: “You claim your talent is great, your cultivation speed fast? Fine—I’ll give you a spell formation to cultivate!”

Zhou Yi’s method was the Acupoint Growth Method, and Cold Fang could see this clearly. Naturally, Zhou Yi could only nurture one spell formation within his dantian space.

No one understood the power and difficulty of the Northern Blackwater Spellbook better than Cold Fang.

Zhou Yi’s talent was indeed remarkable. Even Cold Fang felt a chill upon witnessing it.

Such strength of talent left Cold Fang speechless.

But no matter how strong Zhou Yi’s talent, Cold Fang believed it would still be negligible compared to this Northern Blackwater Spellbook.

After all, this spellbook was a Golden Core secret technique!

Though incomplete, it was on an entirely different level from the other spell formations revealed on the island—like the contrast between a flickering firefly and the brilliant midday sun.

Even if incomplete, it was still a Golden Core technique!

What is a Golden Core? One Golden Core equals the power of an entire star!

What is a False Core? Regardless of its nature, it is insignificant before a Golden Core.

Take Cold Fang himself as an example: he was at the fifth stage of the False Core, practicing the Acupoint Growth Method. His true strength was mediocre, with only one million years of magical power.

But thanks to his master’s creation of twelve puppets, each equivalent to a perfect sixth stage False Core in strength!

Moreover, these twelve puppets could be arranged into formations, dramatically increasing their power.

A perfect sixth stage False Core, whether cultivated by the Acupoint Growth Method or the Acupoint Infusion Method, possessed three hundred and sixty-five billion years of magical power.

When combined in formation, the twelve puppets’ strength surged, though even Cold Fang himself was unsure of the exact extent.

One thing was clear: it still wasn’t a Golden Core. He had quietly calculated in his heart that even with the puppets united, their power fell far short of that of a star.

The reason for this became clear to Cold Fang later.

Three hundred and sixty-five billion years of magical power sounded immense relative to humans, but what was that compared to a complete star?

Cold Fang had seen some Golden Core immortals, and he knew the combined strength of the twelve puppets paled in comparison.

Cold Fang did not believe Zhou Yi could reach the sixth stage of the False Core within three months, but prudence dictated he still sent the Northern Blackwater Spellbook to him.

The matter ended there.