“The price is a physical body?” Song Shuhang was taken aback.

As he said this, his head also began to dissipate.

…Heavens, it turns out that I was actually collapsing from the head down! Cheng Lin’s Self-Healing Technique, hurry!

Song Shuhang immediately used Cheng Lin’s Self-Healing Technique to stabilize his body. In addition, this resurrected body of his had been made with ‘Skylark’s Eye’ as the main material. As such, it carried an ‘aura of eternity’, and had excellent recovery power.

Soon enough, the rate of the body’s collapse stabilized.

Senior White Two explained, “You used an Eighth Stage magical treasure while having such low strength, and it was the Thirty-Three Divine Beasts’ Combined Magical Treasure at that. It’s a very normal thing for your body to collapse.”

Song Shuhang said, “But it isn’t normal in my case. I have a lot of stuff that adds on to my power.”

He had the Inner World, too. If he didn’t have enough power to use his magical treasure, he could simply draw power from his Inner World. No matter how tragic the situation was, it shouldn’t have led to his physical body collapsing.

“Let’s just say that the price for this kind of thing is always unpredictable.” Senior White Two patted his shoulder. “Moreover, you should take this opportunity to reunite your strength.”

Song Shuhang asked, “Reunite?”

“This resurrected body of yours is ultimately a separated part of your power. You could take advantage of the collapse of your resurrected self to merge it with your main body, turning it into your innate ability,” Senior White Two said. “You could then make him a genuine clone of yourself.”

Song Shuhang said, “Can that really be done?”

Senior White Two said, “Leave everything to me. I’ve done this kind of thing before, and I’m relatively familiar with this matter.”

For some reason, Song Shuhang immediately remembered Senior White’s innate skill that allowed him to create a clone. There had to be some connection between Senior White and Senior White Two. Could this be how Senior White’s ‘innate skill’ came about?

While he was in thought, he canceled Cheng Lin’s Self-Healing Technique, and allowed Senior White Two to do what he had to do.

Senior White Two drew several runes in succession, branding them on Song Shuhang’s back.

The collapse of Song Shuhang’s resurrected body sped up, and it turned into a ball of light particles. Finally, with a gentle push from Senior White Two, the light particles flew towards the main body and merged with it.

Song Shuhang’s main body, who was ascending to the Golden Core Realm, asked, “Senior White, I’m advancing to the Golden Core Realm. Is it really okay to merge with the resurrected body at this time?”

Senior White Two said, “Since I’m involved, rest assured. It won’t disturb your ascension.”

Song Shuhang, who was in the middle of ascending, only felt his body warm up.

Another source of power appeared within him.

Senior White Two smiled. “Done. I did tell you that I’m very proficient in this kind of thing.”

At this time, Song Shuhang instinctively mastered an innate ability—the secret clone technique.

It was the secret clone technique he had been dreaming of!

From now on, he was also a man with a clone.

When his main body went to practice, he could have his clone go to school on his behalf.

At that time, the main body could take risks, while the clone could replace him in chatting in the group. In the future, he could learn from Senior Northern River and be another ‘always online warrior’.

It felt beautiful just to think about it.

❄️❄️❄️

At the same time, in Song Shuhang sea of qi dantian, his fat whale illusory core had completed the last step.

The body of the whale was compressed to the limit, condensing into a solid golden core.

As he had guessed in advance, the fat whale illusory core had not become round at all.

After becoming a golden core, it still maintained the appearance of a fat whale.

In his sea of qi dantian, a compressed mini fat whale was swimming around slowly.

If Song Shuhang pulled it out and told people that it was his golden core, he was sure that absolutely no one would believe him!

Song Shuhang softly said, “It’s alright. I’m not someone who cares too much about appearance. What it looks like doesn’t matter as long as it’s a golden core.”

A golden core would determine one’s path.

The important thing wasn’t the shape it had, but the number of dragon patterns!

The moment the golden core formed, the Fourth Stage innate true essence within Song Shuhang’s body began to compress and undergo a qualitative change. It transformed into the unique ‘spiritual power’ of a Fifth Stage Spiritual Emperor.

The aura of his body continued to rise.

Song Shuhang was now a Fifth Stage Spiritual Emperor!

Scarlet Heaven Sword said, “Congratulations.”

Mini Skylark said, “Congratulations, little friend.”

She then asked, “Little friend, how many patterns does your golden core have?”

“Wait, let me take a look.” Song Shuhang took a deep breath, and then stared at the fat whale golden core in his dantian.

The golden core was still covered with a thick layer of armor.

After ordinary cultivators’ illusory cores became golden cores, the immortal bones would separate from the golden core.

But on Song Shuhang’s golden core, the ‘armor’ formed from the immortal bones had yet to separate.

Song Shuhang anxiously said, “How am I supposed to see the dragon patterns like this?”

The armor wrapped around the ‘fat whale golden core’ tightly, showing only one blowhole on the top of its head. Because of this, he could not see the dragon patterns.

Can’t I put away the armor? Song Shuhang thought to himself.

Scarlet Heaven Sword curiously asked, “What’s wrong? How many dragon patterns do you have?”

It had followed Song Shuhang for a period of time, and it had realized how terrifying ‘luck’ could be.

If Song Shuhang’s luck were taken into account, his golden core should have at least seven dragon patterns, right? Even the eight or nine dragon patterns were possible.

After all, it had never seen anyone else face such a powerful Fifth Stage heavenly tribulation, even its former master Scarlet Heaven… Ugh!

Even its current master, Scarlet Heaven, did not have to face such a frightening Fifth Stage heavenly tribulation.

Song Shuhang replied, “There is a layer of armor on my golden core, and I can’t check the patterns on it. I’m going to try putting the armor away.”

“Golden core armor?” Skylark was dumbfounded. She had lived for an extremely long time, yet she had never heard of anyone having armor on their golden core.

Could it be that the golden core was wrapped in something like an egg shell?

Song Shuhang said, “It’s done. I’ve put it away.”

Just now, he had ordered fat whale golden core to put the armor away, and that had actually worked.

Next, Song Shuhang opened his eyes wide to count the dragon patterns on his golden core.

Song Shuhang said, “One… two… three…”

Scarlet Heaven Sword asked, “Is there still more?”

Song Shuhang stiffly said, “Three…”

Skylark said, “Keep on counting.”

“Three…” Song Shuhang’s voice became increasingly unnatural.

Scarlet Heaven Sword instantly realized. “It can’t be that you only three have dragon patterns, right?”

The number of patterns one’s core had was related to the potential of a cultivator.

To put it bluntly, for those with a golden core with one to three patterns, if they didn’t have a fortuitous encounter, they would remain at the Fifth Stage Spiritual Emperor Realm for the rest of their lives.

No one could have thought that Song Shuhang would condense a golden core with only three dragon patterns on it.

Scarlet Heaven Sword said, “Impossible. Your materialized light of virtue should have at least given you a dragon pattern. That ‘Sage Seal’ of yours should have given you a dragon pattern as well. How could you possibly only have three dragon patterns? Unless… your initial number of dragon patterns was only one?”

Song Shuhang looked up at the sky.

He almost thought that he had counted it wrong just now, but after repeatedly counting, the number of dragon patterns was still three.

Although the dragon patterns on the fat whale golden core were thick and big, no matter how large the dragon pattern was, it could not change the fact that he only had three dragon patterns.

The size and thickness of the dragon pattern on a golden core did not matter, only the quantity did!

“That is to say, besides the dragon patterns that the Sage Seal and the power of virtue gave me, I only have a single dragon pattern?” Song Shuhang rubbed his temples, and then sighed. “It seems that my talent in cultivation is worse than I imagined. This is truly an eye opener.”

Perhaps reaching the Fourth Stage in four months gave him an illusion that his innate talent wasn’t bad, and that it should at least be at around medium.

Unexpectedly, his potential was so low that it could only give him a single dragon pattern.

Scarlet Heaven Sword: “…”

Skylark: “…”

Neither of them knew how to comfort Song Shuhang.

Senior White Two suddenly asked, [Disappointed?]

Song Shuhang calmly said, “Naturally. The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. At the beginning, I was aiming to have at least seven dragon patterns. I even thought about the possibility of having eight dragon patterns or even the nine. So, when I saw that I only had three dragon patterns, a huge sense of disappointment surged within me, and I almost wanted to kneel in desperation.”

At that critical moment, his will, which was known to be as strong as steel, finally played a role and saved him.

With so many experiences through his dreamland skill, Song Shuhang could be regarded as a person who had seen the world, and his current will and worldview were incomparable to what they had been when he first entered university.

After suffering a huge loss, he did not fall into despair, but quickly calmed down and recovered his composure.

The worst ‘result’ had already happened, and what he had to do at this time was definitely not to give up on himself.

Senior White Two asked, [So, what are your plans? With three dragon patterns, if you don’t have any fortuitous encounters, you will remain at the Fifth Stage Realm for the rest of your life.]

Song Shuhang replied, “Then, I will look for fortuitous encounters. My aptitude is very ordinary, but even if I only have three dragon patterns, I will not give up.”

There was something that he had not said—he had been able to reach the Fourth Stage in four months and the Fifth Stage in four and a half, without relying on talent.

Song Shuhang asked, “If that doesn’t work, don’t I still have you, Senior White? Anyway, although I’m not that hopeful about this, I still want to ask… Senior White, do you have a way to remove a golden core and allow it to condense again?”

[I don’t,] Senior White Two decisively said. [A golden core determines one’s path. There is no use for regrets when it comes to a golden core, as there is no possibility of gouging it out and allowing it to condense again.]

Song Shuhang said, “Then, I can only rely on my luck.”

Senior White Two said, [However, you’re right. Although you only have three dragon patterns, you still have me.] After saying that, he stretched out his hand and grabbed the handle of the Holy Sword of the End.

[I am very satisfied with this treasure. I like both the material and the form of the combination. You did not use ordinary materials to make this, having used Eighth Stage materials to build it. Therefore, I won’t treat you badly.] Senior White Two put away the Holy Sword of the End, and said to Song Shuhang, [Well then, Song Shuhang. How many dragon patterns do you want?]

“???” Song Shuhang had not reacted for a moment there.

Senior White Two said, “You only have a single opportunity. How many dragon patterns do you want?”

“Does that still need to be said? Of course I want nine dragon patterns!” Song Shuhang said quickly.

“Haha. If that’s so, then we’ll go with nine dragon patterns.” Senior White Two stepped out and appeared in the Demonic Tribulation Realm.

This was his main body.

Immediately afterward, he stretched out his hand and waved it. The Demonic Tribulation Realm opened and revealed a passage to the main world.

Senior White Two stepped out into the main world.