My Celestial Ascension Chapter 889: Mutated Demon Core

"..." Yuan blinked several times while taking the jade token from Long Yuyan’s grasp, his face displaying a confused look as he gazed at her.

"Why didn’t you mention this jade token sooner if you had it?" he questioned, his tone laced with bewilderment.

Long Yuyan averted her eyes, a light blush coloring her cheeks in mild embarrassment.

"I-I momentarily forgot about the token..." she responded timidly, dodging his stare.

"I understand..." Yuan gave a gentle shake of his head before making his way toward the pagoda at a measured pace.

Positioned in front of the entrance, he raised the jade token skyward through Qi control and channeled his Qi directly into it.

Right away, a dazzling golden glow burst from the jade token, causing the surroundings to quiver for a short while, like a fleeting quake that vanished quickly.

Whoosh! Soon after, the enormous iron entrance to the pagoda creaked open, unleashing a fierce blast of wind from its depths.

Long Yuyan materialized next to Yuan, her confident smile mixing with a stunned gaze fixed on the pagoda.

"Behold the Heaven Sealing Pagoda, a supreme Celestial Grade treasure beyond compare. It stood as the ultimate glory of the Earth Immortal Sect," Long Yuyan remarked with a wistful grin, old memories flooding back to her.

"What?! A pagoda like this counts as a treasure?! That defies belief!" Aisha burst out, her features twisted in sheer astonishment.

’How can something so gigantic qualify as a treasure? And not merely any treasure, but one of the highest caliber! Who could even construct such a marvel?’ Aisha pondered, completely taken aback.

"This comes as quite a shock... I never expected to stumble upon something this extraordinary right upon arrival," Yuan whispered under his breath prior to advancing into the pagoda with firm steps.

Anna Grace along with the rest trailed after him into the structure, scanning their environment with keen interest and a touch of apprehension on their faces.

In the meantime, Long Yuyan rejoined Nyx just after Yuan and his wives had ventured within the pagoda.

"Are they safe in there?" Nyx inquired, her concern plainly showing.

"They’ll be perfectly alright. Nothing occupies that pagoda save for its own spirit," Long Yuyan assured her in a composed manner.

"Spirit? Does that mean a person resides inside?" Nyx queried, surprise widening her eyes, as such a concept was entirely new to her.

"No living being dwells there. The spirit refers to the pagoda’s own awareness... imagine it as the structure coming to life, harboring its very own soul. Treasures of Heaven Grade and beyond often develop a soul over time," Long Yuyan clarified with steady patience.

"I had no idea realities like this existed..." Nyx breathed out quietly, reeling from the revelations.

"This world holds countless wonders that seem impossible at first glance... yet they remain undeniably real," Long Yuyan stated with a faraway smile while contemplating the grand pagoda.

’Beings of immense power exist that defy mere description,’ Long Yuyan reflected silently with an inner sigh.

At that point, Yuan and his wives started delving into the pagoda’s secrets, uncovering a trove of invaluable treasures the second they crossed the threshold.

During their search, Yuan spotted a radiant red stone within a showcase, radiating a dark, ominous mist.

[Demon Lord’s Demon Core]

’I-That’s a demon’s core?! From an actual demon?!’ Yuan cried out in his thoughts as the System’s alert resounded in his head.

"What’s that shining red gem? It gives off such an odd vibe," Angela wondered aloud, leaning in to inspect the demon core closely with intrigue.

"That’s a Demon Lord’s core... and from the aura it releases, that demon reached at least mid Grandmaster stage," Fang Xiaoyan answered promptly, her face contorting in revulsion toward the item.

"Does this have any practical use?" Aisha pressed.

"Indeed, it does serve a purpose—but solely for certain experts like alchemists or blacksmiths. They employ it chiefly as an ingredient for forging artifacts or brewing elixirs," Fang Xiaoyan elaborated.

After a short hesitation, she went on, "That said, there’s a tale I recall about a figure who devoured demon cores to boost his cultivation. Demons dreaded him for this power, nearly driving their kind to oblivion because of it."

"I can’t confirm if it’s fact or fable. My grandfather shared this story with me back in my childhood days," she concluded with a subtle grin.

"So... a legend like that truly circulates..." Yuan murmured quietly, his interest in that enigmatic individual deepening.

’I too can ingest demon cores to advance my cultivation effortlessly... could that legendary person share a physique akin to mine?’ Yuan speculated to himself.

"Shall we claim this core?" Vanessa inquired curiously, turning her eyes to Yuan.

Yuan nodded with enthusiasm and declared, "Absolutely, we’ll claim it. It might not benefit everyone here, but its worth to me is immense."

In no time, Yuan lifted the glass lid and, with a simple gesture, tucked the Demon Core away into his System Storage.

No sooner had he secured the demon core than another item seized his focus—and that of his wives too.

It resembled a heart. One half gleamed like crystal, much like the Demon Core, whereas the other half consisted of living tissue, throbbing steadily with the identical malevolent force as the demon core.

[Mutated Demon Core]

Without delay, details on the item flashed before Yuan’s vision as the System’s chime rang out in his mind once again.

"What in the world is that? It pulses like a heart, as though it’s still alive!" Leah gasped in horror, her form rigid with shock at the eerie display.

"It truly beats, akin to a vital organ... this defies all reason..." Anna Grace whispered in awe, her tone laced with astonishment while fixating on the peculiar find.

"That’s a mutated Demon Core, probably from a beast that turned hybrid by taking in or swallowing demon blood," Yuan described evenly as he studied the bizarre specimen.

"Yes, it’s undoubtedly a demon core from a mutated creature... incredibly scarce and highly prized," Fang Xiaoyan confirmed with a nod, peering at it intently.

"It could fetch tens of thousands of Spirit Stones easily in the Nine Heavens," Xi Meili chimed in.

"Got it... then I’ll hold onto this for the time being," Yuan decided with a grin before consigning the demon core to his System Storage.

Having gathered every treasure available on that level, they ascended to the following one, where treasures of even greater worth lay in store.

Not delaying for an instant, Yuan and his wives kept seizing all they found before climbing to the subsequent floor.

They carried on this routine until arriving at the pagoda’s summit, where they found it utterly barren. A lone indentation marked the ground, shaped like a key slot.

"What’s this slot for? And what exactly fits into it?" Yuan wondered aloud in a hushed tone as he approached to inspect it nearer.

The slot’s form bore an uncanny resemblance to the jade token from Long Yuyan, aligning flawlessly.

Yuan swiftly pulled the jade token from his system storage, and suddenly, it quivered fiercely in his hold as if animated.

"What the—" Yuan’s words cut off abruptly as the jade token escaped his fingers, hovering over the slot and surging with potent energy.

Anna Grace and the group observed the unfolding event with rapt curiosity, their anticipation building for the imminent revelation.

All at once, the pagoda quaked intensely. Yuan and his wives sensed the tremors distinctly, as though the structure had roused from slumber.

Pulled by some unseen pull, the jade token dropped into the slot, locking in seamlessly.

The very next moment, the quaking halted, enveloping the chamber in total quiet.

Ding!

[The Heaven Sealing Pagoda has recognized you as its new owner!]

[You now have absolute control over the pagoda!]

Ding!

[A mysterious energy is entering your dantian!]

[+???? Qi]

[+???? Qi]

[You have absorbed enough Qi for a breakthrough!]

[You have reached the first level of Spirit King!]

Yuan regulated his breath following his advancement to the Spirit King realm, sensations of renewal and boundless energy coursing through him.

"You’ve broken through... incredible!" Fang Xiaoyan cried out, her voice brimming with thrill as her eyes gleamed.

Yuan grasped the pagoda’s full nature and intent now. It ranked as a pinnacle treasure—a divine relic that could seal immortals effortlessly.

The pagoda housed unique sealing chambers able to confine tens of thousands of cultivators in unbreakable isolation.

For those trapped within, existence mirrored that of ordinary mortals, and escape proved impossible absent the master’s decree.

As the fresh lord of the Heaven Sealing Pagoda, Yuan commanded total dominion over its functions.

’This artifact proves remarkably practical... it’ll surely prove invaluable ahead,’ Yuan mused with a sly curl of his lips.

"What occurred just now? Why all the rumbling and shaking?" Anna Grace questioned with a baffled look, eyeing Yuan’s serene smile.

"The pagoda simply accepted me as its new master... it’s an unparalleled relic that’ll serve us well from here on," Yuan answered grinning.

Through mere intent, Yuan whisked everyone outside the pagoda in a flash, cutting off any additional inquiries.

"So you’ve claimed mastery over the Heaven Sealing Pagoda... that’s no small feat, I must say," Long Yuyan commented approaching him, her surprise plain to see.

’Odd... why select him as master? The sect’s old patriarch couldn’t earn its favor. This stretches credulity!’ Long Yuyan pondered internally, still staring at Yuan in wonder.

’This man stands apart from the ordinary. Alas, times have shifted. Else, his rise would know no bounds. He wields talent that defies the heavens, or the pagoda wouldn’t yield to him,’ she reflected, her face entranced by Yuan’s striking visage.

"Yes. For some reason, I’ve taken ownership of the Heaven Sealing Pagoda. This journey proved most rewarding," Yuan stated with a pleased grin.

With an effortless flick of his wrist, the colossal pagoda diminished swiftly until it resembled a mere plaything, fitting neatly into Yuan’s hand.

Once tucked into his system storage, they departed the site at once, Long Yuyan accompanying them on her choice to journey together.

Following that, they set off from the Earth Immortal Sect entirely, nothing remaining to claim—every precious item the sect held had been secured.

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Happy New Year everyone, hope this new year brings joy and good health to everyone.