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Shawn Young, on the other hand, was experiencing the exact opposite. After absorbing Yvette Liu's Maiden's Pure Yin, he felt his powers surge dramatically. Not only did his meridians brim with Celestial Essence, but as soon as he closed his eyes and focused, the Pure Yin he'd absorbed began to form a surging, torrential current deep within his Second Sight. It mingled with the Celestial Essence inside him, creating two distinct forces—one Yin, one Yang. He quickly concentrated, circulating the energy through his meridians, and slipped into a state of 'inner vision.'
Soon, his consciousness followed the swirling Yin and Yang energies, gradually sinking deeper into the Second Sight. Previously, he’d never reached such depths due to lack of true power. Now, his awareness was entering a place full of mysterious, otherworldly secrets—the very origin of life itself!
His awareness spun and plummeted, falling faster and faster… through pitch-black voids where time seemed to lose all meaning. It felt like an instant, yet also like he’d lived through a century.
Finally, the sky above him faded to deep blue, then sank into layers of thunderclouds. Lightning crackled around Shawn Young’s consciousness like wild serpents. He knew it was all an illusion, but he could still feel the searing pain of each electric strike. It was pure agony—yet Shawn understood this was the sign of a breakthrough! He willed his mind to keep descending.
Moments later, a dazzling red light appeared before his eyes, floating and slowly spinning in the air. It grew bigger and brighter, radiating waves of scorching energy, and Shawn could sense the immense power contained within.
The Second Sight boiled with energy. In a flash, his spirit platform was bathed in light—even the faint, hidden figure of his soul deep in the Second Sight began to glow with a subtle red-gold aura!
"Arcane Core!" Shawn’s consciousness stirred. He finally understood—the glowing light was the legendary source of Daoist power, spoken of for centuries, brimming with boundless magic and incredible potential: the Arcane Core!
He had successfully awakened and touched the Arcane Core within his Second Sight! From this moment on, his mystical power had reached a whole new level. With steady cultivation, he’d soon be able to cast most intermediate spells from the Codex of Ascension!
The so-called 'Arcane Core'—only visible to Daoist cultivators who reach advanced levels and attain inner vision—is the source of all mystical power within. Every supernatural feat is powered by the Arcane Core’s unique energy!
Beyond the power of the Arcane Core lies an even greater force—the Divine Core, a legendary energy said to be possessed only by those who achieve immortality!
Legend has it that most cultivators throughout history have found it incredibly difficult to reach the power of the Arcane Core. Only a rare few have ever mastered it to its highest level. Once they do, they’re just a step away from unraveling the secrets of the universe and achieving the immortal state known as ‘Oneness with Heaven and Man.’ But to reach that realm, one must awaken the Divine Core!
Of course, the Divine Core is so rare that even most cultivators have never heard of it. Shawn Young only learned about it from the Codex of Ascension—it’s a power reserved for near-gods! Achieving the Divine Core isn’t just about hard work; it’s all about fate and extraordinary luck.
Right now, the red glow around his soul inside the Arcane Core burst forth. Shawn felt his meridians being washed by tidal waves, as scorching power surged through his organs and every channel in his body. This overwhelming strength was unlike anything he’d ever known—he felt as if he could swallow the heavens!
The surging divine energy was like a hurricane sweeping the sea, whipping up monstrous waves. It nearly crushed Shawn’s consciousness into oblivion, but he sensed his body rapidly gathering this wild power—it was stronger than anything he’d ever felt!
Shawn was overjoyed—this was the power of the Arcane Core! He quickly steadied his mind, guiding the mighty energy upward. Carefully, he navigated through the endless darkness of the Second Sight, and as his awareness returned to his body, his soul snapped back into place and his energy finished circulating.
When Shawn slowly opened his eyes, he saw Yvette Liu sleeping soundly beside him. The girl had just lost her virginity and, after reaching the peak several times, was totally exhausted—no wonder she was sleeping so sweetly! Spotting the plum blossom marks on the seat cushion, Shawn felt a strange surge of excitement. He never imagined Yvette’s Maiden’s Pure Yin would be so potent, letting his powers leap to a whole new level! Unable to resist, he gently kissed her rosy cheek.
He glanced at his phone—it was already 2 a.m. Outside, the sky was still full of stars, with a bright moon hanging overhead. On this night of the full moon, the golden orb glowed with a soft halo, and Shawn couldn’t shake a strange, uneasy feeling as his mind raced—
Suddenly, something bizarre happened!
"Ahhh—!" A piercing scream tore through the silent night, sounding especially eerie!
Shawn reacted instantly, scrambling to put on his clothes and flinging open the car door to jump out. The commotion woke Yvette Liu, who blinked sleepily and asked, "Shawn, what’s wrong? Did something happen?"
"Ah—help!" A second scream rang out, clearly from a woman, followed by the sound of someone splashing and struggling in water! Something was obviously happening by the river!
Shawn quickly told Yvette, "Hurry, Yvette! Get dressed! Something’s going on by the river—I need to check it out!"
"Okay, I—I got it!" Yvette realized something was up and rushed to find her clothes, while Shawn had already leapt out of the car.
A night breeze swept past, cool but tinged with a chilling edge. Mixed in was a strange, sour smell that tickled Shawn’s nose—something was definitely off.
"Shawn—do you smell something weird?" Yvette had caught up, nervously clutching Shawn’s arm.
"Yeah, it’s like something’s gone sour! Let’s hurry and check it out!" Shawn frowned, grabbing Yvette’s hand as they rushed toward the river.