Two days later…

A huge wave of spiritual Qi pervades the surroundings it expanded up to 200 meters surrounding the cave. This made some of the beasts in the area inched closer to the cave as they know that some human is trying to for their own gold core. This is too tempting for any beast, as eating a human gold core will immediately soar their cultivation by leaps and bounds. Although it is not as useful to level four demon beast and above it still can replenish a huge amount of their spiritual energy.

Inside the cave, s.h.i.+n Jiao can see large beads of sweat forming on Cherry Lao's forehead and her body is covered in sweat. He averted his eyes as the upper robe is now wet and sticks to her skin revealing her curvy and beautiful features. Seeing her knitted brow and her gritted teeth, s.h.i.+n Jiao wanted to help her but he is afraid that it might break her concentration which would lead to disaster. So he just waited there and decided to protect her.

"Hmmm, there seem to be some movements outside. Best if I could get rid of some of the nuisances." s.h.i.+n Jiao said as he suddenly felt an aura coming to the direction of the cave.

So he quietly went out of the cave and stood guard outside. After sometime s.h.i.+n Jiao could feel a strong pressure emanating from inside the cave, along with that, gush forth a strong aura bursting out.

"She was successful in forming her gold core, that's a relief." s.h.i.+n Jiao said to himself as he genuinely smiled.

As he was looking at the cave's direction, a shadow jumped out from a bush and attacked s.h.i.+n Jiao. Five long and sharp claws whistled through the air directing towards his neck. The beast is a long clawed monkey the size of a man, but having st.u.r.dier body than s.h.i.+n Jiao. An evil and sinister smile appeared on its face as its claws pa.s.sed through the flesh.

But before it could feel happy by its successful sneak attack it felt its consciousness faded as it slumped on the ground dead. s.h.i.+n Jiao in its front suddenly turns to blur as it becomes an after image. And from the right side of the beast stood s.h.i.+n Jiao's real body and a b.l.o.o.d.y stone machete is on his hand.

"Hah, I didn't know that even my normal speed is this fast. I guess my body was constantly being purged while I am stuck in my bottleneck. That's the reason why I can feel my body becoming stronger even though the spheres in my dantian is not increasing… Hmmm… I'm guessing that my bare strength is that of a level 3 beast. If I continue with this I could increase my body strength to that of level 5 beast in just 2 to 3 months."

A feeling of elation filled s.h.i.+n Jiao's heart, he looks at the dead sharp-clawed monkey and kept it inside his ring. While he was busy doing the cleanup he didn't notice that the cave door quietly open and out came Cherry Lao silently.

She spotted s.h.i.+n Jiao not far from the entrance and a smile crept on her red lips. But as her gaze stayed on him, a frown changed the smile on her face.

"He… he is not emitting any spiritual fluctuations… This is impossible… It can't be possible." Cherry Lao said to herself as disbelief filled her eyes.

According to her a.n.a.lysis, while they are staying together, s.h.i.+n Jiao might be a core forming realm cultivator. The beast she saw from his hunts are at least level 2 and level 3. And he also got a level 5 beast king core, although he didn't say where he got it but judging from the core alone as a mortal, how could he cut open a demon king carca.s.s? This and the experienced she had with him made her doubt what she is seeing in front of her.

As if feeling an intense gaze behind him s.h.i.+n Jiao turns his head and look behind him and saw Cherry Lao's glowing feature.

"d.a.m.n, this girl is truly beautiful. Now that she broke through in the gold core realm her aura is like that of a G.o.ddess." s.h.i.+n Jiao said to himself as he looks at the young woman and smiled.

"I guess you are successful in forming your gold core right?" s.h.i.+n Jiao probed pretending not to know.

"Yes… But s.h.i.+n, your aura… I… I cannot see any fluctuation of spiritual energy within you. It's as if you don't have spiritual roots." She said with a hint of reluctance to ask. In her heart, she didn't want to know the truth but her curiosity got the best of her.

"Oh, you can see spiritual auras now. Well, I won't hide it from you. The truth is that I don't have spiritual roots, hence I can't cultivate." s.h.i.+n Jiao said as if it's just a normal thing.

But upon hearing this Cherry Lao's heart was in turmoil, his confirmation made her truly disappointed and hurt at the same time. She felt that she was lied to and was betrayed, although it was not her place to feel that way as there is no relations.h.i.+p between them, she can't help to feel otherwise. She can't deny that she likes s.h.i.+n Jiao and her feeling for him is borderline love and friends.h.i.+p.

As a strong woman, her goal is to be an immortal, a strong being. And her partner should also be the same and should be able to support her and she would support him too. But s.h.i.+n Jiao is not a cultivator, how could she accept that disappointing situation right now. She can't accept that she truly felt this way with a trash mortal in which she herself disdained.

"Are you sure? How could that be? You're not lying to me s.h.i.+n, right? Tell me this is all a joke." Cherry Lao's emotional turmoil suddenly erupted.

"What's going on Cherry? I mean, why are you so riled up? So what if I'm a mortal?..." s.h.i.+n Jiao replied in confusion as he saw tears slowly flowed on her clear eyes.

"You!... Do you not care about me? Do you not like me?" Cherry Lao shouted.

"Ha?! Umn… I… I won't say that I don't like you… but…" s.h.i.+n Jiao was suddenly stumped on what to say. He was not prepared to be confessed within this kind of situation.

Deep within himself, he couldn't lie that he likes her, who in his right mind not to like a very beautiful woman like her. But the situation is not right, as they are in the middle of the forest and their future is still not clear. He is not sure if he could protect her as he knows that his ability is not yet enough. As he already knows that this world has a harsh rule that strength is the winner.

"But what?... I…" Cherry Lao's word was cut off as a loud crash suddenly interrupted their conversation.

Not too far from them, three cultivators appear followed by a giant lizard-like beast. The sound of magic weapons clas.h.i.+ng reverberates around the area. Looking at the giant lizard beast which is around level 4, and the three cultivators which are all at the peak of the core forming realm, they can't help but feel a little annoyed.

The three cultivators and the giant lizard noticed the presence of s.h.i.+n Jiao and Cherry Lao, which made them stop for the meantime. The giant lizard had an ominous feeling as it senses the aura of the young woman is in the gold core realm, which is almost on par with it. If she enters the fray its life could be threatened. The three cultivators also could see Cherry Lao's aura which is in the primary level of the gold core realm and they felt a little happy. The only female of the group suddenly jumped back and greeted Cherry Lao.

"Senior sister, this junior greets you. I'm Mei Wan of the Thunder sword sect. I and my fellow disciples wanted to ask for your a.s.sistance, we would gladly compensate you for your troubles. We just wanted the gall bladder of this Fiery Lizard for my young brother's illness and some of its parts. If you are willing the rest would be yours." She said courteously as she bowed with cupped hands towards Cherry Lao.

Cherry Lao furrowed her brows and noticed that they seem to not see s.h.i.+n Jiao who is in front of her and just treated him as air. Then she realized that she is not seeing things, s.h.i.+n Jiao truly has no spiritual fluctuations and is a mortal.

The Fiery Lizard sense that something is wrong and decided to attack Cherry Lao as she is the only one who had the ability to hurt it. So without a word, it leaps up and darted using its long tongue which emits heat like a sharp javelin going straight towards Cherry Lao.

Before anyone could react, the sharp fiery tongue is almost about to hit Cherry Lao, who is also stunned and was unable to react. But before the tongue could reach her a tall figure blocked her view and collide with the tongue. The impact force of the collision between the tongue and s.h.i.+n Jiao who uses his upgraded stone machete to block threw him backward like a cannonball towards a tree.

Although s.h.i.+n Jiao's body was st.u.r.dy, the impact still hurt him though not that much. But he still spews out a mouthful of blood and just sat there leaning on the trunk.

"s.h.i.+n! Why did you…" Cherry Lao quickly overcame her stupor and rushed to s.h.i.+n Jiao's side with worry filled eyes.

"It's okay, I'm not that hurt." s.h.i.+n Jiao replied with a smile.

"Humph! A trashy mortal trying to be a hero. That's what you get for overestimating yourself." The cold voice of a young girl was suddenly heard behind Cherry Lao.

"Senior Sister, you don't have to waste your time with him. Although he was. .h.i.t, he said that he is okay. Our kind should not mingle with those lower than us." The girl called Mei Wan said trying to convince Cherry Lao with her own twisted logic which is very common in this world.

"Go, help them. I'm okay. It would be more troublesome if that Fiery Lizard is not dealt with." s.h.i.+n Jiao said as he patted Cherry Lao's hand with a smile.

Although a little hesitant, Cherry Lao also realized the situation and what she should do. So she nodded in confirmation and stood up to help the other cultivators in facing the level 4 beast. Seeing this Mei Wan frown, as she can't accept something like this. She was born in an aristocratic family where they believe that every mortal are just slaves and doesn't have any rights to talk to cultivators. Seeing that Cherry Lao obey the word of the young man, she felt that her pride as a cultivator was tarnished and a killing intent glinted from her eyes looking at s.h.i.+n Jiao.

"A mere trashy mortal trying to command a cultivator. See if I didn't teach you a lesson and claim your life later," she said to herself as she ran and followed Cherry Lao.

Because of her clouded views and extreme racism, she didn't realize that although she is looking at a mortal, how could a mere mortal survive in the middle of the forest where three of them are having a hard time doing so. And though there is the presence of the gold core realm primary stage Cherry Lao, this part of the forest is where level 3 to level 5 beast exists.

With those reactions from the female cultivator who looks like a beautiful young woman but with the heart of a viper, s.h.i.+n Jiao just shook his head stood up and decided to watch the fight.

A long and hard battle followed after, which made s.h.i.+n Jiao a little disappointed. The cultivators are more in numbers but were not able to overpower the Fiery Lizard in such a short time. But instead, use some flowery technique with some weird names. Every time they execute their skills they would say its name like the afternoon kid show he saw on TV while on earth. This made s.h.i.+n Jiao almost laugh out loud as he looks at them.

"This is too funny, I guess it truly is as Gubu said in his records. Mortals are disdained and oppressed in this continent. But it doesn't matter, with that level of skill I won't be afraid of facing any cultivators below gold core realm. Cherry's skills are also refined and she can execute a lot of techniques. But there are some useless movements in them which consume far more energy." s.h.i.+n Jiao muttered as he watches the fight. As a spy, he is well versed in a lot of different fighting techniques. And with Gubu's records, he was also able to learn some profound techniques from this continent.

Then at last on the battlefield, Cherry Lao imbued her spiritual energy on her long sword which emits a bluish light. Then she shouted the skill which made s.h.i.+n Jiao cringe as he felt it a little corny. But the skill is truly strong as with one clash she was able to decapitate the lizard's head.

"Wow! Senior sister is truly strong. Gold core realm is truly powerful, I can't wait to reach that realm." Mei Wan shouted in excitement as she saw the Fiery Lizard body slump to the ground with a loud thud.

The group divided the large corpse of the Fiery Lizard. This time s.h.i.+n Jiao noticed in confusion and realized that not all of them have spatial rings. As when Cherry Lao stored her share of the loot the group of three cultivators was wide-eyed in amazement, especially the haughty young woman Mei Wan.

"Wow, Senior sister you have a storage ring! That is truly awesome, I really wanted to be your friend." She shamelessly said as if it would be an honor for Cherry Lao to be her friend. A hint of envy could be seen on her eyes as she looks at the storage ring.

Seeing that his younger sister is behaving blatantly, the handsome st.u.r.dy young man who had a resemblance in appearance with Mei Wan stepped forward and cupped his hands.

"Senior please don't be offended by the behavior of my little sister, she is just too excited to see a powerful person like yourself." He said as he bowed in respect but a glint of craftiness is in his eyes.

Though he tried to hide it, that didn't escape s.h.i.+n Jiao as he was observing the group for a while now.

Seeing that the battle is now done and exhaustion can be seen on Cherry Lao's eyes, he walks towards them and interrupted their awkward conversation. He wanted to let the other cultivators go, but due to his old habit of being polite, he decided to just let them stay and rest in their cave for the meantime.

"Ahem… dear guest, we would like to welcome you in our simple home to rest and heal, this way please." s.h.i.+n Jiao politely said as he pointed the way to the cave near the area.