Cave Refuge

After multiple captures and validations of flying insects, Dong Tianyu had finally confirmed that the Companion Spiritual Treasure activated by the Mysterious Core was not just a mere aquatic tool.

Even without those special abilities gained through multiple evolutions, the innate abilities of the Companion Spiritual Treasure remained effective even now.

As one flying insect after another self-destructed, Dong Tianyu suddenly associated this with the characteristic of his Companion Spiritual Treasure, which could disperse living spirits in the sea, a trait he hadn't expected to have other uses even after the flooding had subsided.

After validating his conjecture, Dong Tianyu did not continue to stay on deck. Although he was certain that the flying insects would not approach, Dong Tianyu did not have the habit of sleeping outdoors, nor did he enter the cabin to disturb his parents. Instead, he went straight back to the Cave to cultivate.

Since the Cave had devoured and decomposed that Sky-Reaching Giant Tree in Pengcheng, Dong Tianyu had acquired a very special physique that could rapidly absorb the surrounding energy. It was because of this unique physique that Dong Tianyu dared to dream of the Golden Core Ninth Transformation, after all, each transformation required about ten times the energy of the previous one.

However, as natural disasters continued to strike, the concentration of Spirit Energy in the air of Blue Star also kept increasing. So even though the accumulation of Spirit Power required for breaking through realms continued to rise, Dong Tianyu maintained his confidence in reaching the Golden Core Ninth Transformation.

After a period of cultivation, Dong Tianyu's Golden Core once again reached the state of Great Perfection. As his Cultivation Level returned to the peak of the Golden Core Realm, Dong Tianyu prepared to refine and condense his Golden Core again.

But compared to the past when he had to concentrate fully to complete the refining process, Dong Tianyu, with one experience under his belt, found the repeat experience manageable, though not yet to the point of being well-trodden and easy.

The Spirit Energy inside the Cave was much denser than the outside world, coupled with the Spirit Gathering Array innate to the Hall of Longevity, Dong Tianyu's cultivation had reached the point where Spirit Energy was as dense as mist. In this rich environment, Dong Tianyu smoothly reached the threshold of the Golden Core Second Transition.

First clarifying the potential use of the Companion Spiritual Treasure, and then breaking through to the Golden Core Second Transition would seem like a double blessing to Dong Tianyu, even with a night separating them.

Perhaps due to the nightly appearance of flying insects, most of the people living in the camp had become accustomed to waking up late, after all, encountering the lingering insects when venturing out early in the morning, though not life-threatening, was still a nuisance.

When Mrs. Thompson rose with the sun high in the sky, she suddenly remembered her son had returned. She had forgotten to give him instructions before going to bed the previous night. Although Dong Tianyu hadn't been an early riser before the disasters, she was unsure whether he might change his habits suddenly, so she hurried to the next room to check on him.

An anxious Mrs. Thompson opened the door to the adjacent room, only to find Dong Tianyu was not in the cabin. And when she saw the bed with its blankets so neat as if untouched, she immediately guessed her son might not have slept there at night.

As the thought of Dong Tianyu being attacked by the Bugs Clan during the night flashed through Mrs. Thompson's mind, she quickly rushed to the deck in a panic. Seeing the deck chair set up outside, her thoughts momentarily froze.

While Mrs. Thompson's mind buzzed with all sorts of chaotic thoughts, suddenly Dong Tianyu's voice came from behind her, "Mom, I made some deep-fried dough sticks. Tell me how they taste."

Hearing her son's voice, Mrs. Thompson instinctively turned around to see him indeed standing in front of an electric fryer, tirelessly flipping the dough sticks inside that gradually turned from white to golden brown.

Seeing Dong Tianyu's adept cooking actions, Mrs. Thompson strode over, not to praise his cooking, but to complain on impulse, "Haven't I told you it's dangerous at night? Why didn't you just sleep in your room all night? What if something happened, then what?

And now you're deep-frying dough sticks on the deck, do you know what the other survivors in the camp eat every meal? Even Master Ye's meals have gone down in quality.

Just a few days ago, your father and I went to Master Ye's house for dinner. Although they prepared meat and vegetables, the dishes served at the table were still bland and tasteless. I know full well how good Master Ye's sister-in-law cooks; when we used to be neighbors, I learned a lot from her cooking.

If it wasn't for the lack of spices in their possession, I refuse to believe that the food they served as guests would have been so flavorless.

Yet here you are, ostentatiously frying dough sticks on the deck. What's that saying again, something about sin because of something... I can't recall it at the moment, but it roughly means showing off wealth breeds envy."

Hearing Mrs. Thompson fumble, Dong Tianyu whispered a reminder, "It's 'The innocent is not guilty; possession of a treasure brings guilt.'"

"Right, that's the one, 'The innocent is not guilty; possession of a treasure brings guilt.' Since you know the story, why are you still frying dough sticks on the deck? What are you showing off for? If you really wanted to eat dough sticks, you could have done it in the cabin, it wouldn't have made any difference."

At this point, Mrs. Thompson had no doubts about Dong Tianyu's actions, nor did she consider frying dough sticks a waste of cooking oil. Her concern was purely out of fear that the other people around might see Dong Tianyu frying dough sticks on the deck, or smell the aroma and become envious.