Golden List Live: I Really Can't Hide Anymore!

Chapter 285: The Disappointed Guangchengzi!

[Ancestor Minghe]: Ah! If it's not in your possession, to whom did you give it?

[Yuanshi Tianzun]: To my disciple, Guangchengzi!

[Di Jun]: But Yuanshi Tianzun, have you considered whether Guangchengzi's foundation might be somewhat lacking? If he uses it like this, the chance of advancing is quite slim, isn't it?

[Yuanshi Tianzun]: This treasure is mine, and it's not for you outsiders to comment on. Guangchengzi is my disciple, and he's strong enough for it, so I gave it to him!

Minghe and the others fell silent upon hearing this. Despite having humbled themselves so much just now, it was to no avail, and instead, Yuanshi Tianzun seemed somewhat irritated.

[Fuxi]: Even with this treasure, breaking through is still not going to be easy!

Meanwhile, Yuanshi Tianzun anxiously awaited the results.

When Guangchengzi began his seclusion, he immediately consumed the Golden Essence Dao Fruit. An immense surge of power crashed within him—this treasure could increase a Saint's power by one-tenth, so one could imagine the overwhelming energy and power it contained.

Although he was a peak Quasi-Saint, the amount of power he could endure was limited. Instantly, his physical body felt immense pressure and began to sustain damage. Yet, soon after, this energy started repairing his body.

The immense power nourished his body. If he could control this power that surged within him, he might have a chance to ascend to the Saint realm. However, the Dao principles within the Golden Essence Dao Fruit were not easy to comprehend. Moreover, although Guangchengzi was a peak Quasi-Saint, he wasn't particularly formidable in this realm, so only his physical body continued to improve.

As time passed, the energy within the Golden Essence Dao Fruit was eventually depleted. After enduring considerable pain, Guangchengzi experienced a small transformation, but he was still far from reaching the Saint level.

In the end, though he had completed his attempt, Guangchengzi was left facing an insurmountable chasm between him and the Saint realm.

With exhaustion and guilt written across his face, Guangchengzi thought about how Yuanshi Tianzun had placed so much trust in him, granting him such a treasure, yet he had failed to achieve the intended breakthrough.

Despite his failure, Guangchengzi's efforts were not in vain. The powerful energy contained in the Golden Essence Dao Fruit had greatly enhanced his physical body. Guangchengzi's physical strength had now reached Saint level, but only his body had advanced; in other respects, there was little progress. Since he wasn't on a path to bodily sanctification, this improvement was not of much use.

Now, Guangchengzi's power had advanced to the level of a False Saint. Although he was still not a full-fledged Saint, his strength had increased significantly, enough to rival the Three Sovereigns.

With a heavy heart, Guangchengzi approached Yuanshi Tianzun.

"I'm sorry, Master. I've let you down and wasted the Golden Essence Dao Fruit."

This treasure had been carved out of Yuanshi Tianzun's own strength to give to him. Even though Guangchengzi had used it diligently, it hadn't led to a breakthrough. Perhaps his foundation wasn't solid enough, or his accumulation insufficient, but regardless, he felt it shouldn't have ended this way.

"It's all right. I expected this outcome. Seeing your progress is enough for now. Besides, with this experience, the chances of success will be much higher in your next attempt!"

Yuanshi Tianzun had foreseen this possibility; a one-tenth chance was indeed slim, and advancing from his current level to a Saint was a massive leap, making even this modest progress seem substantial.

Guangchengzi replied dejectedly, "I thought I had a glimmer of hope, but after using this treasure, I realized how vast the gap is between me and the Saint level. I still need more accumulation."

Guangchengzi recognized the significant disparity between himself and a Saint. Even as a peak Quasi-Saint, a breakthrough would be arduous. Only by further building his foundation could he achieve the advancement he sought.

The reason for his failure was that the Golden Essence Dao Fruit offered too little apart from mana, primarily enhancing his physical body. However, his mana couldn't absorb it directly like a Saint's, so the energy of the fruit flowed entirely into his body. While his physical strength ascended to the Saint level, his other abilities barely changed.

"Now that you understand, it's fine. Having consumed the Golden Essence Dao Fruit, perhaps next time, with enough accumulation, you won't even need another treasure to advance to Saint!"

Yuanshi Tianzun remained optimistic about Guangchengzi's potential. A single failure didn't mean he would never become a Saint—this was simply a limitation of the treasure. After all, the Golden Essence Dao Fruit wasn't specifically designed for breakthroughs.

Despite Yuanshi Tianzun's trust and continuous reassurance, Guangchengzi still harbored doubts about his abilities. He recalled how he used to be on par with Grandmaster Xuandu. However, even though Xuan Du had benefited from a more suitable treasure for his breakthrough, his advancement seemed unreasonably swift, as if there was now a huge gulf between them.

At this moment, some of the other powerful beings began to grow impatient as the next reward had not appeared yet, and no news of Guangchengzi's progress with the Golden Essence Dao Fruit had been released. Many asked openly:

[Sun Wukong]: So, what's the result with Guangchengzi? Did he manage to ascend to Saint? How effective was the Golden Essence Dao Fruit?

[Erlang Shen]: Everyone wants to know, but it hasn't been that long yet. Guangchengzi is surely still in seclusion, so it's hard to say, even for Yuanshi Tianzun!

[Nezha]: You're too impatient. Advancing to Saint isn't that quick. It usually takes considerable time! Not everyone can achieve it as fast as Grandmaster Xuandu!

Grandmaster Xuandu's breakthrough was the fastest in all of the ancient world, yet that was due to the ranking board's rewards. Without the treasure given by Laozi, Xuan Du wouldn't have advanced to Saint so quickly, even if given more time.

But luck is also part of one's strength, and Guangchengzi could not blame anyone else for Xuandu's fortune; he could only acknowledge his own shortcomings in strength.