Before Sima Huiniang, Luo Chen had projected absolute confidence regarding his Core Formation.
Yet was that truly how he felt?
The answer was an unequivocal no.
Granted, Luo Chen's preparations were as thorough as they could possibly be. Whether it was the traditional three treasures of essence, qi, and spirit, secret techniques, or spirit pills, he had made every conceivable arrangement.
Yet the Golden Core realm was the true watershed separating low-level and high-level cultivators in the cultivation world. How could it ever be taken lightly?
Those towering Nascent Soul sects that had stood for millennia taught their disciples systematically structured cultivation methods from the very beginning, designed to carry them from Qi Refinement all the way to Nascent Soul. Along that path, disciples enjoyed the backing of complementary secret arts, medicinal pills, spiritual grounds, and personal guidance from seasoned elders. Even so, Golden Core cultivators were hardly a dime a dozen in those exalted sects!
On the contrary, failures were legion. Over the centuries, word even leaked out from time to time of unfortunate failures among the Dao Seeds of great sects. Was it because those grand sects denied their most treasured Dao Seeds the finest resources and conditions for Core Formation? Obviously not.
Thus, when it came to passing the hurdle of Core Formation, no one dared claim success was guaranteed. Luo Chen had put on such an air of unshakeable confidence merely to set Sima Huiniang's mind at ease. If he showed no confidence, how could anyone else maintain their faith in him?
***
Upon returning to his cave dwelling on Tianlan Peak, the first thing Luo Chen did was not cultivate, but treat his injuries.
On the surface, his wounds from the trek to the Great Snow Mountain appeared negligible, but in truth, they were quite severe. They were not injuries inflicted by an opponent's blow, but a deep depletion of his vitality brought on by overtaxing his various methods. This depletion showed itself across every front: drained spiritual energy, a worn soul, and a physically weakened body. None of these were easy to restore in the wilderness, which was why he had rushed home with such urgency.
Once home, the very first thing Luo Chen did was sleep deeply, resting for three straight days and nights.
When he finally woke, feeling refreshed and clear-headed, he set about healing his condition. The *Fanghua Scripture* left behind by Sun Sifang after her passing proved immensely useful during this process. It recorded several medicinal formulas for restoring vitality, with effects far surpassing the enhanced Origin Cultivating Spiritual Liquid that Luo Chen had concocted himself. From them, he selected the *Thousand Gold Formulas*—the one with the highest cost, but also the greatest efficacy—to restore a body he considered far more precious than a thousand pieces of gold.
Beyond that, Sima Huiniang began regularly delivering various demon beasts to him. Most were Tier 1, with an occasional Tier 2. His sole requirement—or rather, two requirements—was that they had to be large, and they had to be alive!
The larger the demon beast, the stronger its life force.
Through his Wither-Bloom Fire, Luo Chen refined these living beasts alive—a process that was undeniably somewhat cruel—thereby stripping away their life force. Even though the lion's share was absorbed by the Wither-Bloom Fire itself, he was still able to claim twenty to thirty percent for himself.
As denser, richer vitality was infused into his body, his physical restorative capacity grew steadily stronger.
If his physique before had reached the level of a Tier 3 desolate-ancient beast and could be likened to an indestructible sheet of steel, that represented sheer, absolute toughness. Yet sometimes, blind strength, hardness, and rigidity did not make for the best condition. Once injured, recovery became exceptionally troublesome. Part of why Luo Chen had gradually taken up the study of medicine alongside alchemy was precisely because his body healed so painfully slowly whenever it was wounded.
Now, with the absorption of copious life force, an inner resilience was woven into that unyielding strength.
Inside the cave dwelling, Luo Chen watched as a Tier 2 demon bear, standing over two zhang tall, turned to ashes amidst agonizing roars. He slowly withdrew his hand, a thoughtful look crossing his face.
*Legend has it that in the ancient Shan-Hai Realm, countless desolate beasts and primordial beasts roamed the land. Though they did not tread the path of transforming demon qi into human shape, they possessed immense, terrifying might. Chasing the stars and hunting the moon, toppling mountains and churning seas were only the beginning; they even possessed the profound miracles of regrowing severed limbs and regenerating from a single drop of blood. If I absorb enough life force to raise my body's regenerative power to the level of an ancient desolate beast, could I also achieve rebirth from a single drop of blood?*
The thought seemed somewhat whimsical, but it was not entirely unfounded.
Taking cultivators as an example: the higher one's realm, the greater one's ability to survive. Once one reached the Nascent Soul realm, as long as the Nascent Soul remained intact, the cultivator would not die. In a sense, it shared the same underlying principle as a demon beast regenerating from a single drop of blood.
*However, if I want to reach the level of rebirth from a single drop of blood, the trickle of life force I'm plundering now is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. What about the Life-Severing Finger?*
On Luo Chen's attribute panel, the Tier 3 spell *Life-Severing Finger* had remained all along. The technique originated from Li Jinhuang. Boundlessly wondrous, it could sever a wisp of a cultivator's life force, allowing it to persist in the world for a time—waxing from decline to flourishing, before perishing in a fleeting blaze of glory at its zenith.
Vitality severed in this manner could not be absorbed. But if it were channeled through his source true fire, the Wither-Bloom Fire, could he perhaps absorb a larger share into himself rather than letting the flame consume it?
The fantasy was alluring, but practical execution met obstacle after obstacle. After several experiments that all ended in failure, Luo Chen gradually abandoned the idea, focusing instead on having the Wither-Bloom Fire draw vitality from demon beasts.
Under this routine, his vitality grew ever more robust, and his injuries healed faster and faster. He had originally estimated that it would take two to three years to return to his peak, yet in just six months, he stood at his pinnacle once more! In fact, when Gu Caiyi came looking for him one day, she was startled to discover several black strands emerging among his ash-white hair.
Nor was that the only piece of good news.
The *Ageless Evergreen Scripture*, which he had deduced after perfecting the *Yimu Medicine King Scripture*, finally crossed the arduous threshold to reach the Great Perfection level of proficiency after many years. Having attained perfection, the technique could no longer be deduced any further. After all, the *Yimu Medicine King Scripture* was merely the Foundation Establishment portion of the latter technique to begin with; that Luo Chen had managed to complete it through his panel was already a stroke of immense good fortune.
Aside from its earlier benefits—spiritual power nourishing the body, spiritual sense capturing external spiritual energy, and clearing meridians while washing the marrow—the Great Perfection *Ageless Evergreen Scripture* gained another effect. Or rather, not a new effect, but an enhancement!
The passive qi replenishment that came with reaching the Grandmaster level in the *Eternal Spring Art* during his Qi Refinement days had been dramatically amplified! The passive replenishment was now tenfold what it once was!
Now, if Luo Chen unleashed a mighty spell while in a place rich in spiritual energy, he did not need to lift a finger—the expenditure would instantly replenish in full. Even in spiritually barren places, it could passively recover a significant portion. In one stroke, his endurance in prolonged combat was resolved.
It was somewhat extraordinary. The Wither-Bloom Fire refining life force had strengthened his body's ability to recover, while the perfection of the *Ageless Evergreen Scripture* had augmented his spiritual energy recovery. Though neither development offered massive leaps in his cultivation progress, they marked a breakthrough in his combat capabilities.
If he had to make the journey to the Great Snow Mountain again, he was confident he could perform far better!
*Better not go through that again, though!* Luo Chen chuckled wryly at his own musings.
He had no desire to take part in too many battles right now. At present, his most pressing priority remained his cultivation. First, he would steadily advance his realm to the ninth level of Foundation Establishment according to plan!
He mapped out his course. Over the coming years, he would ignore outside affairs and decline all external matters, dedicating himself solely to two tasks: cultivating and concocting pills.
Daily cultivation could not be neglected; while the short-term gains might seem modest, over the long haul, they surpassed even the benefits of swallowing pills. Concocting pills, on the other hand, was his preparation for life after reaching the ninth level of Foundation Establishment. He intended to brew all the Jade Dew Pills the Ice Fort would need in the future, as well as the supreme-grade Blood-Boosting Pills, supreme-grade Dust-Descending Pills, and Tongyou Pills he would require for his own cultivation, knocking them all out in one fell swoop. That way, he would no longer need to worry about pill refining and could devote his mind entirely to cultivating and breaking through realms.
Time flowed gently by like running water.
In the first year, Luo Chen refined all the Jade Dew Pills the Ice Fort would need for the next twenty years. In the second and third years, for two straight years, he refined all the supreme-grade Blood-Boosting Pills and Dust-Descending Pills required for his own cultivation. As for his modified Tier 2 Tongyou Pill, through regular refining, he pushed its proficiency straight to Great Perfection, after which he concocted a massive batch in one go.
Such a sweeping alchemy undertaking naturally consumed immense resources. Most of the spirit stones earned by the Luotian Association over those years were burned through. Not only that, even the batch of Foundation Establishment cultivator essence blood left behind by Blood Demon Xuan Yu was entirely exhausted. That was also why he ceased refining supreme-grade Blood-Boosting Pills—the raw materials were simply gone!
Even so, the hoard of supreme-grade Blood-Boosting Pills on hand was enough to carry his cultivation all the way to Foundation Establishment Great Perfection.
With everything prepared, Luo Chen truly entered a period of rigorous, solitary cultivation. He received no guests and paid no heed to the outside world.
***
Years were hard to hold, and time slipped swiftly away. Solitary cultivation made one forget the passage of seasons.
In the blink of an eye, ten years had drifted by since Luo Chen returned to Tianlan from the Great Snow Mountain.
On this day, a long whistle suddenly rang out from Cave Dwelling B-17 on Tianlan Peak.
Hearing the sound, Bai Meiling, who had long since awakened from the Soul-Nourishing Banner, flew straight into the cave dwelling.
"Master, did your cultivation break through?"
In the sitting room, freshly washed and refreshed, Luo Chen stood clad in loose robes, smiling as he nodded at her.
Delight blossomed on Bai Meiling's face. "Congratulations on your advancing Dao cultivation, Master! The Golden Core realm is just around the corner!"
Luo Chen smiled and accepted the compliment. Indeed, the Golden Core realm was within sight!
The step from Foundation Establishment Level Eight to Level Nine had taken the longest of any realm he had ever traversed—a full twenty-odd years! Yet that vast stretch of time had brought immense benefits. He had finally solidified the unsteady foundation of his earlier days. Moreover, building upon that groundwork, he had thoroughly combed through his condition, achieving breakthroughs in all three treasures of essence, qi, and spirit.
Now, not only did he possess a physique comparable to that of a Tier 3 desolate-ancient demon beast, but the sheer volume of his spiritual energy thoroughly surpassed those at Foundation Establishment Great Perfection. As for his soul foundation, having endured two inner demons, an interrogation of the heart, an inquiry of the heart, numerous small realm breakthroughs, and the continuous daily consumption of Tongyou Pills, it had reached an unimaginable depth.
At this moment, he was at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment. Yet his soul foundation not only outstripped those at Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, but gave off an illusion that it was hardly any different from that of a Golden Core cultivator.
And this was merely the ninth level of Foundation Establishment! Luo Chen still had one minor realm left before leaving Foundation Establishment behind. Once he reached Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, another breakthrough would surely follow.
*Only in my current state do I truly possess the confidence to calmly face the trial of Core Formation!* Luo Chen felt a swell of emotion, hesitating for a moment in contemplation.
He even felt that even if he did not wait for Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, relying solely on his current accumulations to reverse the spiritual vortex formed in his qi sea by the *Qingyuan Wondrous Pill Method*, he would possess at least a sliver of a chance to successfully form a core!
Yet that was far too risky. After making so many preparations for Core Formation, how could he act in such haste? Haste made waste; it was better to proceed steadily for now.
Luo Chen looked at Bai Meiling, his sharp eyes seeming to see straight through her ethereal form. After scrutinizing her for a while, he gave a slight nod. "It looks like you're in fine shape."
Bai Meiling smiled brightly. "I've thoroughly absorbed that wisp of origin yin qi from the Ghost King. With the Soul-Nourishing Banner's assistance, cultivating the *Secret Records of Ghosts and Spirits* has yielded twice the result with half the effort. If nothing unexpected happens, I might be able to naturally advance to the Tier 3 Ghost King realm in a century."
Luo Chen raised an eyebrow. "You have that much confidence?"
Bai Meiling scratched her head. "I can't explain it clearly, but I truly feel it. That wisp of Ghost King origin yin qi contained shattered fragments of consciousness that were crushed by you two. After absorbing it, I arrived at this judgment based on the memories and experiences within."
Luo Chen nodded pensively. Indeed, the experience of a being like a Ghost King held considerable reference value. If nothing else, the fact that Pang Renxiong's remnant soul had taken a mere three to five years after his death to advance to the Tier 3 Ghost King realm was telling enough. What he had relied upon was not merely his soul foundation as a Golden Core cultivator, nor simply his state of an enlightened sword heart. More importantly, his remnant soul had completely absorbed the residual yin qi of all three Ghost Kings from Dahe Mill! It was through that fortuitous encounter that he had managed to restore his Tier 3 strength in such short order.
Moreover, by Luo Chen's current understanding, if Pang Renxiong refined that ghost domain and had Sword Sect disciples regularly feed him the souls of living demon beasts, he could not only restore his peak capabilities, but even take another step forward. The battle of Dahe Mill had been a great catastrophe for Pang Renxiong, but had it not also served as a profound opportunity?
"What has been happening lately? Tell me about it."
Bai Meiling nodded her head, quickly recounting the intelligence the Luotian Association had gathered over the years in full detail.
First came the news regarding the Ice Fort, which Luo Chen cared about most.
Four Golden Core cultivators had died under mysterious circumstances! Because of this, the Ice Fort had held a funeral, yet bizarrely, they had invited no outsiders to attend. Even closely bound affiliates like the Luotian Association had received no invitation.
Luo Chen frowned. Four Golden Core masters dead? "Could they have fallen under the siege of the ten thousand demons at the Great Snow Mountain?"
He remembered clearly that Han Zhan was not the only one who had aided Master Canglong in her tribulation. The Ice Fort's top-tier combat strength had also deployed in full force. Aside from Master Canglong herself, who had to face the tribulation, and the newly appointed Golden Core sect leader, Fairy Ice Soul, who remained behind to guard the Ice Fort, the remaining eight Golden Core masters had staked everything. Inside the Moonhua Ice Fort, each had guarded one floor, relying on the upper-grade magic treasure and the power of the Tier 4 spiritual land to withstand the countless demon beasts summoned by the White Bone Mystic Serpent across the Great Snow Mountain.
Among them, the number of Tier 3 demon beasts was staggering—likely over a hundred! Under such conditions, losing three to five Golden Core cultivators was perfectly normal.
However...
"Is there no news of Master Canglong successfully advancing to Nascent Soul?"
Bai Meiling shook her head. "I specifically searched through countless intelligence reports, but there was no news whatsoever. I'm afraid... that senior failed her tribulation."
"Did she fail?" Luo Chen murmured, a look of melancholy crossing his face. He had truly hoped Master Canglong would succeed. After all, he addressed her as "Senior Sister."
Following the melancholy came worry. If Master Canglong had failed her breakthrough to Nascent Soul, and the Ice Fort had simultaneously lost four Golden Core masters in one go, major upheavals were bound to follow! This upheaval would not be limited to internal power struggles within the Ice Fort; it would extend to external affairs and the opening war that was now only a few decades away. Could a severely depleted Ice Fort still participate normally in the opening war? And as an affiliate, would the Luotian Association be dragged into the fallout?
Speaking of the opening war, Bai Meiling took the opportunity to relay related intelligence. In her recounting, the present Jade Cauldron Domain was like a giant cauldron on the verge of boiling over. Countless cultivators from external domains were flocking to the Jade Cauldron Domain, eager to take part in the opening war thirty years from now. And that was merely rogue cultivators; before long, the sects and factions listed on the campaign roster would likely begin arriving in succession.
"We've captured Liuguang Market!"
Among the various reports, this was a rare piece of unequivocally good news.
"Brother Duan led the Luotian Association cultivators, teaming up with the Kang family of Taishan Market and the neighboring Luo family of Luosha Workshop to attack the Bai family of Liuguang Market. Though that battle saw a few twists and turns, there were no heavy casualties. The only incident was during the clash over the Tier 3 you cypress: Sister Feng Xia was severely injured while protecting the spiritual plant. But thanks to the full efforts of the Luotian Association's healers, she has recovered and can cultivate normally again."
Feng Xia had successfully established her foundation years ago, and she had taken over the Luotian Association's Spirit Herb Hall from Bian Zhen. A healthy Tier 3 you cypress was immensely valuable; as head of the Spirit Herb Hall, she had naturally spared no effort to preserve it.
Luo Chen took the dossier and examined the report of that battle carefully. Aside from the casualties and spoils, it noted the rise of several younger cultivators within the Luotian Association: Zeng Yilong, who had made great strides in body refinement; Bai Lian, a rising star in the Artifact Casting Hall; and Qu Lingjun, who had successfully established his foundation...
"Wait, why did Lingjun go to the battlefield?" Luo Chen's brow furrowed.
Qu Lingjun's successful Foundation Establishment was well within his expectations. Over the years, the boy had enjoyed special treatment regarding pills and resources, far surpassing what Luo Chen had had during his Qi Refinement days. In techniques and daily cultivation, he had the guidance of the Luotian Association's Foundation Establishment True Cultivators, not to mention the *Three Primordials Returning to One* secret art tailored specifically for him by Li Yingzhang. Consequently, at the age of sixty-two, after consuming two Foundation Establishment Pills in succession, he had achieved Foundation Establishment.
Yet the Luotian Association had no precedent of sending alchemists onto the battlefield—aside from the defense of Danxia Peak and Luo Chen himself.
Bai Meiling shrugged. "They say he applied of his own accord. He said his cultivation journey had been smooth sailing and he rarely took part in direct combat, so he volunteered to join this battle to temper himself. He's the head of the Alchemy Hall and your disciple, so the others found it awkward to refuse. After weighing the matter, Big Sister President granted him permission to take part."
Even after hearing this explanation, Luo Chen remained somewhat dissatisfied. But knowing that Sima Huiniang had made the final call, he suppressed his discontent.
*Perhaps sheltering him completely was too much like raising him in a greenhouse. For an alchemist possessing vast wealth, holding strength that matches it is the only true way.*
Luo Chen found a justification to keep from dwelling on the matter.
Truth be told, there was a stark contrast when it came to the combat prowess of alchemists. There were supreme powerhouses like Luo Chen and Danyangzi of Azure Pill Valley; and there were exceptionally weak ones, like Dan Yuanzi during the battle of the Qinhua River. Despite possessing the mid Foundation Establishment realm, Dan Yuanzi had been decisively slain by a posthumous trap left behind by Li Jinhuang, demonstrating just how abysmal his combat ability was. His own nurturing of Qu Lingjun had been too gentle, almost leading the young man down Dan Yuanzi's path. Allowing him to participate in combat within reason to temper himself was the right choice.
Sima Huiniang's considerations had surely been thorough as well. The battle for Liuguang Market had been planned by the Luotian Association for a long time, bolstered by reinforcements from both the Kang and Luo families, making victory practically certain. Under such conditions, Sima Huiniang's decision to let the younger generation gain battlefield experience was a very wise move.
"It seems I'm not very good at mentoring disciples after all," Luo Chen remarked with a self-deprecating laugh, before asking about other intelligence.
Bai Meiling possessed an exceptional memory. She had not only read through all the intelligence from over the years, but had organized it and committed it entirely to memory. Recounting it all in full detail, she gave Luo Chen, who had been in seclusion for years, a comprehensive understanding of the outside world.
At the very end, Bai Meiling brought up one last matter.
"Hall Master Chu Kui has been asking to see you since last month."
Luo Chen was taken aback, and then joy spread across his face.
"Wait for me at home. I'm going to his cave dwelling!"
Leaving those words behind, Luo Chen paid no heed to the deep night outside, whipping up a fierce wind as he hurried out of the cave dwelling's entrance.
Chapter 451