Core Formation!

*Locking the Beaded Curtain*! A superior-method Core Formation secret technique! Hailing from the Falling Cloud Sect, cultivating it was exceptionally arduous and accompanied by unimaginable agony. Nearly thirty years had passed since Luo Chen first acquired it. Studying it day and night, the scroll had rarely left his hands. Every single character had been etched into the depths of his mind. Every sentence had been weighed, scrutinized, and tested again and again. Supplementing it were the secret technique cultivation insights obtained through trade with the Falling Cloud Sect. Beyond that, he had spared no expense, pouring vast resources into aiding Chu Kui's practice of the technique, effectively using him as a vanguard to test the waters beforehand. It was fair to say that Luo Chen held this secret art in vastly higher regard than the three inferior-method techniques. Even *Calming the Tempest* was treated merely as a supplementary aid. Even the several Mingyuan Pills resting inside his storage bag were nothing more than backup Core Formation resources. Only a superior method offered the greatest probability of achieving Core Formation! Chu Kui coming within an inch of success was proof enough. After all, Chu Kui had only practiced *Locking the Beaded Curtain* to Initial Mastery. A Great Mastery of *Locking the Beaded Curtain* condensed not merely thirty-six spirit beads, but three hundred and sixty-five—matching the count of the Heavenly Cycle stars! Now that Chu Kui had proven the technique's viability, Luo Chen's preparations were thorough to the extreme. The time had come for him to practice it himself. The first step was severing and dividing the divine soul. Luo Chen closed his eyes, sinking his consciousness deep into his mind. In that ethereal realm, a golden ocean seemed to ripple gently. This was his sea of consciousness! Deep within it, an azure sphere of light hovered motionless, a soft halo radiating outward from its form. Falling upon the sea of consciousness, it became waves. Departing the body, it became spiritual sense. As Luo Chen's spiritual sense returned to his sea of consciousness, surging waves rolled toward the sphere of light, slowly coming to a halt at its perimeter. Luo Chen gazed upon his own soul, as though regarding a slab of meat, searching for the grain along which to cut. After a long silence, Luo Chen willed it so. Employing the methods of *Locking the Beaded Curtain*, he forged his spiritual sense into a blade and sliced gently down toward a corner of the radiant sphere. "Mgh..." A stifled groan slipped past his lips. Pain! Yet not unbearable. However, Luo Chen found that his blade was not sharp enough. The pace at which it cleaved through his primary soul was agonizingly slow. The sensation was akin to sawing away at flesh with a blunt knife. Muffled groans escaped Luo Chen's lips one after another, cold sweat beading and trickling across his brow. Eventually, the sounds from his throat deteriorated into guttural growls. Yet even so, Luo Chen never faltered in his motion. Without completing this step, condensing spirit beads would be impossible, to say nothing of forming a core. Enduring the torment of carving away his own flesh with a dull blade, Luo Chen's will remained steel, his spiritual sense a blade, unswervingly slicing off a corner of the light sphere. One day, two days... In his daze, it felt as though many, many years had slipped by. Yet when Luo Chen opened his eyes, he knew with absolute clarity that merely nine days had passed. "Haaah... haaah..." Inside the cultivation chamber, Luo Chen panted heavily. He was drenched from head to toe, as if he had just been fished out of water. For a cultivator, this was an unimaginable state. After cleansing the marrow and altering the tendons, a Foundation Establishment cultivator's body was in no way inferior to a body cultivator at Initial Mastery. Furthermore, Luo Chen's physique went far beyond Initial or Great Mastery of the first realm of body refinement; it was a Tier 3 physique comparable to that of a primeval demon beast! At such a stage, one's control over their body was absolute; breaking into a sweat was by no means an easy matter. From this alone, one could imagine the excruciating intensity of the pain. Yet the outcome was delightful. Sensing an azure thread wandering independently within his sea of consciousness, a wave of profound comfort washed over Luo Chen. *When Chu Kui first attempted to sever his primary soul, he failed seven times, barely succeeding on the eighth.* *Yet on my very first attempt, though it took quite a while, I succeeded directly!* *Truly a cause for celebration!* Luo Chen deduced that this disparity stemmed from his overall attributes being superior to Chu Kui's. His current soul foundation already surpassed Chu Kui's, to say nothing of how Chu Kui had been when he was still at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment and had only just begun practicing *Locking the Beaded Curtain*. Another major obstacle was pain tolerance. From the Qi Refining stage, he had cultivated *Bright Spirit Fiend Breaking*, progressing from initial spiritual energy stimulation of acupoints to subsequent fiend energy body tempering, and even lightning body refinement. One could say that beneath the Nascent Soul realm, Luo Chen was confident he was among those most capable of withstanding pain. Most crucial of all! Luo Chen had cultivated *Calming the Tempest*. He had practiced this art for three years, reaching Initial Mastery. While Luo Chen remained uncertain of its other effects, his willpower had undeniably reached new heights. Outwardly, this manifested as an ever-deepening composure when facing Golden Core Masters like Haoranzi and Fairy Fengyue. Inwardly, it granted him greater calm. Even with a blunt knife sawing into him, he could endure it without swaying from his purpose. To describe it in a phrase: Mount Tai collapsing before him would not change his countenance, nor would sudden tempests shake his resolve. *And there is another point I previously overlooked.* *When Bright Spirit Fiend Breaking reached Great Perfection, it didn't derive any soul attack or defense effects, but instead granted the ability to divide my mind three ways.* *That multitasking ability shares an uncanny synergy with dividing the divine soul!* All these factors combined allowed Luo Chen to complete the first step "with ease." If Chu Kui were to evaluate it personally, he would likely sum it up in two words: Foundation! Luo Chen's foundation was simply too profound. What he had just achieved was merely the simplest manifestation of pouring forth the fruits of long accumulation upon a single secret technique. Having completed the first step, Luo Chen was in no hurry to proceed to the second. Instead, he rested thoroughly for two days. Although he could endure such torment, severing his primary soul had indeed inflicted damage upon his divine soul. Allowing the necessary time for recovery was essential. Naturally, during those two days of rest, his fundamental cultivation did not cease. The tasks before Luo Chen went beyond simply cultivating secret techniques. He also needed to push his realm to Great Perfection! Three years had elapsed since he entered the ninth level of Foundation Establishment. Over these three years, aided by a Tier 2 superior-grade immortal's cave, along with supreme-grade Blood-Augmenting Pills and Dust-Descending Pills, he had maintained a steady pace of cultivation. To an outsider, such cultivation speed was terrifyingly swift! Yet set against Luo Chen's colossal foundation, his progress appeared rather slow. In three years, Luo Chen's realm progression had only advanced by four or five points. [Ninth Level of Foundation Establishment: 5/100] This was Luo Chen's current status. At this rate, achieving Great Perfection in his realm would take at least fifty to sixty years. Fairy Fengyue possessed sharp and accurate judgment; she had correctly estimated that Luo Chen would require around fifty years to form his core. However, that assessment overlooked Luo Chen's utilization of resources. A Tier 2 superior-grade cave? No! Luo Chen had long since leased the Jia-3 Immortal's Cave atop Tianlan Peak, a Tier 3 lower-grade dwelling. Furthermore, this time Luo Chen was not using array formations to restrict and weaken it into a pseudo-Tier 3 cave as he had in the past. Instead, relying on his formidable physique and a divine soul foundation comparable to the early Golden Core stage, he cultivated directly within an authentic Tier 3 lower-grade spiritual ground. Consequently, his cultivation speed skyrocketed once more! It was no longer eight or nine times faster as before, but a solid tenfold increase! Thus, the time required for Luo Chen to reach Foundation Establishment Great Perfection could be reduced by a factor of ten. Perhaps in five or six years, he would be able to cross this final hurdle of the Foundation Establishment realm. After two days of cultivation, Luo Chen was utterly certain of this conclusion. Inside the cultivation chamber, Luo Chen awakened from a night of practice. Sensing the immense surge of spiritual energy within his body, and watching the clouds of spiritual qi inside his vast nine-layered sea of qi condense into pure spiritual liquid that fell like rain, he nodded in satisfaction. "As long as the body can endure it, trading resources for time is forever the quickest shortcut!" Truthfully, he was one of the few who could ever utter such words. Any rogue Foundation Establishment cultivator, even someone as wealthy as Chu Kui, would never dare boast like this. They simply lacked the resources! A cultivation environment costing a million spirit stones a year was something not even Golden Core cultivators could bear, let alone Foundation Establishment ones! Even a Dao Child of a Golden Core grand sect would not dare make such a claim. Even if their sect provided a suitable pseudo-Tier 3 spiritual ground, their bodies wouldn't be able to withstand it! Tao Wan had long reached the ninth level of Foundation Establishment and had been a Dao Child for many years. Yet she had only managed to step onto the Golden Core Grand Dao twelve years ago. Distracted by mundane affairs? Poor aptitude? No, simply that she dared not cultivate in a Tier 3 spiritual ground over an extended period. In the end, it all came down to that same word: Foundation! Only the massive foundation Luo Chen had accumulated internally and externally allowed him to act with such unbridled audacity at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment, fully unleashing his potential. Having confirmed his current cultivation speed, Luo Chen felt even greater confidence in the future. Next, what remained was the second step of *Locking the Beaded Curtain*. *** One month later. Luo Chen fixed his gaze with utmost care upon an azure spirit bead resting within his sea of qi. It resembled the common medicinal pellets he worked with daily. Yet upon its surface, liquid swirled ceaselessly. Such an extraordinary sight was mesmerizing. Suddenly! A drop of spiritual liquid was about to detach from the azure bead. Luo Chen remained completely unhurried. From within the spirit bead, a wisp of azure thread darted forth like a swimming fish, stringing through the falling droplet. The first spirit bead was complete! *The ancient records state that once a cultivator enters the Golden Core stage, spiritual energy transforms into magic power. The fundamental difference between the two lies in magic power being a hybrid energy where spiritual energy is infused with the soul.* *It is far more potent, and manipulating it is vastly more effortless.* *A Golden Core is an agglomeration of boundless magic power. Hence the saying: 'Swallowing a Golden Core into the belly, my fate is mine, not heaven's.'* *Looking at it now, this spirit bead of mine truly possesses some characteristics of magic power.* *If I used it to draw in all the spiritual energy in my sea of qi, letting it endlessly expand and compress, I ought to be able to fully achieve Core Formation!* Countless thoughts surged through his mind. Yet in the end, Luo Chen suppressed that impulse. This was merely the first bead! A single spirit bead lacked the immense pull necessary to swallow all the spiritual energy within his sea of qi. "The road ahead is still long!" Luo Chen sighed softly. After taking a short rest, he turned to another matter. Practicing *Calming the Tempest*. The more he cultivated this secret technique, the more comfortable it felt. Even when stray thoughts sprouted like bamboo shoots after rain during cultivation, and various distractions kicked up waves from time to time, he could always regain his calm in the end. Though he could not wield a sword of wisdom to sever threads of emotion and obliterate every stray thought, it truly held the miraculous power to quell all distractions and calm the tempest with a focused mind. *The path of cultivation is long and arduous. Heart demons lurk within, tribulations strike from without, and countless temptations line the immortal path.* *Even if I believe my Dao heart to be steadfast and my foundation solid, I still fall into obsessions and demonic barriers on occasion.* *Even beneath the mere allure of Huiniang and Caiyi's beauty, there have been times I failed to hold back, to say nothing of vindictive thoughts, pity, or anger.* *Practicing Calming the Tempest often—even if useless for Core Formation—will bring immense benefits to my overall cultivation.* With these few murmured words, Luo Chen cemented his resolve to continue cultivating the art. Thus, his routine stabilized completely. Focusing primarily on *Locking the Beaded Curtain*, supplemented by *Calming the Tempest*, he never slacked in his daily cultivation to expand his internal spiritual energy. Time flowed quietly onward amid such austere cultivation. *** "Soon!" "It truly won't be long!" Inside the cultivation chamber, Luo Chen was invigorated. He discovered that the speed at which he severed his primary soul and strung together the spirit beads was growing faster and faster. Initially, completing the first and second steps to condense a single spirit bead had required an entire month. Yet as he grew increasingly proficient at slicing his own soul, and his soul threads grew steadier, more precise, and more decisive at stringing the spiritual liquid, that duration shrank continuously. Now, he needed only twenty days to condense a single bead. Moreover, Luo Chen felt there was still tremendous room for improvement. As for the pain of slicing his soul? "Cut away enough, and you get used to it," Luo Chen mocked himself, appearing completely nonchalant. Yet in truth, how could anyone truly get used to it? It was simply that his willpower had grown so formidable that he could actively disregard the pain. *Perhaps, by the time I reach Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, I can cultivate Locking the Beaded Curtain to Great Mastery?* Luo Chen began envisioning the future, harboring splendid hopes. *** However, those hopes ran into an obstacle two years later. Luo Chen's eyes were tightly shut, his entire body trembling violently. Waves of spiritual energy surged ceaselessly from his form. His ink-bamboo white robes fluttered and snapped without any wind. *Chu Kui spoke the truth!* *Thirty-six is indeed the limit!* Within his sea of qi, thirty-six spirit beads spun rapidly. Their overwhelming momentum formed an aura akin to the spiritual pressure unique to Golden Core cultivators, depressing the spiritual liquid across the entire sea of qi to its absolute lowest. Each bead spun frantically, attempting to devour more spiritual energy to strengthen itself. Yet the consequence of doing so was... the balance was about to shatter! *How could this be?* *According to the secret technique's records, Initial Mastery is thirty-six, Medium Mastery is one hundred and eighty, and Great Mastery is three hundred and sixty-five—all of which have been achieved by predecessors.* *Why could Chu Kui and I only reach Initial Mastery?* *This won't do. Either I actively disperse the spirit beads, or I must attempt Core Formation right now. But doing the former means all my efforts go down the drain, while the latter falls far short of the optimal opportunity for Core Formation.* Questions flooded his mind, leaving Luo Chen deeply agitated. Right at that moment, the Lanke Black Chess Piece hidden within his body released waves of soft halos, calming him down. This was the wondrous effect of five years spent refining the chess piece with *Calming the Tempest*, raising it to Grandmaster proficiency. It required no active trigger; whenever Luo Chen's thoughts grew chaotic, it would activate passively. The tempests gradually subsided. Even as a few stray thoughts continued to sprout, Luo Chen became significantly calmer. A hypothesis rose in his mind. *The Falling Cloud Sect held something back!* This suspicion did not come out of nowhere. The cultivation insights obtained through Tianxingzi had been penned by the Golden Core Master Linghu Jie. He had briefly touched upon the origins of *Locking the Beaded Curtain*: *"The technique of Locking the Beaded Curtain was obtained by our sect's founder from a secret realm, accompanied by three cultivation methods and two secret arts, upon which our ancestor established the Falling Cloud Sect's heritage. Practicing this art is excruciatingly agonizing and exceptionally difficult. It is best practiced in tandem with our sect's other soul inheritance secret art..."* Indeed! Three cultivation methods and two secret arts! Though he did not know the specifics, *Locking the Beaded Curtain* truly required pairing with another soul inheritance secret technique. *If that is the case, then perhaps Initial Mastery is the absolute limit achievable for those of us forcibly cultivating it without the paired technique.* Luo Chen opened his eyes and let out a bitter laugh. This explained why the Falling Cloud Sect had been generous enough to bring out a superior-method Core Formation secret technique for rogue cultivators on the battlefield to exchange for. Without the matching secret technique, *Locking the Beaded Curtain* at Initial Mastery was at best equivalent to a medium-method technique. At least according to his current sensations, if these thirty-six spirit beads were used for Core Formation, the effect would be nearly identical to reversing the spiritual vortex after reaching Great Mastery in *Clear Source Wondrous Pill Method*. *If this is all it amounts to, I refuse to accept it!* Luo Chen's face darkened as he searched for a remedy. Forming his core right now was out of the question—categorically rejected! Disperse one spirit bead, maintain a state of thirty-five, cultivate until Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, and then replenish it to the minor Heavenly Cycle of thirty-six to strike at the Golden Core stage? That was an option to consider. *Actually, there is another way. I could disperse all thirty-six spirit beads, continue severing my primary soul daily to gather three hundred and sixty-five threads, and then, upon reaching Great Perfection and attempting Core Formation, condense all three hundred and sixty-five spirit beads in a single breath to break through.* This idea was undeniably bold to the extreme. Yet it possessed a sliver of feasibility. The risk, however, was far too great. Assembling the Heavenly Cycle stars' worth of spirit beads all at once during Core Formation was an immensely daunting task. Luo Chen shook his head vigorously, suppressing the dangerous notion. Was there any other way? Luo Chen racked his brain, drawing upon years of accumulated knowledge from reading widely to seek a solution. *Perhaps I could try dispersing the thirty-six spirit beads, continue condensing and stringing them daily, and grind the technique's proficiency. Once Locking the Beaded Curtain reaches Great Perfection, might the system derive the complete cultivation method?* This was an attempt to exploit a system loophole. After some thought, Luo Chen felt this method held some promise. The only problem was that the secret technique itself was complete! It hadn't been abridged; it merely lacked another complementary soul technique. The system would most likely not complete it. Silence! If that was truly the case, then after maxing out its proficiency, Luo Chen would likely face empty disappointment, which would only drag out the time needed for his Core Formation. Amidst the long silence, Luo Chen inspected his sea of qi once more. Those thirty-six spirit beads, pure to the extreme and appearing almost solidified, were still spinning ceaselessly. The devouring pull they exerted on one another churned the sea of qi, causing spiritual liquid to surge toward each bead. Yet the current state was already the limit. If they devoured any more spiritual liquid, the balance would inevitably break, and the thirty-six spirit beads might collide, inflicting unimaginable damage upon Luo Chen. As he observed them, an epiphany struck him. *Existing within the same sea of qi, they balance one another to form the minor Heavenly Cycle, yet their mutual devouring of spiritual energy breeds instability.* *What if I divide and isolate these spirit beads?* *Wouldn't that allow them to exist independently? With my formidable primary soul, I could easily suppress them, keeping them apart until Great Mastery is reached, then merge them all at once!* This sudden thought was not mere whimsical fancy. Because Luo Chen truly possessed an environment capable of isolating the spirit beads! Other cultivators might not be able to, but Luo Chen truly could! Because he had opened his acupoints! The human body possessed seven hundred and twenty acupoints, large and small, forming a double Heavenly Cycle. During the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, after achieving Great Mastery in Meridian Channeling, Luo Chen had used body refinement methods to begin opening his acupoints. First with spiritual energy, then with fiend energy, and finally within the Soul Transformation ruins, he used the power of lightning to burst open all the acupoints throughout his body. These acupoints were far from useless; they routinely stored vast quantities of spiritual energy. Luo Chen even treated them as a second sea of qi. Otherwise, his spiritual energy reserves would never have surpassed his peers by such a wide margin. *My acupoints have long weathered the surges of spiritual energy, the polishing of fiend energy, and the tempering of lightning.* *Storing a mere spirit bead should be well within their capability!* *If I transport each newly condensed spirit bead into an acupoint for storage, isolating them from one another, won't that prevent any imbalance from occurring?* The moment this thought emerged, Luo Chen could no longer contain himself. After continuous deductions and tests, he confirmed that it was indeed viable! Without hesitation, he began moving the spirit beads that very day. When he successfully transported a complete spirit bead into his largest acupoint and sealed it with a spiritual energy restriction, Luo Chen was ecstatic! It worked! His hypothesis had been correct. He didn't know how the Falling Cloud Sect's complementary secret technique handled it, but his method resolved the current dilemma directly. *This way, I can continue condensing and stringing new spirit beads.* *A Great Mastery of Locking the Beaded Curtain, the Heavenly Cycle of three hundred and sixty-five, is just around the corner!* *** Time trickled by. The fifty-year preparation period for the Reclamation War drew closer and closer. As the foremost front line, the Jade Cauldron Domain grew increasingly bustling. Every day, countless extraordinary events unfolded. In modest locales, cultivators broke through to Foundation Establishment; in great immortal cities, Foundation Establishment cultivators made their names upon the Dao Debate Stages. The Jade Sovereign Mountain Sword Debate had concluded several years prior. The Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, previously assumed to have declined after decades of internal strife with the Falling Cloud Sect, displayed formidable strength during this debate. Jade Cauldron sword cultivators reigned supreme in combat prowess! Many cultivators who had secured spots in the Jade Sovereign Sword Debate through rankings on the Dao Debate Stages across the ten great immortal cities met with shocking results. Only seven cultivators achieved commendable results in the debate. And among those seven, five were true disciples from other Nascent Soul grand sects. Through this sword debate, cultivators from foreign domains were forced to acknowledge the local hegemon, the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, and reckless provocations were somewhat reined in. With the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect flexing its muscles, the Falling Cloud Sect refused to be outdone. Discarding all pretense, they openly revealed their partnership with Tianfan City. One formidable puppet after another, forged by master weapon smiths of Tianfan City, was delivered to the Falling Cloud Sect. Meanwhile, among the previously renowned Thirteen Sons of Falling Cloud, some began forming their cores one after another. Consequently, the Falling Cloud Sect's roster of Golden Core cultivators began to swell. In contrast, Ice Fort, which had once risen to prominence alongside Luo Chen, appeared quiet and unremarkable amidst the fervent preparations for war. All people knew was that among the five female cultivators from Ice Fort who entered death-seclusion to attempt Core Formation, only one had succeeded. Of the remaining four, one perished, two were grievously injured, and another suffered a ruined foundation, completely severing her path to the Golden Core. While the outside world churned with winds and clouds, the Jia-3 Immortal's Cave atop Tianlan Peak remained as tranquil as ever. Ten years passed in the blink of an eye. For the first time, Luo Chen emerged from the cultivation chamber into the living quarters. He had only one reason for doing so: He had reached Foundation Establishment Great Perfection! It had taken twice as long as the originally calculated five to six years. The reason was the tremendous energy Luo Chen had poured into *Locking the Beaded Curtain*. Yet the fruits were delightful. Ten years, three hundred and sixty-five spirit beads! As Luo Chen stepped forward, his entire presence felt exceptionally weighty. Even with a Tier 3 physique, bearing that pressure seemed a strain. "The pressure brought about by spirit beads matching the Heavenly Cycle stars is truly extraordinary," Luo Chen murmured. Standing at the main entrance, his gaze pierced through the dense clouds and mists, overlooking the majestic immortal city beneath the mountain. Cultivators moved beneath his gaze like ants. Standing at the doorway with an unruffled heart, Luo Chen opened his attribute panel after many years. A transparent light screen, like a waterfall on Tianlan Peak, unfurled slowly before him. [Lifespan: 90/200] [Spiritual Roots: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth] [Realm: Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, Primeval Tier 3 10/100] [Cultivation Methods: Ageless Evergreen Scripture Great Perfection, Convergence of Myriad Daos Perfect 301/500, Myriad Beast Scripture 15/100] [Spells: Tier 3: Mirror Flower, Water Moon Adept 201/300, Life-Severing Finger Entry 15/100, Innate Qi Grand Handprint Entry 87/100, Locking the Beaded Curtain Grandmaster 999/1000, Calming the Tempest Grandmaster 950/1000 Tier 2: Flower Fairy Perfect 327/500, Spirit-Befuddling Technique Grandmaster 527/1000, Kusanagi Gengold Sword Technique Adept 260/300, Five Elements Viscera Convergence Art Perfect 375/500 Tier 1: Soul Intimidation Art Great Perfection, Bone Restoration Art Adept 239/300, Limb Reconnection Art Entry 15/100 Great Perfection Spells (Click to expand details)] [Alchemy Techniques: Scale-Turning Hand Perfect 400/500, Star-Plucking Hand Great Perfection. Great Perfection Alchemy Techniques (Click to expand details)] [Martial Arts: Cloud-Seeking Divine Claw Grandmaster 590/1000, Blazing Fire Miasma Grandmaster 521/1000, Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers Great Perfection, Mountain-Cleaving Stele-Shattering Palm Great Perfection] [Professions: Tier 3 Alchemist, Tier 2 Physician Tier 3 Pills: Mingyuan Pill Entry 6/100 Tier 2 Pills: Tongyou Pill Great Perfection, Emperor's Flowing Syrup Entry 12/100 Great Perfection Pills (Click to expand details)] [Achievement Points: 52] "It feels like I haven't opened the complete panel in quite some time," Luo Chen muttered to himself. He realized that as his realm climbed higher, he opened the panel less and less frequently. In the past, whenever he broke through a realm, he would take a look to reflect on the past, assess the present, and plan for the future. Yet the last time he had opened it was back at the eighth level of Foundation Establishment. Looking at it now, he had already reached Foundation Establishment Great Perfection. Even his age, which he had always considered youthful, had unknowingly reached ninety. "I've grown old!" Luo Chen quipped self-deprecatingly. Had an outsider heard him, they would likely have wished to run him through with a sword. A ninety-year-old at Foundation Establishment Great Perfection—what an insane cultivation speed! Perhaps only those blessed with Heavenly Spiritual Roots, hailed for achieving Foundation Establishment in ten years and Core Formation in a century, could rival him. Luo Chen felt a touch of pride; he knew full well how much he had sacrificed to attain such progress. After that brief jest, Luo Chen glanced at his lifespan ceiling. Two hundred years! Somewhat unexpected. Back at the eighth level of Foundation Establishment, it had been one hundred and seventy; advancing through two minor sub-realms should have only added twenty years. *Perhaps it's related to absorbing a massive amount of vitality from low-tier demon beasts while nursing my injuries?* Luo Chen offered a plausible guess without dwelling on it. As long as his lifespan remained comfortably above the danger threshold, he didn't pay it much mind. At the very least, as far as he knew, cultivators in the Mountain and Sea Realm—even Soul Transformation experts—could not achieve true immortality. Continuing to cultivate diligently was the only right answer! His gaze drifted downward, lingering on the Primeval Tier 3 body refinement realm and the entry for *Convergence of Myriad Daos*. Ever since his return from Mount Thunder Accumulation, his body refinement realm and that cultivation method had seen minimal progress. The reason was simple: A lack of the external forces required for body refinement. Lightning was hard to come by; occasional heavenly lightning strikes were too fleeting. Hence this awkward stagnation. However, Luo Chen had long since formulated a solution. Using his origin true fire for body tempering! When *Convergence of Myriad Daos* was first conceived, its core principle was using true fire to mimic lightning, borrowing lightning to temper the body. Now that lightning was scarce, he could return to its essence: cultivating the Fire Peng True Body and tempering his flesh with fire. Moreover, the Withered-Flourishing Fire held unique mysteries, capable of incinerating and devouring the vitality of living beings. Still, there was no rush. The pressing priority was Core Formation. Matters of body refinement could wait until after Core Formation succeeded or failed. Having spent numerous achievement points to synthesize and deduce this exquisite method from his accumulated experiences, Luo Chen had no intention of letting *Convergence of Myriad Daos* gather dust. In fact, he had already conceived several clever ideas to refine the specific steps of cultivating the technique. While its previous effects were potent, they were somewhat crude. Speaking of Core Formation, one could not overlook those two secret techniques. Ten years of dedicated cultivation! Both *Locking the Beaded Curtain* and *Calming the Tempest* had reached the Grandmaster tier, merely a single step away from Great Perfection. Yet that single step remained stubbornly out of reach. In particular, *Locking the Beaded Curtain* had been stuck at [999/1000] for some time. Even when Luo Chen actively dispersed his spirit beads and recondensed them repeatedly, the proficiency refused to budge. Luo Chen suspected this was tied to Core Formation itself. Only by completely fusing those three hundred and sixty-five spirit beads into a single Golden Core would the secret art achieve true perfection. After all, this art was divided into three steps, and Luo Chen had merely pushed the first two to their absolute limits. The third step was fusion. Luo Chen had yet to attempt it. Nor did he dare try recklessly, for that meant taking the final step. Not merely the final step of the secret art, but the final step of the Foundation Establishment realm! Beyond these, there was little else to dwell on. They were simply the fruits of decades of accumulation. Spell proficiencies had advanced, alchemy techniques were perfected, and he had learned a new Tier 3 spell. Oh! His alchemist rank had ascended to Tier 3 Alchemist following his successful refinement of Tier 3 Mingyuan Pills! This was wonderful news. And an expected one. Lastly, there were the achievement points. Previously, to achieve Entry in refining Mingyuan Pills, he had depleted forty achievement points in one go. Yet over the years of steady replenishment, they had returned to a safe reserve of 52. Possessing a hefty sum of achievement points gave Luo Chen boundless confidence. Having reviewed the attribute panel thoroughly, Luo Chen gained a clearer understanding of his current state. *Whether in physique, soul, or spiritual energy reserves, I have thoroughly surpassed Foundation Establishment cultivators, drawing infinitely close to early Golden Core cultivators.* *My mastery of Core Formation secret techniques has also reached the point where no further progress is possible.* *All preparations are complete.* *Next...* Luo Chen took a somewhat greedy breath of the air outside the cave, then closed the entrance without looking back. *** "Failed again!" "How could this be? I clearly did everything to perfection!" "I am certain my preparations for Core Formation could rival even the Dao Children of Nascent Soul grand sects—how could this still end in failure?" Inside the cultivation chamber, Luo Chen's face was as dark as ink, gloomy as stagnant water. Holding a bronze mirror riddled with cracks, his voice was filled with disbelief. He had failed Core Formation—twice! Naturally, he had not failed in reality, but rather through simulations using the Ghost-God Heart-Interrogation Mirror. As one of the three ancestral Dharma treasures of Ghost-God Valley, the mirror's intended purpose was allowing cultivators at Foundation Establishment Great Perfection to simulate Core Formation. Possessing such a treasure, Luo Chen had no intention of letting it go to waste. Thus, when he resolved to enter death-seclusion to attempt the Golden Core stage, he had actively deployed this artifact. Protected by the Lanke Black Chess Piece, and having practiced the Tier 3 illusion art *Mirror Flower, Water Moon* for years, he possessed inherent resistance to illusions. Therefore, even without sect elders standing guard, Luo Chen dared to undergo the heart-interrogation simulation alone. Yet both attempts had yielded disappointing outcomes. The first attempt, utilizing the Great Mastery of *Locking the Beaded Curtain* to form a core, failed. The exact cause remained unknown. Luo Chen only recalled that during the final step, after the three hundred and sixty-five spirit beads merged, a violent explosion suddenly erupted. With a deafening boom, he had awakened in a groggy stupor. After resting for a month, he activated the Ghost-God Heart-Interrogation Mirror a second time. This time, he utilized a Mingyuan Pill to form his core, but it still ended in failure. The reason for this second failure was even vaguer. After swallowing the pill, an immense swelling sensation arose within him, and then... there was nothing. Like a passing gust of wind, it left nothing behind. He had simply awakened naturally, without even feeling much soul exhaustion. Beneath his gloomy expression, Luo Chen forced himself to stay calm, striving to analyze the reasons behind the two failures. *A cultivator forming a core is a natural transformation. Even without relying on secret techniques, pills, or other supplementary resources, there is still a baseline probability of success.* *However, because that probability is too minuscule, ancient sages drew upon their lofty perspectives to create methods for boosting the odds of success—such as Core Formation secret techniques, realm-breaking pills, and wondrous natural treasures.* *Locking the Beaded Curtain is a superior-method Core Formation secret technique. Cultivating it to Great Mastery, on top of my existing baseline chance, should grant an additional thirty percent probability.* *The Mingyuan Pill is derived from the Tier 3 Nethersea Pill of the Soul Transformation sacred ground, the Mingyuan Sect, inherently increasing the odds of Core Formation by twenty percent.* *Even tested separately across two simulations, neither should have ended in total failure.* *Why did this happen?* Luo Chen questioned himself, scouring his mind for potential answers. Only after a long while did he arrive at an ambiguous answer. In the end, it returned to that time-worn topic: Aptitude! His five-element spiritual roots had dragged him down. Yet unlike in the past when he simply lamented his poor aptitude, this time he adopted a different perspective—evaluating his aptitude through Master Canglong's assessment. *Poor? It certainly isn't poor.* *In fact, through my cultivation, this aptitude could even be considered extraordinary. It grants me a vaster sea of qi, holds several times the spiritual energy of my peers, and gives me combat prowess far exceeding theirs. By comparison, the drawback of slow cultivation speed can be offset by mountains of resources.* *I, Luo Chen, am in another sense a figure of extraordinary talent!* *Yet precisely because of this extraordinary, perhaps even terrifying aptitude, breaking through realms requires an even greater external boost!* If cultivation was likened to constructing a building, aptitude was the foundation. Those with fewer spiritual roots had smaller foundations, so their buildings rose swiftly and exquisitely. With just a slight push, they could construct something presentable. Those with more spiritual roots possessed vastly broader foundations; building upon them demanded far more material. Naturally, when constructing the grand edifice of Core Formation, the required assistance grew proportionally vast. *A superior method alone is not enough!* *A Mingyuan Pill alone is not enough either!* *I still have the reversed spiritual vortex of the Clear Source Wondrous Pill Method!* *No, next time, I will deploy all methods simultaneously and test the results.* If a single method could only provide a marginal boost to Core Formation, what if they were all used together? Unknowingly, a somewhat mad notion took root in Luo Chen's mind. Though mad, it was not impossible. Because Luo Chen possessed the instrument to test it! Looking at the cracked Ghost-God Heart-Interrogation Mirror, Luo Chen rested for several days, then plunged his divine soul into it without hesitation. Within the hazy yellow surface of the mirror, a Daoist sat cross-legged. *** The third failure arrived as expected. And alongside failure came the complete destruction of the Ghost-God Heart-Interrogation Mirror. This was anticipated. It had been a damaged Dharma treasure to begin with. Over the years, Luo Chen had used it frequently for heart-interrogation, not just for himself, but also to aid Gu Caiyi and the members of the Luotian Association in their Foundation Establishment breakthroughs. Such frequent use, coupled with Luo Chen's lack of proper maintenance methods, naturally worsened its condition over time. Last time in Yuanmagnetic Valley, when using the mirror to help Miao Wen recover his sense of self, the treasure had already shown signs of impending collapse. Now, barely enduring three Core Formation simulations for Luo Chen was its absolute limit. Luo Chen looked at the fragments of the bronze mirror in his hands with slight regret. This was a rare soul-type Dharma treasure! Yet after a fleeting sigh, excitement surfaced on his face, followed by a faint smile. Amidst misfortunes that never came singly, why could he still smile? The reason was simple: though he had failed that final simulation, he had come infinitely close to success! *My theory was correct!* *Though belonging to different Core Formation paths, each holds its own marvels.* *As long as I resolve their conflicting aspects and distill their essence, they will propel me straight to the heavens!* *However, relying solely on these two secret arts is still somewhat lacking.* With a thought, green light flashed in Luo Chen's hand. Three jade slips appeared before him. They were none other than the three inferior-method Core Formation secret techniques: *Dragon-Phoenix Tribulation*, *Escaping the Cage*, and *Hunyuan Method*. *If I fuse these three secret techniques with Locking the Beaded Curtain, could I forge a bespoke Core Formation technique tailored entirely to myself?* Luo Chen possessed the confidence to do so! He had held these secret techniques for years and studied them meticulously; picking them up was not difficult. In fact, he met the prerequisites for each technique to varying degrees. *Dragon-Phoenix Tribulation* required Soaring Dragon Pills and Ice Phoenix Pellets, which he already had on hand. *Escaping the Cage* required a formidable physique and potent Tier 3 realm-breaking pills, both of which he possessed. *Hunyuan Method* was even simpler; his *Clear Source Wondrous Pill Method* shared the same origins and was of an even higher grade. If he fused the four methods to create a unique technique, he might push the probability of Core Formation to its utmost peak! Even if one plus one did not equal two, so long as it was greater than one, it would suffice! Four secret techniques, three types of pills, and a rock-solid foundation in the three treasures of essence, qi, and spirit. If he still couldn't break through to the Golden Core stage under such conditions, Luo Chen would truly wonder if five-element spiritual roots were abandoned by the Heavenly Dao, and he would question the very rationale behind the existence of the Five Elements Divine Sect. As for whether the newly fused method would be suitable for cultivation? Though he no longer had the Ghost-God Heart-Interrogation Mirror, he still had the system cheat. When the time came, he could simply spend achievement points to attain Entry and appraise it. No sooner said than done! Luo Chen had no path of retreat left. *** Relying on his rock-solid foundation, vast breadth of knowledge, and extraordinary aptitude for cultivating spells, Luo Chen began practicing the three Core Formation secret techniques. One year, two years, three years... Being inferior-method secret techniques after all, cultivating them was not overly intricate, largely relying on external aids to achieve Core Formation. In just three years, Luo Chen cultivated all three secret techniques to the Grandmaster tier. Reaching this stage, he stopped. Instead, he began attempting to fuse them with *Locking the Beaded Curtain*. However, the fusion process was far from smooth. After all, they were completely different techniques originating from four different sects, with inherent contradictions among them. After a full year, Luo Chen made little headway. Yet in the fifth year, Luo Chen attempted to weave *Calming the Tempest* into the mix. The previously incompatible four secret techniques, upon the introduction of *Calming the Tempest*, settled into an uncanny equilibrium. On this day, inside the cultivation chamber, Luo Chen brought up the system attribute panel, holding a bamboo slip written in his own hand between his palms. This was the Core Formation secret technique he had spent five years creating, synthesizing the strengths of various schools and drawing upon his own insights. He named it the *Tiny Dust Origin Technique*. Man was like tiny dust, yet his heart reached toward the cosmos; and the character *yuan* carried the meaning of heaven and earth's foundation, the origin of all things in the universe. Through this art, even those of the humblest aptitude possessed a chance to attain the Great Dao. The naming of this secret technique encapsulated Luo Chen's grand ambition to pursue the Great Dao of immortality. [Tiny Dust Origin Technique, supreme-method Core Formation secret technique. Attain Entry?] When the system presented its cold textual prompt, Luo Chen smiled and closed the interface. Naturally, there was no need to attain Entry through the system! As a technique of his own creation, he understood every subtlety better than anyone; even the foundation had already been laid. There was no need to waste achievement points. All that remained was to review it once and practice it step-by-step. And how long would that process take? Luo Chen felt it would not be long at all! *** Two years later! Luo Chen exited the cultivation chamber and entered the living quarters. One by one, the resources required for Core Formation were brought forth. Three Mingyuan Pills, Soaring Dragon Pills, Ice Phoenix Pellets, Mount Tian Yang-Returning Water, Barrier-Solidifying Talismans, Heart-Cleansing Incense, Vast Ocean Pills... A dense array of resources. Some had been gathered by Luo Chen himself. Others had been procured by Sima Huiniang, who directed the cultivators of the Luotian Association to bid for them at auctions across the Jade Cauldron Domain over the years. Countless resources and manpower had been poured into this endeavor. Looking at the fully prepared supplies, a trace of excitement flickered within Luo Chen's calm eyes. He bathed, changed into fresh robes, burned incense, and adjusted his headdress. Returning to the quiet room, he sat upright, awaiting a serene heart and sincere intent. For an entire month, Luo Chen attuned his state to its absolute zenith. At this moment, his vitality surged, his spiritual energy was harmoniously unified, his mind was tranquil as an ancient well, unshakeable even if the heavens fell. Fifty years ago, upon first obtaining the Ghost-God Heart-Interrogation Mirror, his simulated Core Formation had failed. Fifty years later, three consecutive simulations had also ended in failure. Yet every failure had brought him closer to success. Along the way, he had gathered several sets of Core Formation insights from predecessors and personally witnessed Chu Kui's Core Formation process. For this single day, he had prepared far too much, and waited far too long. "In everything, I have reached the absolute peak. Success or failure hangs upon this single stroke!" Luo Chen parted his lips slightly and drew a deep breath. Inside the cultivation chamber, the rich spiritual energy condensed into a white dragon of qi, surging into his body. As if in resonance, a sudden shift occurred within his sea of qi, which was brimming with pure spiritual liquid. Two pills swallowed in advance suddenly tore through their spiritual energy restrictions, and two formidable medicinal potencies crashed into the sea of qi. One was icy cold, the other scorching hot. The two medicinal forces collided, coaxing forth the water and fire energies within his sea of qi. Instantly, water and fire inverted, surging toward the heavenly gate. Under this extreme clash, the sea of qi abruptly boiled. Countless droplets of spiritual liquid converged toward the center, vaguely giving rise to the embryonic form of a pill. Suddenly! The fledgling pill shattered! The instant it shattered, before it could reconvene, it was brought under control and transformed into a minuscule vortex. This spiritual vortex was tiny at first. Yet as it spun clockwise, it grew ever larger. Across the nine layers of his sea of qi, boundless spiritual energy poured into the vortex, sieved repeatedly like flour through a mesh. None knew how long this process lasted. It seemed a mere instant, yet felt like ten thousand years. When this step reached completion, the vortex, which had been spinning steadily, performed an uncanny reversal, beginning to rotate counterclockwise. This starkly opposite direction brought about an earth-shaking transformation! Previously, it had gently sieved spiritual energy, filtered impurities, and purged pill toxins. Yet spinning counterclockwise, it unleashed a colossal devouring force. The entire sea of qi boiled in an instant! Boundless spiritual liquid surged toward the reversed spiritual vortex. The vortex expanded continuously. In the blink of an eye, it resembled a sky-connecting waterspout churning the boundless deep of an ocean. As if that were not dramatic enough! Another medicinal pill dissolved abruptly. A terrifying medicinal force of extreme potency crashed into the ocean. *Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!* The moment the medicinal power erupted, nine thunderous claps detonated within Luo Chen's body. With each thunderclap, his frame shuddered. His Primeval Tier 3 physique actually cracked with hairline fissures under the tremors. It was as if nine thunder dragons sought to escape his sea of qi, tearing free of this physical vessel. Yet Luo Chen refused! *The body is a cage, the mind a prison.* *If I cannot break free, how can I behold the Great Dao?* Amidst the terrifying thunderclaps, the monstrous medicinal force was compelled to pour entirely into the sea of qi. The moment it entered, it was swallowed by the sky-connecting waterspout that had expanded to its limit. With the addition of the Mingyuan Pill's potency, the equilibrium of water and fire, gold and wood within Luo Chen's body was completely shattered. The nine-layered sea of qi ruptured in an instant. Endless spiritual energy crashed down from the nine heavens, battering the ocean into violent turbulence. If this continued, the sea of qi would collapse completely before the Golden Core could even form. Right at that juncture! "Freeze!" A resonant divine voice descended from the void into the sea of qi. Immediately after, a spirit bead radiant as a star broke free of its acupoint restriction, hovering above the sea of qi. In that split second, the sea of qi grew still. Yet in the next breath, it began trembling once more. "Not enough!" "Again!" The soul voice boomed again, and another spirit bead descended into the sea of qi. Had a great expert peered through Luo Chen's body to witness the spectacle within his sea of qi, they would have seen an unimaginable tableau. Amidst the vast ocean, water and fire clashed, metal and wood drifted and sank, while his terrifying physique acted as an impenetrable rampart of solid earth, preventing any spiritual energy from leaking out. A gigantic vortex spun counterclockwise, voraciously devouring spiritual energy from the boundless ocean, churning the nine-layered sea of qi into shattered fragments. From the acupoints beyond, spirit beads fell like a shower of stars, using their immense might to quell the wild waves tearing across the boundless sea. After an indeterminate passage of time, the grand soul voice erupted once more. "Fuse!" Three hundred and sixty-five stars hovered above the empty sea of qi. Then, like shooting stars, they dove toward the sky-connecting waterspout like moths to a flame. *Water and fire inverted, harmonious and aligned; metal and wood adrift, the Great Dao in sight.* *Sun and moon within the furnace, creation reveals its might; born of nothingness, dragon and tiger unite.* *Essence of heaven, marrow of earth, yin soul and yang spirit, the stars of the Heavenly Cycle gathered into the universe.* Luo Chen fused the superior, medium, and inferior paths, exhausting the entirety of his foundation. The Golden Core Grand Dao lay right before his eyes. "If not now, then when!" With a low roar, the three hundred and sixty-five spirit beads sweeping into the vortex began to fuse under the guidance of his primary soul. Not only that, the sky-connecting waterspout, expanded to its absolute limit, generated immense pressure, compelling them to merge into one from the outside. Amidst the hazy, chaotic haze, a glazed pill radiating five-colored brilliance faintly materialized within the thunder, wind, and rain! *** Tianlan Immortal City. Only ten years remained until the Reclamation War. As one of the three immortal cities nearest to the Howling Moon Mountain Range, the number of cultivators gathered in Tianlan Immortal City had long exceeded a million. Among them were countless Qi Refining cultivators, while Foundation Establishment cultivators easily numbered over ten thousand. Even Golden Core Masters were no longer rare sights appearing once in a blue moon. According to careful estimates, at least ten Golden Core cultivators currently resided in Tianlan. And that was merely the permanent residents, excluding those passing through. In such an environment, the bustling atmosphere had reached a fever pitch. Everyone was waiting for the Reclamation War to begin a decade from now. However, with so many high-tier cultivators congregating, the demand for spiritual grounds and immortal's caves had naturally peaked. The caves on Tianlan Peak had already been scarce in the past; now, obtaining one was nearly impossible. Especially for Golden Core cultivators! They had an even more pressing need for high-grade caves. From time to time, someone would visit the sect on duty to inquire when the Jia-3 Immortal's Cave would become available for lease. Yet every time, they received the same answer: the cave had an occupant. On this day, a Golden Core Master from an outside domain finally reached his limit. Before the Falling Cloud Sect Golden Core cultivator on duty, he slammed the table and demanded angrily: "A mere Foundation Establishment cultivator—by what right has he occupied the Jia-3 Immortal's Cave for twenty whole years?" The Falling Cloud Sect Golden Core cultivator kept his eyelids lowered. "Because he paid enough spirit stones." The foreign cultivator roared, "Twenty years have already passed! It has exceeded the term by three years—are you still leasing it to him?" The Falling Cloud Sect cultivator replied calmly, "His subordinates paid an additional three years' worth of rent on his behalf. I can hardly drive the man out!" The foreign cultivator was momentarily rendered speechless. A moment later, he pressed on, "Can Fellow Daoist Qu not make an exception? I urgently need to cultivate a major technique to prepare for the Reclamation War, and that Tier 3 spiritual ground is indispensable. Giving it to a Foundation Establishment cultivator is a reckless waste of heaven's gifts. "How about this: whatever amount of spirit stones he paid, I will match it. What do you say?" *Is this polite request after a show of force?* The Falling Cloud Sect Golden Core cultivator surnamed Qu curled his lip. In the immortal city, one was judged by spirit stones, not cultivation realm; at equal prices, it was first come, first served. Moreover, while your cultivation might be higher, that man's relationship with the Falling Cloud Sect was far better than yours, an outsider. Still, he had no intention of offering extensive explanations. Just as he was pondering how to dismiss the man, his expression suddenly shifted. Without another word, he strode directly out of the hall and stared intently toward Tianlan Peak. The foreign Golden Core cultivator was initially enraged, but soon realized something as well. Stepping out of the hall and looking toward Tianlan Peak, he couldn't help glancing at Cultivator Qu, whose gaze remained fixed on the mountain. Rumor had it that cultivators of the Falling Cloud Sect were adept in soul refinement. Their divine sense was vastly superior to that of their peers. The fact that Qu had noticed the anomaly before him proved the rumors true. *Was I somewhat too rude earlier?* While he was feeling apprehensive, he suddenly heard a soft exclamation. "Isn't it just Core Formation? What is there to be surprised about?" the foreign cultivator wondered aloud. Yet when he focused on the Core Formation phenomenon atop Tianlan Peak, he couldn't resist crying out: "Immortal Venerable above! Which Golden Core grand sect's Dao Child is forming their core here?" Cultivator Qu glanced at him and scoffed, "Ignorant. How could a mere grand sect Dao Child conjure such a spectacle?" The foreign Golden Core froze, his face paling slightly. They were far from the only Golden Core cultivators to notice the phenomenon atop Tianlan Peak. Soon, from Golden Core Masters down to Qi Refining novices, everyone in Tianlan Immortal City became aware of the Core Formation phenomenon. For no other reason than it was simply too terrifying. Winds howled as colorful clouds converged. The roars of dragons and tigers echoed unceasingly. Moreover, a sky-connecting waterspout churned into the heavens. Spiritual energy from all directions rushed toward that waterspout. And this was merely the beginning! Roughly an incense stick's burn later, the waterspout showed no sign of shrinking; instead, it grew larger and larger. Its sweeping majesty engulfed the entirety of Tianlan Peak. Countless Tier 1 and Tier 2 immortal's caves shuddered in unison. The spiritual energy restricted within the caves involuntarily surged toward the Jia-3 Immortal's Cave. Even the Tier 3 spiritual vein beneath the immortal city was affected! Cultivator Qu's expression shifted from initial curiosity to astonishment, and finally to hesitation. *Something is amiss!* *This boy's foundation is terrifyingly profound.* *A mere man-made Tier 3 spiritual vein cannot sustain him. If he is allowed to devour energy like this, most of the caves' formations will be ruined.* After a moment of hesitation, he reached a decision. *So be it!* *The Zhenren instructed us to maintain good relations with him.* *I shall lend him a hand!* With that thought, Cultivator Qu abandoned the foreign cultivator and flew toward the central hall of Tianlan Immortal City. Shortly after his departure, a rumbling tremor shook the entirety of Tianlan Immortal City. The foreign cultivator remaining behind wore a look of utter disbelief. "Did he unlock the city's spiritual vein formation restriction?" Amidst his shock, massive gouts of spiritual energy surged throughout the immortal city. Its density instantly elevated the city, which had only been at the Tier 1 level, to Tier 2! Meanwhile, the entirety of Tianlan Peak was transformed into a genuine Tier 3 spiritual ground in a single instant! Aided by this surge of power, the sky-connecting waterspout expanded even further. Its devouring of heaven-and-earth spiritual energy grew ever more exuberant. How could one describe it? Only the word "whale-gulping" would suffice! Amidst this process, a figure stepped forth from the misty wind and clouds. Tall and erect, his features shifting and dreamlike. Only a mane of black hair drifted behind him, framing a pair of pitch-black eyes that illuminated all creation—like a god, like a demon!