Chapter Eighty-Six: Forming the Golden Core

Following their instructions, the two arrived at the training space. Through studying the Shadowless Wind-Passing Technique, Liu Junhuai possessed an innate advantage with this skill. The first step of this method requires using one’s spiritual awareness to conceal the fluctuation of one’s own spiritual energy—a technique Liu Junhuai had mastered as early as the fourth stage of Qi cultivation, utilizing his celestial sense.

The second step involves harmonizing one’s spiritual energy fluctuations with the frequency of the ambient spiritual energy, merging the two into one. This is achieved by using spiritual awareness as a guiding force, drawing upon the energy of heaven and earth. Then, by reciting the incantation of the Shadowless Wind-Passing Technique, one mobilizes the true essence within to produce a light shield with properties akin to refraction, concealing oneself within its brilliance.

In truth, the Shadowless Wind-Passing Technique is less a cultivation method than a secret art. Its practice is not overly complex; once one masters the incantation for concealment, success is nearly assured. The technique cleverly exploits the subconscious and visual blind spots of humans, creating a marvelous illusion that deceives both perception and sight.

Liu Junhuai merely needed to memorize the incantation; his proficiency with celestial sense was already consummate, so only familiarity with the method was required. Mo Sitong, however, had to learn from the beginning, and she needed to ingest the Other Shore Flower to enhance her spiritual insight. Fortunately, with Liu Junhuai’s patient guidance, Mo Sitong’s learning progressed smoothly. Within a single day, both had mastered the Shadowless Wind-Passing Technique, lacking only in practice.

Building on this foundation, Mo Sitong’s cultivation of the spiritual awareness attack technique became doubly effective, since it merely differed in its use of spiritual awareness. It was the first time the two had trained together alone, in a space belonging solely to them. During breaks, Liu Junhuai demonstrated techniques Mo Sitong had never seen him employ, leaving her repeatedly awed and ever more proud of the myriad abilities possessed by her beloved.

Of course, aside from two minor divine abilities he could not teach, Liu Junhuai eagerly instructed Mo Sitong in whatever she wished to learn, and after she became proficient, he even took her to other spaces to train further.

A year of seclusion passed swiftly, and both experienced rapid advancement in their cultivation. With less than three months remaining until the three-year deadline set by the Shen family, they planned to return to the Chaos Space to attempt a breakthrough to the Golden Core stage.

Upon their return to the Chaos Space, everyone came to greet them. Shen Duoduo and Wu Bini in particular clung to Liu Junhuai, unwilling to leave his side.

Since the spiritual vein had been placed at Azure Cloud Lake, the environment became so rich in spiritual energy that even Mei Bingyi’s mother, who was not an immortal cultivator, and Shen Yihuan moved there. Prolonged exposure to such concentrated spiritual energy, even without cultivation, extends one’s lifespan.

The mansion closest to Azure Cloud Lake became the gathering place for young cultivators, and Liu Junhuai and Mo Sitong took up residence there upon their return.

Over the past year, Shen Duoduo and Wu Bini both advanced to the eighth stage of Qi cultivation. This progress was due in part to the training regimen Mo Sitong set before departing, but more so to their tireless effort, for both wished to remain at Liu Junhuai’s side.

With Wu Shaoyuan’s help, Mei Bingyi successfully advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage, and everyone else’s strength improved to varying degrees, thanks to the exceptional cultivation environment of the Chaos Space.

Two days later, Liu Junhuai resolved to attempt the breakthrough to the Golden Core stage first. Mo Sitong was only a step away from this realm, and with the Thousand-Year Warm Jade Liu Junhuai had prepared for her, her chances were even more assured. Yet Liu Junhuai wished to provide her the perfect demonstration, so he decided to make his own attempt first.

Early that day, Liu Junhuai set up an array beside Azure Cloud Lake. Under the watchful eyes of the others, he entered the formation and sat cross-legged.

Forming the Golden Core is far more perilous than advancing to the Nascent Soul stage; the creation of the Golden Core marks the beginning of defying the heavens. The initial standard for the Golden Core stage is the merging of true essence in the dantian with the meridians throughout the body, forming a unique space. The emergence of this space signifies the initial formation of the Golden Core, laying the foundation for the future Nascent Soul stage—the Purple Mansion Nascent Soul requires such a space to condense the nascent soul.

Liu Junhuai activated the Nine Transformations Mind Technique. His true essence began to circulate, and the lake of true essence in his dantian joyously welcomed new participants, its perimeter shimmering with golden lights.

As the area of the true essence lake expanded, the vortex of spiritual energy being absorbed also grew, and the flow of true essence through his meridians accelerated.

Suddenly, a massive force of consciousness surged into Liu Junhuai’s mind, causing intense pain and dizziness. The golden sphere within his sea of consciousness quickly released celestial sense to grip this invading consciousness, alleviating his pain.

Now, Liu Junhuai could carefully perceive the information contained within this force—a trace of insight into the newly established unique space. Only by fully grasping this insight could the space merging true essence in the dantian and throughout the meridians be truly formed.

The golden sphere swiftly refined the invading consciousness, and as the process concluded, Liu Junhuai’s sea of consciousness cleared, the pain vanished, and a spherical unique space slowly began to form in a corner of his dantian.

Liquid true essence in the lake began to condense rapidly. As dantian and meridians expanded, vast golden true essence poured into the dantian, and the force of merging struck the bottleneck above the true essence lake.

His internal energy kept rising. After a brief, tearing pain in his meridians, the barrier of his dantian cracked, breaking the bottleneck of the Golden Core stage.

As the crack widened, a wave of intense agony swept over him. The breakthrough reached its peak, no longer suppressible. The merging force fiercely assaulted the bottleneck, and the previously abundant golden true essence was suddenly insufficient. Terrifyingly, the spherical unique space began to ravenously absorb liquid true essence from the lake, bringing his dantian to the verge of collapse.

In desperation, Liu Junhuai quickly swallowed a Pill of Core-Breaking and poured in spiritual energy liquid. A new vortex of golden true essence formed in his dantian, spinning ever faster, accelerating the transformation of true essence into golden true essence.

The golden true essence was continuously sucked into the spherical unique space, gradually condensing within, forming a golden sphere the size of a bean.

The pain on Liu Junhuai’s face slowly faded as the bean-sized golden sphere enlarged with the vortex’s acceleration.

Another drop of spiritual energy liquid entered his mouth, restoring the golden true essence vortex to its peak. As the bottleneck above the true essence lake sounded a soft crack, Liu Junhuai officially advanced to the Golden Core stage.

The vortex steadied, and the conversion of true essence became orderly once more.

The bean-sized golden sphere grew steadily, eventually becoming fist-sized—a Golden Core much larger than Wu Yaohan’s apricot-sized core.

It radiated dazzling light, like a golden black hole devouring everything nearby, its speed ever increasing. With a hiss, the golden light enveloping the core exploded, revealing a perfectly round Golden Core, etched with fine patterns, suspended and spinning in Liu Junhuai’s dantian.

He rose, and as the golden light burst around him, he let out a long, piercing cry, expelling the last breath of stale air from his lungs.

“So this is my Golden Core?” Liu Junhuai gazed inward, observing the still, crimson-gold core in his dantian, murmuring to himself.

He now entered a marvelous state of sublimation, able to distinctly sense the true essence within him growing stronger.

Suddenly, a trace of insight stirred in his sea of consciousness: the affairs of the world are always intertwined, every cause has its effect, and the natural laws governing the evolution of all things flashed through his mind.

Yet the insight vanished instantly, leaving Liu Junhuai no time to comprehend it.

Standing dazed within the shattered array, none of the onlookers dared disturb him. When he finally came to his senses, he was immediately surrounded by a chorus of congratulations.