Innate Immortal Seed

Chapter 242: Chapter 240: The Final Step

For nearly every wisp of pure spiritual power he absorbed from the Top-Grade Spirit Stone, a corresponding surge of Fire Element Spiritual Power rapidly converted the Liquid Magical Power in his body into a strand of True Essence.

Bai Zichen could clearly sense the stark difference between True Essence and Liquid Magical Power.

An equal amount of True Essence was more than five times as powerful as Liquid Magical Power.

More importantly, there was a qualitative difference between the two.

This was why Perfect Foundation Establishment Cultivators could typically muster the strength to activate a Magical Treasure for one or two strikes.

It was precisely because their Dantian Qi Sea contained partially converted True Essence.

He roughly estimated that if he used True Essence to activate the Moon Xuan Sword, its lethality would multiply several times over.

This conversion process lasted for a full two years before he finally finished converting all of his Liquid Magical Power.

’At the fifth level of the Fire Dragon Returning Essence Scripture, I can transform into a Fire Flood Dragon... The moment I achieve Core Formation will be when the Fire Dragon True Essence suffuses my entire body and opens my Acupoints.’

As he progressed to deeper levels of this Cultivation Technique, Bai Zichen’s Fire Spiritual Root aptitude continuously improved, and his understanding of the Dao of fire deepened along with it.

This was happening, mind you, without him consciously focusing on it, and it had nothing to do with his Pill Discussion.

Moreover, the two major milestones of the Fire Dragon Returning Essence Scripture—transforming into a Fire Flood Dragon at Core Formation and a Fire Dragon at Nascent Soul—were not illusions or techniques of True Essence condensation. Instead, they were genuine morphological changes that recreated the physical bodies of those powerful Demon Beasts.

As the True Essence circulated, the Five Crystal Glaze color on his body’s surface flared brilliantly. His Five Crystal and Glazed Body techniques were already operating at their absolute limit.

One could only imagine the burden placed on the physical body and meridians of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator when they had to contain True Essence that only a Core Formation Cultivator should possess.

Therefore, when attempting to break through to Core Formation, the first two steps had to be linked together. The final step of entrusting one’s Divine Sense, however, could be delayed and attempted separately, only when one had absolute confidence.

Thanks to Bai Zichen’s physical strength far surpassing that of his peers, his meridians were merely bulging, and his entire body felt as if it were being crushed under an immense weight.

Had it been anyone else, all sorts of problems would have already arisen.

Like their skin splitting open, with blood gushing out.

Or their meridians rupturing, making it difficult for True Essence to pass through.

Worse still, some Cultivators’ bodies couldn’t withstand the powerful True Essence at all. Their meridians would be instantly shattered, their bones crushed, and their entire physical form would be left like a torn sack, riddled with holes.

The aftereffects for Cultivators who failed at this second step of breaking through to Core Formation were better than failing at the Divine Sense step. However, with a ruined body—the very raft needed to travel the Great Dao destroyed—it would be incredibly difficult to even cultivate back to the Foundation Establishment Perfect Realm.

No matter how you practiced Cultivation, your body would be a dilapidated raft, leaking from every seam. How could it possibly accumulate Magical Power?

Unless one could find a Tier Four Spirit Pill to reconstruct their physical body and restore its vitality.

”Desolate God Stealing Sun, burn my lifespan!”

Bai Zichen’s gaze was resolute. Without a shred of hesitation, he activated the Desolate God Stealing Sun Technique.

Anyone else would have waited until the final step to burn their lifespan, saving the effects of the Desolate God Stealing Sun Technique for the most critical moment.

Wei Dao, for instance, had done just that.

But he was different. He had little fear of the Divine Sense entrustment step; besides, he still had the Clear Spirit Jade Marrow.

It was better to activate the Desolate God Stealing Sun Technique now to shorten the time needed for his physical transformation.

Within his Qi Sea, the Purple Qi on the three jade-like bands surged wildly, drilling into the bands themselves.

The next moment, a violet flame erupted, swiftly burning until only three drops of eerie purple Spiritual Liquid remained, which then merged into his Qi Sea.

As his True Essence circulated, a layer of purple light covered his entire body.

With every breath, his physical body grew a fraction stronger than it was the moment before.

This breakneck pace of transformation, like being reborn, forced an involuntary grunt from Bai Zichen. It felt as if every bone, muscle, and inch of skin on his body was being regrown over and over again.

As time went on, he gradually adapted to the vast and powerful True Essence, and its circulation speed far exceeded what it had been before.

’Using the boost from burning my lifespan for the physical transformation step is truly unstoppable...’

Bai Zichen stood up, his entire skeleton emitting a series of crisp cracks. His face had become fairer and more vibrant, as if a jade-like light was flowing across it.

In just three months, he had completed the step of physical transformation.

All that remained for Core Formation was the final step: entrusting his Divine Sense.

After some thought, he sent a message, then rose and left White Jade Tower, heading for the Lake Heart Island.

For him, as long as it was a Tier Three Spirit Land, the specific location for Breaking Realm didn’t make a huge difference.

But if better conditions were available, he ought to use them.

With the help of the Spirit Gathering Array, the Lake Heart Island could reach the level of a Tier Three Top-Grade spiritual land, which was a significant improvement over White Jade Tower.

...

「Three days later.」

The arrays around Feiyue Lake were fully activated, forbidding all Cultivators from entering or exiting.

When some Elders came to inquire, Zhou Suqing turned them all away, citing a request from the Mountain Gate to carry out a secret mission.

On the Lake Heart Island, all was calm and peaceful, but the mountain-sized, millennium-old turtle had long since swum far away.

”Senior Sister Zhou, is Senior Brother Bai really attempting to break through to Core Formation, and not just practicing some powerful Secret Technique?”

Su Li cut a thin figure, wrapped in a large cloak.

He had been captured by a Spring and Autumn Cicada and trapped in its chrysalis as a food reserve for several years. Even after years of recuperation, he still hadn’t fully recovered his Primordial Qi.

However, in that muddled and semi-conscious state, he had paradoxically experienced a moment of enlightenment.

If he had died in the chrysalis and become nutrients for the slumbering Spring and Autumn Cicada, it would have all been for naught.

But since he was ultimately rescued by Bai Zichen, that enlightenment took effect, allowing him to find an opportunity to break through his bottleneck.

As long as he fully nursed his body back to health, he should be able to smoothly advance to Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment.

Yesterday, when he heard Zhou Suqing’s announcement and learned the purpose of Bai Zichen’s seclusion, he still felt a bit dazed, as if he were living in a dream.

How many years had it been? Bai Zichen was already at Foundation Establishment Perfection and had even reached the final step before Core Formation.

Today, he was going to take that step, entrust his Divine Sense, and attempt to form a Golden Core.

”There’s no mistake. Junior Brother Bai’s every move is as profound as a deep abyss and as imposing as a great mountain. He already carries the air of a Core Formation True Man... It’s not just about reaching Foundation Establishment Perfection. He has also achieved a Pill Discussion and is treading the same path of Perfect Core Formation as Ancestor Wei.”

For all these years, Zhou Suqing had resided on the Lake Heart Island without ever leaving.

Aside from daily maintenance of the Three Thousand Six Hundred Rings Water Smoke Array, she spent her time contemplating her own path.

With the help of the Ice-Fire Dragon Blood Wine given to her by Master Ge Cang, she had long since cultivated to the Peak of Late-Stage Foundation Establishment. If she hadn’t been engrossed in her own Pill Discussion, she could have already broken through to Foundation Establishment Perfection.

Zhou Suqing understood very well that she had started late, had no background, and was unskilled in Combat, which meant she couldn’t accumulate resources through trials and adventures.

If she wanted to successfully achieve Core Formation and walk further on the Great Dao, she had to achieve a Pill Discussion to clarify her path.

After meditating on the Lake Heart Island for ten years to no avail, she was on the verge of giving up. On the night before she planned to break through to Foundation Establishment Perfection, inspiration suddenly struck.

’I was an orphan, a refugee, wandering with a band of wastelanders. Back when my clothes were rags and the starving littered the land, all I wished for was a full stomach for three meals a day. A passing Qingfeng Sect disciple discovered my Spiritual Root and recommended me to the Sect. A few years later, thanks to my photographic memory and extensive reading, I was directly promoted to Inner Sect Disciple without participating in the minor competition, becoming the oldest of my cohort. I never dreamed of Longevity and Vision or becoming an ancestor of a sect. Having endless scriptures to read and countless new kinds of Magic to learn was already a life of immense enjoyment. My path of cultivation was smooth. After reaching Qi Refining Great Perfection, I successfully achieved Foundation Establishment with a single wisp of Pure Yang Gang Sha. Although this was immediately followed by the humiliating feat of being fought to a draw by a junior at Qi Refining Perfection—making me a cautionary tale among Sect Disciples and a disgrace to Foundation Establishment Cultivators—I personally paid it no mind. I never liked Combat and fighting anyway. After joining the Transmission Hall, I simply took up long-term residence there. My daily life was reduced to two things: meticulously studying various Cultivation Techniques and instructing Qi Refining Disciples. Before I knew it, I had risen to the forefront among the Qingfeng Sect’s many Foundation Establishment Cultivators, known as one of the four Elders most likely to achieve Core Formation. Content with what comes, expecting nothing for myself; my portion is already decided.’

Weaving together the experiences of her life, Zhou Suqing achieved her Pill Discussion that night, her state of mind transcending its former limits.

Unmoved by honor or disgrace, indifferent to staying or leaving, she could now step into the Foundation Establishment Perfect Realm at any moment.

It was because of this that she could so keenly perceive Bai Zichen’s state and recognize that he was on the path of Perfect Core Formation.

”This is just too fast. If the passage to the Upper Realm weren’t severed and the Ascension Platform didn’t exist, I’d suspect Junior Brother Bai was the reincarnation of a Banished Immortal...”

Su Li shook his head. He had just gotten used to being hit with one shock after another.

This Senior Brother Bai’s speed of reaching Core Formation was dazzling enough to stand out in the entire Cultivation Realm of Liang Country.

”Should we notify the other senior and junior brothers to come and observe the ceremony?”

”Never mind. Look at those few over there...”

Zhou Suqing pondered for a moment before abandoning the idea.

’It isn’t me attempting Core Formation, so how could I overstep my bounds and make the decision? Besides, judging by the actions of the two Ancestors, it seems they don’t want too many people to witness Bai Zichen’s Core Formation up close.’

”Junior Brother Bai reported this matter to Ancestor Ge Cang, but both Ancestors only sent one disciple each to observe... Senior Brother Liang from the Law Enforcement Hall has a close relationship with Junior Brother Bai, but no one else is here. The two of us just need to wait quietly for Junior Brother Bai’s good news. I believe our Sect will soon have its third Core Formation True Man!”

’Zhou Suqing was full of confidence in Bai Zichen. After achieving her Pill Discussion, she assessed her own chances. If she practiced the Desolate God Stealing Sun Technique and bought a drop of Clear Spirit Jade Marrow from the Sect on credit, her probability of achieving Core Formation should be about fifty-fifty. Bai Zichen’s talent far surpassed hers, and his external conditions would only be better, so his chances of successfully achieving Core Formation were naturally immense.’

Qi Yue, Wei Chuming, and Liang Yu, each standing in a different spot, gazed nervously at the Lake Heart Island, their thoughts a mixture of emotions.

An unknown amount of time passed. The sky above the island grew gloomy, as if dark clouds were obscuring the sun, creating an extremely oppressive atmosphere.

At the same time, the breeze died down, the lake’s surface became placid, and not a sound was heard from bird or beast.

A clear demarcation formed with the Lake Heart Island at its center, separating it from the outside world as if they were two different realms.

”It’s starting!”

After achieving her Pill Discussion, Zhou Suqing had come to understand her own heart even more clearly.

She had never been one for competition, so a Pill Discussion based on ’going with the flow’ was perfectly suited for her.

Therefore, while she was curious about Bai Zichen’s Pill Discussion and the path beyond Core Formation, she had no desire to compare who was superior.

”We should be able to get a glimpse of Junior Brother Bai’s Pill Discussion from the Core Formation phenomenon that’s about to occur...”

Everyone present stared intently at the Lake Heart Island without blinking, watching for the slightest change.

With a long, drawn-out draconic roar, a Fire Flood Dragon several hundred feet long shot into the sky. It stretched its body to its full extent, and the temperature for miles around rose significantly, as if a colossal furnace had been lit between heaven and earth.