Chapter 314 Clan Leader Breaks Through to False Core Realm (Cultivation Realm)

Eldrin spent 2 months integrating the Void Gem into the Magnetic Treasure Mirror, significantly enhancing its power before infusing it with 5 Elements essence to advance the artifact to the fourth tier.

From this day forth, you shall be called the Mirror of Yin, Yang, and Void (Magic Treasure).

Gazing at the precious mirror before him, Eldrin murmured to himself.

After merging with the Void Gem (Spiritual Object), it was no longer appropriate to call this mirror the Magnetic Treasure Mirror.

This mirror contains the power of Yin and Yang Primordial Magnetism, and has also fused with the Void Gem (Spiritual Object), enabling it to draw powerful enemies within and suppress them. Calling it the Mirror of Yin, Yang, and Void (Magic Treasure) is indeed fitting.

The heavens roiled with tribulation clouds as a Numinous Treasure Lightning Tribulation once again descended upon the land.

Eldrin had grown quite accustomed to the Treasure Lightning Tribulation. After the treasure mirror fused with the Void Gem, its power increased dramatically, making it more than sufficient to contend with the Treasure Lightning Tribulation.

As expected, transcending the Auric Lightning Tribulation this time was exceptionally effortless.

The first heavenly tribulation lightning was extinguished by the Primordial Yin-Yang Magnetic Light, while the second was captured and suppressed within the Primordial Magnetic Treasure Mirror. When the final treasure-refining tribulation struck the mirror’s surface, it merely dimmed the artifact’s radiance by 70 or 80 percent.

After completing the final ascension of his life-bound magic treasure, Eldrin once again immersed himself in his usual cultivation.

In the blink of an eye, 8 or 9 years had passed. On this day, he emerged from secluded cultivation and rode his sword to Pingyang City.

A distance of 6,000 li, which would have taken days of arduous travel in the past, now required merely the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn when Eldrin flew at full speed with his body and sword merged as 1.

Upon arriving at Pingyang City, he discovered that the Old Patriarch had already emerged from his secluded cultivation chamber.

At this moment, the Old Patriarch's aura flowed flawlessly, his spiritual power vast and profound—clear signs he had reached the Great Perfection of the Violet Mansion realm.

At the sight of the old clan leader, Eldrin couldn't contain his delight as he exclaimed, "Elder Uncle, your spiritual power has achieved perfect harmony. I daresay your breakthrough to the Golden Core Realm is but moments away."

"It's not that simple."

The old clan leader’s face lit up with joy, yet he shook his head with a wry smile. "I know my own condition. The hope of breaking through to the Golden Core in 1 attempt is, I’m afraid, exceedingly slim."

"Got to give it a try."

Eldrin smiled faintly and produced 3 jade boxes.

The Elder Uncle cast a glance into the pouch and found it contained a Golden Core Formation Pill (Spiritual Object), a Quasi-Golden Core, and a single Essence Blood Treasure Pill.

The Golden Core Formation Pill (Spiritual Object) goes without saying, while the Quasi-Golden Core was refined from the inner core of the Azure Lion Mastiff, and the Essence Blood Treasure Pill was forged using the flesh and blood of the Black Flood Dragon (Demon Beast) demon lord.

Back then, the flesh and blood of the Black Flood Dragon (Demon Beast) demon king that Lyra (Person Name) had obtained was refined into this essence blood treasure pill. It served as a treasure for the demon king's physical evolution, capable of helping cultivators compensate for deficiencies in their physical bodies.

The old clan leader took 1 look and immediately returned the Blood Essence Treasure Pill to Eldrin (Person Name). "This pill can strengthen 1's physical form—it would be useful even for you. You should keep it."

"This object holds little use for me now."

Eldrin shook his head, yet still handed it to the Elder Uncle.

Over the years, as the 5 Thunder Body Refining Art (Cultivation Method) continued to operate autonomously, Eldrin's (Person Name) physical body had been steadily advancing.

Now, after a dozen or so years had passed, his physical body had grown no weaker than a Golden Core cultivator's, and the 3 treasures within him—essence, energy, and spirit—had all reached astonishing levels.

In contrast, Old Uncle, despite having cultivated the Qingxu Body Refinement Art, had only practiced for a few decades. His physical resilience remained relatively underdeveloped.

"Very well."

Hearing this, Chen Changxuan put away the Blood Essence Treasure Pill and the Golden Core Formation Pill (Spiritual Object).

However, he did not touch the Elixir of Sublimation, carefully storing it in a jade box instead. With a gentle smile, he remarked,

"Breaking through to the Golden Core realm is immensely difficult. I am not a prodigious talent, so I don't expect to reach the Golden Core realm in a single attempt."

"To avoid waste, I'll save this Sub-Golden Elixir for next time. Only by combining my False Core realm with the Sub-Golden Elixir and Golden Core Formation Pill (Spiritual Object) will I have some measure of confidence."

"Hmm."

Eldrin (Person Name) concurred with this view. The old patriarch had not truly broken through to the Foundation Establishment and Purple Mansion realms through his own cultivation, after all, leaving his spiritual power and foundation somewhat shallow.

Although various acquired means such as the Great White Star Pearl and Creation Green Essence Pill (Spiritual Object) had compensated for some foundational deficiencies, attempting to form the Golden Core in a single breakthrough remained considerably challenging.

It would be better to proceed steadily and methodically. Once I successfully condense the false core this time, I can then utilize the sub-golden core to boost my chances by 10 percent next time. That would significantly increase my odds of breaking through to the golden core realm.

"Uncle, you may go into seclusion with peace of mind. I shall guard your cultivation."

"Very well, you have my gratitude for your efforts during this time."

Chen Changxuan took the elixir and went straight to the Spirit Pool for secluded cultivation to break through his cultivation base.

After entering seclusion, he spent the first 3 months refining the Essence Blood Treasure Pill. Once his physical body reached perfection, he consumed the Golden Core Formation Pill (Spiritual Object) to begin his assault on the Golden Core realm.

Half a year had passed before the old clan leader finally emerged from his secluded cultivation chamber.

He cast a glance at Eldrin and shook his head regretfully. "Just as I anticipated, I failed to break through to the Golden Core Realm this time."

Seeing the old clan leader somewhat disheartened, Eldrin smiled and comforted him, "Elder Uncle, there's no need to be discouraged. Stalling at the False Core realm was expected under these circumstances. Moreover, I still possess a Golden Core Formation Pill. In 30 years, you'll have a 50 to 60 percent chance of forming your Golden Core."

"Hmm."

The old clan leader revealed a faint smile, stroking his beard as he said, "Although I failed to breakthrough to the Golden Core this time, the False Core I forged is remarkably consolidated, and my magic power has increased by over 70 percent."

"Is that truly the case?"

A gleam shone in Eldrin's eyes. When Xavier and Fang Qingmei had broken through to the False Core realm, their spiritual power had only increased by 50 percent.

The old clan leader’s mana had now increased by 70 percent, and the refinement of his False Core ranked among the more formidable even within the ranks of False Core cultivators. From this perspective, his chances of breaking through to the Golden Core realm in his next attempt were likely not insignificant.

At this thought, Eldrin said excitedly, "It seems Magnus the Virtuous Lord spoke true—the effects of the Creation Green Essence Pill are indeed remarkable."

"Not only the Creation Green Essence Pill (Spiritual Object), but the Demon King's Blood Essence Treasure Pill and the Great White Star Pearl also proved somewhat effective."

The old clan leader said with a smile, informing Eldrin that the Polaris Pearl’s refinement of spiritual power rivaled that of 3 bonded magical treasures, its effects truly extraordinary. Coupled with his supreme bonded immortal sword, the Golden Flame Sword, it had also allowed him to partially mend his foundation.

As the 2 were conversing, Lior approached from outside. Seeing them, he exclaimed joyfully, "Word has come from the Sky-Ruin Lake via the World's-End Sound-Transmission Mirror—Elara is breaking through to the Golden Core Realm and has invited us to witness the ceremony!"

"Oh."

Eldrin's eyes flickered slightly. Since they were being invited to witness the ceremony, it most likely meant she had successfully passed the most critical stage of breaking through to the Golden Core realm and was now in the process of converting her spiritual energy.

At this thought, he smiled and said to the old clan leader, "It seems she has succeeded this time."

The old clan leader shook his head and smiled wryly. "A false core cultivator with a heterodox spiritual root already has a 50 percent chance of breaking through to the Golden Core stage."

"Moreover, with the assistance of the Golden Core Formation Pill (Spiritual Object) and having consumed the Creation Green Essence Pill (Spiritual Object), if even she cannot succeed, this old man fears he may never hope to break through to the Golden Core realm in this lifetime."

After a brief exchange, the group rode their swords to Mount Qingyang, then used the teleportation formation to arrive at Heaven's Ruin Lake.

Chapter 1 The biting cold wind howled across the mountain peaks, carrying with it the scent of frost and decay. In a secluded cave hidden behind a waterfall, a young man sat cross-legged, his eyes closed in deep concentration. Around him, the air shimmered with a faint, ethereal light as he guided the spiritual energy through his meridians. He had been stuck at the ninth level of Qi Refining for 3 years now. 3 long years of relentless cultivation, yet the bottleneck refused to budge. With a soft sigh, he opened his eyes, their depths reflecting a flicker of frustration. "Another failure," he muttered, his voice barely a whisper in the vast, silent cavern. Reaching into his robe, he pulled out a small, intricately carved jade bottle. Unstopping it, he carefully poured a single, milky-white pill into his palm. This was a Grade 3 Spirit Gathering Pill, a treasure he had spent nearly 5,000 spirit stones to acquire. He had only a dozen or so mid-grade spirit stones left—a far cry from the wealth he once possessed. 'If I don't break through this time...' The thought hung unfinished, too grim to fully acknowledge. He had already failed over a 100 times. Countless hours, countless resources, all seemingly for naught. Taking a deep breath, he threw his head back and swallowed the pill. A torrent of pure, violent energy instantly erupted within his dantian, surging through his body like a raging flood. He gritted his teeth, his muscles taut with strain as he desperately circulated his cultivation technique, the "Profound Azure Mantra," striving to tame the wild spiritual power. Memories, fragmented and sharp, pierced through his focus. Images of a bustling sect, of respectful bows from fellow disciples, of his master's proud smile... all from a lifetime ago. 1 100 years had passed since the fall of the Azure Mist Sect. 1 100 years since he, the once-celebrated prodigy, became the last surviving elder, his cultivation base shattered, forced to start anew in this remote, desolate place. The spiritual energy within him grew more and more turbulent, threatening to tear his meridians apart. Agony, sharp and searing, lanced through him. Just as he felt his consciousness begin to waver, a faint, ancient voice seemed to echo from the very depths of his soul. "To transcend mortality... 1 must first embrace the abyss..." Suddenly, the chaotic energy stilled, then reversed its course, flowing with an unnatural calm back towards his dantian. The excruciating pain vanished, replaced by an unprecedented sense of clarity and power. A deep, resonant boom echoed silently within his body, as if an invisible barrier had been shattered. He opened his eyes. A dazzling, almost imperceptible light flashed within them before receding. The oppressive aura that had plagued him for years was gone. In its place was a vast, deep, and tranquil spiritual pressure. A slow smile spread across his lips. It held no joy, only a profound, bone-deep coldness. "Finally... the Foundation Establishment realm." He stood up, his movements fluid and effortless. Cracking his neck, he stretched his limbs, his joints popping like firecrackers. The feeling of power coursing through his veins was intoxicating. He reached out, and a long, dark sword materialized in his hand. The blade was simple and unadorned, yet it seemed to devour the light around it. This was the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss (Magic Treasure), a relic from his past life, now finally responding to his call once more. "It's time to pay some old debts," he whispered, his voice as cold as the mountain frost. "The Flaming Cloud Sect... I, Eldrin (Person Name), have returned."