Chapter 318 : The Core of Creation

If a Golden Core [the third major stage of cultivation, where spiritual energy condenses into a solid, seed-like core] is not nourished by the power of Creation [the primordial creative force that gives birth to all things], it is akin to an undernourished embryo. Even if its cultivation base grows, it will lack spiritual vitality, making it difficult in the future to gestate and give birth to an Infant Soul [the nascent spiritual form that emerges from a perfected Golden Core].

Just as the Vital Essence, Energy, and Spirit [the three foundational treasures of a cultivator: physical vitality, life energy, and spiritual essence] of a Violet Sanctum Cultivator [a cultivator at the second major stage, who has opened their spiritual sea] must be perfectly harmonized, a cultivator's Golden Core must be brimming with Creation to reach the threshold for attempting the breakthrough to Infant Soul.

After obtaining the Spiritual Peach [a mystical fruit that greatly enhances cultivation and longevity], Exquisite Jiang and Eldrin Chen remained at Spirit Isle Lake to enter secluded cultivation and refine the fourth-rank Spiritual Peach.

She was not far from breaking through to the Golden Core Mid Stage [the middle phase of the Golden Core realm]. After refining one Heaven and Earth Spiritual Peach [a supreme-grade Spiritual Peach containing immense heaven and earth spiritual energy], her cultivation base finally reached perfection, touching the threshold of the Golden Core 4th Tier [the fourth layer of the Golden Core realm, equivalent to the mid-stage].

This brought a look of joy to her face. Typically, a cultivator with Dual Spiritual Root [an affinity for two of the five elemental spiritual energies] would require one Sixty-Year Cycle [a complete cycle of sixty years] to cultivate through a single layer of cultivation within the Golden Core Realm.

Exquisite Jiang now possessed Five Spiritual Roots [affinity for all five elemental spiritual energies] and had forged five Lifebound Magical Treasure [magical artifacts bound to one's life force and cultivation], which naturally slowed her cultivation speed considerably.

If she did not have the Supreme Lunar Immortal Body [a rare and powerful innate constitution attuned to lunar energies], it might have taken her two centuries to break through a single layer. However, with the Supreme Lunar Immortal Body and the Fire Spirit Fruit Tree [a spiritual tree bearing fruits that enhance cultivation speed] accelerating her progress, she could achieve a breakthrough every four or five decades.

Compared to most Golden Core Cultivator who lacked sufficient resources and might not break through a layer in a century—some even becoming stuck at the Golden Core Mid Stage bottleneck for two Sixty-Year Cycle—her speed was considered remarkably swift.

Now, with the aid of the Spiritual Peach, she estimated she could break through a cultivation layer every thirty years. By this calculation, she would likely touch the threshold of Infant Soul in another two centuries or so.

Returning to the main thread, after Exquisite Jiang refined the Spiritual Peach and her cultivation base became perfectly rounded and flawless, she promptly consumed an Origin Shattering Tribulation Pill [a powerful elixir that aids in shattering bottlenecks during major breakthroughs] and smoothly advanced to the Golden Core Mid Stage. Original English translation available at audio-novel . com.

He then began the dual task of advancing his Lifebound Magical Treasure while simultaneously standing guard for Eldrin Chen as he entered secluded cultivation.

After consuming the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Peach, Eldrin Chen instantly felt a vast and potent energy surge into his being.

The energy contained within a fourth-rank Heaven and Earth Spiritual Peach was extraordinary. Even a cultivator at the Great Perfection of Violet Sanctum would find it difficult to refine, marking it as a treasure truly meant for the Golden Core Realm.

Fortunately, Eldrin Chen's spiritual sense, physical body, and the purity of his mana had all reached the threshold of the Golden Core realm, allowing him to meet the prerequisite for refining such a treasure ahead of schedule.

After spending a full seven years, having refined only half of the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Peach's power, his mana had already become perfectly harmonious and flawless, reaching the absolute limit his current vessel could contain.

"Now is the time,"

"to seize this momentum and break through."

Sensing the burgeoning power within him, Eldrin Chen murmured to himself.

To avoid wasting a single drop of the precious Heaven and Earth Spiritual Peach's energy, Eldrin Chen began channeling its remaining power to assault the barrier of the Forming the Golden Core realm.

He gathered all his mana, drawing it from every meridian throughout his body, and focused it into his Elixir Field [the core energy center within a cultivator's body].

He sank his spiritual sense into his Elixir Field [the core energy center within a cultivator's body] and marshaled his vast, peerless magical power. Like a great whale drawing in the sea, this energy surged into the depths of his Elixir Field.

Under his precise control, the boundless magical power erupted with a hazy, five-colored radiance. It spun relentlessly at the very center of his Elixir Field, gradually coalescing into a single, infinitesimal point of light.

That point of light blazed with unparalleled brilliance, resembling a nascent Stellar [a celestial body or a core of immense energy, often used as a metaphor for a cultivator's foundation] in its frenzied rotation. It voraciously devoured the magical power from his Elixir Field, forming a dazzling, swirling halo of light.

Eldrin Chen could not help but marvel inwardly. The spectacle of condensing a Golden Core [the solidified core of a cultivator's power, marking a major advancement] bore an uncanny resemblance to the birth of a primordial star in his previous life's understanding.

Suppressing these wandering thoughts, he continuously channeled his magical power, forcing that brilliant point to spin ever faster, drawing in energy with an unrelenting hunger.

This process continued unabated for an entire month. Finally, all the magical power within his body converged, solidifying into a single, ethereal Golden Core.

"The Pseudo-Core Realm."

Eldrin Chen's eyes flickered, a look of intense focus settling upon his features.

For many cultivators, reaching the Pseudo-Core Realm [a transitional state where the Golden Core is formed but not yet fully solidified] in a single attempt without external aids was a significant challenge. Yet, given the profound depth of his own foundation, this step was not difficult for him.

The true trial lay ahead: transforming this Pseudo-Core Realm state from ethereal to tangible, forging a genuine, unshakable Golden Core in one continuous breakthrough.

Generally speaking, this step is extremely perilous. After reaching the Pseudo-Core Realm, the spiritual energy [the vital force cultivated by practitioners] within most cultivators is already insufficient, and their spiritual sense [a cultivator's extended perception] and physical body have reached their limits.

In truth, after reaching this stage, a cultivator's Vital Essence, Energy, and Spirit [the three foundational treasures of a cultivator: life force, spiritual energy, and soul essence] are severely depleted, requiring a full Sixty-Year Cycle of recuperation to recover.

The greatest marvel of the Golden Core Formation Pill, besides assisting in condensing the Golden Core [the solidified core of spiritual energy marking a major breakthrough], lies in stabilizing and nourishing the internal Vital Essence, Energy, and Spirit, thereby drastically shortening this recovery period.

However, the price of failing a Golden Core breakthrough attempt using a Golden Core Formation Pill is also significant. Even if one manages to enter the Pseudo-Core Realm, their foundational vitality will be grievously wounded, necessitating three decades of rest to heal.

Furthermore, after using a Golden Core Formation Pill, the three treasures of Vital Essence, Energy, and Spirit within the body become biased towards a gentler nature. While this tamer spiritual energy is easier to control for condensing the Golden Core Formation Pill, the resulting Golden Core loses some of its inherent dominance and purity, ultimately limiting its quality to only an Lower-Tier Golden Core.

Eldrin Chen's spiritual energy was vast and exceptionally pure. Although he had condensed a Pseudo-Core Realm, his reserves of energy, vital essence, and spiritual sense remained abundant. For uninterrupted reading, go to @udio-novel.com.

He had tempered his energy with five Fourth-Rank Lifebound Magical Treasure [enchanted artifacts bound to a cultivator's life force], so his spiritual power lacked the instability common to most cultivators at this stage. In terms of purity alone, it already rivaled that of a true Golden Core Cultivator.

Now, as he continued to channel his spiritual energy, merging it into the illusory Golden Core, the Pseudo-Core Realm within him grew increasingly solid and tangible.

Time lost all meaning. Within his dantian [the core energy center in a cultivator's body], the nascent Golden Core devoured the last vestiges of his spiritual energy. That final wisp of power merged into it, acting like the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back and triggering a staggering metamorphosis.

In that moment, the convergence of that supremely refined spiritual energy gave birth to a self-sustaining, self-contained force—a power that bound itself into an unbreakable whole.

In that instant, they converged upon a single point. Within his Elixir Field [the core energy center within a cultivator's body], the basketball-sized Golden Core [the solidified essence of a cultivator's power, representing the Golden Core realm] began to spin wildly and shrink, while the quality of his spiritual energy instantly grew more refined and condensed.

Reaching this stage signified a successful breakthrough. The Golden Core had now irreversibly taken form, making any further mishap nearly impossible.

Once the Golden Core had established its own self-contained structure, the next step was the transformation of spiritual energy—a process that would be considerably more prolonged.

Eldrin Chen spent two months in this state. Only when the Golden Core within him, shimmering with Five-Colored Immortal Light [a radiant, multicolored light signifying supreme purity and potential], had fully solidified did a smile of profound satisfaction finally grace his features.

He expelled the Golden Core from within his body. It hung suspended before him as he continuously drew spiritual energy from the Spiritual Vein [a subterranean channel rich in ambient spiritual energy], replenishing the core's radiant power.

He continued until the Golden Core achieved a state of flawless, seamless perfection. Then, with a final exhalation, he breathed out a wisp of Primordial Chaos Violet Aura [the most primordial and potent form of spiritual energy, tinged with violet]. The Great Encompassing Golden Core [a Golden Core of the highest, most perfect grade] blazed with brilliant light, its surface shimmering faintly with an Innate Spiritual Radiance [a natural, divine glow indicating supreme quality].

"At last, it is complete."

Gazing upon the perfected Great Encompassing Golden Core before him, Eldrin Chen could not contain his joy.

Standing nearby, Exquisite Jiang spoke with palpable excitement. "Forging this Innate Great Encompassing Golden Core [a supreme-grade Golden Core formed from one's innate potential] means that from this day forward, we shall surely ascend to immortality together."

Eldrin Chen nodded, reaching out to take Exquisite Jiang's hand in his. "Yes. From now on, we walk this path side by side. One day, without a doubt, we will both attain the Dao and become Immortals."

In the sky, the Tribulation Cloud [a dense, ominous cloud formation that heralds the arrival of a heavenly tribulation] began to gather. Under such circumstances, it was clearly not the time for lengthy discussion.

Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow slightly before speaking. "Conceal this breakthrough for me. It would be wiser to keep this advancement hidden for now."

"Understood."

Well-prepared, Exquisite Jiang raised her hand. The Cultivable Earth Kun Origin Disk [a formation disk artifact embodying the principles of earth and the mythical Kun] activated, its intricate array patterns enveloping the void. It completely sealed off the surrounding several hundred Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] of heaven and earth, obscuring the profound mysteries unfolding within Spirit Isle Lake from prying eyes.

After her breakthrough to the Golden Core Mid Stage [the middle stage of the Golden Core cultivation realm, where the cultivator's core solidifies further], the first magical treasure [an enchanted artifact used by cultivators] she had elevated was precisely this Cultivable Earth Kun Origin Disk.

This artifact was a Formation Artifact [a type of magical treasure specifically designed to deploy and power formations], a magical treasure possessing wondrous uses such as defense, suppression, and spatial sealing. It could lock down space and suppress Formation [structured arrays of power used for attack, defense, or cultivation]. Having been promoted to the Fourth Rank Superior Grade [the highest grade within the Fourth Rank of magical treasures], its power and efficacy had become truly extraordinary. For the best reading experience, visit audio–novel.com.