Chapter 335 : Forging the Golden Core

After storing the Golden Core Formation Pill [a supreme pill that aids in forming a cultivator's Golden Core], the two of them set about refining the Origin Shattering Tribulation Pill [a legendary pill that helps a cultivator shatter the barriers of their origin and survive the heavenly tribulation].

The difficulty of refining this particular batch of Origin Shattering Tribulation Pill was considerable. As it was their first attempt and they lacked extensive experience, the final yield was a mere three pills.

The cost for a single cauldron of Origin Shattering Tribulation Pill typically hovered around five million Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy]. With three pills successfully refined this time, they did not incur a loss and even made a modest profit.

Exquisite Jiang placed them into a jade vial and said with a smile, "The medicinal efficacy of these Origin Shattering Tribulation Pill can be preserved for a century. If stored properly in a fourth-rank treasure vial, it should extend their potency for another full Sixty-Year Cycle [a complete cycle of sixty years, a significant unit of time in fate and cultivation]."

"Indeed."

A flicker of satisfaction passed through Eldrin Chen's eyes. Preserving these three Origin Shattering Tribulation Pill for over a hundred years would provide ample time for him to cultivate to the very threshold of the Golden Core Mid Stage [the middle stage of the Golden Core cultivation realm].

With the Origin Shattering Tribulation Pill complete, he retrieved the Millennium Verdant Origin Mushroom [a spiritual mushroom of verdant origin, aged a thousand years] and declared, "Allow me to take the lead in refining this cauldron of Verdant Origin Creation Pill [a pill that harnesses the creative power of verdant origin]."

Exquisite Jiang nodded in understanding, recognizing that Eldrin Chen was testing the limits of his own alchemical prowess. She then produced the Purple Sun Jade [a rare jade imbued with the essence of the purple sun] and five pieces of Five Elements Treasure Crystal [a crystalline ore containing the balanced essence of the five fundamental elements].

Though this was his first solo attempt at refining a fourth-rank pill, a profound sense of confidence settled within him.

For the Creation Verdant Origin Pill, aside from the primary ingredients—the Creation Verdant Origin Mushroom and the Purple Sun Jade—the preparation of the auxiliary herbs presented little significant challenge. Dive deeper into the Dao at audio . novel . com.

Eldrin Chen spent a mere seven days refining the hundreds of auxiliary herbs and the Five Elements Treasure Crystal into a cauldron of precious liquid [a potent, spiritually-infused fluid used as a base for alchemy].

Processing the Purple Sun Jade and the Creation Verdant Origin Mushroom took longer, yet it was accomplished within a single month.

After more than a month of meticulous work, he had produced a cauldron of precious liquid. Through repeated refinement, he ultimately separated it into five portions of pill liquid [the concentrated spiritual essence ready for final pill formation].

Beside him, Exquisite Jiang watched with pleasant surprise. To extract five portions of pill liquid on a first attempt at a fourth-rank elixir demonstrated a skill in essence extraction rivaling that of a Fourth Rank Mid-Grade alchemist.

Eldrin Chen felt no pride. With a single glance, he employed the Harmony and Union Pill Art to merge two portions of the liquid into the remaining three. Then, he commenced the final stage of pill condensation.

This time, success flowed as naturally as water finding its course. Without major incident, he produced three Creation Verdant Origin Pill in a single breath.

"Success."

Eldrin Chen opened the alchemical cauldron. A smile graced his features as he collected the three Precious Pill that soared into the air.

Exquisite Jiang beside him also revealed a smile, her eyes flashing with delighted surprise. "To produce three pills on your first attempt at a fourth-rank elixir... your alchemical skill is already sufficient to challenge the rank of a Fourth Rank Mid-Grade alchemist," she said.

"It seems your talent is even greater than I imagined."

Exquisite Jiang was a master of Alchemy, Formations, Artifacts, Talismans, her innate talent and comprehension were rare under heaven. In terms of sheer genius, she was not merely unparalleled in the Chu Nation, but could be counted among the very best in the entire Ji Continent Cultivation World.

Yet even she, when it came to genius, felt she could not compare to Eldrin Chen.

His comprehension was simply too astonishing. Whenever he studied something new, a mere glimpse would allow him to grasp the fundamentals. With a little effort, he would achieve mastery. Then, he would begin to perceive flaws in the methods left by his predecessors, gradually developing his own unique insights.

The Alchemy Manual of the Verdant Void Sect recorded the methods for refining hundreds, even thousands, of different elixirs [spiritual pills used for cultivation]. However, due to the differing environments between the Eastern Region Great Wasteland and the Eastern Sea, many of the required Spirit Herb [plants imbued with spiritual energy] could not be found, rendering those recipes obsolete.

Yet Eldrin Chen, applying the principles of primary, secondary, and auxiliary ingredients [a traditional Chinese medical/pharmaceutical concept for balancing a formula], identified numerous substitute Spirit Herb and successfully deduced and restored the recipes for many second and third-rank pills.

This solo refinement of the Creation Verdant Origin Pill was, for Eldrin Chen, both a summation and a validation of his alchemical arts, representing a significant breakthrough.

Having successfully refined a fourth-rank pill, Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang spent another two months, opening the furnace to produce over a dozen batches of Third-Rank Pill before deciding to waste no more time.

The remaining mid and low-grade third-rank pills were plentiful, but no longer required their personal attention.

After completing these tasks, Eldrin Chen and Exquisite Jiang returned directly to Spirit Isle Lake and entered a period of secluded cultivation.

Both had recently made breakthroughs. They also had several Lifebound Magical Treasure [enchanted artifacts bound to a cultivator's life force] that needed advancement, and they needed to gradually digest the accumulated insights from their recent years.

"..."

After returning to Spirit Isle Lake, he dedicated himself to refining his magical treasure [an enchanted artifact used by cultivators] while simultaneously delving into the study and evolution of his own cultivation art [a mystical technique for absorbing and refining spiritual energy].

To advance the 'Five Elements Origin-Returning Scripture', Eldrin Chen began to contemplate and comprehend the Golden Core Realm [the third major stage of cultivation where one forms a solidified golden spiritual core] cultivation manuals he possessed.

Having inherited the legacy of the Verdant Sun Sect and acquired a portion of the accumulated knowledge from the Verdant Void Sect, he was not lacking in Golden Core Realm techniques.

Beyond the few Golden Core arts from the Verdant Sun Sect, the seventeen manuals from the Verdant Void Sect could all lead a cultivator to Golden Core Perfection [the pinnacle of the Golden Core stage]. Furthermore, they encompassed the three major Variant Spiritual Root [innate affinities for specific types of spiritual energy beyond the basic five elements] categories: Polarity [affinity for Yin and Yang energies], Five Elements [affinity for Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth energies], and Wind Ice Thunder [affinity for Wind, Ice, and Lightning energies].

Eldrin Chen first selected five Golden Core Realm Five Elements Cultivation Art. Over the course of three years, he grasped their fundamental principles. Read the full novel exclusively on audio-novel-dot-com.

Another five years were spent to thoroughly digest these five arts, after which he commenced the true work of evolving the Five Elements Origin-Returning Scripture.

The Five Elements Origin-Returning Scripture was composed of five constituent techniques. Eldrin Chen refined them one by one, dedicating five years to advance the Solar Solar Fire Scripture, the Western Pole White Emperor Scripture, the Verdant Emperor Longevity Scripture, and the other two methods to the Golden Core Realm level. Then, he deliberately paused.

This halt was not due to an inability to progress further. Rather, twelve years had passed since the battle at Earth Lion Ridge, and the time had come once more for the Old Patriarch to attempt his breakthrough into the Golden Core Realm.

In Pingyang City, Eldrin Chen personally sought out the Old Patriarch.

The two sat facing each other, their faces alight with joy as they asked, "How are you faring now, Old Granduncle?"

"After thirty years of recuperation, the spiritual power [the vital energy cultivated by practitioners] within my body has now accumulated to a sufficient level."

Clad in black robes, Eternal Profound Chen wore a faint smile at the corners of his eyes. He had first attempted his Golden Core breakthrough around two hundred and seventy years of age, reaching the Pseudo-Core Realm. Now, he was just over three hundred years old.

It could be said the Old Patriarch was now at the peak of his vitality. Using the Golden Core Formation Pill once more, his hope of breaking through to the Forming the Golden Core realm was likely not insignificant.

Thus, this time, the Old Patriarch was truly brimming with confidence, holding ample assurance in his heart.

Seeing the Old Patriarch's brimming confidence, Eldrin Chen said with a smile, "If that is the case, then this time, Old Granduncle is certain to break through to the Golden Core Realm."

Having decided to assault the Golden Core, the two delayed no further.

To increase the certainty of the breakthrough, Eldrin Chen brought the Old Granduncle to Earth Lion Ridge. The abundant spiritual energy [the vital energy that permeates the world and fuels cultivation] here would ensure no risk of energy depletion during his attempt.

After escorting the Old Patriarch to the eye of the Spiritual Vein, Eldrin Chen produced the Golden Core Formation Pill and the Sub-Golden Core Pill. "Using both of these Precious Pill together, Clan Uncle is certain to achieve the Golden Core Realm breakthrough in one fell swoop."

"Let us hope so."

The Old Patriarch took the two Precious Pill [a rare and potent type of cultivation elixir], a smile gracing his features.

The Golden Core Formation Pill could increase one's chances of a Golden Core [the third major realm of cultivation, where one condenses their spiritual energy into a solid, golden core] breakthrough by twenty percent, while the Sub-Golden Core Pill could add another ten percent.

Using both Precious Pill together, combined with his own inherent thirty to forty percent chance of success, meant his overall odds of achieving a Golden Core breakthrough now soared to sixty or seventy percent.

Eternal Profound Chen settled into a meditative posture within the Earth Vein [a concentrated, underground flow of potent earth-attributed spiritual energy], consumed the Golden Core Formation Pill, and began his assault on the Golden Core Realm.

Eldrin Chen did not depart. Instead, he took a seat within the cave abode, settling in to stand guard and protect his kin during this critical juncture. This content originates from audio-novel .c om. Please respect copyright.