Essence Core Realm

That very day.

The news that Lin Fan had slain Yue Shan and Wei Tong, and destroyed the Blood Wolf Gang and the Bloodcloth Sect, spread at an astonishing speed.

For a time, it shook all of Flame City.

Although factions were wiped out in Flame City every day, those that fell were only minor powers.

A top faction like the Blood Wolf Gang usually only declined after a very, very long period, when its leader died.

Yet this time, Lin Fan had broken that convention, causing a change among Flame City's three top factions.

The one that replaced the Blood Wolf Gang was naturally the Lin Family of Qingyang Town.

Although the Lin Family did not have many experts, as long as Lin Fan existed, no one could take the Lin Family's place.

The name "Lin Fan" also began to become the subject on everyone's lips.

As time passed, more information about Lin Fan began to be dug up.

For example, just a few months ago, Lin Fan had only been an Earthly Yuan Realm martial artist.

He had once relied on his Earthly Yuan Realm Middle Stage cultivation to face a Heavenly Yuan Realm expert head-on, and when he was at the peak of the Earthly Yuan Realm, he had slain a peak Heavenly Yuan Realm enemy with a single strike of his sword.

Another example was that when he purchased goods at the Rare Goods Pavilion, Master Yan had taken the initiative to step forward and accept him as a disciple—only for him to outright reject Master Yan.

The spread of this news made Lin Fan into a legend of Flame City.

Lin Fan knew nothing about what was happening outside.

At present, he was in closed-door cultivation in his room, preparing to break through to the Lesser Essence Core Realm.

Only once he reached the Lesser Essence Core Realm would he possess the power to rival the Form Creation Realm.

Inside the quiet room, powerful energy fluctuations rippled through the air. Lin Fan sat cross-legged on the bed, and streams of Yuan Power visible to the naked eye coiled around him like mist.

At this moment, within Lin Fan's dantian, the Yuan Power mass had already occupied the vast majority of the space. This Yuan Power mass was divided into two completely different attributes.

The yin and yang attributes, which had originally always repelled each other, were now beginning to constantly merge together under the wrapping of that Yuan Power.

"Splash, splash~"

As the Yuan Power mass spun, the vigorous Yuan Power within it actually gave off a crisp sound like flowing water. Wisps of damp energy mist began to drift out from within.

The Yuan Power mass spun faster and faster, and the merging speed of the Yin Yang Energy within it likewise grew faster and faster.

Yin Yang Convergence, condensing the Essence Core—this was precisely the most crucial step of the Essence Core Realm!

And as the Yuan Power mass spun wildly, the Yuan Power within it began to decrease at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Of course, this Yuan Power had not disappeared. Instead, all of it had transformed into energy moisture.

Unlike ordinary Yuan Power attributes, this energy moisture perfectly contained Yin Yang Energy.

Once the Essence Core was successfully condensed, this Yin Yang Energy would transform into Pure Yuan Hardening Qi, an energy even stronger than ordinary Yuan Power.

Before long, the Yuan Power inside the Yuan Power mass was exhausted amid this high-speed rotation.

"Buzz!"

At that moment, the Yin Yang Pearl that Lin Fan had kept inside the Spirit Stealing Array finally began to take effect.

A vast amount of pure Yin Yang Energy continuously poured into Lin Fan's dantian like a flood, then transformed once more into energy moisture.

"Bang!"

Under this seemingly endless absorption, Lin Fan's Yin Yang Pearl ultimately exploded with a thunderous burst.

At this moment, Lin Fan's dantian was already completely filled with energy moisture.

"Spin!"

With a thought from Lin Fan, the Yuan Power mass began to spin rapidly in the opposite direction.

In an instant, a powerful suction force emerged, and the energy moisture immediately swarmed back into the mass. Under the high-speed rotation, it transformed into liquid energy.

"Condense!"

When all the energy moisture had turned into liquid, Lin Fan's hand seal suddenly changed, and an invisible mighty force appeared out of thin air, acting upon the Yuan Power mass.

A short while later, a perfectly round Essence Core appeared within Lin Fan's dantian.

An indescribably powerful feeling spread out from his dantian and diffused through every part of his body.

At present, Lin Fan had finally broken through to the Lesser Essence Core Realm!

Only after entering this realm could one be considered to have truly stepped onto the threshold of cultivation.

"Buzz!"

Lin Fan's eyes suddenly snapped open, and two sharp gleams shot out like lightning. Only after a long while did they fade away.

"Phew!"

Lin Fan slowly breathed out a mouthful of white air. His lips parted slightly, and a pill drifted out.

This was the Essence Core Lin Fan had condensed. Its color was not milky white; instead, it gave off a faint golden glow.

Most crucially, on the surface of the Yuan Pellet were nine extremely tiny star patterns!

Of course, eight of the star patterns were very clear, while the last one was somewhat faint.

This meant the Yuan Pellet Lin Fan had condensed had barely stepped into the ranks of the highest-grade Nine-Star Yuan Pellet.

Lin Fan knew this was all thanks to the Yin Yang Pearl.

After all, the energy of the Pill Immortal Pool alone was enough to help someone condense a Six Star Yuan Pellet.

Without the Yin Yang Pearl, he would never have been able to condense such a powerful Yuan Pellet.

With his cultivation broken through, Lin Fan felt that the power of his Divine Sense had also improved.

The current Lin Fan's Divine Sense was already infinitely close to the level of a Three-Seal Talisman Master. All he needed was an opportunity, and he would be able to step into the ranks of the Three-Seal.

After breaking through to the Lesser Essence Core Realm, Lin Fan walked out of his room.

Because he had the Yin Yang Pearl and did not need the Yuan Power between heaven and earth, when he broke through to the Essence Core Realm, no Yuan Power vortex appeared at all, so naturally, no one knew about his breakthrough.

Just as he walked out of the courtyard, Lin Fan saw Lin Dong, Qing Tan, and four Flame Python Tigers playing around.

After being fed for so long, the three young Flame Python Tigers had long since grown to be no smaller than their mother.

In particular, the weakest cub from back then had, under Lin Dong's meticulous care, fully recovered long ago, and was even stronger than its siblings.

Having read the original work, Lin Fan knew that the weakest cub was actually a mutated demonic beast.

Such mutated demonic beasts were extremely rare and possessed enormous potential. Even the Heavenly Demon Marten envied their talent.

Of course, because Lin Fan was rather lazy, and because he had a good relationship with Lin Dong, he had not gone to snatch the mutated Flame Python Tiger Xiao Yan.

"Roar!"

Seeing Lin Fan appear, all four Flame Python Tigers let out low growls, as if welcoming his arrival.

"Lin Fan Bro!"

When Qing Tan saw who had come, she spread her arms and ran straight toward Lin Fan.

Lin Fan caught Qing Tan, spun her around a few times on the spot, then said, "Not bad, girl. You're already at the Heavenly Yuan Realm Late Stage now."

Rubbing Qing Tan's head, Lin Fan thought, It's about time to go to the Ancient Tomb Mansion and look for an extremely yin-attributed spiritual herb to help Qing Tan break through to the Essence Core Realm.

If Qing Tan's Calamity Demon Physique could not condense a Yin Core, then at most, she would only live to eighteen.

"Lin Fan Bro, I'm already at the Heavenly Yuan Realm now too!"

Lin Dong spoke with a smile.

"Not bad. Both of you are doing well."

Lin Fan nodded. With a flip of his right hand, a jade bottle appeared in his grasp.

"Whoosh!"

Lin Fan tossed the jade bottle to Lin Dong and said, "This is for you."

"Lin Fan Bro, what is this?"

Lin Dong asked curiously.

"This is a Yin Yang Pearl!"

Lin Fan explained, "Once you cultivate to the Heavenly Yuan Realm Late Stage, you'll be able to rely on this pearl to break through to the Lesser Essence Core Realm. When that time comes, the Yuan Pellet you condense will at least be eight-star."

"What?"

Hearing Lin Fan's words, Lin Dong was simply stunned.

An eight-star Yuan Pellet was only one star away from a Nine-Star Yuan Pellet.

Even in the entire Great Yan Dynasty, there were not many people capable of condensing a Yuan Pellet of this level.

Lin Dong took a deep breath, shook his head, and said, "Lin Fan Bro, this is far too precious!"

Lin Fan smiled faintly and said, "Take it. I've already broken through to the Lesser Essence Core Realm!"

"You're still the fastest, Lin Fan Bro!"

Lin Dong and Qing Tan immediately cried out in shock.