Third Transformation of the Nine Transformations Golden Body Technique

In the blink of an eye, another four years passed.

As early as three and a half years ago, Chu He's cultivation had already reached the peak of the ninth level of the second transformation, touching upon the barrier to the third transformation.

He could have broken through long ago.

But Chu He had not rushed it. Instead, he patiently built up his foundation.

Although his previous breakthrough from the first transformation to the second had gone smoothly, that had only been the first time. It could not represent everything.

So when caution was called for, caution was necessary.

In any case, he had plenty of time. There was no need to hurry.

He had always believed that an extra measure of caution meant one less measure of danger.

In the library pavilion, Chu He also gathered as much information as possible regarding Innate Grandmasters breaking through to the King realm, using it for comparison so that he could be well prepared.

From the records in countless books, he sorted out a crucial piece of information: several hundred years ago, because of a great upheaval, the Xia Clan's Martial Dao Kings had suffered a break in succession. Even now, they had yet to recover, and no new Martial Dao King had emerged.

Those kings whose might shook the world were not true Kings.

They were merely false kings—Half-step Kings.

Combining his own cultivation circumstances, his comprehension of numerous cultivation methods and secret manuals, and his analysis of the Lin Family Ancestor's physical condition, Chu He deduced that these so-called Half-step Kings were malformed products that had strayed onto the wrong path while charging toward the King realm.

As for why this was so, Chu He had yet to begin his own breakthrough, so he could not fully comprehend it.

He guessed that there might be some great and terrible danger during the breakthrough that he did not yet know about.

This was also why Chu He had remained cautious time and again.

Until this very day.

Chu He was completely confident.

Late at night.

Chu He sat cross-legged.

For this breakthrough, he had made ample preparations.

He had considered every possible accident and arranged emergency measures.

Even to ensure that his breakthrough would not be disturbed—

He had laid down numerous measures throughout the entire library pavilion.

This place was now even more perilous than the forbidden grounds of certain Martial Dao holy lands.

Without Chu He's approval, even a Half-step King trying to force their way in would have to leave their life behind here.

The library pavilion now seemed like a tiny world cut away from the mortal realm.

Layers upon layers of formations shrouded it, while one sealed secret technique after another lay poised to strike.

This was to prevent disturbances, and also to guard against the excessive commotion and destructive force his breakthrough might create, lest he accidentally destroy the entire library pavilion.

He still needed to continue signing in here afterward.

The breakthrough began.

Chu He first picked up several Golden Body Sculpting Pills and tossed them into his mouth. The second transformation of the Nine Transformations Golden Body Technique began to shift and circulate toward the third transformation.

In an instant, his flesh let out a bang and swelled up. The clothes on his body shattered inch by inch, revealing smooth skin like white jade beneath, from which specks of golden radiance emanated.

With a crack.

At a certain moment, a patch of skin on Chu He's body was like porcelain flooring struck by a hammer. A fissure appeared upon it and rapidly spread.

This breakthrough was not as smooth as the one from the first transformation to the second.

The first two transformations were merely the foundation.

Breaking through to the third transformation was the process of forging the foundation of the Golden Body.

Once it began, it could not be stopped.

Once it stopped, it meant failure.

Once it failed, his flesh would collapse. At best, he would lose all his cultivation; at worst, his body would collapse on the spot.

Fortunately, the several Golden Body Sculpting Pills he had swallowed before the breakthrough began to take effect. His shattered flesh rapidly regenerated, and his skin was covered in gold, releasing dazzling golden light.

This was not entirely the Golden Body Sculpting Pills' doing. This was itself an inevitable process in advancing from the second transformation to the third, but the Golden Body Sculpting Pills accelerated the forging of the gold and greatly reduced the danger of the process.

Otherwise, without the support of the Golden Body Sculpting Pills' medicinal power, the Golden Body could only be forged at the moment the physical body completely collapsed. That moment would be exceedingly dangerous; one misstep, and life and death would both come to an end.

This tested one's will and foundation to the utmost.

Many people lacked that kind of will. Watching their bodies collapse bit by bit, they might suffer a collapse of mind under the immense pressure at some moment. And without sufficient foundation, they would be unable to successfully reshape their bodies after they had collapsed.

The Golden Body Sculpting Pills existed to accelerate and protect.

No one knew how much time passed. The golden light around Chu He's body grew ever more brilliant, while a heavy sense of power rippled around him. A gravitational field formed with him at its center, and even space began to twist.

Until, at a certain moment, the golden radiance reached its zenith. The entire library pavilion was filled with gold, leaving not the slightest gap.

The Golden Body foundation had been forged.

Chu He opened his eyes. An unimaginable might materialized and shot forth from them. With a boom, it collided with one of the protective formations. This formation, capable of isolating and blocking the full-force attacks of a Half-step King, was instantly shattered. Even its formation plate broke apart. Only when the second formation and three secret techniques activated at once was the terrifying might finally blocked.

From the ninth level of the second transformation to the first level of the third transformation, there was only a single step between them.

Yet one was heaven, and the other earth.

The mere might released after his breakthrough had effortlessly destroyed a formation that he would have needed to attack with all his strength to break before his breakthrough. It was terrifying beyond measure.

Had formations not isolated his breakthrough, the entire library pavilion would likely already have vanished. No... not just that. Even the Lin Family would likely have suffered disaster.

This was only a slight leakage of power during his breakthrough. One could imagine how terrifying it would be if he now attacked with his full strength.

Chu He rose to his feet and stood suspended in the air.

This was the difference between the third transformation and the second. Once the golden foundation of the third transformation was forged, one could cross the void with the physical body.

With a thought from Chu He, the gold faded from his skin, restoring its normal color. The golden radiance filling the library pavilion also slowly dispersed.

"The difference between the second and third transformations is truly enormous!"

Feeling the overflowing power surging within his body, Chu He let out a sigh.

Only at this moment did he feel that he could be considered an expert, that he had barely gained the ability to protect himself in this Great Wilderness World.

But he would not become puffed up, nor was he ready to go out and make waves.

He knew this world was far from simple.

Even the Xia Clan's strongest might amount to nothing among those powerful foreign races.

So he still could not keep a high profile.

He needed to keep his head down and develop quietly.