The Consequences of a Poor Reputation, Breaking Through to Golden Core

[Both directly refused; they still wanted to re-establish the Tianjian Sect.]

[Seeing this, Venerable Tianliang analyzed the situation and advised, "The former Tianjian Sect was too powerful, with over ten Venerables residing in the world at the same time, and Venerable Moon Sword, who could be called the strongest, sweeping across all directions.

It occupied too many resources on Qixia Island and offended too many forces.

The two Demon Venerables of the Black Demon Sect in the Northern Barrens and the eight Demon Venerables of the Seven-Colored Cloud Mountain Range were all beaten into submission by the Tianjian Sect, not daring to step outside their territories at all.

Now that the Tianjian Sect has finally perished, they are unwilling to see it re-established.

If you had the power of Deity Transformation, perhaps there would still be hope of stabilizing the Tianjian Sect, but you are ultimately just a Nascent Soul overlord."]

[True Monarch Mingyang was persuaded. He understood that with his current strength alone, re-establishing the Tianjian Sect was wishful thinking. He would need to achieve Deity Transformation at the very least.

At the same time, he also knew that joining a Deity Transformation-level force offered a greater chance of achieving Deity Transformation himself.]

[He told Venerable Tianliang that he could join the Wuliang Sect for now, but if he ever broke through to Deity Transformation, he would leave the Wuliang Sect and rebuild the Tianjian Sect.]

[Gu Changfeng said, "I'm the same."]

[Venerable Tianliang agreed to their conditions.]

[You hurriedly asked Venerable Tianliang, "What about you?"]

[Venerable Tianliang replied, "No idea. The Wuliang Sect does not accept people who cause trouble and have corrupt morals. You'll have to fend for yourself."]

"What?"

Su Yang was speechless upon seeing this.

As expected, the arrow he had simulated back then had shot himself once again.

Although his enemies were annihilated, his reputation was completely ruined!

[You were helpless. Fortunately, Venerable Mingyang and Gu Changfeng did not completely abandon you. They left you tokens and said that if you encountered any trouble, you could find them at the Wuliang Sect.]

[You left Qijian Lake and arrived at a small city in the central plains, beginning to cultivate alone.]

[Fortunately, the 3 million Spirit Stones you received as compensation back then had not been completely depleted. The resources you purchased were enough for you to reach the Golden Core stage.]

[However, due to a lack of connections, you couldn't buy top-grade pills without impurities, so you could only use high-grade pills to aid your cultivation.]

[Impurities from the pills began to accumulate in your body.]

[At 53 years old, you broke through to Foundation Establishment Layer 7.]

[At 68 years old, you broke through to Foundation Establishment Layer 8.]

[Three years later, several Foundation Establishment cultivators in this small city noticed you.]

[They discovered that you never earned Spirit Stones, yet the Spirit Stones you used to purchase cultivation resources seemed inexhaustible.]

[They harbored malicious intentions towards you.]

[Half a month later, they ambushed you on the road while you were out.]

[One Foundation Establishment Layer 8 cultivator, two Foundation Establishment Layer 7 cultivators, and five mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators attacked you simultaneously.]

[But they didn't expect that due to your exceptional sensing talent, your divine sense range was even greater than theirs, and you had already detected their ambush.]

[Before they could make a move, you simultaneously controlled five top-grade second-tier flying swords and charged at the five mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.]

[In the blink of an eye, you killed all five of them.]

[The remaining three were greatly alarmed and desperately attacked you.]

[But they were still no match for you.]

[Although your cultivation level was similar to theirs, you were a former disciple of the Tianjian Sect, and your foundational spells were incomparable to theirs.]

[You more easily killed the remaining three, and then.]

[You searched their bodies and found their storage bags.]

[You discovered that all the resources combined only amounted to about 140,000 Spirit Stones.]

[You cursed them as poor wretches who dared to act like Marauding Cultivators.]

[You knew that you had attracted attention in this place.]

[You decided to leave this small city and head elsewhere.]

[Three months later, you arrived at a large market town presided over by a Nascent Soul True Monarch.]

[As a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, you were not conspicuous here.]

[But to be safe, you found a disguised profession for yourself: Array Master.]

[You had some talent in formations and had learned them in your youth. Combined with your Foundation Establishment cultivation, you quickly got the hang of it.]

[In just a few months, some of your first-tier array discs had become very popular.]

[Occasionally, some Qi Cultivation families would ask you to set up formations for them.]

[You gained a steady stream of income, which, though not substantial compared to your expenses, was.]

[It successfully managed to mislead others' attention.]

[At 77 years old, you broke through to Foundation Establishment Layer 9.]

``` [Age 90, your magic power at Foundation Establishment Layer 9 has reached its peak, and you can attempt to form a Golden Core.]

[You did not take action.]

[Because you knew your foundation was not deep enough, and your origin not strong enough. While you could form a Golden Core now, the risk would be too great, and the quality of the Golden Core would not be high.]

[You set a deadline for yourself: 58 years.]

[After 58 years, no matter how much you strengthen your origin, you will begin forming your Golden Core. Otherwise, it will affect your cultivation in the Golden Core realm.]

Su Yang nodded as he read this.

Generally, the time to break through to the next realm should not exceed half of one's lifespan in the current realm.

The lifespan for Foundation Establishment is between 200 to 300 years. Those in the late Foundation Establishment stage can expect to live to their lifespan limit. Therefore, one should generally break through to Golden Core before the age of 150.

Otherwise, it will not only affect cultivation in the Golden Core realm but also the success rate of breaking through.

This applies to Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Deity Transformation, and Void Returning.

Only when one reaches the Integration realm, where the physical body and spirit merge, can one's state be fixed at its peak.

There is no need to worry about the success rate of breaking through decreasing due to a decline in lifespan or physical condition.

[While searching for information on the Golden Core formation spiritual item, you began to focus on the three spells learned at the Tianjian Sect to strengthen the body's origin.]

[After years of cultivation, although you have reached minor completion in the origin spells, they are still far inferior to your second-tier sword techniques, which you have practiced to major completion or even perfection.]

[Age 112, you spent 1.23 million Spirit Stones and acquired a low-grade Golden Core Pill.]

[This pill can increase the probability of breaking through from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core by 20%. Even if the breakthrough fails, this pill can help preserve your life.]

[You knew that with your foundation plus the Golden Core Pill, breaking through to Golden Core was practically guaranteed. Yet, you still did not choose to break through.]

[Age 119, your first origin spell reached major completion, and your origin was slightly strengthened.]

[Age 128, your second origin body-refining spell reached major completion, and your origin was slightly strengthened.]

[Age 135, at an auction, you encountered Stone Water Heart, a second-tier spiritual item for strengthening the body's origin. Unfortunately, the price was too high, exceeding 1.5 million Spirit Stones, and your remaining Spirit Stones were insufficient.]

[However, you noticed that the person auctioning the Stone Water Heart was a third-tier alchemist.]

[He announced on the spot that he would refine the Stone Water Heart into pills. If five pills were successfully formed, the excess would be sold for one million Spirit Stones each.]

[You were very excited, but you were out of Spirit Stones.]

[Please choose...]

[1. Sell your fourth-tier top-grade magic treasure flying sword, the Star Sun Sword. (High risk.)]

[2. Seek help from True Monarch Mingyang and Gu Changfeng. (Travel time might be insufficient.)]

[3. Sell your second-tier top-grade magic robe and flying sword. (Barely enough to gather the funds, but unstable if there is bidding.)]

Su Yang pondered the options slightly and quickly made his decision.

"Choose three."

[You sold most of your treasures and magic tools, barely scraping together 1 million Spirit Stones.]

[Two months later, the third-tier alchemist successfully formed five pills. You successfully spent a fortune to purchase one.]

[You consumed the pill, and your body's origin was strengthened.]

[Age 140, one of your second-tier sword techniques successfully broke through its limit, condensing a second-tier Spell Seed. Your foundation was strengthened.]

[Age 145, your third origin spell reached major completion, and your origin was strengthened.]

[You did a rough calculation and realized that there was little time left for any significant breakthroughs.]

[You decided to begin breaking through to Golden Core now.]

[You rented a safe temporary cave dwelling and entered seclusion to break through.]

[Half a year later, you successfully broke through and became a Golden Core True Person.]