Chapter Twenty-Three: The Golden Core Takes Shape, Returning in Glory to the Prince's Mansion

The first bolt of heavenly lightning had barely dissipated when the second and third came one after another.

Above, tribulation clouds gathered thicker and thicker. Purple-gold pillars of lightning, like whips wielded by an enraged heavenly god, repeatedly crashed down on Qin De inside the formation. The heavens and earth rumbled, the mountains trembled, and the raging lightning nearly tore the entire valley apart.

Qin De sat in the heart of the formation, not daring to let his attention waver for even a moment.

He drew a deep breath and flipped his wrist. A long saber appeared in a dazzling blaze of spiritual light, its aura imposing—it was the High-Grade Spirit Artifact Yun Ce had prepared especially for him.

The moment the spirit artifact appeared, its pressure swept in every direction.

Qin De poured all his spiritual power into the saber. Golden light blazed along its length, and its radiance shot into the sky as he forcefully cleaved apart and deflected each bolt of heavenly lightning.

The lightning burst into countless arcs of electricity, which flowed slowly along the patterns of the Inverted Bagua Formation. The formation dispersed part of their destructive power, while the rest became pure power of heavenly punishment, tempering Qin De's body and soul.

His flesh, bones, meridians, and dantian...

His mortal body repeatedly broke apart amid the lightning tribulation, then reformed.

With each rebirth, he grew stronger than before and drew closer to the immortal path.

Qin Yu and Feng Yuzi stood guard outside the formation, their hearts in their throats as they watched the figure within without blinking. Only when the fourth bolt crashed down and Qin De cleaved it apart with a single stroke—

Rumble!

The final bolt of heavenly lightning dissipated, the tribulation clouds slowly dispersed, and the sky cleared once more.

Strands of pure sunlight fell, enveloping Qin De.

The aura around him lay still for a moment, then suddenly surged!

His body's strength soared to a level beyond mortal comprehension. His soul seemed bathed in divine light, growing more condensed and translucent. Within his dantian, the Xiantian spiritual energy, once chaotic and unruly, was compressed, gathered, and set spinning by the tempering of the heavenly lightning.

At last—

A golden core, glittering with golden light and perfectly round as a pearl, slowly took shape in his dantian.

The Golden Core stage!

Qin De slowly opened his eyes. A glint of golden light flashed in his pupils, and his aura had been utterly transformed. He had risen above the mortal world and truly stepped onto the path of cultivation.

He had survived the Four-Nine Heavenly Tribulation!

He had successfully formed his core!

From that day on, he was an immortal revered by everyone on the Hidden Dragon Continent!

Qin Yu let out a long breath. The heavy stone in his heart finally fell, and uncontrollable joy spread across his face.

Feng Yuzi was just as delighted, nodding again and again, genuinely happy for Qin De.

The three of them immediately went forward.

"Congratulations, Father! You survived the heavenly tribulation and formed your core. From now on, you've stepped onto the immortal path, with eternal life within reach!" Qin Yu clasped his hands and bowed, his voice brimming with excitement.

Feng Yuzi also bowed solemnly. "Congratulations, Brother Qin. You now hold a place among the immortals and have become another immortal of the Chu Dynasty!"

Yun Ce stood with his hands behind his back, his white robes fluttering. His expression was calm, but a faint smile appeared on his face as he nodded.

"Qin De, you have a steadfast will, and today you had both favorable timing and a favorable location. Your newly formed Golden Core was the natural result. The road of cultivation ahead is long. Just keep advancing."

Each congratulation came from the heart.

Qin De tightened his grip on the High-Grade Spirit Artifact saber, feeling the unprecedented strength coursing through him. His heart surged with emotion. He looked at Yun Ce, Feng Yuzi, and Qin Yu, then clasped his hands and bowed solemnly.

"I survived the tribulation today thanks entirely to Immortal Yun Ce's protection, Fellow Daoist Feng Yuzi's assistance, and Xiao Yu guarding me at my side.

"I, Qin De, will remember this kindness."

"Father, there's no need to be so formal."

"Brother Qin, there's no need for such courtesy."

The life-and-death trial of heavenly tribulation had ended in perfect success.

Yun Ce looked around, confirming that no hidden dangers remained, then spoke calmly.

"Now that things are settled here and the two Golden Core cultivators under Xiang Guang have been eliminated, no one will dare provoke us for the time being. Let's return to the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion first and discuss our next steps."

"Agreed!" Qin De nodded.

Qin De, Qin Yu, Feng Yuzi, and Yun Ce did not linger. They sprang into the air, transformed into streaks of light, and shot through the clouds toward the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion.

The streaks of light crossed the sky as the newly ascended Golden Core immortal returned home in glory.