As Steadfast as a Boulder!

The biggest problem with Demon Beast is their insufficient bloodline foundation and level.

This is the biggest dead end that Shi Pan faces.

He was neither an High Antiquity, exotic species nor did he possess any noble bloodline of dragons or serpents.

He was just an ordinary bear foraging for food in the mountains and forests. fortuitous opportunity chance, he was Enlightenment Shi Jian, who then mentored him and provided him with countless resources.

The innate upper limit of bloodline remains firmly fixed there.

Even with the aid of the Heaven and Earth Qi, and with Shi Jian using his own Essence Blood to cleanse his bones and marrow, strengthening his Root Bone...

But in the end, it was still too difficult.

The sheer weight of the Earth Dao Heaven and Earth Qi exceeded the limits of what his physical body could bear.

Fine cracks appeared on the surface of his bones, and dark red demon blood seeped from his pores, staining his brown fur dark red.

The internal organs begin to fail under immense pressure, and the pathways for the circulation of vital energy are forcibly severed.

His Dao heart trembled.

The intense pain caused Shi Pan's consciousness to become blurred.

Many images flashed before his eyes.

Some were saved by their ancestors in their childhood and were given high hopes by them; others grew up in their youth and worked hard to make progress.

Over the years, he has watched Shi Yin and Kuang Dou rise to prominence one after another, while he himself could only silently guard the mountain gate, feeling frustrated.

Give up.

As long as you give up resistance and let the Heaven and Earth Qi dissipate, everything will be free from pain, and all pain will vanish with the wind.

The moment the thought popped into his head, Shi Pan abruptly extinguished it.

"I, Shi Pan, have no other skills."

"I am not resigned to this! I still want to see the glorious day of my clan. How can I retreat here? Hundreds of years of arduous cultivation and waiting, how can I stop here!"

The Shi Pan let out a low roar, its two front claws digging into the ground, crushing the rock into powder, causing excruciating pain!

His teeth were clenched so tightly they were grinding together, and blood was constantly flowing out.

A sense of madness began to rapidly erode his consciousness.

He forcefully mobilized all the remaining true energy in his body, disregarding the risk of his meridians rupturing, and went against the heavy pressure of the Heaven and Earth Qi to go against the current!

Shi Pan was determined to fight to the bitter end.

Even if you can't bear it, then give your life. Only by seeking the Way through death can you see the Heavenly Light and hope for what you've been searching for all your life!

This almost self-destructive perseverance, on the contrary, resonates with the True Intention of the Earth Dao Heaven and Earth Qi.

A person of great virtue carries all things and is indestructible.

It's unclear how long this continued—perhaps several hours, or even days—but the turbulent Heaven and Earth Qi finally ceased its violent fluctuations and began to completely merge with the Shi Pan's flesh and blood...

This moment.

A Golden Core aura, faintly visible, appeared amidst the heavens and earth. The figure of a brown bear broke through the Yunxiao and stood tall between heaven and earth!

At this moment, Shi Pan's physical body continued to grow taller and larger.

In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a terrifying giant bear, ten zhang in size, bursting out of the cave abode and roaring wantonly on the Boulder Peak, venting its endless rage!

He spat out the Demon Core, and under the scouring of Heaven and Earth Qi Dynamic), the Demon Core cracked open with fissures, and finally, with a "crack," it shattered into countless fragments.

Then, destruction precedes construction.

The shattered fragments of the Demon Core core continuously merged with the Earth Dao Heaven and Earth Qi Dynamic, eventually condensing into a Golden Core, which slowly took shape.

Above it are the illusory reflections of Shan Yue, illuminating the vast sky!

The moment the elixir was completed, the wounds on Shi Pan's body healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the broken bones reconnected, becoming incredibly strong.

Its size increased again, transforming into a terrifying giant bear fifteen zhang tall, exuding the powerful aura of Fifth-Level Demon General.

Shi Pan swallowed the Demon Core, and his Golden Core was instantly formed!

He opened his eyes, exhaled a breath of stale air, which transformed into a gust of wind. Instantly, some plants turned to stone, some earthy air spread, some barren soil became fertile fields, and some land became even more fertile.

Looking at this world, Shi Pan felt that everything was worthwhile.

"I, the Venerable Shi Pan, the Master of the Boulder, have now attained the Golden Core realm, and will protect my Bear Clan's Boulder Line, hence the name: Boulder, to be passed down through generations of my clan."

"Our entire bear clan, from top to bottom, reveres me as our ancestor!"

With a single decree, all was silent.

In the next instant, all the beasts and Demon Beast in the Northern Mountain Range submitted and knelt down, their roars echoing for miles!

The old Daoist priest, Yun Du, had been waiting for a long time.

Seeing that the celestial phenomena had dissipated, he removed the formation and floated to the side of Shi Pan.

At this moment, Shi Pan had already concealed his aura and shrunk to the height of an ordinary person. When he saw Yun Du coming, his attitude was still quite friendly.

"Congratulations, Fellow Shi Pan, on your great achievement today."

"Congratulations! Congratulations!"

Yun Du cupped his hands in greeting, his attitude very proper. A Fifth-Level Demon General, whose status was equal to his, deserved this respect.

Even though this beast was once just a spirit beast under his disciple's command.

But now their identities are different, and their cultivation levels are different.

He doesn't have the guts to put on airs. As a peer, he deserves the respect he is given; that's the basic principle.

Seeing this, Shi Pan nodded and Qi Dao in a deep, muffled voice:

"The host of Cloud Temple is very polite."

"The sect has gone to great lengths these past few years; Abbot, there's no need for such formalities."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Yun Du was about to discuss how to hold a grand celebration to announce that White Cloud Temple had gained another Golden Core warrior when Shi Pan raised his hand to stop him.

"Abbot, let's skip the celebration."

"I hope the sect will not publicize my Core Formation."

Yun Du was taken aback, somewhat puzzled.

In the cultivation world, showing off one's strength is important. The more Golden Core cultivators there are, the greater the sect's deterrent power becomes, and the villains from the Evil Water Marsh will be more likely to behave themselves.

Shi Pan looked at Yun Du, his tone calm but brooking no argument.

"Our king has been too high-profile in his actions abroad, and the accumulated attention over the years has drawn much scrutiny."

"Now that White Cloud Temple is a large and powerful family, it must keep some treasures as its most valuable possessions."

"If I'm out in the open, people will know the true strength of White Cloud Temple. If I'm hidden in the shadows, I can catch anyone off guard if they dare to come knocking."

The fewer people who know about this, the better.

"Apart from you and a few others over at Evil Water Marsh, the people below don't need to know these core secrets."

Upon hearing this, Yun Du felt a chill run down his spine.

This brown bear, which usually looks so honest and docile, has such a deep mind; it even knows how to conceal its strength and not be underestimated.

"Very well, I understand."

"Afterwards, the Boulder Peak was designated a forbidden area by the sect. Without a warrant, no one is allowed to approach. I understand the gravity of the situation."