Core Formation
Two years later.
Four streaks of light pierced the sky and landed at the entrance to the mining area, revealing the figures of four guardians.
The great array in the mining area rippled with spiritual light. Chen Cheng stepped out from within and greeted them warmly, "Why have all the garrison commanders come today?"
"Fellow Daoist, you are truly asking a question you already know the answer to!"
"This mine has been closed for two years. My ancestor has repeatedly sent messages, inquiring about the reason. Fellow Daoist Chen Jin Ri must give us an explanation!"
"Is the sect leader breaking through to the Golden Core stage by entering the mine?"
"We wish to pay a personal visit to the shop owner; please inform him, Fellow Daoist Chen!"
"..."
Chen Cheng still wore a smile on his face, "What are you all doing? The mine closure is only to eliminate potential hazards and widen the mine tunnels to facilitate future mining. Such a large-scale project cannot be completed in a short time. Please be patient and wait until the mining area..."
Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly felt a gentle breeze, followed by a strong wind and a terrifying pressure coming from behind him.
Chen Cheng turned around abruptly and saw that a surge of Spiritual Qi energy had formed above the mining area, sweeping up the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi like a tornado and pouring it down to a certain place below.
"This..."
Chen Cheng was slightly taken aback, then his face lit up with ecstasy. He had long guessed that the mine owner Danyangzi, might be closing the mine to break through to the Golden Core stage. Now, seeing such a celestial phenomenon, he must be breaking through to the Golden Core stage.
"Spiritual Qi energy tides... This is a phenomenon that can only occur when breaking through to the Golden Core!"
"The sect leader is actually breaking through to the Golden Core stage!"
"Unexpectedly, I have such fortuitous opportunity to observe the Core Formation stage up close..."
"..."
The guardians of the four major Golden Core forces who had originally come to demand an explanation all changed color at this moment. Then, beams of light carrying messages flew into the distance. Naturally, they had to inform their sects immediately about such a major event as the formation of the Golden Core.
Inside the spirit mine.
Fang Yu put the last ' Golden Core Formation Pill ' into his mouth and focused his Divine Sense on his Dantian.
The liquid Law Power in his Dantian had condensed into a pill the size of a fist, covered with mysterious runes, with flames flowing continuously within the lines of those runes.
'Freeze!'
Fang Yu's Divine Sense, like an invisible hand, relentlessly compressed the pill, causing it to shrink and solidify, making the runes on its surface increasingly clear and inward-looking.
After an unknown amount of time, the pill was compressed to the size of a longan. Suddenly, mysterious runes lit up, and cracks appeared on the surface of the pill before it fell off, revealing a smooth, mirror-like inner Inner Core with flames burning inside.
Boom!
Fang Yu felt as if a thunderclap had sounded, and the detached cinnabar skin transformed into boundless Law Power, surging out from his Dantian and flowing through all the meridians of his body.
The excruciating pain, akin to being slowly sliced to death, contorted Fang Yu's face, and his body trembled incessantly as his meridians shattered.
'As long as I survive the meridian reshaping process after the core is formed, I will have successfully formed my core!'
Fang Yu clenched his teeth, focused his Divine Sense, and absorbed a massive amount of Spiritual Qi to repair the meridians that had been torn apart by the Law Power the Golden Core.
Under the medicinal power of the ' Golden Core Formation Pill ', the massive amount of Spiritual Qi, and the guidance of Fang Yu's Divine Sense, his meridians rapidly recovered, were then damaged, and recovered again.
It's unclear how much time passed or how many times he recovered, but Fang Yu's meridians became increasingly resilient with each destruction and restoration, until they allowed the Golden Core level Law Power to flow freely.
Suddenly, Fang Yu opened his eyes, and a red lotus appeared in his eyes. He grinned and said:
"I've succeeded, Daoist Master!"
Outside the spirit mine.
The gale gradually subsided, and the Spiritual Qi that had enveloped the world slowly dissipated, restoring clarity to the world once more.
Chen Cheng, Zhuang Xian who had been alerted and rushed over, and the other guards all wore solemn expressions, their thoughts wavering, and they all had only one thought in their minds:
'Did it work?'
"Boom!"
Suddenly, a loud bang rang out, and the Spirit Mine Mountain Range split open from the middle, as if an earth dragon had turned over. Countless rocks tumbled down and crumbled, and beams of red light carrying terrifying heat shot out from the cracks in the mountain, burning the rocks to ashes, which then gathered in the air to form a huge red lotus.
Then a figure emerged above the red lotus, revealing a young man whose aura had clearly reached the Golden Core level.
"Greetings, Ancestor Danyang!"
Congratulations, Ancestor, on Golden Core Formation Pill!
Chen Cheng and Zhuang Xian's voices rang out almost simultaneously, both with expressions of ecstatic joy. The fact that the sect leader had achieved Core Formation was absolutely fantastic news for them.
Congratulations to Ancestor Danyang!
"..."
The other four guards, having recovered by this time, offered their congratulations, their expressions complex.
Following the successful formation of the Golden Core by Daoist Thousand Insects, another Golden Core Ancestor has emerged in the Western Extremity. This signifies the rise of yet another Golden Core Core-level power, especially since this individual is also proficient in arrays, alchemy, artifacts, and talismans.
They seized the spirit mine of Autumn Moon Mountain when they were in the Foundation Establishment. Now that they have reached the Core Formation stage, why would they take 20%? If a conflict breaks out, these guards will probably be the first to suffer.
As if seeing through their worries, the Ancestor Danyang spoke in their ears:
"Now that I have achieved the Golden Core stage, all directions should come to offer their congratulations. You four may each return to your respective sects and inform your Golden Core ancestors that you will each contribute one-tenth of the spirit ore as a congratulatory gift!"
As soon as Fang Yu finished speaking, the four guards bowed and replied, assuring them that they would definitely deliver the message. Then they quickly set off on their escape routes, not daring to delay for even a moment.
Just as they feared, Ancestor Danyang, having just formed his core, wanted to take back 10%, aiming to monopolize 60% and leave only 10% for the four major Golden Core forces. He truly had no shame whatsoever.
After dismissing the guards from the four Golden Core factions, Fang Yu gradually concealed his aura and then descended.
Chen Cheng and Zhuang Xian immediately stepped forward and showered him with compliments.
"Come with me!"
Fang Yu gave a speech and headed towards the cave abode dwelling. The two followed him. Once cave abode, Fang Yu sat down in the main seat and then looked at the two of them, saying:
"The Autumn Moon Mountain Spirit Mine is ruined!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Cheng and Zhuang Xian's joyful expressions froze, and they exclaimed in surprise, "Ah..."
"Alas!" Fang Yu sighed, "After I formed my core, I used my Divine Sense to probe the spirit mine, only to find that it had been almost completely mined out, and the reserves were nearly exhausted. Furthermore, because of my core formation, the Spiritual Qi in the mine had been almost completely absorbed, so..."
Zhuang Xian said urgently, "Wherever the Ancestor wishes to go, my Zhuang Household will follow him to the death!"
Chen Cheng quickly added, "Me too!"
Fang Yu slowly shook his head and said, "The Western Extremity is barren, and all the third-tier Spirit Vein are occupied by others. Although I have already formed my core, I have no place to cultivate. If I were to launch an attack, it would surely attract the siege of the four major Golden Core forces. Therefore, I have decided to leave the Western Extremity and go to the Eastern Lands. It is said that the place is extremely rich and fortuitous opportunity. I have long yearned for it for a long time. However, to go to the Eastern Lands, one must cross the Land of Severed Spiritual Qi, so I cannot take you with me."
Fang Yu then said with a hint of apology, "You have followed me for many years, so I will naturally not treat you unfairly. You will each receive twenty percent of the spirit ore stored in the treasury. Take your people and leave."
"Ancestor..."
Zhuang Xian was deeply shaken upon hearing this. He wanted to say something, but couldn't utter a word. He could only add in his mind, "..."
"... What a cruel heart! Now that you've reached the Core Formation stage, you're just running away. What will become of my Zhuang Household? If the four major Golden Core forces of the Western Extremity find out you've escaped, how could they possibly let my Zhuang Household off the hook? Alas..."