Breakthrough to the Core Formation Realm

The Royal Mausoleum was the burial place of the Spirit King's Manor's direct descendants, and hardly anyone ever came here.

The entire Royal Tomb Mountain Range was maintained with immaculate care and had a majestic air, its trees forming a shady canopy. With no people around, it felt rather chilly and gloomy whenever the wind blew.

"The Royal Mausoleum is spotless, with layers upon layers of formations and restrictions that keep out even dust. It doesn't need cleaning, much less a cripple like me to guard it."

"It seems Madam Wang really was wary of the original owner of this body."

Ling Yun climbed the steps and finally reached the summit of the mountain range.

A great tomb came into view. It had clearly been repaired many times, and since it stood on the summit in ample sunlight, it lacked that gloomy air.

"Tomb of Ling Tian, the Primordial Spirit King Duke."

Ling Yun read the words aloud without thinking.

The first Spirit King had been a powerhouse at Dao Palace Realm Perfection, with a long lifespan that could reach a thousand years. Even so, he had long since passed away and become a mound of yellow earth.

"Evil cultivators emerging into the world are truly terrifying."

Ling Yun recalled the descriptions of the chaotic age a thousand years ago in the original owner's memories.

Ten million corpses had floated on the waters, and blood had flowed deep enough to float oars.

The first Spirit King had slain who knew how many evil cultivators in that great war, yet in the end, he had still perished, his Dao extinguished.

Now, lush trees shaded the grounds outside the first Spirit King's tomb. Several roofed pavilions had been built there, and a grove of green bamboo made for splendid scenery.

Instead of returning to the little house, Ling Yun sat cross-legged in a small pavilion and practiced breathing and cultivation.

There was no other reason: he had happened to notice that the Spiritual Qi on this summit was much denser than elsewhere. He assumed it was because this was the core of the great formation, the hub through which spiritual power circulated.

Gradually, Ling Yun entered a state of deep cultivation, a dense presence spreading from his body.

As time passed, the presence Ling Yun emitted reached perfection.

Ling Yun felt as though the sound of a stream came from every limb and bone in his body—that was his Spiritual Yuan, filled to the very limit, flowing through his meridians.

With every full cycle of Spiritual Yuan through his body, the oppressive force Ling Yun emanated grew stronger.

In Ling Yun's dantian, his Spiritual Yuan had even become like a vast sea, seemingly inexhaustible.

For three days straight, Ling Yun continually refined his cultivation. His mind was immersed in it, oblivious to the passage of time as he tempered himself again and again.

Now, at some unknown point, that sea of Spiritual Yuan in Ling Yun's dantian had shrunk into a small spiritual spring!

Even calling it a spiritual spring was not quite accurate. In his dantian, the Spiritual Yuan had become incomparably viscous, like spiritual milk.

At last, a tremendously powerful force swept through Ling Yun's body and converged on his dantian!

There, the Spiritual Yuan, already dense to the extreme, was enveloped by this force and compressed further, until it slowly condensed into a golden core blazing with golden light!

He had reached the Core Formation Realm!

In an instant, Ling Yun's presence surged to an entirely new level. Its powerful force swept across a thousand zhang around him, and fierce winds sent leaves falling from the trees of the Royal Mausoleum and tall bamboo stalks clashing against one another.

Ling Yun slowly opened his eyes, and a brilliant golden light flashed through them before vanishing.

"I did it!"

Ling Yun rose to his feet, unable to suppress a cry of delight. He clenched his fists, and as he felt the unprecedented power within him, he could not help laughing from the bottom of his heart.

At the same time, the system's notification sounded once more.

[Congratulations to the host on successfully breaking through in cultivation. The host's current status panel is as follows:]

[Host: Ling Yun]

[Talent: Suppressing all ages-Immortal Physique of Myriad Daos!]

[Cultivation: Core Formation Realm]

[Divine abilities: Wind-Slaying Slash, Ten Thousand Layers of Saber Aura, Flying Sword Technique!]

[Weapon: Three-Inch Flying Immortal (sixth-tier supreme grade)]

"The Core Formation Realm really is beyond comparison with the Essence Condensation Realm. This is the first realm of transformation for a cultivator! Spiritual Yuan condenses to its utmost and transforms into a golden core in one stroke. From this day forth, I have set foot on the path of cultivation, and need only look to the road ahead!"

Only after a long while did Ling Yun's surging emotions subside, and he could not resist looking inward at the golden core in his dantian.

"It looks tiny, but it contains almost all my cultivation. It's truly wondrous."

Ling Yun marveled.

Reading any number of novels could not compare to experiencing it firsthand. The feeling of wielding the power of cultivation was truly full of endless mysteries.

A smile on his lips, Ling Yun did not linger over the feeling. He turned his hand and took out the Three-Inch Flying Immortal.

Five delicate little flying swords hovered in midair, reflecting a chilling light in the sun.

"Let's try again. Controlling the Sword with Qi!"

His expression serious, Ling Yun began practicing with his explosively increased power.

"Flying Sword Technique!"

He called out inwardly, pouring all his cultivation into the Three-Inch Flying Immortal. At once, the five flying swords flickered with pale sword light several zhang long!

"Hum-"

The five flying swords pierced the air and flew through the Royal Tomb Mountain Range, like nimble swimming fish, or flying immortals riding sword light.

Wherever the sword light passed, fierce gales howled and Sword Qi raged, creating a terrifying sight.

"As expected of sixth-tier Dharma artifacts and a sixth-tier divine ability!"

"Used together, their killing power is hard to counter!"

At last, Ling Yun recalled the flying swords, his face full of satisfaction.

With his Core Formation Realm cultivation to support him, Ling Yun could finally use the simplified version of the Flying Sword Technique—Controlling the Sword with Qi—perfectly, without worrying that his Spiritual Yuan would run out in an instant.

"Even if I keep using it, I can last a quarter of an hour! And the Flying Sword Technique is all about speed, ruthlessness, and accuracy, killing in a single strike. There's no need for me to keep the flying swords active the whole time."

Ling Yun pondered this.

It's just that the range isn't wide enough, and it's far less flexible than Controlling the Sword with Spirit.

After a while, Ling Yun shook his head, feeling some regret.

If he used the Flying Sword Technique with a Primordial Spirit Realm cultivation, death could strike anywhere his spiritual sense reached! The flying swords could attack anywhere within a radius of dozens of li.

Ling Yun studied the flying swords' blades, thin as cicada wings, and murmured to himself, "There's no rush. Things are just right as they are. Only by taking one step at a time can I forge a road to the heavens."

"One day, my Flying Sword Technique will truly let me sit here and slay an enemy a thousand li away!"

After putting away the flying swords, Ling Yun entered meditation again to consolidate the presence of his newly achieved breakthrough, which was still somewhat unstable and leaking out.

In his dantian, the golden core radiated brilliant spiritual light, sending out layers of Spiritual Yuan and drawing in and breathing out the breath of cultivation.

The sun sank in the west, its fading crimson light like blood.

The soft glow of the evening clouds shone over Ling Yun, and all was tranquil.

His eyelashes trembled slightly, and Ling Yun finally emerged from cultivation.

"All right, my cultivation has finally stabilized."

Only now could he truly be considered a Core Formation Realm cultivator!

"At last, I have some power to protect myself."

Ling Yun could not help breathing a sigh of relief. The tension that had unwittingly gripped him before eased somewhat.

The strongest person in the entire manor was only his father, the Spirit King. He was also the only Primordial Spirit Realm powerhouse in the manor.

But the Spirit King was now asleep, and the other elders, guest retainers, uncles, and royal relatives were at most at Core Formation Realm Perfection.

"As long as they're still in the Core Formation Realm, they can't hurt me!"

At that moment, Ling Yun could not help feeling a surge of confidence, though it vanished as quickly as it came.

I still need to be cautious! I need to keep a low profile!

Ling Yun could not help warning himself inwardly.

At last, the daylight faded completely, and night fell.

Only then did Ling Yun remember that he had forgotten something.

He had not checked in yet!

He slapped his forehead, thinking that he had been so absorbed in cultivation that he had actually forgotten his cheat.

"System, I want to check in!"

Full of anticipation, Ling Yun shouted inwardly.

[Ding-congratulations to the host on successfully checking in at the Royal Mausoleum!]

[Check-in reward: one talisman-making gift pack!]

"Is it finally time to start on the Talisman Dao Great Emperor's inheritance?"