Rongquan's Core Formation

----One month later, Yangming Mountain

The two Clear Stream Tree from Joyful Sight Mountain had only been donated a short time ago, and Yangming Mountain already seemed to have undergone considerable changes.

One could see the mountain peaks shrouded in a thin veil of mist, the summer heat completely washed away by the mountain's Spiritual Qi.

The mountains are covered with sacred trees that form a canopy, their green leaves shimmering with light. Dew-laden grasses hang from the branches, and glistening dewdrops cling to the tips of the leaves, refracting tiny sparkles of light.

The fairy grass grew wildly beside the stone path, its purple stamens exuding fragrance, attracting colorful butterflies to flutter about, leaving specks of fluorescence wherever their wingtips swept across.

The waterfall cascades down the mountaintop like a silver ribbon, and the spray transforms into a refreshing mist that falls on you, cool and pleasant, mingled with the fragrance of grass and trees and a subtle Spiritual Qi.

A few cranes occasionally flitted across the white clouds, their clear cries startling the sparrows in the forest into flight. They flew over the vermilion fruit trees laden with red pearls, making this celestial mountain in the height of summer appear even more ethereal and otherworldly.

Zheng Yuntong, the magistrate of Huangpi Circuit Daonan, hurriedly finished dealing with his urgent tasks before rushing back to Yangming Mountain.

He didn't even have time to greet the younger generation along the way, rushing towards the Jade Peak Grotto-Heaven on Elegant Spirit Peak of Yangming Mountain, hoping that his master Kang Rongquan would soon Core Formation.

Generally speaking, the "grotto-heavens" mentioned by the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty are far inferior to the "grotto-heavens and blessed lands" recorded in ancient Daoist texts.

A True Lord once said that the "Cave Heavens" within the Crimson Heaven Realm all originated from the parts that the Crimson Heaven Realm did not fully integrate and refine when it devoured the Lapis Lazuli Realm.

These fragments of starlight, scattered outwards, may need to be refined in the vast void for an unknown period of time before they can transform into various grotto-heavens of different sizes and qualities.

These scattered grotto-heavens in the Crimson Heaven Realm are either spiritual domains or malevolent realms. Even the realm lord himself may not know their exact number or size.

Just as the founding emperor once said, even a Spirit Transformation True Lord wouldn't dare approach such a powerful grotto-heaven. He had witnessed it when he was cultivating on Bitter Spirit Mountain;

However, if it is an ordinary grotto-heaven, such as the Exalted Cultivator Guanyu Mountain-Viewing cave abode of Guanyu Shangxiu or the Core-Embracing Terrace of the Fei Household's Ye Shui ancestor, one must achieve the Great Perfection of the Golden Core to fully refine it and use it for cultivation;

If one waits another time, one can find a place like Jade Peak Grotto-Heaven in Yangming Mountain, which has been passed down for thousands of years by the Ghost Sword Sect. Even an ordinary Golden Core cultivator can be taken into one's possession.

The Chongming Sect, Sect Leader Kang Da, has always upheld his aspirations, and its disciples are accustomed to establishing the sect through simplicity.

Therefore, over the years, Chongming Sect has accumulated quite a few cave heaven embryos formed from shattered spaces. However, they have been busy stabilizing their territory and rectifying the sect, and have not had time to deal with them carefully.

In recent years, after the external troubles subsided and the affairs of the sect were somewhat settled, Third Master Jiang was finally able to free up his hands.

He disliked mundane affairs, but he knew that the placement of the grotto-heaven was crucial to the sect's long-term development. So he specially set aside two or three years to personally lead the cultivators and worshippers of the Hundred Arts Pavilion to survey the Spirit Veins of Yangming Mountain.

Finally, five locations where Spirit Vein converged and the terrain was stable were selected, and the potential grotto-heavens were placed one by one: some were embedded deep in the belly of the mountain, nourished by the spiritual springs underground; others were built on the peaks and among the clouds, tempered by the high-altitude Gang Qi.

Each place was reinforced with layers of spiritual barriers, and a geomancer was invited to sort out the disordered Spiritual Qi within the grottoes. In the end, the five grottoes, large and small, were properly managed, each with its own unique function.

Some are suitable for storing spiritual materials, their Spiritual Qi condensing like glue; some are suitable for forging Law Artifact, their spiritual energy sharp as a blade; and some are suitable for secluded cultivation to heal injuries, their spiritual essence gentle as a spring.

Of these five grotto-heavens, Jade Peak Grotto-Heaven may not be the most important, but it is distinguished by its exceptionally peaceful and gentle Spirit Vein.

The Spiritual Qi within the cave was neither too fast nor too slow, flowing gently like a stream, without the danger of sudden rises or falls, nor the disturbance of mixed malevolent energy.

When a cultivator enters the inner chamber for cultivation, the Spiritual Qi will flow naturally along the meridians. It will not damage the meridians due to excessive Spiritual Qi, nor will it block the meridians due to excessive Spiritual Qi. It is most suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators to use when breaking through to the Core Formation realm.

After all, Core Formation requires concentration and tranquility; the slightest mistake could destroy the core and lead to death. The peaceful spiritual realm of Jade Peak Grotto-Heaven is the best protection during a breakthrough.

After accumulating enough Merit Points a month or two ago, Kang Rongquan entered Jade Peak Grotto-Heaven alone to verify his Core Formation.

With his master facing such a major event, Zheng Yuntong finally had some free time and thought he should hurry to the outside of the cave to provide protection.

However, as soon as Zheng Yuntong arrived at the place, he saw Elder Liu Ya of the Punishment Hall leading a group of disciples guarding outside Elegant Spirit Peak, looking like strangers should not approach.

Zheng Yuntong certainly didn't consider himself a stranger in front of this senior uncle, so he simply stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Disciple Zheng Yuntong greets Senior Uncle Liu."

"Yuntong's cultivation is truly remarkable. Your progress has been so rapid that even I, your uncle, am somewhat ashamed." Liu Ya first praised him, ignoring Zheng Yuntong's repeated self-deprecating remarks and claims of not daring to admit it, and continued to say to herself:

"Your return has come at just the right time. Whether Senior Brother Kang has successfully Core Formation this time will likely be clear within a few days."

Zheng Yuntong's concern deepened, and he was about to ask to go into the peak to wait when Liu Ya stopped him.

"Uncle Liu?"

"As our sect leader says, it's enough that he, the First Elder, and the Third Elder are waiting outside Jade Peak Grotto-Heaven. Sending so many people won't be of any help; they'll only cause trouble."

Liu Ya, appearing to be following orders, gave a slight bow as a token of apology to Zheng Yuntong. Zheng Yuntong, having no other recourse, could only bow in thanks to Liu Ya again before turning and leaving.

Liu Ya's gaze lingered on the former's retreating figure for a long time, then she murmured to herself:

"This Single Spirit Root is truly enviable. Before we knew it, even Senior Brother Kang's disciple was about to Core Formation. At this rate, he might even surpass Senior Brother Duan."

No wonder Senior Brother Jin is now arguing even more fiercely about most things than before. But if these two, master and disciple, truly achieve their Golden Core one after the other, who knows whether Senior Brother Jin will still be arguing in the future.

Having finally made it back, Zheng Yuntong felt somewhat frustrated that he couldn't protect his master who was about to Golden Core Formation Pill.

After leaving Elegant Spirit Peak, he would not return to Huangpi Circuit Daonan to take up his post, and was preparing to go to the Sutra Repository.

Firstly, he wanted to pay his Shan Yong; secondly, he wanted to see how much Merit Points he still needed to exchange for the Core Formation manuals stored in the sect.

Zheng Yuntong knew that even though Single Spirit Root disciples were still valuable in the sect, he did not believe that the sect would provide all the necessary supplies for free.

It should be understood that sect leaders already favor junior disciples with excellent Spirit Root in terms of resources; to show favoritism in ordinary matters would be too demoralizing.

This was not something that Sect Leader Kang Da, who only possessed Four Spirit Roots, would be happy to see.

After saying goodbye to Liu Ya, Zheng Yuntong descended from Elegant Spirit Peak, the dejection in his heart still lingering like the spiritual mist clinging to his robes.

He walked along the mountain path toward the scripture pavilion, his feet treading on the soft, decaying leaves soaked in spiritual dew. All he could hear were the chirping of spirit birds and the roar of waterfalls, but his mind was filled with thoughts of his master's situation in Jade Peak Grotto-Heaven.

The spiritual barrier is tightly closed; it's unknown whether the Spiritual Qi within is flowing smoothly, or whether Master will encounter any calamities.

After walking for about half an hour, the outline of a gray-blue pavilion appeared in the distance; it was the Sutra Repository.

This pavilion is built against the main peak of Yangming Mountain's Spirit Vein, and its outer walls are inlaid with thumb-sized fragments of spiritual jade, which gleam with a warm blue light under the midsummer sun, as if wrapping the pavilion in a layer of light blue veil;

Twelve bronze bells hang under the eaves of the pavilion, their bodies engraved with ancient patterns for warding off evil and protecting the books. When the wind blows, they make a clear "ding-ling" sound. It is said that the sound of these bells can dispel the gloom in the pavilion and protect the books from dust.

When they were still dozens of steps away, the disciple guarding the pavilion An Yanwang, came to greet them.

An Yanwang a slightly worn blue cloth robe with a sect-issued copper token hanging from his waist, bowed respectfully upon seeing Zheng Yuntong: "Disciple An Yanwang greets Uncle Zheng. What brings you to the Scripture Pavilion today, Uncle? Are you looking for some text?"

An Yanwang was originally an outer disciple. He had been a disciple for sixty years but had not received any formal apprenticeship. It was only because of his good performance in the previous competition that he was chosen as a disciple by Shan Yong, the chief instructor of the Scripture Pavilion.

He knew that Zheng Yuntong was Single Spirit Root cultivator and a personal disciple of Elder Kang Rongquan, who had a very high reputation among the ninth-generation disciples. He spoke with a sense of respect and his expression was extremely respectful and sincere.

Zheng Yuntong raised his hand in a gesture of support, his voice still carrying a lingering somber tone:

"Nephew An, there's no need for such formalities. I've come today to request a few Core Formation manuals." With that, he unfastened his identity token from his waist and handed it over.

This token serves as proof of a disciple's identity, allowing them to check their Merit Points and cultivation records.

An Yanwang accepted the token with both hands, turned around and walked to the spirit mirror next to the pavilion door. This spirit mirror was cast from black iron mixed with spirit crystals, its surface was as smooth as ice, and its edges were engraved with intricate Spirit Gathering Formation patterns.

He affixed the token to the mirror, and the mirror instantly emitted a pale blue halo. Several lines of golden characters gradually emerged from the halo, clearly indicating the crucial missions Zheng Yuntong had completed and the Merit Points he still possessed.

An Yanwang confirmed the number of Merit Points by the superiors before speaking:

"Uncle Zheng has enough Merit Points to exchange for part of the Core Formation Manual, but I don't have time to retrieve the crucial item. Please wait a moment, Uncle Zheng, I will go and fetch it."

An Yanwang held the token and turned to enter the pavilion, while Zheng Yuntong stood outside waiting. Sunlight filtered through the fragments of spirit jade, casting dappled blue light on the ground. The clear sound of the bronze bell, accompanied by the mountain breeze, somewhat eased the frustration in his heart.

His gaze swept over the couplets on either side of the pavilion door. "Containing the mysteries of heaven and earth in simple books, incorporating the spirit of the sun and moon into cinnabar script," the powerful strokes of the calligraphy were, as always, the handwriting of Sect Leader Kang Da had recently taken an increasingly fondness for inscribing calligraphy.

Before long, footsteps were heard inside the pavilion, and An Yanwang led Shan Yong out.

Shan Yong wore a faded gray Daoist robe, his beard and hair were half-white but neatly combed, and he held a yellowed tea classic in his hands, with traces of ink still on his fingertips.

He made a mistake when forming the False Core, but he was unwilling to give up all his previous efforts, so he continued with the mistake. However, as a result, he was unable to add sixty years to his lifespan like a normal False Core.

According to the assessment Attendant Luan by Sect Leader Kang Da, Shan Yong's False Core was barely formed, and he could only live for about 20 to 30 years longer than an ordinary True Cultivator.

However, Shan Yong himself felt no sense of disappointment, after all, he felt that he was already extremely lucky to have achieved the False Core.

If one chooses to abandon the process halfway through the formation of False Core, it may be difficult to accumulate enough Merit Points in this lifetime to request resources from the sect.

To be honest, among the current eighth-generation disciples, those fellow disciples who are trusted by most of their masters, such as Duan Anle and Kang Rongquan, have not yet Core Formation.

In a sense, Shan Yong and Zhu Yunsheng, who also formed False Core, can be considered the best of the current eighth-generation disciples.

From then on, he finally gained some weight among the sect leaders and was worthy of the coveted key positions within the sect, thus sharing some of the pressure with the Kang Rongquan faction, which had few talented members.

Even though it's a pity to cut off this path so early, the fact that a fake Dan Master has emerged in the family is a good thing for Shan Yong and the Fei Yue Shan family behind him.

Outsiders often say that human desires are endless. Disciples like Shan and Zhu are far from being detached from desires, but they can understand the meaning of "giving up something and being willing to let go," which means they have already grasped some of the meaning of the four words "focusing on fundamentals and being pragmatic" that Sect Leader Kang Da often tells his disciples.

In recent years, Shan Yong has been engrossed in his studies, rarely even appearing at sect ceremonies. Zheng Yuntong hadn't seen this senior uncle for many years, so he quickly bowed and paid his respects.

"Disciple Zheng Yuntong greets Martial Uncle Shan."

Shan Yong raised his hand in a gesture of support, his gaze falling on him, and smiled gently, "Yuntong, there's no need for such formalities. Yan Wang just Yanwang that you were looking for the Core Formation Manual, is it because of Senior Brother Kang's seclusion?"

Zheng Yuntong nodded in agreement, "Indeed. My master has been in Jade Peak Grotto-Heaven for a month or two. I was thinking of finding a few manuals to study the key points of Core Formation, so that I would have a better understanding of the subject."

Shan Yong nodded and smiled, then said, "That's only right. You are the most outstanding among us descendants; you should have come long ago."

He paused here, thought for a moment, and then said, "There are not many people in our sect who have reached the Core Formation. Apart from my two senior uncles, Kang and Jiang, there is only the Second Young Master."

If we also include those like Senior Brother Zhu and me, who have willingly degraded ourselves and severed our Dao Path, we can barely make up a group of five."

Having said that, he waved his hand, and two notebooks appeared in his hand, recording his and Zhu Yunsheng's experiences of obtaining False Core. Seeing Zheng Yuntong's slightly surprised expression, he then explained:

"According to the instructions from the sect leader, from now on, all those who break through to the Foundation Establishment and Core Formation realms must have their notes copied and preserved in the Scripture Pavilion. If any newcomer wishes to borrow them, the Merit Points will be split equally between the writer and the Scripture Pavilion, until the writer dies."

I can make the decision for Senior Brother Zhu. Our two False Core notes don't accept Merit Points; you can take them back and skim through them to learn from the lesson. Don't ponder them too deeply, lest you go astray.

Zheng Yuntong had not expected Shan Yong to be so generous. After all, even if the latter had achieved False Core, he had still owed a large sum of money to the Merit Points Hall, and even now he was hardly free. Yet he was willing to give away his Core Formation for free.

Seeing that Zheng Yuntong had bowed deeply, Shan Yong did not take it to heart, and continued to say to the former, "As for the letters written by my two senior masters Kang and Jiang, even if you ask my Senior Martial Uncle Ye for a loan, it would probably not be enough for Merit Points."

In that case, it seems only the one written by the second young master can be redeemed.

However, your master once borrowed it and said that the Second Young Master's path of cultivation is heavily influenced by external forces, which would be difficult for ordinary people to emulate, and it would also be difficult for them to gain much benefit from it.

However, there are also some texts here that have been collected from various sects and factions over the years. However, many of them have incomplete annotations and omissions, so their effectiveness is far less than the original texts.

While there are aspects that can be learned from, examining them closely might be much more difficult and time-consuming. It remains to be seen how you, my junior disciple, will choose.

Zheng Yuntong held the two False Core manuals handed to him by Shan Yong. When his fingertips touched the yellowed pages, he could feel a faint Spiritual Qi remaining on the paper. It seemed that Shan Yong had inadvertently released some of his own cultivation energy onto them when he was copying them.

He looked down at the cover of the notebook. On the left side of the book was written "Lady Shan's False Core Record" and on the right side was "Zhu's Record of the Wrong Path". The handwriting was not neat, but it conveyed a sense of weight and reality. It was obviously the insights that the two of them had recorded after forming False Core.

Zheng Yuntong was pondering Shan Yong's words when he heard the latter suddenly say, "Oh, I almost forgot."

As he spoke, a flash of light appeared at Shan Yong's fingertips, and another radiant Jade Slip flew from the depths of the Scripture Pavilion and slowly landed in his palm.

"This was sent to the Scripture Pavilion by the Madam previously. It was said that Senior Fei Wanqing of the Fei Household was grateful to the Sect Leader for lending her the Core Formation Manual, and thus, in return, gifted it to the pavilion for Double Brightness's disciples to study."

"It's actually Senior Fei Wanqing's Core Formation Manual?!"

"Don't be too happy. As before, it still requires Merit Points to earn, similar to what the Second Young Master 'Core Formation manual requires."

"Then this disciple still prefers the work written by the Second Young Master."

"Yes, since it's decided, let's not hesitate any longer."

At this point, Shan Yong's face was full of satisfaction.

The uncle and nephew had not seen each other for a long time. After discussing official business, they naturally wanted to catch up on some personal matters. Shan Yong led Zheng Yuntong into the tea room, which was small and simply furnished.

Against the wall stood an old wooden table, on which were piled several unorganized scrolls of alchemical texts. In the center was a square wooden table with four rough pottery stools, and the teacups were the most common gray pottery style.

The tea I'm brewing is "Mist Bud Tea," picked from the mountaintop. It's a common and inexpensive product found in the market. As soon as you pour boiling water over it, the buds unfurl in the cup, emitting a faint green hue.

Shan Yong led Zheng Yuntong to sit down and personally poured him a cup of tea. "When your master gave me this tea room back then, he told me to bury fewer books and drink more tea to calm my mind, but I still didn't listen."

He pointed to the Spirit Plant on the corner of the table. "That's the 'Cloud Leaf Sweetgrass' that your master found ten years ago. He said that this sweetgrass can calm the mind and help with studying, and it's most suitable for someone like me who spends all day with books."

But I don't have time to take care of it. Watering it is all a matter of chance. Look at its leaves, they're all grayish-green. It's such a waste for this Spirit Plant."

Zheng Yuntong followed his hand and saw that the cloud-leaf calamus was planted in a celadon pottery basin. Its leaves were long and slender, but they looked rather lifeless, with a bit of dust on the tips. It was far less vibrant than the Spirit Plant elsewhere on Yangming Mountain.

He recalled his master's usual care for Spirit Plant, and a smile appeared on his face. He said, "Master has always loved these calming herbs, but Yuntong is too unfilial, unable to appreciate their refined taste."

"Your master is so meticulous," Shan Yong said, taking a sip of tea and looking at the cloud-leaf calamus with a hint of guilt. "A few days ago, I came across a copy of 'The Record of Spirit Plant Care' and was thinking of loosening the soil for it, but I got busy and forgot again."

Before he could finish speaking, the leaves of the cloud-leaf iris suddenly trembled, as if startled by something.

Zheng Yuntong and Shan Yong both stopped and looked at the ceramic basin. They saw that the originally gray-green leaves were slowly emitting a layer of shimmering white light, and a pale blue flower bud was emerging from the center of the leaf. The flower bud was wrapped in fine spiritual mist, and in an instant, it burst open with a "pop".

The petals, as thin as cicada wings, gleamed with a faint bluish light, and a slightly bitter yet invigorating aroma filled the tea room. Even the misty bud tea in the cup seemed to be made sweeter by this fragrance.

"This..." Shan Yong paused, reaching out to touch the calamus leaf. "I've raised it for ten years, and I've never seen it bloom."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zheng Yuntong noticed a flash of light outside the window and instinctively turned to look.

The thin veil of spiritual mist that had been scattered across the mountains suddenly seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, converging towards Elegant Spirit Peak and condensing into a cyan-gold band of light in the air. At the end of the band, towards Jade Peak Grotto-Heaven, a faint golden phantom was faintly visible, dazzling the eyes in the sunlight.

Before the two could think it through, a deep, resonant bell rang out from outside the tea room, its sound penetrating the mountain breeze and the chirping of birds, causing the pages of the tea manual on the table to tremble slightly.

The Chongming Sect Auspicious Event Bell of Emperor Chongmingzong had only been cast recently, yet it was already ringing loudly.

At this moment, the bell tolled one after another, nine times in a row, each sound clearer than the last, as if to spread the good news to every inch of Yangming Mountain.

Shan Yong stood up, his gaze fixed intently on the direction of Elegant Spirit Peak, forgetting to put down his teacup. "Nine Spirit-Suppressing Bell signify that the elder Core Formation! Your master... he's done it!"

Zheng Yuntong felt a sudden surge of warmth in his heart, and the frustration and worries that had been weighing on his mind vanished instantly in a wave of elation.

He clutched the notebook in his arms, his knuckles turning white. As he stood up, he knocked over the rough pottery stool behind him, but he didn't bother to catch it. He just stared at Shan Yong and asked in a trembling voice, "Uncle Shan, is it really true that Master has achieved Core Formation?"

"No mistake!" Shan Yong patted his shoulder with a smile, pointing to the gathering spiritual mist outside the window and the character "Dan" in the air. "The blooming of the cloud-leaf calamus attracts spiritual energy, and the nine tolls of the Spirit-Suppressing Bell herald auspicious news. This is a double auspicious sign! Hurry up and go to Elegant Spirit Peak. Don't forget to share some of your reward with your uncle."

Zheng Yuntong quickly and carefully tucked the note on the table into his robes, then bowed deeply to Shan Yong: "Thank you very much, Uncle-Master Shan! I will come to express my gratitude again another day!"

After speaking, Zheng Yuntong turned and strode out of the pavilion. The hem of his blue robe swept across the threshold, creating Gust of Wind that caused a few petals of the cloud-leaf calamus in the tea room to drift out and land on his clothes, as if they were covered with a layer of fine, auspicious light.

When Zheng Yuntong walked out of the Sutra Repository, the echo of the Spirit-Suppressing Bell still reverberated in the mountains, and the pale golden phantom characters still hung above Elegant Spirit Peak. Even the waterfalls in the mountains seemed to be stirred up by the bell's sound, splashing water even higher, with a faint Golden Light enveloping the mist.

The magpie circled around the band of light, and the cranes cried out in the clouds. The entire summer of Yangming Mountain was filled with a vibrant joy because of this happy event of the Core Formation.

The height of summer on Yangming Mountain seems to be made even more serene and lively by the Core Formation at Kang Rongquan.

The Sect Leader Kang Da, who was waiting outside Jade Peak Grotto-Heaven, felt a sense of satisfaction. Even the usually serious Third Master Jiang couldn't suppress his smile and his eyes crinkled.

However, while everyone in the Chongming Sect was rejoicing, a sense of oppression, indescribable, was pervasive in the Fei Household mansion far away in Phoenix Cry Prefecture.

At this moment, Fei Tianqin's sharp eyes were filled with a fierce aura, and when he swept over the Fei Household's Golden Core in the hall, almost none of them dared to raise their heads.

"My lads, the time has come. There is no turning back this time; you cannot afford to be weak in the slightest! We will soon receive news from Ying Prefecture, and then we will take action. The rise and fall of our clan truly hinges on this battle—this is no exaggeration!"

"As the ancestor commands!!"