Chapter 375 - 363: Core Formation Planning

Chapter 375: Chapter 363: Core Formation Planning

In the stone house, Li Yuan sat at a table. Spread before him were two jade slips and a handwritten notebook.

The jade slip on the left was the archive he had organized after deciphering the Dark Abyss Association’s intelligence, while the one on the right contained the investigation records of the Profound Nether Sub-Palace. The notebook held key excerpts from the fragmented text of the disciple’s journal.

He had laid out the three clues side by side on the table.

First: The core of the Sub-Palace’s fog array. In the center of the massive array that occupied the middle of the grand hall was a fist-sized Jade Bead. The bead’s surface was covered in cracks, its Spiritual Mechanism nearly depleted, yet a bloody energy of unknown origin was continuously pouring into it. At the same time, the array’s own operation was constantly drawing energy from the Jade Bead to sustain the release of the ghostly mist.

Second: The location of the Sub-Palace. The entire grand hall was situated directly beneath the market’s large Spirit Vein, their vertical alignment almost perfectly overlapping. A network of Spiritual Power conduits may have once connected the two, but the conduits had long since fractured and become blocked.

Third: The disciple’s journal. The records written in a panic by a disciple of the Profound Nether Sect—the Sect Master was draining the Spirit Vein to cultivate something in order to break through to the Divinity Transformation realm and ascend.

And the Dark Abyss Association’s intelligence clearly stated that the thing the Primordial Yang Sect and the Evil Slaying Sect were both searching for was called an Earth Element Spiritual Embryo. At the end of the report, four words were noted: "Profound Nether Sect Remnant."

An Earth Element Spiritual Embryo is cultivated by absorbing a Spirit Vein.

The Profound Nether Sect Master was draining a Spirit Vein to cultivate something.

The Sub-Palace’s array is located directly beneath a large Spirit Vein, and its core Jade Bead is being infused with bloody energy.

The three clues pointed in the same direction.

The Jade Bead could be the cultivation medium for the Earth Element Spiritual Embryo, or a part of it. The Spirit Vein’s energy was once channeled downward through the conduit network to power the array, which then funneled the energy into the Jade Bead. The entire system’s purpose was to use the power of the Spirit Vein to nurture whatever was inside the Jade Bead.

But the disciple’s journal said the Sect Master’s goal was to ascend at the Divinity Transformation realm, while the function of an Earth Element Spiritual Embryo is to assist a Golden Core cultivator in achieving Nascent Soul Formation. There’s an entire major realm separating the two, so it doesn’t add up logically.

Either the information in the disciple’s journal was incomplete, or the Earth Element Spiritual Embryo has other, unknown uses.

Li Yuan carved the conclusions of his analysis of the three clues into a new jade slip and sealed it deep within his storage bag.

’There’s still not enough information. Forcing a conclusion will only lead me astray. I’ll set this aside for now and add to it when new clues appear.’

He cleared the jade slips and notebook from the table, closed his eyes, and began circulating his Cultivation Technique.

The cultivation path of the Concentrating Soul-Invoking Skill unfolded within his Sea of Divine Sense.

He had been cultivating this Divine Soul Skill for a long time, its main purpose being to condense and stabilize his Divine Sense. Ever since his five Divine Sense Lines had taken form, his progress in the Concentrating Soul-Invoking Skill had been accelerating—the Divine Sense Lines themselves were a product of extreme control over the Divine Soul, and in turn, they continuously honed the foundation of the skill.

At that moment, the final wisp of the skill’s bottleneck shattered silently within his Sea of Divine Sense.

A panel popped up.

[Concentrating Soul-Invoking Skill: Perfected]

The five Divine Sense Lines vibrated with extreme subtlety for an instant before returning to calm. The borders of his Sea of Divine Sense showed no obvious change, but its inner density had risen to a new level.

Li Yuan opened his eyes, sensing the changes.

The circulation of his Divine Sense was smoother. The multi-threaded parallel control that had once required deliberate concentration now felt almost instinctual.

He didn’t dwell on it for long. Getting up, he walked to the window and gazed toward the market’s main street in the distance.

’It’s time to seriously consider Core Formation.’

Li Yuan sat back down at the table, took out the jade slip containing the Golden Core scriptures, and turned to the pages he had previously marked.

Essence, Qi, and Spirit merge into one to form the core; its grade depends on the degree of fusion and the total amount of the three. Auxiliary methods only affect the success rate, not the quality. Heavenly treasures that improve quality start at a thousand Mid-grade Spirit Stones.

He closed the scriptures and began to calculate in his mind.

’I can choose to increase the difficulty of Core Formation during the Foundation Establishment Stage. The price is a thirty percent reduction in success rate, but the reward is the ability to form a second core after the first Golden Core is complete.’

’If I choose the increased difficulty, I can basically guarantee a Top-grade Golden Core upon successful Core Formation. Since the quality is assured, I won’t have to bother searching for those ridiculously expensive heavenly treasures that improve quality.’

’The only things I need to prepare are auxiliary Spiritual Materials that increase the success rate.’

’The scriptures state it clearly: the difficulty of forming a Golden Core is no less than Foundation Establishment, perhaps even greater. Foundation Establishment has a universal auxiliary pill like the Foundation Establishment Pill, but Core Formation does not. Every cultivator’s Cultivation Technique system, Spiritual Power Attribute, and ratio of essence, qi, and spirit are different. The usable auxiliary methods vary accordingly, so one must find Spiritual Materials suitable for their own situation.’

’However, with my system’s safety net, the backlash from a failed Core Formation attempt won’t be too severe. The worst-case scenario is failure, but it won’t be an irrecoverable disaster like a shattered Dantian and destroyed meridians.’

’I’ll start by collecting a couple of key auxiliary materials and attempt Core Formation. As for whether to increase the difficulty, I’ll decide based on my condition at the time.’

The location for Core Formation was another problem to be solved.

’The most ideal place is the large Spirit Vein beneath the market. The Spirit Vein has abundant energy, I have a bonus affinity for Spirit Veins, and with the Earth Vein Spirit Hub giving me complete control over the underground environment, the conditions are optimal in every way.’

’But the ruins are right above the Spirit Vein, and Primordial Yang Sect disciples are still there, guarding and renovating it.’

’Core Formation usually takes over a month. Even if I can perfectly control my aura, I’ve never tried it, so I can’t guarantee there won’t be any mistakes.’

’No need to rush this. I’ll figure something out.’

After sorting out the general plan for his Core Formation, Li Yuan stood up and walked out of the stone house.

He had gathered all the materials for the embryo of his Lifebound Spiritual Artifact.

Three taels of Profound Iron Essence, half a catty of Flowing Silver Ore, a piece of Soft Jade Marrow, and a portion of Flame Core Sand. The four items were packed in separate jade boxes, neatly arranged in his storage bag.

He headed straight for Ji Huaiyuan’s Artifact Refining shop in the south district.

In the backyard, Ji Huaiyuan was squatting on the ground, tinkering with a small refining furnace from which a faint green smoke was rising.

"I’ve gathered the materials."

Li Yuan placed the four jade boxes on the stone table and opened them one by one.

Ji Huaiyuan put down his work and walked over to the table.

He first picked up the Profound Iron Essence, rubbing it between his fingers and sniffing it. Then he picked up the Flowing Silver Ore, weighed it in his hand, and scratched its surface with a fingernail.

"The quality is good." Ji Huaiyuan nodded after inspecting all four materials in turn. "This will be enough."

He placed the materials back in the jade boxes and looked up at Li Yuan.

"Have you prepared your essence blood?"

"I can provide it now."

Li Yuan raised his right hand and circulated his Spiritual Power, forcing out a drop of essence blood. The bead of blood that seeped from his fingertip was deeper in color than ordinary blood, and a Spiritual Light seemed to flow faintly within it.

Ji Huaiyuan took a palm-sized jade bowl from his sleeve, caught the drop of essence blood, and sealed it with Spiritual Power.

"Essence blood is the spiritual core of a Lifebound Spiritual Artifact. During the refining process, I will integrate it into the internal structure of the artifact embryo. From now on, this artifact will be connected to your mind and will be an extension of your body."

He carefully put away the jade bowl and added another sentence.

"Refining an artifact embryo takes more time than a finished Magical Artifact. A finished artifact is forged once, its functions set in stone. An embryo is different. All of its Spiritual Power channels and material interfaces must be left with room for expansion. Every step requires repeated adjustments. The slightest deviation will make future modifications impossible."

"How long?"

"Fifteen days if I’m fast, twenty if I’m slow." Ji Huaiyuan waved his hand. "Go on, take care of your own business. I’ll let you know when it’s done."

Li Yuan thanked him and left the Artifact Refining shop.

On his way back to the stone house, he passed through the market’s main street. The number of shops lining the street had more than doubled in the last six months, and the density of foot traffic had visibly increased. A long line snaked out from the entrance of the Mingyuan Commerce Association’s branch, and Sun Henian’s talisman shop was packed to the gills.

Li Yuan didn’t linger, heading straight back to the stone house.

He sealed the door and windows and sat cross-legged on a cushion.

’My Lifebound Spiritual Artifact is with Ji Huaiyuan, and I won’t get it back for fifteen to twenty days. This is the perfect time to advance my training in spatial Magic and build up my other Cultivation Techniques.’

He closed his eyes, circulated his Spiritual Power, and sank his Divine Sense into a state of cultivation.

The spatial fissure of a Void-Rending Slash silently tore open and closed before his fingertips, over and over again.