Chapter 257

Unlike Qin Ruxue and the other Bright Sons and Wisdom Consorts, Yu Xiang'er, Zhong Lingxiu, and the disciples who had been converted later did not possess a Status. They could only rely on their own efforts.

At the mention of Core Formation, Yu Xiang'er eyes shone like stars.

“Of course I do... Young Master?”

Her voice carried a soft, lingering tone, every word melting into irresistible charm.

“This is a Core Formation Pill, along with a portion of Heavenly Pure Water to serve as your Core Formation spiritual material. You have already reached the peak of Foundation Establishment. Go and prepare yourself properly. When the time comes to break through, I will personally stand guard for you.”

Fang Qing casually tossed over the two treasures.

The Core Formation Pill was one of the leftovers from the batch he had refined for Shi Tiexin of the Blue Sea Sect. Ruan Zhixuan had provided a Five Elements Spirit Fruit, and Fang Qing could reliably produce two pills from each refinement. One had naturally been given to the Blue Sea Sect, while the other had remained in his possession until now.

As for the Core Formation spiritual material, Heavenly Pure Water, it had naturally been one of the rewards from this expedition into the secret realm.

“Thank you, Young Master!”

Yu Xiang'er hands trembled uncontrollably.

Even in the Eastern Sea Cultivation World, countless late and peak Foundation Establishment cultivators risked their lives for years in pursuit of these two treasures required for Core Formation.

Yet all she had done was acknowledge a master, and the treasures had been placed directly into her hands.

For a moment, her gaze toward Fang Qing overflowed with tenderness and affection.

Fang Qing, however, remained unmoved.

His reason for nurturing Yu Xiang'er into a Core Formation cultivator was simply to ensure that when he entered secluded cultivation for his next breakthrough, he would have a stronger protector guarding him.

Within the Minor Huan Sea Cultivation World, the strength of an early Core Formation cultivator was already enough to suppress virtually everything.

Moreover, Yu Xiang'er had long since been converted. Her loyalty was beyond question.

As for Qin Ruxue and the others, none of them had yet reached peak Foundation Establishment. Even though he still possessed another Five Elements Spirit Fruit, there was no way for them to make use of it yet.

...

Verdant Jade Island.

Dahua Fishing Village.

Fang Qing strolled leisurely through the village before stopping in front of an old fisherman's house.

It had once belonged to Old Man Cha.

Now, however, everything had changed.

He stood there silently. Scenes from those distant days resurfaced one after another. Fleeing disaster, awakening the memories of his previous life, activating the Dao-Genesis Pearl, drifting helplessly upon the open sea...

Every memory remained as vivid as though it had happened only yesterday.

'Looking back now, the Dao-Genesis Pearl is clearly deeply connected to the Qi Ingestion world's Heaven and Earth. Otherwise, it would never have brought me to reincarnate here.'

Although nearly a century had passed in a blur, life in the fishing village remained almost unchanged.

The fishermen still put out to sea each day, mended and dried their nets...

Even the greatest event in recent times was still the Sea Dragon King Festival.

'A Minor Huan Sea with simple and honest folk?'

A bitter smile appeared on Fang Qing's lips.

'Well... compared to the cultivators of the Qi Ingestion world, the cultivators within this Grotto Heaven are indeed rather simple.'

Compared to the Esoteric monks crossing eastward, entire armies of hundreds of thousands being annihilated overnight, or the destruction of the Nation of Women, where millions of soldiers and civilians perished.

The Sea Dragon King Festival claimed so few lives that it almost seemed insignificant.

After all, Dahua Fishing Village had merely been a temporary refuge during his mortal years, nothing more than the stepping stone that had carried him into the cultivation world.

After indulging in a brief moment of nostalgia, Fang Qing headed toward the depths of Verdant Jade Island, arriving at the mountain gate of the Blue Sea Sect.

The sect's grand array offered no obstacle whatsoever.

He entered effortlessly and proceeded directly to Pill Island.

Forgetting Sorrows Peak.

Within Pill Island, this peak was considered a forbidden place. Ordinary disciples rarely ventured here.

There were no precious treasures or spirit springs upon the mountain.

Instead, it served as the burial ground for the generations of Pill Island's great alchemy masters.

Holding a jug of clear wine, Fang Qing passed Elder Han's grave before walking toward the resting place of Tianding.

Once the master of Pill Island, Tianding had wielded immense authority and devoted his entire life to the sect. Even in death, his burial place occupied one of the highest positions upon the mountain.

Yet beneath the pine trees before the gravestone stood another figure.

The man appeared middle-aged, with a neatly kept beard and an aura as sharp as an unsheathed blade.

It was Cui Zhe.

“Who dares...”

The moment Cui Zhe noticed someone approaching, he instinctively spread out his divine sense, yet discovered nothing at all. His heart immediately filled with alarm.

Only after recognizing Fang Qing did he hurriedly bow.

“Cui Zhe greets Martial Uncle Fang... Cough, cough...”

The hurried movement aggravated the injuries within his body, causing him to cough several times.

“Martial Nephew Cui... you've come to visit Tianding as well?”

Fang Qing uncorked the wine and slowly poured it before Tianding's gravestone as he spoke casually.

“I recently finished handling matters within the hall and returned to the sect for a visit. I thought I should come pay my respects... After all, the breakthrough pill that allowed me to advance back then was refined by Senior Brother Tianding himself.” Cui Zhe answered softly.

“Time washes everything away like waves sifting sand. Among those of our generation, very few remain alive now. You're injured?”

Fang Qing asked knowingly.

“A short while ago, while pursuing the remnants of the Sea-Destroying Sect, I was careless for a moment...”

Cui Zhe smiled bitterly.

Yet inwardly, he still felt puzzled.

The power behind that water-element spell simply did not seem like something Yu Xiang'er could have unleashed.

“This bottle contains Sweet Dew Spring Water. It can restore one's foundation and heal injuries. Just a few drops will be enough for a full recovery.”

Fang Qing casually tossed over a jade bottle.

The liquid inside had been condensed from the Long-Awaited Sweet Rain divine ability after his Dao Foundation had been completely perfected.

Its effects far surpassed those of the Sweet Rain water he had produced in the past.

“Thank you, Martial Uncle, for such a generous gift.”

Cui Zhe hurriedly accepted it with both hands.

“This is hardly anything.”

Fang Qing chuckled before tossing over another jade bottle.

“This contains a single drop of Earthfire Essence Liquid. It is an excellent Core Formation spiritual material. I see you've already reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, so you should prepare to form your Core as soon as possible.”

Both the Earthfire Essence Liquid and the Heavenly Pure Water had simply been items Fang Qing casually picked up during his previous expedition into the secret realm.

To him, they held little practical value beyond trading for other spiritual resources.

As for why he was giving Cui Zhe a Core Formation spiritual material, the first reason was naturally because Cui Zhe had previously been injured by Fang Qing's own hand.

He felt at least a little embarrassed about that.

“Ah…”

“This… a Core Formation spiritual treasure?”

Cui Zhe's hands trembled uncontrollably.

Though he possessed the temperament of a sword cultivator, years of experience had taught him just how difficult things were for the sect.

Given the meager resources of the Minor Huan Sea, the sect could only accumulate enough materials to produce a single Core Formation resource after several decades, sometimes even a century.

Yet Sect Master Linghu and Shi Tiexin had both attempted to break through to Core Formation before him, and both had failed.

That alone showed how difficult Core Formation truly was.

He was the sect's designated Core Formation seed. Having already reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, and with enough merit accumulated, he would eventually be able to exchange for a Core Formation resource from Ancestor Ruan when the time came.

If this spiritual treasure were added on top of that, his chances of successfully forming a Core Formation would increase dramatically.

Cui Zhe originally wanted to decline politely, but his hand gripped the jade bottle containing Earthfire Essence Liquid so tightly that not a single word would come out.

Such was the immortal path. Cultivators were all alike in this regard.

Had someone presented Fang Qing with a Core Formation spiritual treasure while he was still at Foundation Establishment, he likewise would not have wished to refuse.

“Hehe. Go back and cultivate diligently. I would like a little peace and quiet by myself.”

With a wave of his hand, Fang Qing dismissed Cui Zhe. Standing with his hands clasped behind his back, he silently gazed at Tianding's gravestone.

Giving the spiritual treasure to Cui Zhe was also his way of fulfilling one of Tianding's final wishes. After all, the old man had devoted his entire life to the sect.

“Now that the Blue Sea Sect has become the ruler of the Minor Huan Sea, Senior Brother should be smiling even in the underworld.”

Fang Qing lit three sticks of incense, sighed softly, and descended Forgetting Sorrows Peak.

At the foot of the mountain stood a graceful figure, apparently waiting for quite some time.

“Senior Sister Ruan.”

He cupped his fists in greeting.

The woman possessed delicate features and wore a blue ruqun dress, carrying the gentle elegance of a refined young lady. She was none other than the Blue Sea Sect's ancestor, Ruan Zhixuan.

Her expression as she looked at Fang Qing was filled with disbelief.

“So it really is true... Junior Brother Fang, you've actually reached the middle stage of Core Formation?”

When she first heard the news, Ruan Zhixuan could hardly believe it.

Now that she had seen it with her own eyes, she was utterly shaken.

“It may have something to do with the quality of my Core. After all, I formed a high-grade True Core.”

Fang Qing smiled faintly.

Ruan Zhixuan immediately looked dejected.

She was merely the ancestor of a small sect in this remote place. Back then, simply succeeding in forming a Core Formation had already required exhausting every ounce of effort. How could she possibly have had the luxury of improving the quality of her True Core?

As a result, she had only condensed a lower-grade True Core. That single fact had determined the limits of her entire Dao path. Even reaching the middle stage of Core Formation had become an enormous bottleneck.

“Senior Sister, don't worry too much. Bottlenecks... sometimes they simply disappear when the time comes.”

Fang Qing offered a few words of comfort, but had no intention of acting like a fool by gifting her breakthrough pills.

Cui Zhe was an old friend, and to Fang Qing, a bottle of Earthfire Essence Liquid was hardly worth mentioning.

Ruan Zhixuan, however, was a Core Formation ancestor. The breakthrough pills she needed were just as valuable to Fang Qing himself.

That premium-grade Profound Star Cascade Pill would also be extremely useful when he attempted to break through to the late Core Formation stage.

Fortunately, Ruan Zhixuan understood her own limitations and entertained no unrealistic expectations.

“Junior Brother, have you returned to the sect because of some important matter?”

She could not help but suspect that Fang Qing had greatly increased his strength and intended to seize power.

If that truly were the case...

She would simply have to accept it.

What else could she possibly do?

In any event, Fang Qing was still a disciple of the Blue Sea Sect. The meat would remain in the same pot.

“I merely wished to return and pay my respects.”

Fang Qing smiled calmly.

Back when they first met, he had trembled before this woman.

Now their positions had completely reversed.

It was rather amusing.

His thoughts drifted to former fellow disciples such as Cha Zhu, Wu Longzi, Gong Susu, Hua Lian, and the others.

All of them had long since returned to dust.

'The path of immortality... truly is different.'

For no particular reason, Fang Qing suddenly felt his heart grow much calmer. Even the aura surrounding him seemed to undergo a subtle transformation.

…

Iron Mountain Fort.

After taking command of the Sea-Destroying Alliance, Yu Xianger had followed the principle of the cunning rabbit with three burrows. Using Foundation Establishment Pills, she had fostered not just one, but several Foundation Establishment factions.

Iron Mountain Fort occupied a small island with a second-rank spirit vein, and had now become one of her hidden refuges.

“You've decided to enter seclusion here?”

Inside the cave abode, Fang Qing surveyed the surroundings.

The spiritual qi was somewhat thin, but with the assistance of a Spirit Gathering Array and superior-grade spirit stones, it would be more than adequate.

“That's right... I'll have to trouble you to stand guard for me, Young Master.”

Yu Xianger curtsied gracefully.

“There's no need to be so formal between us. Go ahead. As long as I'm here, you needn't worry about anything.”

Fang Qing waved his hand.

Watching Yu Xianger enter the secluded cultivation chamber, he likewise sat down cross-legged and began cultivating.

His current priority was nurturing the Abstruse Dark Mirror.

By now, he already had an idea.

“As my natal treasure, as long as I'm willing to consume the origin of my True Core, its quality can continue to improve... Furthermore, its intrinsic nature is already extraordinarily high. It merely requires a final push.”

A flash of light appeared in Fang Qing's hand.

A pearl emerged.

It was his external core, the Tide-Birth Pearl.

“The true essence of this external core is still that third-rank superior-grade flood dragon dragon pearl. Which means my Devouring Sea Art should be able to devour it as well. Together with the True Core origin contained within it, if I pour everything into the Abstruse Dark Mirror, it should be enough to elevate my natal treasure to the middle third rank.”

Although doing so was somewhat wasteful, the assistance provided by the Tide-Birth Pearl had gradually become less significant.

Now was the perfect time for it to serve its final purpose.

As for returning it to the sect?

Leaving aside whether he wanted to or not, the Blue Sea Sect already possessed another Tide-Birth Pearl, which was sufficient to preserve its inheritance.

There was no need to gild the lily.

Besides, Fang Qing had already supported Cui Zhe.

If Cui Zhe successfully formed a Core Formation, his strength would far surpass that of a cultivator who relied on an external core to achieve Core Formation.