Eternal Life Begins with Learning

Chapter 413: Chapter 380: Immortal Golden Core

The next day.

It was just past midnight, and the True Understanding Pavilion had few customers. Only a few attendants were on duty in the first-floor shop. In contrast, the second floor, usually closed off, was now a hive of activity.

The second floor was spacious. The main hall looked no different from a typical exchange meet venue.

Chang Er led a group of attendants, meticulously inspecting every corner of the second floor. Spirit Wine, Spirit Tea, Spiritual Food, and pastries were all exquisitely arranged on the tables.

Chu Mu sat in a side hall on the second floor, completely engrossed in a Jade Scroll.

He remained lost in the Jade Scroll until Chang Er, having completed preparations for the customary exchange meet, came to give his report. Only then did Chu Mu slowly pull his attention away.

"Go down and get ready. Greet the guests properly when they arrive. You must not be negligent."

It was a rare occasion for Chu Mu to add such a reminder.

"I understand."

Chang Er quickly agreed. Even if he were a hundred times bolder, he wouldn’t dare be careless about this.

The guests attending the True Understanding Pavilion’s exchange meet were all influential figures in the city!

If he were to cause any delays, he would be utterly finished.

Chu Mu nodded, gesturing for Chang Er to leave.

He glanced around briefly before looking away.

Ever since the True Understanding Pavilion was established and he had made a name for himself in Chixia, this exchange meet had naturally and logically come into being.

Centered around him, a large group of acquainted Cultivators would gather once a year, each seeking to trade for what they needed.

It was, in essence, a network centered around him. People came and went, but over the years, the number of Cultivators attending the True Understanding Pavilion’s exchange meet had only grown.

It was still early, so Chu Mu continued to leisurely browse the Jade Scroll. The scroll contained the Great Sun Scripture, a technique he had inherited from the Immortal Dao Sect.

As of now, with his Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivation, he could only perceive the Great Sun Scripture’s Cultivation Technique from the Qi Cultivation Chapter up to the Golden Core Chapter. Anything beyond that was blocked by a barrier, impossible for him to glimpse.

’However, this seems to be a good thing. At least it proves that the Great Sun Scripture has a complete cultivation heritage beyond the Golden Core Realm.’

’For a long time to come, I won’t have to worry about finding a Cultivation Technique.’

’Of course, that’s assuming I can reach those higher levels. Otherwise, even if this Great Sun Scripture is a direct path to the Immortal Gods, I can only look at it in vain.’

Just like now, he had read the Great Sun Scripture Golden Core Chapter word by word countless times, but his gains were still minimal.

Different realms and levels naturally came with different Divine Powers.

He had never reached the Golden Core Realm, nor had he obtained any ancient texts or Jade Scrolls about it. Relying solely on the Cultivation Technique’s description, he really couldn’t glean much useful information.

His only gain, perhaps, was a slight understanding of the Golden Core Realm.

"All are but ants below the Golden Core." This saying was by no means an exaggeration.

In the Cultivation Immortal Realm, there is a saying: "A single Golden Core determines immortality." This refers to the special nature of the Golden Core Realm.

The Golden Core cultivated during the Golden Core Stage is formed by using the human body as a cauldron, treating the Essence and Qi within as Spirit Medicine, and smelting them with a Divine Flame.

Ultimately, this process condenses one’s Essence, Qi, and Spirit into a formless yet tangible, intangible yet material... Golden Core.

In the Cultivation Immortal Realm, this Golden Core is also known as an "Immortal Embryo."

The meaning of "Immortal Embryo" alludes to Breaking the Core to Form the Infant—the Nascent Soul existence that stands at the very pinnacle of the Cultivation Immortal Realm.

Below the Golden Core, whether in the Qi Cultivation Realm or the Foundation Establishment Realm, one’s Essence, Qi, and Spirit all act independently. Although they support each other, they never truly merge.

But upon reaching the Golden Core, a Golden Core is condensed, the Immortal Embryo takes shape, and one’s Essence, Qi, and Spirit undergo an initial fusion. The terrifying Divine Power this grants goes without saying.

’But obviously, there’s a very serious problem here.’

’The condensation of the Golden Core originates from one’s Essence, Qi, and Spirit.’

’In other words, the stronger one’s Essence, Qi, and Spirit are before condensing the Golden Core, the stronger the resulting Golden Core will be.’

’If one’s Essence, Qi, and Spirit are average, the condensed Golden Core will naturally be average as well.’

As he pondered, Chu Mu suddenly raised his hand and swiped. A Flaming Blade appeared, and a faint Sword Intent began to flow from it.

As his Magical Power circulated and his Divine Sense surged, the surrounding heat and Sword Intent intensified bit by bit. If Chu Mu hadn’t deliberately suppressed the terrifying aura, it probably would have been enough to obliterate the True Understanding Pavilion in an instant.

The Human Sword Unity Technique lasted for only a moment. Under the immense strain, Chu Mu’s face became visibly pale. Veins bulged on his forehead as beads of sweat appeared.

Soon, the blade vanished, the flames dissipated, and the swirling Sword Intent instantly returned to his Sea of Consciousness.

Chu Mu let out a long breath and rubbed his forehead, his brows tightly furrowed.

His self-created Human Sword Unity Divine Technique was just a temporary fusion of his Essence, Qi, and Spirit. The massive consumption and pressure were almost too much for him to bear, even with his profound Cultivation, which far surpassed others at his level.

’And that was just a temporary fusion of Essence, Qi, and Spirit. A complete fusion would be...’

"The stronger one’s Essence, Qi, and Spirit, the stronger the condensed Golden Core, but also, the greater the difficulty in condensing it..."

A rough yet clear deduction had already formed in his mind.

Having reached this conclusion, Chu Mu didn’t know whether to be happy or worried. His Essence, Qi, and Spirit, tempered by both his Sword Intent and the Great Sun True Flame, were far stronger than those of other Cultivators at the same realm!

Although it wasn’t a matter of being several times stronger... his Essence, Qi, and Spirit were at least fifty percent stronger than a normal Cultivator’s at the same realm!

This also meant that the difficulty for him to condense a Golden Core would be much greater than for an ordinary Cultivator of the same realm.

And with his Pseudo Spirit Root aptitude, he already had no advantages when it came to condensing a Golden Core.

Chu Mu picked up his teacup, pondered for a moment, then set it down. Using his finger as a brush and the tea as ink, he made a light motion. A few powerful words immediately appeared on the tabletop.

"Immortal Embryo Pill, Ten Thousand Yang Liquid, Deep Sea Musk."

He stared at the tabletop, his gaze flickering.

These three Spiritual Objects were extremely famous in the Vast Sea Cultivation Immortal World as aids for breaking through to the Golden Core Realm.

The Immortal Embryo Pill, as its name suggests, was an Elixir for forming the Immortal Embryo.

Its Pill Recipe was unknown. It was said that the pill was created by an ancestor of the Chen Family and had remained their top secret for tens of thousands of years. The rare Immortal Embryo Pill that appeared on the outside would invariably cause a bloodbath, attracting countless cultivators on the verge of reaching the Golden Core—and even Golden Core True Masters—to fight over it. It could be called a Holy Medicine for assisting the breakthrough to the Golden Core.

As for the Ten Thousand Yang Liquid, it was rumored to come from the depths of the Outer Sea, a special Spiritual Object formed in a place where water and fire met. It also had a powerful supportive effect for Cultivators condensing a Golden Core.

The Deep Sea Musk was said to originate from the seabed, hundreds of li deep in the Vast Sea. It was a substance condensed from the breath of a special Deep Sea Deer Demon Beast, then nurtured by the unique environment of the Deep Sea before it could take form as a special Spiritual Object.

When burned, the fragrance it produced could calm the mind, quiet the heart, and suppress Heart Demons.

When a Cultivator breaks through to the Golden Core, aside from the great hurdle of condensing the Golden Core itself, there is another trial: the invasion of a Heart Demon. If one’s state of mind falters, even if the Golden Core is successfully condensed, it will all be for naught.

They would become a madman, possessing the power of a Golden Core but having lost their sanity.

As the saying goes, rarity creates value. In this Cultivation Immortal Realm, even Tier Two items were already rare in the various Marketplaces.

The rarity and value of a sacred object like the Immortal Embryo Pill, which could help one achieve the Golden Core, naturally went without saying.

Despite his many years in Chixia, and even with his boundless prestige in recent years, he had never managed to acquire any of them.

’Of course, the more likely reason is that the benefits I’ve offered still aren’t enough to make the major powers part with such a rare treasure...’

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