[Hundreds of miles away, you took the essence soul of the Young Master of Mount Baimo from Xiao Hei's beak and conveniently performed Soul Searching on him.]
[Now that the Nine Heavens Clear Wind had fallen into your hands, you naturally wouldn't give the Young Master of Mount Baimo the chance to publicly announce his family's possession of this Nascent Soul formation spiritual item, unlike in the third simulation.]
[Otherwise, if the matter were traced back to you, you would still have to explain yourself, even if it wouldn't cause any major trouble.]
[ 'He was the only one in that aura-sealing secret room...' ]
[Through Soul Searching the Young Master of Mount Baimo, you also learned of the secret room's existence.]
[ 'Are there any surviving Mount Baimo clan members who know about the Nine Heavens Clear Wind...?' ]
[Using the remnant soul of the Young Master of Mount Baimo as a medium, you began your Divination.]
[ 'There are none.' ]
[A moment later, you gave a slight nod.]
[Using the essence blood and remnant soul of a clan member as a Divination medium could slightly reduce the difficulty of divining someone of the same bloodline.]
[This was also why you were unwilling to leave behind any blood descendants or publicly reveal your relationship with the Zhou family.]
[For you, the fewer bonds you had, the easier it would be to "cash in on your reputation" in your twilight years.]
[ 'Time to go back.' ]
[You swept the battlefield one last time, erasing all traces of your involvement along with the tracks left by that demonic cultivator squad, before returning to Profound King Island.]
[Two months later, you successfully returned to Profound King Island.]
[As for the Gold Cores belonging to the two demonic path true persons, you casually fed them to Xiao Hei.]
[In the eyes of a monster beast, the Gold Core of a true person was a highly nourishing tonic that could push their cultivation forward.]
[Those two demonic path Gold Cores were of little use to you, but they were enough to push Xiao Hei into the Tier-3 mid-stage.]
[Before this, Xiao Hei had already swallowed the Gold Cores of True Person Dongsha and True Person Wangyou.]
[ 'Once Xiao Hei steps into the Tier-3 mid-stage, I'll feed him True Person Biyue's Gold Core. That should push him straight to the peak of the mid-stage, or perhaps even the Tier-3 late-stage!' ]
[You thought to yourself.]
[True Person Biyue was a Late-Stage Great True Person of the Core Formation Stage. The energy contained within her Gold Core far exceeded the digestion limits of Xiao Hei, who was currently only at the Tier-3 early-stage.]
[ 'Once Xiao Hei reaches the Tier-3 late-stage, I can essentially start looking for a buyer...' ]
[You calculated inwardly.]
[A Tier-3 late-stage great demon could serve as a sect-guarding beast even for factions like the Golden Sword Sect and Hundred Flowers Valley, bridging the gap in their strength should they ever face a generational break in Late-Stage Great True Persons.]
[Given the rarity of a Tier-3 late-stage great demon, trading him for a Nascent Soul formation spiritual item shouldn't be difficult.]
[Of course, you knew your limits. At best, it would only fetch an ordinary Nascent Soul formation spiritual item like the Nine Heavens Clear Wind.]
[ 'It's a pity. With the limits of an Earth Grade bloodline, stepping into Tier 3 is already a stroke of immense luck. Hoping to break into Tier 4 and become a Monster King on par with a true lord?' ]
[You shook your head secretly, not even entertaining the thought.]
[Among monster beasts, bloodlines were highly valued.]
[Among human cultivators, if one encountered incredible opportunities and possessed profound karmic luck, there were rare precedents of even those with a Medium Golden Core advancing to become a Nascent Soul True Monarch.]
[Although a Flawless Gold Core was heralded as the seed of a Nascent Soul, it didn't mean cores of other qualities had absolutely zero chance of breaking into the Nascent Soul Stage.]
[Theoretically, with enough external support, even someone with a Low-Grade Gold Core had a glimmer of hope to cultivate to the Late Core Formation Stage and the Core Formation Perfection Stage, and then make an attempt at the Nascent Soul.]
[But for monster beasts? The innate shackles of their bloodlines were practically insurmountable.]
[For Xiao Hei to ascend to a Tier-4 Monster King, his bloodline would first need to undergo a qualitative mutation and evolve to the Heaven Grade. But that was even more impossible.]
[Year 95: You are 111 years old.]
[You learned that the Jiang Family Patriarch had mostly recovered from his injuries. He furiously condemned the vile actions of True Person Chishe and issued a bounty on him in the name of the Jiang Family.]
[ 'It won't do much good...' ]
[You shook your head slightly, not very optimistic about it.]
[True Person Chishe already had a warrant on his head from the Zixiao Domain.]
[If he were that easy to deal with, could he have survived this long?]
[You speculated that True Person Chishe was either hiding his true strength—surpassing an ordinary Late-Stage Great True Person—or he possessed other life-saving trump cards. Otherwise, he couldn't have remained at large for so long.]
[Whether in the Zixiao Domain or the Taiyuan Region, anyone on their wanted lists could be killed to claim a handsome reward.]
[You attempted to locate True Person Chishe using your Divination arts, but found the heavenly secrets obscured.]
[You shared no karmic connection with True Person Chishe. Furthermore, as a Late-Stage Great True Person, he most likely carried a heavenly secret wondrous item to ward off Divination.]
[Trying to divine him out of thin air without any medium was naturally extremely difficult.]
[You had no intention of burning your lifespan to divine True Person Chishe.]
[Mainly because the payoff was uncertain.]
[Year 96: You are 112 years old.]
[Your puppetry skill finally reached the Tier-3 mid-grade.]
[This was partly because you had spent a heavy sum to purchase a Tier-3 high-grade puppet, which you dismantled and studied day and night.]
[ 'A Tier-3 mid-grade puppet master!' ]
[You were in a great mood. This meant you had acquired yet another method in your arsenal—you could now craft puppets on par with Mid Golden Core Stage true persons!]
[Year 97: You are 113 years old.]
[Over the past few years, you had also been secretly gathering intelligence on Mount Baimo.]
[The destruction of Mount Baimo caused quite a stir in the Taiyuan Region. A dignified Core Formation faction was wiped out just like that; what would other Core Formation factions of the same caliber think?]
[However, Taiyuan Palace seized the opportunity to heavily publicize the cruelty and tyranny of the demonic cultivators. Surprisingly, this roused the cultivators of their own domain, leaving them united against a common enemy.]
[For a time, a massive number of low-level cultivators voluntarily rushed to the battlefield, eager to protect their homeland.]
[ 'This Taiyuan Palace certainly has plenty of tricks up its sleeve when it comes to handling its own cultivators...' ]
[You mused inwardly.]
[During the third simulation, you had realized that Taiyuan Palace was rather incompetent at fighting the Jiuyou Region, but they had plenty of schemes for managing their own factions. They were incredibly adept at inciting emotions and creating opposition.]
[Of course, Taiyuan Palace's actions had no impact on you.]
[By now, you had completely escaped Taiyuan Palace's sphere of control.]
[Year 98: You are 114 years old.]
[You extracted the Primordial Yin Qi that Li Yan had nurtured for over twenty years, advancing your cultivation by the equivalent of five years of bitter training.]
[ 'Master, Yan'er's musical dao skill has already reached the peak of Tier 2...' Li Yan told you joyfully, her tone soft and sweet. ]
[ 'Oh?' ]
[Your expression turned slightly serious as you examined the Primordial Yin Treasure Physique in front of you, who was completely devoted to your every command.]
[Li Yan had only been exposed to the musical dao for thirty or forty years. How could her progress be so fast?]
[If a Golden Core true person were willing to spend time and energy delving into a specific skill, they could leverage their high cultivation base to quickly master it to Tier 1 or even Tier 2.]
[But once at Tier 2, maintaining that initial speed of comprehension would require even more energy, as well as a great deal of natural talent in that area.]
[ 'Yan'er is highly gifted in the musical dao...' ]
[You patted Li Yan's head, deciding inwardly to collect more musical dao inheritances for her.]
[As one of the hundred cultivation arts, musical dao inheritances were quite obscure. However, high-level musical dao skills could soothe a cultivator's state of mind.]
[State of mind... The effects were not obvious at lower cultivation levels, but the higher one's cultivation grew, the more importance they placed on it. You speculated that a cultivator's state of mind could somewhat influence the difficulty of their future Heart Demon Tribulation.]
[Year 99: You are 115 years old.]
[You attempted to refine a Tier-3 high-grade pill, which ended in failure.]
[Year 100: You are 116 years old.]
[The war between the two regions continued to rage on like wildfire. The highly secure commercial properties and shops you had the Qingyuan Chamber of Commerce purchase in the Taiyuan Region had already started turning a profit.]
[Year 101: You are 117 years old.]
[After making a full recovery, the Jiang Family Patriarch once again led the Jiang Family cultivators to the spirit mine, engaging in bloody battles with True Person Chishe and his bandit cultivators.]
[With his prior experience of being severely injured in an ambush, the Jiang Family Patriarch played it much safer. He managed to defend the mining site but was unable to return to the Jiang Family for a long time.]
[Year 102: You are 118 years old.]
[In order to continue currying favor with you, the Jiang Family Matriarch, Jiang Jixue, invited you to the Jiang Family estate for a tea tasting once again.]
[However, the Jiang Family Patriarch was not present this time. You shared a room alone with the Jiang Family Matriarch, though no boundaries were crossed.]
[Although Jiang Jixue appeared to ooze charm, she strictly adhered to her bounds. She merely bowed her head to brew your tea, making no other intimate gestures.]
[Year 103: You are 119 years old.]
[You received word from the Jiang Family that in a few months, a portion of the spiritual energy from the spirit vein beneath the Qingyuan Chamber of Commerce's stronghold would be siphoned away.]
[ 'Siphoned away?' ]
[Your heart stirred slightly.]
[You were the Vice Alliance Leader of the Xuanwang Island Merchant Alliance. If even the spiritual energy from your cave dwelling's vein was being extracted, it was easy to guess that the vast majority of the spiritual energy on Profound King Island would be drawn away as well.]
[ 'Siphoning most of the island's spiritual energy... are they trying to create a Tier-4 cave dwelling?' ]
[ 'Is someone trying to break through to the Nascent Soul Stage?' ]
[ 'That Grand Elder of the Jiang Family?' ]
[You thought to yourself.]
[At present, the true person in the Jiang Family with the highest chance of attempting a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage was that Grand Elder.]
[This Grand Elder was Jiang Jixue's grandfather, possessing a cultivation base at the Core Formation Perfection Stage.]
[It was precisely because of this Grand Elder's support that Jiang Jixue was able to secure the position of Jiang Family Matriarch and rule over the Jiang Family.]
[In truth, Jiang Jixue governing the Jiang Family in her capacity as the matriarch went against the family's rules.]
[But with the Grand Elder's backing, all voices of opposition within the clan had been suppressed.]
[ 'It's the perfect opportunity to observe...' ]
[You thought to yourself.]
[Watching a Great True Person at the Core Formation Perfection Stage attempt a Nascent Soul breakthrough from up close would serve as valuable experience for your own future breakthrough.]
[Year 104: You are 120 years old.]
[On this day, you suddenly stepped out of the inner chambers of your cave dwelling and looked toward the center of Profound King Island.]
[You saw the spiritual energy across the thousand-mile radius of Profound King Island surging violently, all gathering toward the depths of the Jiang Family estate.]
[ 'That Grand Elder of the Jiang Family is beginning his Nascent Soul breakthrough...' ]
[You observed closely.]
[At the same time, various pieces of intelligence regarding this Grand Elder surfaced in your mind.]
[Earth Grade spiritual root aptitude... stepped into the Core Formation Stage at 98 years old... High-Grade Gold Core... Mid Golden Core Stage at 200 years old... Late Golden Core Stage at 300 years old... and now he's just over 400 years old...]
[ 'This Grand Elder's foundation is incredibly solid...' ]
[Focusing on the majestic spiritual energy that continued to pool together, you wondered curiously, 'I just don't know which stage he will be able to reach...']
[Breaking through to the Nascent Soul Stage is divided into three phases:]
[Shattering the core to form the nascent soul, the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation, and the Heart Demon Tribulation.]
[ 'The phenomena accompanying the Nascent Soul formation are proceeding in an orderly fashion. There's a high probability he will survive the stage of shattering the core to form the nascent soul...' ]
[You surmised internally.]
[Over the years, you naturally hadn't been completely unprepared for your own Nascent Soul formation, having gathered a wealth of intelligence on the process.]
[Of course, no amount of intelligence could compare to witnessing it with your own eyes.]
[During the third simulation, at this exact point in time, you were still bogged down in the quagmire of the great domain war and couldn't break free.]
[ 'Hm?' ]
[Just then, your expression shifted slightly.]
[Faintly, you sensed a formless spiritual sense sweep across Profound King Island.]
[ 'It's Venerable Xuan... Has Venerable Xuan awakened?' ]
[Ripples of shock rose in your heart.]
[That invisible spiritual sense instantly swept over Profound King Island, blanketing a thousand-mile radius. Other than the legendary Venerable Xuan slumbering at the bottom of Xuanwang Lake, who else could achieve such a feat?]
[ 'Awakening at a time like this... it must be to prevent anyone from causing trouble and interrupting the Jiang Family's Grand Elder during his Nascent Soul breakthrough...' ]
[You deduced secretly.]
[ 'Just what exactly did the ancestors of the Wan Family and Jiang Family do to warrant such care from a dignified Tier-4 Beast King...' ]
[You felt a deep sense of envy.]
[Time flowed by, and half a month passed in the blink of an eye.]
[Boom!]
[At that moment, high in the sky deep within the Jiang Family estate, dark clouds suddenly rolled in across a hundred-mile radius. Tribulation energy gathered, and azure lightning crackled continuously.]
[For a time, the many cultivators and countless living beings across the thousand-mile expanse of Profound King Island felt an extremely oppressive atmosphere.]
[ 'He successfully shattered the core to form the nascent soul, as expected... Next is the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation...' ]
[You gazed into the depths of the Jiang Family estate from afar, thoughts turning in your mind. 'The Heavenly Thunder Tribulation requires blocking nine bolts of Nascent Soul heavenly thunder. As long as he blocks them successfully, he will survive the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation and face the final Heart Demon Tribulation...']
[You carefully observed the tribulation clouds that completely shrouded a hundred-mile radius deep within the Jiang Family.]
[The pressure bursting from the intertwining azure lightning far surpassed the might of the Tier-3 body refinement heavenly tribulation you had undergone back then.]
[Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!]
[Under your close observation, the hundred-mile span of tribulation clouds churned. But after consecutively crashing down seven bolts of lightning, they actually began to dissipate rapidly.]
[Within a few breaths, the pitch-black tribulation clouds spanning a hundred miles completely scattered, returning to a clear blue sky.]
[ 'Sigh...' ]
[The massive spiritual sense enveloping the thousand-mile stretch of Profound King Island also swiftly receded. Faintly, you seemed to hear a sigh.]
[ 'The tribulation clouds dispersed after a mere seven bolts of lightning... Does this mean his Heavenly Thunder Tribulation failed?' ]
[You also fell into silence.]
[When attempting a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage, if one failed during the stage of shattering the core to form the nascent soul, there was still a chance of surviving.]
[But failing during the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation or the Heart Demon Tribulation meant certain death.]
[The nine bolts of Nascent Soul heavenly thunder brought down by the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation would all strike in full unless the one undergoing the tribulation died.]
[The same was especially true for the Heart Demon Tribulation. Once you failed, you would forever sink into your heart demons.]
[You cast a distant glance at the depths of the Jiang Family estate before immediately returning to your cave dwelling to continue cultivating.]
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