I Was the Sun Before I Became an Immortal

The wave of relief that came with completing the second tribulation washed through Si Chen's entire body.

The suffocating sense of physical constraint he had felt before — that feeling of a small shrine unable to house a great Buddha — had now all but vanished.

A tremendous power lay coiled within his sinews and bones, and with every movement of his hands and feet, it seemed as though he could stir the wind and thunder themselves.

Even more remarkable was that wisp of purple tribulation lightning from the dragon's transformation...

It was still... working.

Having dutifully completed its tempering task, it lingered like a diligent laborer who had stayed behind to clean up, continuing to drift slowly through his meridians and bones, ceaselessly and gently strengthening his physical body.

The "Nine Tribulation Thunder Body" had never mentioned anything like this.

It seemed he was walking a path entirely different from the one its creator had envisioned.

As long as that obediently tame tribulation lightning remained within him, his physical strength would be improving at every moment.

"Saves me the trouble," he murmured.

He paid no further mind to the diligent "working thunder" within him and turned his attention to his own cultivation.

The hidden danger to his physical body had been temporarily resolved, and his cultivation no longer needed to be deliberately suppressed.

Time to form his Golden Core.

Knowing how quickly his cultivation advanced, his clan had long since imparted everything they knew about Core Formation to him — from the key points and critical junctures, to the inner demons he might face during the tribulation, to the grading system for Golden Cores. All of it had been told to him in advance.

Golden Cores were divided into nine grades, with the first grade being the highest and the ninth the lowest.

The grade of one's core upon formation nearly determined how far a Cultivator could walk along the path of cultivation.

His Storage Ring was also packed full of various spirit pills and elixirs the clan had prepared to assist with Core Formation.

Whether he would need them or not, they had been set aside for him regardless.

Si Chen felt the increasingly surging spiritual power within his Elixir Field and hesitated no longer. With a single thought, he completely released all suppression on his power.

Boom!

His cultivation rose naturally and smoothly to the Perfected Foundation Establishment Stage, and showed not the slightest intention of stopping.

All of his spiritual power surged madly toward the core of his Elixir Field.

In just a single breath, a massive vortex of Spiritual Energy had already taken shape.

The spiritual power was compressed and refined continuously, its radiance growing ever more brilliant.

Soon, a perfectly round Golden Core, radiating dazzling light, floated serenely at the center of his Elixir Field.

Core-patterns formed on their own, the resonance of the Dao flowing through it — flawless and perfect.

According to the knowledge passed down by his clan and the general understanding of the Cultivation World, this was undoubtedly a first-grade Golden Core.

It was the supreme foundation that countless Cultivators dreamed of — enough to make any clan or sect pour all their resources into nurturing its bearer.

Si Chen sensed this first-grade Golden Core, yet tilted his head slightly.

Perfect... was it?

It felt like... it could be a little stronger?

The moment that thought arose, he decided to try.

With a subtle shift of his mind, he separated an extremely fine thread from the origin of his stellar consciousness, and carefully guided it, channeling it into the newly formed Golden Core.

Hum!

The instant that thread of origin merged in, the entire Golden Core shuddered violently!

The originally golden-bright core suddenly blazed into a fierce fireball!

In that moment, it resembled a miniature, blazing little sun — and the spiritual power throughout his entire body felt as though it were about to boil!

Even Si Chen himself was somewhat surprised by this sudden change.

He thought for a moment, then turned his awareness toward that wisp of purple Yang Thunder diligently "working" within his body.

"Send a thread of yourself in as well."

That wisp of Yang Thunder was astonishingly obedient — it even seemed to feel honored — and immediately split off a thread, compliantly merging it into that blazing white "little sun."

Crackle!

Thunder and fire met, each giving rise to the other, each sustaining the other!

The burning Golden Core was instantly wreathed in streaks of nimble yet majestic purple lightning.

The ferocity of the flames and the destructive force of the thunder, guided deliberately by Si Chen, achieved a strange and wondrous equilibrium.

The blazing flames gradually subsided.

A peculiar Golden Core — white-gold at its base, wreathed in purple lightning — finally stabilized completely.

It floated serenely at the center of his Elixir Field, and the aura it emanated had long since surpassed the bounds of "first grade" — indeed, it surpassed any description of the Core Formation Stage found in any text.

What grade was this... exactly?

Si Chen did not know. There was no record of it in any of his clan's texts.

This was, in all likelihood, an unprecedented Golden Core of indeterminate grade.

He assessed the condition of his physical body — it remained light and unobstructed, without the slightest burden from the condensation of this "strange core."

In that case...

Si Chen ceased all deliberate control and allowed his cultivation to surge wildly upward, driven by this strange core.

Early Core Formation Stage... Mid Core Formation Stage... Late Core Formation Stage!

Vast spiritual power surged through his meridians, yet was perfectly contained by that Golden Core, doubly tempered by both thunder and fire.

Only when his realm settled firmly at the Perfected Core Formation Stage did the surging spiritual power gradually calm.

Complete and stable, without a trace of hollowness.

A single session of Closed-Door Cultivation, leaping directly from the Late Foundation Establishment Stage to the Late Core Formation Stage. If word of this speed were to spread, it would be enough to drop the jaws of a great many people.

Si Chen slowly opened his eyes.

A flash of blazing white flame and purple lightning arced through the depths of his gaze, then vanished.

He exhaled softly, and even his breath carried a faint trace of scorching heat and thunder.

He glanced down at his palm.

He stood up and stretched his muscles and bones — his strength was brimming as never before.

Core Formation — accomplished.

And it seemed he had formed something quite extraordinary.

As for the Nascent Soul Stage, Si Chen decided to wait a while longer.

This strange core needed to be... well... thoroughly studied.

The moment he stepped through the curtain of the waterfall, two pairs of eyes locked onto him simultaneously.

Heishan and Chifeng, whose curiosity had long been piqued by the unceasing, ever-intensifying commotion from within, immediately crowded around him.

"Brother, you're finally out! Just now there was thunder and golden light blazing from inside — what were you doing..."

Heishan's booming voice cut off mid-sentence. He froze, his pair of bear-like eyes going wide as saucers.

"You — you, you... Late Core Formation Stage!?"

Beside him, Chifeng was equally incredulous. How long had it even been? Ten days at most, all told!

Si Chen looked at the two demons' reactions and gave a small nod, his tone as unhurried as ever. "Mm. Done."

Heishan opened his mouth, and after a long pause managed to squeeze out: "My bear mother above..."

He circled Si Chen twice, muttering continuously, "Went in at Late Foundation Establishment Stage, came out at Late Core Formation Stage... crossed an entire major realm and then some in a single session of Closed-Door Cultivation... who would believe this if you told them!?"

Si Chen didn't respond to that. His gaze shifted toward Red Bean, still curled up in a ball and fast asleep on Chifeng's back.

"It still hasn't woken up?"

"Not yet," Chifeng shook its head.

"Sleeping deeply, but its aura is steady enough."

Si Chen nodded. It seemed that absorbing the Nascent Soul truly required time for Red Bean.

He then asked, "Fang Yuheng — did you find him?"

At that, Heishan immediately deflated, scratching his big head in frustration. "Don't even mention it."

"That little brat is as slippery as an eel! We've practically turned Wanji Mountain inside out, and there's not a single trace of him!"

Chifeng added, its tone grave: "We suspect he may have already left Wanji Mountain."

Si Chen listened, then fell silent for a moment.

Under the demons' carpet-search, a gravely wounded Fang Yuheng had somehow managed to slip away without a sound?

It seemed he still had some tricks up his sleeve.

Continuing the search seemed to hold little meaning now.

Si Chen surveyed the valley around him.

It was time to leave Wanji Mountain.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!