Outside.
Zhan Hongxiu stood at the top of a cold ice cliff, gazing toward Fang Qing’s cave abode.
Suddenly!
A terrifying spiritual pressure emerged, sweeping across the entirety of Taibai Island.
The heavenly phenomena changed once more as spiritual qi gathered and formed multicolored auspicious clouds that continued to expand.
“That boy has successfully formed his Core. Now it depends on the quality of his True Core.”
Inside her sea of consciousness, Old Turtle spoke with an experienced, worldly tone.
Zhan Hongxiu watched with nervous tension as the auspicious clouds kept spreading, quickly surpassing a three-mile radius.
“Not bad. He has already broken through the limit of low-grade True Core and entered the mid-grade range!”
As expected, under Zhan Hongxiu’s regretful gaze, the range of the phenomenon finally stopped at around five and a half miles.
This placed the True Core in the upper tier of mid-grade quality.
Unfortunately, it was not a high-grade True Core, so it could not be called a “Nascent Soul seed.”
“Huh?”
But at that moment, Zhan Hongxiu’s expression changed drastically. The Core Formation phenomenon suddenly surged as if it had taken a powerful tonic.
Six miles… seven miles… eight miles… nine miles!
“He broke through… to high-grade True Core?”
“There’s actually such a genius in this place? No… that’s not right. This boy must have hidden some top-tier Core Formation spiritual object… Sigh, what a missed opportunity.” Old Turtle shook his head and sighed.
“Island Master Fang, has condensed a high-grade True Core?”
A spark of fighting spirit rose in Zhan Hongxiu’s eyes. “When I form my Core in the future, I will also strive for high-grade True Core!”
Inside the cave abode.
Fang Qing looked at the True Core within his body, which had shrunk another size but now looked like a flawless piece of azure jade, perfectly round and unblemished. A faint purple glow even shimmered across its surface.
He let out a long breath. “High-grade True Core… or perhaps even slightly beyond? This ‘Fountain of Agelessness’ is truly effective.”
He had originally prepared this item as a life-saving trump card in case Core Formation failed.
After successfully forming his Core, even after taking the Core Formation Pill he had only reached mid-grade True Core. This prompted him to consume the ‘Fountain of Agelessness.’
As expected, this Purple Mansion spiritual object could be used as a Core Formation treasure. It instantly pushed his True Core quality all the way to high-grade!
Not only that, it even added a touch of purple hue to his True Core.
“So comfortable…”
Fang Qing recalled the sensation of taking the ‘Fountain of Agelessness.’ It felt as if his entire body had been immersed in a river of boundless vitality.
There was still quite a bit of residual effect left. Perhaps after this Core Formation, he could attempt to break through the late-stage Dao Foundation bottleneck?
As for the side effect of ‘ageless youthful appearance,’ that was just a minor bonus.
“I have finally, formed my Core.”
Fang Qing stood up. His divine sense instantly swept across three miles, doubling the range he had before!
The moment he released his divine sense outward, he felt an extreme sense of danger.
It was a powerful premonition of impending disaster, coming from the sky above.
“Core Formation heavenly tribulation!”
Fang Qing had long been prepared for this. He calmly familiarized himself with his new power, took out his magical treasures, and even had the spare thought to complain inwardly: “This is so unfair. So many evildoers in Ancient Shu never get struck by lightning, yet someone like me who doesn’t even use blood qi pills gets targeted. Do good people really die young while disasters live for a thousand years?”
Of course, Fang Qing also understood that this was because the situation in Ancient Shu was far too complicated.
Unless the Lightning Dao Fruit had already been divided among the various Daos like Xun Wind, then it simply had yet to be attained.
“However, mere Core Formation heavenly lightning wants to trouble me?”
Fang Qing recalled watching that Chaos-Sea Flood Serpent undergo its tribulation years ago. It had looked extremely difficult.
But he was different now!
Not to mention his terrifying Core power that slightly surpassed the limit of high-grade True Core, he also had third-rank body refinement!
Even if he had only formed a low-grade True Core, he would not fear the heavenly lightning in the slightest!
“Tide-Birth Pearl!”
With a thought, Fang Qing connected to this outer Core using his True Core power.
Driven by the power of his True Core, the outer Core’s full potential was finally unleashed. Its terrifying mana resonated perfectly with his Blue Sea Technique, pushing his cultivation all the way to the mid Core Formation level!
“If even mid Core Formation cultivators can be killed by this level of Core Formation heavenly lightning, then the cultivators here might as well give up on cultivation.”
“The external-core technique is actually a shortcut for cultivators to avoid disasters!”
A figure flashed through the air!
Fang Qing had already stepped outside the cave abode, facing the terrifying lightning head-on.
At this moment, the nine-li-wide Core Formation phenomenon had completely transformed into dense black storm clouds.
Countless bolts of lightning twisted and coiled within them like writhing serpents, carrying overwhelming heavenly might.
“Core Formation heavenly tribulation?”
Zhan Hongxiu gazed at the scene with an incomparably solemn expression, utterly unable to look away.
“That figure, why does it seem so familiar? Is that Fang Qing?”
Within the medicinal garden, Bei Lingshu’s eyes widened instantly in disbelief. “How is that possible? Wasn’t he imprisoned the whole time refining pills? His cultivation should only be at mid-stage Foundation Establishment.”
“This is bad… why is it him?”
“Damn it, he’s an alchemist! He must have concealed his cultivation all along and secretly kept a ‘Core Formation Pill’!”
“Old Ancestor, your poor judgment has doomed us allm”
The Zhong Family members on Taibai Island erupted into chaos and outrage.
“And that Xiang Dahu, back then he acted like a loyal dog. Just as expected, a biting dog never…”
Xiang Dahu remained expressionless. Following Fang Qing’s instructions, he directly shut down the third-rank grand formation.
This formation had also been intended as a final safeguard.
But the young master’s strength was astonishing. He intended to face the heavenly tribulation alone!
Crack!
A bolt of azure lightning as thick as an arm descended instantly, shattering the protective barrier Fang Qing had formed from his True Core mana before exploding violently.
Strands of lightning slithered across his body like tiny snakes, bringing a tingling numbness throughout his flesh.
“So this is the might of heavenly lightning? The first bolt is the weakest, yet it could still effortlessly annihilate a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator.”
After carefully experiencing it for himself, Fang Qing nodded slightly.
Only because he possessed a third-rank body refinement physique could he endure heavenly tribulation with his flesh like a demon beast.
And if he truly reached his limit, he still possessed two magical treasures. He had nothing to fear.
“Mm?”
At that moment, however, Fang Qing suddenly felt something unusual.
“This heavenly tribulation… is not merely disaster. It is also fortune…”
“I can feel it. It is actively pouring ‘Dao attainment’ into me…”
“Lightning is the pivot of yin and yang.”
Dao attainment!
This was the very foundation of Ancient Shu cultivators!
And furthermore… this was the long-extinct “Lightning Thunder” of Ancient Shu itself!
“So that’s how it is, only by enduring heavenly tribulation head-on can one obtain such fortune. Blessing and calamity have always existed side by side. That is the law of heaven!”
Fang Qing’s eyes shone brilliantly as he took the initiative to disperse his defenses and used his powerful physique to receive the second bolt of heavenly lightning directly.
Rumble!
This time, the skin on his chest darkened slightly with burns, yet his eyes only grew brighter.
“The Dao of lightning and fire…”
Crack!
The third tribulation bolt descended, blasting Fang Qing deep into the earth below.
“No… this is not truly lightning…”
“Heavenly tribulation is born from heaven and earth. I question heaven and earth, and heaven and earth answer me.”
“This is not the direct infusion of Dao attainment, but rather the process of seeking the Dao from heaven and earth themselves.”
“So there is no need for me to obsess over lightning or fire virtue. I need only focus on one direction.”
“That direction is ‘Water Virtue’!”
Fang Qing understood his own limits clearly.
There was no possibility of him comprehending a true Lightning Position within Ancient Shu.
He simply did not possess that level of talent or comprehension.
Thus, the best course was to seek understanding of the water path through heaven and earth, increasing his own Dao attainment in [Ji Water]!
Crack! Crack!
Bolts of heavenly lightning descended one after another, growing denser and more violent until Fang Qing’s entire figure was gradually swallowed by the endless sea of thunder.
Fang Qing, meanwhile, drifted into a slight daze, as though wandering within an endless expanse of [Ji Water].
In that hazy state, he no longer felt human. He became a spring of flowing water, surging endlessly eastward, then rising once more into the heavens to transform into clouds, mountain mist, and dew.
By the time he regained his senses, the thunderclouds in the sky had already dispersed. The ninth heavenly lightning tribulation had passed, and he had successfully formed his Core Formation!
“What a pity... Why didn’t it strike me a few more times?”
Fang Qing used his mana to conjure a fresh set of robes, smacking his lips with lingering satisfaction.
“The next time will be when I condense a Nascent Soul.”
“No, perhaps I could use the Dao-Genesis Pearl to cheat a little. Find another Qi Refining cultivation method and attempt Core Formation once more?”
“Or interfere with someone else’s Core Formation tribulation?”
Yet the moment the thought arose, Fang Qing already knew it was impossible. His current knowledge far surpassed what it once was. Tricks like this resembled a Nascent Soul cultivator possessing a new body and cultivating back to the Nascent Soul realm. It was impossible for them to experience the Nascent Soul heavenly tribulation a second time.
Even if one dispersed their golden core and cultivated again, the principle would likely remain the same. Heaven and earth had already acknowledged you as a Core Formation cultivator. There was no possibility of another Core Formation tribulation descending.
As for assisting another person through their tribulation?
Heavenly tribulations locked onto the qi aura of the cultivator who triggered them. Recklessly interfering would only drag both people into destruction together.
Throughout the history of the cultivation world, countless bloody lessons had already proven this.
“As for my current [Ji Water] Dao attainment...”
Fang Qing silently reflected for a moment. A stirring sensation welled up within him. Once he returned and entered seclusion, he felt he could likely break straight into late-stage Dao Foundation in a single breath without needing any auxiliary pills at all.
This was the advantage of possessing high Dao attainment.
Of course, it might also be because traces of the Purple Mansion spiritual object, the “Fountain of Agelessness,” still lingered within his body.
At that moment, several Foundation Establishment streaks of light slowly approached, revealing the island’s Foundation Establishment cultivators.
“Zhan Hongxiu greets True Personage Fang. Congratulations to True Personage Fang on successfully forming Core Formation. Nascent Soul now lies within sight. May your immortal path flourish eternally.”
Zhan Hongxiu bowed gracefully, her expression exceedingly complicated.
Xiang Dahu was far more straightforward. He immediately saluted. “Congratulations on forming Core Formation, Young Master. From this day onward, may you enjoy everlasting longevity.”
“You... you actually formed Core Formation?”
Shock still lingered across Bei Lingshu’s face. She hurriedly bowed as well. “Please forgive this junior’s disrespect, True Personage.”
“Haha, enough.”
Fang Qing waved his hand dismissively, then turned toward the few Foundation Establishment cultivators belonging to the Zhong Family and Taibai Island.
“Although Fellow Daoist Zhong imprisoned me for many years and forced me to refine pills for him, he was still an open and honorable man. Now that I have successfully formed Core Formation, I will not stoop so low as to take action against his clan.”
“You may look after yourselves.”
After speaking, he turned toward Bei Lingshu once more.
“The sect now faces disaster. I intend to go provide aid. Will you come with me?”
Bei Lingshu felt warmth surge through her heart. This martial uncle truly understood her.
“This little woman would not refuse even in death!”
“Good!”
Fang Qing immediately raised his movement light, wrapping Bei Lingshu and Xiang Dahu within it as he sped toward the direction of the Blue Sea Sect.
Behind them, Zhan Hongxiu and the Foundation Establishment cultivators of Taibai Island stared at one another in silence before suddenly scattering in all directions.
Loose cultivators who had clawed their way upward through the cultivation world were all intelligent people.
Now that the Blue Sea Sect possessed a full three Core Formation True Personages, the fate awaiting the Zhong Family and the Sea-Destroying Alliance would likely be anything but pleasant.
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