Chapter 124: A Path to Nascent Soul

"So that’s why only Core Disciples can enter..." A few disciples immediately understood. Only Core Disciples had reached that realm, so it wasn’t surprising that Inner Disciples like them didn’t know about such things.

Elder Dong nodded. His gaze swept across the group.

Although they had already reached the absolute peak of the Golden Core Realm, just one step behind the required realm, their spiritual seas had not yet completed the transformation into a true soul.

His eyes briefly stopped on Long Feng.

Even though Long Feng’s soul power was considerably stronger than that of the other disciples present, reaching a level comparable to a Fifth-Rank Alchemist and even approaching that of a Nascent Soul Realm expert, this was only the quantity of his soul power and still had not formed a true soul.

That was the fundamental difference between the Golden Core and Nascent Soul Realms.

"Normally, you wouldn’t be qualified to cultivate inside this tower."

Elder Dong’s words made several disciples smile bitterly. They had already guessed that much.

"But this room is different."

He pointed toward the stone platforms.

"This is a specially modified cultivation room within the Soul Tempering Tower. They can lower pressure while simultaneously guiding it into a Golden Core cultivator’s spiritual sea."

"The purpose is to help you complete the most difficult part of your breakthrough—transforming the spiritual sea into a soul."

The room became completely silent. A few disciples stared at the stone platforms with excitement, even Long Feng’s eyes flashed.

So that was the real reward!

He had originally thought that being allowed to enter the Soul Tempering Tower itself was already a considerable opportunity. He hadn’t expected the sect to have specially prepared a place capable of assisting Golden Core cultivators with their breakthrough.

If this place could truly help them temper their spiritual seas, then the value of this cultivation room was undoubtedly extraordinary.

Elder Dong continued, "Of course, don’t misunderstand. This room cannot simply force someone into the Nascent Soul Realm."

"Breaking through still depends on yourselves. The formations only provide an environment that makes the transformation easier. They will nourish and temper your spiritual seas while you attempt to condense your souls."

What he didn’t say was that such a room was far too costly compared to any other room in the tower. That was why there was only one such room.

These disciples were not idiots either. They quickly understood this unspoken fact, and several of them couldn’t hide their excitement.

It directly helped them prepare for the most important transformation of the Golden Core Realm.

While Elder Dong was explaining the rules of this place to them, they also started walking around the room, looking at everything. There were many platforms built according to their needs, allowing them to sit and cultivate.

Each platform was separated by a certain distance, clearly designed to prevent the soul fluctuations of one cultivator from disturbing another.

Long Feng briefly glanced at the formations beneath them.

They were extremely complicated.

Even with his current soul power, he could only understand a portion of the patterns. The deeper formation lines seemed to connect directly with the entire Soul Tempering Tower, continuously drawing and refining the soul energy before sending it into the room.

Just then, a disciple shouted, drawing their attention.

"Elder, what are these markings on the wall?"

The disciples followed his gaze. Only now did they properly notice the countless markings covering the stone walls.

Some were extremely simple. Others were complicated beyond their understanding.

There were sword-shaped diagrams, strange circulation patterns, cultivation formulas, and even some incomplete explanations carved into the ancient stone.

"You should also pay attention to them. These are top breakthrough methods left behind by previous disciples."

Elder Dong walked toward the wall and lightly touched one of the markings.

"Breakthrough methods?" The disciples were stunned.

"Yes."

Elder Dong nodded. "The basic method of transforming the spiritual sea into a soul is not a secret within the sect. You can find it in the sect’s library. However, that method is only the most ordinary one."

His voice became slightly heavier.

"The quality of the soul anyone forms through that method will depend largely on their own foundation and comprehension."

"And that is where the difference begins."

"A Nascent Soul cultivator’s strength isn’t determined only by the realm itself. The quality of the soul they form is also extremely important."

"Two cultivators can both be at the same level of the Nascent Soul Realm, yet their souls can be vastly different. Their future potential will also be different."

The disciples became increasingly serious. Although they had heard about this before, no one had expected this matter to be so serious for their future.

Elder Dong also didn’t hesitate to explain this important matter to them, as he knew the seriousness of such things.

"The soul is the foundation for your future cultivation. If the foundation is weak, your future path will become much more difficult. These methods were left behind by some of the most talented disciples in the history of the sect."

"Some of them had extraordinary methods for tempering their spiritual sea. Others discovered unique ways to strengthen their soul during the breakthrough."

"They couldn’t take those experiences with them forever, so they left them here."

Long Feng slowly looked across the walls.

Some of the markings were so old that they were almost impossible to read, yet traces of powerful soul force still seemed to remain within them.

He could faintly sense that some of those traces were much stronger than others.

Clearly, the people who had left these methods behind had reached extraordinary heights in their understanding of the soul.

For the first time, Long Feng became genuinely interested in the walls.

If he could find a method compatible with his own cultivation, it might prove useful when he eventually attempted his own breakthrough.

"Can we cultivate according to these methods?" Another disciple asked.

Elder Dong shook his head.

"You can, but don’t blindly copy them. The path of forming a soul is different for every cultivator. What worked for one person may not work for another."

He glanced around the room. "Take whatever is useful to you and understand it. The rest depends on yourselves."

The disciples nodded seriously.

Several had already begun studying the methods with anticipation.

Long Feng also looked at them carefully. There were dozens of different approaches recorded here.

Some focused on increasing the density of soul power, some emphasized repeated tempering of the spiritual sea, while others appeared to use completely different methods.

He silently memorized several of the more interesting formations and diagrams.

He wasn’t planning to cultivate them immediately.

After all, without properly understanding their principles, attempting to follow an unfamiliar method could easily cause problems during such a critical breakthrough.

It was better to remember them first and study them later.

Elder Dong allowed them to study and decided to leave, but before going, he finally spoke again.

"You will have fifteen days to train here."

Suddenly a faint smile appeared on his lips as he raised the token he had used to open the stone door.

"If you succeed early, you can leave after the breakthrough. But this room can only be opened with my token."

His smile clearly show that he had no intention of leaving the token behind.

The disciples’ expressions became slightly complicated. It almost felt like they were being locked inside.

Elder Dong continued before anyone could complain. "Therefore, don’t leave unless you have a reason. Use these days properly."

Although some seemed dissatisfied with the arrangement, they weren’t worried and looked quite confident.

Most of them had already reached the absolute limit of the Peak Golden Core Realm. Their spiritual energy was already showing signs of transformation, and their spiritual seas were beginning to tremble under the pressure of their own cultivation.

For them, the breakthrough might come at any moment.

If they succeeded within a few days, there would naturally be no reason to remain here.

But Elder Dong’s next words immediately erased that thought.

"And there is another condition. None of you can leave before everyone here has completed their breakthrough."

His gaze swept across everyone.

The room became silent. Several disciples stared at him in surprise.

A few disciples looked at each other.

Some of them were clearly confident that they would break through quickly, but they had no choice but to accept the rule.

Elder Dong then added, "Also, don’t forget to gather in front of the Soul Tempering Tower on the sixteenth day. There is a great opportunity waiting for you."

His gaze slowly moved across the room.

"If anyone is missing, then there will be no need for that person to participate in the next main event."

The disciples’ expressions immediately became serious.

This wasn’t a suggestion.

It was a condition.

But Long Feng’s mouth twitched suddenly. He felt as if the elder’s eyes were fixed on him while saying this.

Awkwardly touching his nose, he turned his head, only to find that Elder Dong didn’t say anything else, but the meaning in his eyes was obvious.

Don’t disappear again!

Long Feng could only smile helplessly.

"Then what are you waiting for?"

Elder Dong finally nodded and walked toward the door.

The stone door slowly closed behind him. The moment Elder Dong’s footsteps disappeared, the room became completely silent.

More than a dozen Peak Golden Core disciples remained inside.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Everyone’s attention gradually returned to the ancient markings covering the walls and the stone platforms waiting for them.

The excitement that had been suppressed during Elder Dong’s explanation slowly surfaced again.

For these disciples, those fifteen days could potentially determine how strong their foundations would be after entering the Nascent Soul Realm.

One by one, they began choosing their platforms.

Long Feng remained standing for a moment longer, his gaze still fixed on the ancient markings. Then, after memorizing the final diagram that had caught his attention, he finally turned around.

The real cultivation was about to begin.