Chapter 383 - 299: Golden Core (2)

Chapter 383: Chapter 299: Golden Core (2)

"And above those, there is the highest-level Golden Core," Elder Wei said. His gaze, fixed on Yu Changsheng, suddenly sharpened, glinting with an intense light.

"This type of Golden Core is called the Heavenly Dao Golden Core. Upon formation, it takes on a purplish-gold color and aligns with the Celestial Dao. Its owner’s combat ability is blessed by the world itself, and their every move is infused with Heaven and Earth’s Great Power. Their strength becomes unparalleled, making them invincible within their Realm. Such individuals are exceedingly rare, each one a true child favored by the heavens. Even in the great Holy Lands, they are figures on the level of a Saint Son."

"As long as such a person doesn’t fall prematurely, reaching the Purple Mansion Realm is a certainty, and attaining Divinity Transformation is a simple feat. Their cultivation speed is dozens of times that of an ordinary person. In short, the uses of a Heavenly Dao Golden Core are endless. Once you forge one, your future path will be wide open, a swift ascent to the heavens."

Yu Changsheng listened quietly, swallowing hard. A light flickered in his eyes, his heart filled with anticipation.

"The single greatest factor in determining a Golden Core’s quality is the number of Spirit Platforms formed during Foundation Establishment! The more Spirit Platforms you condense, the higher the quality of the resulting Golden Core and the greater the benefits. That’s why the number of Spirit Platforms is of such paramount importance in the Foundation Establishment Realm."

"This is precisely why I have repeatedly pushed you to increase your number of Spirit Platforms. Only by building a taller Spirit Platform during Foundation Establishment and creating a more solid foundation for your Great Dao can you condense a higher-quality Golden Core during Core Formation. The benefits for your future path of cultivation are immeasurable."

Elder Wei explained in a slow, deliberate manner. Seeing Yu Changsheng’s thoughtful expression, he smiled faintly.

"With your talent—a Nine-Layered Spirit Platform, a Spirit Communication Dao Body, and being Favored by the Heavens—not to mention having refined a worldly supreme treasure like the Celestial One Divine Water to serve as the prototype for your Great Dao... your physical body and Divine Soul also far surpass those of ordinary people. Once you undergo Core Formation, the likelihood of you condensing a Heavenly Dao Golden Core is very high."

"However, there is no room for carelessness in this matter. You must wait until you are fully prepared before attempting the breakthrough. Also, you must be aware that while the Heavenly Dao Golden Core is Favored by the Heavens, it is also rejected by Heaven and Earth. This is because this type of Core Formation forcibly seizes the world’s Dao Rhyme, and its very appearance will be met with repulsion."

Elder Wei trailed off, meeting Yu Changsheng’s curious gaze. He paused, considered for a moment, and then let out a deep breath, his expression growing more solemn.

"In other words, unlike other forms of Core Formation, the breakthrough to a Heavenly Dao Golden Core will, one hundred percent of the time, trigger a Celestial Tribulation. And it will be the most powerful kind of Celestial Tribulation."

"You must remember this well. The Heavenly Dao Golden Core is both a gift and a trial. Only after being quenched by the Celestial Tribulation, a manifestation of Heaven and Earth’s Great Power, can your Golden Core become truly flawless, reaching the perfection of a Heavenly Dao Golden Core and becoming a seamless whole."

"And a Celestial Tribulation is fraught with danger and truly difficult to overcome. Therefore, once you decide to break through, you must be thoroughly prepared. You wouldn’t want to succeed in condensing the Golden Core only to be struck down by the tribulation and left clinging to life."

"Celestial Tribulation?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Changsheng’s expression turned serious, and his heart stirred. He nodded.

"The path of cultivation requires steady, step-by-step progress. The foundation you lay in each Realm will become your most solid backing. It will form the very bedrock of the Great Dao beneath your feet, allowing you to soar to the heavens. Remember, you must not rush for quick gains. Only by pushing every Realm to its absolute limit can you travel far in the future."

"In this, both your Elder Gui and I have great expectations for you."

Elder Wei shook his head gently, his gaze regaining its calm. He patted Yu Changsheng on the shoulder, his eyes filled with profound meaning and a hint of wistful emotion.

"Yes. I will take it to heart."

Yu Changsheng cupped his fist and replied solemnly.

After all he had accumulated, if he failed to condense a Heavenly Dao Golden Core at this stage, Yu Changsheng felt he would never be able to forgive himself.

"Mm," Elder Wei nodded, then smiled relaxedly. "But don’t you worry too much. Just proceed as usual. With your foundation, and the fact that I’ll be setting up a defensive Array to ward off the Celestial Tribulation for you, surviving it shouldn’t be a major issue."

"After all, your greatest strengths are your physical body and Divine Soul, both of which have already surpassed the level of your current Cultivation. These two things will make overcoming the Celestial Tribulation much, much easier for you."

"For the next little while, you should focus on training and polishing your skills until you’ve reached the absolute peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm. When the time is right, you can ride the momentum to call down the Celestial Tribulation and condense the Dao into your Golden Core."

"Thank you for all your trouble and guidance, Master."

Yu Changsheng said with a smile, his voice full of respect and gratitude.

"There’s no need for such politeness between us. Just make sure you don’t embarrass me, kid. It’s been a thousand years since a Heavenly Dao Golden Core last appeared in the Wanxiang Sect. I’m very much looking forward to the next one being my disciple as well."

Elder Wei chuckled, his eyes on Yu Changsheng holding a complex emotion—one of both admiration and high expectation.

Yu Changsheng was left speechless for a moment. ’He’s really putting the pressure on,’ he thought. He understood the weight of his master’s words, so he simply nodded. After feeding the animals in the Beast Garden, he took his leave.

This left the Profound Turtle’s projection and Elder Wei to converse alone. Although the Profound Turtle was now one of Yu Changsheng’s tamed beasts, the special nature of their Contract afforded it a large degree of freedom. For instance, creating this out-of-body projection was one of its abilities, one that didn’t require Yu Changsheng’s consent.

However, the ability did consume a certain amount of Yu Changsheng’s Magical Power and Power of Divine Soul, and the projection’s range was limited. But given the sheer depth of Yu Changsheng’s Divine Soul and his level of Cultivation, the drain was negligible so long as he wasn’t otherwise occupied. In fact, the projection’s range was wide enough to cover the entire Wanxiang Sect.

Watching Yu Changsheng depart, Elder Wei’s expression settled. He turned, met the Profound Turtle’s eyes, and began to tease it.

"Well, you old thing? How are you adapting? After being stuck in that sunless, godforsaken place for a thousand years, I trust you’re getting used to the outside world."

Hearing this, a hint of a smile touched the Profound Turtle’s ancient eyes. It nodded and replied softly, "Not bad. It’s good to get some fresh air. The Cultivation Realm... it feels as though everything has changed, yet nothing has changed at all."

"Indeed. The Cultivation Realm changes, but we remain. Year after year the flowers bloom alike, yet year after year the people are different..."

Elder Wei remarked with a sigh, his voice filled with emotion.

"We’ve lived too long. We really have become old relics. Heh."

"Ah, well. After so many long years, I find I no longer hold such high expectations for the boy." The Profound Turtle fell silent. After a long pause, it shook its head and suddenly smiled.

"Oh? And why is that?" Elder Wei raised an eyebrow, looking at the Profound Turtle in confusion.

"When you’ve lived as long as I have... even if a hundred years from now he fails to resolve the issue of my Seal and my Origin and I perish as a result, it will be fine. Just being able to accompany him for a century, to see the sights of this Cultivation Realm and watch him grow along the way... that in itself is an interesting prospect. The journey will have been worthwhile."

The Profound Turtle smiled, its eyes filled with sincere emotion and nothing else.

"A hundred years is enough. As for what comes after... ashes to ashes, dust to dust. I’ll let nature take its course."

Elder Wei shot the Profound Turtle a surprised look, his brow furrowed in thought before smoothing out in understanding. He chuckled.

"I never thought you were capable of such a change of heart. But rest assured. You’ve seen my disciple for yourself. At his current pace, the heights he will reach within a century should be more than enough to meet your needs and solve your problem."

"Perhaps," the Profound Turtle said noncommittally, shifting its shell and shuffling closer to Elder Wei. "I don’t doubt your judgment. Both of your disciples have been astonishingly brilliant; neither has brought shame to your name."

"However, it is you I am worried about. So many years have passed. At your level of Cultivation, you’ve already been forcibly extending your life for some time. How much of your lifespan do you have left? I fear it is no more than a hundred years."

At these words, Elder Wei’s expression froze. A shadow of sorrow flickered across his features before vanishing. He then shook his head with a small smile, his gaze drifting past the Profound Turtle to fix on the distant horizon.