Chapter 188: Yin and Yang United – The Flawless Golden Core!

Chapter 188: Yin and Yang United – The Flawless Golden Core!

Forming a golden core had never been simple.

For a cultivator like Xiao Chen, who possessed a low-grade spirit root, it was practically an insurmountable barrier.

Thus, even after successfully absorbing the Yin Flame Slaughter and forming the Yin Fire Seal, he remained vigilant.

"Eighty percent success rate still isn’t safe enough. I should find a secure place to absorb Spirit Herbs first."

The heavenly qi in Qingxiao Gorge had nearly vanished, making it extremely unfavorable for a cultivator’s breakthrough.

In fact, this wasn’t just about breakthroughs—cultivation stages and even daily cultivation heavily relied on the concentration of spiritual energy in one’s surroundings.

A lack of spiritual energy supply would drastically reduce cultivation efficiency.

Normally, Xiao Chen didn’t care about this because his cultivation method was entirely different from others’.

Ever since earning his first Spirit Stone, he’d never lacked top-tier Spirit Herbs or various Spirit Pills, from Evergreen Pills to Six Harmonies Spirit Water.

Before meditation, he’d take a pill and sip the spirit water, instantly ensuring an endless flow of spiritual energy within his body without needing to absorb it from the outside.

But major cultivation stage breakthroughs were different.

First, they required harmony between heaven and humanity—essentially drawing heavenly qi from the external world.

Second, the amount of spiritual energy needed was astronomically high, far exceeding what Spirit Herbs alone could supply.

In short, the ideal choice was to find a naturally energy-rich location, like a third-tier spirit vein.

If that wasn’t possible, one could artificially create a high-energy environment, such as setting up a Spirit Gathering Formation.

This wasn’t an issue for Xiao Chen—it simply required more Spirit Stones.

Thus, he had ample options, prioritizing safety above all else.

Safety was the second major challenge during a major cultivation stage breakthrough.

As the saying went: Observe celestial timing, examine terrestrial advantage, attain human harmony.

Back when Xiao Chen Foundation Built, he’d spent three full days and nights. Naturally, forming a golden core would take even longer.

Yet now, he was alone in a chaotic Hezhou region.

If someone hostile interrupted his breakthrough, it could disrupt the golden core formation and lead to failure.

"I need to find a place where no one will ever discover me."

After exiting Qingxiao Gorge, Xiao Chen decided to head further south.

"Better yet, I’ll find some desolate wasteland. I’ll just spend more Spirit Stones to avoid human threats."

Guided by this thought, he veered slightly westward, flying out of Hezhou entirely.

He reached the border between Li Zhou and Hezhou, then traveled another 50,000 li directly south.

To be thorough, Xiao Chen patrolled the area.

There wasn’t a single cultivator or ordinary person in sight.

"Perfect. If I still run into trouble here, I’ll have to blame heaven itself."

Nodding in satisfaction, he chose a dormant volcano and leapt directly into the crater.

"Seven Star Sword Technique—Kaiyang!"

A sword beam sliced through the rock, carving out a vast flat space.

Next, Xiao Chen took out formation flags and set up a Yellow Wind Quicksand Formation around the crater’s perimeter.

Inside, he deployed a portable Spirit Gathering Formation, activating it to maximum effect.

Abundant spiritual energy immediately surged, filling the entire crater.

After securing the breakthrough location, Xiao Chen first slept inside the formation until he awoke naturally, fully rested and energized.

Then, sitting cross-legged, he began cultivating Yu Ling Jue, tirelessly cycling through the Grand Celestial Cycle.

When he finally felt he’d reached his peak condition, he retrieved his Storage Box and solemnly took out the Great Golden-thread Nanmu branch.

Taking a deep breath, he gently surrounded the branch with a thin thread of mana.

While refining this precious third-tier Spirit Herb, he simultaneously used it to comprehend the Dao of Wood.

To achieve the best comprehension effect, Xiao Chen deliberately slowed his refinement speed to the absolute minimum.

After all, he was already at Foundation Building peak—his goal wasn’t to increase mana through refinement.

A full day and night passed.

The Great Golden-thread Nanmu branch was finally drained of its last bit of vitality, turning into a dry twig.

Yet Xiao Chen didn’t stop. Instead, he took out the third-tier Fulong Root gifted by Lei Yin Zhenren earlier and continued comprehending the Dao of Wood.

The Fulong Root was also a wood-element Spirit Herb. Though not as valuable as the Golden-thread Nanmu, its spirit root properties were compatible.

This act was extremely extravagant, but during critical moments, he always invested generously in himself.

Another six hours passed, and the Fulong Root was completely exhausted.

As the dense wood mana dissipated, Xiao Chen reluctantly emerged from his meditative state.

"This feeling… doesn’t seem to have changed much?"

Compared to two days ago, he’d gained significant insights, including resolving many previously confusing concepts.

"Spring and autumn evolving in sequence… withering and flourishing in turn…"

A thread of mana glowed on Xiao Chen’s hand, first radiating emerald green light, then shifting to withered yellow.

The two colors began interweaving, constantly transforming.

At first, the transitions were clumsy, but gradually became smoother and more fluid.

This meant his comprehension of the Dao of Wood had indeed improved.

Looking at the bigger picture, Xiao Chen felt his understanding of the Dao of Wood had only advanced slightly compared to before.

If the Dao of Wood was a towering tree, his current progress was like a tiny sapling.

It wasn’t entirely unrelated, but still far from true enlightenment of the Dao.

Fortunately, for a Foundation Building cultivator, even a glimpse of the Dao’s mysteries was enough to aid in forming a golden core.

"Does my mana feel slightly denser?"

The third-tier Fulong Root had a mana-purifying effect. Xiao Chen noticed his mana had indeed become purer, even somewhat richer, almost reaching a near-congealed state.

This was undoubtedly good news!

During golden core formation, the more refined and concentrated one’s mana, the easier it was to coalesce into the core’s shape.

This would save Xiao Chen significant energy for other critical steps.

By now, he’d continuously comprehended the Dao for eighteen hours.

To avoid mental fatigue, he took a three-hour nap midway.

Only after resting did he begin calculating the optimal timing for his golden core formation.

It was already the fifth month’s fourth day. The most auspicious timing, like his previous Foundation Building breakthrough, would be the Mao Hour (5–7 AM) on the eleventh—six and a half days from now.

Remembering his previous encounter with Heifeng Sanren before his breakthrough, Xiao Chen resolved not to leave the crater under any circumstances this time.

Of course, he wouldn’t simply wait idly for six and a half days.

Instead, he spent this period reviewing all content related to golden core formation in the Yellow Spring Sovereign’s World Salvation and Punishment Secret Manual.

He especially studied the recorded golden core formation techniques, searching for common principles and critical precautions.

As Xiao Chen gathered malevolent qi, comprehended the Dao, and awaited the celestial timing…

The outside world had already undergone earth-shattering changes.

To fight to the death protecting their ancestral foundation or temporarily retreat to preserve their forces—this was the critical dilemma.

For Yao Qin Zhenren, the time had come for Wan Hua Valley to make a decisive choice.

With Yao Hua Zhenren far away at Yuan Ci Peak, the White Bone Demon Body was now dangerously close.

Yao Qin Zhenren needed to issue a clear directive so the valley’s disciples could act accordingly.

Inside the Wan Hua Grand Hall, several sect elders recommended activating the Protective Sect Formation to resist the demon body using the grand array.

Though they claimed to act for the sect’s greater good, their true motive was reluctance to abandon their ancestral foundations.

The White Bone Demon Body slaughtered indiscriminately. If left unchecked, even if they returned later, the ordinary people and solitary cultivators would struggle to recover.

Without these lowly yet essential groups, who would cultivate the spirit fields? Who would mine the spirit stones?

The families within Wan Hua Valley would inevitably suffer severe losses.

Thus, the resistance faction held absolute dominance.

"Wan Hua Valley has stood as a grand southern domain sect for a thousand years. How could we retreat without fighting against the Demonic Dao? If we do, we’ll be ridiculed by the entire world!"

An impassioned middle-aged guest elder shouted, his voice trembling with emotion.

"At my age, I’d rather die here than flee!"

An elder with white hair and beard, nearing the end of his lifespan, spoke calmly yet firmly.

"We disciples are willing to unite with the elders and face this calamity together!"

Several direct disciples knelt on the floor, jointly petitioning.

However, their opinions weren’t enough to sway Yao Qin Zhenren.

She turned to Mingyue Zhenren, the messenger: "Is this demon body truly so formidable that even our composite third-tier formation cannot defeat it?"

Though Wan Hua Valley lacked war puppets like Spirit Origin Sect, it possessed Hezhou’s most formidable protective formation—a triple-stacked third-tier formation capable of withstanding assaults from multiple Golden Core experts when fully activated.

Yet Mingyue Zhenren didn’t answer directly: "Fellow Cultivator Yao Qin, to be honest, I haven’t fought the demon body myself, so I can’t say how strong it truly is."

"However, Senior Sect Brother Qianzhu instructed me to inform you that Qingxiao Sect has already fallen."

"I must return to Yuan Ci Peak to raise the alarm. We’ll meet again later."

As he reached the hall’s entrance, he turned back to warn: "Oh, the White Bone Demon Body is extremely fast. If Senior Sect Brother hadn’t distracted it, I wouldn’t have escaped."

Though partly due to his recent golden core breakthrough, this was enough to prove the demon body’s terrifying power.

Watching Mingyue Zhenren depart, Yao Qin Zhenren secluded herself in the ancestral hall for half a candle.

Upon returning, she summoned her only direct disciple—Zhong Lixue.

"Xue’er, take all the junior sect sisters to Yuan Ci Peak and find your eldest senior aunt."

Zhong Lixue’s heart sank: "Master…"

"Don’t worry about me. Even if we can’t stop the demon body, I can still protect myself."

Yao Qin Zhenren raised her hand to stop Zhong Lixue’s protests: "Staying here would only distract me. That’s why I’m sending you away first."

"Under no circumstances should we leave a reputation of retreating without fighting and bring shame to our ancestors."

In truth, she’d already decided to retreat—but not decisively enough.

She wanted to stay and resist symbolically, at least showing Wan Hua Valley hadn’t fled in fear.

Thus, three days later—on the day Xiao Chen took the malevolent qi and headed southwest—Yao Qin Zhenren escaped by self-detonating her spiritual artifact.

All cultivators who chose not to evacuate with Zhong Lixue perished.

The composite formation of Wan Hua Valley shattered, and countless hair-like threads flayed and stripped the bones of everyone present, transforming them into the White Bone Altar.

Subsequently, all low-level cultivators within Wan Hua Valley lost their protection. The majority became nourishment for the White Bone Demon Body, while a lucky few fled toward the Spirit Origin Sect. Naturally, a handful of Late Lian Qi Stage cultivators or solitary Foundation Building experts deemed Hezhou unsafe. They took sufficient Bigu Pills and fled toward Li Zhou.

Fortunately, the White Bone Demon Body, driven by insatiable greed, remained within Wan Hua Valley to devour bones instead of directly invading the Spirit Origin Sect. Even so, the rapidity of these events left everyone stunned.

The Divine Flame Cult had waged war for a year and a half, barely seizing one-sixth of Hezhou. Yet the White Bone Demon Body destroyed two-thirds of the region in just half a month.

A flood of intelligence, mingled with rumors, spread like wildfire across the Spirit Origin Sect. Except for critical areas like Yuan Ci Peak, Ling Yuan Bazaar, and Xianghe Bazaar, chaos reigned elsewhere.

The Spirit Origin Sect wasn’t alone in its panic—the Divine Flame Cult was equally bewildered. After finally gaining the upper hand and nearing dominance over Hezhou, how could such a catastrophe erupt?

Though the terms "Demonic Sect" and "Demon Body" differed by a single character, they were worlds apart. The former merely comprised villains—some didn’t even consider themselves evil. The latter, however, was no longer human. To outsiders, Gu Weiyuan had succumbed to madness, his will shattered, becoming a grotesque monstrosity.

"The demon bone was destroyed. How did the White Bone Demon Body still manifest?" Nie Jing Zhenren felt numb, this outcome defying all expectations.

Originally, he had prepared contingencies. Even if Xiao Chen hadn’t obtained the map to the White Bone Gate’s saint child location, others like Ye Fei would have. The White Bone Gate should have been eliminated long ago—what had gone wrong?

Unfortunately, Gu Weiyuan’s transformation into a demon rendered this a mystery. Only Hua Yang Zhenren of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, who practiced the Divination Script—a technique using turtle shells or beast bones for omens—knew the truth. The quality of the bones used determined the accuracy of the prophecy.

Sighing deeply within Yuan Ci Peak, Lei Yin Zhenren asked, "Given the current crisis, who among fellow cultivators is willing to contact the Divine Flame Cult?"

Though phrased as a general question, his gaze settled on Yao Hua Zhenren. She was the only one likely to succeed.

"How can you suggest this?" Yao Hua Zhenren’s face darkened. "Shall we ally with those bloodthirsty madmen?"

She recoiled at the idea.

Truthfully, Lei Yin Zhenren shared her revulsion. Yet rationally, if the righteous and demonic factions continued fighting instead of uniting against the White Bone Demon Body’s growth, a Golden Core-level demon body might emerge, turning the entire Southern Domain into hell.

Better to set aside grudges and eliminate the White Bone Demon Body first. Future conflicts could wait.

But the Divine Flame Cult’s Golden Core experts disagreed. What did they care if the Southern Domain became hell?

For Nie Jing Zhenren, even if all other cultivators perished, seizing the Yellow Spring Path’s legacy or opening hidden treasures would let him flee to the Eastern Territory. He rejected cooperation, intensifying his assault.

Though the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion had allied with the Spirit Origin Sect for survival, and Wan Hua Valley’s two Zhenren temporarily joined them, the situation remained dire.

At this critical moment, uniting all Golden Core Zhenren from Li Zhou was their only hope. Yet Cangyan Sect seized the opportunity to demand exorbitant concessions, pressuring Lihuo Sect and Sihai Sect into submission. Their correspondence had already turned hostile. Only the White Bone Demon Body’s threat prevented open war.

Meanwhile, Xiao Chen’s "death" stirred significant waves. Though overshadowed by the chaos, many insiders mourned.

Chang Shunping felt genuine grief—his newly found patron had vanished overnight. Black and White Sage, Zhu Hui, and Tie Xinweng lamented, while Liu Feng added regret. He’d coveted the Wind-Thunder Pair Swords seen on the spiritual vessel, but such a treasure now fell into a demonic Golden Core’s hands, a waste of its potential.

Ye Fei, upon hearing the news, felt both sorrow and caution. He’d reached the Foundation Building Eighth Layer in two months of relentless combat but remained far from Golden Core. With the crisis accelerating, he needed to break through before the world collapsed to protect his beloved.

The news reached the Su and Chen families. Su Laoye lingered in disbelief—his gamble to stake the Su family’s future on Xiao Chen had cost a third of their resources.

Steward Chen hesitated before relaying the news to Li Zhou. Upon learning of it, Chen Tianfeng, Chen Tianyuan, and Elder Chen abandoned their tasks, gathering for a somber feast.

Reactions varied—some rejoiced, others despaired, and a few breathed secret sighs of relief.

Lin Ping An, however, reacted differently. He secretly cast a divination.

"Earth Wind Ascension?" Lin Ping An’s eyes widened—this was an auspicious omen. The hexagram combined Xun (wood, yielding) below and Kun (earth, submission) above, symbolizing growth and rising fortune.

Staring at the hexagram, he rubbed his eyes in disbelief.

"This..."

After a stunned pause, he carefully packed the hexagram and retreated to his courtyard, diligently cultivating his manual, indifferent to the chaos outside.

By May 11th, Xiao Chen awoke at the Yin Hour (3-5 AM), having slept five hours. He stretched, then inspected the Spirit Gathering Formation in the volcano crater, replacing depleted spirit stones.

The formation had run nonstop, yet it wasn’t enough. To maintain high spiritual energy, he lined the walls with spirit stones and built a towering platform beneath his feet.

Counting them with his spiritual sense, he nodded. "Sixty-six thousand, six hundred, and sixty-six spirit stones—none more, none less."

Though wasteful, the number’s auspiciousness pleased him. Activating the stones, a surge of spiritual energy overflowed, escaping the formation’s bounds.

Unfazed, Xiao Chen continued channeling more stones. The dense energy condensed into white mist, transforming the crater into a fairyland.

The spiritual energy concentration now surpassed even a third-tier spirit vein.

Cross-legged, he meditated, awaiting the Mao Hour (5-7 AM).

Suddenly, he opened his eyes, exhaling a black-and-white false core. It hovered, radiating mana—emerald on the left, ochre on the right.

Sensing the opportune moment, he silently recited the final chapter of Yu Ling Jue, targeting the Golden Core bottleneck.

"Sun and moon unite, day and night shift."

He formed hand seals, activating the Yin-Yang Synergy Manual to boost his success rate.

"Crack!"

A Five-Color Jade Coral worth hundreds of thousands of spirit stones shattered, releasing tangible, radiant spiritual energy.

Xiao Chen inhaled the essence, which recognized his Wood Spirit Root, turning vibrant green and pulsing with life.

"Snap!"

The Linglong Xishui Pearl shattered next, releasing water mana. The false core spun, channeling the energy into a taiji-like flow.

About 30% of the water mana transformed into wood mana, while the rest dissipated or was expelled to avoid interference.

A typical Golden Core Zhenren would’ve called him a wastrel, but Xiao Chen focused solely on breakthrough.

Mana surged into his dantian, shattering previous limits. The energy flowed along his meridians, tearing through bones, etching bloodlines across his body.

This was the necessary trial to transform mortal bones into jade bones, fulfilling the inscription: "Shed the mortal shell, purify the body, transcend the mundane."

Thanks to his Body Cultivation realm, he endured the agony without protective elixirs. After the pain, new bones grew, gleaming with vitality.

His face hardened as alternating emerald and ochre light flickered across his body.

Ninety-nine times the cycle repeated, withering and reviving the Yu Spirit Flowers in his dantian.

Finally, a unique fruit formed—black and white, radiating purple-golden light.

A Flawless Golden Core!

"Today is the day", Xiao Chen murmured. "Today, I become Golden Core Zhenren."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end